This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera and Jay Gonzalez Son Fox Sports fourteen fifty powered by Nova Insurance Services and Sure Your Most Prized Possessions kat z R two sad in iHeartRadio Station. Good afternoon, everybody, welcome to I on the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera, He's jacobsaf Kevin has come back. For whatever reason, I am back. They somehow led me back into the building. I got anybody your own right,
we did. We didn't course, yeah, we certainly didn't pay him. We're still waiting to get paid. Let me tell you about that. It's a trickle down here, it is. Don't expect much, doe. My my foss is pretty tight. You're not gonna get me any trickle from here. Now. Welcome to Thursdays A show. We have a pretty good one, I think, I think. So, you know, we we had a chance to get Jed Fish for an interview. We did it a little earlier in the day, so we recorded it, so you'll you'll hear that
coming up. Uh. You know, we we had to fit into his schedule, so we did so we'll have him for about fifteen minutes, and uh, we asked some questions, you know, and I think we got some uh some good stuff for everybody. So we hope you'll stick around.
We're gonna be playing that here after the first break, but just some you know time for us, right, we don't you know, we go to these press conferences, we get maybe a question in, right, so we we got it for And these questions aren't how can I say game game week right? Questions? They're overall big pictures. Right. We're not asking him
how you know what's Oregon State look like? Right? Right? You know, we're just talking about some issues that you know, yeahs they're pertinent to we're sort of a a at a midpoint of the season, and just get some of his thoughts on some things that we see his fans, right, you see his fans and I see us kind of we talk about it on the show about him, right. I asked him about asked you guys about how good of a coach he is? Right? I asked him that,
yeah, how hold, how good of the coach are you? He didn't yell at me, so it was good. It was good, and we did that. We did ask him. We we didn't ask him who's starting on on state. But we did ask him a question about how he's going about it, And I want to say, I thought you asked it perfectly in connection to what's going on. You kind of didn't dance around it, but you asked him in in in a way and you told him in a
way that he could give us a name. Yeah, right, you know, because he'll say no, I don't know, Yeah, but no, you asked it, you know, in a way that he could answer the question. So you we'll get we'll get a little more insight into what's going through his mind as he deals with these two quarterbacks who frankly, they they they've won with both. And now, yeah, he's got to pick one because I don't I don't think there's any chance he's going to any kind of
a two quarterback system. No, they're too similar. No, exactly exactly right, exactly, you know that they're similar guys. So, uh, you know, he's gonna he's gonna pick one over the other. And he talks a little bit about how he's going about that. So we hope stick around and listen to that. Yeah, that's just in ten minutes or so, about about fifteen minutes for surettes then at the second hour we have we have Adam Lazarus from Arizona assists one of the collectives helping this one is this
one is specific basketball. They've got alf A golf tournament coming up where you can get out there and mingle with the players and the coaches and whatnot and help them raise some money for the collective to provide some opportunities for players. You notice I didn't say to pay the players, said to provide opportunities for the players. But you know there's some we'll ask him, you know, I will see if he's paying attention to what's going on over in Congress.
There was another ascended hearing on NIL this week. From the sounds of it, it was kind of ridiculous. They were asking really dumb things. It sounds like, you know what one one person wanted to ask, Well, there's some kids at Harvard who are supportive of the Palace Indians, and so
you know, what do you what do you guys think about that? I'm like, what the hell does that have to do with N I L right, they're trying to figure out a way to not I don't know, do what right to find their angle and work they want to ask about, yeah, question and then and then there was there was a h you know, there were some issues about transgender athletes. Again, what the hell does that have to is like, if you're going to support transgender athletes, we're not
gonna pass any law that lets you do this or whatever. And then there's just a lot of thought that what the hell are they doing even looking at this? Right? So anyways, so we'll see if Adam Lazarus has any thoughts on that. Okay, okay, there's that. Well, you know what, it's one of those things, Steve, that it's out there and somehow, sometimes somewhere it's going to have an effect on everything, and the wrong people are looking at. Of course, of course a bunch of people
have no idea. Well in college that athletic Welcome to America. We got to touch that. We gotta touch that. It's not good going too well. It reminds me of the I think it was the mayor of Baltimore who called Rafael Paul Merrow, you know, like Ronnie Palmieri or oh yeah you know now he misremembered. Yeah, it's like if you have not if you have no idea, about sports. Yeah, you could go try and be knowledgeable, but don't try and speak to it when you don't know squatt.
