This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera and Jay Gonzalez Son Fox Sports fourteen fifty powered by Nova Insurance Services.
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Hey, good afternoon, everybody. Welcome to I on the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera. Partner is Jay Gonzalz and we got our gay Kwan in today on a Friday, usual Friday for two hours. Should be a fun. We have a different type of show. We have a person of misidentified No, no, not misidentified, uh, miss misremembered, miss remembered. As usual, it's called a regular Tuesday, called Tuesday. We have coach Eric Rodgers on. We wanted
to talk to him about coaching this year. But at some point and he's at Bachelor's yes, which is fine high school. We want to know we have bache. He's probably a bache of shopping, but he's at bachelor of high school and we'll talk to him about maybe he'll say something about his time at some point, you know, and just all the things that go with that. Right, And Tavier was pretty a candidate. What does he got
to lose right about. And there's no shock to us that it's the parents that dictate a lot of the stuff.
A lot of that kind of stuff, particularly at a private school like that right where where you know, parents are putting you know, a lot of money in the look and we're not doing this too, you know, to bash piss off the sell Point folks and stuff like that. And and maybe you know, the reality is that you know what whatever is going on at soell Point is going on everywhere else. You know, parents, parents, you know,
get knee deep in this stuff. And uh and as we've said a number of times, the worst thing about you know, coaching kids is the parents.
Parents.
And so we'll see, we'll see what he what he has to say. But also you know, just get some of his thoughts from where he sits. You know, what he what he expects attitudes on coming out of tudes on.
This year right right, And obviously we all know that we all know I want to generalize. Okay, this is a generalization. Show a bunch of us know that you go to Phoenix, the competition, THEFF it's different, right and you just got to be better if you want to play better, and all that stuff. It's just there's more people up there by tons and it's just the way it is. So you know, it's no no fault on his own that he took his son up there and and he's coaching up.
There right and you know, probably feels like they're just a better opportunity for in terms of, you know, if he's a college of college level prospect, those kinds of things.
I know, I know if I could, I could have or could have I would have tried to do that and done that one of the kids. And you know, my kids are fine here. It is what it is. Uh but hey, so no no excuses, no no apologies, no anything, Okay. And then in the second half we'll have our usual guy, Jake Fisher coming on. We'll ask him the same things we asked us some Lamont stuff
yesterday about interviews did it matter? And you know the funny thing about it, he he he, along a few others, alongside a few others, was one of the pioneers about this nil stuff. I know he doesn't like talking about it because he too didn't think it would be like this. So maybe we'll kind of gently ask him, you know, gently he gotta wanted to hit me. I don't want he's one of our sponsor. I don't want him to stop catching those checks, sending those checks. You know, gotta
be lightly I hear you. Okay, So that's the show for today and we get closer. You were practice today, I was, oh, you were not well. You explained you were. You were there, but not there.
I showed up for the media session afterwards. We talked to to Caryo Davis and Marquiscros Killer Brew along with the cornerbacks coach Chim Binney. Good all stand up men. You could just see it in their eyes. They're ready for the season.
To start, right. What did you get out of Davis?
A very focused player. He talked about how he wants to work on technique, work on the small things because obviously he I'm pretty sure he'd let the Pac twelve in pass break because he had fifteen last season. He wants to finish those plays. He wants to not just bat the ball down, catch it and do something with it.
Whole game was that I think it was? It was it the Oregon State game where like three balls hit him in the hands that he didn't catch the ball. I remember, And then there was. The whole thing was, well, that's why he's the defensive back and not a wide receiver.
But that's important too.
Yeah, I mean he was making plays.
Right, Yeah, sure, so that's good. And then when the other guy was Marquis Gross Killer Brew. He's a transfer from Louisville and Texas A and M. And how does he look same? Same? He's a little bit smaller Caryo, but Carrio is also I feel like big to the college cornerback.
So Jay, and I'll ask you this to one. So yesterday you brought up something that that I I'm not offended by, but but it's it's a natural thinking process. So the kid comes from from New Mexico, right, and you kind of brought this up. He's stepping up a level, right, and the question is can he handled the level?
Right?
I'm surely be good at the higher If you're good, you're good in my mind. But maybe there's something there, but your thoughts of can he will he soon to see? Right?
Right?
So, now you have a kid going from Louisville and Texas A and M. You think that he's he should be better, he should be better, right, He's and I mentioned this all the time those who are familiar with dog racing, a dog going to be going down to A B in a C going to be what your level of competition? Right, So my point is if you can play, you can play. And you're thinking this guy from Louisville in Texas, the name should Texas and am should fit in, right, you're assuming.
