Nick Saban on Changes in College Football, Season Preview, and Opening Weekend Predictions

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Triple Option Episode: Nick Saban on Changes in College Football, Season Preview, and Opening Weekend Predictions
Release Date: August 21, 2024
Presented by: Wendy’s

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1. Introduction and Debut Edition

The inaugural episode of The Triple Option kicks off with hosts Rob Stone, Mark Ingram II (referred to as "Deuce Deuce"), and Urban Meyer welcoming listeners. Rob Stone humorously highlights the absence of Mark Ingram and Urban Meyer during the recording, setting a lighthearted tone for the episode.

• Mark Ingram kicks off with a playful remark defending Urban Meyer:
  [00:00] “Ain't nobody gonna say nothing bad about Coach when I'm around. I'm gonna knock him out. I'm gonna drop him like it's hot, you know what I mean? Ain't nobody gonna talk bad about urban. Urban when I'm around.”

• Urban Meyer expresses his surprise and excitement about launching the podcast:
  [01:03] “Man, I can't believe, I can't believe we're doing this.”

2. Season Preview and AP Top 25 Analysis

The hosts delve into an analysis of the AP Top 25 rankings, discussing the strengths, weaknesses, and season expectations of various teams.

a. Florida State (Ranked #10)

• Urban Meyer praises Coach Mike Norvell:
  [04:09] “I really think he's one of the top coaches in America. I think they'll be there standing in the top 10. I might even have them a little higher at the end of the season.”

• Mark Ingram highlights key players and the impact of recent changes:
  [05:34] “Donovan Edwards, running back on offense. Their defensive tackle, Mason Graham...”

b. Michigan (Ranked #9)

• Mark Ingram expresses concerns about Michigan’s new coaching staff and limited returning starters:
  [05:26] “They have a really tough schedule. They start with Texas, like, in week two. They have USC, they have Oregon, they have the Ohio State University. So that's four games right there where I have them losing.”

c. Penn State (Ranked #8)

• Mark Ingram discusses the need for quarterback Drew Allar to elevate his game and the impact of the new offensive coordinator:
  [07:59] “Drew Allar is going to have to take his game to the next level. They got a new offensive coordinator, Andy Kolonicki...”

d. Ole Miss (Ranked #6)

• Urban Meyer commends Lane Kiffin and the team’s depth:
  [12:31] “They did fill in every piece that they needed. They lost a great running back to Ohio State, but they still have a great backfield.”

e. Alabama (Ranked #5)

• Mark Ingram lauds the leadership of Coach Kaylin Debore and the team’s robust recruiting class:
  [14:22] “Caitlin Debore has the resources of a program like Alabama. They have number one recruiting class for 2025. They have tremendous talent all through the locker room...”

f. Texas (Ranked #4)

• Mark Ingram welcomes Texas to the SEC and emphasizes their strong quarterback and emerging talents:
  [18:49] “They’ve got their quarterback returning, Quinn yours Heisman candidate for sure...”

g. Oregon (Ranked #3)

• Urban Meyer praises Oregon’s "pain in the ass" program under Coach Dan Lanning:
  [22:27] “Every play has a purpose. They’re a pain in the ass all over the field. Special teams, offense, defense...”

h. Ohio State (Ranked #2)

• Urban Meyer expresses confidence in Ohio State’s roster and the synergy between quarterback and offensive coordinator:
  [26:18] “This might be the best roster in college football in the last decade as far as NFL talent, as far as depth.”

i. Georgia (Ranked #1)

• Mark Ingram argues that Georgia deserves the top spot based on their consistent performance and depth:
  [29:41] “They would have won the national championship last year in my opinion if it wasn't for Alabama.”

3. In-Depth Conversation with Nick Saban

Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban joins the podcast, providing valuable insights into the evolving landscape of college football, his experiences, and his perspectives on current issues.

a. Transition and Retirement

• Nick Saban discusses his transition from coaching, emphasizing the importance of balancing work and personal life:
  [36:20] “It's been really good, and I'm happy that I have something to do... retired from coaching, but I didn't really retire from working because I do enjoy having something to do all the time.”

• Mark Ingram celebrates Saban’s legacy and expresses gratitude:
  [36:47] “All them years you poured into players like myself, and you deserve to be able to enjoy your family.”

b. Favorite Championship Moments

• Nick Saban reflects on his national titles at LSU and Alabama, highlighting the significance of building programs from the ground up:
  [51:28] “The first one obviously was at LSU in 2003... the 2009 first championship here at Alabama.”

c. Changes in College Football

• Urban Meyer and Nick Saban discuss the impact of the transfer portal and NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) on team dynamics and player development:
  [54:04] “The recruiting calendar now... was very set schedule... now it's constantly evolving with transfers.”

• Nick Saban expresses concerns about the academic and personal development of players in the era of frequent transfers:
  [57:38] “I'm very concerned about that because there are some statistical information out there... how that impacts your chances to graduate.”

d. Advice to Coach Kaylin Debore

• Nick Saban offers guidance to Alabama’s new head coach Kaylin Debore, emphasizing authenticity and mental resilience:
  [60:33] “Be who you are, focus on the things that are in front of you and don't get impacted by external factors.”

• Rob Stone acknowledges the challenges of modern coaching:
  [61:55] “How many shots Irvin's going to give me. I mean, I'm just worried about winning a golf game now.”

e. Personal Anecdotes and Stories

• Nick Saban shares a memorable story about recruiting Mark Ingram, highlighting the personal connections and dedication involved in building a team:
  [46:15] “I sat there for two hours hoping it never came up. And finally his mom started laughing...”

• Mark Ingram recounts a tense moment during a playoff game, illustrating the intense coaching dynamics:
  [47:10] “Mark, look, we really did well. Worst we’re going to do is come in second... we lost because you had the wrong mentality.”

4. Opening Weekend Predictions

The hosts and Nick Saban provide their predictions for the upcoming college football opening weekend, analyzing matchups and potential outcomes.

a. Florida State vs. Georgia Tech

• Urban Meyer confidently predicts Florida State to cover the 11.5-point spread:
  [67:22] “I think that coaching staff, that head coach in particular... they'll beat Georgia Tech by more than 11 and a half.”

b. SMU vs. Nevada

• Mark Ingram supports SMU covering the 27.5-point spread against Nevada, citing their strong roster and transfer additions:
  [68:03] “I think SMU is able to cover North Carolina. The Tar Heels...”

c. North Dakota State vs. Colorado

• Urban Meyer favors North Dakota State over Colorado, emphasizing their historical success and coaching strategy:
  [69:45] “They can’t hang in there with Shador and Travis Hunter. They just can’t.”

d. Oklahoma vs. Temple

• Mark Ingram predicts Oklahoma will cover the substantial 42.5-point spread against Temple, despite Temple's home debut:
  [71:52] “Oklahoma is going to win this, right? Like that's not the question. But will they cover it?... I don’t think Oklahoma covers that.”

e. FAU vs. Michigan State

• Mark Ingram supports Michigan State covering the 11.5-point spread against FAU, highlighting the Spartans' tradition and culture:
  [72:38] “They have a great tradition and a great culture and a history of pride...”

5. Concluding Insights and Future Episodes

The episode wraps up with the hosts expressing excitement for future episodes, featuring upcoming guests like Oregon’s Dan Lanning, and reiterating their commitment to providing in-depth college football analysis.

• Rob Stone emphasizes the value of subscribing and following the podcast for comprehensive coverage:
  [76:50] “College football is back and the triple option is here for all of it.”

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Notable Quotes

• Urban Meyer on Team Preparation:
  [74:18] “You need to be prepared for it. You need to be patient with it.”

• Nick Saban on Coaching Philosophy:
  [60:33] “Be who you are, focus on the things that are in front of you and don't get impacted by external factors.”

• Mark Ingram on Player Mindset:
  [28:07] “Focus on what you need to do to be the best version of yourself. So when your opportunity does come, you're helping the team win.”

Key Takeaways

• Evolution of College Football: The transfer portal and NIL have significantly altered team dynamics, recruitment strategies, and player development, raising concerns about academic and personal growth.

• Season Predictions: Hosts and Nick Saban provide expert analysis on the Top 25 teams, predicting shifts in rankings and potential playoff contenders based on team performance, coaching, and player talent.

• Nick Saban’s Legacy and Insights: Saban shares his experiences, reflecting on his championship wins, coaching philosophies, and the importance of team culture. He also offers valuable advice for current coaches navigating the modern college football landscape.

• Opening Weekend Analysis: Detailed predictions highlight key matchups, emphasizing the strengths and weaknesses of teams, and offering strategic insights into potential game outcomes.

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This episode of The Triple Option delivers a comprehensive preview of the upcoming college football season, enriched by the expertise of legendary coaches and firsthand experiences. Whether you're a seasoned fan or new to the sport, this discussion offers valuable perspectives on the ever-evolving game of football.

Transcript

[Mark Ingram]

Ain't nobody gonna say nothing bad about Coach when I'm around. I'm gonna knock him out. I'm gonna drop him like it's hot, you know what I mean? Ain't nobody gonna talk bad about urban. Urban when I'm around.

[Rob Stone]

Like it. Welcome everybody, to the debut edition of the Triple Option, presented by Wendy's. Try Wendy's new saucy nugs today. And before we get underway, wanna remind you to subscribe to our YouTube channel. You can follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, as well as across social media at 3x optionshow. New episodes drop every Wednesday, like this Wednesday in the first ever episode of the Triple Options. So glad you're here with us for episode number one. I'm Rob Stone joining me. Where's Deuce Deuce? Mark Ingram flexing the biceps down in South Florida, former Heisman Trophy winner at the University of Alabama. And where's my national title winning head coach down there in Sarasota, the Urban Buyer, guys.

[Urban Meyer]

Man, I can't believe, I can't believe we're doing this.

