Brian Kelly Fired at LSU, Alabama's Kalen DeBoer Joins, CFP Rankings, and Week Ten Picks

Summary

The Triple Option – Episode Summary

Podcast: The Triple Option
Hosts: Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram II, Rob Stone
Episode: Brian Kelly Fired at LSU, Alabama's Kalen DeBoer Joins, CFP Rankings, and Week Ten Picks
Date: October 29, 2025

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Episode Overview

This week’s episode dives into one of college football’s biggest bombshells of the season: Brian Kelly’s firing from LSU. The panel scrutinizes the unconventional (and politically influenced) circumstances behind Kelly’s dismissal and explores why his fit at LSU never quite worked. Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer joins to discuss the Crimson Tide’s resilience, locker room culture, and the high-pressure grind of the SEC. The hosts also break down their current top-three teams, discuss the growing pressures and instability of the modern coaching landscape, and serve up spirited picks for Week 10’s biggest games.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Brian Kelly Fired at LSU: Context, Money, and Political Meddling

[02:39 – 18:57]

• LSU’s Decision and the Price Tag:
  LSU let go of Brian Kelly after a home loss to Texas A&M, making it three losses in four games. Despite a strong overall record (34–14), administration and fans wanted more than single-digit win seasons; LSU expected “multiple SEC and national championships.”

  • Buyout: Kelly leaves with a ~$53M buyout, likely pocketing around $30M after taxes.

• Political Involvement:
  Hosts focus on the involvement of Louisiana’s governor, Jeff Landry—that the firing was orchestrated in the governor’s mansion with his heavy sway over the university’s Board of Supervisors.

  • Urban Meyer: “As a person that’s gone through the circuit, I have very strong opinions about non-football people making football decisions.” [12:11]
  • Mark Ingram: “The governor definitely has caught some backlash ... They love them some LSU. That’s the heartbeat of the state. Really.” [08:39]

• Culture Clash & The Not-So-Perfect Fit:
  The panel agrees Kelly never seemed a culture fit.

  • Rob Stone: “It never seemed like the right fit ... this is a guy born in Massachusetts, coaching lineage entirely Midwest and Notre Dame. It all started to smell bad.” [14:25]
  • Recap of Kelly’s well-memed faux Cajun accent at a basketball game and awkward photos with recruits as symbols of his lack of authenticity.

• SEC Standards:
  LSU is a top-tier job but the expectations border on unrealistic.

  • Urban: “If LSU was something I was looking at, I’d be like, wait a minute, let’s review this again. How did this happen and exactly what is my job description?” [16:52]

• Ranking of SEC Jobs:
  Hosts debate if LSU is a top-three position (Georgia, Texas, Bama, Florida, A&M cited as equal or better spots).

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2. The Changing Landscape: Coaching Instability and NIL

[19:27 – 20:40]

• Massive, simultaneous job openings at top programs is labeled “insane” and is linked to the high-stakes, high-expectation world fostered by NIL, new money, and media pressure.
  • Mark Ingram: “When’s the last time we’ve had this many premier programs with openings for a head coaching job? This is crazy.” [20:01]
  • Urban Meyer: “There’s a lot of reasons why the Southwest conference and the Pac-12 are gone...not made by football people.” [12:17]

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3. Deuce Deuce Dog of the Week

[21:07 – 22:21]

• Mark’s Pick: Drew Mestermaker, QB, North Texas
  • 37/49, 608 yards, 4 TDs
  • Most passing yards by any FBS player this season
  • Mark: “If you ball, you get the call.” [22:21]

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4. Inside the Locker Room: A&M’s ‘Revenge’ Motivation

[23:06 – 24:32]

• Texas A&M Strength Coach Revenge:
  Texas A&M’s win over LSU had special motivation for strength coach Tommy Moffat, allegedly fired by Kelly; players practiced tackling a dummy with Kelly’s face taped to it.
  • Marcel Reed (A&M QB): “We all just started kicking and stomping and stuff like that.” [23:34]
  • Urban: “How many people will play for the strength coach? All of them.” [24:08]

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5. Featured Interview: Kalen DeBoer, Alabama Head Coach

[28:32 – 45:24]

First Impressions & Handling SEC Pressure

• Mark Ingram opens by gushing over Bama’s big win at South Carolina, citing resilience and team fight.
  • DeBoer: “It’s been a build up ... you can learn from adversity and grow, become better ... when you’ve got high character people.” [30:10]

Locker Room Culture and Keeping the Edge

• DeBoer: “I’m not gonna let myself get comfortable ... That’s the way you gotta keep attacking it.”
  • On Alabama’s expectations: “Everyone wants to take down Bama ... we use that as our edge.” [39:30]

The Ty Simpson Discussion (Heisman Hype)

• Urban: “I don’t see a player out there that means more to his team than your guy, Ty Simpson. ... At some point, you have to fight for your guy.” [36:30]
• DeBoer: “He’s making throws at critical times, leading on game-winning drives, just a genuine leader ... He stuck it out here because he believes in this place.” [37:29]

Managing the Week One Loss & Turning Point

• DeBoer: “After that loss, I wanted us to have that edge ... when people doubt you, use it as motivation.” [39:30]
• He refuses to let the team “get comfortable” and signals continuous internal motivation.

Coaching Instability and Empathy for Coaches

• DeBoer: “I feel bad for the players ... who they wanted to play for has changed.” [41:42]

Notable Locker Room Moment

• DeBoer describes Tim Keenan’s halftime speech: “He was on another level ... Tim’s got some preacher in him, man. He’s got a wisdom ... and he brought it out.” [43:17]
• Post-victory celebration had “as much energy as I’ve seen here ... a character win.” [44:53]

Roll Tide Moments

• Mark Ingram: “I’ll give a piss about none but the Tide, baby. Roll damn Tide.” [24:52] / [45:29]

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6. CFP Top-3 Rankings: Host Debates

[46:42 – 54:10]

• Each host gives their current top-3:
  • All agree: Ohio State #1 – “To be the man, you got to beat the man.”
  • Debates between Indiana, Texas A&M, and Alabama for the other spots.
    • Mark: “I’ve gotta put the Crimson Tide in there. You know why? Because I don’t give a piss about nothing but the Tide.” [49:02]
    • Urban: “The win over Washington — Indiana has the best win of the season.” [49:24]
    • Rob: “If you can put your Bama blinders on and forget week one existed ... They have the best wins on paper.” [52:49]

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7. Week Ten Picks & Preview

[56:10 – 61:44]

• Tennessee vs. Oklahoma
  • Rob: “I like the Vols to cover.”
• Utah vs. Cincinnati
  • Urban: “I think Utah’s on a roll ... going to be a two-to-three score win for the Utes.”
• Texas vs. Vanderbilt
  • Mark: “If Arch [Manning] is healthy, Texas wins ... the difference is the Texas defense.”
  • “Vandy lost on the road to Bama, I think they’ll lose on the road to Texas.” [60:45]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Urban Meyer:

  • “As a person that’s gone through the circuit, I have very strong opinions about non-football people making football decisions.” [12:11]
  • “There’s a reason why the Southwest Conference and the Pac-12 are gone ... those weren’t football people.” [12:17]

• Mark Ingram:

  • “The governor definitely has caught some backlash for what’s been going on ... they love them some LSU. That’s the heartbeat of the state, really.” [08:39]
  • “If you ball, you get the call.” (Dog of the Week) [22:21]
  • “I’ll give a piss about none but the Tide, baby. Roll damn Tide.” [24:52, 45:29]

• Rob Stone:

  • “It never seemed like the right fit ... This guy born in Massachusetts, all Midwest and Notre Dame. It’s not that people can’t adjust, but in this case, it all started to smell bad.” [14:25]

• Kalen DeBoer:

  • “I’m not gonna let myself get comfortable.” [35:15]
  • “He [Ty Simpson] stuck it out here because he believes in this place.” [37:29]
  • “After the game, there was as much energy because that was one we had to fight. A character win.” [44:53]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Brian Kelly Fired & Political Intrigue: [02:39 – 18:57]
• Coaching Landscape/NIL: [19:27 – 20:40]
• Dog of the Week (Drew Mestermaker): [21:07 – 22:21]
• A&M’s Revenge Motivation: [23:06 – 24:32]
• Kalen DeBoer Interview: [28:32 – 45:24]
  • Locker Room/Culture: [29:00 – 44:53]
  • On Ty Simpson: [36:30 – 37:29]
• CFP Rankings Debate: [46:42 – 54:10]
• Week Ten Preview & Picks: [56:10 – 61:44]

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Tone & Style

The episode is spirited, insider-driven, and candid, with plenty of locker-room humor and good-natured SEC bias. Urban Meyer brings the administrator/coach’s skepticism, Mark Ingram provides the player’s pulse and bravado, and Rob Stone steers the show with topical focus and quick wit.

