
Agents in College Football, Todd McShay Talks NFL Draft, & Michigan's 2025 Expectations
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Rob Stone
Did I ever tell you, Mark, the story of when Coach and I first met over the phone? I'm driving into work, I'm busting my can, right? Coach calls me. I'm on, like, the little speakerphone, and I think literally, Coach, your first question was like, who are you? I'm like, what do you mean, who am I?
Urban Meyer
I want to know who you were.
Mark Ingram
How are you helping us win? Stone?
Rob Stone
Light it.
Mark Ingram
Light it.
Rob Stone
Oh, now we're singing. Now we're singing to the song. Welcome to the Triple Option by Wendy's. Go to Wendy's and taste the difference in a hamburger. Wow. Heavy NFL draft talk today with one of the leading voices, one of the leading brains for years about the NFL draft. The great Todd McShay from the Ringer joins us. Kirby Smart, boy. Coach Smart unloaded on the state of college football agents. Nil salary cap zoom calls. We get into it, and how many wins will Michigan get in year one when probably Bryce Underwood as their quarterback. All these things we'll talk about this week on the Triple Option presented by Wendy's Rob Stone, Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram, the second Deuce Deuce back here with you. Thanks as always for joining us. We encourage you to rate. Subscribe us over there at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever it is you find your podcast. And you can go to social media, too. 3x option show new episodes coming your way every Wednesday.
Mark Ingram
Tell your mama, new.
Rob Stone
Tell them all. Tell your aunt, tell your uncle, tell your cousin, tell your second cousin, tell the guy down the street.
Urban Meyer
Every.
Rob Stone
Everybody, we love you. We appreciate everybody who's been listening in and watching the Triple Option over the last couple months. Here we go. It's the off season, but man, oh, man, every week we have plenty to talk about, right? And this week, let's give some credit to Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, who provides us with our opening conversation. Kirby's got some real concerns, and I'm not smiling here. I'm sorry. He's got some real legitimate concerns about the state of college football. Let's listen to Coach Smart.
Kirby Smart
There's stuff going on right now, guys, in college football. I mean, there's people reaching out to have a Zoom call and present all the players they represent that are on teams, including our teams. And they want to invite people to the Zoom so they can watch and see who's going in the portal or shopping who's in the portal before the portal. Do you want to get on the Zoom and look at all these players? I'm like, well, what if someone reminds? I mean, it could be one of the most legendary, you know, moments in all of college sports with what's coming up on this ruling and how people are going to try to manipulate a cap when all we're trying to do is make for competitive balance. And it's really unfortunate that I don't know if competitive balance is going to come out of it, you know, like, I don't know if the kids win in this model that we currently have. If they win long term. Like, long term, when we have to cut sports and cut other things, are the kids going to be the winners of this? I don't know college sports for a long time and given many an opportunity, and by all means, I want these kids to make money. But what's going on right now is not good for anybody. You know, I really believe there still does matter a relationship. And relationship doesn't matter that I'm probably not gonna have a kid that wants to play Harford, Georgia.
Urban Meyer
Right.
Kirby Smart
So relationship matters. Work ethic matters. Like, do you. Do you, like, want to be great? Do you have fire, passion and energy? I'll pay for that. I'll pay a premium for fire, passionate energy. Because in the market we're in, there's a lack of that. Kids are going to struggle the next 10 years when they look back and somebody says, I'm going to go back introspect, I'm going to look at this and say, what happened to the kids that went to two and three and four places? I will assure you we will not be happy with where those kids that jump for greener grass went to it. I think the world's a good thing for a lot of kids that are third, fourth, fifth year. But it also gives you a way out that I don't think is good for kids right now.
Rob Stone
Hey, props to Kirby Smart for saying what so many of us have really been thinking over the course of really, not just the last couple of months, last couple of years. A lot to digest. Let's break it down into bite sized bits. We'll start in chronological. Chronological order. Coach. Let's begin with these agents creating these zoom calls, these sizzle reels for their clients that may or may not be available in the open market.
Urban Meyer
Yeah, I got a real strong opinion. I've been a part of the game for a long time. I've witnessed, like, in any walk of life, Mark, you got incredible agents and then you got others that aren't. And the agents, you know, that was always an NFL model. And then it started to work its way into college. In the coaching profession that was my first exposure to that. And so I, I think it's really important. This is the obvious but I want to say it. The agent, they have a very clear responsibility. It's maximize their clients value, period. That's it. It's not for the good of the game. It's not for women's volleyball or soccer or the track team. And that has no bearing on what their responsibility is. Their job is once again to maximize the value of their client. Period. Done. Underline it. And how do they do it? There's two ways they promote them. And I want to hold that for a thought for a minute. How do you do that? The normal way is there. But I've also seen agents also come to me and want to be my agent. And I've seen them with players who very creative ways of promoting and increasing their value. That's what this sounds like. This agent whoever's going to try to promote his clients on a zoom call and invite others. Why is he doing that? To promote his client. Client and trying to get more. Number two, inflate the market. And we're witnessing that in real time. I talk to a lot of coaches still when the numbers you hear are not accurate. It's why, how's that happen? It's they're leaking information to do what? To increase, to, to inflate the market. So I want to hit and I want to hand this to Mark a couple things. Kirby hit really hard. I don't want us to always to be the old guy sitting here saying well this sucks, this sucks, this sucks, I got it. But he hit a couple things after here. Here's what college football used to be. You win, go the NFL and make money. That was number one. Number two, you get an incredible education, prepared for life after sport and you get a network system at some of these incredible schools that I witnessed. I coached at Notre Dame. There's none better. There's not a better network system than Notre Dame. I also coached at Florida, Ohio State. I know you're at Alabama. That don't devalue what that means. I've witnessed over 30 years players take advantage of that and really get set up pretty well for life and a nice job because of that network system. That's the old way. Now it seems to be what's the immediacy of my value? How many more thousands dollars can I get? And Kirby hit something really hard. Mark, you're going to look back, there's going to be a case study on the players that left Schools two, three, four times and what's their value? I mean at that moment, 10 years from now, when you don't have Alabama behind you, you know, when you say Mark Ingram, I see a roll tide, that's, that's instant marketability. Also you got network system. I know that about Ohio State, Florida and Notre Dame. So I'm hand it off to you. I don't once again to sit there and about it all the time. I don't know. But I think Kirby did hit a couple of spots that it came across his desk and, and I'm glad he did it.