[Rob Stone]

We're actually doing a podcast. Coach, what's happening to your world here? You're winning national titles and now you're like a. You're like a media mogul out here between television with Big Noon and now a podcast.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, my kids ask me that. I'll say, who are you? I mean, you've been traveling all over the place, you have a smile on your face, you're working on your golf handicap. And now I get to do hang with Deuce Deuce and Rob Stone and hopefully best podcast out there. So great to hang with you boys.

[Rob Stone]

Hey, Mark, what'd you do this summer, man? What was your highlight?

[Mark Ingram]

I chased around five human beings all summer. No, but what a great time to be able to spend time with my wife and my kids. I've never had that type of time. You know, I've always been preparing for training camp, preparing to get ready for a season. And this was the first time I was able to kind of just sit back and to spend time with the family. So taking the kids. Son was in travel, baseball, daughter Travis, soccer. They did track and field. Over the summer, daughter qualified for the Junior Olympics in a long jump. So we did that.

[Urban Meyer]

Heck yeah, she did.

[Mark Ingram]

We went to the soccer match, Copa America final.

[Rob Stone]

That a boy.

[Mark Ingram]

That was crazy.

[Rob Stone]

I heard about that chaos.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, yeah. Went to Cabo, spent some time with coach, you know what I mean? So I had to.

[Rob Stone]

I'm sorry, what Happened there. You were with coach in Cabo.

[Mark Ingram]

I. Yeah.

[Rob Stone]

Missed that email, Coach.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Rob Stone]

How about Ross?

[Urban Meyer]

You didn't get. You didn't get the email?

[Rob Stone]

I did not.

[Mark Ingram]

You did get the email. You just denied it.

[Rob Stone]

Definitely did not get an invite to Cabo.

[Mark Ingram]

We was all skiing together. Pretty.

[Rob Stone]

We did that. We did that. That's good. And here we are, guys, like, closing in on week zero for us, for the three of us and our good friends Matt Leinart and Brady Quinn. It's about week one where big noon kickoff hits the road. Man. Penn State at West Virginia. Like a sneaky, great opening game in the atmosphere in Morgantown. I cannot wait to get to West Virginia. I've been there, Rob.

[Urban Meyer]

I've been there.

[Rob Stone]

I have.

[Urban Meyer]

Elite, elite, elite. Market's going to blow you up, man.

[Mark Ingram]

Only showing time, huh, Coach? No pro sports. They, they, they coming out strong for that game, huh?

[Urban Meyer]

And I talked to their coach last night, and I mean, he. They're, they're a good team. I watched they beat the mess out of North Carolina in a bowl game. So this could be a great game.

[Rob Stone]

They're just outside the top 25 to start. And speaking of top 25, that's a good way for us to slide in. Our defining moments brought to you by nhtsa. Drinking and driving will change your whole world. Whether you get pulled over or get into a crash, things will never be the same. Getting a sober RO will change your world for the better. Drive sober or get pulled over. Paid for by NHTSA. Great words by NHTSA. So we talked about the AP Top 25. Let's condense it right now and talk about the top ten. All right, guys. And we're going to kind of go rapid fire here, and we're going to start at number 10. Our partner betMGM's favorite to win the ACC again is Florida State. Remember last year, Urban went 13 0, won the ACC championship, but was left out of the playoff picture. 14 of 22 starters are gone, including their stud quarterback, Jordan Travis. What do you make of Florida State and their chances this year?

[Urban Meyer]

You know, I love Florida State. I think they lose a lot. But the first thing you always look at when I, when I evaluate teams is their schedule. They. I think it's somewhat manageable. I know it's tough, but they have Clemson at home, at Miami, at Notre Dame. I think Mike Norvell is one of the most underrated coaches. Rob and Mark, they were awful in 2020, and they were 3 and 6. I mean, bad, awful, a lot of issues in the locker room. And I'm an old Gator. And so I looked at that and I said, how did Florida State get so bad? But look at what this coach has done. He went 3, 6, 5, and 7. They won 10 games in the last year undefeated. So I really think he's one of the top coaches in America. I think they'll be there standing in the top 10. I might even have them a little higher at the end of the season.

[Mark Ingram]

Wow.

[Rob Stone]

DJU back in the acc. Started at Clemson, went out to Oregon State. Now he's in Tallahassee as their starting quarterback. The schedule that run in early October of three weeks at Miami versus North Carolina, who might be better than I think people think never sleep on a Mack Brown team. And then at Notre Dame, that will kind of define number 10. FSU at number nine. You were defending national champs. They went 15, 0 last year to win their 10th national title. Michigan. But, Mark, new head coach, new offensive coordinator, new defensive coordinator. How many returning starters do they have?

[Mark Ingram]

Three.

[Rob Stone]

No, four.

[Urban Meyer]

Just four?

[Rob Stone]

Well, maybe it's three now, but I had.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, it is four because you get 11 on offense, 11 on defense. So, yeah, it is four.

[Rob Stone]

Math is hard, man. What do you think of Michigan, especially.

[Mark Ingram]

When you count to four? No, but I think Michigan, you know, we all love coach, head coach Ron Moore, what he brings to the table. This is a team that has culture. Their last three years have been super successful, but they don't have many players coming back from those teams. So the big question is, will Michigan take a step back after losing Jim Harbaugh and 18 starters? I think they're going to have to lean on their leaders. Donovan Edwards, running back on offense. Their defensive tackle, Mason Graham, he was all Big Ten. The cornerback, Will Johnson, he's a freshman all American. And as far as defense, I have a personal connection with coach Wink Martindale. That's who's their new defensive coordinator. And I know he's going to get those boys flying around. He's coming with a great scheme. He has great energy. So I think they're ranked a little high. You know, I think they're ranked where they need to be right now, but I think towards the end of the year, they're going to be kind of outside the top 10. They have a really tough schedule. They. They start with Texas, like, in week two. They have usc, they have Oregon, they have the Ohio State University. So that's four games right there where I have them losing. And so I think they'll be a little lower than their current ranking. But I'm rooting for Michigan. I'm rooting for head coach Sharon Moore. Donovan Edwards is my guy at the running back. Wink Martin. We Martindale coach went, he was my DC when I was with the Ravens, so I'm rooting for him. But they got tough schedule and a tough season ahead of them.

[Rob Stone]

I agree. Three straight playoff appearances, it's going to be tough to replicate that. As you mentioned, like an 8 and 4 record kind of feels about right. At least going into the preseason with Michigan. We'll find out more about them. Week two. All of us will be there in Ann Arbor when they take on Texas. And we're going to get to Texas eventually in the AP top 10 mark, we're going to stay with you and we're going to stay in the Big 10. At number eight, Penn State. And this is tough to say after another quote unquote Disappointing 10 win season. You know, they just, they can't get over this Ohio State, Michigan hump. And it's those two programs that always kind of keep Penn State sitting back there. This is a fascinating stat for me for Penn State. Last year they had the top scoring offense in the Big Ten. So you're probably saying to yourself, hey man, this is shock. Let's build on that. Right? Right. Brand new offensive coordinator comes in in Andy Kodal, Nikki from Kansas and that conservative offensive approach. Mark is gone in State College.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, that's the thing with Penn State. They have had successful seasons, numbers wise. But they can't beat Michigan, they can't beat Ohio State. And in order for them to take the next step or them to go to the next level, Drew Aller is going to have to take his game to the next level. They got a new offensive coordinator, Andy Kolonicki I believe. I don't hope I didn't butcher that last name, but I dare you to.

[Rob Stone]

Spell his name right now.

[Mark Ingram]

I hope I starts with a K. But I got much respect for him as oc Cause last year we went to Kansas and I was watching film on Kansas, the way he runs his offense, a lot of shifts, a lot of motions putting his players in position to have success. I think this is what Drew Aller needs to take his game to the next level. So I think they made a great hire and going to get that offensive coordinator. And they've had a great defense, you know, number three scoring defense last year, number two total defense last year. So they got six returners on on defense. So their defense is still going to be strong. And they got two great runners in, Nick Singleton and Katrin Allen. So the thing is, Drew Aller, they need some support for the supporting cast because if you're a running back and, and you ain't got no receivers and your quarterback's not throwing the football, it makes it, it's a tough life for you. So Drew Allen needs to take that next step. The new oc, Andy, he needs to get them, get him unlocked, get him comfortable, get him in a position where he can be successful. If they do that, we'll see Penn State has a favorable schedule. I see they start, they start off, they start off the season with West Virginia.

[Rob Stone]

That could be an 01 start.

[Mark Ingram]

Oh, by that could be. It could be. It could very possibly be. But you look at the rest of the schedule, I mean, you got usc, you go at Wisconsin. Okay, so you get Washington, Ohio State. So it's not really that favorable.

[Rob Stone]

That's a four game, that's a four game stretch you just mentioned.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, it's not really that favorable off.

[Rob Stone]

At Wisconsin, Ohio State and Washington. That, that is tough. You talk about their defense. Former Indiana head coach Tom Allen now taking over the D. It's all about Drew Aller for me. You know, the former five star quarterback, 29 total touchdowns last season, two interceptions in his first year as a starter. And you got to run the ball. Nick Singleton, four 100 yard rushing games two seasons ago, just one last year. Penn State's going to be a really interesting watch.

[Mark Ingram]

So I got him lower to eight. I got him lower to eight.