Nothing's wrong with being honest about your perspective and like being willing to learn something. That's also pretty well. You see you see a lot on TV news and no disrespect, but the anchors when they're talking about sports, or or some of them who don't you know pronounce or or Canada. Oh you're on the load. Yeah, you know because you have so many you know, news anchors who are having to do sports. No question, that a good point. Just just read read what somebody wrote for you, leave it right
right, But you sound just pretty annoying. Yeah, I look forward to hearing what he has to say about that. So I guess I'm a little deep at the start. This is the Diamondbacks game starting now? Oh yeah it's on or is it started? Two or three? Know it's on, it was started, Okay, Okay, I don't know what Okay, you
ate it so no, okay, we'll keep you updated with that. But you know what we're missing something I wanted to attend today, which is sad there was a basketball media day because on basketball media Day it's being held on the campus. I'm here for you. I'm here for my people on the radio. It's funny like j you cried today for was not gonna show up. Well, yeah, Steve, I didn't want to be here all by my fellow. Well you no, So to explain, explain. It starts
on three thirty. I believe I'm looking up. I'm looking up the time right now. I believe it. I believe it's at three thirty. They're gonna they're gonna let the players. I'm gonna let the players, let the media watch some of the practice. They're gonna talk to you. They're gonna get Tommy Lloyd going doing a stand up. So not not at uh you know, not in the press room. You can record and stuff like that. Here it is, It says members of the media are asked to arrive
at three thirty. You can shoot some practice and stuff like that, and then as soon as practice is over, there'll be a stand up media availability with Tommy Lloyd on the court. And then when that's going, that'll go for about ten minutes or so, and then after that you can re interview players. Well that's all during our show. So what we're gonna do is It says approximately four to ten is when coach Lloyd will be available. If they get that up on YouTube fast enough for us to be able to pull
it off of there. We'll try and place some of it or all of it in the last segment of the day, but don't hold us to that. We're doing the best we can on that. It was either go to this what I think is a very brief media day. It's or not have a show, because you used to have a long time, even in Shawn's time, it was longer. Outside of maybe the you'll get half an hour
with sure, with the coach, everybody get to ask their questions. Then you get out and get you know, get players players and that's the perfect time to get your own story with the players. Yeah, because you get some one on one gets it. It's several hours affair for football, right, you know, we get Jeed Fish, he comes in and we get about a half hour with him. Then we get time with the coordinators, time with all the assistant coaches, time with some players. It takes a
long time to go through that. You get a lot of stuff, maybe too much stuff, but anyways, so we'll uh, you know, we'll see if we can get that, get that put together in time to play some of that at the end of the show. But hey, it's it means basketball starting man starts tomorrow, Steve. We've got uh, we've got the exhibition game with Lewis and clarka tomorrow at seven o'clock. Yeah, okay, you're gonna be there. Oh yeah, yeah, because this is yeah,
this is what i'd like to do. Yeah, I'm not too keen on the exhibition games, but looking forward to this year, it's gonna be fun. I mean, we'll see some play play a lot of players, right, We'll see how he goes with the with the transition or no transition, but the roster and how much he goes or how far he goes. Will you make anything of who are the first players on the court? No, because I never do. I never do, and and and sometimes he uh, you know, he uses guys in different ways. And this is
a team where they are kind of interchangeable parts. They really are to me, you know, in the back court, in the front court, he's got seven foot three three or four seven footers already all capable, right, right, I was what you surprised by the way A Ballo was named like the top player in the conference. Do you think that he is going to be that player of the year kind of guy. I think there's a sense that he is going to be that it's is by default or because he's going
to be that good. I so you understand why. Well, here's the thing. You know, they weren't ready to put Kylon Boswell there because he was never eve gonna start with started something. He wasn't you know, he wasn't a starter much last year. Pally Larson isn't that guy. So you gotta have somebody from Arizona, you know, first team and one of the top players in the league. He's gonna average a double bubble this year, right, So I mean, or at least like the ball, there's only
one ball, and there's a lot of players that can score. That's fair, But you couldn't go ninety eighteen. That's what I'm not saying. Yeah, fifty, but to your point, yes, but I think there's you know, too many, too many players for one ball. I just I just think last year in college basketball, we saw like by the end a lot of their promotion was geared around the big men. Oh yeah, I feel like so I guess to answer your question, I think it's a little
bit of both. But yes, by default because the numbers he's gonna put up on the team he's on, it's gonna look the way it's gonna look all right or predictive starting lineup? Okay, Ballo Well Boswell. You're asking me about names. I'm gonna give Boswell, Opel, Larson h h Okay, who's over three? Those three? Those three for sure? Who's the who's the oh and the kid from San Diego Johnson ye? Okay, the guard who has a guard? The other guard? Caleb Love name Bradley or
J. Lewis was all good? K J. Lewis is fantastic. I'll go with Love only because how do you sit kileb Love to begin the year and then let him either play out of it or keep it. Yeah, that's that's the only reason why. Yeah, I agree with you on that. But let me tell you, look at the who's left. Jane Bradley's good, fantastic, right, you got Basar, who's pretty good. I got the other kid, Moros yeah, the big guy yeah, the really big dude yeah. And then Grievous. Yeah. I guess there's like three
