Who is #1? Derrick Henry Joins, Alabama and Texas Fall, and Week 9 Preview

Summary

The Triple Option Podcast Episode Summary

Episode Title: Who is #1? Derrick Henry Joins, Alabama and Texas Fall, and Week 9 Preview
Release Date: October 23, 2024
Hosts: Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram II, Rob Stone
Guest: Derrick Henry (Baltimore Ravens Running Back)

In this engaging episode of "The Triple Option," hosts Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram II, and Rob Stone delve deep into the current state of college football, analyzing team performances, controversial plays, and upcoming matchups. The episode also features a special appearance by NFL star Derrick Henry, who shares insights from his transition to the professional league.

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Indiana University's Remarkable Season

The episode kicks off with a focused discussion on Indiana University's unexpected success this season. Urban Meyer expresses his admiration for Indiana's disciplined play and strategic execution.

• Urban Meyer (02:50):
  "It's very rare when you show up after watching the tape and get there and it's exactly in person what it looked like in tape."

Mark Ingram highlights Indiana's aggressive mentality and the underdog spirit that fuels their performances, despite a roster largely composed of lesser-known players.

• Mark Ingram (05:08):
  "These are guys who have an underdog mentality, who have a chip on their shoulder, who are hungry to prove that... they have everything they need to go ahead and make a run."

The hosts commend Coach Signetti's leadership, which has transformed Indiana into one of the most exciting teams to watch in the Big Ten.

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Texas vs. Georgia: Controversial Call and Its Aftermath

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around the high-stakes game between Texas and Georgia, focusing on a contentious pass interference call that was later reversed.

• Urban Meyer (08:55):
  "It's dangerous. That's not what we want... That's what happened."

Mark Ingram praises the referees for correcting their mistake, acknowledging the rarity and importance of such reversals in maintaining game integrity.

• Mark Ingram (09:58):
  "I appreciate the refs correcting their mistake and getting the call right. But it never happens."

Urban Meyer emphasizes the role of instant replay in ensuring fair play, while also cautioning against scenarios where fan interference could compromise player safety and game outcomes.

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Playoff Rankings and Team Evaluations

The trio delves into the evolving college football playoff rankings, debating which teams truly deserve the top spots based on performance, coaching, and game outcomes.

Mark Ingram (24:50):
"Georgia is the best team in the country because of the wins they have... they went into Austin and dominated that game."

Urban Meyer (28:10):
"Oregon's right there as well... I think there's some conversation out there of who really is the best team in America."

• Final Rankings According to Hosts:
  1. Georgia: Dominant performance against Texas showcases their strength.
  2. Oregon: Resurgence after defeating Ohio State highlights their caliber.
  3. Ohio State: Remaining one of the most talented teams despite challenges.
  4. Penn State: Consistent performance keeps them in contention.
  5. Miami: Strong showing under the spotlight.
  6. Texas: Despite recent setbacks, their foundational strength remains.

The hosts unanimously agree that Georgia currently holds the top position, commending their ability to win even when not playing their best.

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Derrick Henry's Transition to the NFL

A highlight of the episode is the guest appearance of Derrick Henry, who shares his experiences transitioning from college to the NFL and his thoughts on aging in the physically demanding running back position.

• Mark Ingram (45:05):
  "You are a member of the 10,000-yard rushing club... you are a member of the 10K hunted total TD club... the goat himself, the 10K hunter."

Derrick Henry discusses his mindset on longevity in the sport, emphasizing resilience and continuous self-improvement despite challenges related to age.

• Derrick Henry (50:09):
  "I'm going to write my own narrative and work as hard as I can to have success and help my team and do my job the best way I can."

The conversation highlights Henry's impact on the Ravens and the mutual respect he shares with the hosts, particularly Mark Ingram.

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Week 9 Preview and Betting Insights

The hosts provide a comprehensive preview of the upcoming Week 9 games, offering predictions and betting insights based on team performances and statistics.

Key Matchups and Picks:

1. Notre Dame vs. Navy

   • Prediction: Notre Dame wins but doesn't cover the spread.
   • Analysis: Navy's strong defense and high-scoring offense present a challenge, but Notre Dame's defense is formidable.

2. Alabama vs. Missouri

   • Prediction: Alabama bounces back to defeat Missouri.
   • Analysis: Despite recent struggles, Alabama's rich history and talent make them favorites against Missouri's inconsistent performance.

3. Ohio State vs. Nebraska

   • Prediction: Ohio State dominates Nebraska.
   • Analysis: Ohio State's preparation and defense are expected to overpower Nebraska's current form.

4. Penn State vs. Wisconsin

   • Prediction: Penn State covers against Wisconsin.
   • Analysis: Penn State's coaching adjustments and Wisconsin's recent performance under scrutiny.

5. Oregon vs. Illinois

   • Prediction: Oregon secures a solid win over Illinois.
   • Analysis: Although Illinois has shown improvement, Oregon's consistent performance and coaching edge are decisive.

• Mark Ingram (84:42):
  "Georgia is the best team in the country because of the wins they have... they went into Austin and dominated that game."

The hosts also discuss the dynamic nature of rankings and the potential for shifts based on upcoming game performances.

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Community Events and Personal Reflections

Urban Meyer shares heartfelt reflections on his family's battle with cancer and promotes the upcoming 10-year reunion of the Buckeyes' 2014 championship team, supporting the James Cancer Hospital.

• Urban Meyer (93:04):
  "All the money raised will support the Buckeye Cruise for cancer... it's been a blessing from the Lord is here."

Mark Ingram and Rob Stone echo Meyer's sentiments, emphasizing the importance of community support and personal resilience in the face of adversity.

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Conclusion

The episode wraps up with a reminder of upcoming events, sponsor messages, and a heartfelt endorsement of teamwork, resilience, and continuous improvement in both athletics and personal endeavors.

• Mark Ingram (77:12):
  "It does. I still have losses that still... More than that Heisman, more than a national championship, more than being records in the Saints, whatever it may be. I bet I'm like, the bad things haunt you."

The hosts leave listeners with motivational insights on handling losses, the importance of internal drive, and the collective effort required to achieve success in competitive sports.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Mark Ingram (05:08):
  "These are guys who have an underdog mentality, who have a chip on their shoulder..."

• Urban Meyer (08:55):
  "It's dangerous. That's not what we want... That's what happened."

• Mark Ingram (24:50):
  "Georgia is the best team in the country because of the wins they have..."

• Urban Meyer (28:10):
  "Oregon's right there as well... who really is the best team in America."

• Derrick Henry (50:09):
  "I'm going to write my own narrative and work as hard as I can to have success..."

• Urban Meyer (93:04):
  "All the money raised will support the Buckeye Cruise for cancer..."

---

This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and memorable moments from the episode, providing a clear overview for both regular listeners and newcomers.

Transcript

[Mark Ingram]

At least give me an Indy car with an engine in it. Let me drive it 20 to 30ft and pull up like, for real.

[Urban Meyer]

I was worried, Mark, that they're going to have to squeeze squirt some WD40 on you to get you out of that.

[Mark Ingram]

I'm lean machine man. I slid right on in there doing my Ricky Bobby. Help me, Aaron Mar, Help me, Brady Quinn. Help me, Tom Cruise.

[Rob Stone]

Light it.

[Unknown]

And one of the favorite parts, not just doing the triple Option podcast with you guys, but just watching Mark's reaction when the triple option music begins. He might be in a good mood. The Ravens won.

[Mark Ingram]

That's the only team that won. Yeah, we going with the Ravens, baby.

[Unknown]

Into the Ravens right now.

[Mark Ingram]

Yes, sir.

[Unknown]

Hey, welcome to the triple option, presented by Wendy's. Try Wendy's new saucy Nugs. Today we've got a saucy saucy nug story courtesy of Urban, coming up a little bit later. Glad you're here with us. I'm Rob Stone.

[Urban Meyer]

Sure do.

[Unknown]

Couple college football legends with us as always, Urban Meyer and Mark Ingram on this week's show. How about this? Get Mark, you're getting credit for this one. The NFL's leading rusher, Alabama legend Derek Henry, joins us. We have another change atop the rankings, but who really is the top team in college football? Mark's answer, it might surprise slash anger some people in his circle. We're going to look ahead to week number nine, including. Did I just say undefeated Navy? You bet I did. Undefeated Navy, taking on the Irish. And what is it like as a coach, as a player, when you had your tails handed to you on Saturday, what goes on in the mind and the body of that one? We know two guys who don't lose or didn't lose a whole lot that much, but when it did, it certainly stung. So before we get to the triple option, as always, we encourage you to to subscribe to our YouTube channel. Follow us on Apple podcast, Spotify, wherever you get your podcasts as well as across social media at 3X option show. Remember what we we got a rate. Mark Ingram, right? We got to ask questions. We got to follow, we got to share. We got to tell a friend, tell a friend, bring a friend. Make sure your aunt and uncle know new episodes drop every Wednesday. All right, so let's start in. Let's start in the mecca of college football right now. Bloomington, Indiana. Mecca, Indiana. Big noon. Kickoff was there. It was the second time we've ever been in Bloomington. And let's be honest, when we were there, Two years ago, Coach, we were there because Michigan was there. This year, we were there because it was all about Indiana and what is going on in Bloomington right now. It really is an amazing story.

[Urban Meyer]

Amazing story. Much respect. I made the comment on Big Noon, Mark, that a lot of times getting ready to watch these games, I'll start watching video, and after about, you know, a quarter, I can't watch it anymore. It's so bad. The coach bad, the planes bad, the fundamentals.

[Unknown]

That's not Indiana. That's just in general.

[Urban Meyer]

And then I watched Indiana, and it was one of those days. Monday, I watched probably four to five hours of it. I couldn't get enough. And I kept calling our producers at Big Noon and saying, listen, this is one of the best coach teams in the Big Ten and one of the best coach teams in the country. And it's very rare when you show up after watching the tape and you get there and it's exactly in person what it looked like in tape. And so before I hand it to you, Mark, in the first quarter, when they started boat racing Nebraska, I usually sit with everybody, grab something, watch the games. I grabbed security. I said, I want to go stand on the Indiana sideline and see if this is real and markets real. They have very good players, but those very good players are playing great. They have an excellent coaching staff. The communication, they do not make mistakes. The energy, the fundamentals, the hustling on and off the field, it was real. And I got to stand right there and watch Coach Signetti and that team demolish a decent Nebraska team.

[Mark Ingram]

They put a. They put belt to ass for sure. They whooped their tail, Coach. But. But, man, some Mid south wrestling right there stands out to me, is like, belt, wow. Wow. No, Coach Signetti, like we talked about, you know, how well coached they are. And it comes from their head coach. And like, we love how well coached they are. We love how they execute. But to me, it's the edge that they play with, the chip on their shoulder, the aggressiveness that they play with. And that's what stood out to me the most. First drive, they go down, it's fourth and two. You know, some coaches like, okay, let's take points. It's the first drive of the game. He's like, no, we're going for it.

[Unknown]

Go for it.

[Mark Ingram]

Convert fourth and two, score a touchdown, seven points. They even went for the next drive on fourth down. They didn't convert, but they got a turnover when Nebraska was driving in the red zone. So that aggressive mentality, that trip on Their shoulder, that edge that they have. We talked about it on Big Noon. This is a team that has what, 40 players that had zero or three stars.

[Urban Meyer]

Zero stars.

[Unknown]

I think 92% of their roster is comprised of zero or three star dudes.

[Mark Ingram]

Well, I'm like, these are guys who are looked over, who have an underdog mentality, who have a chip on their shoulder, who are hungry to prove that, hey, y'all made mistakes by not looking at us. You have a coach like that, you have players like that. And that's why Indiana special right now.