[Nick Saban]

All right.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah. Number seven, coach, 10 and three last year was Notre Dame, a top 10 recruiting class coming in. But the story for the third time in four years, it will be a transfer quarterback that's taking the snaps for the Irish.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, I think they're picked right where they need to be. And I, I just get confused and I don't quite understand. Marcus Freeman is a hell of a coach, hell of a person. We were there last year and he treats us great. And I've known him for a long time. But how at Notre Dame do you keep going to Wake Forest and Duke to go get your quarterback? Those are fine players, you know, nothing against Sam Hartman, the transfer last year had a good season. And then the Riley Leonard this year from Duke, once again a good player. But you're Notre Dame. And how about this mark? In the last 10 years, only one national champion had a transfer quarterback and it was Joe Burrow. So I guess I'm old school and I know it's Starting to change a little bit. But to win it all, I think you have to have a quarterback that's been there. That is the culture that represents your school, that gets everybody together non stop. They have great relationships. So my, you know, until that happens, I think Notre Dame is going to be a good team, really good team. I mean, they recruit great, great players. It's a great place. I spent six years of my life there and we love it. But. And the second part of that, has the expectations changed at Notre Dame? When I was there with Lou Holtz, who was always national championship or bust, I'm not sure that's the standard anymore. And I hope they get back to that. I think they can, but I think you need to go get you an all American, you know, get to Brady Quinn and coach him up and let him build that culture for three years.

[Rob Stone]

Hit hard already by the injury bug in preseason. Their schedule pretty manageable. If we're talking about defining moments. They're going to open at Texas A and M. We know that's no cakewalk. The middle of the schedule, it looks to be extremely manageable. And then early November, Florida State, late November at usc. All right, number six. If we're talking about defining moments, this might be the team that definitely defines the top 10 this year. How good is Ole Miss? Sixth. Best odds to win the national championship? Eleven and two last year, coach, that was a school record for wins. Their only losses to Alabama and Georgia. And here they are, the Lane Train, sitting preseason at number six.

[Urban Meyer]

I went and watched a lot of their film yesterday because I knew I was going to take a shot at this thing. Whenever you talk sec, and the guy in the right hand corner there, Mark, knows this, that it's once again schedule. Who do you have in that damn conference? It's by far the hardest conference.

[Rob Stone]

For real, you're not in it anymore, coach.

[Urban Meyer]

Oh, I still feel like I am. So. So they have. And it might sound manageable, and I believe it is. They're at lsu, which is ridiculous. Oklahoma at home and then the big dog, Georgia at home. I know there's a bunch of other ones in there, but I think I. How about this? Ole Miss, in my opinion, will be favored in 11 of their 12 games. That's a credit to obviously the coaching staff, Lane Kiffin, but ole Missy.

[Rob Stone]

What game won't they be a favorite in that November 9th versus Georgia.

[Urban Meyer]

Georgia. Even though it's Georgia, I really. And LSU. It depends on LSU does. But when you look at that, it's a loaded roster and you know, he calls himself the transfer king or portal king or whatever the hell that is. But they did. They once again filled in every piece that they needed. They lost a great running back to Ohio State, but they still have a great backfield. I like their quarterback, Jackson Dart. I think. I think they're going to be in the hunt for this thing at the end of the season.

[Rob Stone]

Number one transfer class in the country. You talk about Dart, he's absolutely a Heisman candidate right here in August. 31 total touchdowns, five interceptions last year. Will they get their first conference championship since. Can you guys guess the year? The last time? Ole Miss, 60s. Yeah. 63. How about that? Number five, Mark. Get ready, baby. Get ready to flex those guns.

[Urban Meyer]

Here we go.

[Rob Stone]

Here comes Alabama. 12 and 2 last year. Lost in the semifinals to Michigan. Gone is our guest in segment two, former Alabama head coach Nick Saban. 17 years, nine SEC titles, six natties, but he left. 30 players left as well. Jumped into the portal. And in comes Caitlin Debore. What should we think of Alabama sitting there at number five in the preseason?

[Mark Ingram]

Like you said, we got to give the utmost respect to the goat himself. You know Coach Saban, what he's done. Second to none. One of the greatest college football coach that we've seen, other than Bear Bryant. They both came from them. And then coach right there. You know what I mean? But offside respect.

[Rob Stone]

The guy next to is pretty darn good, too.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, he's the man. Ain't nobody gonna say nothing bad about Coach when I'm around. Cause I'm gonna knock him out. I'm gonna drop them like it's hot, you know what I mean? Ain't nobody gonna talk bad about Urban. Urban when I'm around.

[Nick Saban]

Yeah.

[Rob Stone]

I didn't see you defending him in Ann Arbor last year. Oh, I got coaches on his own.

[Mark Ingram]

Somebody try. Try. Somebody try to do something. Oh, I'm a. I'm in the cut, you know what I mean? It ain't the gun show for. It ain't for show. It's for go. You know what I mean? No, but no, Coach Saban, man, he's. He's a legend. But I think the hire that they made in Coach Kayin Debo was tremendous. You have a coach who was just in the national championship last year with Washington. Now you come and give him the resources of a program like Alabama. And he's done a great job of weathering the storm. I mean, he was in a huge. A huge downpour. Crazy wins. And he stood strong because he got players who wanted to be there. Everyone who is there right now wanted to be there. Everyone who didn't want to be there left. He has number one recruiting class for 2025. They have tremendous amount of talent all through the locker room, great leadership. You talk about Jaylen Milro, who in his first season as a starter just improved tremendously. We wouldn't have been in the position where we were last year, beating Michigan with six minutes to go in the fourth quarter. We just didn't finish the game if he hadn't improved the way he did. Two running backs who are dogs, I'm telling you right now, Justice Haynes and Jam Miller, they gonna tag team it. And they are the real deal. Holyfield. Then you got Deontay Lawson. Then you got Deontay Lawson, the linebacker on the leadership on defense. Malachi Moore, the. The leadership on defense. Then you add out of the transfer portal, quarterback Domani Jackson from usc. These guys want to be there. I went there and spent some time with the team and I love the attitude. I love the mindset of this team. Coach DeBoer has a plan. He has them working, he has them grinding. They're going good on good. They're competing and you know, coach, there's no other way to get better than to compete against the ones, ones on ones. And they doing live periods. They are hitting, they are thumping, they are working out, they are conditioning and they have the right mentality moving forward. So I'm excited about this Alabama team. I think they're ranked right where they need to be at number five. But they do have a schedule that they're going to have to overcome. They got at Wisconsin, which will be there.

[Urban Meyer]

Georgia.

[Mark Ingram]

Yep. They got Georgia coming to town. And you got Tennessee, who was always. They're always just kind of like a nat at the, @ the barbecue. Just. They just annoying, you know what I mean? Then you got lsu, always tough at lsu, Oklahoma, and then always that Iron Bowl. So you got, you got a good schedule. So we'll be able to see about them this year if they the real deal. But I think they're going to be in a good position. I think they're going to be in the playoffs. And I like the ranking right where they're at.

[Rob Stone]

And again we have Nick Saban joining us in the next, next segment. We're going to ask him the advice he passed on to Kaylin deboer taking over this. This project. Right. I mean, I love when you said the resources. You're right. Like, look what Kaylin DeBoer did without Bama Resources 104 wins, 12 losses and now he's got 20 former five star recruits sitting on his roster. I cannot wait to see what Kaylin DeBoer does in Tuscaloosa.

[Urban Meyer]

And I would always look at our schedule, Mark, and when I had, you know, we had good on good now at Ohio State and Florida, that was probably 10 of our games. We were better on that Tuesday, Wednesday practice and so dependent upon our schedule. And I know Ohio State, we're going to talk about them, but when you start to schedule kind of soft, you want to do as much good on good as you possibly can to get your boys ready for the, the big one down this, down the road. So I don't want to just let that go. Good on good is how you make good players. Great.

[Mark Ingram]

Yes sir. Appreciate you coach, for that.

[Rob Stone]

For that number four, Mark. I bet Mark doesn't have as much intel on Texas as he did on Alabama. Longhorns 12 and 2 last year lost in the College Football Playoff semifinals. Welcome to life in the SEC. Texas, after 28 years in the Big 12, they make the big move to the SEC. And Mark, I think that's going to be kind of their defining moment, how they handle this transition.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, ut, welcome to big dog football. You say everything bigger in Texas. Well, welcome to the big leagues. The SEC dog we going to see. It's they, it's their, it's their SEC debut. We going to see how they fare. But I think they're right where they deserve to be at number four. They've gotten better and better each year and the winters have increased each year. Underhead coach Steve Sarkeesian. And I think that they're in good position. They have their quarterback returning. Quinn yours Heisman candidate for sure. Right. What he's. It's his third year. That experience that he's had, like they're in good position at the quarterback position and not even mentioning Arch Manning, you know what I mean? So they're in a good. There's that crazy.

[Rob Stone]

We're not even mentioning Arch Manning. By the way, props to Arch Manning for sticking around. Right. Like I can see coach over there has got like a soft spot for Arch Manning. Not just the last name, but the fact that you're a number one recruit and you're going to hang around campus for at least two years to be the backup. Good for him.

[Urban Meyer]

Now you stay in that fight. Stay in the fight.

[Mark Ingram]

No matter where you go. You got to compete.

[Urban Meyer]

Correct.

[Mark Ingram]

So why not? Yeah. So I respect it. I respect the kid Mullet and all. I respect him.

[Rob Stone]

He's got a mullet. Yours cut his mullet finally.

[Mark Ingram]

Did he cut the mullet?

[Rob Stone]

He cut the mullet.

[Mark Ingram]

He went. Got the clean fade like your boy.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah.

[Mark Ingram]

No, but. Yeah, so they got him returning, but they have to replace their leading rusher and their leading receiver, which is not going good right now. They lost their top two backs. CJ Baxter, season ending knee injury. Christian Clark, season ending Achilles. But they got a huge transfer edition in the portal with Isaiah Bond coming from Alabama. Hurt my heart, but so many Bama.

[Rob Stone]

Guys went to big time programs. A bunch went to Ohio State. We're going to talk about that in a second too.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah. Wow. Wow. But hey, we don't need them.