Mark Ingram
I mean coach, I feel like you hit it right on the head. You talk about a network and just an environment around a player to be successful. And I think that's one of the main things why you go to a prestigious university and every university has those kind of resources is because not only do you play there, not only do you get a great education there, but then when you leave there, you have a network of people who want to see you do well, who have the kind of avenues and the connections to help you do what you want to do and aspire to be what you want to be past the game of football. And so I think that is something that is extremely beneficial when you attend these universities and when you go from school to school to school because hey, oh my coach don't like me. I'm not going to communicate with my coach and work through it or hey, I'm second string, I don't want to compete, I want to work. So I'm going to just go. And I feel like you lose some of that, that prestige, some of that, those special connections when you just try to jump for greener grass all the time. And Kirby's hit it on the head like we'll see where these guys are at 10 years from now. These guys that went to three, four schools where they gonna be at. But one of the things I like that he said, he was like fire, passion and something else. It was either commitment or work ethic. Yeah, fire relationships, fire passion and work ethic. He was like, he'll pay a premium for it, he says, because that's what's non existent in this model these days. Because there is no, there's no fires, no passion. It's all about me. It's all about instant gratification. It's all about what can you do for me, how much can you pay me and my family and this and that. And there's no long term goals. Like if you do what you're supposed to do. If you focus on what you're supposed to. If you control what you can control, which is your attitude, your work ethic, your commitment, how you approach every day, your attitude, how you treat people, at the end of the day you will be successful. So Kirby was right in, in many ways, man. And I'm just glad that somebody, you know, kind of had the world thought to drop their nuts and say what the elephant in the room has been for a long time.
Urban Meyer
So, you know, you know, Mark, we just finished something here in town in Sarasota and that was for inner city kids and it's all about. I'm horrified about and I've always been this way, just the way I was raised is what's going to happen to that person. 10, 12, 14, 20. You live a long life.
Mark Ingram
Yes.
Urban Meyer
You know, this is not between 20 now, now generational money. I understand that, but we all understand that's this many of the players generational money. You're going to have to get up and go to work. There's over 70 million people reliant on government assistance. There's over 85% of the workforce that doesn't like their jobs. That's a reality. I took that to heart and it's like that used to horrify me and say let's let these players have shadow opportunities, give them many internships because yes, go play. But you have a hell of a career. You're run in five years.
Mark Ingram
Yes.
Urban Meyer
And 28 years old, generational rich. You're, you know, it's not. You can go like Rob Stone water ski every day or whatever Rob does. But no, but you got to go to work. I mean you have to. And, and being prepared and also having that logo behind you.
Mark Ingram
Yes.
Urban Meyer
Once again, Notre Dame. Unbelievable. Ohio State, Florida. I know. Alabama.
Mark Ingram
Priceless.
Urban Meyer
Look at Matt Leinert in usc. He was going to be a Trojan. You tell me that hasn't opened the doors for Matt Liner.
Mark Ingram
Yes.
Urban Meyer
Of.
Mark Ingram
Yes.
Urban Meyer
What if Matt Leiter went away and play for five schools wouldn't have no.
Mark Ingram
Association with an amazing school. You know what I mean?
Urban Meyer
I'm glad he's bringing it up. You know, it kind of does. It gets you a little pissed, you know but I, and I, I do, I get it. I, I do. But. And I'm glad players are getting the name and likeness etc and they're going to get.
Mark Ingram
And now sometimes there is circumstances where a transfer is good for a player. One transfer, not four transfers. You know what I mean? So it's become It.
Rob Stone
It's become an escape hatch. The transfer portal. Right. And it's. It's teaching flight rather than fight. Exactly. And. And that's, I think, the big concern, like, when you guys get out of this system that is literally holding you and coddling you and feeding you and taking you to your dorms and taking you to your practices. And, yes, you're giving so much to the university, but if you're only there for a little. A little glimmer. Yeah. You don't resonate with that university. You don't have that brand there with you. And I don't think you. You have that work ethic, which is. Which goes back to what Kirby was. Relationships. I want those work ethics. That's what I'll pay for. Yeah, right. And. And you can see those dudes. You can see them coming in, and I bet you lose a lot of them. Coach. Right? Like, you're like, no, no, no. I don't want you to leave. You're one of my guys.
Mark Ingram
Yes.
Rob Stone
Don't. Don't take that bag over there. We've got a relationship. Your work ethic. You're going to have greater value in life going forward if you stay. If you stay a little, little bit longer.
Urban Meyer
I feel like I'm lecturing here, but this is exactly what a team meeting would be. And I would tell our players that you have. There's two sides to every story. One is the voice of reason, the voice of truth, and that you're not very good right now. You have to work a lot harder. You know, why am I not starting? Because you're not good enough. Okay, here's what you need to work on.
Mark Ingram
Yes.
Urban Meyer
To get good enough. Then you have someone else, that third uncle on the other corner saying, that's no. You need to transfer. And so one's. Ones I got to get up earlier. Ones I got to work harder once I. When I have to realize the reality that I'm not good enough yet. The other one is, yeah, he's damn right. I'm. I'm. The coach is the one screwed up. I'm gonna go leave. I'm gonna go somewhere else and move on. And so I. I don't. I just. I've been in. I don't know.
Mark Ingram
But those are the intangibles why we love football. Communication, relationships, overcoming adversity. All these things are tangibles that the game of football. That's why we love football at a young age. That's why we love sports at a young age, because it teaches you how to Be a man. It teaches you how to handle life in the long run. And if you run it because you don't like relationships, you communicating, then it's not going to help you in the long run. If you're scared of competition and you're scared of adversity and trying to be the best you could be and competing against others, it's not going to be good for you in the long run. So all the things that intangibly why we love sports is essentially what is hurting the sport at this moment.
Urban Meyer
So I made a comment and I, I would always say to our players, and I made it last week to that group of students we mentor. Jobs don't solve all problems, but jobs solve all problems. If you can provide for your family, yeah, problem solved.
Mark Ingram
Yes.