That, well, yes, but also Steve, you also think, let's use the case of of Bill Norton came from Georgia. Right, he was as good, he was a good at defensive lineman Arizona evergets he was really good, but he wasn't good enough to play Georgia and that's why he came here. So you know, there is something to that whole thing of you know, there's another there's the levels. And so you get a guy moving up and you go, okay,
you can he play. You got a guy moving down and you assume that he can because otherwise Georgia wouldn't have recruited him. So that the thing of the A, B and C dogs is a perfect example. You know, for those you know there are different grades in dog racing. I often bet on the grade A dog moving to great B, and I never bet.
On a great v dog moving to great and that's a smart move.
And that was that was the thing that you did. And sometimes you were right, sometimes you were wrong. Sure dogs. And you know, same with players, you know, I mean, you know, guys come from other from other places and and you don't know, maybe they just didn't get an opportunity. Well, here's another thing that that's a big part of I can't remember who.
Was mentioned yesterday. Uh some player? So so Juan played a little ball, right, So right, So you're you're freshman. You're freshman going into a situation into college, right, and you're facing seniors, juniors, sophomores. Now those dudes are gone, your opportunity to play becomes better, so that your normOn example, maybe if had he steady stayed, he would have been able just to move along the line. But in today's world, it's give me it now or I'm gone.
Okay. Two guys, two guys that come to mind when we're talking about this. Jacob Cowing, he's a utap comes to Arizona here a couple of years, as good a receiver as you've ever had. Did he did he stick in the NFL?
He's still I think he's still she should be with the finders.
You know, and he made the step up and did it well. Was was an impact guy at Arizona. The dude that went to USC, singer, Dorian Singer, he's at Arizona, tries to take the step up to USC. Nothing now he's back at Utah. You know, you just don't know, right, you don't know what what a guy can do. There's
no guarantees when a guy comes here from Georgia. Okay, but there's no guarant but but there's also no guarantee that he's going to be bad if somebody goes from Arizona to USC, Ohio State or wherever.
I think. And one of my points was if you kind of take the procedure of sophomore freshman sophomore, Yeah, in time, it's gonna work out.
And there's guys that don't want to wait.
That's the deal I get that I get, And that's the way of the world today. You know, this is you You want it now and you don't want it right away, especially in basketball.
Come in basketball, especially in basketball. Guy, you know, guys who get who get, you know, get scholarships at Arizona Duke, you know, can't wherever. They expect that they're among the best in the country and they should be able to play. I don't care who you got on your run right away, that's what they think of, right well.
And they're here for a year to go to the m right or.
Even to play a while, But they don't expect to be sitting the bench as freshmen because they've never set the bench ever.
I don't know if this maybe when we talk about basketball down the road that I don't know if you guys believe that with Caleb Love right pack ten back twelve Player of the Year, a heck of a good player, heck of a all around player, kind of right right, I'm not uh uh, but not good enough to play in the NBA.
He may just be a really good college player.
And that's kind of where I was going. I'm wondering, uh And nobody pays attention to other people, but the other guy's thinking, God, how good do I have to be to play at the next level?
If he can't, If he can't right now, yeah, and maybe at the end of this year he will correct, But today he was not good enough to get in the NBA. And you're right, you see if you're you know, if you're uh uh kyleon Boswell, if you're you know he was here last year. If you're you know, uh, Jayden Bradley, you're one of those guy you go, wait a minute. He was really really good and he was not good enough. How good do I have to get?
It happens all the time. I mean, look at just a bad example because of the way he played the Trier Alonzo Trier who who who didn't get much a claim going into the NBA. He was unbelievable while for a while and they give him a huge contract to he lasted maybe a year, year and a half and that was what was last time you slaw's name?
Uh, I don't know.
And it was more about him being selfish with the ball.
And we put up the mount Rushmore and bad guys.
Right, well, he's more about selfish ball being If he was a more gracious player or you know, giving player player or a team player that's the word. Uh, he would have had a better career, I think, Yeah, but he but he's not and that's not the NBA, right.
Yeah, So no, yeah, I hear you. You know, I mean Seline Stottlemyer is another guy right in that in that mode, right, I had all the talent in the world. We could a shooter as there would have been in the NBA, not just college. And yet you know there was there were pieces of him that weren't a fit, right, and he never made.
Well that year? Come on, who was a better shoot shooter? Him or or Reddick? That whole year? It was back and forth, back and forth, and maybe Selem was better and Ridick had a sixteen seventeen year and I was the head coach, right and Seleem is where he's at, which is you know it is what it is?
Yeah, No, I hear you. It's a it's a it's a it's look and it's really a player by player thing because you just don't know, you know, from each like, yeah, I mean is this running back Jaquory? What's nick meyrit something right or something there?
Bill?
Bill?
Yeah, he's number one by you know, he may be as good as Arizona his hat right, you're yesterday, I mean he's really he looks like he's really damn good. And you know, Lamon loved it on the show yesterday said he loves his body, he loves his feet, He looks like he's the guy, but we also said we're not going to know till the lights go on.
I'll give you another name, two star Scoop. Right, he shows up here, no one thought, no one thought, and he was this unbelievable guy, goes to the next level and then turns out to be Okay, yeah.