[Unknown]

Yeah, and those guys are mature. They're not like freshmen, you know, or sophomores. These are dudes who have college football playing. Let's you talk about the start that Indiana had. How about the start, coach, that Big Noon kickoff had this week. So this is one of the things I love because, Mark, I'm not sure everybody pays attention to the Big Noon rundown as much as I do. So, like, there's times when I look at the rundown, I'm like, oh, this is coming. Oh, this is coming. And you guys aren't given this full structure snapshot, right? You guys are given, like, the little highlights of the things you have to hit. So I'm not sure everyone was fully aware of how Mark Ingram rolled. Rolled into Memorial on Saturday. Baby, it was so cool to see.

[Mark Ingram]

Hey, in the Indy car in my fire suit, you know what I mean? I told him, I said, hey, man, if y'all want me to do this, at least give me an indie car with an engine in it. Let me drive it 20 to 30ft and pull up, like, for real. Don't have me out here looking like a child on Christmas with a new toy car wheels. Yeah, two people pushing me. No, next time, drop a real engine in there and let me really drive that thing.

[Urban Meyer]

I was worried, Mark, that they're gonna have to squeeze squirt some WD40 on you to get you of that too.

[Mark Ingram]

Hey, coach, you know I'm lean.

[Urban Meyer]

I've been in one of those things before. That's a tight fit, man.

[Unknown]

Fast.

[Mark Ingram]

I'm lean machine, man. I slid right on in there.

[Unknown]

You looked right at home. And I love how you did the whole A block with the helmet on. You had the visor up, the visor on, the. The flame retardant suit. I totally doing my Ricky Bobby.

[Mark Ingram]

Help me, help me. Bry Quinn. Help Tom Cruise.

[Unknown]

We always urban. Urban was urban. Was offered first dibs at arriving in the Indy car, and he passed because he knew how much you would Nail it, Mark. Right, coach. Or something like that.

[Urban Meyer]

I defer to Deuce Deuce. Anytime those situations show up, it's time.

[Mark Ingram]

For you to get involved. Coach, your turn is coming up.

[Unknown]

It's coming, coach. Maybe this week in Ohio State. Maybe this week. Hey, what did we witness? Another edition of any given Saturday. Another wild day in college football. So the number one team in the land goes down at home. Texas losing to Georgia. Normally that in itself would be the conversation to start us off here on the triple option presented by Wendy's, but it was actually a call reversal and then the behavior of the fans in Austin that is generating much of the conversation right now. Quick snapshot, three minutes left in the third quarter. Carson Beck is picked off. The return takes it all the way down to the Georgia 9. Giving Texas some much needed momentum, getting the crowd back into it. But defensive pass interference called. Crowd didn't like it. I was watching it on the plane right next to Matt Lener. We didn't like it. The fans certainly didn't like it. They littered the field with cans and bottles and they had to clean up this mess. During that time of the cleanup, the referees had a little impromptu meeting and picked up the flag, reversed the call and said it was not pass interference, it was an interception. We'll get to that in a second. Here's Georgia head coach Kirby Smart on everything that went down in the ramifications on that reversal of the call and the fans activities post game.

[Urban Meyer]

I will say that now we've set a precedent that if you throw a bunch of stuff on the field and endanger athletes, that you got a chance to get your call reversed. And that's unfortunate because to me, that's dangerous. That's not what we want and that's not criticizing officials. That's what happened.

[Unknown]

Texas, They've been fined $250,000. The tape is being reviewed to suspend any fan for the rest of the season that participate in it. We saw Steve Sarkeesian coming on the field. You begging the student section. Please, guys, keep it down, keep it down. You know how those things are. One bottle turns into five bottles, into a hundred bottles, into a couple hundred bottles. It only takes one guy to kind of instigate things. But let's talk about the referee picking up the flag.

[Mark Ingram]

We all got it right. He got it right.

[Unknown]

100% they got it right. But should it have gone down that way? And I guess your guys view from a player standpoint and from a coach standpoint, what transpired in that window from the call to the fans, to the overturning mark, I'll start with you as.

[Mark Ingram]

A player who has experienced some bad calls from refs, some atrocious calls from refs, probably the worst ever. I appreciate the refs correcting their mistake and getting the call right. But it never happens.

[Unknown]

And this was not with review. This was a non reviewable call. They weren't going to Mark, you and I, the soccer guys, they, they didn't go to various for this one. They didn't go to the replay. Coach has no idea what the hell VAR is right now. He's like some new band that's going to be on big noon this Saturday. But yeah, it's replay. So this was just the dudes getting together and sorting out.

[Mark Ingram]

They got together because of the action of the fans that had delayed the game. They got together, dude realized, okay, yeah, I messed up. Little impediment flag up. Yeah, I picked the flag up. It never happens. Well, I commend him for making the right call. That never happens. It reminds me of New Orleans NFC championship game. A minute and 30 left to go. We have the most atrocious no call ever. I mean coach, you talk about pass interference, you talk about, you talk about hit on a defensive player, you talk about leading with the crown in your helmet. It was all three of those things. It could have been any of them. And they didn't throw the flag. So I'm thinking New Orleans, we should have threw everything. We had beignets, Marty Grobby's, everything on the field. So they could have picked up the flag and got the car right and we would have been going to the Super Bowl.

[Unknown]

They're throwing hurricanes at you guys in the glasses with the umbrella.

[Mark Ingram]

But I agree with Kirby. Like you can't just endanger players by throwing whatever objects on the field. Obviously there was water bottles and trash, but who knows what could be going on the field and hit somebody and put somebody in danger. But the refs got it right.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, I got a couple thoughts and number one is I was part of the college football for a long time well before instant replay. And you would tear your heart apart when you got the players and everyone out there working their tail off. And a guy that gets paid $300 to work a game back then an official and the game, you lose a game and it happened. I will also say this. The majority of calls, especially at the higher level are correct officials. Because I go back and I did it for 20 years, I would evaluate the officials, I did it myself and turn it in and what I thought were mistakes, I'd go back and say, well, the guy was right. However, there are some egregious mistakes. Instant replay has really helped the game. I know it's in baseball now and other sports. It's really helped the game because that's. That's a criminal activity to me. If you. If a guy that's not involved, I mean, he's not a player, not a coach, and he loses a game for a team. Like, I watched that game with you, Mark, when you're playing in the playoffs. So. But you can't do that. You know, you can't. You can't do something unprecedented where people are throwing things on the field and you rally up. Because right now, if I'm at Ohio State, I make a signal to the fans, dump the field. We'll take the. Was it $250,000?

[Rob Stone]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah. That's a couple sweets.

[Unknown]

That's chump.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, that's. That's a half a suite at the stadium. Change the call. You know, or. So I'm torn. At the end of the day, you want the right call, and I heard Mark say that, but I think if you make a mistake, you live with it. And I. And I do believe that they really have to penalize, and I know they do. The person that made that, you know, coaches, they get fired, players get benched. What happens to the official? And I know there is ramification behind.

[Mark Ingram]

Closed doors, though, you know, like, we never hear about their repercussions. You know, they might get docked on there official grading. They might not be able to do a sec, a conference championship. They might not be able to do a playoff. You know what I mean?

[Unknown]

But the refs are graded, right? They are graded to your point. It affects game assignments, postseason opportunities, compensation level. Will they be invited back next season? But as you mentioned, at least at the college level, these decisions are not out there for the public.

[Urban Meyer]

I will say this too, that I heard Texas is doing the right thing and those. Whoever threw something on the field can't come back in that stadium. I saw that on social media today where they're sending out, they're doing their work. If someone throws something on the field, you're not allowed in that stadium for a year. Whatever. I mean, instantaneous. Get out.

[Unknown]

Hey, coaching people get hurt in this day and age. And these are things I tell my kids. Cameras are everywhere. Yeah, cameras are everywhere. You. Nobody gets away with anything unless, you know, like the Menendez brothers. And we. I have no idea what.

[Mark Ingram]

And they didn't get away with it either.

[Unknown]

Every time I come home, my wife is watching another Mendez Mendez Bro Brothers show. I don't watch them are out there.

[Mark Ingram]

They didn't get away with it, though, Rob.

[Unknown]

Well, I. I know, but then they. True, true, true. But how did I just spin to the Menendez brothers? I apologize. Hold on, Coach. I just want to go back to one thing that you just said real quick. After games, you would evaluate officials and turn it in. Who are you turning that into?

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, I would have the defensive staff and offensive staff, and I do it myself. And you have a. There's actual form. It's a. It's a. That's a process.

[Unknown]

So it's mandatory. Right. These are things that the coaching staff.

[Urban Meyer]

Sure. And you turn it in, and if it's egregious, you have a call with the commissioner. And I've had a couple where it gets very heated, but. And the head of the officiating and there's action taken. Once again, like Mark said, it's not public normally. I think. I think. I think conferences do come out. So we made a mistake.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

However, once again. Once again, I'm okay. So you made a mistake. So, yeah, there's a very clean process that you do.

[Unknown]

Can we talk about the game and what transpired?

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

Okay, let's go there, because I had a couple of notes I was writing down while I was watching this 1. Georgia up 23 Nothing at the half in Austin, 39 yards of Texas offense at the half. I'm watching this mark as it unfolds in the first half. I'm like, oh, this is a total reversal of that Georgia Bama game where Bama jumped on Georgia and then Georgia has the big comeback. Not enough. I'm like, oh, boy, Georgia's jumping all over Texas.

[Mark Ingram]

On the road, on the road, in the house.

[Unknown]

Watch out for that second half. ETN and that offensive line absolutely dominated things. Quinn Ewers, The Texas quarterback, 6 of 12 for 17 yards and an interception in the first half. 6 of 12, 17 yards in interception. And what happened? Pulled him, man. When he. When they pulled him and put Arch Manning in, I was like, I'm writing all these notes on my phone and my laptop. I'm like, okay, Sark just created a quarterback controversy. I'm fascinated, Coach, if you've ever been in a situation like that and how you manage the communication, because as me, as a layman, I'm saying to myself, Sark had to know what he was creating in that moment. He needed a spark desperately. And I sit there and I go, I hope Pete spoke to both guys saying, quinn, we just gotta try something. You're coming back. Unless something really, really works. Arch, get in there. We need a spark. But the man management at that moment, Coach fascinated me.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, I think these discussions are had well in advance. I mean, it's life in the big city, you know, whether you're right guard, quarterback, safety or corner, if you are not playing well at places like Texas, Ohio State, Alabama, there's quality people behind you. And if Mark Ingram's not playing good, you got a cat behind him, he's going in. I would tell the quarterback same thing. And I would tell the team the same thing. You know that. So there's. I don't, I don't need. The media will make it bigger than it is in locker room. If you're not performing well as a punter, I'm going to take you out and put the other punter in. And I explained that, you know, that those are conversations had well before the first half of the Georgia game. So.

[Unknown]

But, but in the moment, coach does. There doesn't need to be a refresher conversation, if you will, like, you know, put.

[Mark Ingram]

We don't have any points on the board. Stoner.

[Unknown]

I'm agreeing. I. I thought it was the right call, but it was also opening up a potential Pandora's box.

[Urban Meyer]

I think that's bigger story for us and for, you know, Austin. Austin news stations or whatever, you know, but it happened.

