Fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven ninety.
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That's right. This is Coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety. Nick Coffee, that is me. And we've got mister Auston Montgomery once again with us this afternoon. And I hope you guys are ready to have some fun. I mean, that's what we do around here, at least that's what we try to do. I do worry at times maybe Austin and I are having some fun and maybe people can't like pick up on, you know,
they can't match the vibe. I would hope not, but it is certainly possible, right, I mean, it could happen again. I would hope not. But we're ready to get this thing started and I want to remind you can take us with you wherever you go. Listen live on the iHeart Radio app. Also listen live at seven ninety Louisville dot Com. Been a very busy, busy day. In fact, it's been a busy week really since the transfer portal opened.
It's been hectic. Louisville has landed a handful of commitments, and we probably will be getting more commitments here soon. I mean, I guess it's not a guarantee, but there's a lot of visitors that are either here right now as we speak, or that have made the trip and maybe they're wrapping up their visits. So I guess this is just going to be how it is. But it's exciting to get new players. It's exciting to have free agency within college sports. You know, obviously you're going to
have some well, I don't know. I was going to say that you're going to have some years where maybe you are a bigger loser than winter when it comes to the portal and free agency. But I really think that around here, I think that you know, you may lose really really good players like Jamari Johnson, who never really showed that he was going to be an elite college player, but young guy had a lot of upside, big time recruit. He's going to Oregon and that's a bummer.
But like louisll was in a position to where like, that's not something that when you look ahead to the next season, you're already thinking, like, man, it's just gonna be I mean, it's gonna be tough. We can't replace this guy. I mean, and you may not like he may be elite, and you realize, man, that guy could have really helped us. But when there's countless players in the portal, you know, he gives you a chance to
go and add players from all over the place. Right, you could lose guys at a certain position and feel pretty good about where you are and say, okay, we actually are a little bit thin over here at linebacker. So again, I'll try my best to get you guys updated as best I can. But it has been it has been hectic, no doubt. And we'll mix it up through throughout the afternoon here and and I hope you
guys will stick around. But Austin, I have to once again share another experience about just people reminding me that they're not in the holiday spirit like me. Okay, you'll think I'm making this up. Okay, remember the remember the story about Walmart earlier this week with the rude lady with the that didn't help me, didn't want to help me herself. When it comes to the paint, How could I forget them wanting to check my receipts and all
that kind of stuff. So it turns out one of those things that I that I purchased on my way out a couple of days ago, I needed to take back. So this morning I ended up arriving and uh, it looked crowded when I got there. You know, we're close to Christmas. But I walked right up to the customer service area and like there was two people in line. It was super quick, super like just you know, I was I was expecting there to be a long line if everybody like doing either layaway stuff or returning gifts
before Christmas, and it was. It was smooth. So I'm sitting there and there's one lady ahead of me and there's a woman to so there's two two people working the customer service area. The lady that was in front of me, she ends up going to this The first first person that said, hey can I help you. And then I was kind of waiting for or the the other lady to I guess get her ship started. I don't know. I mean she was there, but like she was getting a register set, and I was waiting for
her to say, hey, can I help you? So I just waiting there, and then she looks to who I assume is her supervisor manager boss. I'm not sure, but she said, hey, can I get some change? I need twenties, tens and fives. So she tells her boss, you know, hey, my register's probably a little light. You know, if I'm gonna be giving this keep you gotta keep in mind if you're if people are returning things and they want they want cash, like that's that's when you're probably gonna
that's probably where you're gonna need cash, maybe more than anywhere. Yeah, when it comes to you know, the checkouts and whatnot. So I heard her say that, So then I walked up and gave her a receipt and she she just mean, is it, by the way, I've never I mean, I guess I have before, but like I can't remember the last time I've ever returned something to a store. Is it? Do They usually ask you why you're returning it, because
they didn't ask me that, and I was expected. I was like, for some reason, was thinking like I was gonna have to like get approval if it could be returned or not. And it was it was something that like eighteen bucks, and it was it was nothing, but I was expecting them to like ask me why I'm returning it, and I was gonna have to be real convincing that it is a legitimate return. But I guess, yeah, it doesn't matter. But so it wasn't rude that she didn't ask me why, but she just she gave me
the receipt, or I gave her the receipt. She took the item and said she asked me, do you want cash, card or gift card? Like meaning she can give me cash back, she could refund my debit card, or she could give me a gift card. So I said, would cash be a problem. And the reason I said that is because I just heard her tell her boss that she needed more cash. So I thought I was kind of being courteous and just saying like, would it be you know, I would prefer cash, but you know, would
that be a problem. Yeah, And she looked at me and said, I said cash card or gift cards, so why would cash be a problem, and then gave me like a little smirk, and I looked at her like I don't. I mean, I'm not one to ever have any like confrontation, like I mean, wouldn't Like I was, I was having to really bite my tongue to not call her a name. I mean, I was thinking a lot of things upstairs, but I would never I would
never act upon it. And I just, you know, so she gives me the cash back, and I'm not in a hurry to like put the cash back in my wallet. So finally, as I'm about to walk away, I just said the reason that I asked if it was a problem to get cash. I heard you say that I could have cash, but I know you'd ask for it, so I was just that's why I said would it be a problem. I could have just said cash, but I said would it be a problem? Because I was trying because if.