Dude, yeah there comes You know, you get to a point where you have to have certain physical capabilities to play at the highest level. I mean you maybe you may have all the heart in the world, you may have all the desire, you may have all the intangibles, but you still have to have the physicalness event And you know, Scooby was a little slow, right right, right, small, a little smallish and and in the end, you know you need to have all of what he had plus then you also have to have the other.
So so, given you followed it for the last ten years, right pretty much, who are your players that you thought, Okay, wow, this is cool and you wanted to get You're probably one of those not hill gangs. Give me your gloves, give me your gloves. Who are those guys?
Definitely Scooby Scooby To this day, I remember the first time I heard his name was. They played at Colorado. He made a sack and I was like Scooby, Scooby, So I just tried to follow him. You made the play against the Oregon and the next year he had a spectacular season. One that comes to mind every time is Jared Tevis.
Oh yeah, we talked about him yesterday.
I wish you would have gotten a shot.
The another guy undersized, uh walk on.
You feel like he got the most out of what he.
Had, no question, and then he had to wait his time to We talked about that. He didn't play much, play much, and then his senior shine Jacob Jake, Jake, we'll talk well because Jake fits that mold exactly. Yeah, you know, and then he got hurt all these injuries timing, Yeah, yeah.
But you know, yeah, I mean Jake. I'm sure Jake will will tell us. You know, I had to play with a little more determination, a little more heart, because I was, you know, a little short on some of the other stuff. You know that that he wasn't built like a Ricky Hunley or Lamont Hunley or you know, uh,
Lance Briggs or one of those guys. You know. So yeah, you know, you gotta you gotta get something from somewhere, and usually it's from within, right, And then that's the thing that you and I don't don't have, don't understand.
And at that next level, they all have that, including everything else, including all the other and if they don't have that and they have the skills, they don't last long because you need to have.
That, right, You have to have it at some point. Yeah, at some.
Point, because they'd run you over. They'd run you over. You just can't be a dude who's just happy to be here. No, No, you have to have some dog in.
That's why a guy like Teddy Bruce gets amazing in the career that he because he was close, closer in terms of having the physical attributes, but he was still a little shy. But well, the amount of guts and heart that he had made up for what little bit he was shot.
Who better describes that than Chuck Cecil.
Yeah, right right. You know he still wears like one hundred.
And forty and you don't want to get him in a in a situation where you kicked your ass exactly. Okay, we got to go. We'll get a hold of coach Shill Rogers here in a second right and talk sports all right.
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Steve Ravia and Jacin Solis. They have their tie on the four on Tucson's sports station yet Fox Sports fourteen fifteen.
Hey, welcome back to a the ball here at Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera. He's Jacob Sauce. Now on the phone, we have Eric Rodgers. Can you coachev Dasha High School in Phoenix? Coach?
How are you?
I'm doing great. How you guys doing.
We're doing fine, doing fine. So are you living up there now on the day to day your son up there as well?
Yes, sir, Yes, we made the transition, you know, and I tell you it's not an easy one by any means. But we were fortunate enough. My wife, being a nurse, she was able to get a phenomenal job up here. She got a great offer, I mean, honestly, more money. Just it was just a really, really good situation for her. It's hard always to leave kind of family, it's always hard to leave Tucson. But I think the opportunity presented itself to come up here. My work is fortunate enough.
I can work still in Tucson, work here, I can work from home. I was actually in Tucson all day yesterday. Kind of making my errands, making my runs, checking on properties, meeting with old friends. So, uh, that part's good. But but we're all settled in up here in Phoenix, and uh, you know, we're almost just right across the street from Bassion, so it's really nice to have about a three minute commute to the school.
So so so you're really get getting into your first season there. But uh, you know, as an assistant, but can you tell the difference in terms of, you know, the the level of not only of play, but just the level of I don't know if the right word is passion or the level of commitment or whatever, that it's that different in Phoenix because we know that that's where you know, big boy football is played.
Yeah, you know, I think the last word you just said, I think that you nailed it with commitment. And when I use the word commitment, it's it's from the top down, with the with the with the schools, with the administration. You know, our principle here, mister Rachel, uh, mister Magania, our a our athletic director. I mean they're both former coaches. They called offenses, they play, they coached basketball. I mean
they're sports minded from the top down. They support every single one of our football players in our program has a weightlifting class year round. That was one of the things that I struggled with all the time in Tucson was having that commitment level of listen, our kids when they come to school, we've got to have them in the weight room from the first day they get there till they lead like every day. That's got to be a commitment, and it was difficult and there were challenges
with that. And so I think from what you see up here in Phoenix with the commitment level from the schools and how they're supporting their student athlete to become the best version of themselves. These kids come to school, Yes they're there for academics, but they're really trying to get scholarships to go to college. And so I think it's important that we as administrators as that if it is for putting them in that goal, now, whether they make it or not, we still got to support that.