of them. Do you have those three seven footers? They're gonna be fantastic. We have a couple. We have a couple almost near seven footers coming in for next year as well. So it's gonna be big from where I have it up right here, we have Carter. We have Cardio Carter, five star, eight twenty. Yeah, that's a big body out here. Let me ask you, you're you're kind of a not a geek guy. I'm a geek. He's like, Okay, you're a geek. It's an endearing term. Good for you? Yeah, for us? Needs you care
about do you take? You take the recruiting stuff seriously in terms of okay, God, we got this guy. The future is gonna be great. You can't because you're talking about the sixteen. I like you even more. It's a great it's a great way to tell the tone of a program and the direction of a program. Well, I like it. We're output recruiting and what I kind of don't like, although I like he's gotta he sounds well, you wouldn't have a radio show if you both agreed. No,
no, no sounds smarter. But this is about you. No, no, I agree with you. I agree that because we I hated recruiting and chasing down the kidslah blah blah. I think you did. You did too, But no, for that reason what you said, it does gauge where the program is and horror's going. Right Other than that, because you don't
know what you're getting. It's really about looking at who you're getting beat by and who you're beating out for these players and Carter Bryant, five star guy we got, We beat out Duke and that's that's I mean, just off names, that's a big deal. I mean, kids are looking at Arizona like, oh I can win there, sure, But when you're when like some Lendon and sometimes you know, you get the three star guys, Oh they beat football ways you got to be or San Diego State, stuff like
that. You can tell a lot of a lot from that, right. No, No, Like you're answer very sensible, pragmatic. What the hell you're doing in this business? Yeah? And how did you get into this room? Is what I want to know. Dang it, Steve, don't go on and get guys smarter than us. Yeah, we need our jobs. Yeah, you know, normally you like to surround yourself around guys around, people who are smarter than you make you look better. He's making us
look bad. Yeah, no, no, he'll remember the names you forget. Yeah, you got amut button over there in I do. I can hit your microphone anytime I want. But yeah, you're gonna be on the Google. That guy. You know, that guy, he's about seven years old, that guy you know? All right, let's let's let's go ahead and take our break. We're gonna when we come back, it's gonna be
Jedfish on the air with us again. We interviewed him a little a little earlier today because you just we just had working into our schedule, so we did record this interview. So but again, very pertinent questions. I think Steve and I got our hands on him, and hopefully you'll learn something about what's going on in the program outside of how they going to beat Oregon State.
So's stick around. For more than twenty years, the Window Depot has promined you the best price and the biggest inventory on in stock vital windows. And now the Window Depot is more than a window store, offering homeowners and contractors, a one stop warehouse offering interior and exterior doors. Granted and courts, countertops in stock, cabinatry, and skylights. To finish your project. Their team of professionals will help with everything from free kitchen design to custom orders
from leading manufacturers like mill Guard and Jildwyn. Order online or find a location near you at the window deepot dot com. Join Children's Clinics and ride for us in the fortieth annual Al Tour de Tucson. Help us raise funds to support adaptive sports and arts programs and to purchase adaptive trikes and bikes for children with chronic complex medical needs. Find us at Children's Clinics dot org. Steve Rivera here to talk about Doratle Rockmterials. I needed a lot of gravel from
a driveway, so I called Eric at Dorato Rock. He found out the amount and color I needed and boom, it was taken care of and at a great price. How do I know radio commercials work. I heard one of his on the radio. Dorato Rock Materials provides a wide range of landscaping materials, including decorative rock, boulders, gravel, soil, and sand, for residential and commercial use in the Tucson area. They are locally owned and have been around for more than fifteen. Give them a call at five two
zero four zero zero four two three three. We are Beads of Courage. Come ride with us for the fortieth l toorted Tucson. Beads of Courage provides innovative arts in medicine programs for children coping with serious illness, their families, and the clinicians caring for them. Let's ride together. Find us at beadsocourage dot org. Where do you buy exercise equipment? Arizona Health Arizona Health Arizona
Health. Of course, to feel better and look better, it makes sense to buy your fitness equipment from the people who know it better than anyone else. At Arizona Health, our goal is to help you choose the equipment you need to reach your goals. Your health and fitness deserve the best you deserve. Arizona Health will leading edge in exercise equipment on twenty second, just west of Wilmot At Nova Home Loans, we believe everyone deserves the opportunity to enjoy
the independence that comes with home ownership. Paul Volpi is ready to help you find an option that best fits your needs. Whether you're a first time or veteran home buyer or want to get cash out with the refinance. Nova has a variety of home loan programs to meet your unique situation. Visit volteteam dot com. That's volpe team dot com or call five two oh six eight five six two six today n MLS three oh eight seven, arizon A BKO nine
two nine four two Equal Housing Opportunity. How to commitment to lyndrixon credit rates and available loan programs or subject to change the undubice. It's summertime and the summer leagues are wrapping up. Volleyball, softball, baseball, swimming, and pickleball are coming to their season end. Come down and visit the cool and relaxing Creative Awards idea center to pick out your awards for the champs and MVPs. It's also time to replenish your corporate apparel with new Polos caps and safety
t shirts with your corporate logo to make your team look sharp. Creative Awards also has a large selection of brand names like Nike, Eddie Bauer, New Era, and car Hard just to name a few. Believe it or not, its corporate holiday gift season time for your clients too, with over one hundred thousand items to choose from come his Creative Awards, Inc. To twenty