Urban Meyer
That's what I think ultimate responsibility of a coach and the university is it's not to make another $27,000. If that happens, great. But don't let that get in the way of life after sport because you got 40 years of providing for your family that you, you know, that $27,000 to do that, we all know it doesn't, especially after the fees and tax. You know, who's fica? Remember that fica? Who's that FICA person?
Mark Ingram
FICA terrorist.
Rob Stone
Oh, brother. We're bringing Terrace into the conversation. Coach, have you ever had a meeting where there was an agent and a third uncle in the room at the same time?
Urban Meyer
I never dealt with the agents in, in college I met with, with co. Actually with coaches. I would, I didn't, but I had someone that would. That started I don't know how many years.
Rob Stone
That was after your time, right?
Urban Meyer
Yeah, but that was after my time. But no, I'm still involved. I still have people out to me and say, what's your thoughts on this guy and this guy?
Rob Stone
Can you imagine a third uncle and an agent and like a top five star recruit hanging out in the coaches lounge together? That conversation I would actually, back in.
Urban Meyer
The day, I'd say, why are you here? You know, and people get pissed. I'd say, what, what is that person? Who, what value are you? Are you the father? No. Are you the. Well, I'm just, I'm here and I, you know, there are some good ones that want to really look out for his interest. There's other Mark that they're looking out for their own interest.
Mark Ingram
The third uncle.
Rob Stone
The third uncle. Did I ever tell you, Mark, the story of when Coach and I first met over the phone when he was coming to Fox and I was hosting the show and he was going to join it. I'm driving into work, I'm busting my can, right? Coach calls me. I'm on the little speakerphone, and I think literally, coach, your first question was, who are you? I'm like, what do you mean, who am I?
Kirby Smart
Who are you?
Rob Stone
Where'd you come from? I'm getting grilled as I'm trying to drive to work.
Mark Ingram
I'm like, wait a second.
Rob Stone
You're joining me?
Mark Ingram
Yeah.
Rob Stone
You're on my team. And you're. You are. I'm like, what? I'm like, man, this, this. And that's. That's what it was. That was the tone.
Urban Meyer
Like, why are you here?
Rob Stone
Yeah, hey, Stone, why are you here in this meeting? The meeting that you called?
Mark Ingram
What is your role in this?
Rob Stone
What is your role? What do you do, Stone?
Urban Meyer
What do you do?
Mark Ingram
How are you helping us win, Stone?
Rob Stone
I'm busting my ass every day to help us win. Coach knows that now, but, boy, it took him a while. I was like a juco recruit from someplace out in the Western Kentucky. Like, who are you? What have you done?
Mark Ingram
Yeah.
Urban Meyer
So you still remember it?
Rob Stone
Hell, yeah.
Mark Ingram
I remember my first call with Coach, too. He said. He said, congratulations, we're finally on the same team. I said, damn right.
Rob Stone
That was a better phone call.
Todd McShay
It was.
Mark Ingram
It was. He was. He wasn't. Like, what do you do?
Urban Meyer
Well, I knew what you did. I've seen it. I've seen what you did.
Rob Stone
Oh, man. All right. Getting players to stay and develop are your fresh moves of the week, brought to you by Wendy's. Go to Wendy's and taste the difference in a hamburger. Mark, we're going to pivot here in just a second. We're going to Talk with Todd McShay about the NFL draft, and we are going to the McShay. Yeah, I can't wait. It's NFL draft time, so we are going to fully focus on that experience presented by nhtsa. Using your phone while you're driving could kill someone. Put the phone away. Or pay. Paid for by nhtsa. Great words. Couldn't agree more, Nitza. Thank you for that, Mark. Here we are a couple weeks away from the draft, and you're a top level prospect. What was your body? What was your brain doing, say, two weeks out before your NFL draft?
Mark Ingram
I honestly don't even remember. I know I was nervous as heck, like, where am I gonna go? You know, you get done with all these little visits to different teams here and there. I actually didn't have that many visits. I remember going to the commanders. I remember going there.
Rob Stone
You had to catch yourself, didn't you?
Mark Ingram
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Rob Stone
Commanders.
Mark Ingram
The commanders, the football team. No, I remember doing, you know, your visits. And you're just training, man. You're just kind of training, and you're kind of wondering, where am I going to be in a couple weeks? Like, it's kind of a anxious feeling. You know what I mean? Like, you know you're gonna get drafted. I knew I was going to get drafted. I didn't know where I was going to get drafted. They were saying I was going to go 10 and 20. So I'm like, okay, that sounds pretty good. Then I go there and, you know, I have my whole family with me. We're in the green room, man. You're seeing everyone. It's. It's. It's a real feeling, man. It's kind of an anxious feeling and just kind of interested in wondering, where am I going to be here in two or three weeks? Who am I going to be playing for? What is my life going to be like? It's going to be good. It's going to be.
Rob Stone
Do they prepare you for what's. What's coming? Because you get drafted on, say, a Thursday, Friday morning, you are in that town.
Mark Ingram
Yeah.
Rob Stone
You are meeting like you have just become a member of NFL team.
Mark Ingram
Exactly. They kind of. But. They kind of kind of, but it actually happens. So I kind of had a unique experience because I was in a lockout year, so my first day with the team actually in that building was like day one of training camp, so we were locked out. So I didn't have any rookie minicamp. I didn't have any OTAs, I didn't have no true mini camp. Nothing. The first day in the building, I went up there, signed my contract, went downstairs, put on my pads and went out to training camp practice, day one.
Urban Meyer
Wow.
Mark Ingram
So my, my, my experience is a lot different than the current, you know, guys that's going to go because they're going to get called, they're going to get drafted, they're going to be on a jet to their facility, they're going to stay there, they're going to do OTAs and offseason activities, they're going to do rookie mini camp, they're going to do all that stuff. They're going to be there with the team for three months before they even have a training camp practice. But me, mine wasn't like that. So I'm kind of like a unicorn.
Rob Stone
You're you're our triple option unicorn. You're always a unicorn, Mark.
Mark Ingram
I appreciate you.
Rob Stone
Hey, man. Coming up next, we go full NFL draft mode. Talk with one of the best in the business. Todd McShay stops by on the triple option presented by Wendy' Light it. When it comes to making the best hamburgers around, the basics matter. And Wendy's, well, they've really got those burger basics on lock. And boy, does it show.