And I and you really see that when you come up here to the valley and see what's going on in Phoenix.
Can you can you say what happened at South Point or maybe how your experience was there for the time you were there.
Uh listen, I mean I started coaching with coach Bna in two thousand and two and it was it was awesome. I mean we had a heck of a run just to you know, I think what I take and we'll always remember are the relationships. Uh there's some families and some parents and some kids that you just build tremendous relationships with. And and there's multiple kids like sons that came through our program and played football for us that
you know, I'm still friends with these people. Uh we were just as a matter of fact, the Sullivans, uh there, they have a house in Rhode Island. I happened to be there last summer and I'm literally walking around on this by this lighthouse and there's ben some of it and I'm like, holy cow. And the next thing you know, I'm over at their house and we're hanging out and we're taking pictures, and you know, it's those types of relationships.
They had three boys that played there at South Point, So you know, that's that's what I'm going to remember the most. And you know, and now I'm looking forward to creating, you know, new relationships, new memories here at Basha.
So tell us a little bit, just because this is something that we don't get to delve into, you know, very much really at the high school level, just the sort of the changing environment, the changing atmosphere. You know, you're talking about, you know, involvement of parents, involvement of in some cases agents and things like that. You know, you were at a high level school at South Point, so you had some you know, you had some players going on to big schools and probably money being thrown
around all over the place. What's that like for a high school coach to be dealing with all that stuff when it's really something that was really more for the college coaches or even the NFL coaches to be dealing with those kinds of issues.
You know, it's a there there are some challenges with that. You know, I missed the old days. It's funny, I saw Keith the other day, Like, you know, twenty years ago, when I first started coaching, you know, they gave you a whistle, they gave you a shirt, a pair of shorts, and they said good luck. You know, there was there
was nothing else. Now you've got to you know, you've got these concussion we're we're watching concussion tests and you know, there's just video after video, there's fingerprint and it's all good. I'm not saying any of that bad. We need that and it's a good part of what we're doing. But when you talk about now Portal Nil, how these high school kids are getting recruited, it it's a it's making a huge impact. It's affecting them in a big way.
And the biggest thing that these young kids and their families, their parents can understand it it doesn't matter. If you want to go and play ball, then you have to be willing to one leave home. There's not a lot of schools in Arizona to play college football, and so you have to be willing to go to the Midwest, the west coast, the northwest, the east coast to southeast. I mean, there's hundreds of schools in those areas and you have you can't be worried about whether it's Division three,
Division two NAI. If you believe in yourself and you have confidence, go where they love you, go where they want you, and then go play. You'll be the guy, and then go be the best player on your team, and then be the best player in the league, and then be the best player at the division III level and you'll get your opportunities to keep moving up the ladder, and so you just you can't get caught up in
some of that stuff. I do miss. I do miss the days of just you know, the old just get out there and coach football, coach Hexas and O's work with kids, build relationships. When you get into the how much money the kid wants to get paid now before he's going to say he wants to go to that school, struggle with that. That's that's it's here though, it's not going anywhere. Yeah, it's not. It's not why I coach, that's for sure.
Well, now I'm not gonna speak for you. That's why I when asked the question, you must feel a little bit more comfortable moving over a seat or two now that you're not the head coach and you're an assistant coach.
No, you're one hundred percent correct. I mean as much as I don't mind doing all those tasks, you know, talking about dealing with equipment. You know, you're buying all the equipment, you're handing out equipment. Then you got food orders. You're making sure everybody's getting fed before the game, after the game, snack bars for the lower levels travel fundraising, not having to do that right now. Yes, I definitely
enjoy that. I'm loving just being with the kids, building those relationships and then you know, just to strategizing x's and o's, how do we put the kids in the best position to be successful?
All right, So even though you're up the road, we've been trying to kick around, you know who who are the teams to keep an eye on down here from what you saw? And uh, maybe you know who's coming back, who's not coming back, those kinds of things. You know, if you're if you're getting ready for a season down here, who are you looking at? Terms? Okay, we got to watch out for them, them, them and them.
Well, I mean, I think, you know, coach Nugrin still doing a heck of a job. He's got a heck of a squad coming back. I think Micah is they're primed to make a run and have a chance to win a state championship, Ceo being the defending state chance. I know, they lost a huge, huge senior class, so they're gonna you know, they're gonna have their hands full. But then obviously, uh, you know, you've got Marana. I think Morana's doing some wonderful things. Uh, they're building a
heck of a program. Coach Stuart does a heck of a job Coach Yankarelli does. I mean they're they're they're doing good, good things and they got some great skill kids. It always comes down to that offensive line in D line for them, and so if they can, uh, if they can do some things with those guys, I think they're gonna be able to compete with anybody. South Point, of course is south Point. They've always got the kids, the talent, the parents. I mean, it's all there for
the taking with them. They just got to go out and get the job done.