[Mark Ingram]

It happened in the national championship game with Alabama with TUA and Jalen hurts. We're not having any points. Georgia's up, they put TUA in, we end up winning the game. You know, it didn't happen that way for Texas, but. And what coach says, these things happen, you know, if you're not performing to the standard, if you're not giving the team the best chance to win, the coach sometimes has to make a tough decision and shoot. You know that. You know that as a player, even if it's not discussed, if I'm not performing the way I need to perform, if I'm not the best chance for this team to win, then probably something's going to happen about it. And that's essentially what happened. At what point in the game did that happen?

[Unknown]

Stoner late second quarter. And Arch, they jumped on him. They pounced on him. His first pass was in the dirt. There was that. I think it was a fumble as well. So it was. It was kind of the theme, right? The Georgia, the Georgia, no matter who the quarterback was. Offensive line or defensive line, they were coming at you and they were winning.

[Mark Ingram]

Just think Stoner, though, we talk about this game, Carson Beck had three interceptions. It's not like he even played his best game.

[Unknown]

Not even close.

[Mark Ingram]

It was truly the trenches of Georgia that won the game for them, 100%. You have. Yeah, you have. Jalen Walker, he had three sacks. Mikael Williams, he had two sacks. The defense had seven sacks as a unit. And then it was just the two fronts, man. It was just. They went into Austin and they dominated the trenches team.

[Unknown]

They smacked him that first half. Smacked him.

[Mark Ingram]

We the team who we thought was the most complete team in the nation, the number one team team in the nation, they went in there and neutralized the team, made them look pedestrian on their home field. So that just kudos to Georgia and Kermit Smart coming in and being ready, being prepared for a game. I said it on Big Noon that I wouldn't be surprised if they went in there and they won out, right? Just because they was going to go in there with a must win mentality. And the type of players that they have, they've been big game ready, and they went in there and they did it.

[Urban Meyer]

So, yeah, I've been on Georgia.

[Mark Ingram]

All the Georgia fans was mad at me last week, you know what I mean? Because I said I wanted to box, Kirby, you know what I mean? But I'll give y'all kudos, man. Where when y'all put in that work.

[Urban Meyer]

I was on that Texas bandwagon for a while. That was the most dominant performance I've seen in quite a while. And I know Alabama's was the first half and all that, but this one at Texas, I thought the legitimate number one team in the country, and they just. They ripped them apart.

[Rob Stone]

Light it.

[Unknown]

You've had Wendy's nugs dipped in sauce, right? Mark, you've had the Wendy Nuggs I've had. All right. But Mark, I ask you, have you had them covered in sauce? Wendy's new saucy nugs. Take the crispy and spicy nugs that I know you love. And you know what they turn them up to? They turn them up to 11, Mark.

[Mark Ingram]

Oh, more than 10?

[Unknown]

More than 10?

[Mark Ingram]

Choose between flavors, like buffalo honey barbecue, garlic parm, or if you're a real heat seeker, try spicy ghost pepper. Only on Whitney's signature spicy nugs. I dare you. That's seven delicious ways to try the nugs you already love.

[Unknown]

Are you man enough to try the spicy ghost pepper, by the way? Do you think you could pull that off.

[Mark Ingram]

That's not for me. I'm the honey barbecue type guy.

[Unknown]

Yeah, I can do the peppers, pick a flavor, grab some extra napkins and then go back and get a few more napkins and prepare to nugget. Apparently the word nug is a verb now. So Mark, prepare to nug like you've never nugged before. For a whole new way to nug. It's gotta be Wendy's at participating us Wendy's. Keep on nugging America.

[Mark Ingram]

Nug City.

[Unknown]

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[Urban Meyer]

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[Unknown]

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[Urban Meyer]

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[Unknown]

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[Rob Stone]

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[Urban Meyer]

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[Rob Stone]

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[Mark Ingram]

Shop Black Friday deals first with Walmart.

[Unknown]

Plus see [e-mail] Coach I love it when you give me a segue into our next conversation. We're going to talk about number one. We're going to talk about it with just a little quick playoff reminder. Okay, we're about halfway through the season. Again. 12 teams make the playoffs this year. That includes the five highest ranked conference champs fall by the next seven highest ranked teams in the country. Fourth highest ranked conference champs. Remember, they get that first round by and then five through eight teams host those first round games. We're going to get to that much, much later. Probably next month we'll really start digging into that. But this season at this moment. Here's your 12 playoff teams. All right, Oregon, Georgia, Miami, Ohio State. Those are the teams with the buys. Boise State there as well. Penn State, Ohio State, Texas, Tennessee, LSU, Clemson, BYU. Okay, that's just a quick snapshot. On Monday, the AP poll elevated Oregon guys up to number one. Okay, so the fourth different program this season to be number one. That is the most since four teams were number one back in 2014, a decade ago. College Football Playoff committee, in about two weeks time is going to hand out our first little assessment, our first look at the playoff grid. It got me thinking as this was happening, I'm saying to myself, 100% Oregon is going to be number one in the AP poll. But are they the number one team in the nation? Right, Because I think there's some. I know there's some conversation out there of who really is the best team in America. Put aside the preseason rankings. Put aside everything. So I said, you know what? Let's ask Mark, let's ask Urban who their top five teams in the country are right now. And we're looking at resume, coach. We're looking at schedule. We're looking at what you have done for me. Okay? So the number one team, the best team in the country right now, Mark, go make some people in the Peachtree State happy.

[Mark Ingram]

Georgia. Sing it, Georgia. Sing it, Georgia. We just spoke about it.

[Unknown]

I can't believe you just did that. There are folks in Alabama right now losing their mind market.

[Mark Ingram]

They should be losing their mind about what's going on in Tuscaloosa and not opposed to losing their mind about what I'm saying. Because we got way bigger issues than me saying Georgia is the best team in the country right now.

[Unknown]

We'll get to that in a second.

[Mark Ingram]

You know what I mean? But, yes, Oregon, yes, you could easily say and justify why they would be ranked number one. Yeah, they beat Ohio State. Who we thought is the. Who we still think is the most talented team in the country. Who we still think is one of the best teams in the country. But Georgia, the way they went into. The way they went into Austin and dominated a Texas football team who we all thought was the most complete team in the nation when their quarterback didn't have his best game. It says a lot to me. It says that this team could win when it's ugly. This team could win strength purely off the strength of their offensive line, D line, their running game, their pass rush, their ability to dominate in the trenches. They could win strictly off of that. Their quarterback, Carson Beck, who we all think is One of the best QBs in the country. He threw three interceptions, no touchdowns. So he wasn't really a huge factor in the game. Yes, he did make some great completions, did move the chains, did have some good completions, but he was not the difference maker. Who he couldn't be who he can be. They went into Austin and dominated that game. So I think Georgia right now is the best team in the country because of the wins they had. They beat a Clemson team who was currently winked number nine. Everyone wrote Clemson off after they beat him in week one. They, they made Clemson look so bad. Everybody wrote Clemson off like Clemson is done. No, now Clemson looks a lot better than, than everybody thought.

[Unknown]

Clemson looks like a playoff team right now.

[Mark Ingram]

Yes, they're number nine. You know, they're on a collision course with Miami and then you're on the road beat the number one team in the country. They have a loss to Alabama who had to play out of their freaking mind in the first half and they were still up at the end of that game. So this Georgia team is still finding ways to put, put it together. They're not playing their best football and they're still winning and they're still dominating. I, I chose them to win the national championship earlier in the week on big new Kickoff and right now I look like a pretty damn good analyst. But they're the number one team in the country right now in my book.

[Urban Meyer]

All right, you ready for mine? I'm going to go, I'm going to go to me and I think this is very slippery slope that the entire college football community voters have to watch. You have, you have to give great value to who you beat because the non conference games are going to be awful unless you do that. Ohio State played a, you know, really poor non conference. Other teams have played no. 1. You know I'm looking Penn State. No, they did play out West Virginia. If we want to keep encouraging value games early. You have and I always have. Who have you beaten? And I'm, I have one A, one B but I'm going to go the dogs number one in Oregon. Number two. Just because the Dogs played Clemson. They, they got lost Alabama but they went on the road and beat. I thought the number one team in the country, Oregon, they beat him at home and it could have went either way at the end. So Oregon's right there as well. I got Ohio State third. But the Dogs to me to do what you did there has got to be great value in that and I think so much value in that that they're the number one team in the country.

[Unknown]

So both you guys agree? Georgia the best team in the nation. I agree as well. Remember there, there was that narrative, starting with the comeback they had in the second half in Tuscaloosa where there was that belief like, hey man, Georgia came out of this better than Alabama did, even though they got tagged with the loss.

[Mark Ingram]

So quite frankly, Stoner, Yes, Georgia has been on the up since that second half.

[Unknown]

Agreed.

[Mark Ingram]

Bama has been on the down since that second half.

[Unknown]

Well, and this is kind of say.

[Mark Ingram]

That they kind of exposed us because we've had two losses in the last three games since plenty of people have.

[Unknown]

Been exposing you guys this year. So we, we all agree.

[Mark Ingram]

Relax, relax. We don't need all that.

[Unknown]

I'm just piling. This is the. It's the inner Vanderbilt in me. By the way, by the way, the state of Tennessee 2&O versus Alabama this year, Tennessee and Vanderbilt. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. That came out of nowhere. I didn't mean to do that to you, Mark. So we all agree. All three of us agree. Right now. Right now, looking at everything that has transpired so far, Georgia is the best team in the nation. Coach, you say number two is Oregon, number three is Ohio State. Ohio State's only test out to Austin, falling by at one point because they needed one more second left on the clock. Mark.

[Mark Ingram]

And that today on October 22nd.

[Unknown]

Correct.

[Mark Ingram]

It could change on the 27th very soon. But today on October 22nd, it could.

[Unknown]

Change on our flight home Saturday. All right, so Mark, who's two and three for you? You've got Georgia at one.

[Mark Ingram]

I got. I got the Ducks, Oregon at two.

[Unknown]

So you guys, one and two.

[Mark Ingram]

Yep. They had an impressive win. You talk about the quality of wins. They don't have many. They almost lost to Boise.

[Unknown]

Smack Purdue Friday night getting that road home shutout.

[Mark Ingram]

Oh, straight belt to, you know, belt south wrestling.

[Unknown]

Belt to ass.

[Mark Ingram]

No, but I got, I got the Ducks, man, just because of what they were able to do at Ohio State. I mean, with Ohio State coming home, obviously that game could went either way, but they found a way to get the win and so I gotta give them that because I think that was the most. The second most impressive win of the season after Georgia beating Texas. So I got the ducks at 2. I got Ohio State at 3. I still like Ohio State a lot. I still like the Bucks. We gonna be up there in Columbus and they will have their say. They will have their say. They will have their say.

[Unknown]

Oregon week's time. They're at Penn State.

[Mark Ingram]

They will have their say. So I'm gonna leave them at 3 and then 4. Who do I have.

[Unknown]

Before I know who you have it for?

[Mark Ingram]

Texas. I have Texas. I have Texas at four. I've texted at four because they just lost. They were number one, just lost two. Who we think, who I think right now on October 22nd is the best team in the country. So we can't punch them too bad. Drop them down to four, go from one to four, you drop three spots. I think that's fair.

[Unknown]

Yeah. So this is where things get, this is where things get interesting. I want, I want to get coaches number four first, Mark. And then, and then this whole four, five, six, six mix gets, gets interesting. So Mark, you've got Texas at 4. Coach, who do you have it for?

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, I want to add this too because I think this needs to at some point as this playoff thing continues to grow. Jimmy Johnson in the NFL draft, he provided value for each pick. The number one pick versus the fifth pick versus the second round second pick. I think there has to be some kind of numerical value assigned and they. All the conferences get together and when you go beat Texas at Texas, that is worth 36 points. When you go beat a team that has not one player that could play on your squad, that's a zero that you get no points for that.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

And I think that's just going to not only encourage, but you have to play good people or college football is going to take a major hit. So I'm going to, I'm going to go on record. That has to happen.