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In Summary

This episode captures the stress, drama, and cutthroat expectations that define college football’s new era—where even 70% win coaches lose their jobs, politicians meddle in program decisions, and locker rooms are both battlegrounds and brotherhoods. The Kalen DeBoer interview provides high-level insight into how to survive and thrive at the sport’s mountaintop, while the weekly debates and picks keep things grounded in the weekend’s action. The message: To win in today’s college football, you need resilience both on and off the field—and “if you ball, you get the call.”

Transcript

[Mark Ingram]

This man right there, he basically motivated us to start the dynasty, man. Thank you, coach.

[Urban Meyer]

You got it. Got through that Heisman, too. I got you that Heisman.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah. You got me that too, man.

[Urban Meyer]

Appreciate you.

[Rob Stone]

The triple option is brought to you by Wendy's. Wake up with Wendy's 2 for $3 breakfast. Mark Ingram II. Deuce Deuce hall of Fame ER2B. We're like the countdown is on for your college football hall of Fame induction coach coming up in December, Vegas E. Urban Meer. I'm Rob Stone. Welcome to another edition of the triple option presented by Wendy's. This week on the show, we're going to start with the Brian Kelly bombshell. But also Alabama's head coach Kayla Debo joins the show. Texas A and M dummy arts and crafts project is discussed. And who really are the top three teams in the nation? We'll tell you right now. The AP poll, it's close, but it doesn't have it quite right. As always, love that you're joining us whether it's in your ears or with your eyeballs. Please rate. Subscribe over at Apple Podcasts, Spotify. Wherever it is you find your podcast, we are on social media. We are at 3x option show. New episodes come your way every Single Wednesday on YouTube or wherever it is that you find your podcast. Don't forget, we love this. Leave those questions, leave those comments for a chance to to have them answered and played back in the show. And before we get too deep into the program, want to let everybody know we're hitting the road this week, guys. Thursday, Urban Myers pint house in beautiful downtown Dublin, Ohio, October 30th. We're live. We're doing a live show, Seven Eastern from the Pine House. Bonus if you come dressed as Urban Meyer, Ryan Day, James Franklin or Connor Stallions. I'm throwing another one in if you come dressed as Jim Harbaugh. That takes some real guts. You can win a bonus prize throwing that out.

[Urban Meyer]

I hope they market this mark because this will be hilarious if they if they get this out because I obviously we know Columbus well. This will be ridiculous.

[Rob Stone]

We'll have a ball with it again. Come dressed as coach Meyer. What do you think you would come dressed as Coach Meyer and like probably a golf shirt. Or maybe it's that that old kind of a pullover. Quarter zip. Pull over.

[Urban Meyer]

Gray. Gray.

[Mark Ingram]

That's khaki shorts. Some nice comfortable Ryan Days.

[Rob Stone]

Ryan Day's easy. Just make sure everything's really dark. Really dark up top and on the face. James Franklin, another easy one. And then Conor Stallions. Have fun with that. Free prizes if you come dressed like that.

[Urban Meyer]

What if he shows up? Does he, does he get a prize if he actually shows up?

[Rob Stone]

Connor Stallions. Yeah, yeah. He might be filming the show because you can watch it live on YouTube X and Facebook at 3X option show. Yeah, yeah. So live show, 7pm this Thursday. Urban Myers Pine House in Dublin, Ohio. Hope to have you here. But time to talk about college football. And we're going to start with on any given Saturday, I think we should change it to on any given Sunday, a head coach can be fired. Again, a high profile head coach gets the axe. So Saturday, Brian Kelly saw his LSU Tigers fall at home to his former defensive coordinator, Mike Elkos. Texas A and M Aggies 24 point home loss. Things have been building for a while, obviously, but that was their third loss in their last four games. They sit at 5 and 3, 2 and 3 in conference play and out of the rankings. Sunday. Coach Kelly, given his walking papers, done not even through four years at LSU, 34 and 14 overall. His athletic director, Scott Woodward saying, quote, we had high hopes he would lead us to multiple SEC and national championships. He did neither of that. Multiple, multiple, multiple.

[Urban Meyer]

So does multiple mean more than one?

[Rob Stone]

It does mean more than one.

[Urban Meyer]

I don't know that. I just.

[Rob Stone]

Yep, yep.

[Mark Ingram]

Yes, multiple.

[Rob Stone]

Yes, please. Multiple SEC and national titles. None of that was achieved. The buyout as of now still being discussed. It's in that $53 million buyout range. So, I mean, think about it. Penn State, I'm telling you, bro, lsu, we don't have money. We don't have money.

[Mark Ingram]

You're going deal with this, though.

[Rob Stone]

Figure it out. We'll figure out.

[Mark Ingram]

They going to find that money, man.

[Rob Stone]

There, there, there. So much, so much to get into. Coach, I. I'll let you, I'll let you bat lead off. What, what's going through you right now and what happened when you heard that Brian Kelly was fired at lsu?

[Urban Meyer]

Well, first of all, in this great country, you have a right to hire and fire people as you wish. You got to pay the consequences. And obviously, you know, when you start talking about fiscal responsibility to whoever, you know, is it taxpayers or is it students paying, you know, what is this? And I have some insight into this now. So what I want to start with that, Mark, you have a right to do whatever you want to do. And right now, Brian Kelly walking away with. He won't walk away. You know, after taxes and all this stuff, he's probably walking away with $30 million, cash, ish, you know, that's in your hand. That's, that's so once again there. But I think it's fairly alarming. You know, this is the way it happened, the way it went down, where the governor of the state of Louisiana was involved. And I, once again, I don't know if it's, you can credit the writer and all that later, Rob, but you know, if this really took place in the governor's mansion and if the governor and people, other non football people are making the decision as a coach, that's a, that's a, that's an alarm. You know, the alarm just going off saying, wait a minute. Really, you know, is that, did that really happen? First of all? Because we don't know that until it comes out. But I did make a call to a very strong Republican, a strong friend of mine I've known for quite a while, and he is knee deep in New Orleans and the state of Louisiana. And he said it absolutely happened. And I kind of said, why would he. Is doesn't, you know, are the streets safe in New Orleans? Is the, you know, infrastructure set? Is the government budget? Are they, are they, you know, are they as a government being? I imagine there's a lot of things on his plate. And now it's hiring and firing coaches at their state institution. So that, that was, and I don't know the governor, they say, you know, this person loves the guy. The governor's name is Jeff Landry. And I hate to speculate, but in case that did happen to me, that changes the game. If, if you're now going to interview for the head coaching position at lsu, do you meet with a governor? You know, is that what you know? Because normally I've done it several times. You meet with the board of trustees, obviously the athletic director, the president, the academic rep for the university, and you kind of give them your plan and then they make a decision to hire you and then they hold you to that plan. And so the world that I grew up on, whenever you make a decision, you're held accountable for that decision. So Mark, here's the question for you. If this did, and once again, if the governor had a hand in firing the head football coach of an SEC school that won 70% of his games went 10 and 3, 10 and 4, 9 and 4 and 5 and 3. And he did. Does he get fired if the next hire doesn't work out? I mean, is that the governor or if they're big money people do. I don't know how you do that. Once again, I. That's. This is not a power structure or hierarchy that I'm used to in universities. Usually it goes president, athletic draft director. I'm sorry, board of trustees, president, athletic director, then the coachings, coaching staff.

[Mark Ingram]

So you're telling me the governor fired this man? He was just in the room when it was discussed, according to Ross Dellinger.

[Rob Stone]

Yahoo Sports, that the decision was made inside the governor's mansion. And again.

[Mark Ingram]

So he was just hosting this?

[Rob Stone]

Well, no, he was. He was busy tweeting some things on Saturday after the loss.

[Urban Meyer]

What did he tweet, Mark? Rob? What did I. I missed out.

[Rob Stone]

This is the quote from Governor Jeff Landry. This is what he posted. I think LSU Sports and the LSU Board of Supervisors need to rethink their actions to raise ticket prices for next year after tonight's showing. Saying, not good enough. Why are we paying. Why are we going to make our customers pay more for that?

[Urban Meyer]

Wow.

[Rob Stone]

About that. Hey, man, it's just different. It's just different in the sec.