You you were trying to be nice?
Yes, and like this was probably like a twenty five, twenty six year old woman, and you know, she had a smile on her, like a smirk more than a smile, But like I gave the lady in the paint department a pass on Tuesday. This like that's just a rude thing to say. Yeah, like that's just rude.
I mean, especially when you just overheard her like talking about it. That's that. It'd be one thing if you were like demanding of it, but like you were understanding of the situation, because obviously they just came up and asked she needed more money. So it's what's Walmart man?
Yeah, I don't know, I mean, I just it's like they're it's like they're messing with me. I mean, I and look, we had people mention this here and there on the text line, and I did throw this out there throughout the conversation about my previous Walmart experience earlier this week. But I know that that would probably be a really, really really tough job to have during the holidays.
I would imagine that every you know, for for every ten of me that are there for whatever it may be, maybe they need somebody to open up the door to
get paint, maybe they need to return something. I would say, for every ten more than half or probably not super polite to them, the workers, you know, so like, but don't take that out on somebody who's being I mean, like again, I don't, as I said the other day, like I'm not asking anybody to kiss my rear end or you know, because it's Christmas seeing me Christmas carols, but like it would be nice, just rude, and I mean I've whenever she said that today, I instantly thought
about me sharing the experience from two days ago on the show, and then I just kind of thought to myself, like is this is somebody playing a joke on me? Like is this is this a thing? And you know it wasn't, but I'm I'm gonna try. We're gonna try. We're collectively trying myself in Austin to get people in the Christmas spirit because what I've experienced at these retail places lately and even just I don't know. For some reason, it being warm today and sunny doesn't make me feel
like we're almost at Christmas. But we're there six days away, folks.
That's crazy.
I know. We have a the local fire department where we live. They they completely deck out their their fire truck with all kinds of lights and oh yeah, I mean it's got like a bubble machine coming off of it and and it's it's the coolest thing. And they they have they have saying that of course is up top and he rides through the neighborhoods in our community. Last night was the night in our neighborhood, and man,
the kids were. It was probably where I felt the most, you know, excitement about Christmas being a little bit yeah, because they were, I mean, like, my kids couldn't contain their excitement they saw Santa rolling down the block in his fire truck. Oh yeah, with the lights of shining everywhere like a light show. You got Christmas music blaring.
So yeah, I love I always used to love that. Oh man, I mean I still do.
Yeah, It's just different though, right, Like, yeah, Christmas as a kid is is a feeling that you know, I always say this, Christmas has kind of I've re upped with the Christmas spirit here lately just because I have kids now and that's awesome, But nothing, there's nothing like being a kid at Christmas.
What was your biggest, uh, your biggest Santa gift? Growing up where you were you really felt the magic?
Is there?
Is that one Christmas where you're like, all right, Santa, you are my guy.
PlayStation two.
Uh, well, what that's same original PlayStation? Really yeah, see original PlayStation probably like the mid nineties, mid to late nineties.
Yeah, so I went from I went from a second genesis if you if you're familiar.
Of course, I never owned one, but I knew to.
A PS two, so like I had a big gap there. I never even asked for one because I just assume, like you know, when I was a kid, just because my situation with my grandfather, I just assume, like the toys that like are are not as like snazzy if you will, like those are the those are the toys that Sanna gives you because he can't, like he's got so much to do. So yeah, I just thought if I was gonna get something like that, it would have
been from my parents. But whenever I saw that Sanna got it for me, I mean, it was like, all right, big guy, you've really I've done yourself this year.
I remember sitting on Santa's lap because Sanna came through, uh uh, through my elementary school, and I remember specifically asking for a PlayStation, and when I woke up that morning he was listening. It was right there, and I once again, Santa, you are my guy.
You understood the assignment. Yes he did, so, Shout out to Santa.
That was what's up.