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I mean, as long as what you crave is a hot and juicy hamburger. A hamburger made fresh just for you, not waiting for you. After all, the perfect burger doesn't spend his time waiting around.
Rob Stone
So when you want a hot and juicy hamburger made fresh just for you, it's got to be Wendy's. Fresh is kind of their thing, you know. Fresh beef is available in the contiguous U.S. alaska and Canada. Not available in Hawaii. According to a recent Zip Recruiter survey, 76% of employers plan to expand headcount for 2025. Boy, that's going to mean a lot of time spent hiring. And if you're one of these employers who's ramping up hiring this year, don't miss out on this advice. Add ZipRecruiter's latest feature, Zip Intro to your hiring plan.
Mark Ingram
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Todd McShay
I know, I know. It's good to see all three of you guys. Good to see Mark still not wearing.
Rob Stone
Sleeves, you know, if you got him, flaunt them.
Todd McShay
My very good friend, Irvin Meyer. So this is, it's, it's great to be with you guys. What's going on?
Urban Meyer
Yeah.
Todd McShay
When you're, you're for some guys.
Rob Stone
Yeah.
Urban Meyer
Hey, I want to add something. He's, he's not one of the best in the business. He's the best in the business at it. I counted on him so many times. We actually did some, a show together years ago and, and a great person, great friend. I want to jump coach.
Todd McShay
I was, I don't mean to cut you off. I was telling a story recently about the first. So, so coach had took the year off between Florida and Ohio State. Right. So ESPN hires him and calls me. He's like, listen, we want to do weekly features. Urban's got a film room from down in his house. So I was flying from Boston down to Florida, going to his house every week. But before the first trip, you got to remember, it's like fresh off of me the whole year with Tim Tebow and having some concerns about the NFL and all sorts of things. And so I was Kind of public enemy number one. Yeah, Public enemy number one. Like, not only, you know, in college football, but like, even my mom, my sister wouldn't talk to me, like all of it. So I, I'm, I'm driving in for the first time and go, you know, pulling up to Urban's house and I'm such an idiot. I didn't even think about it. As I'm walking up to the door. I was like, oh, I didn't. Like, what about the family? And so Shelley, his wife, opens the door and doesn't let me in and comes outside. Glad to have you here. We're gonna in this. Like, Urban's in the back of watching tape right now. You know, he's like, she's like, before, before I let you in the house.
Urban Meyer
Here we go.
Todd McShay
You're gonna have to hash some things out with, with my, my son, my, my extended son, Tim Tebow. And so we sat there for like three, four minutes and she was, you know, she was drilling into me a little bit and I was having to explain myself. And we, we hashed it out and she let me in and, and we've been, we've been close ever since. She's been wonderful to me.
Rob Stone
And don't mess with Shelly, man.
Todd McShay
That was my first experience with Shelly and going into the Meyer household.
Urban Meyer
Wow. I'm gonna make sure I let her know. That's good for her, man.
Todd McShay
Yeah.
Urban Meyer
There's no free passes. Dude, you gotta.
Rob Stone
And coach, I guarantee, I guarantee you Todd's not the first and the last person she did that to.
Urban Meyer
All right, Todd, jump into it. Yep. This quarterback thing, you know, this year, obviously there's some converse. Maybe not as strong a quarterback class as there's been recently, because there's been some incredible quarterback classes. I just want to hear from the expert that studied this draft for so long. When you take a quarterback and you get stuck with the wrong quarterback, that can take an organization back backwards for five, maybe 10 years, is that still the case?
Todd McShay
I think it used to be close to a decade because of the salary cap with the collective bargaining agreement not to get into the weeds with it. But there's a cap now in that rookie pool and so it costs like 35 million for guaranteed money for a five year contract. So actually it's. If you hit on a guy, if you get a Jaden Daniels or Drake, may you actually have this five year window to go spend all that other money on veterans and surround him with a good supporting cast. So it's not like it once was in terms of setting you back a decade. But I still think if you bring a guy in with a top 10 pick, let's say you're going to ride with him for a little while, and if he doesn't pan out, it's going to set you back, minimum three years, but probably close to the life of that initial contract, you can still go out and sign a lot of players, but you're. You're struggling to try to get the most out of that, that young man. And if it's not working out, it certainly is a setback and that, you know, to kind of spin it forward this year. Coach, that's, I think, the juggling. I think it's two things. I think it's in part partly like, all right, if we bringing this guy in as a top 10 pick, let's say Shador Sanders, for example, and he's not at the level we need him to be for the first year or two, or maybe he's never going to get to that level. We've got to try to work through it. And so we're going to go through some losing years. And so when you look at it and you're say Cleveland at 2 or the Giants at 3, and it's not just the money or being tied up to or having a commitment to that quarterback, it's also, what could I have gotten instead? Could I have gotten a generational talent if I'm Cleveland sitting at 2 and a guy who could affect us on both sides of the ball positively, and Travis Hunter? Or could I get the best pass rusher in this class, which I believe is the second most important position in the NFL? And so that's kind of the. The tug of war that you do. We got to have that guy at quarterback. But if we go with Shador at 2 or 3, what are we passing up on, too? And maybe we could get back into the first round and get a Jackson dart. And now all of a sudden I have Travis Hunter and Jackson dart, or Abdul Carter and Jackson Dart versus Shador Sanders and a guy who you're hoping that it becomes a solid starter at the edge position or a wide receiver, cornerback.
Urban Meyer
I want to add one thing before I hand it off to Mark here, is that I also witnessed the Alex Smith phenomena when they drafted him number one overall. And I kept hearing he's a bust. And they just happened to put them on a really bad team, a really bad organization that didn't know how to function. And it's amazing to me is that, you know, certain organizations Just are lousy. And the one thing I always hear with those organizations, they have a lot of cap space. Yeah. I mean, maybe you don't understand the whole cap, but you understand great players. So it's. That's the other phenomena. You get this quarterback and he gets stuck in a bad organization, then all of a sudden he goes to the Chiefs and he has it like Alex did. I think it's twofold. One is, you know, the quarterback's not good enough. The other one is you get stuck with, you know, a bad organization that you don't surround them with the proper talent.
Todd McShay
There's no question. I mean, the jets are a perfect example. You're not winning with that owner, period. You're not winning with that owner.
Urban Meyer
Wow.
