It's time for coffee and company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day. Now here's Nick Coffee.
I try to go back and forth on the text line with a lot of folks whenever, you know, we get commercial break and it's something that maybe I'm not going to read on the air, but you know, I want them to know that, hey, thanks for or just you know, ask a question. Sometimes I'll respond to people who insult me, so you know, I think some people have texted and not expecting to ever get a response.
But sometimes I'll go back and forth with people. And I did get some good feedback earlier from those of you that have been in my shoes before as far as learning how to be a sports parent, so I talked about it in the three o'clock hour. I feel like this weekend, this past weekend was my first time really experiencing, like you know, being a being a parent on the sideline when your kids in a competitive game. And yet that even sounds like a lie as I say it, because it's four.
Year old football.
I mean, they're playing flag football, but you know it's competitive, right They practice three days a week. You know, his team works hard at practice. You know they're there, They've come a long way. Every now and then they just want to lay in the grass and eat eat grass and whatnot. But you know, they had their first game and they won big, the Overdell Chiefs flag football team. So I was just for those who missed it, I was just like it was very brief, but like, you know,
just I'm wired to be a competitor. That's just you know, that's my nature. And so far, like with baseball or team all, I should say. You know, he's hitting it off the tee. Every kid gets to bat once per inning and then they roll it over, so like you're not even keeping score. And then my daughter, you know, she's in a special needs baseball league, which is great, but you know it's not about score, it's just about
having fun. Well, you know this was different on Saturdays, my son's first flag football game and they won big. And you know, he dropped one of the handoffs. He was looking around in space instead of listening to his coaches once and I'm like, well, I guess we're done here. Guess he's gonna have to, you know, go join the debate team or something. Hope he's a better student than I was, because clearly he's not gonna be an athlete, not with that attitude.
And I'm like, what are you doing.
You're losing your mind, You're a lunatic, which I am, but you know, it's just brief, brief, very brief moments where I have those thoughts, and then I.
Realized, what are you doing, don't be a psycho?
And seeing its team win and seeing how much fun he's having made it to where like, you know, maybe in four years you can reassess your situation and determine if your kid's gonna your kid's gonna be into sports or not. Which thank you to those on the text line telling me, hey, it's normal to have that mindset. But also others have mentioned this, that's really young. He just turned four years old two months ago in June, and now he's you know, he's playing flag football. And
you know, I did not start playing. I feel like I feel like when I was around probably six maybe seven, because I only played and I only played basketball. I didn't play any other sports. But when I played basketball, when I first when I first played on a team where it was like you know, ages, I think five through seven, when I was a five year old and the rest of the guys were seven. Like I mean I was, I could barely get the ball to the rim probably, and I don't remember much about it, just
being out there. And then by the time I got to be six and seven, like, it became something all I did was play basketball. So for him to be playing me, he's already played t ball twice and now he's playing football. He'll be playing basketball for the first time coming up this winter.
So you think that'll be a whole nother lefs, since you played basketball like a level of like parental anxiety of warning your kid to succeed.
Yes, and no, I mean not at that age at least I wouldn't think so. But he he knows, like basketball is my favorite sport and it's the only sport that I played, so like he's when anytime basketball gets brought up, he asks me, are you going to coach me? And I have no choice but to, you know, to at least ask if they need a volunteer coach, because he you know, even if I'm not his coach for his team, I'll at least probably volunteer to help out because he'll want me to do that.
And that would be mean of me not to do that.
But I actually this past weekend, I'm glad you asked that question, John, because this past weekend actually made me realize that for basketball, like I need, it'll probably be better for me if I'm coaching so he can get every shot. And I'm kidding, but just because you know, it'll be you know, and if I'm not involved in like, you know, he's doing something and I trust me, I think I know way more about basketball than I ever will. But that's just because I played, and you know, I'm
a an opinionated person about the sports. So like, if he if he's being coached by somebody and I know they're telling him wrong, like I'm probably gonna like correct them, which.
Might as well.
Just and again, let's be honest. It's not like people are beating down the door to volunteer to coach kids that age in any sport because it's it's tough.
Man.