[Rob Stone]

I know, I know. We're talking about Texas. Let's talk about the Texas schedule real fast. Mark week two at Michigan. I think. I think we see Texas as the favorite in Ann Arbor for that one. They should be five and oh. Going into that mid October date with Oklahoma, they're home to Georgia and they close with Florida, Arkansas, Kentucky, Texas A and M. You feel like somewhere on that closing run somebody's going to, going to trip them up if Georgia hasn't already.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, I think like that's, that's part of the sec, man. You go Florida, Arkansas, Kentucky, like you never know what day is one of their days, you know, and if you don't come to play, they could possibly trip you up. But when I look at that schedule, all I really see is that, you know, the Red river rivalry, you can never overlook that. Georgia and then probably the A M, that's a Texas rivalry that's getting reignited and it's at A M. It's always good. It's always tough to go and play at College Station. So I like where Texas is at. I think this is a playoff team. 100 and we'll just see how they fare. Man, they were pacing 6 of 11 on defense. I know they're returning 6 of 11 on defense. They lost their two big dogs who we loved in the middle of the defense. Coach Meyer, Tavandre split, and Byron Murphy the second. Those are two big dogs who commanded the defensive line. So this team's in good position, man, and I like where they're at.

[Rob Stone]

Let's slide into the top three right now. And I think we all agree they're all kind of interchangeable. We would be content with any of these three sitting at number one. We start though at number three, Oregon. Dan Lanning, the man who turned down Alabama, one of four new teams joining the Big Ten, or we can just call it the Big 18 right now. Back to back 10 win seasons for Oregon. Coach Bo Nix is gone. In comes another transfer and another Heisman candidate early on in. Dylan Gabriel from Oklahoma.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, two of the top three I saw in person in spring, obviously. Ohio State, we did the spring game and then Dan Lanning had me come out and I spent the day with him. Watch practice, talk to the team, talk to the staff. What a great place Oregon is. You know, it's the first time I spent that much time out there. And the big one, you know, when they play, when they host Ohio State, I heard Coach Landing say that's the biggest game in Oregon history. And that stadium, it only seats 65,000. But I'm told I've never played in it, that it's the most difficult. I called Dan Lanyon and his staff. I did this last year. I think they're the best pain in the ass staff in the country. And that's something that I remember when I was a younger coach. We would always do whatever the defense didn't want to see. So I'd sit in the defensive rooms and I'd all ask them, what drives you nuts? And whatever did I put it in on offense, on offense, I'd ask them defensively whether it be Bear, whether it be odd 4i, whether it be some kind of blitz, if it was a pain in the ass. I went over the D coordinator. I said, put it in. When I watch Oregon play, that's them. They're a pain in the ass all over the field. Special teams, offense, defense. And that's a credit to their staff. I love watching them play. And I'm a big fan coach out there.

[Rob Stone]

Just pissing off programs right like this is going to annoy the hell out of Indiana. Put it in.

[Urban Meyer]

That's exactly how to do it. Because a lot of times, offensive defense, think about this, Mark. Offensive coaches put in plays that don't bother the defense. And that would drive me nuts. Oregon doesn't do that. When you watch Oregon, every play has a purpose. And then on defense, every time Tosh Lupo, their D coordinator, puts something in, I can tell he's doing it because it's pain. I call the pain in the ass program.

[Mark Ingram]

Stress the defense, stress the offense. Don't let him just come out there and just downset. Hut. You know, the question is, is Dylan.

[Urban Meyer]

Gabriel good enough to take him to the promised land? You know, I think he's. I watched him closely. I love him as a player. I love him as a leader. He's not a first round draft pick. He's not, he's, he's surprisingly not very big. I stood right next to him. But he gets the ball where it needs to be and when he scrambles, he does a hell of a job and he's an incredible leader. But that's a big to go from 10 wins to 13 mark. You know that. That's a big jump, man.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, but what, what, what he's good at is a lot of that RPO to run past option stuff and that's what Dan Landon in Oregon does with the backs to receivers and that's where he thrives. So I think the system he went to, I think he made the right decision going to the Oregon and I think that system fits his skill set.

[Urban Meyer]

So we'll see if that makes a headline. The pain in the ass program.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah, that's a good one.

[Urban Meyer]

And respectfully saying it, Coach, when.

[Mark Ingram]

Respectfully.

[Rob Stone]

When you were looking at their talent when you were out there in Eugene. What, what was that term you gave me the other day when you looked at some of those dudes? Do you remember it Fast? No. Big veined up cats.

[Urban Meyer]

Oh no, that was big veined up cats. That's Texas last year.

[Rob Stone]

Got some big. I got. I'm still looking for a vein. You got some veins somewhere in there.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah. For the viewer. That's a great visual right now. One and one. Not.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah. Big veined up cats. Let's talk about their schedule real fast. Should be 6, 0 heading into that. October 12 home date with Ohio State. November 2, big trip to Michigan. November 16, long trip out to Wisconsin. November 30 they have Washington. It'll be very interesting to see how that pain in the ass staff does at number two. Of all the bets wagered on which team will win the college football playoffs, according to BET MGM, 20% of them have been on number two. The Ohio State. State 11 and 2 last year. Crushed it in the transfer portal. Coach. Crushed it in retaining talent. Crushed it in recruiting young talent. It feels very much like all the chips are in. In Columbus to win another Natty.

[Urban Meyer]

They lost the last two games of the season last year. And we were there, you know, we, we saw it. I was there for Big Ten network against Missouri, but we were there for the rivalry game. That's three in a row. And the one thing about the great state of Ohio, man, that that's. They're not gonna. That that's not in their DNA. And it is the best roster I talked to Jim Trestle about this. I will. I've read about him. I've watched them. This might be the best roster in college football in the last decade as far as NFL talent, as far as depth. You got the, the second string running back, whoever it is, is going to be probably a first round draft pick. Think about that for a minute. I mean, they are loaded, they got. Will Howard is going to be a big question mark. But I think the combination of him and Chip Kelly, the new offense coordinator, they're married for each other. He's an athletic quarterback. He's surprisingly fast. I was told he ran 22 miles an hour at practice, which, you know, you're sub four or five.

[Mark Ingram]

That's fast.

[Urban Meyer]

Fast. That's a big dude. He's a big dude, you know, and.

[Rob Stone]

He'S gotten leaner, right? Leaner and faster. In the off season.

[Urban Meyer]

I saw him, ironically, at Muirfield. We sat and sat down and talked for a while and he's, he's a big guy. Six five, I want to say two 25. He was down from 245.

[Rob Stone]

Yep.

[Urban Meyer]

But I think he's the perfect fit here. Here's the challenge and I want Mark's opinion on this. How do you keep all happy? Their schedule is kind of a joke early on. I mean, they're going to be 50 point favorites in the first three games. They have a bye week and then they play Michigan State, which is a shell of himself right now. How do you keep the. So the starters will probably play 30 to 40 plays in the first month of the season. That means statistically they're not going to have many catches. The running backs are going to have many carries because you're not going to play those guys in the second half of those games and someone gets hurt.

[Nick Saban]

Right.

[Urban Meyer]

So how do you keep the personalities, the nil, the agents? I guess that's a world I don't know.

[Rob Stone]

But how do you talk about agents a little bit later?

[Mark Ingram]

To me, coach, how do you do that? To me, coach, it has to be everyone having the same mindset, which is why did every single one of you guys come here to Ohio State is to win a championship. You didn't come.

[Rob Stone]

Not a Big Ten, not a Big Ten title, right?

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah. You want to win a national championship. So in order for us to win a national championship, everyone needs to be their best. And yes, you're going to have individual goals which should drive you and inspire you and cause you to work hard. But at the end of the day, the only thing that matters here is getting the win. So your time, your day, your time, your opportunity is going to come. You just need to be prepared for it. You need to be patient with it.

[Urban Meyer]

If they do that Mark, they'll be in the Nash championship game. Exactly. They'll have struggles and that's how it comes. But it's hard.

[Mark Ingram]

That's where coach Ryan Day comes into play. Having that message, hitting that message home daily, daily, daily. All through training camp, all through the season. Hey, national championship. Focus on what you need to do to be the best player that you could be. Focus on what you need to do to be the best version of yourself. So when your opportunity does come, you're helping the team win.

[Rob Stone]

Four first team preseason all Americans, two more on the second team. They are absolutely loaded, but they're not at number one. Instead it is the favorite to win it all according to BetMGM. Georgia, they lost one game last season by three points but it kept them out of the playoff picture. So after back to back national titles, Georgia goes without a playoff appearance. But they start the preseason mark at number one. And they start with maybe the preseason Heisman favorite, certainly a preseason all American at quarterback in Carson Beckman.

[Mark Ingram]

I think they're, I think they deserve to be the number one team right now. The they would have won the national championship last year in my opinion if it wasn't for Alabama. I don't think Michigan was going to beat him. I don't think Washington was going to beat them. I don't think the only team that could possibly beat them was Alabama. And I'm going to tell you right now because they've been 42 and 2 over the last three seasons. Only two losses to Bama, they're 41 and over everyone else. So that's why they deserve to be the number one team. Because if Alabama hadn't beaten them, they would have been probably the three peak national champions. They had Carson Beck coming back, you got shoot, six of your starters on defense returning, six of your starters on offense returning. And Kirby Smart has this program running like a well oiled machine. They play tough, they play physical, they know their assignments and like I said coach, it's about the team. It's a big team, little me. And that's the mindset that they have, that's the culture that they have there. And Georgia is a dangerous team. Georgia is a dangerous team. They have weapons, they have the skills, they have the talent, they have the big veined up dudes that coach talking about and man, Georgia's gonna Be a problem. But they have a tough schedule, man. They have a tough schedule. Let's see, let's, let's go through the schedule they got. They pop off with Clemson. That's no, that's no slouch. Week one. We talked about that, coach. Week ones, when you got a real team, you gotta come ready to play. It's not like a little pushover. And then you got at Alabama.

[Rob Stone]

That's coming off a bye week though. That's really big for Georgia. Bye week before that late September date at Alabama.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah. At Texas, at Ole Miss versus Tennessee. Like those five games right there. That's the real deal. But they're built for it for sure.