Shout out to santam All right, Uh, before we get to our first break here coming up about five or six minutes, we are going to be joined. Well, we're not going to be joined before the break, but I do want to let you know. Coming up here in just a few minutes, we will talk to Zach Barnett of Football Scoop and get his thoughts on these matchups in the college football Playoff, which will be here tomorrow
and of course Saturday. And there are some things about these matchups that I was that I was unaware of that I'm looking forward to asking Zach about. Tennessee apparently believes that they will potentially have at fifty to fifty at the shoe. I don't think that's possible, but man, I don't know. Tennessee is a really really I mean, first of all, a huge fan base, they're super passionate. They were irrelevant in the big sports. They've never made
a Final four. They've been kind of irrelevant in football and nowhere near what they once were for a long time. And I think that kind of let people not realize that they actually do have a humongous fan base that
you know will will be as passionate as anybody. And I think them winning in baseball, like you know, not that people pay as much attention to the college baseball scene, but like the way they showed up in Omahall, like I think it was kind of a reminder like, oh yeah they have like there's a lot of them and they need something to be excited about. And then apparently Penn State may not even sell out their game, huh really yeah, And there are some legitimate reasons that that
is a worry for them. But also I mean there's other programs that you know, are in the same tier that Penn State believes they're in, that are also in you know, kind of remote places that are not big cities, big destinations. And I mean look at South Bend. I
mean you think that's not going to sell out. I mean, and I know Penn State Notre Dame, like clearly the brand of Notre Dame is bigger, But I think it would be the ultimate embarrassment if you host a playoff game and your and your place is and sold out. But it sounds like that's a real crazy Yeah, that's a real possibility. So we'll talk to Zach coming up here shortly. But before we take the break, I did want to let you know. I'm sure by now you
guys are well aware. I think this news actually broke right as we were ending the show, or maybe it was actually during the show yesterday and I just didn't get a chance to see it. But no surprise at all. Pierce Clarkson is going to transfer. He's going to enter
the portal. And you know, I don't blame him in any way, and I was kind of expecting him to do this, and and I don't know any I have no access to peerce or his family or anything like that, but I kind of get the sense that he was probably gonna play in the Bowl game and then hit the portal because it would be his opportunity to put mean, he's never started a game at Louisville, and he hasn't played much at all. He's only been here two years. It's not like he's been some guy that's been waiting
for for for a long time. But uh, I would imagine that it's so competitive that, like you really don't have time to sit around. I mean, there are players that that that that I mean, in fact, the quarterback, this is an example, the quarter Penn State's backup quarterback has hit the portal and is not even going with them on to the playoffs. Like he's he's he's already done and left the team, which I mean, maybe there's more to it than what you know, than what's out there.
But to me, I don't think he's doing it because he's an a hole. I don't think he you know, And some people say, regardless, he is an a hole.
He's leaving his team and they may need him, right he may he may be a factor in a team that's playing for a national championship if their starter gets hurt, but he also has to look out for himself and if he weighed like if they keep if they keep winning, and he's just there as a security measure, you know, never playing unless something happens, and and you know, there may be schools that take a quarterback that he he would have been a better fit, he would have wanted,
he wanted to go there. So it's still I think it's still very much an uncomfortable thing for people to to to to view this the way these college players now view it. It's a job. It's it's a chance for them to very much improve their situation, improve their livelihood. And uh, you know, I I get it, Like if I was him, I would be torn. And if I was Pierce, I was you know, Pierces is a little bit of a different situation because he's you know, he's
just looking for a new opportunity. But you know, if he wanted to play in that Bowl game, but yet he had to think like, man, if I wait and don't hit the portal until the first of January, like that's that's probably gonna put me behind some guys. So no surprise. And right now you've got I guess two quarterbacks on scholarship that that are going to be available in this game. Douce Adams, the freshman who, by the way, curious if they give him a run. He's a young guy,
true freshman. They really like him. He's from Texas, which, of course, which is where the bowl game is gonna be played, So not sure if it's gonna be him or if it's gonna be Harrison Bailey. And Harrison Bailey would probably give you a better chance to win, but it would really just be a gift to Harrison Bailey because he's on his way out like you're not. He's I mean me a double check here because you never know.