Todd McShay
And so as long as Woody Johnson's there and meddling, look at all the good quarterbacks that have gone through there. Talented guys that have. Like, Sam Darnold's the best example. And some of them, you know, Zach Wilson, we'll see if he can ever be something more. But I'll say that I feel like Alex was the first. And then there was kind of a. A long stretch before we started to see these come retread quarterbacks. But like Baker Mayfield getting out of Carolina, that ownership, right. And bouncing around, getting a little bit of time with Sean McVay and the Rams. You saw with Kyle Shanahan, a year with. With Sam Darnold as a backup. If you get somewhere where the light finally comes on and then you get an opportunity like Baker's gotten in Tampa. Baker's one of the top seven, eight, 10 quarterbacks in the NFL.
Mark Ingram
Now look at Gino.
Todd McShay
Gino Smith. Great example, Mark. Great. So we've seen with Geno and Baker and Sam, like it used to be, where if it doesn't work the first place, you're done. Yeah, cast off. But I think Alex was the first one where we bring him somewhere where they can actually develop guys. And now we're starting to see more of that.
Mark Ingram
And Todd, man, you know, I always have great respect for you and what you do, man. And I know we're sitting here talking about quarterbacks. We sitting here talking about pass rushers. And you know what I want to talk about, man? I want to talk about these RBs, safeties.
Rob Stone
You want to talk safeties, Safeties, too.
Mark Ingram
And they got a nice one out of time.
Todd McShay
It's a good year for you, Mark. It's a good year.
Mark Ingram
You know, we got. We got your boy, Genty. You got your boy. You know, one of our. One of our favorites. Scatter Boo. RJ Harvey, Queen, Sean Jenkins, Travion Henderson. Man, tell me about this RB class, man, because there's some studs and I need to know how you ranking this class right now.
Todd McShay
I. I look back just in my like 25 years of doing this and it. It's the best running back group top to bottom.
Urban Meyer
Wow.
Todd McShay
That I've. I've ever seen.
Mark Ingram
Wow.
Todd McShay
Okay, let's start there then. Like 2017 was a damn good class. Yes. That's like Leonard Fournette, Christian McCaffrey, McCamara. Yes. And. And the list went on and on. And there were 30 running backs taken in that class. That's the most in the last like three decades, I think.
Mark Ingram
2017.
Todd McShay
Other times I think it was 2017. Right. I could be wrong. Whatever that year was with Fournette and McCaffrey. This year's group is better because there's more like third, fourth round talent. Whereas there were a lot of guys back ended that year. I mean this list is. And we can get into the specifics if you want on some of them, but when with Genty and Omarion Hampton from North Carolina. Yeah, they're like legitimate. Doesn't matter the year. First round talents. Travion Henderson, being able to see him in that system, the way he was utilized, like he was injured, he. He's just never going to be your bell co back, if you will. But like Jameer Gibbs, look at his value in Detroit. That's. You have a clear vision of what Trayvon can be. Judkins. I just love Judkins. His run style, his acceleration, all those sorts of things. But then just some of the names. Right. When you start digging into this after the two Ohio State backs after Gentian Hampton, you've got Caleb Johnson from Iowa, who I think people are kind of underrating. Scatter Boo, who I loved watching college football this fall. We all did. I mean he's just a special dude. His tape's actually even better.
Mark Ingram
Yes.
Todd McShay
RJ Harvey and DJ Giddens too. Just like type guys, you know, quickness and ability to make us miss. From UCF and Kansas State. Who I don't think a lot of college football fans got to see a ton of this year, but they're going to be like third round draft picks. Then you got Dylan Sampson, what he did for Tennessee, right. Bashul Tootin for Virginia Tech. Jordan James, just ultra quick running back from Oregon, Damian Martinez, a power back. North south downhill. Burchard Smith. And what he did at SMU, Jaden Blue as a 43 guy and explosiveness out of the backfield. Then you get like Ali Gordon. Like it's not just great backs and talented backs. It's guys that are. Were big time college players too.
Urban Meyer
Do you think that the Eagles and Saquon and the super bowl have put a premium back on the tailback? Because for a while there it was like disappear. And I was astounded because I've always believed in a great tailback. I mean that, I mean if I was, you know, picking a college football team rather that jump. I mean, of course you want quarterback, but who's going to be behind them? You know, who, who. So is there more a premium this year? You believe after the. I know it's all cyclical. Is it more premium this year after the Eagles?
Todd McShay
I think you'll appreciate this, coach. We've had a lot of conversations about like schemes and adjustments and you are on the forefront of spread and getting guys the ball in space. I mean that was from. From you know, outside looking in and the conversations we've had. You were obsessed with and rightfully so and before a lot of others of let's get dynamic athletes that are versatile that I can figure out different ways with spread and some tempo and different things. We want to do that. If I can get them the ball in a little bit of space they can create. And that's what the NFL has gone to. It's one of the, you know, it's opposite. You always hear like NFL trickles down to college. That was, that was college football and you and a hand, a small handful of others where it kind of trickled up. Right. And so what's happened is you've got all these big arm quarterbacks, you've got all these, these weapons and these space guys. NFL teams now it's cover two, you know, two high safeties really hard. It makes you to. Makes it on the quarterback and the offense to throw the ball vertically and in doing so what does that open up? Right?
Urban Meyer
Yeah. And short middle box. Yeah.
Todd McShay
Man short in the bucks. And so now we're starting to see like Detroit got ahead of it, Philly got ahead of it. You've got to be able to with the man short in the box, you've got to be able to run the football and even, you know, get the, get the running back the ball underneath screen game and outlets and different sorts of things. And so it just kind of marries perfectly. It's like a perfect storm this year where the NFL is. It's not like the cyclical thing where it's a scheme, it's a schematic thing. We've got to have difference makers at running back. And as that's happening in the NFL, all of a sudden we've got this. This, like generational, maybe, maybe the best running back class in the history of the NFL coming up. So I think teams are going to be much more inclined to take advantage of that than ever before.
Mark Ingram
Everyone loves the running back until it's time to pay the running back. That's the problem.
Urban Meyer
Is Cam Ward number one, Todd?
Todd McShay
Yeah. Cam Ward's. Cam Ward's going number one.
Urban Meyer
Wow.