[Urban Meyer]

So.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah. And again, I think we all feel that Oregon, Ohio State, Georgia, interchangeable at number one. And they're the big three in college football this season. Talk about number one. 18 of the last 20 AP preseason number one ranked teams failed to win the national title, which includes Georgia last year. That's your saucy nug of the week. Try some at your nearest saucy. Saucy nugs. Let's talk about teams that we didn't hit a program that's outside of the top 10 that we think is going to make some noise and I'm going to steal your thunder. The Favorite According to BET, MGM to win the Big 12, Utah. Coach. I know Salt Lake City. Yeah, everybody is kind of high on Utah, but you better make sure they're, they're, they're healthy at quarterback. Coach.

[Mark Ingram]

So that's Utah, right?

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, yeah. The quarterback, Cam Rising. You know, I've heard, I went watch practice. He, he was. And he didn't just have a knee injury, he had a real one. And that's, that's a problem. And I understand the training camp has been, you know, obviously a little bit limited and all that. So I'm a huge Utah fan. I was there twice. I watched them practice. I think they got the best coach in college football. College Whittingham. I'm very biased, but that's okay. You talk about big veined up Polynesians is what they got, Mark. I mean big. And I wasn't sure. Oh, you know, when I first got to doing the hot, I was like, okay, who are these giants? I mean, and they're great players, great culture. They love Utah. So I, there's no doubt Utah is going to finish in the top 10 of the country unless injury bug bites him. So I'm a Utah fan, Kyle Whittingham fan. And yeah, if, if I was A betting person. I'd throw a couple of bucks on that one.

[Rob Stone]

Coach. How do you know that? Kyle Whittingham believes he's got a program that can be a, a changer in the playoffs.

[Urban Meyer]

So Kyle Whittingham is a guy that first of all dear friend and my as good a coach I've ever been around. And I texted him I was actually out in Salt Lake and I didn't want to bother him. So he said I'm. I wish you would have came to our scrimmage today. We have a really good team. And he never ever says that. You know, he's a half sometimes, you know, how are you going to be? Well, we got to do, you know like typical coaches, like I was, you know, half empty guy. Like we always stink here, we stink here. We need to get better. When he says that I was like I read that, I said oh this could be real season.

[Rob Stone]

It's all like anybody else. We're missing deuce.

[Mark Ingram]

I got you guys went with the ute. Imma go with the you. I'm a go with the you down here in Miami. Right down the street, you know what I mean? So they're right in acc man. So you know this ACC schedule ain't all that right now but you know they got the number one quarterback transfer in the country and Cameron Ward, they got the running back from Oregon State, Damian Martinez, back to back thousand yard seasons and they just been getting better and better. And so if I just have to pick a dark horse from outside the top 10, I'm gonna go with the U. I think they got the Q and they got their running bike. You know, they gotta make sure the defense is right cause they only got three returning starters. But I got the U. I got.

[Urban Meyer]

The big one in the opener against the Gators.

[Mark Ingram]

They got the big one big one Gators. And then the only other one after that is really Florida State. So you can get up for two big games. Can you get up for the rest? The ones that you supposed to win, can you win them?

[Rob Stone]

It's about time the you got the cue. When it comes to making the best hamburgers around, the basics matter. And Wendy's, well, they've really got those burger basics on lock and boy does it show.

[Mark Ingram]

So what's the secret to all those hot and juicy hamburgers? Simple. Wendy's always crash their hamburgers with that fresh never frozen beef they're famous for. The result? Hot and juicy beefy hamburger perfection every time.

[Urban Meyer]

No matter which hamburger you order from the Wendy's menu. You already know that thanks to those Wendy's Burgers basics, it's going to be exactly what you were craving.

[Mark Ingram]

I mean, as long as what you crave is a hot and juicy hamburger, a hamburger made fresh just for you, not waiting for you. After all, the perfect burger doesn't spend his time waiting around.

[Rob Stone]

So when you want a hot and juicy hamburger made fresh just for you, it's gotta be Wendy's. Fresh is kind of their thing, you know. Fresh beef is available in the contiguous U.S. alaska and Canada. Not available in Hawaii. Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile with.

[Mark Ingram]

A message for everyone paying big wireless way too much.

[Rob Stone]

Please, for the love of everything good.

[Mark Ingram]

In this world, stop with Mint. You can get premium wireless for just $15 a month. Of course, if you enjoy overpaying.

[Rob Stone]

No judgments.

[Mark Ingram]

But that's weird.

[Rob Stone]

Okay, one judgment.

[Mark Ingram]

Anyway, give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront.

[Urban Meyer]

Payment of $45 for 3 month plan.

[Rob Stone]

Equivalent to $15 per month required intro.

[Urban Meyer]

Rate first 3 months only, then full.

[Rob Stone]

Price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See full [e-mail] this episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever find yourself playing the budgeting game? Well, with the name your price tool from Progressive you can find options that fit your budget and potentially lower your bills. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and.

[Nick Saban]

Affiliates Price and coverage match limited by state law.

[Rob Stone]

Not available in all states. Time now to introduce the first ever guest on the triple option. And we went big. We went strong here. Seven time national titleist as head coach at Alabama most all time. He and Urban Meyer, you know him, the only two coaches to have won at two different FBS schools winning national titles. Coached four Heisman Trophy winners, including our own Deuce. Deuce. He is the legend. Nick Saban and Coach Saban. Thank you for joining us. You're in Tuscaloosa right now. Where, where are you though, right now? I'm curious looking at your background.

[Nick Saban]

I have an office in the stadium now. They kind of, you know, got me out of the Malmore building so I wouldn't be in the way, which is probably a good thing. And I was just watching Georgia Tech last year, so this is a good place to be. I got some good people helping me and trying to prepare for the season because this is a sort of a new venture for us in terms of TV and but the one thing I do like about it, it keeps you involved in the game, which is really, really gives you something to do. And I love football I love college football, so this has been great.

[Mark Ingram]

Coach, can you. Can we watch the game from your office?

[Nick Saban]

The game that I'm watching?

[Mark Ingram]

No, I'm talking about like in. You're in Bryant Denny Stadium. Right? Your office is in stadium. Can I. Do I have. Do I have a view of the actual football game from your office?

[Nick Saban]

No, sir.

[Mark Ingram]

Okay.

[Nick Saban]

I don't have that kind of status, Mark.

[Mark Ingram]

Oh, yes, you do.

[Nick Saban]

You could probably get an office here that you could see the field from your office, but not me.

[Mark Ingram]

They naming the field after you, dude. What are you talking about? You got all the juice. I was just hoping that I didn't need a ticket and I could just come straight to your office and watch the game.

[Nick Saban]

Yeah, well, we could probably sneak you in, but.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, I don't know about my office.

[Mark Ingram]

No, we just gonna upgrade you, but. No, we. When we were talking about having a guest, you know, they mentioned Coach Saban. I'm like, I figured you wouldn't have a problem with it because during our time together, we were two and one against this dude over here, Coach Meyer. You know what I mean? He says we were one and one. He's just neglecting a whole team. Have you ever neglected a whole team?

[Urban Meyer]

Like, no, no, we don't count 2010. We lost all our players. No. 2, 008. That was the two best teams arguably in the recent history. Those are. Those are some wild games. But no, no. 0:10. I went through the record book and just redlined it. That didn't happen.

[Mark Ingram]

He says it doesn't happen, but there's video footage of Coach Meyer on the sideline coaching that game. So we're two on one with our time together versus him. You know what I mean? But he just neglect. He just neglects a whole victory we had.

[Nick Saban]

Well, all I know is when we played, they were always very tough games and yeah, really good teams and used to drive me crazy on special teams with all that crazy stuff you all did. But it was always challenging, I can tell you that much. I don't. I don't even remember the records. I just know how tough the games were.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, the 0809 games was different for sure.

[Urban Meyer]

Mark and I spent a lot of time talking about the 0809 and Tebow's comeback in the fourth. That was two great teams. Julio Jones and I mean, just great effort across NFL players everywhere. Then 09, Mark told the story a little bit like we did with Georgia one year. That. That was just, you know, not every day, but just a big emphasis to Go get that game. And I'm just curious about, you know, your take on that where, you know, you look back, coach, that those two teams, those are their, you know, my lifetime. Those two teams, when they jogged out on the field, that was as good a football as I've ever seen in my lifetime. And you're talking about there wasn't a weakness. And whenever you watch the Nick Saban team, you know, well, your job as a coach, go find some weakness. And I, I mean by, you know, 10:00 on Sunday, I'm saying there's, I can't find it, you know, your kickoff return, a kickoff like you said. And so just your take on that.09, you know, and, and I know I, we take credit of giving Mark that Heisman over his right shoulder. He had 189 all purpose yards in zero stuff. So your take, coach?

[Nick Saban]

Well, I've always said the SEC championship game is almost like a playoff game. But you know, the 08, 09 games, I think in 08 you guys were one. We were to the next year it might have been vice versa, but I know we were one and two. And those are two great teams, no doubt. But you know, the thing I loved about the 08, no. 9 teams from our perspective at Alabama is, you know, those guys all came to Alabama when we weren't any good. Even, you know, Mark when we recruited him, I mean, we're coming off of seven and six and just trying to build a program. So, you know, Julio Jones, Mark, a lot of the players that were on the field all came. Dante Hightower, they, they all came when we really weren't very good. They had something to Prove. And obviously the 08 game was, you know, Tebow was fantastic. Couldn't get off the field on third down. That's all I can remember, especially in the second half, whether he scrambled or threw it or whatever. And, and then the 09 game, that was, you know, our big strategy change was, you know, we were going to rush five guys as much as we could make him throw it and see if we could guard everybody. And we couldn't guard everybody, but we did it well enough to be able to win the game. And I thought that was probably one of our greatest team efforts. And of all the teams, that team came together in that game as well as any that I ever coached. And we needed to because you had such a great team in Florida.

