10.7: Flat - Hour 1

But I know so many people that are traveling this week, and you know, I'm a little envious. I mean, I don't really know where I would go. But you know, I'm at a point as a Louisville fan to where like I'm not really you know, I'm kind of checked out right now, not you know, to where I'm not going to watch Louisville.

you can. Five oh two, five seven seventy nine hundred is the number if you want to give us a call. We'll open up the phone lines here after a first break. You can also text in on the llen N Federal Credit Union text line five oh two six five three zero seven ninety again five O two sixty five three zero seven ninety and I guess we'll just dive right in.

But the last two weeks, I mean, it's just so frustrating to see that this team's just not very good at this point in the season, and it's just frustrating and disappointing are the two words that I feel like would describe how fans feel. I mean, there's other words you could use, obviously, but you know, those two I think are most fitting and you know, appropriate for radio.

And I try on Mondays to have like a little bit of of a slightly different version than what we did in the postgame show and usually about three o'clock on Monday, I've got something, but I'm just more frustrated, so we'll talk about it. As mentioned, it is a wild weekend. There was a wild weekend in college football. I mean the matchups we got not that intriguing, right, I mean the only matchup that featured ranked teams was

Texas A and M in Missouri. That ended up being a blowout, one of the worst games of the weekend actually because Missouri just got completely hammered. But you know, despite no big intriguing matchups, absolutely phenomenal. Really, you know, maybe I'm getting caught up in the moment. I'm here some recency bias, Like I feel like I'll remember that Saturday not like forever, but like what happened on Saturday does not happen very often. First of all, Vandy, I mean,

beating Alabama in any fashion is just insane. But to see them do it the way they did, were they just I mean, if they played ten times moving forward, I don't think Vandy keeps it close in those ten games. I mean I kind of feel like I'm not giving him credit when I say that. But let's be real Alabama is on another planet. But Vandy came out and really they were just the better team from start to finish,

and that's just something you never see. And then of course the party in Nashville where they took the goalpost from campus and took it all the way down to Broadway and I think they threw it in the river or something.

one to ten. Minnesota pulls off a big upset knocking off usc USC of course ranked number eleven, and then Michigan they go down to Washington in the National Championship Game rematch.

wild weekend of college football, no doubt. And again I feel like I would have enjoyed it a little bit more had Louisville not lost SMU at home in another very disappointing game where they just kind of show us who they are, right, A lot of ball left things can get better, but we got to evaluate things for what they are right now. And this is not a

very good football team. And we'll get into it in just a second, but I do kind of want to set this show up as best I can before we just dive in, because I'm just going to start, you know, ranting, and well I'm going to try not to just make it into a three hour bitching session. But just give me a second. I'll get there, because I do. There's a couple of things I really want to clarify as far as you know where I'm at now. Again, you can feel however you want to feel. You can be

overly optimistic, you can be overly pessimistic. You do you be a fan however you want to be a fan. But I'll at least tell you how I feel coming up here in just a minute. But in the NFL yesterday, I was hoping that my Colts could give me a nice little pick me up. Right, my cards let me down Saturday. Maybe the Colts will come through and move to three and two on the year.

have to keep playing well. And I certainly don't see that changing at all. But right now in the NFL, like maybe we get some separation in the next few weeks, but there's so many two in three or three and two.

to be up there. The Vikings are still awesome. They've been great, and there's other teams that, like I feel like are pretty good, like the Ravens, but you know, they're three and two and could have easily lost yesterday. They were very fortunate that that field goal was missed by the Bengals. All Right, some other things we'll get into.