I love all of his coaches. They're all volunteers. They do such a great job in football, I mean, and he has practice for an hour and a half. These kids are four and five years old. Most of them on his team just turned four, So like just to get them to concentrate and not you know, run away and you know, sit on the ground or have a tantrum like it's it's at that age it's difficult to have a have any real organization for a long period of time because they're little bitty kids, you know what
I mean. Like it's you got people who aren't school teachers at least not that I know of, that are now like, you know, kind of being teachers for an hour and a half with kids that they just met, you know. So but it has been it has been a lot of fun. And I want to give a big shot out to the Overdale Chiefs organization because when I was growing up in that area, you know, we had we had a we had and I didn't play. My sister was a cheerlead. A lot of my friends
played football. But I feel like like participation was pretty low compared to some other schools or some other areas I should say, within Bullet County. And you know, they
were always desperate for volunteers. And now here, you know, here we are twenty something years later, and Chris Gomez is the guy who is the he's the he's the director of the board and he's done a great job of getting some good volunteers involved, and they've got so many participations, so many people participating at all levels, from the oldest you can be for you the football, to the youngest, which is my son in flag football, the cheerleaders.
So yeah, it's uh, it's been. It's been exciting and they won big. But earlier in the game, whenever he wasn't on the field and he wasn't paying attention and he got a handoff and dropped it, I'm like, well, guess that's it, guesse.
We tried, and we tried to play sports.
I guess you're gonna have to figure something else out, son, which is just a lunatic type reaction, but sometimes, you know, being a parent can make you a lunatic. So the first and it used to be called pee wee. Maybe that's what it's called steel, but they got different names for the ages and divisions now. But his nephew, well, I'm sorry, his cousin, my nephew and my best friend's son play on the first level of where you can tackle.
I think it's called pee wee. And they played earlier in the day and it was opening day for everybody on Saturday at the field and when we got there at noon, you know, he didn't play untill seven thirty, my son, but at noon it was the you know, there was some bigger kids tackle, kids that were, you know, a few years older than him, kids that were ten years older than him playing, And because we got there so early, he thought he was going to.
Have to play against the bigger kids. So he was so scared.
I didn't have the heart to like mess with him, like, yeah, they're about to put you in man, like they just didn't want you to I thought about, like, yeah, they just didn't want you to tackle in practice because they wanted to make sure you were healthy to be able
to go out there and play. I think they're going to give you the ball as soon as you get Like I was thought about doing that and messing with him because I usually can you know, do that kind of stuff and have fun with him, but he was so scared.
I didn't have the heart to mess with him.
My parents to the car.
It really is a big scaredy kid. It really would have been cruel to do that now that I'll think about it.
But anyways, thank you for those sharing your experiences and you know, guidance as a as a sport parent, because you know it's just beginning. My son's four and if he's if he continues to play all sports, you know, it's just gonna be it's gonna be a process for me.
All right.
It's coffee and company. We are feel about Thornton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety. Appreciate you hanging out with us. We will talk with Alex Kupper talk some louisvill football with the former Louisville Cardinal himself coming up here at about fifteen minutes or so. Looking forward to getting his thoughts on a lot of things. Expectations for the upcoming season areas of concern. You know, he knows how coaches
motivate players. And Jeff Brohm after the first scrimmage of fall camp on Saturday, I don't feel like he was going out of his way to do anything in regards to like strategically.
Fueling his team.
I just think he was being direct and honest and saying that he needs more guys to emerge as playmakers, and you can never have too many playmakers. I'm not I didn't hear that and begin to be concerned about
the team. But you know this is this was a reminder for me that last year, man, it was all new for everybody, and I guess technically it is this year because you still have a brand new team in the grand scheme of things, with a lot of I mean, you have guys back, a first team All American in Ashton Jalatti, but there's there's a lot of transfers on this team and how they how they do will be a big factor in the success this team will have.
So I think last year it was just such a fun ride knowing that Bram was back home, the schedule set up nicely. Nobody was expecting ten wins in a trip to the ACC Championship game in year one, but
that's what happened. So like instead of thinking like, oh wow, Alive was in the midst of something really special, they could find themselves in the playoff, which again they didn't and didn't belong in the playoff, but let's not forget that when they started the season five and zero with a big win against Notre Dame, that was special and they were in the conversation to be a potential, you know, if not a playoff team, a team that certainly would play in a New Year's six Bowl, and of course
we know that didn't play out that way, but nonetheless, like instead of thinking big picture, like wow, this could be one of the most special seasons ever, which I guess technically it was. It's your first trip at the a SEC Championship. Louisville doesn't have many ten win seasons in the history of the program, so it was special.