[Urban Meyer]

You know, I tell these guys, I can't remember my middle name or my address, but I remember the play in 09, you know, Bama got off to a pretty good jump on us and we were fighting and clawing back and then we, Charlie Strong ran the corner blitz, Joe Hayden off the edge and you guys ran a slip screen right behind him. And the T, I think the tackle got up on major right and it was out. And that was kind of the, that was the changer of the game. And it was, you know, that was. Like I said, I don't remember much, but I remember that kind of stuff.

[Mark Ingram]

Man. Shout out to my coach, Burton Burns, man, you know, rolled up corner, short side of the field, impressed coverage. Be alert for the corner cat. Bluff the blitzer out the gate. Let's go.

[Nick Saban]

You know, it's amazing though as a coach that I think we were in the playoffs 12 times. So we won seven playoffs, championship game, whatever. But the only ones that I remember is all the plays from the five that we lost.

[Urban Meyer]

Yes, I agree.

[Mark Ingram]

Yes. The plays that haunt us.

[Nick Saban]

Yeah. Just haunt you all the time.

[Rob Stone]

So kind of interesting, one of Those haunting moments, 2014 Coach said, Please, Rob, don't bring it up, don't bring it up. But I overruled Coach Meyer. College football playoffs, NFL talent all over the field. And the big storyline in 2014 when you guys met Ohio State was the Buckeyes were rolling out a third string quarterback in Cardell Jones. What was the game planning and the thought process like that week leading into that game? Coach Saban?

[Nick Saban]

Well, I mean they had a lot of really good skill guys and a very good team, you know, but I, we had all the respect in the world for, you know, Cardell Jones. He was a big guy, he's strong arm, very talented, people around him. So he didn't have to win the game for him, but he played extremely well in that game. And it was a battle, no doubt, but we couldn't really stop him. And you know, the tailback who plays with Dallas Cowboys was pretty damn good too. So that was a really good team.

[Rob Stone]

What was it like recruiting and coaching? Deuce Deuce. Mark Ingram ii.

[Nick Saban]

Well, you know, Mark, I shouldn't tell stories about.

[Rob Stone]

No, please tell, please tell. We're here for him.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, tell the stories. Yeah.

[Nick Saban]

I saw Mark on high school film and I thought, man, this guy is one of the best backs in the country. I was really impressed with his instinctive, you know, way that he ran the ball, change of direction, burst out of, you know, a cut, had good hands, had really good track time. So he had finishing speed. And so he was like our number one guy that we were going After. But what I was concerned about was, you know, when I was at Michigan State, you know, George. When I was a defensive coordinator, George Perlis used to go to Europe on Duffy Doherty's clinics or whatever in the summertime. So I was in charge of making sure everybody got eligible. And in those days, you know, you could take as many hours of summer school as you want. And, you know, Mark's dad, Big Mark.

[Urban Meyer]

Here he goes.

[Nick Saban]

Andre Rising or the two wideouts, and they were not easy to track down all the time. So the only way that I could track them down is I knew Big Mark's girlfriend, and I had her number, so I would call and find out where he was. So when I went in Mark's home, I was like, man, I don't know if Mark's mom is really required. So I sat there for two hours hoping it never came up. And finally his mom started laughing at the end of the home visit and said, I was the girl you used to call.

[Mark Ingram]

Yes.

[Urban Meyer]

Wow, what a great story.

[Mark Ingram]

Yes, sir. She's like, coach, that was me.

[Urban Meyer]

You should call me. Oh, I can't wait to see Senior now. I cannot wait to see.

[Rob Stone]

Hey, what was Mark like in the locker room and in the huddles and in all those practices? Because we know what he's like in. In, you know, our big noon locker room. What was he like back then?

[Nick Saban]

Oh, Mark is a. Was a tremendous competitor, really hard worker, good leader. Teammates loved him. He was, you know, fantastic. And I can tell you a story about him. You know, we were playing in a Chick Fil A, whatever it is, golf tournament over there at. And in Lake Oconee, and we. We get in a playoff at the end with Georgia Tech, and we keep playing the 18th hole over and over and over. Well, the plane's waiting for me because I had to go speak one of these alumni events, and they keep calling me on the phone. You know, we're going to be late. We're going to be late. You got to get out of here. So after we were going to the fifth playoff, and I told Mark, I said, mark, look, we really did well. Worst we're going to do is come in second. I said, I got to go after this hole, whether we win or lose. And, you know, Mark put his hand down, you know, and hit the. Hit the seat and said, you didn't teach me that way. Coach's ass.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, I'm like, coach, come on, man. You talk about second place, we got to leave. We in the championship holes, man, you talking about you Got to get out of here. Heck, no, man. You ain't teach me this. You ain't talk to us like this. We need to get this one, man. But he had to. He had the ad, the president, everybody on the jet waiting on him. I'm like, hey, man, no, we got to get this done first before you go.

[Nick Saban]

And we didn't get it done.

[Mark Ingram]

We didn't. We lost. Because you had the mentality. You had the wrong mentality.

[Urban Meyer]

That's right, Coach. You know, it's going to get easier. I can imagine you, because I know you fairly well, that every second of your life consumed with that team and keeping players healthy and recruiting and schedules and what. What fills your time now, now that you're not consumed with Crimson Tide.

[Nick Saban]

Yeah, well, you know, having the opportunity to do the draft this year, SEC media day, now I'm going to do game day. You know, there takes a lot of preparation time for these things, but the one thing that you can do is you do it on your time. You can do it in the morning, go play golf in the afternoon, go see your mom in the afternoon, whatever you need to do. So that keeps me busy. It gives me something to do. We have businesses that I'm involved with to a small degree, so I can spend some time doing that if I need to. But. So the biggest thing is that I realized is for 50 years of my life, I was always in a hurry, always in a hurry to do the next thing, always in a hurry to get wherever I was going because there was something else you had to do, whether it's go see a recruit, get ready for practice, prepare for a game, whatever it was. And what I realized when I retired is I didn't even know that I was always in a hurry. I just thought that was a way of life. So not to have that sort of stress point all the time has really been a good thing. It's great to be able to enjoy your kids, your grandkids, spend time with your wife, and not be in a hurry because you had to do something else as soon as you got home. So it's. It's. It's been really good, and I'm. I'm happy that I have something to do. I want to say that I retired from coaching, but I didn't really retire from working because I do enjoy having something to do all the time.

[Mark Ingram]

You the man, Coach. You the man. You deserve it, man.

[Rob Stone]

Shoot.

[Mark Ingram]

All them years you don't poured into players like myself, and you deserve to be able to enjoy your family. And reap the benefits of what you sow in your whole entire life. So I'm excited for you. I'm happy for you. I'm glad you get to go out there and shoot your age in golf and practice how to surf in, in the ocean and stuff like that. You out there doing your thing, man, so I'm proud of you. But no, coach, seven national titles. Seven national titles. Is there one that sticks out to you most that's your favorite or one that just sticks? That's one that stands out more than the others.

[Nick Saban]

Well, I, I think the first one obviously was at LSU in 2003.

[Mark Ingram]

Oh, damn.

[Nick Saban]

And then, and then the 2009 first championship here at Alabama. And the reason those two first probably are the ones that resonate the most for me is what I mentioned before is all those guys came to the program when the program really wasn't successful. You know, once a program successful, you know, sometimes players come because of what you can do for them, not really what they can do for the university or building a program or whatever. And it's, it's just, it's. It's okay that that happens, but it's a lot more meaningful when all these players came to try to prove something and work their butt off to, to make it happen. And you're a part of it and you grow together as, as a team. And I think those two are the. Because they were the first at each place, were the most special. They're all great though, because that's the one thing about being a part of a team is when you get a team to reach the pinnacle of success, that's really. There's a lot of self gratification in that for, you know, not only myself, but the entire group of people who contributed to it.

[Mark Ingram]

Roll down tight boy.

[Urban Meyer]

The evolution of the game has been amazing. And I look back when we first started the coaching back in the 80s, and, and it was very set schedule, you know, you got to spend so much time on your own team, you know, and I felt that disappearing near the end of my career where, I mean, it was enough, you know, it used to be, I mean, Bobby Bowden coach used to have his only recruiting weekend, third week in January. That was the only time they recruited. And I remember, you know, obviously I was at Florida recruiting against like, you know, you just, it consumed you. And then as the, as a calendar began to change at the end of your career and my career before you was that I found it was very hard to spend time with your own team because you are constantly. When they started pumping those official visits in the spring, that wore me, you know, that I just felt like I wasn't doing justice to our current team, our current roster. What's your thoughts on, you know, the evolution of that? You know, the time it's almost like, and I talked to Ryan Day about it, you're a GM now, you're, I mean, Ryan Day spends, you know, half his time raising money for Nil as opposed to coaching his players. And I know what kind of coach you are. What's your thoughts on that evolution that took place during your last half of your career?

[Nick Saban]

Yeah, I don't think there's any question about the fact that, you know, the last, especially five years, you know, we passed a lot of legislation relative to college football that has really made it more difficult to spend time with, with your current team, even though it's necessary now to spend a lot of time with the current team, because you got to recruit the players on your team all the time because basically they're free agents twice a year and. But I think the biggest change was when, as you mentioned, when they changed the recruiting calendar to allow spring and summer visits that, that really took away from those were almost sacred times when we had spring recruiting. But when spring recruiting was over, you had a lot of time to spend with your team, especially, you know, throughout the summer. Even though you weren't allowed to go out there and coach them, you could spend a lot of time with them and that's all kind of disappeared. And I think the biggest change for me as a coach was how much responsibility you had to put on the strength coach and other people in the organization who couldn't recruit as much that they had to have great relationships to try to, you know, sort of reinforce the culture that you were trying to get your players to compete to. So it was dramatic change from in just the last five years and even technically in terms of football and how it's changed. You know, I always, you know, sort of mentioned the fact that in 2013, 2014, we were having a hard time playing against Ole Miss and they beat us a couple of times because they were going so fast on offense. No huddle was kind of the new, new thing then. And we played Michigan this last year and they got in a huddle and our players didn't know how to adjust to that. So in a, in a 10 year period, we went from not being able to play against no huddle to struggling to play against a team that did get in the huddle. So that just Kind of reinforces how things have changed on and off the field in the last 10 years.