Maybe guys have ten years of eligibility. Now I'm not quite sure, but look at looking at Bailey, I mean he's somebody that is a red shirt senior already. So unless he fights for another year, like playing him in this game. And look, if you want to do that, Jeff Brom, go for it. I don't have any issue with it, but I think he'd probably like to see what you have in the freshman because you know, maybe he's gonna be your maybe he's now gonna be your
backup if in fact, Miller mos Go's down. So anyways, quick break, Zach Barnett gonna join us. Coming up here. On the other side, Kentucky landed their quarterback from the portal. We'll talk to you a little bit about that. Also, something Pat Kelsey said on his Coaches show that I was very excited to hear. And there's all kinds of other stuff we'll get into today. So let's have some fun. It's coffee and Company Field abouth. Thornton's right here on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Now back to coffee and Company fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day.
This is Coffee and Company field by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven ninety. Thanks for hanging out with us and we always appreciate you listeners, as well as the one and only mister Zach Barnett, a football scoop who joins us to talk some college football. Zach, I'll just jump right in here. Do you think there's a real possibility that Penn State doesn't sell out their college football playoff game?
I understand that they're in a little bit of a different situation than some of these other programs, But when I heard that, and then of course, you know, looked into why that would be possible, it almost sounded unbelievable.
I do think it's possible, and I'll tell you exactly why I think it's possible. So I was on the radio this morning here in Dallas, and we had Brian Jones on who on CBS's pregame show, and he was at the Big Ten Championship, and after Penn State lost, he.
Was talking to Penn State fans who.
Weren't exactly jazz to play outdoors in twenty degree weather.
But isn't that kind of like what they do, yes and.
No, like typically their last gear weekend. Yeah, so this is I believe it's Ohio State's first December home game. Ever, I assume it would be penn States And uh, I mean if I lived in Pennsylvania, I wouldn't be any more jazz to sit outside in twenty degree weather than I would be living in Texas.
And you know, students are gone.
Uh yeah, and.
You have an enormous stadium that's not particularly close to any of the population centers in Pennsylvania and your hometown is not that big.
So it's this isn't in This isn't that shock?
Yeah, I mean there are certainly some factors. And I knew that State College wasn't like, you know, some humongous area within the huge state of Pennsylvania, and it really I mean, I remember earlier this year Franklin was complaining about the adjustment that they've had to make with the road trips because when they have to travel and go all the way across the country to either USC or UCLA or Washington or Oregon, they actually can't go out of the same airport that they've always flown out of
they have to go elsewhere like Harrisburg or something, just because they have to take a different plane. So you know, they're a big time program, big time brand, have a huge fan base. But you know this year, I mean, one thing that I hadn't considered is this is the later latest game they probably ever had at home. But I guess I just I didn't think that would matter to people because you know, it's the college football Playoff.
This is a crazy crazy I mean it's like, you know, I don't know, say it's a once in a lifetime thing. There are twelve teams there, but being able to host a game and to think that the stadium may not be full just sounds crazy. But again, there are some factors and if they get.
I don't know what the numbers say, but let's say they get ninety three thousand, Like that's not a sellout.
But it's not like the fans have totally rejected this game either.
I mean NFL playoff games usually sell out with those stadiums seats.
Seventy thousand, Yeah, and they'll have a they'll have a home field advantage, no doubt, But I just think the optics and knowing that, like hey, in the first ever playoff, you had a home game and you could like it'll be weaponized against them, and it's really silly stuff that doesn't matter. But you know, that's what makes college sports,
you know, kind of great. We just we go after each other and different teams for things that we you know, we would defend our team for doing right, Like if it happened to us, we'll make excuses and justified and say, you know, it's just the haters. But if it's somebody else, you know, you point and you laugh. Now another thing that would be embarrassing. And I don't know if it'll you know, if it's going to be that visible. But Knoxville invading or I guess just Tennessee fans in general.
They're not all from Knoxville, but invading the shoe, I mean Ohio State. We all know their circumstance. They don't like their coach, and it's just been a year where they are still really good, but they lost to Michigan in the one year they shouldn't lose to Michigan. And they paid probably more than anybody for the roster they have. They hired Chip Kelly to call the plays, and yet they just they still couldn't beat their rival and you know,
still didn't win the Big ten. But Tennessee fans act like they are really gonna have some big time presence in Columbus, and they will, But like, do you think we'll be able to like see it on TV? Like we're not talking like fifty to fifty, right, Like that's not possible, is it?
No?
No, No, I'm sure it'll be much larger than the contingent that Wisconsin brings to Ohio State wherever they go, but it'll be nothing like fifty to fifty. The gold standard for me visiting fan bases is when Nebraska went to Notre Dame in two thousand or two thousand and one, and it looked like they had about thirty three to forty of Notre Dame stadium. I'm sure, I'm no doubt Tennessee will have the the They'll certainly be more Tennessee fans in the Horseshoe then there will be SMU fans
in Beaver Stadium. Look that that's you take that prediction to the bank.