Todd McShay
He's not perfect. It's not flawless. I did it. I went back and looked at my grades last year. I think the jumping off point for the conversation in terms of where Cam Ward would go would be fourth quarterback. I would put him kind of in that same tier as J.J. mcCarthy. You know, honestly, Michael Penix was just a notch below with Bo Nix. I think that's. I think below those two guys would be like, Shador Jackson Dart. I have identical grades on Shador and Jackson Dart. I think it's a lot closer between two and three at quarterback this year than it is Ward and Shador.
Urban Meyer
I'm taking Travis Hunter, Todd.
Todd McShay
Right.
Urban Meyer
Would you. Would you take them?
Todd McShay
I would. And you know what I'd do? I'd make him my wide receiver and I'd get him and I'd let him do both, but I just. I. I can't look at that talent. He might have the best ball skills in the last. I don't know.
Mark Ingram
I see him go high point the.
Urban Meyer
Ball, and you stand next to him. He's big. I mean, I was shocked when we had him on the set of Big Noon and. And on top of that, he's a wonderful dude. I mean, he's a great.
Mark Ingram
All he does is work. He works and wins. A worker, man.
Todd McShay
You know, he had like 3, 79 grade point average. He's. You'll appreciate this. Florida. The only two other guys to be All Americans and Academic All American were Warful and Tebow, and Warfel was the only one to win a Heisman the same year that he was an Academic All American. So, like, you're getting a smart guy, a worker. The versatility, the stamina, too. I think he can do it, man. No one's ever done it. I think he can play both sides because the. The NFL game's slower.
Mark Ingram
Yeah.
Todd McShay
You ever go to an NFL game? Have you gone? I mean, obviously you have, but, like.
Mark Ingram
TV timeouts I did a segment, I.
Urban Meyer
Did a segment on big noon. It's 160th play of the game. He's downfield blocking 25 yards down the field.
Todd McShay
It's fascinating, right?
Urban Meyer
It really is.
Todd McShay
It's like his stamina is just different than anyone I, I've seen and I like Charles Woodson and Champ Bailey and even like Dion, they didn't. I would like Charles Woodson and Champ Bailey had like fewer than 10 combined catches in their NFL career. You know what I mean? So like this guy's, this cat's like he's got a chance to do something no one has ever done before. And I actually think he can do it, Todd.
Mark Ingram
So how do you think it plays out? Because for me personally, I think he takes, he starts as a corner and you spot play him with packages on offense. That way you get the best of both worlds. Like you feature him 20 snaps on offense, get them the ball how you need to get them, but then you let them go, shut down whoever and follow whoever on defense. How do you think it plays out for him?
Todd McShay
Most, most people in the league agree with you, especially coaches, right? I think there's, it's like, yeah, we'll just throw him out there and he can play. You got to be in that meeting room as a cornerback. You've got to know what we're doing is, you know, collectively as a team, how we're communicating what our installs are this week and, and what's. But like the, the flip side of that is you're staring at this guy and, and you're watching him walk into that, that DB meeting room, right? And then you're looking at your quarterback and you're looking at your wide receiver room and you're like, how am I not, how is he not like a full time member on, on the offensive side, how am I limiting him to some installs and 20, 25 play, you know, package per week? And so that's why I say it's going to be fascinating. Like, truly, we have never seen anything like this. So there. And I do think it matters what team, like if he falls to four, and I don't, I don't see that scenario especially now. I mean, a little bit earlier in the process there was more of a path towards that which Shador may be going at 2 or 3 and who knows what happens on, on draft night. But if he goes to the Patriots though, he's, he's a wide receiver. I mean, they brought in Carlton Davis, they've got Christian Gonzalez like and they'll, they'll utilize him I think in like some red zone, certain situations on defense. But yes, to answer your question, the majority of people in the league think full time corner moonlight as a wide receiver. But as we get closer to the draft there's the more people I talk to. It's a he's going to do both and B we got to find it's on us to find a way preparation wise to make him a full time player on both sides of the ball. It's going to be different. Never done it before, but when you get a different special player like that, you've got to make adjustments and you've got to adjust to what you have.
Rob Stone
The rest of our NFL draft conversation with Todd McShay coming your way next week on the Triple option. But up next we talk Michigan. How many wins will the Wolverines get in the regular season? Enjoy all your favorite sports like Never before at BetMGM each Wednesday throughout the season, pick the skater you think will light the lamp first in the game. Listen, if it's not your player but he scores the second goal the game, you get your stake back. And with BETMGM at your fingertips, every play and every game matter more than ever. Place your moneyline prop and parlay bets with the Sportsbook Born in Vegas today. See betmgm.com for terms 21 + only US promotional offers not available in Mississippi, York, Nevada, Ontario. Gambling problem. Call 1-800- gambler, call 877-8-Hopeny or text hopeny in New York, call 1-800-next step in Arizona, 1-800 through 275050 in Massachusetts, 1-800-bets off in Iowa. Subject to eligibility requirements. Rewards are non withdrawable bonus bets that expire in seven days in partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel.
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Rob Stone
The Triple Option presented by Wendy's Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram, Rob Stone back here with you and the Triple option. Crystal ball. You know what it it's back, baby. The crystal ball.
Mark Ingram
We still have that booty crystal Ball.
Rob Stone
Tiny little crystal ball. But it is brought to you by BET MGM each Wednesday throughout the NHL season.
Mark Ingram
MGM approve of that crystal ball every.
Rob Stone
Yes, yes, BET MGM thinks we can do better with the crystal ball. But for right now, it's doing great. Each Wednesday during the NHL season, pick the skater you think will light the lamp first in the game. If it's not your player but he does score the second goal of the game, you get your stake back. You only get that here with the sports book. Born in Vegas. So we have taken out our college football crystal ball on Penn State, Texas and Alabama. This week we're going to look at coach's favorite program, Michigan. They have set it at eight and a half regular season wins according to BetMGM for 2020.
Mark Ingram
They love to put that half on.
Rob Stone
There that always messes with you. There's a reason they do it the over at -200. They have the under at +155. So again, the magic number, if it's even a number, is eight and a half for Michigan losses plus 155. The over is minus 200. The under is at plus 155.
Mark Ingram
Really?
Rob Stone
All right, so how many regular season wins is Michigan? Michigan going to get? 8 and 5 last year, including the bowl win versus your Alabama Crimson.