[Mark Ingram]

It just means more. It just means more. What y' all have to understand, man, is lsu, you know, coach the SEC programs. Just these big programs, you know, these blue bloods, they are a fabric. They are the DNA of like not only Baton Rouge, but the entire state. I played in New Orleans. The Saints are the heartbeat of the city. So now you go lsu. That's the heartbeat of the state. Really. They love them some lsu. So the governor definitely has catch some backlash for what's been going on the past four years. You know, like, yeah, he's had, like you said, coach, you went 10 and 4, 9 and 4, 10 and 3. But those 4 and 3 losses are against teams that you can't lose to and keep a job in the sec.

[Rob Stone]

Hey, Mark, Mark, do you think. Do you think if the head coach was doing well, the governor would get involved? He's like, no, no, no. I'm not going to risk those votes. People are happy with the coach, but they're not happy with Brian Kelly. My approval. Oh, Lord. My approval rating just went up.

[Mark Ingram]

Oh, Lord.

[Rob Stone]

Governor, like, how about a run for a state super senator? Governor.

[Mark Ingram]

Governor, like, my supporters is questioning me and I don't got nothing to do with what's going on over there. So I need to reevaluate this right now. I'm a host a meeting and we go get this together right now.

[Rob Stone]

Again, it's a unique situation. Right? There's an interim president at lsu. You know, the governor helps getting people on the board for the university, so his Hands are, are in it. It is a state institution obviously as well.

[Urban Meyer]

But.

[Rob Stone]

But you're right, coach. Something about the fact that it happened inside the governor's mansion feels, feels different. Right.

[Urban Meyer]

Well, I coached. I was hired at two of the blue bloods, I was hired at Florida and I was hired at Ohio State and I certainly met with the president. I, I never met with.

[Rob Stone]

And how, how fast did you meet with the governors of those two states?

[Urban Meyer]

I never, I became Florida. No, Florida was not.

[Mark Ingram]

Got it for us right here. I got it for us right here with your boy Landry. Landry has significant influence over the university's highest decision making group, the 14 member LSU Board of Supervisors. Landry has appointed six of them and he's due to appoint four more next year when their terms expire. In the absence of the president, which you said Stoner, the governor has grabbed authority over key decisions, especially those that cost the price of a small island.

[Rob Stone]

Small island.

[Mark Ingram]

Listen, so your boy got his hands all in there. He got his fingerprints all on there right now. So he had to host, he had to host the gathering.

[Rob Stone]

There's part of me that thinks that's amazing and awesome that a governor cares that much about the sport and the university. But to your point, Coach, I think is a governor really qualified to understand the hiring and a firing of an athletic coach?

[Urban Meyer]

I did my homework before this call and are for this podcast and I made two calls and I. One guy, one guy didn't know much about it. The other guy's knee deep in this. And first of all, they say this governor is hands on. He's, he's great. I said I never met the governor, so. But as a person that's gone through the circuit and how you deal with it and I have very strong opinions about non football people making football decisions. There's a lot of reasons why the Southwest conference and the PAC 12 are gone. They're gone. There's a reason why Nebraska is in the Big Ten. There's a reason why Arkansas made a decision to go to the sec. There's a reason why Texas and Texas A and M didn't play for a while. Those weren't football people. Those weren't say, you know, a football person will never say that's a good idea. You know, when you understand recruiting and the complexities of the game and recruiting and I just wrote down. So discipline, off season recruiting strategy, class attendance policy, coordinator hires. Are those all going to run through the governor now? And people say, well, of course not. Well then how are you making Decisions.

[Rob Stone]

So who's supposed to make these decisions then?

[Urban Meyer]

Right? The ads, obviously. If I. And the ad I understand was the guy that also. He's. He's an aggressive guy now. He's the one.

[Rob Stone]

Texas A and M, right? Did he hire Jimbo or did he fire Jimbo? He was. He was at Texas A and M.

[Mark Ingram]

I think the one thing here is, like, when it comes to Brian Kelly, they always thought it was an awkward fit in Louisiana, an awkward fit to be in the Deep south, awkward fit to be in Baton Rouge. And so when the results aren't producing, when you had the expectation to win multiple SEC titles and multiple national titles and you're getting Nathaniel Nathan, then you have the wrong fit. Then you have this nil and this money and all these things, all these different things. They're like, no, it's time to make a decision because we're going backwards here. So I think at the end of the day, you know, the misfit, the not going to the SEC title, not going to national titles, not going to the playoff, all that stuff had a decision, man. And like we said, coach, these programs that we know that like to win, have an expectation to win, they're not going to sit back and deal with it for too much longer. Like we said that we, we thought.

[Urban Meyer]

They have a right. That's their business.

[Mark Ingram]

They're not going to do it. Like, they're going to find the money. But I don't know who you go, who you go hire now.

[Rob Stone]

So right before we go to who you hired now. I love the fit comment, Mark, because, because it's spot on. And the three of us have talked about this over the last year. Plus on the triple option, to me as an outsider, and I don't know, Brian Kelly, I'm not, I've never lived in Louisiana, but it never seemed like a right fit. And I'm not saying people can't adjust and can't, you know, be embraced and they can't embrace that culture. But, you know, this is a guy born in Massachusetts, right? Went to school in Massachusetts. His coaching lineage, you know, started Division 2 at Grand, Grand Valley State, which is in Michigan. And then he goes to Central Michigan, then he goes to Cincinnati and then 11 years at Notre Dame, right? That, that is all yelling, screaming, preaching. I'm, I'm, I'm this type of guy. I'm this type of guy. I'm not saying guys can't change. Gals can't.

[Urban Meyer]

Well, you got Saban and Meyer did it down in the sec, understood Coach.

[Rob Stone]

Right. So there are outliers. But. But I know lsu, like, Louisiana is different now. Louisiana is a little bit different.

[Mark Ingram]

So he was a different cat, you feel, when he went to Florida. Same as a different cat when he went to LSU and he went to Bama. Like, you got to be one of one to be able to go down there and make a shake. You know how you coach.

[Rob Stone]

So there's that part of the fit, right?

[Kaylin DeBoer]

That.

[Rob Stone]

That part of the fit.

[Kaylin DeBoer]

Never.

[Rob Stone]

It never felt right. But I. I said open mind. Let's think about it. But remember. Remember what he did at. At the basketball game when he took the microphone and he found this Louisiana draw out of nowhere? And right away, as an outsider who's got no skin in this game, I'm going fraud. That sounds like a fraud. Why are you trying to. To cater to these people that all you're doing right now is telling them you don't belong and you're an outsider, Right? So I didn't like that. The next part. Remember those 360 pictures where he standing?

[Mark Ingram]

Oh, yeah.

[Rob Stone]

When he's with the thing.

[Mark Ingram]

When he's with the recruit.

[Rob Stone]

Correct.

[Urban Meyer]

Oh, gosh.

[Mark Ingram]

That boy did this.

[Rob Stone]

Look fraud, right? Like urban. You're not doing that. Nick Saban is not doing that. Legends are not doing that. That again. I'm like, oh, this is starting to smell bad. Like these.

[Mark Ingram]

These things are. That boy hit the right.

[Rob Stone]

It didn't. It didn't add up. Do you remember this? Do you remember this season, a couple weeks, we were talking about it. He called out the reporters, you're spoiled. You're spoiled. Right? Talk about this. And then he had to backtrack it and apologize. I don't think Brian Kelly has done anything to make LSU Nation better. Are they better on the football field since he took over? No. Has he done well? Yes. Ten and four, ten and three, nine and four.

[Mark Ingram]

And some schools. Some schools will love that, but not 100%.

[Rob Stone]

Some schools love that, but not that school. That. Not. Not that school. That's. That's tied for second in the West. That's tied for fourth in the SEC. That's not good enough. Right? Your winning percentage is 71%. That's damn good. I get it.

[Urban Meyer]

All right.

[Rob Stone]

Let's hope that's not all right.

[Urban Meyer]

Pump the brakes.

[Rob Stone]

Can I throw one more thing out there, coach, and then I'll give the breaks to you? Right.

[Urban Meyer]

Okay.

[Rob Stone]

Has he made at LSU better? I would say no. Has he built up that fan base? Has that fan base been filled with pride and like we believe in you, Coach Kelly. I don't believe so. Has he created new fans down in LSU with his actions? I don't think so. I think. I think LSU was absolutely forced to make this really heavy, challenging financial decision. And I think it all started day one because it wasn't a good fit.

