Bulletin Board Material, Illinois' Bret Bielema Joins, & Miami Hurricanes' Preview

Summary

The Triple Option Podcast Episode Summary
Presented by Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram II, and Rob Stone
Episode: Bulletin Board Material, Illinois' Bret Bielema Joins, & Miami Hurricanes' Preview
Release Date: June 25, 2025

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1. Thomas Castellanos' Bold Statement about Alabama

The episode kicks off with a heated discussion sparked by Florida State quarterback Thomas Castellanos' provocative remark regarding Alabama's defense. Castellanos stated, "they don't have Nick Saban to save them. I just don't see them stopping me" (02:16). This bold claim has ignited reactions among the hosts.

Urban Meyer emphasizes the importance of confidence in athletes, stating, "Let him talk. You're supposed to be confident as an athlete... So let him run his mouth and give the dogs at Alabama a reason to go in" (02:30). Mark Ingram II adds, "If a player publicly doubts the program, it provides additional motivation for the team to prove him wrong" (04:38).

2. Reactions and Implications of Castellanos' Statement

The hosts delve into the potential repercussions of Castellanos' comments. Rob Stone suggests that Coach DeBoer may not be personally affected but worries about the impact on his players, stating, "...if he really does have that locker room, those guys in the locker room should be pissed off that they went after their guy" (04:12).

Urban Meyer reinforces the idea that such statements can serve as "bulletin board material", motivating Alabama to retaliate on the field (03:18). The conversation highlights the delicate balance coaches must maintain between addressing player confidence and leveraging external provocation for team motivation.

3. Miami Hurricanes' NIL Controversy and Legal Battles

A significant portion of the episode addresses the ongoing lawsuit filed by Wisconsin against the University of Miami. The lawsuit alleges that Miami interfered with Wisconsin’s NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) agreements by enticing defensive back Xavier Lucas to transfer shortly after he had signed a two-year NIL deal with Wisconsin (12:22).

Mark Ingram II critiques the current state of compliance in college football, stating, "If you don't have the NCAA with teeth or a governing body that controls these, you're going to get the government involved or law involved" (12:57). Urban Meyer expresses confusion and frustration over the situation, comparing it to NFL contracts where transfers are straightforward (13:14).

The hosts discuss potential outcomes, including financial reimbursements for Wisconsin and stricter punishments for Miami to deter future violations. Brett Bielema underscores the necessity for accountability, particularly for coaches managing large contracts, and warns of future ramifications for improper NIL dealings (35:45).

4. Conversation with Bret Bielema: Illinois Football Insights

Brett Bielema, head coach of the Illinois Fighting Illini, joins the podcast to discuss the current state and future of Illinois football.

a. SEC vs. Big Ten Dynamics

Bielema compares the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and the Big Ten, highlighting differences in fan passion, weather conditions, and recruitment advantages. He notes, "If I was recruiting a young Mark Ingram again, right, and I was... you're going to prove to 32 NFL teams that you can play in all types of climates and weather" (26:30). This versatility is seen as an edge in preparing players for professional football.

b. Impact of NIL and Compliance

Bielema expresses optimism about the changes brought by NIL, stating, "We are going to get that level playing field and now we have it" (31:11). He discusses how Illinois is adapting to these changes by maintaining financial discipline and ensuring compliance to prevent future legal issues.

c. Managing Expectations and Building Success

Addressing the high expectations for Illinois' upcoming season, Bielema outlines strategic approaches to managing a challenging schedule. He emphasizes focusing on each game individually rather than fixating on the end goal of a College Football Playoff spot. "What you do with those 12 games determines that success of the year" (40:02).

Bielema also highlights the strength of his roster, mentioning, "We have all five of our offensive linemen back. We have a center... super excited to see how this thing plays out" (47:14). His confidence in the team's capabilities underscores a commitment to sustainable success rather than transient achievements.

d. Recruiting and Financial Management

Bielema discusses Illinois' recruiting strategy, focusing on key regions like Ohio, Florida, and New Jersey. He emphasizes quality over quantity, stating, "We have a good name down there. So we've got a lot of players from Jersey, but we concentrate on five hours outside of Champaign, Florida and Jersey" (45:23).

Financial prudence is another focal point, with Bielema reflecting on past experiences where programs overspent versus his approach of being cautious and strategic with investments. "I believe... to really do something that can be sustained longer-term" (35:45).

5. Personal Anecdotes and Team Camaraderie

The discussion shifts to personal stories that highlight the camaraderie and emotional bonds within athletic programs. Brett Bielema shares memorable experiences, such as participating in the "seventh inning stretch" at Wrigley Field and collaborating with his quarterback, Luke Altmire, on singing performances (47:32).

Mark Ingram II introduces the concept of "Champions Day," inspired by witnessing championship celebrations in basketball, aiming to instill a championship mentality within the football team. He explains, "Champions Day... every year I would have a Champions Day. And I brought in people that won championships..." (57:15). This initiative seeks to motivate players by exposing them to the emotional high of championship victories.

6. Preseason Predictions and Team Analysis

In the latter part of the episode, the hosts discuss upcoming college football predictions, specifically focusing on the Miami Hurricanes' preseason win totals and their recent performance. Urban Meyer and Mark Ingram II analyze Miami's potential based on last season's record and their current roster changes, debating whether the team can reach or exceed the set win total of 9.5 (60:51).

Urban Meyer concludes with a cautious but hopeful outlook, asserting, "I see three losses in that schedule somewhere... I got nine wins or less. I'm going with the under" (65:01). This segment provides listeners with insightful analysis grounded in the hosts' extensive football expertise.

7. Community Engagement and Personal Values

The podcast concludes with Mark Ingram II sharing his involvement with Folds of Honor, an organization supporting military families. He highlights the importance of community service and the personal fulfillment that comes from supporting veterans and first responders, reinforcing the hosts' commitment to values beyond football (65:30).

Rob Stone wraps up the episode by acknowledging the contributions of their guests and sponsors, maintaining a balance between professional analysis and personal connections within the sports community.

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Notable Quotes:

• "Let him talk. You're supposed to be confident as an athlete..." — Urban Meyer (02:30)

• "If you don't have the NCAA with teeth or a governing body that controls these, you're going to get the government involved..." — Mark Ingram II (12:57)

• "We are going to get that level playing field and now we have it." — Brett Bielema (31:11)

• "What you do with those 12 games determines that success of the year." — Brett Bielema (40:02)

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This episode of The Triple Option offers a deep dive into the current dynamics of college football, touching upon player confidence, legal challenges in NIL agreements, and strategic insights from a top-tier coach. Through candid conversations and expert analysis, Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram II, and Rob Stone provide listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the evolving landscape of the sport.

Transcript

[Rob Stone]

I don't know. I think if I saw a bunch of teammates crying before we kicked off, I'd be a little. A little hesitant.

[Mark Ingram]

Not crying. Come on, Rob. Emotional.

[Urban Meyer]

It's not like crying. Like, boohoo, like my feelings are hurt. It's like an alligator tear. Dog.

[Rob Stone]

What kind of cry are we talking about?

[Mark Ingram]

Like, emotional tear it up. Not crying.

[Urban Meyer]

It's like. It's like an alligator tear.

[Rob Stone]

Like kill some alligator.

[Urban Meyer]

No, no, you just light.

[Rob Stone]

Welcome to the triple option presented by Wendy's. Try Wendy's new frosty fusions with flavors like caramel crunch, Oreo brownie and pop tart. Strawberry Light it. I will never tire of that, Mark. I don't know why it's so simple and silly, but it brings a smile to my face.

[Urban Meyer]

That's fire, man. That intro. Go hard, man.

[Rob Stone]

It is awesome. Mark, man, the coach, Urban Meyer here with you as always. Thanks for joining us on the triple option presented by Wendy's. Member to rate, subscribe at Apple Podcast, Spotify, wherever you get your podcast, as well as across social media. You can find us at 3x option show new episodes every Wednesday on YouTube. Wherever it is you get your podcasts, this is going to be a fun one. I have a funny feeling Mark might be provoked by the start. Oh, by the way, a little bit later in the show, how about the conversation we had with Illinois head coach Brett B. You were really going to enjoy that.

[Mark Ingram]

He's a ball coach, man.

[Brett Bielema]

Man.

[Rob Stone]

It's always a pleasure to have him around and. And coach. You guys go way back and had a. Had an interesting introduction. An interesting introduction. We'll talk about that a little bit later. But guys, when is too soon to start talking trash? Mark, I'm guessing for you, it's. It's like, what are we waiting for? Let's get the trash.

[Urban Meyer]

Never too soon.

[Rob Stone]

Never too soon. All right, so this is a good one. Florida State quarterback Thomas Castellanos, member was at Boston College last season, so he was asked about Florida State's Aug. 30 opener with Alabama. And again, Castellanos, new to the program, told on three quote, they don't have Nick Saban to save them. I just don't see them stopping me.

[Mark Ingram]

Ouch. Oh, man.

[Urban Meyer]

Oh, man.