[Unknown]

And remember the, the sec, Big Ten had those, had those meetings a couple of weeks ago. I think that was one of the main things in mind. You know, a lot of other factors but schedule, you know, getting sec, Big Ten teams to meet non conference schedule early in the campaign.

[Urban Meyer]

But if there's no value, Rob, we've seen that. If there's no value, just play an awful schedule, find a way to get in the playoff and all that, you know, I think disagree with that. That can't happen. And, and so someone's gonna. And I know Ohio State's got, I believe Texas and Alabama coming up in the next four years. But you know, whoever made that schedule this time around, it, it should be zeros. You don't get any, you don't get any value for that. Where Georgia played Clemson and then all of a sudden. So I, I think that's. And then that's why my number Four and five. I have Penn State, Miami and I have a real struggle with that, you know, at West Virginia though is a decent win. It turns out it wasn't that great a win, but I think that's, that's.

[Unknown]

Not bad scheduling a win at USC for Penn State.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, but if Miami Hurricanes ought to be playing the top 10 team every year. Yeah, it's Miami Hurricanes.

[Unknown]

Well, they're supposed to be playing Florida State which is supposed to be a top 10 team.

[Mark Ingram]

They're in the ACC which is.

[Urban Meyer]

That's conference. That's conference though, Rob. I'm talking. There needs to be.

[Unknown]

You have to go out of conference.

[Urban Meyer]

Yes, you have to or you get penalized big time.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, they haven't played nobody at all. But they do have Cam. Oh, Cam.

[Unknown]

Hey, you're talking to Cam Ward this week, aren't you? On forbidden.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, I'm going down to corgate to pull up on my boy Cam Ward. And just off of that strength I'm putting them at 5 just cause of Cam Ward only. And I'm gonna leave Penn State at 6 just because they will have their say. So I can leave them at six because they will have their say, they will have their champs, they will have their time and if they do, then they will move up themselves, they will force themselves up. They tricky time is coming.

[Unknown]

Tricky test for Penn State at Wisconsin this week. We're going to talk about that a little bit.

[Mark Ingram]

Might be a look ahead game. Might be a game.

[Unknown]

They host Ohio State live on Fox. So Mark, Georgia better be careful.

[Mark Ingram]

Nitty Lyons better be careful going into.

[Unknown]

Camp Randall, Ohio State, Texas, Miami, then at 60 of Penn State coach Georgia at 1, Oregon at 2, Buckeyes at 3, Penn State at 4. Then talk me real fast through 5 and 6.

[Urban Meyer]

I got Miami, Texas and I'm not comfortable with it. That's going to change so many times.

[Unknown]

Are you comfortable with four, five and six, right? Like one through three. I think you were all good at six.

[Mark Ingram]

You could be at six. You could put five different teams. You could put Tennessee, lsu, Clemson, LSU has A and M coming up. They win that game.

[Unknown]

Give Iowa State some love, give BYU some love. Why not?

[Mark Ingram]

Sure, why not? That's why I don't love it at six. You could, hey, roll the dice. Blindfold me, let me throw a dart at one of them like at number six. Like.

[Unknown]

Some additional national title odds courtesy of our good friends at BetMGM. They see it almost the way we see it. We see it pretty much as a three team race currently they look at as a four team race. Georgia's their favorite plus 350. Ohio State plus 450. Texas and Oregon tied at plus 500. And then a big drop. Penn State sitting there at plus 1400. So again you guys all agree Georgia, Oregon, Ohio State, 1, 2, 3 in our the triple option. Look at the top of the rankings. All right, now the best of the rest resumes brought to you by our great friends at ZipRecruiter. Try ZipRecruiter for free. You just have to go to ZipRecruiter.com put that slash in and type in option ZipRecruiter. The smartest way to hire. So the best of the rest resumes brought to you by ZipRecruiter.com Coach, there's a team that you used to coach that has one loss that is still somehow lurking in the mix. The Irish.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, they had a catastrophic, catastrophic loss to North Illinois. But you know, they're getting better. I still don't know enough about them. I've watched them. When you see their schedule, it's, it's just okay. You know, they got an undefeated Navy. But you know, I always looked at. There's not one player on Navy's team that got recruited by Notre Dame. And so you know that I put them there. It's a team to watch. They're not going to be challenged until. Well, they did. They beat A and M, they beat L and M and they beat Louisville. But they had a catastrophic loss. So I'm putting Notre Dame as a team to watch that I think will for sure get in the playoff with their schedule. I know they have your top about Notre Dame. Quality players, quality. Coach, I'm picking Notre Dame as a team to watch.

[Mark Ingram]

Coach, can you imagine is currently in.

[Unknown]

If they didn't have that home loss to Northern Illinois? Oh sure, we're talking. They'd be at 5, right. They would be in that mix with, with the Miami and the Penn States. An underdog.

[Mark Ingram]

Notre Dame's currently in. Coach, you gotta pick somebody on the outside.

[Unknown]

I, I'm with coach, though. They're still outside. Cause nobody's really talking about them right now. Yeah, but they're, they're 12.

[Mark Ingram]

They're in.

[Unknown]

It's a, it's a 12 with a, with a, a number attached to it. I think they're, they're saddled. All right, Mark, give, give me another team.

[Mark Ingram]

Actually, they're actually, they're out. Right. Because Boise would be in as the group of five leader right now. So actually you're right, coach. My fault. I apologize.

[Unknown]

Irving jumping on coach over there. He jumped all over on you, coach. All right, give me another, Mark. Give me another team that's out right now that. That might be in you.

[Mark Ingram]

We just talked about them, that team out there in Bloomington.

[Unknown]

Hold on, Mark. Get to Indiana.

[Mark Ingram]

Who's ours?

[Rob Stone]

Who?

[Urban Meyer]

Who? Who?

[Mark Ingram]

Who's ours? Who's your daddy over there in Bloomington. Who's your daddy? Man, we talked about Indiana and what they could do. Man. Coach Signetti has this has a team playing at a high level. They're exciting to watch it film.

[Unknown]

Now.

[Mark Ingram]

We talked about Curtis Rourke with the thumb injury.

[Unknown]

Thumb surgery.

[Mark Ingram]

Thumb surgery. Out for a few weeks.

[Unknown]

Well, now they're saying like they're playing this game really good. I like it. Mark, they said that he looks like he's going to be out for this weekend for the Washington game, but he might get back. I think it's for the Michigan State game. And again, remember, remember Indiana, Mark. They are favored in every game up until their trip to take on the Buckeyes. They would be 10 and 0 going into Columbus.

[Mark Ingram]

Yes. Wow, that's. That's crazy. And I like them. I like them. They have a true opportunity to be undefeated going to that game. And that would be a big noon game, you know what I mean? On our air. But now they have Taven Jackson. He came in, he did good in his backup duty. Seven for eight, only one incompletion, two touchdowns. So now he has to take the reins. Now he has to prepare to be the starter for the next few games because this team is a team that has everything they need to be coaching players, execution, the chip, the hunger. They have everything they need to go ahead and make a run. So as I'm looking at on the teams on the outside looking in, Indiana controls their destiny. But the quarterback situation is something to very keep an eye on.

[Unknown]

I'm going to throw one program out there, Texas A&M, 6 and 1. They held firm at number 14 in the AP poll this week. They have a big one at home, number eight, lsu. This week on the road at South Carolina. They still have Texas as well. They have a win over rank Mizzou. Their lone loss to Notre Dame. Watch out for Texas A and M and notably missing Mark. You get to chime in here in a second, Alabama, who lost to Tennessee this weekend. The loss marks the first time the tide have lost two SEC games before November since 2006, the year before Nick Saban was the head coach. And that is your saucy Nug of the week. Try some at your nearest Wendy's. So, Mark, what is going on? Give me a brief synopsis of what's going on in Tuscaloosa.

[Mark Ingram]

Okay. Brief, right, Brief.

[Rob Stone]

Okay.

[Mark Ingram]

Because we can go on a whole.

[Unknown]

Synopsis, but I know you can.

[Mark Ingram]

The brief synopsis is they don't deserve to win. They're not playing winning football. When you give up penalties consistently, they gave a lot of penalties at Vanderbilt. Then you go on the road at Tennessee giving up penalties. You go on the road at Vandy, they run down the ball down your throat and make you like it. You go on the road at Tennessee, they run the ball down your throat and make you like it. You turn the football over on offense in the red zone. You can't run the football on offense. You can't stop the run on defense. Like, these are all things that are glaring issues for the Alabama Crimson Tire right now. And then my. While I say this, the defense played well enough to win that game. They had to get two stops towards the end of that game to get the ball back to the offense to go ahead and have a chance to win. We get into a third and five situation. Tennessee's barking at our player. He. He pushes them in the face. We get a personal foul penalty. Now it's 4th and 20 plus. You don't have nothing in the playbook for that, Coach. You don't have nothing in the playbook for that. Then the defense gets the ball back to you again. A minute and some change left to go down, try and score interception. First play. This team is not. They don't know how to win. In order to learn how to win, you must know what keeps you from losing. In order to learn how to win, you must know what. What makes you lose. And right now, they're playing losing football. Discipline, penalties, turnovers, physicality at the line of scrimmage, all these things are glaring issues for the Crimson Tide. And they just got to get together, man. They got to get together. Because if they don't, they go to the Death Valley, too. They got. They got Mizzou coming at home. They go to Death Valley, this thing could get solid.

[Unknown]

They got those Barners. They got the Barners.

[Mark Ingram]

They got the Barners. Now if they do what they do, handle their business, they might have a shot. You know what I mean? They still have a shot. They have the talent. They have the team. But they are not executing. They are not playing winning football. So that is the bottom line.

[Unknown]

That Bama conversation was triggered by your Wendy's saucy nug of the week. You know.

[Mark Ingram]

Sheesh.

[Unknown]

You know, you know what I like? I like bonus Wendy saucy nugs, particularly when they're served up hot and fresh from coach. Coach has got ourselves a bonus saucy nug. I love this.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

How about I'm in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and my awesome daughter Nikki and her kids, she watches our podcast every week.

[Unknown]

Shout out to Nikki.

[Urban Meyer]

And so Nikki made it very clear that the other day she's driving. They're listening. She makes them listen as she picks up up from school. Nikki, we love over the headsets and your saucy nugs came up. And as then they're driving by Wendy. She pulls in. They ordered. She never had them. She ordered them. The kids blew up. It's a daily routine now for Wendy's. So that is a saucy Nicky Meyer, Dennis nugget of the week.

[Mark Ingram]

Nikki Meyer, Dennis. We lay.

[Unknown]

Hey, all that is is good parenting.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Unknown]

Coming up next, we are joined by Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry.

[Rob Stone]

Light it.

[Unknown]

Well, as you all know by now, we have teamed up with our great friends at BetMGM this season, and we're going to be using BetMGM lines to make all of our picks. We'll also have special offers for our listeners each week. Mark, you're listening, right? You're listening to this?

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, I'm listening.

[Unknown]

Pay attention. Pay attention. All right, so if you haven't signed up for BetMGM yet, we urge you to use the bonus code option or go to betmgm.com option and you will get up to $1500. First bet offer. Mark on your first wager with BetMGM, we're talking 1500 bucks, mark.