Louisville Live was a lot of fun on Friday. Not really sure what we can take from that as far as you know, analysis or you know, predictions on how good the team's gonna be or anything like that, but that's not really what that event is for. But actually thought it being at the Yump Center, the way they

set it up was awesome. The atmosphere was great, and I'm sure a lot of Louisville fans that were there were paying close attention to who was coming out and the names that they were being that were being announced, because it's a brand new team. But I do have a couple of takeaways that I'll get to a little bit later on when it comes to that. So yeah,

and then, you know, I don't. This is probably not something we're going to spend much time discussing, but looks like we're once again gonna have like a very scary hurricane come through. Not here, of course, but like all I'm seeing all over social media is people telling those that live in Florida to get in your car and just go north. And I don't I highly doubt that's like the entire you know, state of Florida. But it looks as if this is going to be more severe

than Helene that just came through. John, do we know the name of this new one yet? I'm sure you don't know what.

only the damage but just the flooding. Obviously the Carolinas is I mean, it's there are parts of Carolina that, like the interstates those people used to drive north and south, east and west, whatever their daily commute was in that area, some of those interstates won't be drivable, they say, best case scenario till the end of twenty twenty five. Like

that's insane. So with you know, as terrible as that is, and that being such a big story nationally, I mean, I would hope that those that might try to ride out a very dangerous weather situation and just assume that it's not going to be as bad as people are indicating. The professionals, the meteorologists, hopefully they've learned from you know, what's happened recently that like you should never you should never risk it. So, yeah, very scary situation. Category five.

That's that's not good, all right. You know what else is not good?

they're average. But when you come out and you don't look ready to play, you can't match your opponent's energy on the side, I mean like they're just flat, even when there was a play where you've got some momentum. It just doesn't seem as if things are in sync from top to bottom. I mean coaching staff to player to everybody. It's like everybody's unsure of themselves. They don't

really seem to have a lot of confidence. And I'm not a body language expert, but I'm just trying to make sense as to how they could be this sloppy. And it's not just you know, the defense. The defense, of course, is your biggest issue, because if they were just a little bit better, you'd be in a different situation. And I mean, I'm kind of speechless, which isn't good. You know, I got a three hour radio show that I have to do, and we've got about two hours

and forty five minutes. But it's just so frustrating to be in this position. But my initial takeaway on Saturday, I was at my son's game. I watched the first first half of his game, and I had had my phone out, being I guess a bad dad, because you know, I was watching more of what was going on in the Louisville game than I was in the four and

five year old flag football game. But you know, it just they came out and it wasn't like they were asleep, but they're just flat and SMUs on the road and they don't have any home field advantage and they're bouncing around on their sideline. They're more into it like that's It was a big game for both teams. We all knew that, we discussed it quite a bit last week, and they were more into the moment, ready to execute.

the team gives you a reason to. Meaning like when you are sloppy, getting you know, senseless penalties, twelve men on the field, the defense, you know, looking around like they don't know what's going on. You've got an offensive line that you just can't consistently pass protect, and because of that, you know, they're picking up costly penalties at times.

So like whenever that's going on, like you go back to you know, you start to overanalyze everything, right, Like if Louisville won that game with a you know, late score there, Let's say, on that late drive on fourth down when they tried their running up the middle once again and didn't get it with Cheney, if they'd have been able to score a touchdown there and then get a stop and then the game's over, they win by a score, none of us will probably thinking about the

start of the game, or like the energy on the sideline, I will probably we'd probably still be criticizing the defense because it's just head scratching, how confused everybody looks. But like when you are struggling and we know this team should be better and they're making avoidable mistakes, that's when you start to look at the energy on the sideline.

You start to look at the body language. After the defense gives up a big play, they're looking around, confused, not really knowing what they were supposed to be doing. You know, Ashton Julotti preseason All American, didn't get a tackle on Saturday. Was not a factor, really has not

been a factor for this team this year. And I know he's double team and I know that there's some obvious you know, like he's getting held at times, and he's so good that he's going to be a focal point for the opponent to try to take him away. But like if you're winning, nobody really like you don't really you're you're not thinking about that that much, but you're losing, and it's just it's it's been kind of a mess. So as frustrated as I am, and I know a lot of fans are the same as disappointed

as we all are. I don't think this needs to be said, but given sort of you know, the reaction in the last forty eight hours from at least some fans, I'll go ahead and say it. Like if you were of the mindset that every year it's got to be the twelve team college football Playoff for Louisville and if they don't get there, then it's going to be a disappointing season. With all due respect, that's crazy. And I

don't like to tell people how to fan. I mean, but it's just insanely unrealistic and you're setting yourself up to be a pretty miserable fan.