[Mark Ingram]

Roll damn tight. Is that what you said?

[Rob Stone]

I like how I don't even have to ask a question. I'm just going to say the quote and I'm going to let Mark Mark Ingram go. Mark the half. On behalf of Alabama nation, the floor is yours.

[Urban Meyer]

Good for him, Stone. Good for him. Let him run his mouth. Let him talk. You're supposed to be confident as an athlete. As a dog, you're supposed to be confident. So let him run his mouth and give them dogs at Alabama a reason to go in. Make him regret what he said. You know what I mean? So Bama coming out with a vengeance this year. We need some get back. We need some bounce back and just go ahead and sprinkle a little extra motivation on top. A little bulletin board material. Cause I know they gonna use it. I know DeBoer and Alabama, I know they gonna use what this man's saying. Coming from Boston College at Florida State, who just had probably one of the worst seasons ever. So, yeah, good for him, man. I'm glad he's confident.

[Rob Stone]

Feel free to keep talking. Is that what you're saying? Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, just keep talking. Good for him. I'm glad he's confident in himself and his abilities. He said he's been dreaming of this moment, so we'll see if, if it's a dream or a nightmare soon. That's why they play the game.

[Rob Stone]

I, I find, here's, here's the angle I find interesting about it, Mark. I, I don't think Coach DeBoer cares about this at all. Right. Like, this is just water right off his back. I don't that quote doesn't bother him, but I bet deep down he hopes it bothers his players.

[Urban Meyer]

Exactly.

[Rob Stone]

Because that would mean his players are bothered that they're going after the coach. Right. And this is year two for Kalyn DeBoer and, you know, trying to follow a legend. Nobody should sign that. And things didn't go the Alabama way last season. Correct. And if he really does have that locker room, if he really does have that football program standing behind him, those guys in the locker room should be pissed off that they went after their guy. You went after my guy.

[Urban Meyer]

Exactly. And, and Ryan Williams just said, like, in an interview, like, a week or two ago, he was like, every person, every player who had any doubt about Debore or the, you know, the program and the process that the program is going through is gone. Everyone in that program right now wants to be there. So with that being said, they're going to take this to heart and they're going to try to punish old Thomas for his remarks.

[Rob Stone]

Coach, did you have, like, a bulletin board guy, like some GA that would just scour the Internet and papers and try to find stuff to, to dig up for motivation?

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, sure. I, I, the one thing, though, that you made a Comment. I'm going to argue with this that you said that Coach Debord doesn't care. He does. When his name's dragged in and there's, you know, the whole country's kind of talking about Nick Saban left and there's a drop off and all that. We're all human beings. Coach Deborah's got one of the best records out there of any college football coach. But you're damn right he cares. When I, when I hear people say I don't care. Sure he does. He's a human being and he sees, you know, a little bit of dragging going on. But let me say this about the whole bulletin board. I've used it a million times and there's two reasons you move, you use it. It's for preparation for that game and for the start of the game, after the game and Mark will tell you after the game gets going, you don't, I mean you, yeah, damn about what was said before the game because you're, you're in it now, you're in it. But what I used it for is that preparation, you know, and that was if I saw something or, you know, people knew that they, I had plenty of people searching for things, coaching a pissed off team in preparation and then the start of the game. But once the game gets rolling, you go question those guys in the middle of the second quarter and say, what did that guy say again? They're going to be, you know, they're going to be worried about the field pressure, the middle plug X or the, or the, you know, the split zone, whatever, you know, they're two players and coaches are too caught up in it.

[Rob Stone]

What's the difference between a pissed off team and just a normal team going through weak preparations?

[Mark Ingram]

Oh my God. A grown ass man team that's pissed off. Oh my God.

[Urban Meyer]

They're going to come out there with some physicality.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, you're getting better. That's what I'll tell you. Your Tuesday practice and Wednesday practice with a pissed off team. I used to walk off the field, look at my coaches go, damn, you know, let's strap it on now. This is going to be a good one as a, as opposed to a lethargic team. So you got two ends of the spectrum pissed off. Yeah. And then non focused lethargic.

[Urban Meyer]

Well, you have a team that has goals and aspirations anyway and so now you have a player for a team that you're playing in the opener. Talking mess about, they don't think, they can't stop me, which you're Supposed to feel like that. You're supposed to have that confidence. But to put it out there for the other team to be able to have extra motivation, I think that's, you know, benefiting the other team, you know, I mean, so roll down, tie.

[Rob Stone]

Coach, could you ever have a pissed off team all season long? Is that manageable? Is that something that's. That's possible to have or create?

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, yeah, I've seen that before. And I mean, I guess the 2008 team was an example when I was at Florida. Mark can tell you his 2009 team. How about you brought it up. That's exactly right.

[Urban Meyer]

It's the whole year.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah. We. Georgia beat us the year before. And that. That. That went from January, February, March, April, May, all the way in through October. Carry you? Yeah, but once again, once it gets cranking, I use it for preparation and the start of the game. Yeah, mostly preparation.

[Rob Stone]

How did you use the Michigan revenge tour in 2018 to your advantage?

[Mark Ingram]

That was most of our players. That. And once again, we had a good group that year. What was that? 18, 2018. And Wolverines had a bad year, and then they had a great year in 2018, and they were beating all the teams that beat him the year before.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah.

[Mark Ingram]

And I remember. I don't. I used to go out in the pregame warm ups. I quit going out. So I would stay in the locker room. And I mean, it was like a fire was lit in that locker room, man. And I was like, what the hell's going on? And I think one of the coaches told me, he says, all those guys are wearing Revenge Tour T shirts. And it had like, Wisconsin, you know, Michigan State, Ohio State, check. And they already checked the box at the Revenge Tour, and they're there. I think they were favored to win that game, Coach.

[Urban Meyer]

But the common denominator in all this is the players in your locker room, right?

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

If you got those leaders, those alphas in your locker room, real leaders. Not the real ones, not the wannabe was. Not the ones that think that they were that. That are self leaders. No, the real leaders, the real dogs. When you have those in your locker room on your team, that is a great motivating factor for that team because it just kind of rallies the team together and you have this mentality like it's us against the world. When you have that mentality like it's us against the world, you go out there and you just.

[Rob Stone]

All right, Mark, what was the most pissed off you and your team ever was?

[Urban Meyer]

The most pissed off. Yeah. Two. Well, 2009 for sure, man. We had a 12. 0 season. We went to the SEC championship. We played Coach Meyer and his Gators. We were winning for three quarters, and we did not finish the game. And they won. They went to national championship, and they won the national championship. And that pissed us off because we knew that we were that close. And so that next season, all we did in the fourth quarter, program in the spring, in the summer, we did everything we could possibly do to get back to that moment. And when we got back to that moment, we went 12, 0. It was one verse, two again. In the SEC championship game, us versus Coach Meyer. How often do you get time for redemption like that? You know what I mean? And we were in that locker room. Boys were crying. Boys was ready to roll. I knew we was finna get it done that day. Even though they had a tremendous team, a tremendous coach, they were crying.

[Rob Stone]

They were crying before the game.

[Urban Meyer]

People were ready. We was ready.

[Rob Stone]

But are you ready if you're crying?

[Urban Meyer]

Yes. It is emotional and you are ready to kill something.

[Rob Stone]

Do you cry before you kill? I don't know. I've never killed.

[Mark Ingram]

Like Colgate soccer. Colgate soccer, man.

[Urban Meyer]

You tell me with Mom's ready to play or not.

[Mark Ingram]

Oh, yeah.

[Rob Stone]

I don't know. I think if I saw a bunch of teammates crying before we kicked off, I'd be a little crying.

[Mark Ingram]

Come on, Rob. Like emotional. Teared up. Not.

[Urban Meyer]

It's like. It's like an alligator to your life about to kill some.

[Rob Stone]

An alligator.

[Urban Meyer]

It's like. No, no, it's not like. It's not like crying boo here, too. It's like an alligator tear.

[Rob Stone]

Like a little puppy. Like the little puppy whipper over there.

[Brett Bielema]

All right.

[Rob Stone]

Oh, my God. We're talking tears. And by the way, we broke a triple option record for saying the phrase pissed off the most. All right, all right. So we got some reaction on that one. Here's another one that is. That is gonna. That really kind of kicks you between the teeth. Wisconsin thinks it might be pursuing some legal action here. They filed a lawsuit against Miami claiming that a Miami staff member and a prominent alum met with defensive back Xavier Lucas and his family at a relative's house in Florida offered him money to transfer shortly after Lucas had signed a contract with the Badgers in December. An nil deal. So the lawsuit states that Miami committed tortuous interference by knowingly compelling a player to break the terms of his deal with Wisconsin. This nil deal at Wisconsin, it prohibits an athlete from making any commitments to Enroll or play sports at other schools. Seems fair as they are being paid to use their name, image, likeness in promotional material. The Big Ten. Props to the Big Ten and how they're handling this one right now. They totally have the back of, of Wisconsin right now. I'm looking for what the Big Ten. Yeah. Saying as alleged, the University of Miami knowingly ignored contractual obligations and disregarded the principle of competitive equity that is fundamental to collegiate athletics.