But I wasn't thinking about it. I was just living in the moment and so excited that Brawn was home and we finally had somebody that was going to not only win, but inject real life into this fan base because he's one of us. So now here we are entering year two, like it or not, Expectations are there.
You won ten games, right, you know, you played in the championship game a year ago, you went out and did really really well in the portal once again, you brought back some really good players from last year's team, So you know, expectations are there, and I think they're going to be able to meet those expectations. And again that's not me saying they're gonna win ten games again, but I think this team can be pretty good and seeing them outside of the top twenty five after last season.
Initially has me sort of thinking, like, what the heck, like, where's the love for Louisville.
But then again, I can be objective.
They lost their last three games, two of those games or games they really had no business losing. And you know, they didn't exactly leave a great impression on the national audience for college football with the way they looked against USC. Let's be honest, that was a bad showing, no doubt about it. So again, we'll talk some more Louisville football coming up here with cup in the next ten minutes
or so. We also talked a little bit about Steph Curry earlier because I happen to believe that Steph Curry, his legacy as an all time great, has been in good position for quite some time. But I believe him winning another title without Kevin Durant and him being the guy, and he's always been the guy for Golden State. Let's be honest with you, but that was one of the things that and when you become such an established superstar in your sport, there's never going to be somebody not
finding something to criticize about you and bring up as something. Well, hell, he needs to do this before he really is the legend, right. I mean that's normal, that's just part of being an insanely successful, accomplished professional athlete, especially when you play a mainstream sport. So you know he's been great, but you know he didn't have an MVP in the finals. Well now he does. When they knocked off Boston a couple of years ago, he got another ring and he was
the man. And then what he did for Team USA last week with his sensational performance against Serbia. If he doesn't do Steph Curry things, then they don't beat Serbia, they don't even get a chance to play for the gold on Saturday. Well, then it was him, once again, Steph Curry taking shots that nobody has any business even considering taking, and he makes them because that's what he does.
And he was so clutch. And I feel like when you think of Louisville, or not Louisville, but Team USA winning the gold medal here like they always do, I mean, this is, let's be honest, that was the expectation. But now I have a moment that I can think back on and know that it was Steph Curry who really put the team on his back. He wasn't the only guy. Let's be honest, there's the best players ever. Some of those guys are or on that current team USA team, but it was Steph Curry who willed them to I
think two victories. I mean it was never really in doubt against against France like it was against Serbia, but still it was a close, competitive game, and Steph Curry put it away by doing Steph Curry things. He takes and make shots that remind me of somebody playing a video game and hitting the wrong button on the controller, like there's no way he meant to shoot that. Well, yeah he did, because he's Steph Curry and heat checks
don't really exist with him. I mean they do, right, I'm sure he's made eight in a row and then he shot one from half court he missed it, But the heat check moment is just not the same for him as it as others because he's that special. And we had a good conversation earlier with Kendrick cass so I thought made a good point when it comes to people just having a hard time putting him up there in that elite tier of the most accomplished and successful basketball players.
Of all time.
The hesitancy is because of his stature. He is not somebody as far as his physical build and really his physical I mean, he's a good athlete, he's a great athlete. He's got NBA jeans, his dad was a good player. But you know, you can go to a competitive open run and find guys that have the same bill as Steph Curry might actually look a little more athletic, might
actually look a little, you know, a little stronger. So I think the appearance of Steph Curry is is why some have a hard time putting him up there with the Jordan Kobe, Lebron, doctor j Magic, Kareem.
Will.
And I'm not saying that Steph Curry is better than all those guys, But when you're going to talk about the guys who've had the best career as far as accomplished mis which last I checked, we value rings, he's got plenty of those awards.
He's got plenty of those.
And I just don't see how you could do I don't see how you could exclude Steph Curry in the conversation of the best basketball players ever when it comes to what they've done. In fact, he's certainly in that list. I don't think there's any debate about it, all right, For those of you that are just now joining us, the AP pole did come out today, and you know, I think it looks I haven't done a side by side, but to me, it looks pretty similar to the coaches poll.