Yeah.
And the other thing that's interesting to me about this game is, I bet you if you ask anonymously to Ohio State players and coaches. They probably would have been okay going on the road, because you go on the road, you know what to expect when you go to neland Stadium.
Ohio State is a program that needs to get.
Away for a little bit if they're If they're down ten to three in the second quarter of that game and they go three and out, the boom Birds are gonna come out and their fans are gonna start sitting un there because they're.
Already looking for something to complain about, because that's just how toxic they've been lately. Now I get it, yeah.
And uh, I mean here in Dallas, we saw this past January.
The Cowboys had a great regular season.
They were undefeated at home and Green Bay went took the ball, came down and scored, and the vibe within the stadium immediately changed, and the.
Players felt it.
And then the fans got nervous because the players got nervous, and the players got nervous because the fans got nervous, and they totally melted down and were out of the game by by halftime. And I'm certainly not going to say that that's what happened, but the the the doom spiral effect of a home field disadvantage is real. And if it's gonna happen anywhere this weekend, it's gonna be at Ohio State.
Yeah.
I mean it sounds crazy, but I think you're right. They have probably a better chance of getting uncomfortable when when they're in their own stadium because they're fan you know, they don't know what their fans are gonna do. And when you're in you're on the road, you know, you know you're gonna be out numbered. They're gonna boo if their team's playing poorly, they're gonna they're gonna you know,
they're gonna be against you. But now this a house did situation, just from top to bottom is just very it seems very unique compared to really any other team I can think of. And again maybe it's because the playoff is still brand new here, but like Ryan Days had a really really good run there, but he just hasn't you know, I want to I want to defend the guys if like people who criticize him are crazy, but I mean I kind of understand why they feel, like, Hey,
this is Ohio State. This guy's had a lot to work with and he's been good, but we we demand excellence, and and I think they they're they're right when they say at least as if now that they they don't really have a whole lot to run with to think that he's going to be the guy that gets them back to actually winning national championships, which is easier said than done, but you know, that's that's the standard that
they they have for themselves. Now when it comes to the teams playing this weekend, is there a team out there that you feel like you have no clue like what we're going to get? Like you you know, because you play twelve games, you know you have an identity. These teams had the resumes to get in. I'm not I'm not disputing that, but obviously Indiana kind of tough to know, Like they seem pretty good, but like how good? I think you could say the same thing about Penn State.
Is there a team that you just maybe maybe maybe it's maybe it's one of those two, but I just I kind of feel like with those two teams and even with even with SMU. I was really impressed with SMU all year, but because of how the schedule sets up, like I you know, stuff to know exactly how good they are.
Yeah, I would say SMU because I mean, I still think they're better than Clemson and they didn't win the a SEC Championship, and that's the way it goes. But if SMU and Clemson played again tomorrow, I would I would take SMU. Uh So I wouldn't be surprised if SMU goes to Happy Valley and wins the game.
And I wouldn't be surprised if the moment's too.
Big for them and if Penn States just a little bit bigger, stronger, faster than them and they go out and lose either.
I mean, that's that's a tough, tough and it straps out to be a tough environment, a big ask to go to Happy Valley for an SMU team and win the game. And I also don't really know what to expect out of Penn State because they've been kind of plotting until they got to the Big Ten Championship and they were just popping big runs all over the place. They ran from nearly three hundred yards on nine per carry against Oregon and a pretty good defense got sliced and diced.
So that leads me to believe that.
I had no idea what to really expect when this game kicks off.
Yeah, there's I mean to Indiana. When people mentioned their schedule, it, I mean true, they didn't. They ended up playing teams that you know, they've actually played. The two teams that were in the Yeah, they played they they played Washington and Michigan, who were in the National Championship game last year. I don't think anybody expected those teams to kind of
drop off the way that they did. But when they were playing those kind of teams, they were hammering them like they were beating those type of opponents worse than some of the better teams in the Big Ten were doing.
But with Penn State, like I think at times, I mean, I don't know, to me, they look like the team that I feel like you could you could make the case that they might be like really good or maybe they just didn't, you know, they didn't slip up the way that some other teams did that kept them from getting into the to the College Football Playoff. Now, one of the games that I'm most excited about is the Texas Clemson game. I don't really know if Clemson's going
to keep it super competitive. A little surprised to see the spread being twelve, But then again, Texas has a lot to roster. But what I want to ask you about Texas is is there any truth that if in fact, Quinn Owers does want to come back, and like let's say Texas wins it all or maybe they you know, they lose in the National Championship Game, would I mean, I feel like Texas would probably want to move on
to the Arch Manning era. But then again, if this guy wants to come back and he doesn't want to go to the NFL, like that could be one of the that could be an all timer. As far as a situation that plays out there, you can.