[Urban Meyer]

So let me get this Rice donor.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

This player, this player, he plays for Wisconsin last year as a freshman, right?

[Rob Stone]

Yeah. And signed a deal Xavier.

[Urban Meyer]

After his freshman year, he signs a new nil deal with Wisconsin.

[Rob Stone]

Two year deal.

[Urban Meyer]

And then after he signs the deal, Miami comes in and steals him.

[Rob Stone]

Pretty much. Yeah, pretty much.

[Mark Ingram]

I think what they're saying is that they illegally induced him, tampered with them and etc. And this is. I'm going to throw this. This is the failure of the compliance which. We've had this conversation over and over again.

[Urban Meyer]

You've been talking about compliance. It's a penal power.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah. If you don't have, you know, the NCAA with teeth or a governing body that controls these. Now you're going to get the government involved or, you know, law, law involved. I mean, stop. I mean, all we need are more.

[Rob Stone]

Lawsuits in this society. Right, coach? That's just what we're asking for.

[Urban Meyer]

But at the end of the day, it should be this way. If you sign a deal with a team in the NFL, how do you get out of that deal? It's by the other team picking the deal up. So it's like, I don't know, man. This is all crazy to me, dog.

[Rob Stone]

Like, oh, you're not crazy, Mark. You're not as upset by this that as I thought you would be.

[Urban Meyer]

But like stoner, like you had a deal mad at Miami.

[Rob Stone]

Well, yeah. Now listen, now I'm kind of cheering for Wisconsin to be like, all right, we're going to go, we're going to go down south.

[Mark Ingram]

What are they looking for? Are they looking for money back? Is that what they are?

[Rob Stone]

They're looking for reimbursement at a minimum. Yeah. They're looking for the money back.

[Mark Ingram]

Are they looking for an eligible player? Are they. You know, that's what.

[Rob Stone]

I don't think. They're looking for a trade. Like we're going to take your second compensation back. They want some compensation also, you know, their, their name has been, has been sullied a little bit. Right. And the, the power of the nil. So, you know, all that Legalese stuff that, that you and I don't really deal with.

[Urban Meyer]

Crazy to me like all of this, I just don't understand what's going on.

[Rob Stone]

Well, again, when it's this lawless society, right, you just keep doing these things, right, Coach, it goes back to your point, like have somebody that, that can enforce and has real teeth and, and when that, that group is finally formed and that first infraction comes up to them, guess what? It's not going to be a little slap on the wrist. They need to come down big brother. And like there needs to be serious ramifications more than just, I think she's like show. Cause right now coaches probably been happening though. Biggest thing that you can ding a coach with.

[Mark Ingram]

But what has to happen, what has to happen is they have to sign a piece of paper saying they will not litigate because the world changed. You know, we talked about this the, I think it was 05 or whenever that Tom Mars that, you know, the super lawyer that started every time anybody, the NCAA penalized anybody was litigated and they won. So I get it. I mean, I, I wish I had an easy answer. And unfortunately, unfortunately Rob and Mark, remember what they said is they think this new college football commission is a lot of skepticism. It's going to be old problems or still problems. So.

[Urban Meyer]

But like this has, this has been happening. Like, so, like, I don't, I just don't understand, like, what are we supposed to do? Like, I'm glad that. So last year, right, Kaden Proctor, our best left tackle, he'll be one of the best tackles in the, one of the top one or two tackles in the NFL draft next year in the spring after, so after, after Saban retires, he goes and transfers to Iowa, gets paid. Now I'm glad that he came back. You know what I mean? But in this, after the spring, he comes back to Alabama. So he takes the nil money from Iowa, comes back to Alabama. And I'm happy he's Alabama because he's a huge player and a huge part of what we're going to have this year. But what's the difference? Like, you know what I mean? Like, I just don't know until you put rules in place that punish the teams that do it or punish the individual that does it, like, this stuff is going to continue to happen. So I agree with Wisconsin. They should be, you know, getting whatever they're compensating, whatever they gave the player, they should get it back. But like they should get it back.

[Rob Stone]

And plus, plus some right it's not getting back. They lost a player late.

[Urban Meyer]

So what's the plus?

[Rob Stone]

Some, though, Stoner, I don't know what that plus is.

[Urban Meyer]

So you're getting money back from probably from the Generations for damages.

[Rob Stone]

Yep. Yep. That type of stuff. That's what we're talking about. I don't know where else you could, you could attack the Miami nil, you know, I don't know where you could hit them and hamper them. And I don't know who's, who's even going to do it. But it's more than just saying we want our money back. Right. I think there has to be greater punishment than that because otherwise people are still going to do it. Like it didn't it. That's not Miami. We got the guy we wanted and here's your money back. Great. And off they go. That's. Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

They say Miami knowingly did it. So Miami has to be punished as well. Yes.

[Rob Stone]

I, I.

[Mark Ingram]

Good luck.

[Rob Stone]

I would think so.

[Brett Bielema]

Good luck.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah. Yes and yes.

[Mark Ingram]

My problem. You're both.

[Rob Stone]

These are the things we're talking about.

[Urban Meyer]

Like, what's happening, Coach? Like, what's happening?

[Rob Stone]

Like, all right, you know what will put us in a better mood? Brett Bielema will put us in a better mood. The Illinois head coach joins us next on the triple option presented by Wendy's. We're going to talk a little baseball as well with Coach Bielman. We'll hear about his, his singing pipes and his fear of throwing from the mound. Coming up next on the triple option.

[Urban Meyer]

The one Skipper Light it.

[Rob Stone]

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[Urban Meyer]

Well, Stoner, thanks for asking. There are a lot, so I'm just going to list them. Okay, we've got the frosty swirls, strawberry brownie batter and caramel. Then we've got the blended Frosty fusions, Caramel crunch Oreo brownie with swirl thick brownie batter sauce and crunchy Oreo cookie pieces and pop Tarts strawberry with a street strawberry sauce and chunks of crazy good pop tarts pieces.

[Mark Ingram]

You know your flavors, not to mention that, yes, you can still get your classic vanilla. Try them all and find your favorite.

[Urban Meyer]

Are you going to be a strawberry swirl girl? A caramel crazed fanatic brownie batter, Buff pop tart strawberry fanatic Oreo brownie Steak.

[Rob Stone]

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[Urban Meyer]

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[Mark Ingram]

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[Rob Stone]

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[Mark Ingram]

After zoomies at the dog park, it's.

[Urban Meyer]

Time for drive up at Target. In goes a big bag of kibble.

[Brett Bielema]

And one squeaky chicken toy for the good boy.

[Mark Ingram]

Drive up.

[Brett Bielema]

That's ready when you are.

[Mark Ingram]

Only in the Target app, just tap Target.

[Rob Stone]

Welcome back to the triple option presented by Wendy's. Rob, Mark Urban with you and oh yeah, we are going down to Champaign, Illinois. We are bringing in the head coach of the Fighting Illini, Brett Beetlema. Coach last year 10 and 3, first 10 win season since 2001. And guess what? Expectations are even greater this season. We're going to talk about the Illini going forward here. But first I want to take you back in the Wayback Machine. All right, so. So if you could remember back in 2012 you were kicking tail up there in Madison, Wisconsin and some young buck comes into Columbus, Ohio and and with all this little SEC swagger and I understand some guy named Urban came in and took multiple recruits from right underneath you.

[Mark Ingram]

Now why would you start with that, Rob?

[Rob Stone]

That's how we roll on the triple option.

[Brett Bielema]

Coach.

[Rob Stone]

Do I have that right?

[Brett Bielema]

Sort of.

[Rob Stone]

Sort of, Sort of. Go on.

[Brett Bielema]

I remember one. There was really just genesis of one who if coach remembers. I don't think he ever really played much. No as offensive lineman. But yeah, like Honestly, like, I pray. I preach all the time to our guys. Like, I think as a head coach, I always tell our coaches, you know, two things you can bring in the building every day that really help us all function is consistency and communication. And one of the things that I probably did in that scenario was communication I had. There was a prospect that was committed to us. He got some calls from Ohio State players, which I understood, but then all of a sudden he got calls from Florida players. I'm like, oh, ruh row. No, no, we can't do this, right? Like, so I, I went to my AD and I said, what should I do? And Coach Alvarez said, call him. I'm like, call Urban. He's like, yeah, call Urban. So I called Urban and, and coach, if I remember right, you, you. You listened to me, you addressed it and took care of it. And then my misstep was when I was at the press conference on signing day, someone asked me if I'd had interaction with coach and. And I said, yeah, actually I called him about an issue and he took care of it and it kind of went good. And I got done with the interview and Coach Alvarez goes, oh, you opened one up there. I'm like, what? He goes, they're going to say that, that they were cheating. And I'm like, I didn't say that. He goes, well, that's what they're going to say because you said there was an issue. So that was what led to that. What I didn't realize is there was also a couple coaches in the league that came after Urban, unbeknownst to me, in a 48 hour stretch there that really probably did come at him a little aggressive. But obviously, you know, his arrival, you know, changed our league, in my opinion, to a different level instantly just because of where he was at and what he brought to the table. It really, in my opinion, there was two major transitions in, in Big Ten history. The first was the addition of Joe Tiller, which turned our league into a league that, you know, basketball and grass, however you want to say it. Drew Brees was a big part of it as well, but Joe was the genesis of that. And I really think Urban was the. The first. Really, that kind of brought a thinking and ideology from the SEC into our conference that had never been seen before. Right. And I think that changed our conference literally in those moments to where we are today, as good as anything in our history.