[Urban Meyer]

And I'm gonna. I have two comments. I work for Jeremy Foley of Florida, and I worked at Gene Smith, Chris Hill at ut, on Paul Krebs at Bowling Green. But the. At the. The top spots, it was Jeremy Foley, and I worked for Jeremy Foley. There was zero confusion. There was no. I wasn't meeting with board. I wasn't. And so you, as a head coach, you know, you are in a battle together with this athletic director when you start getting other hands in there. I would be very, you know, if I, If. If LSG was something I was looking at, I'd be like, wait a minute now. Let's. Let's review this again. How did this happen? And exactly what is my job description? You said multiple national championships, what, in four years, five years.

[Rob Stone]

Not even changer.

[Urban Meyer]

But that's what. Multiple national.

[Rob Stone]

And the problem. Saban, Les Miles, coach Ojiro, they all won natties in their first, you know, X years on the gig. So a precedent.

[Mark Ingram]

There's unrealistic expectations at these schools, but, like. Yeah, man.

[Urban Meyer]

All right, let me throw this mark. Cause you lived in New Orleans and obviously played in the sec. I coached in the sec. What kind of job is lsu? Is it a top three?

[Mark Ingram]

LSU is a top job.

[Urban Meyer]

Link them. Let's go. Let's. Where is it?

[Mark Ingram]

Well, Georgia in the sec, you got Texas, you got Georgia, you got Bama.

[Rob Stone]

You're going in order now, huh?

[Mark Ingram]

No.

[Rob Stone]

Okay.

[Urban Meyer]

I mean, are these in order?

[Mark Ingram]

I'm just saying. I'm just saying jobs that are probably better than LSU's, I think.

[Urban Meyer]

Florida.

[Mark Ingram]

Oh, Florida. Florida. Yeah. I'm tripping. I was going down.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah. A M's up there with facilities and what they're doing.

[Mark Ingram]

Yep.

[Urban Meyer]

Probably not, but close.

[Rob Stone]

But we. We just named five programs that it. For some people are. Are above the LSU job.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Rob Stone]

Now you're saying you're. You're the sixth best job at best, maybe in the conference that is.

[Urban Meyer]

Man, that's.

[Rob Stone]

This sounds crazy, doesn't it?

[Mark Ingram]

LSU is a premier program and a premier destination. They're a hotbed for talent, and they got the support. Like, when I tell you that they're the fabric in the DNA of that state, man, I went to play for the Saints, bro, and they Hated me. The Saints fans hated me because I came from Alabama. So like, you know, I had to earn the love and earn the respect of the who that nation because I played for the Bama. You feel me? So the DNA and the fabric of LSU is there. The support, the history, the program. LSU is one of the premier programs in the country.

[Rob Stone]

All these elite openings, Coach, at least on the outside there hasn't been talk. There hasn't been like, oh, this guy's going here. This is doing there. I, I think felt like prior to Sunday we, we needed the chips to fall in Gainesville and State College and now there's a third chip, Baton Rouge, right. Like the whole coaching, all these insane openings, nothing is happening. There's like gridlock because nobody can do anything until, until maybe Lane makes that decision of what he wants to do.

[Mark Ingram]

Right?

[Urban Meyer]

And word on the street in Tallahassee now too.

[Mark Ingram]

I mean, listen, there are some big ass jobs open right now. One time at one time. When, when's the last time we've had this many premier programs with openings for a head coaching job? This is crazy.

[Rob Stone]

It is insane.

[Mark Ingram]

It's insane because the nils all because the win. It's because the bottom line, it wasn't always bottom line, coach.

[Rob Stone]

And it's because governors that love football, governors that love football.

[Urban Meyer]

And he played high school football.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

So that makes, so yeah, I mean.

[Rob Stone]

He'S, he's, of course he's qualified that in high school football. Like that makes coaches. The coaching fraternity right now, Mark, is losing their mind. I cannot wait.

[Mark Ingram]

They're going to be sitting at. They're going to be sitting in the Bahamas or Cancun, cash and checks on their private islands.

[Rob Stone]

They're now getting paid the money that can buy a private island. All right, time to transition to the Deuce Deuce Dog of the week marks.

[Mark Ingram]

You know what time it is? Time for dog of the week.

[Rob Stone]

Hey, you gotta. You got a good one this week. We're stepping out of our comfort zone.

[Mark Ingram]

Shout out to my boy, Dave Coelho.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah.

[Mark Ingram]

I mean, no, but he was doing.

[Rob Stone]

The park, wasn't he? I forgot about that. Yeah.

[Mark Ingram]

Hey, coach, man, coach, man. Listen to me, dog. I know you over there. You know how, I know how you get. But listen to the dog of the week. You gonna listen to the dog of the week because we got your boy Drew Messer maker. I'm going to the group of six, coach.

[Rob Stone]

Let's go.

[Mark Ingram]

I know Marcel Reed ball, but I'm going to the group of six. Drew Mestermaker, North Texas for Charlotte. 37, 49 passes, 608 yards, courts, four TDs. Six Hyundai, six hundy. We talking college, we talking D1. Most passing yards by any FBS player this season is 16 all time in FBS. North Texas is seven one overall, three and one in the AAC. Possible group of six bid. So you got the group of six making noise and your boy drew Mestermaker throwing for six hunty. Six hunty of them things. And that's the. The Deuce Deuce dog of the week. Drew Messmaker in the flesh. Yes, sir. We went group of six. We show everybody love. If you ball, you gonna get the call. We from the Deuce Deuce dog of the ar Ara.

[Rob Stone]

If you ball, you get the call. That was the fresh take of the week, presented by Wendy. Wake up with Wendy's breakfast.

[Urban Meyer]

Walked in six hundy, six Hyundai, you get the call.

[Rob Stone]

Time now for sound off. And apparently we're not done with Coach Kelly yet. So. Last week, remember, on the triple option, we had Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed. He obviously took care of business against LSU in Baton Rouge. What he didn't mention in our interview with us is that this was a bit of a revenge game for his strength coach, Tommy Moffat, who Brian Kelly fired when he arrived in Baton Rouge. So here's how A and M practiced ahead of LSU and Brian Kelly.

[Marcel Reed]

I mean, yeah, Moffat got some Gatorade poured him at the end of the game by the O line for sure. But, yeah, Moffitt, you know, wanted this game just as bad as anyone else. And, you know, I remember Thursday, he kind of brought in a tackling dummy with Brian Kelly's face on it. We all just started kicking and stomping and stuff like that. But, yeah, this one was an important one to him. And they kind of told us the story of the night before we even got here, you know, just kind of kicking him in the butt. And the crowd will start to empty out towards the third and fourth quarter. And, you know, they did. Our crowd started to go over there and kind of take over their student success section and try to make all the noise at the end of the game. So, I mean, it was really cool.

[Rob Stone]

Don't mess with those strength coaches, man. Do not.

[Urban Meyer]

By the way, he's a legend in the profession. I remember when that happened and extremely well thought of. And you know how valuable those guys. Mickey Morati for years, and he was always the number two. But I give credit to Elko, the coach Elko at A and M. And you're always looking for an edge. That's a hell of an edge when you're, you're playing. How many people will play for the strength coach? All of them.

[Mark Ingram]

Your strength coach spends more time with you than even your position coach. Even your head coach. Your strength coach is the DNA, the fabric. I keep saying DNA, fabric because that's the crucial stuff. Your, your, your, your strength coach finds a way to motivate your players, finds a way to get them ready to play every single week. And he did his thing. Shout out to the. You fear me. Shout out to the a M. Aggies because they went out there and they balled. You know what I mean?

[Rob Stone]

Hey, when governors start firing strength coaches, then we're in real big trouble.

[Urban Meyer]

That's true. That's done. You can't do that. Hey, governor fired a coach.

[Rob Stone]

Coming up next on the triple option presented by Wendy's. Mark. Give me that smile. You know who's coming on the show next? Your head coach, Caleb DeBoer. And he don't give a what about.

[Mark Ingram]

He don't give a piss about none but the tide, baby. Roll damn tight.

[Kaylin DeBoer]

Light it.

[Rob Stone]

Breakfast might be the most important choice you make all day. That's because with Wendy's two for three buck breakfast, you can mix and match your very own perfect pairing of our delicious morning favorites with this breakfast deal. The choice is all yours, not someone else's. Mark.

[Mark Ingram]

And isn't that how it should be? It's your breakfast after all, not Martha's. She could pick up her own breakfast.

[Rob Stone]

Get your own breakfast, Martha.

[Mark Ingram]

This one's all you, Stoner. No matter what you choose from our sausage biscuit with that grilled breakfast sausage or the egg and cheese biscuit with cracked grade A egg and melty American cheese on a fluffy buttermilk biscuit. A small size of perfectly seasoned potatoes or medium hot coffee to power through the morning. All you have to do is pick your ideal morning pair.