Quote me on this.
There is a zero percent chance quin you were, is the quarterback for the Texas Longhorns in twenty twenty five. There's a better chance that he's a quarterback for the Texas A and a Aggie's that he is for the Longhorns.
And I mean that's.
That's just simply resourced allocation.
Sure it makes sense.
Quinn.
Yeah, the eligibility standards are now written in pencil instead of ink.
But Quinn's done after next season.
If he chooses to return, Arch will have two more years to play, potentially even three more years play, So there's.
No way that you can keep Arch at Bay for a third Sure, yeah, he.
Would leave, and that would be an institutional failure for Texas. To have him the crown print of quarterbackings, royal family on your campus for two seasons in the league would be a total failure.
There's no chance that they allow that to happen.
Having said that, I think the talk that.
Quinn, the talk that Quinn would transfer somewhere else is a complete social media BS fabrication. There was belief around here that the Rams would have taken him in the top twenty if he'd come out last season. Now, don't quote me to say that they're absolutely going to draft him this time around. But if you quit for everything Quinn doesn't do well, his skill set really fits.
To what the NFL is nowadays.
Most the vast majority of NFL passes are within ten yards of the line of scrimmage, and Quinn's really good at that intermediate stuff. So this is a weak quarterback class. So it's hard to believe that with the durability.
I mean, what happens if he comes back and gets hurt again.
What happens if the quarterback class next year is better than this year.
There's just the risk reward.
Isn't really there, and certainly if they go playing the national.
Title game, his stock will rise in And so long story short, as the moment the clock hit zero on Texas the season, whether that be Saturday evening or January twentieth, it's arch Mannings team.
Yeah, and with yours, I mean, the only scenario where he would want to come back as if he didn't, like if won, if his like if he's draft stock was like non existent, which is not the case. I mean, I'm still seeing here he's projected to be a first rounder at least the mocker if I'm looking at right now.
But also like if he really felt like he could significantly improve his situation, and I really don't think that that would be doable college because I think, you know, not to say he's bad, but like, I don't know if he's gonna come back, he can come back to college and be good again and probably still kind of have the same stock, and again the quarterback crop maybe even more, maybe even more competitive. So you're right, it's probably just something that that ended up getting getting blown
out of proportion. But you know, with with like another. We're at a level now where with college sports, and you know, specifically college football right now as the portal is active, like nothing surprises me. I mean the Diego Diego Pavia ruling to where he can now at least get another season, and it's gonna have other guys trying to fight the n S Doualea to see if they
can get another year. Like when you hear somebody's got an eight year of eligibility or somebody's getting eight million dollars, I mean, I I mean, I don't know what's real and what's not, but man, it's it's a circus.
Yeah, I really hate I I love Diego, I love watching him play, but I.
Hate that he's coming back.
Like I get, you have a chance to make a million dollars, Who among us is going to turn that down? Yeah, especially if you're not an NFL quarterback in any way, shape or form, like Diego Pavia having said that junior college is college football, man, don't don't insult my intelligence.
It's not NCAA football, but it's college football.
And you have an opportunity because at some at some point in your career somewhat older than you are, right out of eligibility and moved on, and now it's your turn. I saw a tweet that was since deleted, so I hope it's not true, But I saw tweet that Kyle.
McCord is exploring and returning for another season.
And he's played.
He's been in college four years and played at least five games in every single WATERFU so I failed to see.
What grounds he has to return.
But my opinion clearly means nothing.
And Kyle McCord, like you have an opportunity because someone else moved on. To not do the same when it's your turn is selfishness to me, and it's hard for me to support that.
Yeah, And look, I can't knock these guys if they want to try to, you know, improve their livelihood, make money, and you make the most of this situation. But man, some of it lately just kind of screen Like all right, dude, Like it's like the guy who graduates high school but like always hangs out at high school, you know what I mean, Like it's got that kind of vibe.
Yeah, yeah, I mean, we all understand what college football is, and no one really wants to see these twenty five year old guys that aren't good enough to play in the NFL.
Just turn this into a career.
Yep, yep. I could could not agree more. All right, so do you have any before we let you go? Do you have any like upset predictions?
This?
I mean, the all three of the or all four of the favorites are favored by at least a touchdown. In fact, two near double digits, one over double digits. Do you do you think we'll see any of these dogs actually win one of these games?