[Mark Ingram]

Well, let's go back to that. So 2012, I just was, as you were talking there, so Penn State, obviously one of the most legendary coaches of all time. A dear friend of mine, and I'm not sure how you got along with Coach Paterno. He was a great, great friend of mine. We lost him or he obviously he got fired and then he passed away just months later. Then Jim Trestle, another dear friend of mine, got Ohio State, got put on probation, lost nine scholarships. The Wolverines were going through their turmoil. And here was Wisconsin was having first round draft picks, Heisman candidates, and winning the Big Ten championship under your direction. And also Mark d' Antonio had. I thought Wisconsin and Michigan State were really the best development programs in the country back then. And they were winning the Big Ten, going to Rose bowl, and then Nebraska under Bo Pelini, I believe they played you in 2012 in the Big Ten championship. Here you are back then. I'm going to fast forward now. I came from the sec. You went ironically went to the sec. How proud of you and amazed at the transition. The biggest. The Big Ten Conference, certainly at the top of the conference, is the best conference in college football last two years. You can't argue that. You know, how about the transition that is experienced in your lifetime?

[Brett Bielema]

Yeah, Coach, I think you hit the nail on the head. It's. It's a different world. You know, part of the reason I left Wisconsin to go to Arkansas was at that time the Big Ten coaches weren't getting paid at the same level. The reason I took the move more than anything was my assistant coach's salary at Wisconsin went from three and a half to six million. Right. And I was able to. A guy like Chris Ash, a guy that eventually ended up at Ohio State, head coach of Rutgers. I was paying him, I believe at that time, maybe a little over 200. I remember there was a coordinator at Minnesota that we had beaten every year that I was in the league and that D.C. was making 550,000. And I'm like, hey, we just won our third straight Big Ten title. They haven't been very good. And my coordinator is making, you know, less than half. And I just. That's what the genesis of it was. But now to come back in the league. I told Josh this when, when we knew that the portal was coming, that the nil world was coming. I was interviewing for the job of the Giants and I told Josh, I said, hey, there's never been a, in my opinion, a better time to be coming into this league because I think the world is about to get flat. I think it's a, you know, about to become more of a even playing field. For everybody in college football. And it's exactly what's happened.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, coach, man, we always talk about the powers of college football, the SEC and the Big Ten. No one better to speak on that than you. You played at Iowa, coached at Wisconsin, where I took an official visit when you was the head coach. Now you're at Illinois, but you took a stop in Arkansas. Just how do the SEC and the Big Ten match up and how far ahead are they from the other conferences?

[Brett Bielema]

Well, I think first off, and I get it, you guys got to drive likes and value and all that goes into your. Your podcast as well. But really to. It's like arguing about, like, two premium businesses, like whether, you know, whether you like Chevy or Ford or maybe it's maybe more a Jaguar or Rolls Royce. Like it. It. Whatever you want to say. Two incredibly gifted lease. The passion from their fan bases is unparalleled. The differences, I would say, probably jump out right away is, you know, just the venues you play in, like, Ohio State's an incredible stadium, but, you know, in Michigan is a, you know, the big house, the great stadium. I think our place is. Is going to turn into that. We just had our first sellout in over 20 years. But in the SEC, it's those small market values, right? And the passion in those little. I remember, you know, the furthest you had to stay away from a game, a hotel, when you played in the Big Ten was 20 minutes. You go to the SEC and you might have to drive an hour and a half to get to the hotel that you could stay at, right? And that was. That literally said something to me right away. But the fan bases, the way they. They follow their people, you know, obviously in the south, one thing that is everything's kind of played, I would say, in pretty conducive weather environments in the North. In the Big Ten, you know, you're going to play in bad weather with cold. You're going to play in all four seasons, you're going to play in all four time zones now. And we're really different. The SEC NAT model is just that you're gonna, you know, and for me, I use this one all the time. Like, you know, if I was recruiting a young Mark Ingram again, right, And I was. If it was down to Wisconsin and Alabama, I would just, you know, share with them that, hey, you're going to prove to 32 NFL teams that you can play in all types of climates and weather, right? You go to the south and you play at Alabama, you're really playing in that environment. Year round, you're training in it, you're living in it. So if the New York Giants, the Jets, the Vikings, the Packers, the Seahawks achieves want to select someone, they're going to want someone that plays in all four seasons because that. And it's proven that they can do it. So there is a little bit of an advantage there. But otherwise, two really premium conferences for all the right reasons.

[Mark Ingram]

I want to go back something with you, Brett, that I thought, and I remember my wife actually met with Gene Smith about this, that when I first got to the Big Ten in 2012, I didn't feel the investment in the stadium atmospheres. You know, I thought. And Shelly was shocked. You know, she experienced the SEC for that seven, eight years. And then you come up there and it's, you know, it's not the same. Some places were good, but even Ohio State, in my mind, wasn't great. The Wolverines weren't great. And then in the last decade, you've seen an incredible investment in whether it be music being played, the crowds are. It's a completely different animal. Do you see the same thing? The Big Ten, just the atmospheres are.

[Brett Bielema]

Completely different now, 100%. And I would also, you know, coach, to back up what you're saying, like, one of the things that I'll never forget, Jim Delaney, who's an incredibly gifted commissioner and, and was awesome. I remember sitting in my first ever head coaches meeting and Jim Tressell and Lloyd Carr took me aside and said, hey, you know, you just finished your first year as a head coach, 12 and one, you know, shoot. I thought I was, you know, Dick Buck or Mike Ditka, Tom Landry, Bill Belichick. I thought I was all that in a bag of nuts, right? Like, I thought I was really big time. And those guys said, hey, you really have to understand, you're going to be a guy in the future that's going to have to really watch out for our game and our conference, right? And I'll never forget that moment because when I came in, I didn't know anything other than what I knew. And then when I went to the SEC and I saw Mike's live sit at the front of the room with a cigar and he sat in every meeting and he talked about the importance of football, football, football, football, football. That jumped out to me and the way that it was put on a different level. So when I came back to the league, I literally, and I know James had said the same thing because it was time of Andy, the precedence that the SEC put on Football, above all else, jumped out. And now Tony Petitti, who in my opinion has really been an incredible lifeline for the Big Ten the last couple years, has really championed that moment to our ads. And in our day, our ads have championed that moment on our campuses. And that's, that's probably been one of the bigger changes, like that environment at Penn State, but also the environment at Wisconsin, Ohio State, to its own regard, Nebraska, like we went into that place last year, I mean, it's, it's, it's impressive. And I think that's definitely changed the conference.

[Rob Stone]

You talk about changes, there's constant changes in college football right now. Just a few weeks ago we had the introduction of the College Sports Commission, the NIL Clearinghouse. This fact that, you know, universities are going to have 20 plus million dollars to play with, how has that impacted Illinois football in the last couple weeks?

[Brett Bielema]

You know, Rob, it's been something that we've been hoping was going to come. And I mean this with all due respect. One of the biggest things that has separated college football in the past is to have the have nots, right? And it's not just the history, it's the resources available. And I think a world that we're getting to now, for instance, right now in our recruiting world, you know, we're, for the first time in my 17 years ahead goes, I've had some good teams and I'm not basing this on anything other than what's being given to me by my outside voices. You know, we have a class that's ranked in the top 10, which I really don't care. I don't, I don't want to care. But the idea is this. I know right now we are beating schools I've never beaten before, right? Like we can go head to head with any sec, Big Ten school. I don't care if it's Ohio State or if it's, if it's, you know, the team to finish last in our conference last year or the team that finished first in the SEC to the team to finish last in sec. If we want them, we're going to go after them. And I've never been able to feel that we've had that level playing field and now we have it. I've used this line a couple times now, like, I don't care if we're all shopping in Louis Vuitton or if we're all Walmart, as long as we're all in the same store, I'm good, right? And I think that's coming. And, and I would say also the element that I hope this new world is going to live in is the accountability for actions that are not legal are. Are pretty big. Right. And. And if you're not doing things the way they're set up to be done, that there's consequences. Because in the NFL, you know, they have selection, they don't have recruiting. Right, Right. But on the, on the flip side, too, they also have a salary cap that everybody has to abide by.

[Mark Ingram]

Yep.