[Urban Meyer]

You really can't lose because you're the one calling the shots. The choice is all yours. Wake up to Wendy's two for $3 breakfast. Just the way you want it. Limited time only during breakfast hours. U.S. price and participation may vary. No substitutions. Not valid in a combo single item at regular price.

[Rob Stone]

I think the game of the week this week, number 14 Tennessee hosting 18th ranked Oklahoma certainly feels a bit like a playoff elimination game. Maybe in the sec but also just for the big picture, playoffs.

[Urban Meyer]

Mark.

[Mark Ingram]

That's right, Stone. It's a must win for both games. They both already have two losses no wins against currently ranked opponents, so the winner will stand the playoff conversation and the loser will be eliminated.

[Rob Stone]

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[Urban Meyer]

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[Rob Stone]

So don't wait. Secure your chance to score a 50% profit boost for this week's big match on campus between Oklahoma and Tennessee. Just visit FanDuel.com Triple Option. That's FanDuel.com Triple Option. You know that feeling when your team wins? Yeah. It's electric. You're pacing the room. You're firing up your group chat with text. You're yelling like you called the game winning. Play yourself. Now imagine the winning. Energy hits right as your doordash order arrives. Perfect timing, Chef Kiss. Drinks are cold. Pizza's hot wings, fries are perfectly crispy. Now you're not just a fan, you're a winner. Yeah, you are winning all day long. With that type of order, Door Dash turns every good college football game day into a great one to an elite one with game day favorites delivered right to your door right when you need the most. So go ahead, ride that high. Celebrate the W. Just try not to spike the remote out of excitement. When that food shows up, your team wins, you win. Door Dash delivers the W in food form. All right, welcome back to the triple option. Presented by Wendy's Rob, Mark Ingram, Urban Meyer. Now joined by the head coach of the fourth ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, Kaylin DeBoer.

[Mark Ingram]

Oh, Mark.

[Rob Stone]

Look at the smile on Mark Ingram.

[Mark Ingram]

You know what's going on?

[Rob Stone]

So happy, coach, that you're joining us to get on the triple option.

[Mark Ingram]

You know I got you. You know I'm, I'm turned up, man, to have Coach DeBoer on the show with us, man.

[Kaylin DeBoer]

The other day. I appreciate it.

[Rob Stone]

What was on the text, Coach? Where did he text you?

[Kaylin DeBoer]

That's between us.

[Mark Ingram]

Hey, basically, I'm proud to be dawn in the script. A in the black hoodie. That's all y' all need to know. And we gonna, you know, calling.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, Coach, great. Appreciate you joining us. And, and when I saw your name comment and we discussed this and the comment, I think from Alabama Was, well, let's. We got to win this damn game. And then we'll see on Monday. If we, if it's a W, we're in. I was like, boys, I get that. If it's anything other than W, heck no, I'm not going on that thing. So thanks for joining us.

[Kaylin DeBoer]

Yeah, it's good to be here with you. Good to see you guys.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, Coach, man, I just want to start, man, before the game, man, I heard South Carolina, they honor the 2010 team that had beat me when we were number one and we went there. I don't know who, you know, honors losers who didn't win SEC championship or national championship, but I appreciate y' all for, you know, getting that revenge for my 2010 team. All right, but that's a tough environment to play, man. The guys fought, they stayed, battled. End of the game, go down, get a tie, touchdown, tie, tie. The two point conversion. And then you have two of the, you know, pillars of this program, two of your captains, make a huge momentum change in play, put us in position to win. Man, what is this? What does that fight about that game, that resilience about that game say about this team?

[Kaylin DeBoer]

Yeah, it's, it's been a build up. I think the experiences we've been through and, and some of it's, you know, even the losses that we went through last year, the week one loss, I think just a lot of it has been build up and the things we've learned, when you got high character, people like I feel we have in our program, whether it's your coaching staff or your, your players, and they care, you know, those things you can flip, you can flip it and, you know, learn from it and grow, become better. I think, you know, coach, Coach Peterson, Chris Peterson once told me back at Washington, he told me, you know, it's. What are you. What is, what is this going to do for me or versus what is this doing to me? You know, how is this going to help me? I think is really what you're looking at and the growth you can get from the adversity that you went through. And I told the guys, you know, we're all going to be better because of what we're going to go through. And that was after week one. And it's really hard when you're in that moment. But all these experiences, I think, have led to where week, week after week, we find ways to win different offense, defense, special teams, come from behind, have a lead, it closes in on you. And then you got to, you know, do it at home, do it on the road. And so I'm just really proud of the guys and the resiliency they've had. And they've got that done by just keeping it as simple as possible, and that's focused on what they can control. All the cliches that go along with that, we are living it, and I'm really proud of them.

[Urban Meyer]

You know, I coached at Ohio State, Notre Dame as an assistant, and then Utah was a Bowling Green Utah. And then I got educated on football in the South. And you have ranked wins over Georgia, Vanderbilt, Missouri and Tennessee. And it never, I mean, it just would eat me alive. On Sundays, after you have a big win, you sell, I mean, other than your victory meal and maybe enjoy half a night's sleep. Then you flip on the film of the next team coming. The SEC is the deepest conference in college football. How are you able to keep your team locked in for that kind of schedule and what's coming down the road?

[Kaylin DeBoer]

Yeah, I know exactly what you're talking about, Coach. It's, you know, I think after, after these wins that we've had understanding what's ahead, I can really say that we enjoyed it for a moment in the locker room, but I think a lot of times we probably just were more about, like, okay, the next one, the next one. And I really think the Missouri game was one of them in particular. We won that game on the road, thought it was a huge win for us, but we got in the locker room and we knew that there were some things that we could have done better, and we knew what was up next, and we knew that we were in the, in this stretch. And our guys, you know, like, it wasn't this massive excitement. We had more excitement this last week than we did in that game. But, you know, it's just, again, yeah, it's every week is a deep conference, physically and mentally. You just got to bring your best. Our guys emotionally, I think, have done a good job of bringing enough passion, enough emotion, and it being real and genuine because they're doing it for the other guys. It's not about them individually. And that's what our team makeup is. And I think why we're getting through this stretch.

[Rob Stone]

Coach, I look at you in this quarter, zip, and I, I gotta be honest, I don't even know who you are. Right. I, I, I, I want that, that hoodie. So, you know, Coach Bear Bryant, you know, made the houndstooth famous, but people are breaking down your, your wardrobe and what the record is. So with that black long sleeve Hoodie, by the way, I'm a medium and I'll wear the hell out of it. Black long sleeve hoodie. You're 7 and oh, this year, 142 overall. I can't believe I'm asking you this, but there, there has to be some thought process to what you're wearing on game day. And one of those outfits seems to be winning for you.

[Kaylin DeBoer]

There wasn't until there was, it used to be just what, you know, what you did, what I wore for years. And it goes all the way back to Sioux Falls days where you didn't have multiple colors because there wasn't a budget for that in cold environment. And you put on the black hoodie and it worked on the road and home because you wanted something that contrasted with the guys were wearing on the football field and you could be stood out as a head coach or even assistants. And I don't know, it's just become this thing. But hey, we're going to ride the momentum and we're going to roll with it.

[Mark Ingram]

The black is clean. I had to put it on in honor for coach. I got the sleeveless ones though, you know what I mean?

[Rob Stone]

To that point. We've kind of been talking about it today like the culture in the south is different, right? Urban just talked about it, you know, the expectations and what SEC football is. And again, you're, you're not a Southern guy, if you will. And, and you're not even two years into it. Have you had that moment yet? Maybe you have, maybe you haven't. Where you're, you find yourself. I'm comfortable as, as the Alabama head coach. I'm comfortable as the face of, of what this institution is and, and what football means for this, for this state and for this school.

[Kaylin DeBoer]

I'm not gonna let myself get comfortable, you know, just, I think that's, that's the way you gotta just keep attacking it and that's the way it's always been. It's been the pressure you put on yourself, you know, has always, that I've done, that I put on myself has always been so great and so high, you know, I, I, I do, I love living here though. My family loves it and it's, it's fun, you know, when what you really passionate about is a priority and really important to, to university, the people, your alumni, you know, and you know, you know, getting the text from Mark and, and other guys, you know, that they're proud. That means the world to me, you know, because that's what I do this for. It's for those that came before, trying to make this place better, for those that do come after you at some point down the road. So the experiences we're giving these guys, you know, in the meantime and the life lessons they're learning, you know, it's what, it's what leads to the winning because they're learning the process of work, they're learning time management. They're, you know, they're learning response to adversity and, you know, focus on what you control. And so, you know, we're just in it right now. I'm not going to, you know, I'm going to keep it. Keep it simple on the things that have gotten me to this point and continue to build on how I can do things better, how I can help our staff do things better, and of course, our team as well.