the season's a wash. I mean, what are you gonna do, Like they've already lost a Notre Dame, they slipped up at home to SMU. Like, I'm not somebody that's going to live in the world where any result that's not a twelve not an appearance in the twelve team playoff, means that they didn't That they didn't have a good year, doesn't mean we have to celebrate like they had a

great year. But like the playoff expanding is exciting, especially given the fact that Louisville appears to be at least appeared to be in great shape with Jeff Brom and I think they still you know, I'm not gonna act like we got to worry about Jeff Brom as the

head coach here. But my point is, like this year, you were talking playoff because you were coming off of a ten win season where you just played in the ACC championship game of season ago, and had you won that game, which you honestly could have a couple of plays go different way, you'd have been in the playoff.

So you know, I like that, we embrace it, but like those that just think kind of the season's over because of you falling to one in one of the acc I don't, you know, I'm just I think we're on the same page in regards to like our level of disappointment. But for me, it's not because I feel like they've completely you know, ruined a great opportunity to go to the playoff. I mean, they have kind of, but like, I think you can still salvage this and

have a good season. Doesn't mean you're gonna look back and say it was the best year ever. But like I to hear so many people acting as if, well, now it looks like there's no chance to make the playoff unless you need a lot of luck on your side, Like you're not wrong, but I just, you know, I would advise not having that set as the bar, because again, more often than not, you're gonna probably be be disappointed.

So for me, it's not about being you know, dejected because of something, you know, an opportunity that's been ruined. It's because this team's nearly halfway through their schedule and they're not very good. I mean, if they tighten some things up, simplify the defense, stop you know, committing some silly penalties, get a better strategy on fourth down, clearly

like those things. I mean, that would go a long way, right, but they haven't done that yet, and it's just so frustrating to know that it's doable, and yet they just they they can't get right. And Saturday was I mean, it was quite clear what this was. It was an opportunity for you to get that bad taste out of your mouth, prove to yourself that you can go play

a sharp game and not hurt yourself. And I mean it was the way that they were able to score the first couple of plays, SMU meeting like it was. It was embarrassing. I can't remember two consecutive drives for an opposing offense that they just don't know if they broke a sweat. But then you fought back and you had a chance to take a lead, You drive downfield only to you know, once again, a failed fourth down at a crucial moment. Just you know, it's screwed you.

I mean, you screwed yourself, I guess more than anything. And then look that's on Bram like for him to I don't know if it was being stubborn or if he just felt like this is still the best strategy when it comes to just picking up a yard to extend this drive, but running it up the middle whenever they know you only need one yard and if it's there, if it's the opponent's push in Louisville's offensive line and Donald Chaney, that's not a recipe for you to get

a first down. And we've seen that, so you know, it's just it's it's maddening, and you know, I'm gonna try to make this make sense. I mean, I think it makes sense, but it'll probably sound as if I'm talking out of both sides of my mouth, and I'm gonna try not to make it sound like that. But despite all the frustration, there is absolutely, in my opinion, a silver lining for the most part, and what that is is that you don't really lack talent and ability

to be a better team than your record shows. I mean, you could easily be undefeated right now. To be honest with you, I mean it would be worse if we would be learning throughout these last few games that Louisville just doesn't have the personnel. They don't have the talent, like they don't have any good players. Now, you clearly have an offensive line that I think is going to

be a weakness. But even with that, if you don't play so sloppy and make boneheaded mistakes and your defense was a little more reliable, you would have easily been able to overcome the offensive line. So it could be worse if these were like blowout games and you get humbled and you start to think to yourself, oh, like we stink, And maybe you're saying that right now, and I get it, you're losing. You've lost the last two games. But again, it could be worse if you didn't love

what you saw with Tyler Schuck. I know I do. I mean, Isaac Brown's going to be a superstar to Corey Brooks. Really glad Louisville was able to add that guy in the portal. And again, I don't even defensively. You clearly miss Quincy Riley and Ashton July. He has not been able to make much of an impact for you this year. But like, I don't think the defense has personnel issues. I think they have leadership issues, organizational issues.