[Mark Ingram]

1500. But here's how it works. Download the BetMGM app and sign up using bonus code option. Deposit at least $10 and place your first wager on any game. You'll receive up to $1,500 in bonus bets if your bet loses. Just make sure you use bonus code option when you sign up. Or go to betmgm.com backslash option.

[Unknown]

It's all about the option, Mark.

[Mark Ingram]

It's all about the option, especially the triple option.

[Unknown]

C betmgm.com for terms 21 + only US promotional offers. Not available in New York, Nevada, Ontario or Puerto rico. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER available in the U.S. call 877-8-HOPE NY or text Hopeny 467-369 New York Call 1-800- NEXT STEP Arizona 1-800-32-75050 in Massachusetts. 1,800 bets off in Iowa. 1,800-981-0023 in Puerto Rico. First bet offer for new customers only. Subject to eligibility requirements. Rewards are non withdrawable bonus bets that expire in seven days. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. This episode is brought to you by Allstate. Some people just know they could save.

[Mark Ingram]

Hundreds on car insurance by checking Allstate First. Like, you know to check the date of the big game first before you.

[Unknown]

Accidentally buy tickets on your 20th wedding anniversary and have to spend the next 20 years of your marriage making up for it.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, checking first is smart.

[Unknown]

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[Mark Ingram]

That could save you hundreds.

[Unknown]

You're in good hands with Allstate Savings. Vary terms apply. Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates, Northbrook, Illinois.

[Rob Stone]

Stoner.

[Mark Ingram]

Always is the intro guy. The best host in the land. But I had to do the honor today, man. It's my boy, King Henry. The man, the myth, the legend, the Heisman, the high school phenom, the everything, Mr. Everything, Mr. All world. New to the 10k club. The best running back in Alabama history. The goat himself, the 10K hunter. Newest member, Derek King Harry in the flesh. Yes, sir. On the triple option podcast.

[Rob Stone]

Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

[Mark Ingram]

My boy had to pull up on us and I had to. Hey, this is my boy, Rob Stone right here. The best host in the land. He done done every sport that you need to know, from PBA to FIFA World cup to Wiffle ball to air hockey to the big noon kickoff. He the greatest in the.

[Unknown]

Come on, man. I just want to hear from you.

[Mark Ingram]

I'm just so happy to be surrounded by greatness right here.

[Rob Stone]

He ain't did pickleball yet. He ain't got pickleball.

[Unknown]

Give me time, man. Give me time. Give me time. Let's not rush things. You want. That sounds like a challenge. By the way, you want a piece of me at the pickleball court, Derek?

[Rob Stone]

Oh, no, I ain't good in the pickleball. But he didn't name it. All the stuff. Like he had to do pickleball. He ain't do pickleball yet. That's a new thing now, once Fox.

[Unknown]

Acquires the rights, I'll pick that one up for you, man.

[Rob Stone]

Okay.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, man. Fresh off a big night for my dog. 15 for 169. Got a tutty, a recept back. Versatility, man. How you feeling, man? How you feeling right now?

[Rob Stone]

Feel great. That's a great team win. It's A good team who's been balling and glad that we was able to put it all together to get a win. So, yeah, I'm feeling great. Got another one this Sunday, division game against the Cleveland Browns. So crit to have some momentum going to the week. Going to the division game for sure.

[Mark Ingram]

So we see you in the facility, man, what's going on for the King? The day after running people over and outrunning people and stiff arming and.

[Unknown]

He didn't outrun everybody, by the way. Didn't outrun everybody.

[Rob Stone]

I know, man. I did, I did.

[Mark Ingram]

I didn't, bro. Just. I know you. You the King, bro, but, like, give yourself a little break. The man is 190 pounds. He run 4:3. And he. As soon as you busted out, pause, he. He just went straight for the pylon, bro. He just went straight for the pylon. All I could have told you was when you seen him trying to. You could have went back inside. I ain't see him.

[Rob Stone]

That's the thing about. I ain't even see him. It was like. I was like, I don't know. Because his jersey was. I don't know. I ain't even see him. I ain't even see him.

[Mark Ingram]

Because he got up on you quick and, like, hit you in the hip. I'm like, oh, you should have, like, leaked him back inside.

[Rob Stone]

I know I didn't. I probably should have cut crossfield. I would have. Cause once I broke, I'm looking at the end zone. I ain't looking at nothing else. But I should have looked to see if anybody was trailing. And I could have probably cut across the middle of the field and made a mess and score. But, you know, that's for another time. We'll get another opportunity.

[Unknown]

And we saw your comment about getting chased down there and you were frustrated at yourself, saying, man, I gotta get back out to the track and work on that breakaway speed. Are you being serious here?

[Rob Stone]

No. I mean, I make jokes of myself, you know, you gotta have some fun to the whole situation. You know, a lot of boys on the team has messaged with me about that. But, you know, me being from Florida hurt my pride a little bit. But, you know, it just. It just a little laughing moment, joking with myself. I'm not serious. I'm 30 years old and I'm still hitting 21 at 30 years old.

[Mark Ingram]

And I take, hey, man, forget them people, man. Hey, it's how you feel, dog. And you toting that thing better than anybody in the league right now. So how does that even feel, bro? Because when they. When they. When you turn 30, they just. They just suppose like you're gonna fall off. How did that feel, bro? Coming from Tennessee last year, went for 1100 yards and 12 TDs just last year. And these people talking about, he 30, he gonna be old, he ain't gonna be the same. Like, what. What's that about, bro? What that made you feel like, bro?

[Rob Stone]

Yeah, really. I just wanted an opportunity. I knew I still had a lot left in the tank. And then being a free agent, just seeing who was interested, and I wanted to be Baltimore. There was Baltimore. It was not the Cowboys. The Cowboys were. If Baltimore wasn't interested, then, you know, that'd be another good spot to go to because I live in Dallas. There's been so much talks about I won't go to the Cowboys. That's where I wanted to be. You know, I wanted to be here in Baltimore, and thank God it happened. But now being 30 years old in opposition, you know, that comes. That stigma is always going to be on a running back position, no matter who you are, just because that's the nature of the game as far as age and, you know, the position. But I don't focus on that. I know I can still play at a high level and, you know, thank God I made it to play this long, you know, been trending in the right direction, you know, so far this season.

[Unknown]

Why is 30 that magic number for running backs?

[Rob Stone]

I don't know. You know, it's just the statistics of the. The position, and especially guys who has success early, who get a lot of carries and they have a lot of mileage. And then once you get. Get up to that age, then, you know, you kind of see, you know, a little fall off as you creep into, you know, the 30s, the 31s. But there's been some guys who've had success, but it's not, you know, it's not a lot of guys that had that much success. But, I mean, I understand it, but I don't accept it. So I'm gonna write my own narrative and work as hard as I can to have success and help my team and do my job the best way I can.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, you are doing that. You doing that. Cause not only do you got one MVP on the Ravens, for the conversation, it's two. And I argue it's Lamar and Dee Henry, one and two. You challenging L. Jack El Freaky man to the. To the MVP right now?

[Rob Stone]

No, I think it's Els. I mean, I don't Think there's no question, you know who's number one MVP right now? The guy is playing better than he was when he won his first and second. So it shouldn't be no question, man. This guy's unbelievable, man. And you know, being his teammate, you know, it just like, just.

[Mark Ingram]

He different, right?

[Rob Stone]

He different.

[Unknown]

What's different? What's different about him?

[Rob Stone]

He is one on one for sure. He is one on one for sure.

[Unknown]

What makes him one of one? What makes him different? I know Mark, you felt that way for, for years, but what have you seen in over the next months?

[Rob Stone]

I'm like seeing Mark and when Mark we said how hard used to go for L and you know, the energy Mark had when he was here. I see it not being here now. L. Just a great teammate, man. And you know, it's so much. I wouldn't say so much hate, but people doubt him so much, you know. Cause you know his style of play and you know, you know him winning MVPs and the playoff stuff, man, El is a dog, man. He's one on one, one of the greatest quarterbacks to play this game. And we chasing something and we all know what we chasing. And we know we gotta keep working and getting better throughout the season to get to where we want to go. But you know, he works hard at practice. He's a leader. He demands excellence from his team, from his teammates. You know, he communicates what he wants and it just shows on game days when you go out there and plays. Dude is electric in every single way.

[Mark Ingram]

For sure, man. I'm proud of you, dawg. Because I remember, I remember about your rookie year, man, you caught, we spoke, man, you was frustrated with just how things was going. I was like, hey man, just control what you can control. Stay focused, stay locked in, keep working and be ready for your opportunity. And you did more than that because now one of the few guys to reach 10,000 rushing yards, man, you coming up on a hundred rushing TDs. You got 100 total. So you, you are a member of the 10K hunted total TD club, coming up on 100 rushing. But what does that mean to you to be a part of a 10,000 yard Russian club, Something that only the elites, some of the greatest ever, that have done it.

[Rob Stone]

Well before that, man. You know, I was thinking about that the other day. You know, that meant a lot to me for you to do that, for me, to take your time out, to give me advice and, you know, be that big brother that I, that I needed in those times. And I Never forget that and will always appreciate that, you know. You know, I looked up to you even going to Alabama, and then you have success in the league, and, you know, you taking your time out, your day, you know, you got a family to, you know, make sure my head was on straight. And, you know, still to this day, you know, I think about those times, man, because that's molded to me. That molded me to where I am today and to get to this point in my career and reach those milestones, man, and without those conversations, you know, I had with you and, you know, Coach Burns and many others, you know, I wouldn't be where I am today. So I appreciate it all. And, you know, I had a lot of great teammates and coaches that helped me accomplish, you know, these milestones. And, yeah, I'm just thankful, bro.

[Mark Ingram]

Well, I appreciate you, dog. Shoot. You had the same impact on me. And that's the brotherhood of the tie. They don't know about that.

[Rob Stone]

That's the Tide, man.

[Mark Ingram]

That's the brotherhood, man.

[Rob Stone]

You set the standard, though. You set the standard.

[Mark Ingram]

Hey, man, on and off the field, I appreciate you. But you. You elevated that mug to the. To the. And you keep it elevating it. My boy about to run for 2k out here this year, man. Come on, now. Quit playing with him.

[Unknown]

Derek, you said you look up to Mark Ingram. Yeah, but one of my favorite pictures in the entirety of the world. Do you know where this is going already or not?

[Rob Stone]

I know where it's going.

[Unknown]

You know damn well. You know where it's going, my friend, Mark Ingram. And I know he's not looking at you. You're at the coin toss for the 2015 national championship.

[Mark Ingram]

He's an instigator, bro. That's why he the best in the world at this.

[Unknown]

The beauty of this picture is, like, Mark, you're in this varsity jacket that actually looks big on you, right? Like, it's almost kind of coming over your hands. So. So it doesn't help you. And then the staging of it isn't great because. Because you're. You're away from the camera, and it just elevates Derek to make him look even bigger than he is. But, man, when you see that picture, Derek, I know you got a smile, and I know a lot of people bring it up, but what pops into your head when you see this picture? I mean, good God, that is a piece of granite right there. And then there's JV kid who borrowed somebody's varsity jacket over there trying to hang with the big boys. I Love you, Mark. You know it, don't you?

[Mark Ingram]

It's all good.

[Unknown]

I know. I love that picture.

[Rob Stone]

Well, I got from that picture. Well, that. Well, only thing I remember from that, from that, that time was the red bottoms Mark had on. Every time, Every time Mark came to a game, you know, during the season, he had the red bottoms on. So I was like, man, I gotta get me some of them once I get done. So Mark is always clean, that picture. I mean, it is what it is.

[Unknown]

He still is clean.