[Urban Meyer]

Coach, I want to ask you about your quarterback. And I made this comment on Big Noon. I don't see a player out there that means more to his team than your guy, Ty Simpson. And I. And I want to get kind of upset because it's our job to fight for our players. And, and you see what Ty Simpson has done against that schedule, and I, I repeat that schedule. I see other players that. And it's all due respect because everybody's, Everybody's having fine years, but when they play nothing and then you see them invited to New York, I know we're. That's not a concern here. But you gotta fight for your players. I think Ty Simpson is one of the best players, if not the best player in America right now. You don't see him sometimes get the publicity that he deserves. I look at that schedule, I look what you guys have done. Do you fight for him at some point and say, hey, wait a minute, I know. I always felt uncomfortable about that, but at some point you have to fight for your guy. And this guy, as a coach, has done this forever. I don't know if there's better player in the country right now than Ty Simpson.

[Kaylin DeBoer]

Yeah, I appreciate that, and I feel the same way that he's. He's so much to us, but what he's doing and, and again, there's great players across the country doing things for their teams as well. But Ty is, man, he's. He's, you know, doing it all from the work on the football field, which I know what matters a lot in, in the decision of that, you know, it comes to best player in the country, Heisman, all that kind of stuff, but he's, you know, making the throws at critical times. Leading you on game winning drives on, on the road. He's responding, you know, when, when the other team scores, he's, he's finding a way to, to, you know, come back with the offense and do it. And then he's also just, you know, a genuine leader. And that genuine part is the part I'm emphasizing because there's leaders that are, that are, that are, you know, out there, but they're always great leaders. He's, there's ones that have an influence that just, you know, isn't what you want your culture to be built on. And he is, man, he's just really stepped up and what he says he means and it comes from his heart and our guys know that. And how can you not root for a guy who had opportunities over the years to go elsewhere and do it? And he stuck it out here because he believes in this place. He wants to do it here. He's got such tight relationships and to see it happening and evolving, man, I just hope, though, I hope the old country sees it and, you know, when kids are trying to make a decision to go somewhere or stay, you know, they really think about, you know, and especially here, you know, what, what can happen if you just stay the course.

[Rob Stone]

That week one loss in, in Tallahassee, I'm not trying to bring up bad things, but, you know, I, I know that's going to serve and has served as a catalyst for you and your program going forward after that defeat. Has there been a moment, whether it was week two, four, five, eight, whatever it was, where you said, oh, I think we're, we're back, like, we're, we're back to Bama, we're in a good place right now. I know you're not going to be content, but what was that one moment after the course of that loss played itself out where you said, oh, we're going to be all right this season?

[Kaylin DeBoer]

Yeah, I, I, I don't think that, I mean, until it's all said and done, you know, I'm not gonna let our guys think that we're back. I want us to have that edge that we had starting with that game or after that game, you know, and that's to me has been, you got to find those different motivating factors and it's got to be internal. It's got to be, I think, doing it for other people that really, you know, you know, not, not letting down your teammates in particular, they're counting on you, you know, what are those motivating factors? And one of them that you know, you just add to the list. Is everyone doubting you? You know, the world beat against you? You know. You know, I know a lot of programs probably say it, but we certainly, you know, know that everyone wants to take down Bama. And you know, we use that as our. Our edge, you know, and, you know, when people then start doubting whether you can do it, I feel like we got a. A group that's got enough confidence and that I can be real enough with them to where when I just tell them, hey, this is what we're up against, this is the team we're playing, or this is what people are saying, you know, we don't want to be thinking about the noise unless it can help benefit us and use it as motivating factors to take us to the next level. And I think our guys have done an awesome job of that. You know, I get to walk by a TV every day, going down to the team meeting rooms and you know, constantly there's something on that TV that's popping up like this person is saying this about this game that Bama's playing in. Man, I'm screenshotting that thing and taking it down there and ammo. And our guys don't lose confidence in that because they have enough belief in what we're doing. It's just an extra level of motivation that we use it for.

[Rob Stone]

I'm curious your take. As a high ranking member of the coaching fraternity, we've seen three major footballing schools fire their head coaches, two in the sec, and then of course, one just the other days, as you look at what the coaching world is from an outside.

[Urban Meyer]

You know, what.

[Rob Stone]

What were your initial reactions to. To those big firings and to maybe the state of what college football head coaching is now in these big, big markets, these big places where it really matters.

[Kaylin DeBoer]

Yeah, I mean, I got so much respect for these coaches and what they're going through and what they do. And you know, you get. You're talking about careers that have, I mean, decades, you know, of success, head coaches, and obviously they probably started out as coordinators, a lot of them, at some point and did a great job. And so, you know, I know they're pouring everything into it and it's. The college football world has certainly changed, you know, and, you know, you're trying to evolve and change with it. I feel bad for the players that are in those programs that have to go through it in the middle of their season. This time comes and goes for them just like that. And you know, some of them Might be in there. Last year, some of them just got there and now the world's flipped upside down because what they were preparing for and what they came for and who they wanted to play for has changed. So I feel bad for those guys too, you know, to get, I'm, for the most part, I'm just focused on what I can do to make sure that, you know, we're learning and growing and continue to move forward in our program, whether it's myself, our coaching staff.

[Mark Ingram]

Or our team coach, man, I just before we leave, man, I want you to take me in that locker room. That's one thing I miss the most is the locker room. After those tough wins, being with the guys, being with the coaches. Take me in that locker room, man. You guys just fought back, fought hard. Tim Keenan, Deontay Lawson, the two captains of the team, they make a huge play. Obviously the offense execute to go score a touchdown to win the game. But just take me in that locker room, man. What are the guys saying? What are you guys celebrating? I know you guys singing a fight song, but just help me reminisce and get some of that old feels back, man. Take me in the locker room.

[Kaylin DeBoer]

A couple things you brought up, Tim Keenan. I'm going to say this like sometimes you will things to happen by how you just like think and at halftime he, he was on another level and Tim's got that, he's got some preacher in him, man. He's got a wisdom, he's got a way of, you know, guys respond to him and he had a, again, he keeps adding on to his weeks of practice. He's getting healthier and healthier and his last week was phenomenal. And that carried over to another level of passion and he brought it out. I, I, I kept mine short because how was I going to top that? A couple pointers and we hit the field for the second half. But after the game there was this again. There was as much energy there because that was, that was one we had to fight. You know, there was one where man, like, that was a character win again. There's so many things you're gonna look at like how we, you know, we left a lot of meat on bone here and there and thank goodness we got away with a win. But we understood that, you know, it was going to be a tough environment. And so, you know, I think what you find is teams that are in the fight till the very end, they didn't overlook who they were playing. We didn't do that with South Carolina. One second we Went in, you know, really feeling like this was going to be a battle. Four quarter battle. All these games in the sec, they come down to a one score a lot of times and we knew it would be that. And so yeah, it was, it was a, it was emotional. It was a lot of energy in the locker room as much as I've seen here as maybe going back to Georgia. And so that was exciting. It was a lot of fun.

[Mark Ingram]

I appreciate you taking me inside, coach. Thank you.

[Urban Meyer]

Enjoy that bye week, brother. I know what that's like to. Because the opposite's awful. Enjoy that bye.

[Kaylin DeBoer]

That's right. You know, and so yeah, we're, we're going to enjoy it. Coaches are working hard. A lot of recruiting happening right now too, as always. But you know, gonna get ready here to hit this final stretch, the last four.

[Urban Meyer]

Yes, sir.

[Mark Ingram]

Keep doing, coach.

[Rob Stone]

And then LSU. Kaylin DeBoer, head coach of fourth ranked Alabama, thanks so much for joining us on your precious time off, man. We really do appreciate it, coach.

[Kaylin DeBoer]

Yeah, thank you guys.

[Mark Ingram]

Roll Tide, let's go.

[Rob Stone]

I need a little more energy on that roll.

[Mark Ingram]

I'll give a piss about none but the Tide know.

[Rob Stone]

There we go now. Now we're talking Alabama. When we return, we're going to talk about the top three teams in the country. And I guarantee you somebody has Bama inside their top three. That's coming up next on the triple option. Support for the triple option comes from Google. Being a college football fan these days means you're part analyst, part GM and part rules expert. The game is just so much more complex than it used to be. Coach.