[Brett Bielema]

And if that can be maintained, like, that was the true juice. Right. Like in the NFL, everybody's got the same salary cap. Now, however you want to use it, how you want to use it. So my three years in the NFL have been invaluable during our building here, because now I think it's. It's more like the NFL than any other time in our lives.

[Mark Ingram]

Right. Well, you know, Rob brought up the College Football Commission, and I was kind of James Franklin. We had a conversation with him, and I. I don't know if I don't want to say misled, but my understanding was that this College Football Commission was going to have subpoena power. I talked to a gal I knew, Julie Rowe, that was at the ncaa, and she clarified that and says that's not true. To have subpoena power, it's got to be federal or state jurisdiction, and it's not a criminal offense. And so the two game changers to me that you brought up about compliance, and I know me and you have talked about compliance before, is the number one thing is subpoena power. It expediates the. The investigation and it holds people accountable that don't tell the truth. And number two is the unionization that you mentioned. The NFL, everybody operates under the same rules. That's not true in college football. That's not the case. But she clarified, she thinks that old problems are going to be new problems. Are going to be old problems. Old problems going to be new problems. She doesn't see a big change. Do you see a big change coming?

[Brett Bielema]

I hope big change is coming, but I think it's going to be a little bit of a. A blending of what, what she's saying and what the, the people that founded this new way of doing things are all about. I think the one. The one X factor that no one's kind of taking into consideration is, I believe as a head coach, you know, everything that goes on in your building. Right. And, and if you have to sign a document that you basically say, hey, I am aware and understand everything that has taken Place in this nil world was done prior to June 6th, right. When the, when the court case was settled. Some of these teams are having guys sign documents July 1 or August 1, and that's a fireable offense. Like you start telling these coaches that are signing contracts for 50, 60, $80 million, myself included, and you have to have accountability at that level that, that whole contract that you think was yours no matter what, and now you have a fireball offense that, that changes the tone of head coaches, in my opinion, in a big way. And then the other thing is this Nil go that like will look back at high school students. So some of these guys that change graduation dates, you know, this 20, 26 class is going to have a 30 for 30 for sure written on it. Right. Because you know, they've been able to change, you know, class, you know, moving their time up and now they're giving money while they're in high school. Well, that money has to be accounted for when you submit to the nil go two years prior to your enrollment in college. So if you start looking at kids two years out before they get to college and what they were giving and that value has to match what their actual value is. You can say kids are worth a million. But if, if Deloitte comes back and says, hey, he's only worth a hundred thousand and you paid him a million, well, somebody's going to have to answer to that. And from my opinion that that's probably going to be the game changer for everybody.

[Urban Meyer]

Well, that's crazy. Yeah, we talk about changes, a whole bunch of changes going on in this landscape of college football. But one of the changes I think we can all agree on is the change to the transfer window. How many windows do you think there should be and when in your opinion?

[Brett Bielema]

I think there should be one. It should be as early as human possible. I know there's a lot of discussion between January, February, March, April. I think all coaches would want it sooner than later. The only thing that I see as a problem or problematic is when the portal is actually in the playing season.

[Urban Meyer]

Right.

[Brett Bielema]

Even if it's just down to a couple teams that are playing the championship game. I would ideally love to put it like championship game is on a Monday. I'd love to open it on Wednesday for a 15, 30 day window.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah.

[Brett Bielema]

But I also get January allows you to get the kids in school. So I think we have to take into consideration, you know, the calendars, how it lays out. I think our student athletes. The one thing that scares me to Death. And Mark, obviously you lived as a student athlete and coach. You and I know this. You know, they had a thing a couple years ago that basically tracked your apr, which is your annual progression rate of graduation for coaches. And it used to be a really big deal. I, I haven't had anybody ask me about graduation rates in 10 years. Right. Because all these other things become on the forefront and we just had our fifth straight semester of a 3.0 GPA that's never been done in college in, in Illinois history. So I'm really proud of that. But I just don't think some people put that importance at that premium. And I, and I really am scared about the graduation rates of this current world of college football that, you know, we all want to talk about how great it's going to be for these guys as players. But bottom line, not everybody makes a living for the rest of their lives in the NFL. So we got to take care of everybody.

[Urban Meyer]

Yes, sir.

[Rob Stone]

Can we talk about Illinois football now, coach? Can I mean, can we talk about this program that you've got? There's a lot of, there's a lot of hope for this program right now. The last time Illinois was a preseason top 15 team coach, you were a nose guard, a 20 year old nose guard grinding in Iowa City. And Illinois has everything on the resume, at least to be a top 15 team. To start this program, you have a big 10 best 17 starters returning, you have your quarterback coming, you have your entire offensive line returning. How are you managing these expectations? Are you embracing them or are you trying to downplay them?

[Brett Bielema]

Absolutely. No. I think, you know, one of the great things, I'm glad I'm in year 17 rather than year seven because I just know so much more about the game. I used to get really to coaches point at the beginning, I used to be a little feisty and would fight things rather than accept, but I really learned, you know, just tell me the rules and let's all play and I'll tell you that I don't think, Rob, in my opinion, I would have been able to keep these 17 guys if the world we live in wasn't what it is now. I was able to prioritize, you know, our top 10, 15 players got them set right away. Then I filled in the rest of my roster with the, with the money that I had available, went out and recruited. We bought in 21 high school players and we brought in about 15 Portal players. So we have about you know, close to 35, 40 new players in our building that weren't with us at the end of last year for that, that championship or the Citrus bowl championship against South Carolina. I really excited. I have both offensive defense and special teams coordinator back in their third year or more. So my AD has allowed me to have some revenue there to really take care of my coaches. I really get excited. I'm sure Coach Meyer would share with you. The best seasons are usually around your best players, but also your best staffs. Right. And to be very, very comfortable with the guys I have in that room, it allows me to do my job, I think, a lot better. So super excited. But you're right. I got a quarterback that, you know, I'm not oblivious to the fact that others came after him. Right. And he could have left me for more money, I'm sure of it. He never called me one time and asked for anything. Never, never gave us any privy. He denied the, the things that came at him. But I think he knows what our room brings to him. Right. He knows that he walks in this building every day and help him get to where he wants to be. He got a draft value of about a six rounder a year ago. My goal is to make that a second round or better. Right. And, and yeah, that's kind of how we kind of build this thing up.

[Rob Stone]

Three of your first four are on the road. You do not have Oregon, Michigan, Penn State. You do have Ohio State, but you have them home October 11th. You also have USC home. You look at the totality of your schedule. What does it say to you and then how are you messaging that to your team?

[Brett Bielema]

Yeah. So, Rob, we have a, you know, every school in the country has a 12 game schedule. I always tell our guys, you know, what you do with those 12 games determines, you know, that, that success of the year. But if anybody tries to go to game 12, which is our home game against Northwestern, a protected game that we play, a Cannon Trophy for. If you try to jump to the end of the rainbow, we're never going to make it. Right. Everybody chase that pot of gold. It's never there. It's just a, an emphasis on our Game one opener against Western Illinois. We go on the road to Duke, which is a very good football team, has a lot of really good players coming back. A very talented quarterback came back, play Western Michigan. But then game four is at Indiana. Oh, well, they were just in the college football playoffs last year. One of the best teams in college football. Kurt Signetti is an incredibly gifted coach. He's got a really good staff. His old line coach was a Guy I was with for seven years, he's the best. One of the best offensive line coaches that I've ever been around. So we got a tremendous challenge. Come back game five against USC here at home, which is, you know, one of the most productive programs in college football history. Got a really good coach, got some really good players. Go on the road and play at Purdue, another trophy game, then come back in game seven and play Ohio State, oh, yeah, the defending national champs, who got a lot of really good players and a good coach. So we are the only team in college football, or, I'm sorry, in the Big Ten Conference. We don't have a bye week until week eight, which I think is a really big deal. But I think those bye weeks are an important part of the college football year, and we have the latest in our conference. So listen, everybody can get anybody on any given Saturday because we've had a little bit of success a year ago. We definitely are, I think, a program that is very well noted, and I think people are. Are preparing for us right now today that probably weren't in the past. So we've got our workout out for us. I had this quote, I stole it from Coach Belichick. You know, he. After our first year with him, I was with him and we're going to our second year. And they asked about expectations, and he said, well, I hope my expectations are obviously thought of, but it's really about what our player expectations are. We expect our players to have even higher expectations. And that's what I hope is happening. I think our guys are hungry. Much as I want things as a coach, how they want it as a player is the true source.

[Urban Meyer]

Coach, you know, that schedule like the back of your hand, man.

[Mark Ingram]

I got one last question for you, Brett, and that's I. First of all, I've always respected Illinois. I've said that many times. I could never understood why they. It's in a great location. You got, you know, you got a lot of good players all the way around you. But just a big picture question. You saw the Ward Manual, the athletic director at. For the Wolverines, talk about a $20 million. They're going to lose money. You see, one Washington, another Big Ten team now is going to eliminate, I think, track and field or the field part of it. And I had two girls play college volleyball. I'm just, you know, I, I grew up in the environment where you didn't have open budgets. You know, it's like a spend, spend, spend world. Now, where the hell is that money coming from? And at some point is it going to break? You know, when you start talking about the Wolverine, one of the top brands in the, in the game is going to have a, they're predicting over $20 million shortage in revenue. Where do you see the stopping or, or where's the money come from?