They're not very well structed or constructed. I mean, they're just it's it's they're a mess, to put it lightly. So you know that may not make you feel better, and honestly, it actually makes it more frustrating for me, So again, it could be worse. The silver lining is that the things that you need to fix are easier to fix than going and getting a quarterback mid year who's not because the guy you brought in is not any good. That's not the situation you're in. So again,

it's it's kind of a for me. I don't remember being this disappointed and frustrated knowing that they can. You know, we got to wait and see if they can do it. They can get this fixed. But I find it more maddening knowing that you know, you have really good players, I think not to see you're the most talented team in the country by any means, and you're gonna line up against teams this year at certain positions, then they're

gonna that they're gonna have the advantage. But I don't think Louisville lost on Saturday to SMU and I don't think they lost a Notre Dame last week because of a personnel issue.

nine hundred is the number. If you guys want to jump in and give us a call, We'll get to the phone lines in just one second. But just to clarify, you know, to summarize is probably the best way to toward it. Here my thoughts on where Louisville football is. I mean, I think we all know the issues. I mean, we were watching it. How they get it fixed? They got to figure it out we can hope that they do. But you know, I'm trying to find the like the silver lining of like, well, you know, but that was

last week. Last week was the opportunity for you to just go repair things that we know are somewhat you know, easy to repair. They should be easy to repair. What I mean by that it's just better communication coming ready to play. And sometimes it's semantics, right, Like when I say ready to play, I just mean, you know, match to the les level of intensity and energy that your opponent has and s CMU before they made a big play before you know, before they even really did anything

to get momentum. I mean, they got momentum pretty much as soon as the game started, but like they just had a little more bounce to them, and Louisville was flat. And that doesn't necessarily mean anything, but whenever you whenever you play the way you did and and lose like that, it's one of those things that it's I think it's natural for fans to to chalk that up is one of the many things that could be holding this team back.

All right, it's coffee and company. Philbouth Thornton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety again five two five seven one seventy nine hundred as the number.

up here. But I feel like, you know, when I look at the offense, they've been able to overcome the poor O line play to where you know, the offensive line is clearly not good enough to just you know, line up and move a big pile. And we've learned that the hard way with a bunch of failed fourth downs. I mean, that's been really frustrating. And Tyler Shuck. I wish he had a little more time in the pocket. But again I think I think you you know, I

think you can. I'm not that worried about the offense. I think Jeff now knows what he has on the O line. They're gonna have to make some adjustments and move some guys around because of the injuries that took place. Monroe Mills is likely going to be out, But you know, the offense overall, I'm not I'm not really that worried about.

and seventy two yards per game. And yes, I know some of those numbers are a little bit inflated due to the first two games being against Jacksonville State and Austin p But even if you took that out, louis has been able to move the ball without a whole lot of trouble. It's just been, you know, on fourth down.

And here's a fourth down stat that'll really I mean again, it's not something you're probably going to be that surprised by, but I think it does kind of put in perspective just how you know how bad they've been on fourth down. This is from Eric Crawford's article at WDRB. So louill was one of five on fourth down at Notre Dame and then converted just two of four against SMU. So Louisville ranks dead last in the nation and fourth down

rushing yards. But for those who don't know, the bad snap then ended up where the ball went over the punter's head and Notre Dame scored. That actually counts as a negative. That counts as a negative play. That's not just you know, that's a negative forty two yard play. So that's the biggest factor as to why you're that bad on fourth down. That counts as a failed fourth down conversion, which is kind of silly. But even when

you don't count that play. Louisville is still rushed for seven total yards on four fourth down carries, and six of those came on one fourth down that was successful. I mean that that really puts it in perspective. And you know, Jeff was pretty adam and he now knows they can't they can't try that again and expect it to work. So, I mean, they ran a fourth down play later and you know, got the ball to the outside to it was at Redmond. I know it was one of their tight ends.

to say. But like I thought, we'd have some people that are that are still a little uncomfortable in acting like Jeff Brahms has you know has and it's not really acting like it's just the truth, like in he's acknowledged it. I think the bigger coaching issues that we have is defense, and everybody knows that. And to be fair, that's that falls on Jeff given the fact that he's the guy who's the head coach and he employees. You know,

he hired Ron English. Now, I would imagine that there have been some pretty hard conversations in the last forty eight hours and they're going to definitely simplify some things defensively because you know, Jeff was pretty you never mentioned anybody's name, but we all know who he's talking about.