Uh?
You know what, I'll go, SMU, why not?
Hell yeah, that's confidence level on.
A scale of one to ten ten thousand.
You heard it here first, Okay, take it to the bank. I like it, I mean, and that's the one that I want him hoping to see. But also like I think I s who's pretty good. As I mentioned earlier, it's tough to know just exactly how good they are with with the way their schedules shaped up, but with Penn State, like you know, I'm not, I wouldn't be scared of them if I was SMU. Now, maybe they're scared of that cold weather, because you don't you don't get that cold in Texas, right, it.
Does get cold here?
From time to time, not often. I'm it's like in the fifties. Here right now, it's perfect. It's here in December and January. It's just as likely to be eighty as it is twenty. But we do get cold snapts.
Time of time.
Well, I can tell you that if it's if is it's sunny there where you are, it's very funny. Oh sunny in the fifties. I bet that's like nice hoodie weather. That's good. That's good stuff there. I'm envious. And by the way, I want to tell you this. You and have talked on the radio for a long long time. I don't know if ever. I just realized it the other day. I've never been to Texas other than the airport. Because I was thinking about going to El Paso for
the Bowl game for Louisville. I don't know if I'm going to be able to pull it off. But if I end up in your state, which you claim clearly it's your state, everybody knows that, I'll reach out and see if you can give you some tips and maybe turn me into a cowboy.
El Paso is a fantastic city. If you have the opportunity to go, you absolutely sure.
Yeah you go, and then you know Warrez right there, we could make the trip there too and just have ourselves, you know, at a great trip. So yeah, good, good stuff.
You are the man.
Zach has always appreciate your time. Having Merry Christmas, my man, and we'll talk to you soon.
Brother, Thank you, Dick sounds good.
Take care that is Zach Barnett FootballScoop dot Com always appreciated making some time for us. Good stuff. All right, let's take a quick time out, will come back. We'll talk a little more about the Pierce Clarkson situation, because I do feel like, you know, I'm continuing to see people really like, uh oh what happened? And I I get it because it's still relatively a new world. But this one made total sense, and it it's not anybody's fault. It's just a kid looking out for his best interest.
And you know, Jeff Bram, just giving this job to Clarkson and not getting a guy in the portal would be I mean, it would be insane. And I don't say that because I think Pierce isn't good. It's just why would you rely on a guy who's never been a starter before? If if you can go get a guy who's really good that wants to come and play for you, right, like, oh, well he didn't play Piercity this year. Okay, Tyler Shuck was pretty damn good, wasn't he. Like this is just how this is going to be.
Now it's just different. Quick break, keep it locked right here on Coffee and Oh, Coffee and Company on Sports Talk seven.
Ninety Now back to Coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day.
So I will admit something. I didn't get into Christmas Vacation the movie until a lot later in my life.
You serious, Clark.
So here's what's wild. I watched Vegas Vacation, which was great, is a great movie, and I later learned like that there's a whole thing of him, you know, And I never really you know, I never got into it. And I always knew that it was really really popular, and
I don't mean like I recently watched it. But so like when I think of Christmas songs, I never even like made the connection that that song was from the movie until you know, I don't know, like seven eight years ago, and it's it's not like a song I think of yeah, play that one, but like it's awesome and it reminds me of that movie and that movie is amazing, so good stuff there.
Yeah, that's one of my favorites too. I love it now. I also love like in each of the Vacation movies there's different family members, like like it's all like they're different cast. I mean, there's oh yeah, a different Russ and except up Beverly DiAngelo, she stays the same.
Yeah, the one that I ended up. There's one where they're in like Europe. And this one's old. I don't remember when it came out, but I think it might have been like could it have been before I was born? Maybe that sounds off, but I just remember it was. It was when Chevy Chase was a lot younger, and I remember watching it and seeing some things and thinking to myself, I bet I'm not supposed to be watching this, and you know I did, and it was it was awesome.
You know what other movie I watched as a kid that was old that I loved, but it also had something that as a kid I did enjoy seeing, but I wasn't expecting and I was just kind of always looking around, like I hope nobody walks in here while I'm watching this Revenge of the Nerds. Have you ever seen that?
I have not seen it, dude.
I mean that probably came out and I mean that probably came out in like the early eighties.
So it's like pretty raunchy or something.
I know.
I feel like I know all about it, Like, yeah.
It's good.
It's a really good movie. And it was, you know, it's it's really funny. It's a classic. But you know there's there's breast in it. Oh yeah, so that that was something that I wasn't expecting when watching and you know, it's something you remember as a kid. I have to watch it now, about to check it out?