Uh.
And then you know, don't sleep on Tucson High. I think Zach's building something great there.
Uh.
They're a special group of kids and been playing a lot of football together for a while. So I'm excited to see what Zach does at Tucson High. He's got a great coaching staff. They're just uh and I know they're prime. They just want to keep competing and getting better. So I love the work that they put in.
We're talking to Eric Rodgers, now an assistant coach at Bashelor High School, former head coach at South Point. This is this is one of those questions kind of like asking you, you know, which one is your favorite kid? Who did you enjoy or have?
Uh?
May yeah, maybe enjoys the right word. Competing against the most in terms of the coaches here, I know you coach with some of these guys and you grow up with them and stuff like that. But there had to be somebody that when you took the feed you thought, Okay, this is going to be fun.
Yeah, you know, that's boy, that's a great question. You know, a lot of the guys we just named obviously, you know, Coach Stewart, Coach Nugent, they've always done a great job, you know. But I'll tell you one of the guys that I loved, you know, and we had a heck of a battle with them. Last game of the year
last year was coach Jewele at Brophy. You know, it was last game of the year, everything on the line, and I mean we go to kick the dog on winning field goal and we knock it through the uprights to take the lead fifteen fourteen, and we get called for you know, a false start, and so they back it up and then obviously we missed the kick and we lose the game fourteen twelve. But you know that he's coach. Jule does a phenomenal job at Brophy. I
always have tremendous respect for him. You know that Highland is another one, Cottlee, You're you're always going to have a football game. When we played Highland at their place a couple years ago, I mean, it was a dog fight. And you so there's you know, some of those obviously
up here, but there there's there's great coaches everywhere. That's what I love, and that's what I'm excited about, you know, just staying in Arizona, being here and being able to just continue to be part of the coaching fraternity.
Well, now let's talk about the reason why you moved up to Phoenix. Your son, who I hear is a pretty good quarterback.
Yeah, he's you know, he finally just passed me in growth. So he's now taller than I am. Still outweigh I mean, he said, yeah, I know, Dad, I don't think i'll ever.
Weigh So what are you six three? He's must be sixty four.
What is he No, I'm probably six to one, and so he's just now kind of passed me up so and I don't think he's done. I just bought him a pair of new cleats and their size fourteen. So and you know, I think he's built a lot like my father and my brother, which was that long, slender, just that kind of physike. I was always kind of that short, stumpy one. But he's he's doing great. He's really liking bash a lot. Again. We got a great coaching staff. Coach felker A is the offensive coordinator, he's
been coaching college ball forever. Coach Jones is the DC he's been coaching college ball forever. So it's exciting to watch those guys out there. And and I think Jake's excited. He's got all a's right now school wise, just doing great with that, and he's meeting new friends, meeting new guys. He loves the competition, you know. I think that's what for him, that's what he feeds off of. It's it's competing every day with some of the best players in
the entire state. And so that's what he wanted. And I think he's excited about that. And he's just gonna keep plugging away and taking advantage of every opportunity he gets.
So where is yet in the depth chart or do you know already.
You know we still you know, we just put the shoulder pad, you know, put helmets, shoulder pads, full pads, all that stuff. He's been competing and playing on the JV team right now. Okay, I think he may, you know, he he's there's a great JV quarterback, Barry, and those two go head to head every day. They're they're good, good friends. They they enjoy the competition with one another. And then Brody is a is a junior quarterback that's been that's probably tagged as the varsity starter right now.
And then there's two really good senior quarterbacks and so we'll just see how he progresses. We'll see how the how the season you know, continues to go. But I'm totally good. He's a sophomore. There's nothing problem with a sophomore playing JV h. You know, sometimes parents get carried away. They got to be on Varsitie doesn't that he knows.
It's a it's a three year plan. And then we're gonna look at what coledge is they're interested in him, and then we'll pick the right one that fits best and then we go keep keep competing and keep playing so there's no no pressure from our.
Side of the things.
I have a suggestion for you. I have a doctor you want to go see you. You too realistic for being a parent. What the heck? More parents are kind of going crazy. My son needs to play, he needs to do this. No, you're realistic. I don't know what's wrong with you. No.
Well, I think it's because I've been doing it for so long and I and I've young kids, you know, I think when it's hard because I've been involved in it for so long now it's been twenty something plus years now, and I remember, I'll never forget Tyler Grumky. He's just a prime example. And yeah, there's always one or two, but no, he's a prime example of that.
He never played a snap at quarterback until his senior year at some point, right and he goes out sets the school record for passing yards in a season, and then he gets a scholarship to go play at the University of Hawaii and three years later he's playing Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. So they're just all different paths. Everybody's got a different path. The key is, you know, just building on those daily tasks continue to improve every day that you know. They people talk about getting one
percent better every day. If you can do that, the things are gonna happen to you. So it's hard to live by sometimes, but you just have to be patient with it.