Mark Ingram
So does that, does the bowl win count?
Rob Stone
No, we're only talking regular season. So last year losses to Texas, Washington, Illinois, Oregon and Indiana did though beat usc. Did though win in Columbus over the Buckeyes. We take a look at their 2025 schedule.
Mark Ingram
Coach, they didn't tap both our butt last year. Goodness gracious.
Rob Stone
All right, Mark, I'll start with you. We're looking at the 2025 schedule.
Mark Ingram
You have the ultimate arch nemesis. You want to start with me?
Rob Stone
No, no, no. Well, I'm saving it for later.
Todd McShay
Right.
Rob Stone
I'm building up the drama, I'm spreading it out. I'm increasing our viewership windows here. All right, we're looking at the 2025 schedule for Michigan. We got New Mexico win over.
Mark Ingram
The fact of the matter is, is this hometown kid gonna be the man? Is Bryce Underwood gonna be the.
Rob Stone
Is Bryce Underwood the five star QB gonna be it? Here we are, we're in April. We're gonna answer that later.
Mark Ingram
We know what a quarterback could do. They won seven games without a quarterback.
Rob Stone
Correct. 131st ranked offense. They got a new OC, Chip Lindsay who comes in from North Carolina. They got some running backs that are gone, but Alabama transfer Justin Haynes is in the running back room as well. So I agree with you. There's a lot of questions. But guess what? That's why you're. You're gambling or betting on this right now. In April, Mexico. Win. Win at Oklahoma.
Mark Ingram
Loss.
Rob Stone
Oh, yeah. Okay, that's fair. I think Oklahoma's gonna be better this year versus Central Michigan.
Mark Ingram
Win.
Rob Stone
Win at Nebraska. Right, right. All right, let's just put that off. Let's put that on the burner. Versus Wisconsin at home.
Urban Meyer
Home win, win.
Rob Stone
I'm going to give them win. Yeah, they go all the way to Southern Cal.
Mark Ingram
Usc.
Rob Stone
Yeah.
Mark Ingram
Wins.
Rob Stone
Okay, we'll give it to him. But that's a soft generous win. But that's four. Home to Washington.
Mark Ingram
Put it on the side for now.
Rob Stone
Put that, put that two on the side.
Mark Ingram
Three wins versus Washington.
Urban Meyer
Win.
Mark Ingram
Home win.
Rob Stone
Win at Michigan State. Here we go in East Lansing.
Urban Meyer
Winston State's not ready yet.
Rob Stone
Gonna be a win. But their state's coming.
Mark Ingram
Purdue win. Win at Northwestern. Win.
Rob Stone
Seven at Maryland.
Mark Ingram
Win.
Rob Stone
Eight verse the Ohio State for win number nine.
Urban Meyer
Five in a row. Can they get five?
Rob Stone
Do we get nine with the quarterback?
Mark Ingram
Finally a young playing in his 12th game.
Rob Stone
And again it's eight and a half is the win total.
Mark Ingram
I'm at eight, you're at eight.
Rob Stone
And we have two on the side. And Ohio State, we have three.
Mark Ingram
I'm saying a loss to Ohio State and they find a win verse USC or Nebraska. Yeah.
Rob Stone
These numbers are good, man. Better.
Urban Meyer
Vegas. Right on it. Vegas is right on it.
Mark Ingram
It's crazy, right?
Rob Stone
Well, I would even say, mark that that Week 2 game at Oklahoma is a toss up to me. Oklahoma is going to be better. I'm not saying. I'm just saying that's a no brainer win for Michigan. But there, there's some like the at Oklahoma, the at Nebraska, the at usc, the athletic, those three big ads in the first half of the season. Those are to me, their season.
Mark Ingram
It's at Oklahoma with a young quarterback on the road in a hostile environment. So that's where I'm saying Norman's going to be ready. Yes, at Oklahoma. Hostile environment. We seen what they could do. When you got a team coming down there like they did to my Crimson Tide. They made them lay an egg. You feel me? So I'm saying at Oklahoma with a young quarterback.
Urban Meyer
I'm saying the L. So you're going under.
Mark Ingram
I'm going. I said they, I said they win nine games.
Rob Stone
Oh, yeah, yeah. Eight and a half. He got it right to nine. But I mean, barely. Barely. It might have been like eight. Eight and Three quarters.
Mark Ingram
So you go ahead, coach.
Urban Meyer
So you go night before. The question is eight gonna win though?
Mark Ingram
I said that.
Rob Stone
So nobody thinks double digits, huh? In the regular season, I don't think 10 wins.
Mark Ingram
But with the quarterback, if the quarterback.
Rob Stone
We know what the great unknown for your team.
Mark Ingram
Team. If Bryce Underwood could continue elevate his game over the course of the season, they could be a dangerous team in the Big ten.
Rob Stone
What are you thinking, coach?
Urban Meyer
The zero point fives got me because I think right eight, nine, one team, which is Vegas, is right on it looking at that schedule. So I'm going to go nine wins.
Rob Stone
Okay.
Urban Meyer
Say that they're going to play good defense and let the quarterback develop 131st ranked offense. I didn't know there were 131 teams.
Rob Stone
There's. There's more.
Urban Meyer
That's bad, man.
Mark Ingram
And they beat the eventual national champion.
Rob Stone
Correct.
Urban Meyer
We were there.
Rob Stone
Correct.
Urban Meyer
We'll be there again.
Rob Stone
Wow, that's a tough one.
Mark Ingram
And they beat Bama. Shoot, man.
Rob Stone
And by the way, is nine or 10 regular season wins, is that good enough for the Michigan fan base? Is that good enough to get them to the college?
Urban Meyer
Depends on that last game. Depends on that last game.
Mark Ingram
If they get a double, that last game.
Rob Stone
Right.
Mark Ingram
Was good enough for him.
Rob Stone
What.
Urban Meyer
What's going on with all the ncaa, what. What have you. I. They had a former offense coordinator get in trouble with the law. They got all this stuff going on. Is, is that. Is everything done? You just don't hear much about it because will that impact still under investigation, Coach?
Rob Stone
Yeah, there's still soft noise out there.
Mark Ingram
No ruling yet.
Urban Meyer
Okay.
Mark Ingram
Yeah, allegedly.
Urban Meyer
Is that not part of the script?