[Urban Meyer]

One minute you're trying to decode the X's and O's, the next you're debating the transfer portal. This is what college football fandom is all about. And AI mode in Google search is perfect for it. It's built to handle all those nuanced, complicated questions that go way beyond a simple stat.

[Mark Ingram]

You can ask it to do a deep dive on strategy like break down how the spread offense compares to the pro style offense based on philosophy and pace. Or then you could pivot to more off the field elements and ask what are the main reasons why there are more college football player transfers in recent years. You can even get real time analysis like asking how have this year's college football rule changes impacted the season so far.

[Rob Stone]

AI Mode pulls all that info together for you. So whether you're wondering about a complex scheme, a new rule, or why your favorite team's roster looks so different every year, you can Just ask Google. Welcome back to the triple option presented by Wendy's Rob. Mark Urban back here with you. Time now for three and out. Here we are, guys, just about a week away from the first college football playoff rankings coming out. So we're going to give our audience our top three teams in the country right now. Mark, you're up first again. Ohio State is number one in the AP poll. Are they number one in the Mark Ingram poll?

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, I got Ohio State. They're number one in my poll.

[Urban Meyer]

They're.

[Mark Ingram]

They're the defending national champs and they've just been dominant. Julian Saying is playing really, really well. He's getting better and better. You got those duos on the outside. You got a defense who looks better than they were a year ago. I got to stay with Ohio State at number one. Until you beat the champ, you remain where you are, the number two. I'm a go Indiana. I'm going to go Indiana. I'm a go Indiana. Because of the road victory that they had in Oregon that was extremely impressive. They've throttled everybody else who they've played. They don't have much else on the schedule. We don't think they'll be tested till they play Ohio State. We will see if they can get over the hump and beat those teams, those, those top of the. Those top upper upper echelon teams when it matters in the Big Ten championship or playoffs. So I'm going to go the two Big Ten teams, Ohio State, then I'm going to go Indiana, then the third team. I mean, you can go A and M. They're undefeated. Marcel Reed's playing great. But you know who I'm going to go with? I'm going to go with Alabama Crimson tied at the number three. Why Georgia? They're the 15 minutes in the AP. They have one loss. Guess two. Bama Vanny. They're the number nine team in AP. They have one loss. Guess the who. Bama. So A and M, they've had impressive wins over Notre Dame. LSU doesn't look as good of a win as it once did. So I'm going to go Ohio State 1, Indiana 2. I'm going Bama 3 because I feel like they have the best resume in college football right now. So that's. That's my three and out. That's my top three.

[Kaylin DeBoer]

You deuce.

[Mark Ingram]

Deuce top three. You know, I got to put the Crimson Tide in there. You know why? Because I don't give a piss about nothing but the Tide, and that's on me. And that's on we.

[Kaylin DeBoer]

Yes.

[Rob Stone]

Starting to feel like this podcast this week was produced by Mark Ingram. Coach, are you feeling that so heavy. Heavy on the Alabama. Heavy. All right, Coach, your top three.

[Mark Ingram]

Watch out, Turlock. Right now, I'm all you, ass.

[Urban Meyer]

I kind of like Mark, actually. I thought that was well done. Deuce. Deuce that the Buckeyes are number one. I think their best win is at Washington. You know, I think going across the country containing that quarterback like they did Texas. Texas is a shell of themselves. Refining out. Illinois is a good, solid team. But to go on the road and win at Washington, that's why not for those two wins, but that win over Washington, Indiana, they have the best win of the season on the road at Austin Stadium. So they're number two. But I'm going to. I'm going to, you know, three and four. It doesn't matter at this point. I love what Mark said, but I'm going to go with A and M. I still can't get over that. That loss to Florida State, or I would have Bama up there ahead of them. A and M. I watched those guys this week. I went and made sure I watched this quarterback. The wins at Notre Dame and in lsu. I just love the way they're playing. I love the way they're coached. Mike Elko, I don't know much. I. I know he's well respected, but you talk about a hot coach, man, and a guy that handles himself the right way. When I really loved him, I was watching the game and he showed a lot of passion on the sideline, which you don't see sometimes from coaches nowadays. I think he broke like a chair or something. And just at some point, Mark, you know this. Don't you want your coaches to dive in the middle of it with you? You know, to be, you know, to stand there like a, you know, statue on the sideline. I'm not a big fan of that.

[Mark Ingram]

Get your hands dirty.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, go get. Get with your guys, man. Go. Go get face to face with them, and you're in it with them. And that's. I got a lot of respect for Mike Elko and that A and M team right now, man.

[Rob Stone]

I wonder if. I wonder if some of these. These big job openings are going to come knocking on Elko's door, Right?

[Urban Meyer]

But he's at a.

[Rob Stone]

He's got a. That's my point. He's at a great place.

[Mark Ingram]

That's not happening with so much support, too. Like A and M. They got the money, they got the resources.

[Rob Stone]

I understand that. I'm not knocking that at all. I'm just saying if you're.

[Mark Ingram]

You gotta.

[Rob Stone]

That's my point. If you're short, if you're at lsu, you're at Penn State. You're looking at the. The top head coaches out there. Kaylin DeBoer is one of them. Right. Lane Kiffin is one of them. Mike Elko from Duke to Texas A and M, people are going to come after him. There's going to be money thrown at him. He's already seen plenty of money. Yeah, I think the Elko thing is.

[Urban Meyer]

Will.

[Rob Stone]

Will be fascinating. All right, my top three, I agree with you. All three of us go with Ohio State. Number one. I will say their schedule, and you can only play the teams that are on your schedule. It's just, you know, that win over Texas in week one looked amazing and big, but we've seen what Texas really kind of is through the course of the season. They got that win at Illinois. Right. And I agree with you, coach. The win at Washington was a big one. I don't think Washington as a program is getting enough credit. Had they won at Michigan, people certainly would have been talking about Washington more. But Ohio State's number one, to be the man, you got to beat the man. They're still the man. Number two. I go Texas A M, eight. No, those ranked wins over Notre Dame and an LSU team which is no longer ranked. But I, I like what A and M is doing. Just kind of.

[Urban Meyer]

They're.

[Rob Stone]

They're just kind of like marching through what the SEC schedule is right now. No hiccups, no stumbles, no real schedule.

[Mark Ingram]

Has been kind of mild compared to Obama's. But they are balling, though.

[Rob Stone]

Which takes me to my number three team. It is Alabama. They're seven and one. You. If you, if you can put your blind. I'm going to put my Bama blinders on and I'm going to forget week one existed.

[Mark Ingram]

Right.

[Rob Stone]

I'm going to forget that loss at Tallahassee even happened. Okay. Which is not fair and you can't do that. But I get it. But if I, if I'm able to move on from week one loss in Tallahassee and say, wait a second, this program has ranked wins over Georgia, Vanderbilt, Missouri and Tennessee. You're going to say, well, that's probably the best team in the land, I think you can make a great case that Alabama's number two, maybe even number one, with the quality of wins that they've had already.

[Mark Ingram]

Off resume. Number one. Off resume for show off, off.

[Rob Stone]

Resume that. That's my point. I love where they're going. They're headed in the right direction again. I think Oregon, Oregon should be getting more consideration. You know, that loss and they beat.

[Urban Meyer]

The brakes off of Illinois.

[Rob Stone]

Agreed.

[Mark Ingram]

Agreed.

[Rob Stone]

However, coach, are you taking Ohio State or are you taking Indiana? Neutral site inside the dome in Indianapolis. Big Ten championship game. I'm going, I'm going to Ohio State all day. I, I'm, I love Indiana. I enjoy their story. That win over Oregon proved a ton to me.

[Mark Ingram]

I need you to do it again. I need you to do it again. I need you to do it again.

[Rob Stone]

Do they have those, those game breaker type guys? I don't. And maybe they don't need them because they're so damn well coached and they don't put themselves in those situations.

[Mark Ingram]

Listen, man, we got four more weeks and championship weekend. This thing's gonna come down to the wire 100%.