[Rob Stone]

Internet. Always going to be undefeated when they get something. Oh, man, everybody, thank you.

[Unknown]

Hey, man, listen. Every week on Big Dune Kickoff, at some point, I'll look down at something that Mark is wearing. And you had those shoes. He gets everybody talking about it. Even Urban Meyer is like, hey, man, are those shoes heavy? Are those spikes on those shoes?

[Rob Stone]

What's, what's fresh?

[Mark Ingram]

I had them Bottegas on last week at the show. You know, stay fresh. In regards to that picture, the man is 6, 4, 250 pounds without pads on. So throw shoulder pads. Inhuman.

[Unknown]

That's a linebacker, man.

[Mark Ingram]

Yes. So throw the helmet on and pads. He. Now he's six five, 270. So I'm 510, 215 pounds in that photo. Luckily, I didn't go out there with. I had a rotator cuff surgery.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah.

[Mark Ingram]

So luckily I didn't go out there with my sling on. They would have thought he beat me up or something. But yeah, that's what happens when somebody is 6, 6, £270 standing next to someone. 510.

[Unknown]

It's not fair.

[Mark Ingram]

Get off my back. You go stand there. And the camera angle was bad, right? And everything else, but. No, but that's my dog, man. That's my dog.

[Rob Stone]

But we won that game, so.

[Mark Ingram]

Oh, and you went crazy. I was.

[Unknown]

Kind of. To that point. Yeah. That was the Natty against Clemson. We ran across this little conversation. Mark, you know, everybody thinks they can play in the NFL until they play in the NFL. So is this Ant, man? Is this Anthony Edwards talking? Oh, yeah. Listen to what Ant has to say. And then, Derek, the floor is yours.

[Mark Ingram]

Trying to play safety. We gonna know. You serious?

[Rob Stone]

Once you take that first link coming out the middle.

[Mark Ingram]

You and whoever.

[Rob Stone]

Me and Derek Henry.

[Mark Ingram]

What D. Henry is.

[Rob Stone]

I ain't gonna pop him, but I'm.

[Mark Ingram]

Gonna hit that for sure, bruh. How are you the first name to come out his mouth, bro? Like pick Austin Eckler. Pick Deuce Vaughn, which he still gonna have a problem with because they low to the ground. But you picked the king out of all people. What's wrong with this, man?

[Rob Stone]

No, I like it. You know, I like the confidence. You know, that's what you. That's what you want. Especially somebody who, you know. You know, trying to make a challenge, you know, I like his confidence. And he did play football. And I hurry was pretty good, though. I don't know. I don't know if he played defense. I think he played often.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Rob Stone]

I mean, he ain't no small dude. So, you know, I like the challenge. Cause that mean he ain't gonna go low. He gotta go straight up with me.

[Mark Ingram]

So if he don't go low, his odds go down drastically. So I'm an Edwards fan. Like, he liked that on the court. When you coming at the King, now, you best to come proper. Cause that stiff arm, that six five I told him about, like it's there. He gonna get rejected, I think.

[Rob Stone]

I think. I don't know why a lot of basketball players think football just sweet. Like, we just. I mean, it just.

[Mark Ingram]

Most of them went to basketball because they played football and didn't want to take the hit. So they went and permanently went to basketball. We saw my boy, Draymond Green, he from my city. We saw what he looked like on the highlights when he was at Michigan State playing tight end, you know what I mean?

[Rob Stone]

But we might have to invite an NBA player to camp one time so they can see what it's like for real, right? And then see what they. And then see what they think.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, no, but I want to talk to you, man. You know, my saint struggling, my tie struggling. So I'm glad that my raven's balling. Cause I could be happy on, so I could be happy. But, man, our tie, they done dropped the 15th in the rankings. They done lost two out of the last three games, bro. Give some advice to the brothers, man. Give advice to the sci fi man.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah, I know. I mean, the back against the wall now, you know, you're still the same Bama team. I mean, did you have some adversity? Yeah, but you know, that doesn't. That doesn't define you. It's about how you overcome it. Right? You know, you gotta have leaders, step up, embrace that role more than ever. The team gotta be closer, more than they have been to be able to go on this run. Is it gonna be hard? Yeah, it's gonna be hard. But you gotta embrace that challenge. And I still feel like y'all the same Bama team. Y'all can play defense, you can Score from anywhere on the field. You got everything you need to be a championship gala team. You just got. You just gotta go out there and do it. And I think these last three weeks, everybody just thinking, like, you know, before, it wasn't no thinking. You were just going. Going, snap, ball, snap. You go and just play that style and play and play that way. I mean, y'all still the same team. Still got the same players. Just gotta take the thinking out of it, man, and go play. Play with confidence. Play within one another, man. And go out there and play with your brother and go get a dub, man. We Bama. Ain't should be no question. We Bama, man.

[Unknown]

How much Alabama.

[Rob Stone]

Get what you want.

[Unknown]

Sorry. How much Alabama football do you get to watch during the season, Derek?

[Rob Stone]

I try to try to catch every game.

[Mark Ingram]

Every Saturday.

[Rob Stone]

Every Saturday.

[Unknown]

Did you watch the Alabama Georgia game earlier in the season?

[Rob Stone]

I watched every single game.

[Unknown]

What were your. What was your emotions going through that first half and then the comeback and then how it ended?

[Rob Stone]

I was chilling. That first half, I'm like, well, I'm good, right? And that second half, I'm like, oh, man, we weren't scoring. And you mess around with Kirby, you gonna end up in the world of trouble. We almost ended up in the world of trouble. But that's what I'm saying, man. Just we. We are that same team that beat Georgia. Do we? Or we found ourselves, like, hitting on all cylinders in the first half. Yeah. And then we have some versus in the second half, but we end up finishing the game with a W. I mean, it's the same team. Yeah. We took a loss to Vani, which was shocking to everybody. But so what now what? Like Coach Burns used to say.

[Mark Ingram]

Right.

[Rob Stone]

You know what I mean? What you gonna do? We gotta. You know, we still got a long season, a lot of football left to play.

[Unknown]

Yep.

[Rob Stone]

Leaders gotta step up and we gotta just, man, be bamming, man. Go ball. Go ball.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, for y'all.

[Rob Stone]

Go ball.

[Urban Meyer]

Yep, for y'all.

[Mark Ingram]

Don't know. He's talking about. Coach Burns is probably the best running back coach in college football history. He coached me best ever. Tony Burton Burns, Stony ball, man. He the best running back coach in the history. He's a legend.

[Unknown]

What'd you say? Stony ball.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, Stony ball.

[Unknown]

What does that mean?

[Mark Ingram]

It's just.

[Rob Stone]

That means you gonna go out there, play hard. You might have some blood come up your forehead. And if you do see some blood, you taste it.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Rob Stone]

And you put the helmet back on.

[Mark Ingram]

You go back out there and Tote that thing. Stick that foot in the ground and get north.

[Rob Stone]

Get north to south and burst.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, no, but we got. We almost done with you, bro. We appreciate your time, bro. We know that you on a short week coming up, just had traveling from tampa, but, man, 12,000 yards rushing. I think that. What was that? What's that? A national record in high school, A state record. What's that, national record?

[Rob Stone]

No, national record.

[Mark Ingram]

12,000 rushing yards in high school. Heisman Trophy. 10,000 in the league, man, you got the Heisman. You got records, man. All we need. You got Russian titles, Offensive players of the year, man. Now we got to get that Lombardi, man. What does this team have to do. What does this Ravens team have to do to continue to improve, to make sure you guys are there at the end hosting up that Lombardi?

[Rob Stone]

Yeah, really, like I said, we just got to keep having that growth mindset of knowing that there's so much room to get better and embracing that every single day on all three teams, offense, defense, and special teams. I think we do that. I think the culture around here, we all embrace that. We all embrace that brotherhood. And we on the field, we all, you know, we come to work. And the thing about us is we love coming to work, and we love challenging each other and holding each other accountable. And I feel like that's a championship mentality when you have guys doing that and not afraid to, you know, speak up or, you know, hold each other accountable when somebody drop a ball or make a mistake. It's not that, you know, we, you know, trying to pick on each other. We just trying to make each other better. And I think we all do that on. On all three phases. We have great coaching staff who do a great job getting us prepared, and we just got to keep getting better week after week. No matter what happens, just focus on being one each and every week.

[Mark Ingram]

Last thing, man, you spent eight years in Tennessee. I spent my first eight years in New Orleans knife season. I went to the Ravens. Your knife season? Yes.

[Rob Stone]

Really crazy.

[Urban Meyer]

That's crazy.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, I did eight New Orleans, went to the Ravens with my knife. You went eight in Tennessee knife. You're in Baltimore. Some people are meant to be Ravens, dog, and you don't really understand it until you're actually a Raven, bro. Like, that's why I told you. You was like, what about Baltimore? And I was like. I'm like, man, you gonna fool with that? Like, you gonna love that, bro. Like, what does play like a Raven mean to you? Like, why was it a seamless Transition. Why did you fit perfectly? Like, why did you fit seamlessly into the Ravens locker room, to the Ravens culture, into that Raven's beautiful purple that you be toting that rock in? What's. So. Why was it so such a perfect fit?

[Rob Stone]

Yeah, so crazy. Cause when I was coming out of high school, you know, I was, you know, getting recruited, and, you know, like, Bama just kept sticking out to me. I was like, man, that's how I want. Like, that's. That's my style of play. That's how I want to play football. Like, that's something I want to be a part of. And I feel like I played, like. And I thought it was that same feeling with the Ravens, like, their style of play, their culture, and it was just something that I felt like fit me, and it was just. It was just bound to happen. And the colors, when I spoke about during the off season, my grandma's. My grandmother's favorite colors. And the day before free agency, seeing the butterfly, who had. Like, it was purple and red and black. I don't know. You know. You know, when some things just feel destined, I feel like the Ravens were just destined. You know, throughout my journey of playing in the league, I felt like at some point it was gonna happen in perfect timing. Like I always say, you know, it never happens on your time. It's always God's time, and it's always perfect.

[Mark Ingram]

A blessing from the Lord is here. I feel it in the atmosphere. He's got a blessing with your name on it. Yes, sir.

[Unknown]

This is the second time Mark has sung on this show this week already, by the way.

[Mark Ingram]

It's always praise and worship because we love the law in the law.

[Rob Stone]

Dragon ball trade. You can do it all, man.

[Mark Ingram]

I cannot sing at all. I cannot sing, but no, man. King Henry, man, we appreciate your time. Fresh off of Monday night beast mode again, only on 16 totes. So I know you feeling fresh, ready to go again. You know what I mean? I know you feel it good. Ready to go tote that thing again. But we appreciate your time here on Triple option podcast, my boy, Rob Stone. Coach Meyer told us to show you some love that he saw he couldn't be here on. On here on the interview with you, but, man, we love you. We appreciate your time and go do your thing, bro. Go get that 2K. Go get that Super Bowl. Go do your thing. My boy.

[Unknown]

Thank you, Derek.

[Rob Stone]

Appreciate y'all having me.

[Unknown]

Welcome back to the Triple option, presented by the Wendy's, Rob Stone, Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram back here with you. All right, a little coach's corner right now with a player's input here. So, coach, this week, how about some of the blue bloods going down? I need two hands for this one. Texas, Alabama, Michigan, Southern Cal, Oklahoma, Florida State, Nebraska. All big brands in college football history.

[Mark Ingram]

Are we a blue blood?