And I'll let you guys hear it after the I'll let you guys hear what he said after the game, because you know, he was asked about was there a plan to try to contain you know, their quarterback who you know, looked like Mike Vick out there, and he said, oh yeah, it was emphasized and it was not bottled through on. So I think Jeff's got a real issue with the way the defense is being led in every way as far as their strategy, as far as it

being executed. I mean, they really are a mess. And for what it's worth, they still will occasionally make timely

places They did it against notre Dame. I mean they did it in the beginning of the second half, so that that that's something, But like in any moment, any moment in the game right now, until they show us otherwise, we can't be shocked if they just have a guy randomly run on the field because he thinks he's supposed to be out there because nobody's on the same page, because the communications so bad, Like that's that that that would blow it. It would make you lose your mind.

But like you can't say you'd be surprised because those kinds of things have happened. But real quick, before we get to the phone lines, I'm not saying that Jeff Brahm is the reason Louisville is is three and two and they've lost their last two games, but Notre Dame specifically, not as much SMU, but like he's made some decisions that have clearly been a factor in the result of the game. Doesn't mean he's a terrible coach at all, doesn't mean he's a bad coach, And I don't really

think anybody's saying that. But I thought we were at a point where we could we could comfortably talk about our program and be critical when necessary. To players and coach without it meaning that like we hate him and

we want them gone. And I'm not saying anybody's out there saying that, but like when Jeff Bram's even acknowledging that he's that he's you know, had some made some bad decisions, he would he would go back and do it differently if he could, Like, I think that means that we've got clear room to say that from top to bottom, you know, everybody's been at fault to an extent. I think there's one area specifically as of now that that seems to be the most disappointing and the biggest

factor in why you're in this position. But if you want to call back, go for it, because I'm curious, you know, because I'm curious if if you think that anybody criticizing Brahm is like out of line, doesn't mean that they think he's a terrible coach and he shouldn't be here. It's just look, this is this is unfamiliar territory for a lot of louisvill fans, myself included, but it is what it is, all right. Five ht two five seven one seventy nine hundred is the number. Let's

go back to the phone lines. We'll welcome in.

them more credit than I think we should. Sometimes. I think that there's there's different tiers to this, and some of those teams like SMU and and other smaller teams are getting to our level or our level, maybe sometimes above our level, because I don't think our tiers up there with you know, with Georgia and Tennessee and all these other teams just like you just seen you know, Tennessee, I mean Tennessee get beat. You just seen Alabama get beat. You see Michigan get beat.

program or an SEC program. So Louisville's in a position right now where they've got dudes making big plays like Jacry Brooks, Tyler Shuck, and the Portal has certainly been like those guys came from the Portal, so everybody's able to you know, really capitalize. I mean they can go out and fill a void and get a really good player. So it's definitely even some things out a little bit. But I guess you know, what do you mean by giving a little like.

But but SMU is a good example of a team and I'm not. And I think that's what the caller is kind of referring to. Like SMU, they've got resources too, right, They've got nil you know, they're now in the ACC. I'm sure that helped them when they were recruiting dudes in the portal. And you know, their quarterback, believe it or not, is not somebody from the portal. He's a guy who was a backup and they put him in

this year and he's just been shredding them. But you know, their best defensive player, he's a guy who transfer from Miami. Same thing with their the running back who used to be a receiver at Miami. He's a transfer from Miami and he's one of the all time. He's one of the current leaders in the country when it comes to

all purpose yards. So when you know when you're relatively similar as far as personnel, and then you know you got veterans who have talent that are playing sometimes on their third school, you know, in any given day they could they could come out and make some plays and knock you off. I mean take little out of the equation. Look at what happened over the weekend with all these upsets.