[Brett Bielema]

You know, Coach, I mean, it's a great big picture item for me. I go back to what I've known, right? So I grew up in this business as a young coach in the University of Iowa under Hayden Fry, who turned that program into something that is still being lived today. You know, there's been only two coaches for over 50 years that I was history, him and Kirk. Right. And they're continuing to print money over there, I think, because they keep that stadium as full as they can and obviously a lot of other things. Then I go to Kansas State and Bill Snyder built that place into something that has been unprecedented. And I go to Wisconsin and oh hum, Barry Alvarez turned that place into a money machine, right? And, and I didn't know it when I was growing up, but I was around three guys there with Hayden Fry to Kirk Ference to Bill Snyder to Barry Alvarez. Four guys, first year hall of Famers, right? They, they, they probably did less, more with less than anybody they've ever been around before, right? And then I think other people, when it was so available, just spent it because they could spend it, right. I told our ad, Josh Whitman when I got here, I'm going to spend your money like it's my money. Right? Like I'm going to be very conscientious about what we do, but I just don't think people are wired that way anymore. So it's going to be an intriguing time. I think college football is at a place that's never been any better, but I do know this. Like, I have a lot of good friends that work in our department at intercollegiate DIA here at Illinois. Our men's baseball coach, Dan Hartlib is a guy that extended his hand to me the first day on the job here, right. Our, our men's golf coach, Mike Small, is an incredible person. My next door neighbor is Shawna Green, who has our Illinois women's basketball play program at a place it's never been in a long time. Right. So I, I think that I've tried to tell Josh, I know the more success we have, the more success we'll have. And I don't know if that's shared everywhere else. That's what makes Illinois kind of special. To your point, I've been Eyeing this job for a long time, man. Like we, we're right next to Ohio. We're a lot of great players in Ohio. We have a direct flight in from Dallas, you know, so we get access to Texas. I've signed over 190 players from Florida, so I have a good name down there. So we've got a lot of players from Jersey, but we really concentrate on five hours outside of Champaign, Florida and Jersey. That's the meat and potatoes of our recruiting market. And we kind of stick to that and what we do.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, well, coach. Hey, man, I remember you. You recruited me, man, and it was a great experience. I went to Wisconsin, man, I had a great time. I respected you and what you were building in Wisconsin. You had some beast in the running back room. Tell me about your running backs, man. I want to know who I need to be on the lookout for this year.

[Brett Bielema]

Yeah, you know, Mark, I'm very excited. We have, you know, three guys last year that are coming back to us. That very special. And it's kind of like what I had when I was at Wisco. I had a roster one year. John Clay was a fifth rounder to Pittsburgh, big 260 pound bruiser, just a war daddy. Behind him was this guy by the name of Monty Ball, who ended up being a second round pick the Denver Broncos. And behind him was this young guy by the name of James White, who was a freshman Big Ten player of the year. And then there's this other guy, Melvin Gordon, who became a first rounder. Right? Those four guys were on one roster. All four of them were just a little bit different. And that's kind of what I got going now. Kaden Fagan, big bruiser, really, really talented. Unfortunately lost him about middle of season last year, but he's back healthy. 100. Aiden Loughery was the final game of the year for us in the Big Ten. He was a Big Ten player of the week. Very small and you know, not, not small small, but he's a little bit smaller. Very powerful, very athletic. He can turn 10 into 100 in a heart in a hurry. Our fastest players. And then Khalil Valentine was a true freshman a year ago. Weighing 180, he's now at 205. Got all the bumps in the right place. Is really, really excited about him and have two freshmen coming in the room. We did lose a guy that Georgia, you know, you know, somehow he found his way to the portal and 12 hours after being a portal, he was on a flight to Georgia. I don't know how that happened. But it's crazy, weird, weird how that happened. But with Josh and all the best, you know, he, he took advantage of that opportunity. So, you know, we've, we've been able to build a running back room in a really good way and excited about these guys coming back. But we have all five of our offensive linemen back. We have a center.

[Urban Meyer]

That's sexy. That's sexy for a running back there.

[Brett Bielema]

Josh Cruz has been a three year starter, left tackle, JC Davis, two year starter, Melvin Princely, right tackle, two year starter, left guard, Josh Gske. Three year starter, three year starter, quarterback. Have a room full of tight ends that have played a lot of really good football. So super excited to see how this thing plays out.

[Rob Stone]

Coach, coach, let's put a smile on your face. Your dad grew up a St. Louis Cardinals fan, and as kids like to do, sometimes with the old man, they like to antagonize him. So you started leaning in to the Chicago Cubs, right?

[Brett Bielema]

Right.

[Rob Stone]

And now how many times have you been to Wrigley Field to sing the seventh inning stretch?

[Brett Bielema]

I think this one was number five. So. Five times. My, my. Yeah, I can, I got some pipes now. I can carry it.

[Rob Stone]

But I know you don't need the words handed to you, you know?

[Brett Bielema]

You know, you know, it was funny the first time I ever did it. I'm the head coach of Wisconsin. They found out I was a Cubs fan. My dad, we always listen to Cardinals games growing up, but my grandpa was a Cubs guy. And so I remember early on, you know, learning the, learning the song and all that goes into it. But in 2006, they called me and some guy left a message, hey, with this, with the Cubs, love to have you sing the stretch. And I thought it was a BS phone call. The guy had some name. I'm like, okay, Harry, whatever your name is. Right. So. So I did it and. And I'll never forget just the, the feeling of that moment. And then when I came here to Illinois, they do it every spring, and I'm like, oh, sign me up, I'm in. But this year I'm like, let's do something a little different. So I asked Luke, my quarterback, to join me and he absolutely rocked. Was awesome. So I'm hoping next year I get to do the duet with my daughter. My oldest, Briella sings it all the time. So hopefully next year I'll get a duet with her.

[Urban Meyer]

Let's go.

[Rob Stone]

Did you hear it? There you are.

[Urban Meyer]

Oh.

[Rob Stone]

Did you let him take the lead or was it more of a duet? The two of you.

[Brett Bielema]

It was a duet. And I will. Full transparency. We went through it twice. I kind of. I shot him. So when Harry Carey was retiring, he did one with Eddie Vedder, and I sent that one to Luke. I said, hey, we can beat these guys, right?

[Rob Stone]

And you're not beating any better, brother.

[Brett Bielema]

That was the plan.

[Rob Stone]

We're talking Pearl Jam, brother.

[Brett Bielema]

So we actually, Luke and I did a little one, he did a two, and then I actually stole one of his lines and he quickly just joined in. So it was actually pretty good. Good adaptation, but he handled it like a million bucks as he does everything. You know, Luke had four. Four game ending winning drives last year. So, like, as coach Mark knows this as a player, Rob, you've seen it as a guy doing the sidelines. Your quarterbacks are defined by the most difficult moments.

[Urban Meyer]

Yes.

[Brett Bielema]

And Luke Altmire had four scenarios where he put the icing on the cake at the end of the game in a way that no one else has ever done it before. For me, been very blessed to have some really good quarterbacks in my program, but this kid handles the moment as good as anybody. And the seventh inning stretch was just another great example of how good he could be.

[Rob Stone]

Did you throw out the first pitch? Have you done that?

[Brett Bielema]

No, we deferred that one to Brad Underwood and Shauna Green are.

[Rob Stone]

Oh, you let Coach Underwood do that.

[Brett Bielema]

All right. And I will say this. I think it was a one Hopper. I'm not gonna.

[Rob Stone]

Those would stress me out more than.

[Brett Bielema]

Absolutely.

[Rob Stone]

Take me out to the ball game.

[Brett Bielema]

I know I can sing, but you sure as hell ain't gonna get me to throw a pitch. I probably promise you I will. I. That'll be Internet chatter.

[Urban Meyer]

I'll do is throw it to the man. Like.

[Brett Bielema]

Yeah.

[Rob Stone]

In the general vicinity.

[Brett Bielema]

You have not seen me throw, man. I promise.

[Urban Meyer]

Threw me a heater at the. At the Detroit Tigers game, you know, from Michigan. So I threw me a heater at the Tigers game. You know what I mean?

[Brett Bielema]

I. I always say in gym class, when I was little, I was the first guy taking in every. Every sport, you know, volleyball, whatever. But baseball, they knew I was last man standing. I could not play baseball to save my day up. So I'm not about to throw myself into that world.

[Rob Stone]

Coach, I want to end with this. Is it fair to put Illinois in this preseason College Football playoff conversation right now?