[Unknown]

Yeah, absolutely you are. All of them felt that it's not even close. Mark Ingram and then Alabama, a blue blood for sure. Maybe the season's a little quiet. It's all right. And then also, guys, this season we finally saw some. Some coaches getting fired. Southern Miss, Eastern, East Carolina, both moved on from their head coaches. Oklahoma, Utah, even Coastal Carolina made changes at the offensive coordinator level. So the pressure is starting to pick up. Coach, there's enough of a schedule underneath everybody where they can kind of assess things and say, this is not going in the right direction. So let's talk about that snapshot of, say, Saturday afternoon, Saturday night, Sunday morning, what it's like as a coach and then Mark as a player, after you take a big loss, what happens and how do you try and soothe it, make it better and move on?

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, I. That's something that I really struggled with. And when you're in a blue blood, a place that you're not allowed to lose, you know, and I remember my job description when Gene Smith handed me a piece of paper, it said, win every game you play, never lose to the rival. Graduate your players, and when you sign on, you get compensated very well. But it's also reality that the. The expectations are be really out of control. But, yeah, it's like I used to tell everybody, it's life in the big city is what it is. But I want to take everybody, you know, I want to take people through what actually happens. You lose that game, you have to go to press conference and just get destroyed. You have to go talk to recruits because.

[Mark Ingram]

And be professional.

[Urban Meyer]

You have to. And then you have to talk to your team. And as Lou Holtz used to say, that's not the time to dive into your team. Everybody is so fragile. You're on a breaking point. And then here's what I'm not sure people are aware of. You get in a car with a police escort and you drive home. And obviously, the way my body would somewhat shut down and I would head home, and, you know, people always are visiting. If it happens at home, they know they leave. You got to go home. I don't want to see anybody. You try to eat, you try to, you know, but you take, I. You take something to sleep. Whether it be a rye whiskey, whether it be a Ambien, whether it be something, because you have to get some rest. And I never did. I would sit there and stare at that ceiling fan or I'd stare at the clock ticking. Three in the morning, 3:30 in the morning, four in the morning. And then I'd go, I'd go in and I. Obviously no one's there yet and you're in there and you're just. And I would beat myself to death because there's only a couple ways to handle it. You know, you blame your players. I would never do that. You blame your coaches. I was hard on. Not hard, but I, I wouldn't fire guys. You know, some guys just start firing people. I've never did that. I fired, really one guy. And I would sit and I would review that film for six, seven, eight, sometimes nine hours, and I'd go through every scenario and say, why did we not cover that in a situation? Why is that player in that situation? And it, I mean, I'm here today sitting there talking on, on triple option because of losses. I can't. I just, I tried. I tried everything. I have friends in the profession like this as well, and I have other friends in the profession. They're on the next one, you know, move on. I was never able to do that. You know, there's still losses to this day, years ago, that still haunt me because, you know, if you go get your ass kicked in by a better team, I'm okay with that. You know, when, when I was at a school that they had much better players and. But when you get to the Blue Bloods, that should never happen. There, there, There should never be a time mark when you look, and I would tell our staff this, that you look across that sideline and they have better checkers than you do.

[Rob Stone]

Right?

[Urban Meyer]

If that happens, that's when the staff's got to have a come to Jesus meeting. How did that happen?

[Rob Stone]

Right?

[Urban Meyer]

Because at a Blue Blood, you should have the best of the best, 100% coach.

[Mark Ingram]

And people, it's so funny because, yes, you're at those Blue Bloods and the fandom is insane. The expectations are unrealistic. But when you put on those jerseys and those uniforms at those schools, you, you accept that. You, you take that on because that's what you're belt on. That's what you're about. That's what you want to continue to raise that standard. But nobody hurts more than the coaches or the players when a loss happens. These fans, these families, they. They always Got something to say. It's mostly negative. They're trying to make you feel better about yourself. But no, everyone, after a loss, as a player, you have to take a look in the mirror. What could I have done better to help us win this game? What could I have done better individually to help our team be successful? And it's just human nature for your family, for your friends to be like, oh, it was his fault. Oh, it was this. Oh, it was that. You going on campus, people are looking at you crazy. Like, you going to the wreck, you're going out to eat, people are looking at you crazy people. You know, some people are encouraging, but, like, these are real emotions that players have to deal with on a daily basis. Like you. You still walking on campus with the other students who just watched you lose to Auburn. You're still walking on campus with the fans that came to Vandy, the White. You just got beat. And you just have to compartmentalize and remember what's important. And what's important is your mindset, your mentality, what's going on in that locker room, what's going on in that team. Because as long as that team stays together, as long as that team's on the same accord, as long as that team has each other's back, you have a chance to be successful.

[Urban Meyer]

I want. I want to add. I want to add. Mark, excuse me, but you said something very key. We lost in 2015 to Michigan State. I still think that's one of the great teams in college football that didn't win a title. Probably the best team I've ever had, ever had, including the three national title games. We lost that game in a rainstorm to Michigan State. I was nonfunctional. I mean, I was despondent. I remember going out to the practice field and my captain, Pat Elflein, who's my center, and Michael Thomas kind of grabbed me. They could tell that. They said, and I mean, grab me and hey, we gotta go. We went on to beat the Wolverines and ran the ball for almost 400 yards and beat them by a. Beat the mess out of them. And then we went on to beat Notre Dame badly in the Fiesta Bowl. That was a national championship team. But what Mark just said, you can't rely on the outside to elevate you, your players. And the players are. I live for that. When a player would elevate a coach. You just warmed me up, Mark, when you said that. Because that has to happen. That has to happen.

[Mark Ingram]

It comes from within and it's all that matters. My Parents telling me I did good, my cousin telling me I did good. That's not what's going to change. It comes from the inside the building. And if the coaches have the players back, the players have the coaches back. And there's camaraderie within that locker room. That's when you have a special team and coach. You reminded me I play. I played on an Alabama team that lost three games. So I can't really talk bad about teams who have lost games. It was probably one of the most talented teams in the Coach Saban era. That 2010 team, we lost three games, but we were able to bounce back from each loss. We were able to bounce back. We finished in a bowl game versus Michigan State.

[Urban Meyer]

We.

[Mark Ingram]

We romped them. I ran for like a hundred yards and had a couple touchdowns in the first half. I didn't even play no more in my last game, so. But it's all about the team. It's all about being selfless. It's all about loving your teammates, picking them up. It's not easy. Nothing in this game is easy. If it's easy, everyone would do it. And that's why they kicked the ball off. Because you have to go out there and be ready to play. And if you go out there and you're not ready to play, you have mistakes, you're undisciplined. You have the opportunity to get your butt belt to belt to. So no. But I just want to close.

[Urban Meyer]

I want to close this with this too. Is that I heard a statement that losing takes part of your soul. That's a very true statement.

[Mark Ingram]

It does. I still have losses that still. Hey, it's the you you. It's the bad stuff you remember the most. You remember the you. You remember the losses. You remember the bad coaching calls. I remember the fumbles. Those stuff take over your mind more than anything else that good happened. More than that Heisman, more than a national championship, more than being records in at the Saints, whatever it may be. I bet I'm like, the bad things haunt you.

[Unknown]

Isn't that insane? Isn't that. Absolutely. Like a non athlete doesn't understand that any athlete who's listening to this podcast right now, whether it was a bad race or a bad game, a bad meet, whatever it is, it's. No, no. It's negative stuff that jumps out at you and bites.

[Urban Meyer]

I'd say. I'd say not. I'm going to correct you. Not every athlete, not every coach. It's a small percentage of people that live like that. Mark and Rob it's the elite, the.

[Unknown]

Elite coach that are pained by these defeats, these losses.

[Urban Meyer]

There are certain players that, you know, they're still don't care and move on, don't care. There's certain coaches, I've had that one's payday or you know, hey, can I get a, you know, what about then there's other coaches that, and those are the ones that I kind of attract, you know, that I wanted around me, is that there's an answer to this. Don't lose.

[Mark Ingram]

Yes.

[Urban Meyer]

And how do you not lose? Makes you cover every possible scenario. Don't worry about wearing lucky T shirts and rubbing the rabbit's foot or any shit like stuff like that. You take care of your business and do exactly what you're supposed to do to get your players ready to play.

[Unknown]

I love when we get coach fired up, Mark. Right? Like can't you. You can feel the decibel changes the ball, coach.

[Mark Ingram]

You can.

[Unknown]

And it came out last week in Bloomington when he was, he got to talk about good coaching. When we did your Urban's playbook on the field, coach, I was like, oh, Urban is so happy right now. He's in his element. He's beaming, he's talking, he's swinging his hands.

[Mark Ingram]

So for the fans that don't watch Big Noon, you should. Who. For the fans who don't watch Big Noon, you should. But Coach Meyer did the playbook on back shoulder throws and he was lit about it. He got real excited about it, hunched.

[Unknown]

Over, happy about it.

[Mark Ingram]

He was so happy about it in the first half they had to have about four, five back shoulders in the game. I said, oh, I know, coach. Happy right now.

[Unknown]

Vindication, baby, vindication. Oh, I loved it. I loved it, coach. All right, time now for pick six brought to you by bet. Mgm. Place your moneyline prop parlay and same game parlay bets at BetMGM. Download the app today. Please gamble responsibly each week, six games. We pick it against the spread. Mark's got his deuce. Deuce, dog of the week. Bark for me, please. Remember these are current as of Tuesday and can change. All right, pick six brought to you by BetMGM. I will start guys with one of five ranked matchups here in week number nine, number 12, Notre Dame, favored by 12 and a half against 24th ranked Navy. They're meeting at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Notre Dame's kind of owned this rivalry as of late. Six straight wins in the rivalry, including in 11 of the last 12 meetings. Navy's last victory over The Irish got to go back to 2016. Let's give Navy some love, guys. Right, 6, 0 for the first time since 79, they've won every game this season by double digits. Only three programs have done that this year. Navy, army and. Who else? Indiana. How about. How about those three guys again? Navy outscoring their opposition by 25 points a game, tied for second best turnover differential in FBS this season. They are plus 12 in turnovers. They've won the turnover battle five straight games. They're yet to lose a turnover battle. Their offense is unreal, right? Averaging almost 45 points a game. They've scored at least 30 in every game this season. Their rushing offense, they go for 275 essentially a game. But, but, but Notre Dame D allowing less than 12 points per game this season. They've held all seven OP opponents under 25. In six of the last seven games, they've held the opposition under 17. We talk about the great rushing of Navy. Guess who's pretty good against the rush? Yeah, Notre dame. They only allow 113 a game. They've held each of the last two opponents under three yards per carry. They're really starting to figure it out. Last week, Georgia tech only found 64 yards on the ground. 2.2 yards per carry. There is so much in me that wants to say Navy can pull off this upset at a neutral site, but I see Notre Dame guys winning it in East Rutherford, but they will not cover that pretty big spread. Alabama in action. Mark at my goodness. On number 21, Missouri. Another ranked game.

[Mark Ingram]

My goodness. Come on, Bama.

[Unknown]

Like, come on, Bama.

[Mark Ingram]

Come on. You know I'm still all. I'm throwing through Bama. We got the big Bama speaker in the building. Shout out to my boy Adrian Hubbard. We got the big Bama speaker. You know what I mean? I'm still Bama through and through. But listen, man, what are things you knew about Alabama when Coach Saban was the coach? They're going to do two things. They're going to take care of the football. They're going to play good defense. They've got multiple turnovers in three straight games and they're allowing over 30 points per game in the last four. Now they play. They have. They welcome a Missouri team coming into Bryant Danny Stadium at Saban Field. You like that now, huh? But listen, Missouri, I just can't buy the Missouri stock because I picked them to beat A and M and they.

[Unknown]

Got blew out by that. Still haunted by that.