[Urban Meyer]

I really want to hit you with this and get your thoughts because I think the media for some reason, doesn't report on it. Pretty traditionalist myself as far as the whole recruiting a high school athlete, bringing them in, developing them, making sure they can operate life after college. All the things that I know you coached at Ohio State and the Woody Bow, all those great coaches we followed. But you see Coach prime, who I know he's a friend of yours, a friend of mine, and you start transitioning a team every year, 40. I see those numbers and it astonishes me that you could rebuild a team and you get some of those kids aren't even showing up until July. And what's not being talked about is the residual. When I see and I talked to a high school coach, I still have so many friends, like we all do. When you see a program say, I'm not going to recruit high school players or I'm saving, people don't realize that's the residual. That is those high school players might not be getting those opportunities that, you know, I'm wondering where that's going to end up. Because at the end of the day, college football was there for a reason. It's been there for a long time before us, and it's going to be there a long time after us. And that's to take young people, get them in a great environment, toughen them up, make sure academically they're set and they can go live life after this game's done. That's the world I grew up in. Now that you see the teams are more focused on transfer portal, what's a residual in your mind to that and down to the high school athlete?

[Nick Saban]

Yeah, well, you know, it's always been my philosophy and I think, Bruce, as well as, you know, players that came into your program, the number one goal is how can we help them be more successful in life because they were involved in the program. So you're really going to create to college to create value for your future and as an athlete that could be on the field in terms of developing a career at the next level, but most importantly, preparing yourself for the day you couldn't play football. And that means making sure you get an education. And, you know, I'm really proud of the fact that we had 668 degrees here in seven years. You know, like 575 of them were undergraduates and a lot of graduate degrees, you know, from our players and that's really what it's all about. Now, you and I coached back in the day where, you know, we didn't have progress toward the degree rules we didn't have. You could take as many hours in the summer to get eligible, and the graduation rates were, you know, not very good. And we went through probably a 25 year process of developing ways that we could make sure guys were developing careers off the field. And we got to the point where we have 85% graduation rates and, you know, we had personal development programs, mental health care. We had all these things that, you know, enhance players having the opportunity to be, you know, more successful in life. And, you know, the one fear that I have is, you know, guys being able to transfer, especially two or three times, you know, they impact how many guys graduate. So we may have down the road, we may have some sad stories about what happens to these players and has all this progress that we made through these years to get where we are now. Is this going to be something that really doesn't enhance the opportunity of helping that continue to grow and be successful in the future? So I do have, I am very concerned about that because there are, there is some statistical information out there as. But when you transfer, you know that how that impacts your chances to graduate. And I, I do think that, you know, having the ability to transfer after, you know, two or three years of the school and you can go someplace else and play, you know, maybe that's not a terrible thing in some cases, but, you know, when guys just do it for financial reasons, I think, you know, it's a little shortsighted in terms of what they can develop, you know, down the road.

[Rob Stone]

Coach, I want to sneak in one Alabama question. Coaching the Crimson Tide is. That's a whole different animal. When Kalyn DeBoer took over, what were some of the questions he asked you? What was some of the advice that you wanted to make sure you shared with him?

[Nick Saban]

Well, I think the biggest thing, you know, urban coach at Ohio State is no different there. I mean, when you coach at these programs that have high expectations, which is what we all want, there's nothing wrong with that. But I think the number one thing you got to do is be who you are, focus on, you know, the things that are in front of you and don't get impacted by external factors. You know, whether it's. Everybody says there's a lot of pressure, we all put more pressure on ourselves than anything in the media, fans or anybody else's expectations could ever put on us. But. And I think that's a little more difficult to do, you know, in this day and age, because of social media. You know, social media is a great thing in terms of creating interest, you know, in athletics. But, you know, when players start to believe what they read on the Internet, that sometimes can affect their psychological disposition of how they approach what they do, whether they get frustrated, whether disappointed, whether they're overconfident, complacent. I mean, there's all kind of impacts that you can have from worrying about what other people think rather than controlling what you can control.

[Rob Stone]

Coach, we've been hitting you with questions. We like to end with giving you the opportunity to fire one back at us. So do you have a question for one of us as you head into your new pastures?

[Nick Saban]

My big thing is how many shots Irvin's going to give me. I mean, I'm just worried about winning a golf game now. I'm not worried about all this other stuff.

[Mark Ingram]

Coach, you want shots and you out here shooting even par?

[Urban Meyer]

He shot even par.

[Mark Ingram]

He shot his age. He was bragging to me about it.

[Nick Saban]

It was one of bar 71.

[Mark Ingram]

It don't matter. 72, you giving me strokes.

[Urban Meyer]

But I remember you played like you told me you played high school golf or something because you had a nice swing. And I asked you, I said, you said, yeah, as a kid, you played. I was shoveling driveways in Cleveland, Ohio, for two bucks a driveway, and you were out, and I was on your wedge.

[Nick Saban]

Yes, for a dollar an hour in my dad's service station. So you're not getting any shots from me.

[Mark Ingram]

But my handicap is way higher than both of yours. Therefore, you sandbaggers are giving me strokes.

[Nick Saban]

No, if your hand. If your handicap is higher than mine, you're the sandbagger.

[Mark Ingram]

No, I'm not. We've played together. You saw me hit it left, right, everywhere but in the fairway.

[Nick Saban]

But hit it far.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, far and out of bounds. Now I'm laying three.

[Rob Stone]

Coach Saban, thanks for joining us on the first edition of the triple option. An honor to talk to you, and we look forward to hearing more from you in the future in your next endeavors and safe trip to Dublin, Ireland.

[Mark Ingram]

And, coach, all I got to tell you is this. Make sure you go crowd surfing out there in Ireland. You got to jump and go surfing.

[Urban Meyer]

Don't do it.

[Rob Stone]

Don't do it.

[Urban Meyer]

You're next, savior. You don't have to do that.

[Nick Saban]

That's not my style, son.

[Mark Ingram]

No, you got all the style and the profile, so now you just got to Go fly high and get surfing.

[Nick Saban]

All right, that's as much of this as I can take. Thanks, coach.

[Mark Ingram]

Appreciate it, Coach.

[Rob Stone]

Enjoy all your favorite sports like never before. At BetMGM, add a parlay wager, minimum odds of plus 400 to your bet slip bet up to the specified max stake and activate your token. If you win and your bet with the token applied, you'll score extra winnings on your wager. And with BETMGM at your fingertips, every play and every game matter more than ever. Place your Moneyline prop and parlay bets at the Sportsbook Born in Vegas today. See betmgm.com for terms 21 + only US promotional offers not available in Mississippi, New York, Nevada, Ontario. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-G GAMBLER call 877-8-HOPE NY or text HOPE NY in New York. Call 1-800-Next Step in Arizona, 1-800 through 275050 in Massachusetts, 1-800-Bets off in Iowa. Subject to eligibility requirements, rewards are non withdrawable bonus bets that expire in seven days. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. All right, it is time to sound off. Each week we're going to bring you a clip that that caught our ear and this week it's a doozy and it comes from one of the best, courtesy of Still Water's own Mike Gundy. Here is Mike Gundy talking about agents.

[Urban Meyer]

That's what I told the players.

[Rob Stone]

There's no negotiating now. Portal's over, all negotiations history. Now we're playing football. You can enjoy just coaching, playing football.

[Nick Saban]

Conference and a 12 team playoff. Everything being so different, just the newness of it.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah. And you know the biggest business side of what we do now is, is we have to have those conversations with them. You know, tell your agent to quit calling us and asking for more money. It's non negotiable now. Start again in December. So now we're able to direct ourselves just at football and that part is fun because there's been so much other stuff going on. It's been hard to really focus on football.

[Urban Meyer]

How about quote of the day in college football? Tell your agent to quit calling. And that is real mark. I mean I talked to some people in this business now and that that is non stop. I had one guy tell me that walk on had his agent, you know, he didn't earn a scholarship and he said, you know, is there a way that I can get some of that? And like what are we doing here? You know, so tell your agent to quit calling. That is the, the sound that is it and of course, my Gundy gang.

[Rob Stone]

Is an NFL sound bite. That's a college football sound bite.

[Mark Ingram]

Don't call me till December, he said. But the problem non negotiable.

[Rob Stone]

But the problem, Mark, is they are going to be calling in December. So like you've got to put up with this multiple times.

[Urban Meyer]

I got news. They're going to call anyway.

[Mark Ingram]

Yes, they're going to call their next week. They're going to call next week after the guy ain't got 13 carries or six targets.

[Urban Meyer]

I mean, Rob, if this thing hits mark eight, Mark's agent's going to be calling us.

[Mark Ingram]

Hey.

[Rob Stone]

Here'S our first inside joke on the triple option. All right, let's Pivot here. Pick Six is brought to you by our great partners at BetMGM. Place your money line prop parlay and same game parlay bets at BetMGM. Download the app today. Please gamble responsibly. So each week we're gonna pick six games against the spread. And each week Mark over there will have his deuce deuce dog of the week. That's gonna make a great T shirt. One of Mark's picks will be the underdog that he thinks will outright win. We're going to start with the dog dog. The deuce dog Dog of the week has sound effects. We're going to start with coach number 10, Florida State. Georgia Tech. Neutral Site. Site game all the way in Dublin, Ireland. The nos favored by 11 and a half. What do you see, coach?