So one last question before we go, So, how do you think the kids that you had last year who left, you know, the former Arizona commits, are you know, gonna do this freshman year if they play at all?
Well, So what I'm here and I text with Keona and Elijah all the time. I think Elijah's right there in the too deep. I think he's gonna get tons of reps and playing time. And Kon I hear is battling for a starting job at Nebraska right now. So I think both Keyona and Elijah at Oregon and Nebraska
are gonna get plenty of playing time. And the great thing college d line is they play eight guys I mean or sometimes nine, so you're gonna get twenty and again it's one hundred plus reps in a college football game, and so you're gonna get twenty to thirty reps whether you're even if you're the third team guy. And so I'm excited to see those guys. I've actually listen. I already bought tickets to go up for the Oregon Ohio State game. So I'm taking the whole family up for
that one. I got because a lath And will be playing for Ohio State and then to be able to see Elijah and Cruz. It's going to be a heck of a battle. So I said, screw it, I'm that we have a buy that week, so it works out good for me.
Great, great, well, coach, We appreciate your time. Good luck to the rest of the way. We'll keep an eye on how you guys do. Yeah, yeah, thank you, coach Eric Rogers, appreciate it. That's fun. That's fun. A good insight, Yeah, really good. But exactly what we said.
Here's the thing got me. He sounds really excited but still be coaching.
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I mean he's whatever circumstances that he left itself point. It's not temperate enthusiastical.
Right, No, you're right, And those are the dudes that you want as coaches because they're they're happy to be there, they love what they do. Right, And he obviously was politically correct by not saying anything which is a smart move.
Thing to do. Yeah, okay, all right, let's take a break. We're going to come back. We'd love to take your cost five two zero four, one seventy four forty.
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Steve Bravera and Jacin Salez they have their Eye on the Ball on tucsum Sports digs jet Fox Sports fourteen fifty streaming live on the iHeartRadio.
Wapp Hey, welcome back to On on the Ball here Fox Sports forteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera, He's jacins owas scudder guy who want in today? We have fifteen minutes if you'd like to call us, please do. I think someone tried to call us earlier, so we have our chance to answer it now. I will keep an eye out for a five two o four one six seventy four forty uh. I don't think that was coach, right, that was we just missed it. So if you want
to call, just please do. That's cool, and then we'll have a Jake Fisher on the other side on the other side of the ARTEA.
Lots of stuff to talk to him about, because you've be kicking around a lot of a lot of things. Not you know so much on the field. Stuff is, you know, just things going on around right here. Here's a caller. Let's take this. Hi, you're on the aar and eye on the ball.
Hey, what's going on?
Jay?
Don't jab, don't jump too?
What's going on?
Man?
We haven't heard from you in a while.
Man, for a while, I couldn't get through the y'all. So y'all must be getting popular.
He said, money said money said money? What's going on? What's on your mind too? We were described as cheating chalk yesterday, so I'm not sure that's great.
That's not great, No, y'all, ain't doing that teaching Jones.
Y'all like y'all like.
George, like g was talking about yesterday, George, U made games this year. Now it ain't no more tax twelve network.
It's a it's on either it's ESPN. So that that's who the Big twelve contract is with. So games that aren't like on the network. That's so maybe games that you would have seen on PAC twelve network in the past will be on ESPN Plus. So you got you gotta get a subscription to that. It's streaming. Uh it's I think it's nine or ten bucks a month something
like that. And so so games that are not on you know, on Fox or or ESPN, ESPN U, ESPN two whatever, they'll be on ESPN Plus and that you'll get a lot of basketball there as well.
So you don't know this. Uh, my adombined brother is dale a little pas and your wife was sitting right in front of me at u of a basketball.
Oh okay, all right, yeah, I used to look guy.
Now I'll see oldal a little bit. But I know you don't do the games no more. But your wife was in the.
Road right in front of me, right, yes, yes, she goes she's got season tickets to the women's games.
Yep, I moved.
I think I moved my tickets down to the concourse.
Coach.
Shoot, I'm old. My knees is going out on the little Chavs is a little too.
Tight for me, man, they are. I sat up there, I went. I sat up there as a spectator for a game, as it's the first time I've been a spectator the game and I don't know how many years. And those seats are tight.
Man.
You tear your leg when you hit that, the the cup holder and stuff.
Yeah, because I was in like roll one and one and two and I'm like, my boy Marlin Wayne's.
So hey said real quick, So do you go to football games?
Yeah?
You know, did the football man? But you know, I got kind of disappointed in someone, but I'm going back. I'll be watching them.
So what do you think is gonna happen this year? Win wise?
Win wise? And I think I think they win least seven games. They they're shoe winning for that.
I think, yeah, shoeing for seven yes, yes, okay.
Yeah they're shoe and they they're shoe in for at least something. But uh, you know that that conference might be a little bit tougher than their old conference.