[Mark Ingram]

It's the bad things that hurt Me stoner. It's the bad things that hurt me.

[Unknown]

You screaming at Missouri when watching that game on.

[Mark Ingram]

Missouri. I picked them on national TV and they got their back blew in by freaking. They got the belt A and M.

[Unknown]

Belt on the backside, babe. They got mid south, wrestled belt to tail.

[Mark Ingram]

So I think Alabama is going to bounce back. Please bounce back for me. Please. I think they're going to bounce back. I thought the defense played a lot better. They had turnovers, they had gave the offense. They gave the offense more than enough opportunities to win the game versus Tennessee. So I think the defense is going to play well. Jalen Milroe last week had one of his worst games since probably Texas last year. So I think he's going to bounce back. The run game has to get going. We don't. Our traditional run game with Jan Miller and Justice Haynes dominate line of scrimmage. Have to get better at that. Like we're not running the football like we usually do. Defense, we have to stop the run. And you have Missouri coming into town. Who has Luther Byrd in the third, who has Brady Cook? They have a good offense but they have been inconsistent. The defense hasn't been turning the ball over. And SEC play, they're allowing over 28 points per game. So I see this as a game for Alabama to get back on track. So maybe I should pick Missouri. Cause last time I picked them.

[Unknown]

Don't do it.

[Mark Ingram]

They laid an egg.

[Unknown]

Don't do it. You're. Oh man.

[Urban Meyer]

All right.

[Mark Ingram]

But I got Bama in this one. I got Bama in this one.

[Unknown]

You got Bama. Team. Big noon kickoff in Columbus for the second time this season. The Buckeyes this week they stayed at number four following their bye week after coach that one point loss to now number one Oregon. They are favored big spread here, 25 and a half points over Nebraska.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, this is pure mindset. Two teams, that one's a wounded animal. You know, Nebraska got. I mean that was a beating that not many expected. I went back and watched the film and it was, it was, it was awful. And I know Coach Rule and, and Tony White, the DC are going to get some things fixed, but this is back to back road games and they're, they're not easy road games to go to Indiana, fly home, have to deal with all the nonsense and try to regroup and then get on a long flight to Columbus, Ohio. And then you got Ohio State at home. They've had two weeks to get ready for this. I think this might be a beating again. I think the Ohio State's going to get that defense fixed. I understand Coach Day spent a lot of time over there. You know the pass rush, zero sacks. Against Oregon. The secondary gave up some big hits. Nebraska just doesn't have the firepower like Oregon did. So I think this is going to second half is going to get a little nasty in Columbus. So I got Ohio State cover to cover. All right.

[Unknown]

So a get right game for the Buckeyes. They have been a little slow here and there. It'll be interesting how they start in Columbus. Let's stay in the Big Ten. Number three Penn State favored by six and a half on the road at Wisconsin. Has anyone been paying attention to Wisco since they got thrashed by Bama at home back in week three? Maybe you need to Wisconsin picked up their third consecutive win over the weekend. I know it was against Northwestern. But during this three game winning streak they've outscored the opposition 117 to 16 and have allowed just one touchdown defensively. So they're sitting now at 5 and 2. Last time we saw Penn State, what were they doing? They were rallying to force overtime at USC. They eventually won it in OT. Nittany Lions 6, 030 in the Big Ten. This smells. It reeks of a classic trap game for the Nittany Lions. Ohio State coming to Beaver Stadium next Saturday on fox. I still feel Penn State we are is a little overvalued. They're we are. Thank you. They definitely have. They're going to have some of those look ahead flashes moments in them. But I'm going to give some credit to James Franklin. He takes a lot of heat. I think he's really dialed in with this program this year and knows what they have and knows what they slash he needs to accomplish. Remember there was that potential flag plant from his players at USC and coach swoops in like he was on the flag team and just took the flag and kind of ran away with it as as it was rippling in. He doesn't want to give anybody bulletin board material. I guarantee you he read that team the riot act after they rallied and won in OT at Southern California. He is not going to let them slip ahead of next weekend's massive game. Penn State wins and covers. How about that covers it was. That was a tough one though. That was a tough one. Let's stay in the Big Ten again. Another ranked matchup. Urban number one Oregon favored by 21 and a half over 20th ranked Illinois. This is the first time in a dozen years that Oregon sits At number one back then, Chip Kelly was the head coach, Marcus Mariota was the quarterback. And they held that number one spot. Guys. You know how long they held it for? One week. One week. Will they hold on to number one longer this year? Oregon and Illinois coach.

[Urban Meyer]

Illinois goes across the country here and two of the best coaches in the Big Ten. I really enjoy watching her teams play. I would put Illinois a second to Indiana, but very close as far as taking good players and making them play great. They ran a fake punt against the Wolverines. They. You watch that film. They were a better team than the Wolverines every which way. They were better coaching, better fundamentals. Really, really good football coach in B. And then Dan Lanning I think is as good as there is. So this will be. I went back and forth on this. 21 and a half is a lot.

[Unknown]

Big coach.

[Urban Meyer]

It's a lot. But I think Illinois is going to slow that game down and I think they're going to cover that spread. I think Oregon's going to win. They'll win soundly because I think Oregon is really good. Obviously. I mean, that's an obvious statement, but I think Illinois is. They better sign him to extension. He's got to stay there for a while because that's a really, really good football. Coach and staff in Illinois.

[Unknown]

I love that fake punt too, coach. It was perfectly executed. Remember, they had the flashback. They're wearing the old school uniforms, the helmets that look like those leather. The leather caps. The thing that made me the happiest, I'm just. I'm going on an Illinois tangent here because I. I love these type of stories. It's why I love in Indiana is why I love in Illinois, is why I love college football. But I. I saw something from Bet Bilema that I didn't necessarily expect. The fans rushed the field, right? And the post game interview with Bilema, did you see what he had in one arm and what he had in the other arm? What do you have daughters? He had his daughters in each arm and they had those beautiful little orange bows in their head. And it was just one of those images that I know we've never really seen from Coach Bielema, or at least I haven't experienced it, but I've known him for a long time. He's one of my favorite human beings. He's just a. He's an interesting cat who's having success. I'm really, really happy for him. I'm happy for his family. I'm happy for his little girls that Illinois is doing such Such good things this season in the Big Ten. All right, let's pivot. Last game, coach. I'm sorry, no mark. SEC am favored by two and a half at home to sneaky good number eight, lsu. This is an interesting two and a half. Two and a half.

[Mark Ingram]

Thought it was three. It got.

[Unknown]

It went down.

[Mark Ingram]

People are taking lsu.

[Unknown]

Ooh. Are you buying it?

[Mark Ingram]

This is. This is such an interesting matchup, Stoner, because both of these teams lost their opening game. They've won six straight since then. Now you have two polar opposites. You have the number two pass offense in LSU going against the number two rush offense of A and M. And I want to highlight this matchup on the old line. LSU's old line versus A and M's D line. LSU hasn't allowed a sacks in four games, only two all season, while A and M defensive line led by Nick Scorton has had 12 sacks in three games. So you think if this A and M D line can't get pressure on Garrett Nussmeyer and his passing attack, that he's going to dice him up. But this LSU defense, that's. That's my key. The defense was very shaky. Defense was very shaky. We didn't know what they were going to look like. But they've held three of the last four opponents to what. What they had. Three of the last four opponents to what I had here. Where is that? Where is that? Yeah. Under 20 points. So the rushing defense is doing a lot better. So I'm going with LSU's defense to play a lot better. I'm going with their offense to air it out. And I'm going with the upset. The underdog of the week, lsu, the Bengal, the Bayou Bangles. Going in to College Station and getting. All right, all right.

[Urban Meyer]

Underdog of the week.

[Mark Ingram]

I'm going with the Bayou Bengals.

[Unknown]

Yeah, I don't think. I don't think Nussmeyer's getting enough attention, getting enough love. What he's done. I mean, he is moving on from a Heisman Trophy quarterback, and he steps in and what he's done in some of the drama that he's. He's pulled LSU through, man. He's. He's sneaky. Good, underrated. A. Before we wrap up the show, want to remind everybody we are going to be in Columbus, Ohio, this week for big noon kickoff, and we're going to be out and about, Coach. We're going to be mingling Thursday night at Urban Myers Pint House. Celebrate. We're going to celebrate a couple things. We're Going to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the Buckeyes 2014 championship team. So many of those great players are coming back for the weekend. But also coach and I'll let you expound on this real quick. Tickets available for that event@buckeye cruise.com you can find it under important announcements. Proceeds are going to benefit the Buckeye Cruise for cancer. I know that's something that's really close to you and Shelly.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, my mother actually in 1987 was diagnosed at Ohio State at had breast cancer. And this is before the James and they treated her like she. I was a ga. The staff and doctors treated her like she was the Woody Hayes mom. They put her upstairs with a room overlooking the stadium. And I obviously I didn't have a nickel to say hello back then but I said someday if I could ever give back, we can give back. So we actually built her a room on the 20th floor of the James Cancer Hospital. It's got memorabilia in there. And then my father passed away of cancer too. And it's the Bud and Giselle Meyer room for people that have are dealing with tough times and it's incredible, incredible staff. So all the money raised will support the Buckeye Cruise for cancer. The James Cancer Hospital. And it's also a 10 year reunion. It's one of the greatest runs and maybe the greatest three game run. I'm very biased. Maybe the three greatest game run in. In history. We had a back a third string quarterback named Cardell Jones. He go into national title in the first playoff era and it's been 10 years mark since that day. So we're gonna, there'll be a bunch of players there. We're gonna celebrate it on the field in Ohio Stadium. A bunch of players will be a big noon with us and then obviously Thursday night if you're listening, come join. It's a great cause, a lot of fun. Big dune triple option will be there and obviously the 10 year reunion of our national championship for a great cause, the James Cancer Hospital.

[Unknown]

Coach, you gave me goosebumps, man. Gave me goosebumps.

[Urban Meyer]

That's real.

[Unknown]

Yeah, that's real real. That's real, real excited. Thanks for having us. We're really honored to be a part of that Thursday night at Urban's Pine House and all the guys are kind of flying in early to make sure it can happen and be there to celebrate with you guys. Hopefully you' some time with us. Because every time we go to Urban's Pine House we're in that like fishbowl of the room when we first enter there and I mean, like Mark, I don't know you, you, you and Urban know that I'm the. I'm the outsider in that group. And I can just feel the eyeballs staring a hole in the back of me. And everybody wants a piece of you guys, particularly coach in there. And the dudes, don't act like you.

[Mark Ingram]

Didn'T have the fam pull up last time we was in pint house, my famous. Your fan, remember the soccer dude with the jersey? He had the soccer.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

Colgate, baby.

[Unknown]

Oh, my God, it is such a cool experience. And coach, thanks for having us. And again, if you're in the Columbus, Ohio area Thursday, find your way to the pine House. Get on over there and it's for. It's for a good cause. And you know, Mark has been known to clink glasses with. With friends and fans out there every once in a while. A little reposado.

[Mark Ingram]

Little reposado. Give me the tequila, please.

[Unknown]

Oh, my goodness. That's how we're ending. That's it. That's how we're ending. The triple option. This week we remind you. Subscribe to our YouTube channel. Follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever you get your podcasts, as well as across social media. 3x option show. Don't forget, submit those questions and we will answer them during the show. New episodes coming your way every single Wednesday. Again, huge thanks to our sponsors, Wendy's, BET, MGM, and ZipRecruiter. Enjoy Week 9 it and live by this motto. See what you hit. Hit what you see. Oh, the triple option, baby.