[Urban Meyer]

I see the. No, I see this as a great game. Georgia Tech has been kind of gone since Paul Johnson left. Now Brent Key has brought him back. A former player, excellent. I mean did a had a heck of a year. He understands Georgia Tech. And by the way, they had the number one rush offense in the ACC. I just however, I'm going to say FSU covers 11 and a half point spread. I think Florida State, I just feel very strong about them. I think that coaching staff, that head coach in particular, what he's done, the recruiting base they have, I think they're going to have a great year this year. They're going to be a playoff contender and they'll beat Georgia Tech by more than 11 and a half.

[Rob Stone]

And they got this thing on their shoulder after getting snubbed last year.

[Urban Meyer]

He's using it too.

[Rob Stone]

Oh, you bet he is. That chip is going to be massive. 18th ranked SMU. Welcome to the ACC. They open up on the road in reno at Nevada. SMU favored by 27 and a half. Folks, this is where we start The Stone for Heisman campaign quarterback Preston Stone among the top returners for the Mustangs. Nevada is in a total rebuild mode right now. I know it is a big line for the road team, but I think SMU is able to cover North Carolina. Mack Brown. Boy, they got a stud at Tail Bay. Tailback Mark. They open up on the road in Minneapolis next Thursday, eight Eastern. The Gophers favored by two and a half.

[Mark Ingram]

I'mma go with the Tar Heels. I'mma go with the baby Blue. The Tar Heels, you know Mack Brown, you know Mac Brown holding it down. They lost Drake May, but they Got Max Johnson, LSU, Texas A& M, formerly quarterback. So Max Johnson. But the guy who I'm paying attention to is the man who you mentioned, the running body, Omarion Hampton, 2023 All American Doak Walker finalist. And he is the real deal Holyfield. So with Omarion Hampton and the baby Blue and Mack Daddy Brown, I'm going with him to cover the spread in Minnesota. Dog.

[Rob Stone]

The big O might be the best tailback in college football this season. Coach, we go to you. North Dakota State at Colorado next Thursday. The Buffs and Coach prime favored by nine and a half.

[Urban Meyer]

They won nine of the last 13 FCF national championships. They're real. They beat Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas State, Minnesota over the last few years. Coach Prime's aware. He made the comment that he's mad at his ad, that it was. He thought it was going to be a soft game. It's not. I actually got North Dakota State going to cover this thing now. Now, athletically, I went and watched them. They can't hang in there with Shador and Travis Hunter. They just can't. If I'm. Then I'm going to play zone. Keep the ball in front of you. Try to control the line of scrimmage. I'm going to snap the ball with two seconds left. Every snap on offense, shorten the game and find a way to keep that thing close in the fourth quarter. That's. That's how I would do it. And I. They got it. A new coach Polis Sex. His name Tim Polisak. But that's a program with a great history, man. They put players in the NFL, they win. They know how to win and it's a great culture. So I got them covered with that video.

[Mark Ingram]

They not covering nothing.

[Urban Meyer]

Just regarding judging on the video. Delete.

[Rob Stone]

Don't judge them on the video. By the way, a big Noon road trip to North Dakota State and sign me up.

[Mark Ingram]

Yes, I'm down because I never been.

[Urban Meyer]

To Any of the great program.

[Rob Stone]

Oh, you've got to hit the Dakota's, man.

[Mark Ingram]

I need to code this.

[Rob Stone]

Oh, it's beautiful. Pack the kids in the station wagon. You hit like those. Oh, man, it's gorgeous. It's gorgeous. Trust me. All right, let's move on here. Temple at number 16, Oklahoma next Friday. The Sooners a 42 1/2 point favorite. How about this little tidbit? First Friday night home game ever at Owen Field. Temple. They have struggled lately. Just 10 wins since 2020. Their defense is in a complete makeover mode. The story at Oklahoma, of course. New quarterback Dylan Gabriel gone. He goes out to the west Coast. Jackson Arnold, a former five star, is QB number one. Oklahoma is going to win this, right? Like that's not the question. But will they cover it? I just think the number's a little too big right now. I don't think Oklahoma covers that. 42 and a half point spread. And Mark, we finish with you two programs that have some, some ties to you. FAU at Michigan State next Friday. Sparty favored by 11 and a half.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, I live down here, Delray Beach, Boca. I mean FAU is right there. Lane Kiffin, when he was there, he showed me love. I went and trained with the team. So I got love for fau. But in my blood I grew up, I had Michigan State bed sheets, I had green bed streets. Cause my dad played in Michigan State, my grandpa played in Michigan State, my mom went to Michigan State. So Sparty Dogs running my blank, running my veins, you know what I mean? And coach Jonathan Smith is his first year. And the Sparties have a great tradition and a great culture and a history of pride. And so they looking to bounce back. And I see it as an opportunity versus FAU week one to go ahead and show that Sparty Dogs are back on the right track. I got them covering the spread in East Lantern. Sparty Dog.

[Rob Stone]

You're not feeling Sparty quite yet, are you?

[Urban Meyer]

No, not at all. And when Mark D'Antonio, they were the best team in the, in the Big Ten. When I first got there, I thought they did the best job of recruiting like Kyle Whittingham, the three, four star guys, and make him NFL draft picks. However. And I love Planer. I mean, those are rugged fans. They share the same hatred of Ann Arbor that you have in Columbus. But what happened there in the last couple of years is beyond belief. At a great place like Michigan State. I think they got an excellent coach, but they're. That's going to take a minute, Mark.

[Rob Stone]

When you say a minute, what is a minute?

[Mark Ingram]

So you have FAU covering.

[Urban Meyer]

I don't know. You know, when you have those big point spreads, I don't know what's the.

[Mark Ingram]

Point and a half?

[Rob Stone]

11 and a half.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah.

[Rob Stone]

They're home. East Lansing, they cover. If you ask me real quick, let's talk about opening week. Week zero is here upon us. What is it that you remember most, Coach? And then I'll go to you, Mark, about week zero or opening week.

[Urban Meyer]

Should I say it's all about the schedule. You know, we played Oklahoma before, early in the season. We played Virginia Tech to start the season. We've had some big ones. But then a lot of times you play teams that you're just far superior and to me, we talked about it early in the show is that I would do as much good on good if we had a soft schedule and then if we had a hard schedule, I'd back that good off good. Because you need two weeks to get those boys ready. You know, their shoulders or his neck, there's knees, the conditioning, their toughness. That's all early in the training camp if you got a big game. It's late in the training camp if you got soft games. So that was, that was what I always remember about week zero, week one.

[Rob Stone]

Coach, if it's a soft game, is it almost like a, a scrimmage type approach?

[Urban Meyer]

I would never say that because your team, you know, I would never say that. But yes, in my mind, I counted that as our first. You know, I wouldn't scrimmage them and no one ever really asked. I think after, you know, my coordinators eventually would know, but I would count that as scrimmages because you're, you can only have so many hits on a body during the course year, especially if you're in a tough conference. And when you have teams like I had a Florida and Ohio State and even Utah, I'm not going to beat them up unless we're, you know, I'm not going to do that. So you want to. I would count the week one week, week zero, one two. It depends on who you're playing as scrimmages.

[Mark Ingram]

Hey, coach, See, that's why, that's why I use a players guy. You took care of your players, coach. We love that. We love when we get taken care of by our coach. Make you run through the brick wall for the coach. That's why they love you, coach. That's why you the man, coach. Yes, sir. That's why you the go coach. No, but I remember, shoot, just the pregame jitters, man, just that week leading up to the games, man, just kind of anxious, kind of jitters. You've been doing all this preparation, the off season, the fourth quarter program, which is called Alabama, the spring football, the summer workouts, running 110 degree heat in the mornings, the max squats, the stadium runs, the one on ones versus Rolando McLan at 260 pounds, picking up pass pro like I can't cut them because it's practice.

[Rob Stone]

But a big vein, dude, you're going.

[Mark Ingram]

Big, veined up, dude, you know what I mean?

[Rob Stone]

But veined up, cat, that's it.

[Mark Ingram]

But no, I just remember the pregame jitters, man, and just wanted to do well, wanting to perform. And you've been working all this time, man, for this moment. So I remember just being ready to roll, ready to put the lights come on. That's when the stars shine, you feel me? That's when you ball. And when you ball, you get the call. And if you get the call, you feel me, you get that, that money. Especially these days. But no, man, I remember those days, man. It's just nothing like it, you know, getting ready for a game and yeah, it's the best.

[Rob Stone]

It's here, man.

[Mark Ingram]

And we didn't play no rinky dinks. Like coach was saying when I was there, we ain't playing no rinky dinks. We had Clemson, who was a top 10 team, Virginia Tech who was a top 10 team. I think we went to Penn State week one. So we ain't play no Rudy.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah, you saved them for a little bit later. When was Citadel on your roster? Roster or your schedule? We had, we had maybe a Georgia.

[Mark Ingram]

Southern, Texas, we had North Texas, we had a Georgia Southern. We had, you know, Tulane, which, you know, I had to come save the day versus Tulane, you know what I mean? But yeah, open the week is fun. Open the week is the best. That's what you do.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah, man, we're so excited, man, and we're so excited that, that you, wherever you're listening to this or watching this, took part in our first ever edition of the triple option. Mark coach, we look forward forward to many, many more of these next week. Dan Lanning, Oregon head coach, is going to join us. Our thanks to Nick Saban for joining us on our first ever edition of the triple option. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel, follow us on Apple Podcast, Spotify or wherever you get your podcast as well as across social media at 3x option show again new episodes drop every single Wednesday. And we want to thank our sponsors. Man, how good have our sponsors been? So many sponsors and we just kind of hit the podcast waves if you will.

[Mark Ingram]

We got the best sponsors. We love sponsors.

[Rob Stone]

NHTSA, BetMGM, ZipRecruiter. Thank you so much for your belief in what we are going to be giving you to our college football fan base out there. College football is back and the triple option is here for all of it.

[Mark Ingram]

And do what Rob said. Lockdown. Like subscribe. Follow I'm on your Get a mark Shut your mouth.