I mean, you got Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon, Texas, and Alabama in the top five, and then rounding out the top ten is Old Miss Notre Dame, Penn State, Michigan, and Florida State. So Louisville was at twenty six, meaning they were the first place team in the receiving votes category. I hate to like, you know, and that just sounds like you're really doing a lot of work to call yourself kind of ranked, and I don't want to do that.
But here's what's going to happen.
If they take care of business and they dominate the first two teams on the schedule, Austin p and Jacksonville State, there's a good chance they're going to be ranked in the top twenty five by the time they get to their first ACC matchup, which is Week three against Georgia Tech.
And you know that'll be their first chance to not really show if they're because Georgia Texas team that doesn't have a lot, you know, high expectations, but clearly Georgia Tech's a big step up from Austin P and Jacksonville State. So Notre Dame week seven. Let me pull up their schedule. I could be wrong here, but I think Notre Dame. When do they play Texas A and M. I know it's on their schedule. Yeah, they play them, that's their opener. I knew it was early. I didn't realize it was
the opener though. Yeah, so they'll they'll have four games before they play Louisville, and I think that's the same with Louisville or no Louisville, No Louisville. Their fourth game is in fact Notre Dame. So you've got your bye week is after your first I could you have two weeks either. Your bye week is the second Saturday in September, so Austin P, Jacksonville State bye week than Georgia Tech,
and then you got Notre Dames. So Notre Dame schedule at that point will be Texas A and M, which they'll be favored in that game that's in College station and I look text A and M has always had talent, But I are they in the top twenty five? Let me check here, I'm pretty sure number twenty Yeah, Like what are they basing that off off? Like they weren't very good last year and they had a lot of talent.
I mean, I know that Jimbo fell apart, and it's hard to you know, fault them for firing him, especially given what they invested in him and he wasn't given him close to those results. Like people think that the
duke coach is better than Jimbo Fisher. I mean maybe he is, but you know, to me, A and M, Miami, Oklahoma, Clemson, USC Iowa, those teams all may be really good this year, But to me, those are teams all ranked in the top twenty five that nobody like did they just they're just default gonna be in there in A and M is always gonna be in there because of talent. Same thing with Miami, Like what is what would make anybody think Miami is worthy of? Like maybe they do surprise
teams this year? Maybe, and actually could you call it a surprise if Miami's good?
I don't know.
Anyways, back to the A and M notre Dame thing. I just like, why is A and M ranked like based off what? Well here here's another thing too. You mentioned USC.
They play LSU in week one, and if they lose, Louisville will likely by default jump into the top.
Sure, yeah, because there's gonna be yeah, there's gonna be losses Louisville with they could be because they're twenty six now, I wouldn't be shocked if they're If they're in there after the first week. Like you mentioned, John, that's a good point. But Texas A and M Northern Illinois perdue in Miami, Ohio. Those are the four games for Notre Dame.
So I'm gonna be pulling like crazy for Notre Dame to knock off Texas A and M because if they do that, you're you're looking at a Notre Dame team that will have a road victory against the top twenty team and then you know, wins against bums which will lead up to the end of September. And if Louisville, you know, they should be undefeated when they play Notre Dame as well, and that could be probably not a
game day type of game. In fact, it can't be because well, I guess it could be, but it's going to be on Peacock, which is so weird to see. You're gonna have to help me get used to watching sports on Peacock, John, because I know Big Ten they've had games on Peacock, right they have.
I think it's every Friday night they have a Friday night Peacock game.
So yeah, I mean, I'm not going to go to Notre Dame at least I don't plan on it, just because it's not you know, I've been there once and it was great. But I hope that there's a lot of louis fans that make the trip up there because I'm sure they've got revenge on their mind. I remember doing the vibe check prior to that game last year, and you know, I thought Notre Dame was deservedly the favorite, and I thought they were a good team last year.
But the Notre Dame fans very very dismissive of Louisville, like they didn't think that there was a chance Louisville could compete with them in Louisville, to be honest with you beat them worse than the score indicated, Like Louisville bullied them and was just much better. And I'm what's his name, Sam Hartman. He's probably still having PTSD about coming to Cardinal Stadium after what happened when he was at Wake and at Notre Dame. All right, Uh, real quick,
let's get to a time out. We'll come back talk some more football with the one and the only, mister Alex Cupper, looking forward to it. When Cup starts making his appearances once again on Coffee and Company, that means we're getting closer, folks, Football season will be here before you know it. All right, stick with us right here, it's Coffee and Company. Feel about Thornton's on Sports Talk seven ninety. That's right, Coffee and Company rolling along here
on Sports Talk seven to ninety. We are fueled by Thornton's. Appreciate you guys hanging out with us, and we're getting closer and closer to football season, which means it's time to bring in our guest, mister Alex Cupper, former Louisville Cardinal, who joins us to talk some Louisville football cup. First of all, before we get into it, how's your summer been going on?