eight West Drackman Street or online at Creative awardsaz dot com. Did you know sports cards that memorabilia are setting record sales last month of nineteen fifty two tops Mickey Mantle SO for twelve point six million, Lebron James Rookie SO for five point six Also, collecting cards is a family fun hobby that can be very profitable. If you want to start a collection or expand your collection, check out Showtime Cards. They are one of the leading card shops in the country
and have served our local community for twenty five years. They are located on e Speedway. That's show Time Cards, neck pain, back pain, car accidents, headaches, sports injury. For Nelli's Chiropractics, goal is to help our patients achieve a healthy lifestyle. Combining chiropractic care with physical medicine modalities, therapeutic procedures and massage therapy not only reduced paint, but helps the body heal itself as well as provide other health benefits. Or Nelli's Chiropractic we use a
natural approach to improve an end of it jewels health and well being. Don't suffer any longer, call Ornelli's Chiropractic today. The Secret Savings Account from Pyramid Federal Credit Union is an account you pay yourself and save oh right. It's set up as an automatic transfer for any amount and the transfers add up over time. You can save for a down payment on a dream vacation or an emergency fund and the best part for withdrawals. Your Secret Savings Account can only
be accessed in branch or over the phone. Visit Pyramid FCU dot com slash Secret Saving to learn more. Federally insured by NCUA, join the Aviva Children's Services Team and right vel tour to Tucson for free when you raise five hundred dollars have fun while raising money to support children in foster care. Visit gear upfrogood dot org to sign up and for more information. It's that time of year, Summer in Tucson. Time to take control with Temperature Control for all
your air conditioning needs. Will keep you cool during all the hot streaks. All you have to do is stay in control with Temperature Control, where we handle everything you need with prompt response, affordable pricing, and sound solutions. We also excel in plumbing and electrical work. We handle everything you need. Give us a call at five two oh eight one five five six sixty five or visit our website at tempdash con dot com and remember stay in control with
temperature control. Need concrete, hard Works Concrete has it. We have more than twenty five years of experience with all things concrete. Installing sidewalks and patio floors are our specialty and handle masonry work and retaining laws. We're locally and family owned. Just let us know what you need, how you want it, and we'll take care of it. Leave the hard work up to us. We're a hard Works Concrete. Call us at five one two nine six
' two five six six zero or visit our website Hardworksconcrete dot com. We'll put the work in for you. Gut bugs, termites, bees, or rodents, Arizona Pest Control will hunt them down. Arizona Pest Control is your complete desert pest management specialist. That's can't rud or hide from Arizona Pest Control. They use only the latest and most technologically advanced methods of pest elimination available, which minimizes the effects on the environment. Let Arizona Pest Control get rid
of your bad bugs, termites, bees, or rodents. Serving Tucson and Southern Arizona since nineteen forty seven. Go to azpest dot com to schedule your free evaluation today. GAP Ministries, a proud partner of the Tour to twoson, qualifies for the Arizona Foster Care Tax Credit. Find out how you can help children and break cycles of poverty and abuse in our community. It's your tax money, choose where it goes. Learn more at GAP tax Credit dot
com. Breaking down all the exes at Alls. It's Steve Rivera and Jagen Salvins. This is I on the Park on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. Hey, welcome back to imaball Hero Fox Sports fourteen fifteen. I'm Steve Rivera. He's Jaconzales and non Ifon. We have ula football coach Jetfish. How you doing doing great? Thanks? How are you guys doing? We're doing well. Thanks for joining us. I think that if you wanted to run for mayor, you'd win easily here. You're so popular, you're only as good
as your last dame. Well you look pretty dark. Good? Yeah you did, you did so, Jed. You know you got your off week right now so tell us about you know, just you know, your thoughts of what you do during the off week. I noticed, you know, you told us that you guys practice first, then a couple of days off, and then you get ready for Oregon State. We've seen it where, you know, flipped over where you give the guys a bunch of days off and then come back and just go for the next game. What was your
what's your thinking on how you guys are going about the off week? Yeah, what we did was we treated it like a normal week. The first uh, let's call it four days up through today, but we just worked backwards. We made Monday Thursday, we made Tuesday Wednesday, we made Wednesday
Tuesday, and then today would be a left day for us. So we'll lift and then we'll give the guys Friday Saturday off, let the coaches go recruit and then spend a family day on Saturday, and then Sunday we'll start up again with what we would call it normal Tuesday, which is our more physical practices. There's no right or wrong reason, but we talked about this this week Jay and I. So you're on a roll here, and as Jay says, momentum, would you have rather played because you were playing so
well, or does the time off come at a good time. Yeah, I don't really think much either way. We don't get to define that. So for us, our guys are there's always a great opportunity during a bye week to get better. So and we're certainly not in a place where we can't. We don't need to get better. We need to get better in
so many phases. So we're we had a good three days of practices, and I think it's also a great time of year, right after the seventh game to be able to get your legs back, and we'll wind up having Friday, Saturday, next Monday off, so our guys will have a good three out of four days off for their legs before we go back ahead it Yeah, Okay, During the game, the TV camera pan to you, and they do it often obviously, and I'm thinking, and you guys were
up you know, two or three touchdowns I can't remember, And I'm thinking, ched must be thinking we've got something here. What you must think that at some point in the last three weeks that you have something. Yeah, I mean, I think while you watch the game going and you see the evolution of our team, and you see the progress that our team has made over the course of the two and a half years that we as a staff