Mark Ingram
Yeah, yeah. It's just under investigation. It's just under investigation.
Urban Meyer
It's all, you know, no suspensions, innocent.
Mark Ingram
Until proven guilty, no ruling yet.
Rob Stone
I've been with coach long enough now that I know what he's getting at over here.
Mark Ingram
Say. Say what you want, coach.
Urban Meyer
Say what you mean.
Rob Stone
Yeah, pull a. Kirby. Smart man.
Mark Ingram
Well, say with your chest, Coach.
Urban Meyer
Oh, good. Depends on that last game.
Mark Ingram
Say with your chest, coach. What you trying to say about that school?
Rob Stone
School? Oh, man, that school. That school won a national championship a couple years ago. Beat the Ohio State last year in Columbus, Michigan. How many regular CO saying there's a.
Mark Ingram
Lot of controversy surrounding.
Rob Stone
Will you get. Yeah. Sharon Moore. All right, let's see what you got in Ann Arbor. You got a quarterback on paper. Let's see how he. On paper. Let's see how good he is on the turf, man. Let's see how I can't wait to see him. A hell of a recruitment root.
Urban Meyer
Yeah. Watch some highlights.
Rob Stone
Yeah, I agree. I agree. It'd be nice to see him play well. All right. Follow subscribe rate us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever it is that you get your podcast, as well as across social media at 3x option show. Thanks as always to our amazing, wonderful, generous sponsors, Wendy's BET, Wendy GM, NHTSA and ZipRecruiter. Coach any any last Michigan thoughts before we sign off? Or you're going to be good. You're good.
Mark Ingram
Say what you want.
Urban Meyer
Last game of the year.
Mark Ingram
Say what you chest. Coach, I know you holding back. Say it with your chest. We need them views.
Rob Stone
See you next week on the triple option.
Podcast Title: The Triple Option
Hosts: Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram II, Rob Stone
Episode Title: Agents in College Football, Todd McShay Talks NFL Draft, & Michigan's 2025 Expectations
Release Date: April 9, 2025
The episode kicks off with Rob Stone sharing a humorous anecdote about his first phone conversation with Urban Meyer:
Rob Stone ([00:00]): "Did I ever tell you, Mark, the story of when Coach and I first met over the phone?... Coach, your first question was like, who are you?"
This light-hearted exchange sets a friendly and informal tone for the discussion ahead.
Rob Stone introduces the primary topics, highlighting Kirby Smart's concerns about the current state of college football:
Rob Stone ([01:29]): "Georgia head coach Kirby Smart... has some real legitimate concerns about the state of college football."
Kirby Smart voices his apprehensions regarding the manipulation of the transfer portal by agents:
Kirby Smart ([01:56]): "There’s people reaching out to have a Zoom call and present all the players they represent... It could be one of the most legendary moments in all of college sports... what’s going to happen to the kids that went to two and three and four places?"
Urban Meyer and Mark Ingram delve into the significance of relationships and work ethic, contrasting it with the current trend of players seeking immediate financial gains:
Urban Meyer ([04:31]): "The agent, they have a very clear responsibility. It's maximize their client's value, period."
Mark Ingram ([07:38]): "Relationships and just an environment around a player to be successful... It's all about what can you do for me... there is no work ethic."
They emphasize that long-term success is rooted in dedication and strong relationships rather than short-term benefits.
The hosts discuss how the transfer portal encourages players to "fly rather than fight," undermining team cohesion and personal development:
Rob Stone ([12:03]): "The transfer portal... it's teaching flight rather than fight."
Mark Ingram ([13:35]): "Communication, relationships, overcoming adversity... All the thing you love about football is hurting the sport right now."
This segment underscores the potential negative repercussions of the current transfer dynamics on both players and teams.
After addressing college football's internal challenges, the conversation shifts to the NFL Draft, introducing Todd McShay as a key guest:
Rob Stone ([16:12]): "We're going to Talk with Todd McShay about the NFL draft... The great Todd McShay from the Ringer joins us."
Todd McShay provides an in-depth analysis of the quarterback landscape and praises the current running back cohort as the strongest in decades:
Todd McShay ([26:31]): "If you bring a guy in with a top 10 pick... if he doesn't pan out, it's going to set you back, minimum three years."
Todd McShay ([31:35]): "It's the best running back group top to bottom that I've ever seen."
He highlights specific talents like Genty, RJ Harvey, and Travion Henderson, emphasizing their versatility and potential impact on the NFL.
The discussion narrows down to Michigan's expectations for the 2025 season, incorporating betting insights from BetMGM:
Rob Stone ([43:07]): "Michigan have set it at eight and a half regular season wins according to BetMGM for 2020."
The hosts debate the feasibility of this prediction, considering Michigan's schedule and the development of quarterback Bryce Underwood:
Urban Meyer ([48:50]): "Vegas is right on it. I'm going to go nine wins."
Mark Ingram ([48:33]): "If Bryce Underwood could continue elevate his game over the course of the season, they could be a dangerous team in the Big Ten."
The conversation navigates through potential game outcomes, concluding with a consensus on Michigan likely securing around nine regular-season wins, contingent on player development and performance.
As the episode wraps up, the hosts encourage listeners to engage with the show and recap the main discussion points:
Rob Stone ([51:19]): "See you next week on the Triple Option."
The episode effectively blends insightful discussions on current college football issues with expert analysis of the NFL Draft and future predictions for Michigan, providing listeners with a comprehensive overview of the sport's evolving landscape.
Notable Quotes:
Kirby Smart ([01:56]): "What's going to happen to the kids that went to two and three and four places?"
Urban Meyer ([04:31]): "The agent... is to maximize the value of their client. Period."
Mark Ingram ([07:38]): "Relationships and work ethic matter more than instant gratification."
Todd McShay ([31:35]): "It's the best running back group top to bottom that I've ever seen."
Urban Meyer ([48:50]): "Vegas is right on it. I'm going to go nine wins."
This episode of The Triple Option offers a deep dive into the complexities of college football's evolving dynamics, the critical nature of strategic drafting in the NFL, and anticipates Michigan's competitive trajectory in the upcoming season. Whether you're a dedicated fan or new to the sport, the insights provided by Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram, Rob Stone, and guest Todd McShay offer valuable perspectives on the game we all love.