I mean we'll never know, but I I if those schools don't have the portal to go kind of fill that void between you know, fill that gap, I should say, between where they are when it comes to recruiting talent. Do those upsets happen? I mean, we'll never know, but I wouldn't be shocked if they didn't. All right, real quick, actually, let's do this. Let's get let's get to a break. We'll come back on the other side. Get back to the phone lines. Richard, you'll be up first when we

come back. If you guys want to call you Ken five two, five to seven one seventy nine hundred. Also, if you guys missed it, I will play it for you before we get out of here. The question BROBMS asked sort of about the defensive strategy, you know, and he didn't hold back on just kind of you know, venting essentially. So we'll let you hear that in a lot more. It's coffee and company. Feel about Thorton's right here on Sports Talk seven ninety. Sign up to become

a member of the refreshing Awards program at Thornton's. If you haven't already, it's very easy to do. You just look for the app on your phone, whether you have an Android or an iPhone, you'll find it. It's free, it's easy, and you'll start saving money at the gas pumps, So make sure you make sure you take advantage. It is coffee and company, and we are fueled by Thornton's.

Five pints two five seven, one seventy nine hundred is the number if you guys want to give us a call still, Folks, reacting to a disappointing start to the Louisville football season, No doubt, I didn't think it needed to be said, but I did say it earlier, just you know, to clarify my thoughts on it. You can feel whatever way you want and be a fan whatever where you want. And I mean that not being sarcastic,

not just you know, just being just being honest. But I don't I don't think that Louisville, you know, making the playoff every year is going to be like what defines a good season. So yes, it's unfortunate to see that they've really put themselves in a tough spot. Already losing a home game in acc play when you still have Miami and Clemson on the schedule. But you know, know they can get better and still win a lot

of games left on the schedule. And if they do that, you know that would you could still have a good season. Would it be disappointing to miss the playoff?

is the number let's go to Richard who joins us. Now, Richard, you're on Sports Talk seven ninety.

how he thinks it should go. And third, haven't done the analysis, but I'm wondering. We're a lot of the portal folks of alignment, and the portal portals came from and what schools they came from, and if they came from Power five conferences. And I'll hang up and let you listen to your answers.

how the hell could this happen? Whenever you see such a you know, a goof. But when it comes to the offensive line, I mean, they they went out and they added, let's see here. I mean, you bring back some pretty good offensive lineman. I mean, you've got Gonzalez, who I believe was an All acc caliber player last year.

You know, you've got Ronaldo Brown who's coming off of an injury and he's got it clearly he has to not be healthy because he started here for years and now he can't get in the game, which I do think it is because he's not one hundred percent just yet. But when you look at the other offensive lineman they went and god, you know one of them that's playing a lot of snaps is Pete Niagaret. I mean he went to Northern Illinois. You look at Monroe Mills, he came from Texas Tech, and he, by the way, is

probably going to be out for some time. Vic Cutler, he actually might have already transferred out now that I'm looking at the depth started. But Johnathan Mendoza, he plays a lot. He came from Yale that's an IVY league. So you know, I talked about this a little bit on the Postgame show, and maybe it's an overreaction because you never know who's going to be in the portal

when you get there. But you may be better off developing lineman and trying to, you know, go out and get a guy that's got a lot of talent coming out of high school, but his raw, develop him, try to keep him around, because I think when you get dudes in the portal that are in the that are coming from the interior, you just really don't know what you're gonna get. I mean, you never really know at

any position how a guy's going to translate. But you know, sometimes you get a dude from the Power five, from the G five that really is a difference maker. And then sometimes you get a guy who you can say, Okay, you know he's not terrible, but I can see why he played in the MAC or something like that. All right, quick break. We got two more hours left and a lot more to get into. We'll get back to your calls on the other side five x two five' seven

one seventy nine hundred. Don't go anywhere. It's coffee and company. Feel Abu Thorntons right here on Sports Talk seven ninety