have been here. We're beginning to see our guys believe more. And the more you believe, the more confident you are, The more confident you are, the faster you play. And I think we're beginning to see our defense fly around and play super fast. And our offense has been moving ball on a pretty good clip the last nineteen games or so, and we're beginning to
see that more consistently every week. So, you know, we've been saying the last few days that it seems like there's really two storylines that have kind of developed, you know, over your team. One obviously the quarterback situation,
and then the leap that your defense has made. You made you made a point at your last press conference to talk about how, you know, the plan was, let's get the offense going, get get that, you know, get that works out and and make some progress there, and then let's take care of the defense, hoping that you make the same kind of leap that you did offensively last year. Do you at this point of the season do you feel that leap has been made? Are you where you hoped
you would be. Well, I mean, we still got five more games to play. I would say our defense has taken the type of leap we were hoping they would make, and our offense. You know, the biggest challenge was can you sustain being in top twenty five offense two years in a row, And so far we've been able to do that, and our defense has been continuing to improve and has made a huge leap. Statistically, the leap has been probably one of the bigger leaps you could ever make. So
now we've got to play that way over the next five games. We got to see how good we can be. We got to see if we can earn a spot for another game after that. And but I'm very proud of the way our defensive staff has put together the defense and the plan to be able to get to the highest level. Okay, so the other storyline,
obviously the quarterback situation. We're not gonna ask you who you know, where you are with, you know, deciding who's going to start next game, but you're going through some sort of a process, you know, to to determine, you know, what's the best thing to do. Can you tell us any little anything about you know, what are the decision points for you? Where what's the process for you to figure out your quarterback situation going into
Oregon State. Yeah, well, there's really there's really two questions that need to be answered. Number the first question is is it even a competition or is one guy still hurting the other guy? Not? So? If I feel as if Jaden is not one hundred percent, then there's really not going to be a hard decision. If I felt as if both guys could be at the play at their highest level, then the decision would have to be made on who gives us the best chance to win each week, and then
that will be the second part of the discussion. But right now it's really I don't even have to get the part two and until I feel that I can get the best Jaden to Laura possible, which would be one that has great speed, one that has an ability to be elusive in the pocket, one that has an ability to throw on the run and be able to push off of his ankle. Yeah, no question. One of the things in sports is that people say that the team takes on the personality of the coach.
I'm not sure if that happens in football would you say that it does one and two? If so, what does this team have in terms of its personality? Yeah, I mean, I don't know. I don't know if that's what that I've heard that saying. I think what our team does is they take on the principles of our program, which is number one, we're gonna be professional and everything we do. So we're gonna come to work every day with a mindset of getting better, treating people right, improving and
doing things right on and off the field. And you know, if they take on the professional mentality, then yeah, they're taking on our personality. The second one is resilience. We feel like we need to be resilient. We need we feel that we have to have incredible practices. We don't have to worry about the score. The score will take care of itself. But regardless of what's happening, regardless of what people are saying, we're just gonna
go to work every day and work extremely hard at it. And you know, I think that if we could take on those two personality traits and we're in a good spot. Yeah. No, and you've done well to this point. We had liv on a couple of days ago and Ted Robinson. I asked lev this question. We weren't too sure about Jeff Fish in his first year as a coach, but we've we've seen a lot of a lot
of success here in the last two two and a half years. How do you think you've done and how much how much of a better coach are you now that you have been a head coach for two and a half years. Yeah, I mean, I think we always get get better with experience. I think we always get better as the years ago. We also get better with better players. We said that to that, you know, I mean, I don't I would say that everybody's gotten better. Our coaches have gotten
better, our staff has gotten better. Who we have surrounded us are better, the resources that we've parted to the program is better, and it's a complete different team than we had in twenty twenty one. Yeah. In twenty twenty one, we were inheriting a program and a team that wasn't nearly what
we have today. So we need to make sure, you know, we I feel like I'm better, I feel like they're better, and in turn, if we could continue to improve or even be better next year, Yeah, something that's been and I don't know if you said this or we've just assumed this, But you know, there's this feeling that as you were headed towards becoming a head coach, you know, you've been around so many places that you had a grand plan for what you were going to do and how
you were going to execute being a head coach and the way you were going to go about it. How close are you to how you envisioned you would be or how you envisioned you would run your program when you got one. Yeah, I mean the beautiful part of being a college head coach is that it is your program. So you don't have a president and a general manager of your football team, and you have the ability to make the decisions that