You're right, would would you be happy with seven or do you think that's sort of a minimum?
Well, let me let me let me let me say it like this here. Man always want eat a nine. But uh, you know, as long as we got a winning season, we're on the positive side. You know, I don't want I don't want to see us like three and eight that kind of stuff. But if we like eight and four, that's a great year for us.
All right, Okay, thanks, thanks for calling us.
I appreciate your calling. Man.
Yeah, you have to have a great day putting up a good show.
Yeah, thank you very much. And by the way, when we moved to our news place in them three or four weeks, right, we're gonna know who's calling us, and we'll see more calls coming in, right, we just won't have the one line.
Right, Yeah, we'll have more lines one right here. We'll get people put them on holding. So let's take this. Hi, you're on the air and eye on the ball.
Hi, this is Luis Serrano with and Tucson and I have a question.
For Jay and Steve.
Okay, you're you're on the air.
Go ahead, We were talking earlier just about the stadium, and a few weeks ago you brought up just different memories at the stadium. Talking about Scooby made me think of my time with my brother Kwan going as games to watch Scooby, And I was wondering, what are some of the top field rushes y'all had. What's some of the field rushes you can remember in your time at the stadium.
Yeah, that's a good question.
I did.
Actually I rushed the field once, but it was all the way back in nineteen seventy six or seventy four who they beat ASU. It was the first time they beat ASU in the years, and so I was in high school and I rushed the field on that but I thought that I thought the best one was and it got a lot of hand though. Was it was eighty six when they beat ASU and UH and then they they ended up tear gassing the fans because get them up. And there was that one.
So just the ones I went to Iowa, Iowa and Oklahoma State today, did they.
I don't think they rush the field o Clohmbas State did they? Maybe they did?
Iowa, Iowa?
Well, the Washington one, Okay, Washington ninety two. They were nineteen ninety two when Washington came as number one in the country. That was That's say, I go back to those ones. Those were great ones, like rushing the field when they beat cal In you know, in in Jdfish's first year, I'm like, I don't like. I didn't like that.
No, even last year, I think, didn't they do it once? And they said they did it against Come on, guys, act like you've been here before. It was kind of like they're just doing it to do it.
But I go, I go way back to think about those. I loved the Washington one and then the one in eighty six as U that that was fun. Which ones? Which ones jump out for you?
The one that jumps out to me automatically is when we won the PAC twelve south right the ASU to go to the Pactrol Championship games.
That was a great one.
And then as a younger kid, the one I remember is one of the Hanton Cathon teams they beat Oregon. Yeah, I remember seeing just like a sea of students because everyone was on the sideline before the game ended. So those are the two that stood out for sure.
That was I think that was a Thursday night game.
Right, Yeah, it was something like that.
And invariably the kids who try to jump off there break the legs, get caught on the ledge or whatever. You don't have, Louis, we might, Louis, we might have to get to uh, you know, get your boy here a job here. He's doing pretty well. That's so good.
I'm so proud of my brother team Toronto all day.
All right, man, thank you Louis, Thanks for Colin.
Appreciate it, all right, man, thanks appreciate it. Get the family. Who else is do to Callee from the Serrano family?
That was It.
Kind of threw me off right there.
I was.
I was focused on coming up and.
He's older, older, older. I was like, oh no, don't, don't say anything.
Well you can you can call any time. Okay, you can call anytime you want, not even whether whether one is here or not, all anytime you want. That was that was fun. Now you know that those were fun. And again there have been a few where you thought, you know, let's not storm the field of last year it was like we just staying this, but you know it, Uh, the good ones were you know when they beat generally a top five team, right, did did did Storm? They top ten?
The u c l A game, No, that was the Street the Street.
Well, what was the u c l A game when when Arizona beat him like fifty two to ten or something. That was not the Streak team that was fifty five. That was That was Willie Twa thom and Mike Thomas, uh, Mike Bell, all those guys. Let's take this. You're the air and Hine on the ball.
Hey guys, it's Jim.
What's up Jim.
My favorite field memory, there are two of them. Number one was that I love that Keith Smith. He was a great athlete for a quarterback.
And you need to turn off your you turn off your radio.
Turn I did one.
He came back.
Anyway.
Here's the deal. Keith Smith completes the path out the left flats. The guy does a juke move and by the time he up recovers and gets around the tackler, Keith Smith is out in front of him walking.
I remember that. I remember that, do you?
Yes?
Yeah? Yeah?
He was before or since. And I met him one day at lunch and I told him about that and he laughed.
He's really well, he was really fast, really fast.
It was very fast and the other.
The other memory I have at the stadium was Jay Rush and the concession stand when Rover's out around.
There are only three.
Now was that necessary? Was that really necessary?
You know, you can't.
You can't call me and give me crap about the Dodgers today. So that's what you're gonna do. Okay, fine, I'll go with it.
That was funny.