[Brett Bielema]

You know, I think we've done some really good things. And I know, you know, Urban got to walk this walk with Gene Smith, who, in my opinion is One of the best athletic directors in the history of the game. Right. Of the sport of college athletics. Gene is phenomenal. I get to walk this walk every day with Josh Whitman, my ad. He played here. He was a two time academic all American, went on to play in the NFL for five years for about four or five different clubs, which tells me he's a survivor. Right. And now I get to be at this job every day with him as an ad and that is worth its weight in gold. So I think the two of us together have talked all the time about sustainable success. I didn't want to do this as a one year flash in the pan. I want to do it to build success. We were really good two years ago. Stuck, took a step back and then last year got back at it. So I think wherever we're at, you put us where we're at. I think we carry a chip on our left shoulder and our right we don't have.

[Mark Ingram]

Yes.

[Brett Bielema]

But we just got to carry that thing every day with us and, and you know, I just want to get to that first game and see where we can go. I'm super excited about this group of people. Our fan base is absolutely awesome. I think because they've been starved for a long time. They're really enjoying some, some rewards they haven't seen in the past. And, and with that, all of us have success. It's really an exciting time to be here at the program.

[Urban Meyer]

I'm hoping we pull up the champagne for show.

[Rob Stone]

There you go. There you go. The three of us. Our goal for a while has been to take big noon kickoff to Champaign and I've got a sneaky suspicion we're gonna, we're gonna find you this year if, if so please join us on set. I know you're busy, I know you're busy. Before kickoff. We would love to have you on set that opening segment and get that crowd crowd popping. We also might need a dinner recommendation otherwise we're just going to be knocking on your front door and crashing.

[Brett Bielema]

So champagne is eager and excited. I do think. I know we were on the docket last year. We probably didn't take care of business as good as we needed to early. But if we see you guys, we see it. You guys are always welcome. Champagne will always take care of you.

[Rob Stone]

Love it.

[Mark Ingram]

Thanks for your time, coach.

[Rob Stone]

Thanks for your time, man. Have a great summer.

[Brett Bielema]

Thank you very much you guys will. I'll root for you, coach. Thank you. Mark.

[Urban Meyer]

Yes, sir.

[Mark Ingram]

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[Urban Meyer]

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[Mark Ingram]

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[Brett Bielema]

Order pickup and more.

[Mark Ingram]

Shop today in stores online@nordic nordstrom.com or.

[Urban Meyer]

Download the Nordstrom app.

[Rob Stone]

With a Venmo debit card. You can Venmo more than just your friends. You can use your balance in so many ways. You can Venmo everything. Need gas?

[Brett Bielema]

You can Venmo this.

[Rob Stone]

How about snacks? You can Venmo that.

[Mark Ingram]

Your favorite band's merch?

[Rob Stone]

You can Venmo this or their next show? You can Venmo that. Visit Venmo Me Debit to learn more.

[Urban Meyer]

You can Venmo this or you can Venmo that.

[Mark Ingram]

You can Venmo. The Venmo MasterCard is issued by the Bancorp bank and a pursuant to license by Mastercard International Incorporated card may be used everywhere.

[Rob Stone]

MasterCard is accepted.

[Mark Ingram]

Venmo purchase restrictions apply.

[Urban Meyer]

My day kicks off with a refreshing Celsius energy drink, then straight to the gym, pre K pickup back home to meal prep. Time for my fire station shift. One more Celsius. Gotta keep the lights on when the three alarm hits. I'm ready. Celsius Live Fit. Go grab a cold, refreshing Celsius at your local retailer or locate [e-mail].

[Rob Stone]

Welcome back to the Triple option presented by Wendy's Coach Meyer, Mark Ingram, Rob Stone back here with you. Time now for Treat of the Week, presented by Wendy's. Try Wendy's new frosty fusions with flavors like caramel crunch, Oreo brownie and my favorite pop Tart strawberry. So with LSU winning the Men's College World Series, the 2024, 2025 college sports year has featured finally concluded here in June. Meeting football is coming up next. Guys, eight schools. It's almost here, buddy. Eight schools. Byu, Northwestern, North Carolina, Penn State, Texas, usc, Stanford and Georgia won multiple national championships this year. I'm curious, both of you guys, how much cohesion, interaction is there between different sports on campus? Mark, I'll start with you. As a student athlete, did you guys hang out with other teams a lot?

[Urban Meyer]

Of course. I mean, you're in study hall with our student athletes. You're, you know, weight room. There's other student athletes. Who's in the weight room? I was very close with, you know, I had friends on the men on the men's track team. I have friends on the women's track team. I have friends on the. On the men's basketball team, women's basketball team. So it was just a family, really. You know, you guys are always working. You guys kind of all have to deal with the same kind of things. You're going to school, you're freaking working hard at your craft, at your sport. And study hall. You guys are all together at study hall, man. You know, doing tutoring and making sure your academics is right as well. So definitely have a lot of friendships and a lot of relationships that I grew with other student athletes from other sports, man. So it's a special time being a student athlete in college, man, and walking campus and being able to, you know, develop a camaraderie with the other athletes, man. So it's big, especially Alabama was huge. And I know it is at these other campuses as well.

[Mark Ingram]

So much driven by the athletic director. And I've had four great ones at Bowling Green and then Utah, Florida, Ohio State. And it's easier when they're in the same building. It's a little different. Like, Ohio State football is a whole separate entity. It's all by itself, but it was great. And that's something the best I've ever witnessed is with. Billy Donovan was my neighbor. He won two national championships, and I remember he invited me to Indianapolis to watch them beat ucla, and that's the first time I witnessed something like that. And I get a text from his operations guy. There's 30 seconds, 45 seconds of timeout, TV timeout. I get a text message from his operations guy. Hey, coach wants in the locker room. I. I almost. I'm like. Start shaking. Like. What? So I walk down behind the bleachers, all Gator fans everywhere. And I walk in the locker room and I watch. You know, it's Al Horford and Brewer and Joe Kim, Noah, and they, you know, the three, two, one, boom. Confetti goes. And I started balling. I'm watching. That's my boys. You know, I used to go watch him practice. It's my neighbor.

[Brett Bielema]

Neighbor.

[Mark Ingram]

They come in that locker room, and I'll never forget this mark. I looked at those players, and I thought, if there's any way I could get my football team in here to experience this moment with these guys, they'll stop all that nonsense. They'll start getting real serious about their trade if they can somehow see what this is like. And. And that's why I started something called Champions Day. And I. Billy Donovan spoke at the first one, and I tried to get that Point. And Billy Donovan used to always say, just give me four months. Just give me four months of it. Put all the nonsense away, all the, you know, human element stuff that's out there in college campuses for four months. And that was a result of the relationship with the basketball team. We won it. How about that? We won it. Nine months later, you know, we beat the Ohio State International Championship. And I know that the 2006 Florida basketball team impacted our team.

[Rob Stone]

Tell me more about what Champions Day was, coach.

[Mark Ingram]

Champions Day. I just, I thought that gave me that idea when I was watching Billy Donovan. These players and most, most people never experienced a championship. Locker room. I never really had, you know, I saw, you know, maybe conference championships, that was the first one. And I was overwhelmed with emotion. And I'm a 50 year old, whatever. I was 45 year old dude at the time. I'm thinking, how do I get my 18, 19 year olds in here and see this and witness it? And they knew. They loved those guys, those Joe Kim, Noah Brewer, Horford, that whole team. They were awesome. And so, so every year I would have a Champions Day. And I brought in Tony Dungey, I brought in Chris Carter, I brought in people that won championships. And we showed the videos of not so much the plays on the field, but the whole idea was to take him in the locker room. Yeah. And Mark, you know what, that lock after you of the great. Other than your family and your faith. You put me in a locker room after a championship. Oh, my God.

[Urban Meyer]

Nothing like it.

[Mark Ingram]

I mean, it's heaven. That's not like when you're with people you love and everything is on the table. I mean, there's every defense mechanisms down and you got players you love, all the warriors you won with. And so I wanted to somehow bring that to the players.

[Urban Meyer]

Yes.

[Mark Ingram]

Especially.

[Urban Meyer]

There's nothing like it, Mark.

[Rob Stone]

That's a situation where I think crying is acceptable in the locker room.

[Urban Meyer]

Listen, Stoner, you don't know real dogs, so you don't know real dog.

[Mark Ingram]

You gotta quit saying crying like, it's like, Mark, hey, Mark, you gotta mess that cat up next time you see him.

[Urban Meyer]

Hey, Stone, He'll. Hey, hey, Coach. He'll know real dogs. Like when you got boys who have been working for something for a whole year, you have the opportunity to redeem yourself.

[Rob Stone]

I'm just reeling you guys in, man. You guys are biting everything I'm throwing out there.

[Urban Meyer]

And it's not. It's not crybaby tears.