Man?
Oh?
Next, summer's been been good, went by really fast and you know, just like everybody else, tried to try and soak up as much as as much as we can. But know that football is right around the corner, so that's always good.
Yeah, So whatever you were playing, I mean, I guess it's every it's I think it's every program. I could be wrong, but like scrimmages that take place during fall camp, like a handful of them, Like that's normal everywhere, right, It's not just something that only certain coaches do, correct, No, And.
Yeah, it's something that they schedule and trying to you know, try and make it as much you know as a tune up or as a as a live game scenario. You know, build it, build up to it. Typically they're on the weekends, you know, there's a day off that follows.
Like it's the closest thing you're gonna get to, like live action before you actually get to a real game.
Right, correct? Correct? And you see in the NFL, they start, you know, meshing together and practicing together. I could I would anticipate colleges would find themselves in that scenario here pretty quickly. If we're if we follow everything else and connect all the other dots. But yeah, it's it's as live as you can get.
So Jeff Bram after the scrimmage on Saturday, I don't think he was. I mean, I think he was just pretty direct as far as you know, being pleased with a lot of things that he saw, but acknowledging that he needs more guys to emerge as playmakers. You know, you know Jeff pretty well obviously, you know, I think he's always been a straight shooter. But is there any chance like he's just trying to motivate some guys. I'm sure there's some truth to what he said, you can
never have too many playmakers, But I don't know. I'm just this is a different It's much different this go around with Jeff because obviously last year it's the honeymoon. I mean, I don't even think people were given a whole lot of thought to big picture expectations in year one because it was just so exciting that he was here leading the program and there was a chance the team could be pretty good. Little do we know they could end up being as good as they were winnington games.
But I'm just curious if you know you took anything from those comments from him on Saturday, just again not calling anybody out, specifically, but just kind of saying he expected and needs more guys to emerge.
Now, yeah, I think it's pretty standard for that. I mean, especially when you when you talk about early in the onset stages, you know, and getting into week two full week two training camp, you know, wanting guys to to push through and kind of separate themselves. That's a typical.
And I'm sure there are guys are there's guys that are, but until until you can see it in those lives and they do it consistently in practice, and when they take that those practice reps and and they morph into game reps and you know, start producing at a high level, that's you. You're you're all all about potential at that point, you don't really have a confidence and and you know, a multitude of guys, which is what he's he's always been about. He doesn't want to he doesn't want just
one bell coal running back. He wants multiple running backs that are that can produce same thing with wide receivers, so on and so forth. So and that's not just a skill position thing. There's probably places you know, across the defense and up front on the offensive line that that he's looking for for folks to step up and you know, grow really essentially and become better better for the team, so the team's more competitive.
Yeah, and and before we get into some of of the I think that's one of the one of the many reasons that has me so optimistic about this upcoming season is I think they've got some good depth that a lot of places, which surely is going to bring a lot of competition in practice, which is gonna make everybody better. But before we move on to that last year, you know, didn't wasn't a great finish to the season. Obviously, tough
loss in the bowl game to usc UH. You lost to one of the best teams in the country in Florida State in the a SEC Championship game was the game you.
Could have won.
But you know, even without their quarterback, they were still the better team that night, and obviously lost to Kentucky was a real punch to the gut. But outside of that, I mean, still a special season overall. Is there one is there one thing that stands out in those last few games cup that you feel like was the was the biggest factor in why they kind of just kind
of fell off there towards the end. I mean, I know competition, all those teams I mentioned are super talented, but just anything that stood out to you that kind of led to them kind of you know, falling off there towards the end.