are best for your program. And so I would stay very close to how I imagined it in terms of building it the way we wanted to build it. Now, that takes a lot of patience because you have to be we had to be able to say we understand that the first year is really year zero. We didn't have a recruiting class. We really had no opportunities to bring people in in the portal, and the guys we did bring in,
you know, they weren't going to change the game. And then the second year was going to be our first year, and you've got to explain that to people that are decision makers, and you got to explain that to people that are outside watching you, and that's always challenging. But I think in that second year, guys saw how the team improved. You had to get guys like Jade DeLaura and Jacob Cowing to take a risk and say they're going
to join a one to eleven team as a trance. And you got to get all those sophomores or current sophomores that we're seniors in high school to say we're going to go commit to a one and eleven team, a one in twenty three team really and want to turn it around. So that was our plan, and so far we're much improved, but we got five games left and we got to figure out how to win some of these. Yeah, But how much a part of that plan, though, was all the other
things you do. You're on the community, you're promoting the program. You start every press conference by saying we need to sell this many tickets. You know, the things that you've done to get you know, former players into the program. All those other pieces of it that are also part of what you're doing. Was that also part of your so called plan? Well,
I think it depends where you take the job at. You know, if you take a job at Florida, which is my alma mater, you know, you wouldn't be sitting there and you know, needing to try to sell the place out. It's been sold out for whatever twenty years. You don't need to be You're not necessarily making the same plea to be able to get to that type of standard. On the same token, I feel like that's what college football is all about. So when I envisioned, what was it
going to look like and what did I want? I wanted to sold out crowd. I wanted an incredible student section. I wanted to DJ right there in the middle of it. I wanted to party atmosphere for the kids so the kids stayed for the game. And I wanted our all of our fans to pour into the stadium and make it electric. So I start to you know, that's kind of how I envisioned the program. We you know, we needed to get it there. I envisioned the college football program where the
alumni were a major part of supporting the guys. So we had to get there for that as well, and we're building that up. We have our most amount of alumni ever coming to the homecoming game in a couple of weeks, and we got to find a way, you know, we got to find a way to sell this place out the final three weeks because we got three really really important games. So with that, how has the public, the locals embraced you, because they're talking really highly of you, now,
yeah, I mean they've been amazing. My wife and kids love it here. I love it here. We love being around Tucson. We love being in Tucson. I feel like Tucson is one of the most amazing places in the world to live. So the public's been great, But I think more importantly than that, they've been great to our kids and our players. And our players love being part of the u of a family and when when that works, that that that really helps in recruiting and gets great players here.
Well, coach, I think that's all we needed. It's nice to get some time with you. You know, it's hard to get a question at conferences. Well, I appreciate it, guys. All right, Well, thank you, Jed. We appreciate good luck. You know, Oregon SA date next week. Yeah, thank you, appreciated a good weekend, those jetfish. You a football coach who's done very very well. Yep, you know, uh, you know you're talking about this plan that he had.
You know, just you feel like he's got like a notebook something right, a page on you know, getting fan interest, to the page on alumni, and he thorough like that. Yeah. You know. He shows up at a press conference and he's got stats. Yeah, you know, and he's I feel like he's one of those stat frees. But not a football guy, right, we talked about this, He's not. You know, he comes into he strows into the room, talks to the guys, and then he starts his bro thing and he's just one of the dudes. He's
not a football guy. But he's he's done very well out of here. He's very well. He's very good at it. All Right, that's going to take our break. We're to come back and we'll break it down a little bit more. So. Stick around. If you're an Arizona Man's basketball fan, you know it's been successful for nearly forty years. Now. Take a look back at the Ludolsen era in my new book, Lessons from Newton.
It was a labor of love through the eyes of twenty five former players, coaches, and friends to give insight to the coach and the man who led them, competed against them, and inspired them. Twenty five chapters for his twenty five years as Arizona's beloved coach. Listens from Newt is an insight to how he built the program into a national powerhouse. What one email me at Steve dot RIVERA ninety five at gmail dot com. The world's first three
D scanner for wild animals has finally been made. It will save countless lives while also creating exciting youth programs to protect our wild spaces. Will you ride an ill toor to Tucson to help start a digital wildlife revolution? Go to Biodiversitygroup dot org for more information. Ride with us. All skill levels are invited to join ol Grupo Youth Cycling for our Fall Fundo on October twenty ninth. Your race fee supports programs that empower all youth, regardless of socioeconomic background.
Call us at five two oh four, two nine, six, one three eight for more info. Hey Walcat Nation, Jake Fisher here, I got to tell you about my winning team. Over at Arizona Health Insider, I was able to get a custom private health insurance plan with no deductibles, no copays, nationwide coverage, and I get to pick my own doctor for
less than two hundred dollars a month. If you want to avoid getting gouged on the exchange and you want real health insurance, call Arizona Health Insiders five to two zero eight five zero six eight sixty six five two zero eight five zero six eight sixty six fare down. What's your goal a new career or career advancement? How about transferring to a four year college. PEMA Community College can help you make Someday today and reach your goals affordably on your schedule.