You sold me.
Yeah, that's the only place I know now you can actually see that, you know, because I mean, so might as well. Might as well get it. Maybe it's on Netflix or something.
I don't know.
All right, let's let's talk quickly about the Kentucky quarterback commitment. So Zach Kelzada is a transfer from incarnate word. Now, there is more to the story here than just a guy that's coming from a school, but most people have
never heard of. He started his career texas a and m and I don't know if he moved on because he was maybe a little bit ahead of everybody at realizing, Look, if I want to showcase what I can do, I got to go down a level and then come back up, because that's going to be the way that that quarterbacks, I feel like, get their first opportunity unless you're somebody
you know named arch Manning. So as I've said, coaches who don't have to go young at quarterback and young, young and no experience, they're not going to do that. And that means that guys wanting to get an opportunity
to play quarterback in college football need to understand. I mean, they're still going to take freshman commitments, but the likelihood of those freshmen becoming the full time starter at a school when they've never had any experience elsewhere, I just feel like that's going to be really really rare moving forward. So you know, I'd love to pile on and say that you know, this is what Mark Stoops is going to do to try to fix this mess.
Haha.
This is a guy from Incarnate Word, which doesn't even sound like a school. It sounds like a hard class at a college that was not a that was a really poor attempted humor. But anyways, I think the guy's pretty good. Now. I don't know if it's going to translate, but I'll put it this way. You got you know, you have more here than what you knew you had a year ago when you added Brock vandergriff Which, by the way, did you see Austin he's retired from football?
Yeah? I saw that. Wow. I mean one year with Mark Stoops Huh yeah. I mean, like I makes you rethink your whole life.
I'm just curious, does he Does he hate it? Does he? I mean, because I'm not gonna act like Mark Stoops ruined this guy's life, But I mean I see why people make that kind of a judgment that man, The guy got one year to be a starter and it was a Kentucky and nice quitting football, So like, I get why that's that's how people view it. But at the same point in time, like why not just transfer again? Like he's even I mean, he wasn't banged up to the point where like he needs to rethink about playing
because he's got a bunch of concussions. The guy never played much at Georgia because he was behind some guys gets to Kentucky and like, even if he had a bad like this guy has had such little repetition as a starting quarterback in college that I feel like his confidence can't be rattled that much because he can just
blame it on Kentucky's offense. Because look at how I mean, Mark stoops, that's where that's where offensive you know, fire goes to die because you know, he can't keep a coordinator. Guys who are on his offensive staff that he doesn't like that leave they end up being better elsewhere, like Shannon Dawson at Miami. So I mean, I'm very surprised. I hope there's nothing serious going on, but that I mean again, sometimes guys just do decide to walk away.
But I feel like everything when it comes to his situation, it's really unusual for him to do that. Now, maybe he's just done with college because he's finished his degree and just doesn't want to but like, this guy could
go make more. Like believe, no matter how bad he was in Kentucky, if he transferred somewhere, he would make money and it, I mean, he probably would be taken by one of the power for schools to be honest with you because again he hadn't played for It wasn't like this guy played many many years and showed he was he was average. I mean, he played one year and showed that he was average, and it was against a really good schedule.
So I don't know.
I just there had been some some some rumblings that that would happen, that could happen where he may just walk away. But I didn't. I didn't think that would actually happen. But here we are, so.
Maybe the local Goodwill is fully staffed and they didn't need his assistants.
Yeah, I mean, where's he Is he from Georgia? Do you know? I would imagine he is, but thanks, So I'm not sure he looks like a Georgia guyatn'ty? Yeah, so Kauzada he was at A and M and then of course transferred and he was the south Land player of the Year at Carnate Word and you know he put up big numbers. So you know, who knows. Maybe
the guy isn't very good at all. But I would if I'm if I am a if I'm a Kentucky fan, which I'm not, I couldn't even I couldn't even say it because it just sounds so like no way possible, Like I would be. I would be pretty excited because who were you gonna get, Like, you know, you're gonna have to use a lot of your money and spread
it out. So if the kid that's going to Oregon State or whatever, Washington State, the Malik Murphy QB from Duke, like if he is, and if he's, if he wanted like three million, I wouldn't have paid that either.
So you wonder the big question is his mom hot. I don't know. We'll have to uh have some intel, haven't.
I know nothing, But I I just feel pretty good about us being able to rate, retain rivalry, bragging rights when it comes to the moms. Just just just based off of MS. Moss. Just just my just my thoughts. All right, It's Coffee and Company. We're feel about Thorntons right here on Sports Talk seven ninety