I mean, if if anything, I mean really and now it's there for the Florida State game. So I watched every single one of those offensive snaps, you know, not with the baited breath, but you know, knowing kind of expecting that there was going to be much to some but always having the excitement that you know, if something could. But it was it was the lack of what we just talked about, that there's somebody to separate themselves and
make a play, make a big time play. Yeah, you're you're at you're out of wide receiver, you're getting locked up by by really good players. You know, you're you're trying to move, you know, first round, second round draft picks off the ball up front, Like that's what what else do you want? You know, you need what you want and need guys that want to step up and rise to that occasion in those big moments. So that's essentially what what we lacked down the stretch there had
really I mean I felt like the team came together. Jaeled, well, we're able to persevere, you know when when games, you know, have the balls bounce, you know, do the little things to have those bounces go your way kind of stuff. That did an excellent job of that in year one. Now it's about taking it to the next level, raising your expectations, you know, find finding uh that next step to move forward and build on what you did in year one.
Yeah, I think obviously there are some games last year
that could have easily gone the other way. And I know people will bring up luck and fortune and maybe there's some truth to that to an extent, but I also think that's a skill that a team can develop, the ability to win a close game when maybe you didn't play that well and you know you don't want to be in that position, but actually think you know, it was impressive for them to be able to find ways to win whenever it didn't look like it was probable,
and yet they just had a tougher time doing that down the stretch when the competition.
Got a little bit better.
I'm going to say this, I don't want to put words in your mouth, and if you think I'm totally wrong, say Nick, you're an idiot.
That's the stupidest thing I ever heard.
But I think it's fair my opinion, to say last year, offensively, your quarterback play was good enough for you to be a good team, but at times quarterback play, in fact, a lot of times, might have been the weakness of your offense.
Is that is that ludicrous? No?
No, I think that's fair. There were there, Yeah, there were there were a few scenarios that, yeah, you would think the quarterback coach, you know, Coach Brown, all the coach staff would like to have back just when it comes to you know, selection and play selection, et cetera.
And then I'm sure that there's probably a ton of plays that that Jack Plumber and some of the you know, it's not just one guy, and that's that's what coach preaches, and that's what every great coach should preach, is you know,
it's it's not just the quarterback. But yeah, there were there were scenarios where it's like, man, if we can just make that throw, if we can really you know, if you can spread the field out and expand the numbers, you know, get get throws outside the numbers, so you're making you know, they're not just packing it in the middle.
It opens up the middle so that you can you can throw the ball down the field and have those big explosive plays, which is what you know what you know fan bases and that's what everybody remembers, those big plays where the crowd goes crazy and you just score touchdowns. So yeah, having having a quarterback that can do that as does a ton of things and opens up opens
up your playbook like you wouldn't imagine. So yeah, there there was There's limitations for sure, but again, until we see it, we we can't assume that this year is going to be any better. So we got we got to develop everything and hope that hope like the guy that we got, the signal caller we got, can make it happen.
Yeah, Tyler Shuck. I think a lot of folks know his story. He's been in college quite some time. He's played at Oregon, at Texas Texas Tech and had some success when healthy, but he just hasn't been able to stay healthy. That's sort of the that's the one thing you take away from his career at this point. And I know coach brom is probably not going to use him with his legs as much as he was used at Oregon in Texas Tech, But what are you here? And as far as what they what they think they have.
Obviously they really like his arm, they wouldn't have pursued him the way they did. And and like you said, you really never know until you get out there and it's a real game and it's it's live action. But just have you heard much about Tyler Shuck and sort of what they think he can do.
As far as upside here.
No, I was told that it's you know, arm talent is definitely. I mean, you'll see a live arm, you know, versus what you saw last year. You'll have a guy that can do those things, has the ability to do those things. I mean essentially, if you can throw the ball, you know, one hundred miles an hour and you can't throw it over the plate, you're probably not going to play and them'll be So having a great arms one thing, but you got to be accurate. So you know that
those are the things that you've got to prove. And and there's guys that got to get open. You got to have that timing down. So there's a lot of other elements. Versus we we got a pretty talented quarterback. But you know, from everything that I've heard and read up on is that there's you know, we should be in all things considered, and health being a big one, we should be in a much better spot.
Alex covers our guest, former Louisville cardinal, joining us to talk some Louisville football. Isn't it crazy to think ten wins, first ever trip to the ACC Championship game in year one for Bram and yet you really weren't vertical with your passing game all a lot, and your quarterback play was not really ever the strength of your offense. In fact, it was really good defense for the most part, and a couple of really good running backs. Like, hey, I
think last year was such a fun ride. I never really thought to myself, wow this, If you'd have told me that Jeff would have this early success, I would not have pictured it looking the way that it did.