With over one hundred programs to choose from and financial aid available, it's time to earn the degree or certificate you need to prepare for the career you want. PEMA offers free career exploration classes so you can choose the field that's right for you. Learn how at PEMA dot edu slash Someday frank in Tucson. The fall arriving means a couple of things. One, our wildcats are back in the classroom and back on the field. And two we still have some
hot days ahead of us. Picture Rocks Cooling, Heating and Plumbing is ready to bear down on all your AC problems and keep you cold. If your fall gets overheated, gives a call or for zero for zero six nine, or go to Picture Rockspooling dot com. Fall season is upon us and fans are bearing down for our new and improved Arizona football team. I know Edmund Marcus is. He's a huge Arizona football fan and of course a University of
Arizona graduate. If you don't see him at the football game or a u A sporting event, go see him at All State Insurance on Campbell and get a quote for your car and home insurance and more. Visit Edmund Marcus or State Agency at twenty seven to nineteen North Campbell, or give him a call at five two zero three two three nine three three to three. You are in good hands with Edmund Marcus All State Agency. Looking for an exhilarating adventurel
Tour Day Tucson this year. Join mad Arizona on November eighteenth and be a part of bringing an end to drunk and drug driving. Head to mad dot org slash az to register today and together we'll ride towards a future of no more victims. That's madd dot org slash az. Do you want to be part of a winning team? A Team Security is looking for friendly, outgoing
event security guards and event staff to be a part of our team. We've been providing our outstanding services to some of Arizona's biggest sporting events and concerts for over twenty years. We want you to join the Action. A Team offers a fun and exciting opportunity to work in the sports and entertainment industry, with flexible schedules that are perfect for those looking for a part time job or a second income. Come be a part of a winning team The A Team apply
online today at a teamsecurity dot net. Come ride with United Way of Tucson for the fortieth annual El Tour Day Tucson. Join the Ride United team and help support the one in four members of our community who receive life changing health from United Way of Tucson in Southern Arizona. Learn more at Unitedway Tucson dot org. San Miguel High School is participating in the El tor to Tucson. Our school not only prepares our students for four year colleges, but also offers
a trained and reliable temporary workforce for two sons leading businesses. Find out more and visit San Miguel High dot org. Streaming live on the iHeartRadio app. This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera and Jay Gonzalez on Fox Sports fourteenth fifty. Hey, welcome back to I on the Ball here at Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve, you're Jay got Kevin with us today? That uh what twelvens sim Simmons, Ye, Jay went long? How dare
him all this good stuff? I already got a couple of texts? Yeah, Well, you know, well let's you know, let's talk about that a little bit because I think, uh, you know, what he didn't say is kind of a big deal. What didn't you say? He didn't say was that Jade DeLaura gets his job back as soon as he's healthy.
He said that you're one of those well again again to me. He said that the court the starting quarterback will be the quarterback gives them the best chance to win, if you recall, you know, right after and this is what people were losing their minds about, was there saying that Jaden gets his
job back as soon as he's healthy. And and he and he's kind of, you know, maybe realize that he's gotta you know, he's got to look at you know, he's got to look at the situation he's got in front of him, you know, because he said that at a time where he didn't know what he had with Jade with U. Now he knows. So now you gotta go And and what everybody that's only I think anybody fans
are asking play the guy that gives you the best chance to win. Well, it don't just give the lord the job back just because he's healthy. Right, No, no, No, you're exactly right. And that's what I'm saying that, that's what I mean. Over the last three weeks, and this team has look pretty darn good, even in defeat. Uh and who's been behind the consenter? No, And and you know, and and he's right, I mean, he's right. He didn't even have to make
a decision until the Laura is healthy. Well, you know, he's still limpy. You know people you know, people who are at the game. And I didn't see on TV. Sure he said he's still limpy, you know, he's not he's not even walking you know without you know, he still looks he's a junior Richard Jr. He's got another year of Algibilla. Okay, let's just well it's I don't want to look too far, too far ahead. If he doesn't play the rest of the year or very sparingly,
uh, he decides to come back. Here's what Here's what I'm here's what I'm thinking of. Oh, well, I'm thinking here we go. I'm thinking transfer. Yeah, well he's been he's this is I think his fourth year of school. Okay, get the degree, can't get the degree, so that you've got an option to be a grad transfer. If it looks like you're you're you've lost the job for good, you know, and and give yourself an opportunity to go to one more place where you can play.
If if it looks like no off of feet is the guy, but you're also one injury away from being the guy again. Yeah, the players don't think of it. No, No, I'm well aware of that. I'm well aware of that. But like I want to what I want to do for another year that you didn't want to be here in the first because we all figured this was his last year, right, If he had a good year, this is gonna be his last year. But even if he didn't, well, it was hurt and doesn't start, he's not gonna get
He's not gonna get the attention of NFL people. No, no, no, no. But if he does well in the combines and all that stuff, that's because that's what it's about. Come on, you know, that's what it's about. If he's good enough. And we don't know if he's good enough, right, we just don't know that. And that's the point. He's if he doesn't get to play much the rest of the year, then he's got to go somewhere where he's gonna play and shut and show. No. I hear you, I hear you. Uh, sorry to cut
you off. But speaking of getting like the reps to end the year, don't you think that Fafida is a what is your retro freshman? Yeah? Don't you think him getting the snaps on a team that is Bowl eligible looking to fight to stay in the race. Like, isn't that a valuable piece to this too? If you have the Laura ready to leave and then you have a Fida, it's the peace who needs the reps. It's steep piece. Yeah, no, it's steep piece because if he if they win against
Oregon State with with ffida, it's not even a question. It's not a question anymore. The thing about it, too, is if he plays this year, he's playing until he's a senior, because realistically he's not gonna play in the NFL. That's that's my point. He's got three more years after this, that's the case. And what he needs to do his hustle is butt in school, get his degree so that he that if if there's not an opportunity for him here, he can go play somewhere one year where he
does have an opportunity. So lots of guys do that. So ja, I think Jay's got your future. Play. Yeah. When was the last time you told another man how to spend his money? Yeah, well you just did. He just did. I don't do that that, you know. That's that's my advice as the adult in the room. That's debatable. That's debatable. We already said though you under said Kevin smarter than both of us, didn't say wise, or though I did not say wise exactly.