Thank you, Jim. Yeah, you are, you are, Thank you, Jim. Appreciate it.
Yeah, there have been very few legitimate ones. Yeah, I do remember, I I think, but it was stoopids in the Yeah, and then I don't remember. I thought, you know when because that was such an exciting game.
Part.
Yeah, more people showed up later as they knew that they were gonna it was like the Oregon game.
Then there was a few points the twenty thirteen organ game where they brained.
Yeah Moore. People showed up later when they had thought they had a chance.
Right, Yeah, there was, yeah, there was. And that was a that resulted in a field storm as well.
Right.
That was a great cloudy, rainy and cloudy and all that stuff that day. That was fun. But then there was time that they started to storm in the field and then against Oregon and then the game wasn't over. Game got into overtime and they ended up losing.
Yeah, then I would don't remember that one.
It's double over time. I'm pretty sure.
Yes.
Wow, God, look at you. Guess how old were you?
Like?
One is the history in sports that I remember.
That was one of the first things. Else t I say, Hey, games not over, don't rush the field?
You were? Have you rushed the field?
Fourteen?
Which games? Tell me?
The first one was the Organ game?
Okay, hold on, we got to call let's take this. Hi, Hi, you're on the r and nine on the ball.
Hey, good Friday, gentlemen. Hello, calling not necessary, you guys. It was these guys in the morning show. Now, they were on a different station. They were playing that wacky game about a month ago of a start bench cut you have a head football coaches. Okay, so they get to Jed Fish, they got to rich Ryde At that point, I'm thinking I'm still bad for Dick toeing, Like, well, of course they're gonna say Larry Smith, he's the best coach you've ever had here. No, they're Dick Tony number three.
So I was gonna call in, but you know, I didn't have enough chance. But that may be, you know, that was my opinion Larry Smith. You know, that might not be everybody. But of course, Dick Tomy's gonna you know, they started him. He's gonna tug on a lot of hard strengths when the players left Tomy. But from what I remember, Smith's offenses were a little better. Tomy's defenses were were incredible, you know or something. But I remember Larry Smith will beat the issue on the regular and
they'd always knock off some big tug. I guarantee if he stayed here, they get a couple of rose bowls. I think the way he left kind of left the bitter tasting everybody's mouth, you know, you.
Agree, yeah, yeah, no, I agree. He had the program was rolling, he was he was playing that. You know, he he built the defense, right, They were an incredible defense already when Dick got here, and Dick just you know, kept that piece of it going. But Larry Smith's offenses were pretty damn good too. And and so yeah, I kind of agree that's why people were so disappointed and the and he left because you felt like Arizona was on that track.
Well, do you think what our people was the middle Finger game because I was at that game he came, well was he just catching a ras of stuff? And Larry finally says, you know what.
You Yeah, I thought it was funny as hell. I thought it was cool as hell. No, I don't think it. I don't think it was that. I think it was the way, the way he left and where he went that got people worked up about him, and that will always sick.
You know, these guys put old Jem Fish and rich Rod on the list, so good for them. Man, you know they didn't stick around long. But you're making that uh you know, top three list, and that's not bad. But I forgured you got I get your guys opinion on that guy. You know, school like me?
Say the list again? In terms of what was the list?
Well, yeah, what was all right?
Well they started they started, told me, I believe they cut rich Rod. So they what is that bench that they benched Fish?
So you have so what was the criteria though? Was his best coaches here?
Yeah?
Football coaches?
Okay? So bench?
See if you if you asked me who I thought was the best x'es and O's coach, I'm gonna say rich Rod Okay, when you talk about who go ahead. When you talk about who was the best coach in terms of the program, Smith, it's it's Larry Smith or Dick. You know, that's a toss up, but.
Tough circumstances. He did toot of the allegations. Turns out we're not founded being that right.
Exactly exactly, and that's what happened. But again, rich Rod, in terms of a game day coach and a guy that you thought, there was never a time that I thought Arizona was going to get out coached With rich Rod on the field, I always thought Arizona had the best.
Coach, a great, great And then thank you, gentlemen, get your opinion on that.
Man.
You guys have a good weekend.
I appreciate you. Colling, thank you. That's an interesting conversation because you know that that's just what I said. You know, when you talk about who built the program, who of the guys that you remember is the you know, sort of whatever you want to call him legendary or you know, the most prolific or whatever you Larry Smith and Dick told me they were the best guys for this program, for the types of coaches and people that they were, well Jim Young, yeah, you know, but but again Jim
had such a short stay as well. Well, if you're talking coaches, yeah, but he was a really he was a I mean he came here and he took a bad team and made them good immediately that his first team went eight and three.
No one goes before.
Now you're going to go back to Pop McHale. But even then, you know, but yeah, no, yeah, Jim Young has to be in that conversation as well. You're you're absolutely right, and then yeah, let that one get past, right, We got to get the heck out here right, breaking news coming right up. Stick around