No, Yeah, I mean well rounded.
Not really being a factor to it, you know.
Yeah, Yeah, that's that's the whole. You got to get the field stretched so that you can open up the middle and they can't just pack it in. But yeah, no, I think, you know, with a great running game and what I'm you know, knowing or having played on a team where he coached and had such a major influence coach English. That's where I'm super excited is seeing that blossom. You know, the second year, you got guys that aren't having to learn a new playbook. They can start, you know,
picking up on things faster. You would hope you could, You could jill a lot faster and really expand the capability of that unit, which which you know held way more of its weight and water last year. So that's that's something where you put all those pieces together and you get you get a guy under center that can that can move the ball around and really spread the field. You you have the potential of something, you know, especially when you how how you go on the road and
win games are with those first two things. But nowadays you need to you need to be able to outplay the quarterback if you're gonna go if you're gonna go down to Clemson and beat him, you're gonna have to I have to outplay that that guy. And same things with Notre Dame, Kentucky, et cetera.
When you played at Louisville, obviously you guys had a heck of a run and had talent all over the field, but obviously Charlie Strong and his guys they developed a pretty damn good defense. This year's team, I feel like on paper knowing what is coming back, I mean, you never know, but obviously Ashinjilotti's proven who he is as a player. Same thing for Quincy Riley. I love hearing the m J. Griffins now back to one hundred percent? Can you mix in some newcomers via the transfer portal?
I think stan Kuwonk Clark's got a chance to really emerge this year, you know, I I guess I'll bring all that up to say, like, I feel like, from a defensive standpoint, louisll fans should feel pretty confident about what they have there. Again, you never know how any of the transfers are truly going to work out, but
it sounds like they really like their depth. I mean, they've got some stars that I mentioned, but I think they feel like they can go too deep and really not have much of a drop off here.
Yeah, I think, I mean the biggest, in my opinion, the biggest change from when I was playing, you know, multitude of years ago, and to name them all, but it is that what you just mentioned the depth and the quality of the depth. You know, we were pretty thin back. I mean really good players, first round, second round talent, but we didn't have it. You know, there wasn't a second to third stringer that was ready to jump right in and play at that level. That's something
you saw last year. We got banged up and we stood the productivity was there. It was the next guy up mentality, which is you know what coach English preaches, and they were able to shoot it. So it's yeah, it's like, I mean, you and you don't want to you don't you want everybody to stay healthy every position, but knowing that you've got guys to back them up and push them and it makes those those competitive those
practices even more competitive. And I mean that's been really the Alabama way is making sure, you know, the first first ring guy knows that he's got a future first round or second round pick behind him, so he's there's no slip up. You need to be locked in, you need to be you know, given it your all every day because you've got a guy behind you that wants your job just as bad.
Yeah, and that's where the portal really comes in because you can you know. I mean, you're gonna lose some guys because of it, because you can go out and make it a little more crowded at their position. But yeah, I mean, I I've not heard of coaching staff for Louisville talk so highly about knowing that, Hey, we've got guys that we feel really good about, but we know there's somebody on their heels. They could they could emerge and and kind of take their spot at any moment
right now. For those who don't know, I don't want to make Cups sound like he's an old man, but you know, has been a little while since he played a very memorable run that Cup had with that Charlie Strong crew. But there are guys every year at seem like that have a story similar to yours.
Cup.
So Cup played here locally Trinity Shamrock and was offered a chance to walk on it Louisville, ended up becoming a scholarship player, was a captain part of that Sugar Bowl team. We all know I'm guessing him up here, but just letting people know the resume of one Alex Cupper Ramome per year, he's kind of got a similar story. A guy who walked on locally here from Eastern High School,
defensive lineman six three, two seventy five. He's been a fixture within the defensive line for many years now, and it seems like every year there's there's something to think.
Okay, well, he's a walk on. He gave us what he could.
We're going to go to the portal and probably get somebody to come in and beat him out. And this is the second straight year. Not only has that not happened, some guys have left because they can't beat him out. He's a scholarship player. Now he's a heck of a player. That's got to make you happy.
Cup.
That's a similar story to yours.