That's what really matters. Older. Yes, yes, if you guys want to call it. You have six minutes, you can give us a quick call five two oh four one six seventy four forty. I'd love to hear from you. You know, I've I've been wanting to ask him those questions about him his plan. Yeah, you know, because we can't. We We've always those of us who kind of see the program a lot like you
and I do. You know, I just felt like he almost had a notebook somewhere, you know, no but you said, or or or a journal or something that you know where he's been taking notes for twenty years what to do as a head coach. You and I have been around a long time for a lot of the good coaches, a lot of good coaches here and abroad. Uh, these guys didn't get to where they're at by accident.
They're not getting paid millions to screw up. And if there's polished people, Loot was pretty good at what he did right, and pretty good at what he did got paid handsomely. Uh. Sean, Sean was fantastic with and he had Andrews before you would ask the question. Of course didn't always answer the question, but he always had that on top of it. Jed is well versed in what's going on, and he's been around. We have a caller. Hi, you're on the AAR and I on the ball.
Hey, what's going on? Guys? Wow? I am truly impressed. Are you so surprised? Do you sound surprise? I am truly impressed. I didn't know if I was watching DNN and doing a show for Israel or what the heck that was? That was good stuff. Seriously, I appreciate it. Thank you well. Mikey liked it, so we're good. Exactly what did you think? What did you think of his answer on on the quarterbacks? I kind of like what you you said, jay I, I
I think now and uh and Steve actually said it also. The the decision has been made for him, It really has. I've been on team Noah for the last year, but nobody would listen to me. I mean I saw him in California obviously at Survey and he was just which one of you guys always says he has that hit factor. Yeah, let me ask you. You you know the family, don't don't you correct? Yeah? Where I worked with his dad. Yeah, So is there a bias there too?
No, not at all, not at all. In fact, his dad used to tell me, oh, my kids this and my kids that at twelve years old, and I'm like, dude, stuff that. You know. I thought he was just one of those bragging dads. But but now, man, he's Uh. When I saw him at surveyed his junior year, I believe it was against Bishop a Mont and they could have put one hundred up on them. What do you what did What did you see
back then that you like? Now? Oh, I'll tell you what one one was that in factor his band of just what he's called, They did that what's that hawka dance and all that stuff. But he was you could tell he was the leader everybody. After every single drill to to start the game came up to Noah, high five, hug, whatever it may be, and then he was every player. I noticed it right off the bat. This was a game at Bishop a Mot and I said, man, that guy's a leader, big time. Yeah. And I didn't notice the
height. And I'll tell you that even back then, a couple of my buddies says, I don't know about the height, and I'm like, ah, he's sucking d one, guys. It don't matter. Yeah, well you know, he's not flashy, he's good. He is at times. She could get the job done that way, but he just gets the job done. You made Did you make the pretty analogy? I did? I was I was talking. We were talking in between the break Tuesday about how
like his processing is the main difference. He's able to make a decision or not make a decision, uh, at least put second similar to pretty versus like a Garoppolo where you look at Garoppolo, you look at the physical attributes and you're like, well, I want that guy that's the quarterback, and he watched him playing. Okay, he's good, and he watched Pretty playing. You're like, no, that guy knows what he's doing right before he does it. Everything right, I think you agree there? Right? Yes,
I love that analogy. Yeah too. And yet so he can do things that that we haven't seen yet. He can wing that ball and you mentioned it a whole year ago, Steve On on the on the scrimmage, you said, he can wing that ball seventy yards if he wants. Yeah, yeah, I know he's got he's he's got it. But it's not like a special it's just like a complete it Like well, it's something that
you know that it's it's it's natural to him. It's you know, he's not learning this, he's got this right, right right, just an instincts and and those kinds of things and how to play the position. Sure, No, I think the pretty energy last drafted just a dude who kind of was there, but a winner, but a winner roster. That's why. That's how he'round the game. Yeah, been around the game, and he grew up with a football in his hand and those kind of guys. Uh
uh, exself, Victor, thanks for calling. I knew it was painful. I tell you one more time, you guys that that was fantastic. It was that. That was good stuff, all right. I know that was painful for you to say, given your history. I love you, vic Hey, thanks about appreciate your calling. I have to be painful. He's usually ripping up. Well, actually, you you you're dodger. He's
a dodger. He's a dodger. Yeah, you know, we do, you know, But you know, it's I think that I think the fans are starting to hear what they want to hear, and that's really all you know. I mean that that that's been the deal. But you know, no, it's the guy. He's a guy, and I really you know, do it once, yes, do it twice, Okay, you're three times. He's a good he's a good shorter Backs. Take our break. We're gonna come back. It's gonna be breaking news. Kevin's gonna break it
out for us. So stick around. Don't believe, they just laugh. Don't believe, just laugh.