[Rob Stone]

It's alligator tear, triple option, crystal ball. It is brought to you by our great friends at BetMGM. BetMGM has given you the chance to win a prize every day during the baseball season. Step into that batter's box for BetMGM's swing for the fences free to play game. Visit BetMGM app to access the game and you'll score a prize if you hit a single, double, triple or a home run. All right, so last week, coach, we looked at your Gators. Today we're going to stay in the great state of Florida, head a little bit further south and talk about the U mark. All right, an early peak at the Miami Hurricanes. We talked about Miami a little bit earlier in the show. Right now, BetMGM has their regular season win total set at 9.5. They've always got the hook. It's never. Have you noticed that mark? It's never just a flat number. Of course, there's always got to be a decimal point there to mess with. So gotta have that nine and a half. You can get the over at +135, the under at +160. These lines is always subject to change.

[Urban Meyer]

Last season, so the under is the favorite and I'm going with the favorite.

[Rob Stone]

Okay, so you think it's going to be nine or less. Let's talk last season real fast. They finished the regular season 10 and 2. They went to the great Pop Tarts bowl in Orlando and your favorite, Frosty, to Iowa State. I love the Pop Tarts Bowl. What they've done with that bowl game is so amazing. I actually have in my garage like a Halloween costume of a Pop Tart that they gave me. It's still, I'm like, at some point I'm going to use this in my life. I don't know when or who in my family, but it might. It might get used. Halloween would work for it. All right, so last season, lost at Georgia Tech, lost at Syracuse. No ranked wins. Again. The big story, Miami no longer with Cam Ward at quarterback. He went number one overall. The story with Miami, who they do it now have a quarterback, is Carson Beck, who they brought in through the transfer portal. Let's take a look at their schedule real quick. And oh, boy, it gets going right off the bat. They are home for the first four games, two of them to schools from the Sunshine State. But it starts with Notre dame. So Miami 3, 3, 4, 5.

[Mark Ingram]

Wow.

[Urban Meyer]

L l to Notre Dame. W. Bethune. W. South Florida. L to Florida.

[Mark Ingram]

Oh, wow.

[Rob Stone]

A two and two start.

[Urban Meyer]

Yes.

[Rob Stone]

Okay, then at Florida State.

[Urban Meyer]

Win Dub.

[Rob Stone]

Win Louisville. Win Stanford.

[Urban Meyer]

Win.

[Rob Stone]

Win at SMU.

[Urban Meyer]

L. Okay, okay.

[Rob Stone]

Syracuse. Syracuse Revenge Tour. Syracuse win six, NC State win seven at Vatech. Win eight at Pittsburgh late in the season. That's nine. So they didn't get it. Yeah, nine and a half was the.

[Urban Meyer]

Lost leading passer, lost the leading rusher, lost the leading receiver.

[Rob Stone]

It's a lot of losses.

[Urban Meyer]

Tackler added Carson back a lot of holes to feel.

[Rob Stone]

No Clemson on that schedule though, by the way. No Clemson.

[Urban Meyer]

I don't care how you put it. I got nine wins or less. I'm going with the under. So I'll take that minus what the minus was again. I'll put.

[Rob Stone]

You know, I'll scroll.

[Mark Ingram]

Nine half, right?

[Rob Stone]

Yeah, it's nine and a half is the magic number.

[Mark Ingram]

So, so interesting. They have all the first five games are in the state of Florida. You might have said that already, Rob. And that's. That's deep south. You're in Miami, so Notre Dame. That's a tough trip for the Irish. I was at Notre Dame for many.

[Urban Meyer]

Years and it is going to be hot.

[Mark Ingram]

You know, you. You gotta. You gotta. I think what they'll probably do is you put them in the indoor arena and then just turn up to 95 degrees with humidity.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah. Like, you can't doing hot yoga. Hot yoga for football.

[Mark Ingram]

You can't. You can't seem like I forgot about that.

[Urban Meyer]

It's the September they're gonna die out there.

[Mark Ingram]

That's gonna be August.

[Urban Meyer]

And that's August. August. It's still going to be ugly.

[Mark Ingram]

But Florida, Florida State, here. Here's the issue I have with the acc. I just don't know. There used to be arguments that that was one of the top conferences they've been down. You know, there was a day when you had Florida State, Louisville, Virginia Tech and probably, you know, NC State. Miami. Think about. Those are top 10 programs at one point. They're not. Right now they're not. And so I just. I don't know enough about those. That conference. But I. I think those Vegas dudes, man, they're unbelievable. I sit and stare at that and I see nine and a half, right? I stare right at that. Like in most of them, I say.

[Rob Stone]

An impossible number to reach. But yeah, I bet that you can see.

[Urban Meyer]

You can see 10, but you can see 9 too, so.

[Mark Ingram]

But so much is like pit. We say Pitts a W. Pitt's got a good coach, man. I mean, you got North, North Carolina State. Those are rugged games. Virginia Tech coach, that guy's smu and he's a. He's A fiery guy. Fran Brown, Florida State. Hell of a coach. Like so. Yeah.

[Rob Stone]

At smu. At Virginia Tech, when Enter Sandman's blasting.

[Mark Ingram]

I don't know. Is Carson Beck the guy, though?

[Rob Stone]

That's the big question.

[Urban Meyer]

I see three losses in that game somewhere. I don't know where you put them. It might not be Notre Dame. It might not be Pitt. I see three losses within that schedule somewhere.

[Mark Ingram]

Mark, turn that ball over all the time.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah. Mark, are you a Carson Beck believer or.

[Urban Meyer]

Carson Beck? Let's go back to a year ago. We're talking about him being the number one quarterback in the draft, right? Let's go back a year ago. We talked about him being the number one quarterback in the draft coming up in the one that just passed.

[Mark Ingram]

Right.

[Urban Meyer]

So I'm like, is the potential there? Yes, sure. Now potential is just exactly that.

[Brett Bielema]

Potential.

[Rob Stone]

Just a word.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah.

[Mark Ingram]

If they lose two of the first four, no trouble. If they're.

[Urban Meyer]

And he doesn't have the same weapons that he had at Georgia, so don't.

[Mark Ingram]

Count on Louisville, man. They got a good coach, too.

[Brett Bielema]

Yeah.

[Rob Stone]

I think the ACC is going to surprise some folks, whether it's this year or next year, over the next three to five years going to start. They're going to start working their way back up there.

[Urban Meyer]

I got nine wins.

[Rob Stone]

The crystal ball says, hey, Coach, you. You flew in. You flew in hot today to record the triple option. Where were you?

[Mark Ingram]

I was. I'm on the board of the Folds of Honor American Interior Chapter up there. And we did our event. We had boots on our. You know, on our podcast. He's an American hero. Mike Barker, a Navy SEAL, CTM 6 member. And, you know, without, you know, our country just dropped bombs on Iran and, you know, no political statements here other than. My world has changed so much ever since I've been involved with these military organizations, VGA and the folds that when I see these situations.

[Rob Stone]

Catch a lift, right, Coach? Catch a lift in New York with.

[Mark Ingram]

I look at the veterans, man, and as much as I love the country, I love the men and women who served our country even more because I've gotten so close with them over the last five, 10 years. I was with a gal called Ginger Gilbert. She lost her husband. He's an F16 pilot, and he passed away in Afghanistan. She had five children and folds of Honor took care of all educational expenses for that family. And ironically, she married another F16 pilot that lost his wife to cancer. I mean, it's a God thing. And so every time I leave that, they fly the flag in Mark. I mean, the pageantry is unbelievable. And you leave that room. Raised a ton of money for arguably, in my mind, one of the greatest causes out there, and that's our veterans. And I was lucky. I grew up in a family that first responders. You never walk by a police officers out saying hello and thank you. Same with the firemen. Any first responders. And same thing with military. Military. I just grew up that way. So I'm very appreciative and had a great two days at American Interiors. Folds of honor.

[Rob Stone]

Awesome, coach. Thanks for what you do for all those people who need the help. And I know you love it. I know it's a passion of yours as well. And you guys know what's next week, don't you? July 4th, baby.

[Urban Meyer]

Oh, we go crazy for July 4th. We go crazy 4th in my house.

[Mark Ingram]

Those five beasts are going crazy.

[Urban Meyer]

We have all the friends and family over. We throw it down on the grill. We do the fireworks show.

[Brett Bielema]

Big.

[Mark Ingram]

It's hot down here, Mark. It's hot.

[Rob Stone]

The beauty of living in Florida and get those fireworks on the side of.

[Urban Meyer]

The road, we'd be up with the fireworks. Ain't nobody messing with us with the fireworks. Anytime they come over with us with the fireworks, ain't messing with us, dog.

[Mark Ingram]

Good to have Mark back.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah. All I do on July 4th is go out and buy that, that medication, the medication for my dog. You know what I mean?

[Urban Meyer]

Dog would not be happy with us.

[Rob Stone]

Dogs do not enjoy July 4th now, people. Dogs do not enjoy July 4th. Love seeing you guys again. As always, thank you for listening. Thank you for watching out there. Follow, subscribe, Apple podcast, Spotify, wherever you get your podcast as well as cross social media 3X option show. Thank you to our sponsors, BetMGM, Wendy's, and thank you, Brett Bielema for just joining us this week. Have a great week. Hope you enjoyed the show. Remember to give us some love, Send us some questions. Be good boys.