Very much so. And I get asked that's the new question that I get asked from folks that know, you know, kind of the backstory of what you know worked through and all that is what how would I have fared through the transfer a portal? And you know I would I would take the mentality of Puerier, but know that they're, yeah, they're they would be trying to recruit the next best thing if and if anything, it should make you work even harder and stayed determined, like like Ramone has, which
is fantastic. I think the more local kids it just makes it makes it makes you know, the salts that much sweeter, I guess.
No doubt about it.
If you, I mean, I can tell you from a fans perspective, there those those stories of walk Ons working their ass off or in a scholarship having a big role like those that.
Never gets old.
No, that character is what it's all about. There's teams that I mean, I'm Alabama's no different there, there's that yearn for kind of things they're they're almost uh, just an embarrassment of riches how much talent they have. They need that type of character to put things into perspective to know that it's like, hey, this it isn't always sunshine rainbows, you know, it's there's there's a whole lot of a whole lot of you know, tough times and hard times and hardships to go through as a team.
So if you have real life examples like Purier and others, it's it just makes that message hits land home so much more effectively. And it's if you have that, you definitely definitely want to keep in chairshit.
And it's not even that uncommon to occasionally hear those kind of stories during the NFL Draft this day and age, which again I'm you know, call me old school, but I'm a sucker for that kind of stuff.
Man.
I think it's it speaks to that.
You know, regardless, especially so much glamour now and money nil five four star rankings and all that stuff's important. It gets fans excited, myself included. But there's nothing better than a guy who just works his tail off, especially somebody that's local that for him it's a dream to be a part of the program and to win at a high level because of all the work they put in.
It's it's good stuff, no doubt.
All right, Cup, I'm not going to put you on the spot and ask you what the what the record is going to be for this team this year, but just you know, you know, you're a fan now like all of us. Obviously you have a different perspective as somebody who's been there and achieves some great success with this program.
Do you think think fans are are.
Realistic to expect this to be a season that you know, maybe it doesn't look exactly the same, but another high level year where you're consistently being talked about as a potential, you know, acc contender where you could find yourself in Charlotte.
Again, No, I think that's that's extremely reasonable. You know that the path to get there is is is tougher in my opinion. You got more and more challenges on the road for sure. So those are those are going to be games where you know you are you expecting to win them?
No?
Do you do? You need to have a need to put yourself in a position to win them. And you know if you peel them off, peel one or two of them off, then you're going to find yourself in that spot. You know. I've had conversations with folks thinking, you know, thinking our schedules light. I'm like, well, maybe the home part of it, but not on the road. So there's there's a lot of challenges up and down it and you just got to take care of your business one week at a time. But yeah, that's I think,
you know, prediction wise anything, and it's very reasonable. Eight nine is not an unreasonable expectation for a team of this you know, quality and everything. So that's that's where I have it. And it's just it starts week one with Austin p and you just start, you start getting in a rhythm and knocking them off as they as we line them up.
Cup, you are the man.
Great to catch up. We'll do it again soon, brother, football will be here before you know it.
Yes, sir, can't wait, all.
Right, take care.
That's Alex Cupper, former little of a cardinalll always appreciate his time and his insight. He can give us insight that you know a lot of us don't have. And I'm not kidding you, nothing better than I'll walk on working his ass off, getting an opportunity, good stuff and per year. Is that exact guy, By the way, just like Cup was, all right, quick break, we'll come back, wrap it up on the other side right here on
port Stalk seven ninety. Just a reminder, I will be out tomorrow, but back Wednesday, and you'll be in good hands. Is John's going to be running running the operation here of Coffee and Company. So again, just one day off, we don't have to worry. Well, maybe you guys don't worry, right, well, yeah, God willing, God willing. I'll be back Wednesday. But I was gonna say you guys don't have to worry about
me being going for a week. And you know, maybe I'm foolish thinking that you guys miss me when I'm going. Maybe you prefer what I'm gone. But either way, I'm gonna stay here and be here every day until they tell me I can't be here anymore.
But again, tomorrow, I gotta, uh, you gotta do the thing.
I'll tell you. I'll tell you about it after the fact. That's that's what that's what we'll do. But anyways, you guys, if you miss anything on today's show, make sure you check out the podcast. It's up on Apple and on the iHeart Radio app usually pretty quickly after the show ends. So again, have a good night and uh talk to you soon.
Take care.
It's been another edition of Coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's right here on Sports Talk seven ninety