[Rob Stone]

We're not talking Georgia with ranked wins over Tennessee and Ole Miss. Ole Miss, I like Ole Miss a ton. A ton right now. How about Georgia Tech? I know their, their schedule isn't great, but they're unbeaten as well. So BYU unbeaten, BYU unbeaten, Texas Tech, we think a lot of them as well. So let us know your top three in the comments section. We'll talk about it next week on the triple option. Time now for Two Minute Drill. It is brought to you by FanDuel. Visit FanDuel.com triple option to download the app and take advantage of a 50% profit boost today. Only three ranked games this week. I've got the first one guys. Number 18 Oklahoma on the road at 14th ranked Tennessee. The Vols favored by three and a half. The over under 56 and a half. We'll start with Oklahoma. They fell five spots after falling at home to Ole Miss. Remember their defense so dominant they're still really elite level type defense. Had such a knack for getting in the opposition's backfield but Ole Miss man lit him up for a season high 34 points and 531 yards. Okay, that's a lot. That's a lot that that defense gave up. Particularly in Norman. The concerns for John Matier continue after coming back from that right hand injury. I did some number crunching guys. John Mattier, member. About a month ago he was at the top of most people's Heisman list in his three games back, two losses, a 59% completion rate. That those are the two real big concerning numbers for me. Two touchdowns to three interceptions. All three of those picks that were in the first game back against Texas. In that loss, he's taken nine sacks as well. His legs a big part of his game. He's only run for 36 yards in the last three games. And again, this is part of just that brutal gauntlet of ranked opponents for Boomer Sooner right now. And you know, there was heat under Brett Venable's chair to start the season. It had cooled down. If things spin away right now, it's going to start. It's going to start getting a little bit louder. So he's got a great opportunity to kind of quiet those naysayers this Saturday. Right. But the problem is you're going to Tennessee. They dropped 56 in Lexington. Seven different players scored touchdowns. Seven different dudes had touchdowns. Joey Aguilar, maybe his best game yet at Tennessee, 20 of 26, season high 396 and three touchdowns. Mark, you're going to love this quote post game, he goes, I was just out there dishing the wealth. I'm just out there dishon the wealth.

[Mark Ingram]

Yes, sir.

[Rob Stone]

Pretty good.

[Mark Ingram]

I like that one.

[Rob Stone]

He has a good receivers with at least 100 yards receiving. He leads the SEC. He is the SEC passing leader. Guys with over 2,300 yards. Another thing to keep in mind, both of you guys know this. Tennessee, their first home night game of the season, place first be bumping. Yeah.

[Mark Ingram]

Jumping.

[Rob Stone]

And it kind of feels like two teams going in opposite directions right now. So I'm taking the under. But I like the Vols to cover. All right. First time this season the Big 12 has five ranked teams and two of them set to meet coach in Salt Lake City. Your 17th ranked Bearcats taking on number 24, Utah. Oh, man, this is like the Urban Meyer bowl here.

[Urban Meyer]

The Bearcats traveling to Mile High Salt Lake City or something like that. Because I know there's an altitude issue for the Cats are having a great year. I'm so happy to see that. But I'll tell you what, Utah, what do you call you Shoved? What Mark? What did they do? They push it.

[Mark Ingram]

Push it.

[Urban Meyer]

They pushed it in against CU 43 zip at halftime against Dion Sanders. Buffaloes 398 yards in the first half to minus 18. I think Utah's on a roll. I know that's a tough trip for Cincinnati to get out there. And I also. Kyle Whittingham is my guy. Once you get momentum, that guy and that team in Salt Lake City, I know it's seven and a half. I just think it's going to be a 14.2 score. Two three score win for the Utes.

[Rob Stone]

All right, remember Cincinnati tied atop the Big 12 with unbeaten BYU. All right, so Utah, they're going to cover it. They're favored by seven and a half mark. Number nine Vandy at 20th ranked Texas Commodore's up one spot this week to number nine. Guys, that is their highest ranking in 88 years. Congratulations to all the great stuff that's happening in Nashville right now. But it's Texas mark at home favored by two and a half. The over under set at 45 and a half.

[Mark Ingram]

See, this is going to be a good one, man. We gonna see a lot about, we're gonna learn a lot about Vandy. Last year they had Texas in Nashville. They lost 27, 24. But listen, it's a new year, it's a new season. They beat lsu, they beat Missouri. So two ranked opponents in the last two weeks. But this offense, man, it's very irritable to me. Like it's hard to defend, bro. It's hard to defend. You got, you got Diego Pavia running the ball. He could hurt you with his arms, his legs. He kind of struggled last week throwing the football only 129 yards and one interception. But his legs, it's always the asset for this team. And then defensively they, they've been allowing. You can get off on the defense, especially in the secondary. So I'm kind of lean in Texas in this one. I don't know. We'll see what happens with Arch Manning and his health is. Will he be healthy? He went out with a concussion in the overtime. Matthew Caldwell came in through the game winning touchdown in relief of Arch Manning. So we'll see. I'm leaning. You had a Wingo come back. He had a huge game last week. You have Trayvon Wisner, he's back healthy. So I think this team is getting a little bit more healthy. They have to kind of protect Arch. They've. He's been sacked a lot this year. But the difference to me in this game is the Texas defense. This defense is really good. They have the number one rush defense in the sec. So you're going against a team who likes to run the ball. Diego Poppy. They have the number one rush defense in the SEC. They've held six of their eight opponents to under 15 points and they've had 17 sacks in the last three games. So going to Austin, what did, when did Vandy lose their game this season? On the road? They're going on the road again to Texas. So I think this defense, it all depends on the health of Arch Manning.

[Rob Stone]

I agree.

[Mark Ingram]

If Arch is healthy, he's.

[Rob Stone]

Although the backup. The backup came in and threw a dime.

[Mark Ingram]

He did.

[Rob Stone]

And Arch has been struggling all season, but that might have been his best game. He did. Until the concussion.

[Mark Ingram]

He did. He did have his best game, man. He's, um, he had, he, he's had 13 touchdowns and two interceptions at home this year. So he's playing a lot better at home with the defense. With that crowd noise Vandy lost on the road to Bama, I think they're going to lose on the road to Texas. If Arch is healthy.

[Rob Stone]

I, you know what's crazy about this?

[Mark Ingram]

I'm taking the points. I'm. I'm laying the points. Two and a half points. I'm laying the points.

[Rob Stone]

If you go back two years ago, right, and you're going to say, hey, we're going to have a conversation about Vanderbilt at Texas and whoo, lord, it's tight.

[Urban Meyer]

I don't know.

[Rob Stone]

You're like, wait, what did you say? Vanderbilt's at Texas and you're. You're not. You have to put some thought into this one.

[Mark Ingram]

Listen, I bet on Texas in week one and they pissed down my leg, so don't do it again. That's where I was going.

[Rob Stone]

I was giving flowers to Vanderbilt. It's.

[Mark Ingram]

I'm just saying what I did. They pissed down their leg when I bet on them one time. Don't do it to me again.

[Rob Stone]

All right?

[Mark Ingram]

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I'm still going with Texas. I'm laying the point.

[Rob Stone]

All right, Longhorns, look out.

[Mark Ingram]

You can call me a Vanderbilt. Hell yeah. I don't like them.

[Rob Stone]

I don't like them because they're in the sec. Because all you care about is Alabama.

[Mark Ingram]

You don't care nothing about nobody tied and they didn't shut. They didn't took down the goal post a year ago. They doing all this other talk still after we just whipped on you. I don't care, Texas. Make me look good.

[Rob Stone]

I love you, man. Follow subscribe rate us on YouTube, Apple, podcasts, Spotify, wherever it is, you get your podcast as well as a across social media 3x option show. Please leave those questions. Please leave those comments. Reminder. We're going live this Thursday the 30th. We're at Urban Meyers Pine House in Dublin, Ohio. Live show at 7 Eastern. Again come dressed as Coach Meyer, Coach Day, Coach Franklin or Connor Stallions for a chance to win prizes. That show will be live up on YouTube as well and also Alabama fans. Mark Tell your friends in Tuscaloosa that if they are in the area on Friday, November 7th, make sure to stop by the tailgate tour at Two Dimes starting at 4pm Central. You can experience the ultimate all inclusive tailgate experience ahead of the LSU Alabama game. Free to guest. There'll be live music, top tier tailgate food, as well as a live show of the Dynasty hosted by AJ McCarron, Trent Richardson and other NFL special guests. Visit Tailgate TourAlabama [e-mail] for more information. Hope to see a lot of folks out there in Dublin. Can't wait for that. We team Big Noon kickoff on the road to Columbus. We got Ohio State and Penn State this Saturday as always thanks to our sponsors.

[Mark Ingram]

Can we go to the Alabama LSU game?

[Rob Stone]

Let's. I I I'll I'll share some emails of our bosses with you and you can start heckling them and get them on that. I think there's a chance man. Thanks as always to our sponsors, Wendy's, FanDuel, Google and do enjoy the football. We will see you next week on the triple option presented by Wendy's.

[Mark Ingram]

I hope so.