This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera and Jaganzalez on Fox Sports fourteen fifty powered by Nova Insurance Services and Sure Your Most Prized Possessions kat z R two, SAG and iHeartRadio Station. Hey, good afternoon, everybody. Welcome to Eye on the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera, He's Jagan Zaus. Have another person in the room again wanting to join us? Possibly maybe maybe Kevin for me? Hell, Kevin? Howardy?
Kevin? Hows it going? Man? You're a big sports fan? Great? Great? Uh yeah, what what do you well? This may qualify you or discount you right away. What are your what are your baseball teams? I'm from saying Louis So Cardinals. Okay, he's gonna cry already. He's a Dodger. Yeah, creating for a week now, all right? And football team because it took you, Yeah, and you don't want to be Cardinals here school, And I was like, maybe the Cardinals. You're
originally from somewhere you where you originally from? Okay? I was Chicago. When you're saying, okay, you're going trying to get back to Chicago, Yeah, okay, Okay, good, good to tell you. Good to have you in. We'll probably ask you things. Going on another day here in Paradise, Another day in paradise, in Paradise, another loss. You hate today? I hate the Astros, but I already hated the Astros so and I don't know that I could hate him more than I did before the
game yesterday. Yeah, I just so, someone said to me today or yeah, this morning, He says, I liked what you told Jay yesterday because it's true. Uh, when you said they're dead to you? Yeah, And I said, well, what team is it? They are? They are? And they were dead to me. But you know, I did take a little solace in the fact that by picking them they lost so anothery're in the hole too, oh, having to go on the road. They're gonna get swapped. So I did my part. It only cost me
ten bucks. Yea, it only cost me ten bucks. Can't do with that, Okay, totally Jay logic, Yes, it makes perfect sense. Okay, No, welcome back, uh, Jed. We talked about Jed and his decision. I saw the headline in the Star that he doesn't know what he's gonna do yet, right, He kind of in decides and decides he has ready to make a decision right he doesn't. He does, He doesn't have to make a decision right now. But let me tell you something
I would guess and maybe you could tell me if I'm wrong. Eighty eighty five percent of the people, if not more, if not more, want for Peter to start well too. And two things are in play there. And as much as I hate to bring this up, a part of a part of why Jane Delora has lost a lot of favor in this town is because the whole Hawaiian said, Yeah, people are pissed at that. You know, they feel like they almost feel betrayed bye bye by Jadeen because he
was he came here, he'd been here. Then all of a sudden it comes out that this thing has been going on for a year, a couple of years. And I think you'll feel if you'll betrayed by by all of that, and not that you can say, okay, hi, I'm coming and guess what I did this right. It's not going to do that. But I think there's a lot of people out there, and I run into a lot and say, you know what, if we've got a quarterback who's really good. Then you know, then let's go with that, right.
No, no, it doesn't have the baggage. Yeah, the baggage. Yeah, and I haven't heard much of the baggage because of this. But but he you have your quarterback. You have a quarterback. Have a quarterback. Don't screw with a big good thing or the don't broke, don't put fix or whatever. I went back and watched a good chunk of the game this morning on the you know that sixty minute I think you know, wait
well for two things. One, when you see when you see the plays, you know, without the huddles, so one play right, explain next play, next play, next play. It kind of magnifies you know what you're what you're seeing and what you saw. What you see with Fafita is how decisive he is, you know, with with with with the with the passing game. He's I mean, you rarely, you're rarely sitting there like
looking around. He finds somebody and he gets rid of it. He had a nice side arm throw where a guy was on top of him and he kind of threw a side arm around him and found a t mac in a you know, a big third down play. Things like that. Then the other thing I saw was how smothering the defense was no, no, they just it was crazy. Like I said yesterday, I was impressed throughout the whole game because I'm thinking, like you, Smidge, thinking that, Okay,
Washington's gonna come back at some point. You didn't allow it. He didn't allow it. And then I did something on Twitter. Really, you know, I'm really on Twitter. I said, let me pause this for analysis. F Fita is very impressive. Yeah, it's what you saw on the sixties. Right. He doesn't get flustered. He just does his job and he's just impressive in a simple kind of way. Yeah. And then those times that you see him, like say after a play, yeah,
right, and he's looking at the bench or whatever. M hm, his eyes aren't big, you know, he's like he's calm as hell, right, and and uh, you know that's that's sort of I don't know if you want to call it an IT factor or or something that a guy just
has. What got that? What was the what was the one thing that we saw eighteen months ago when we first went to practice, Right, we heard all the hype about him, which was very right, legit, Jayden was Jaden was Jaden and we're thinking, what was his biggest criticism for FRIEDA
he's short short, doesn't that doesn't seem to matter. Okay, look, maybe he's not going to be an NFL quarterback, but he can be a really damn good college quarterback, right And he's a he's a he's a wretched freshman and just is you know, just the poise, the poison, the knowledge of he knows where guys are supposed to be. You know, there was a great throw that he made. It was in the second half. I think it was their their first possession of the second half when they went
down and I think they ended up kicking a field goal. But he throws this. He threw an NFL pass to to uh to maclachlin. Okay, just you know Maclochlin almost like a wheel route. He just went up the sideline, got behind a defender and he hit him on the run. He takes it down inside the five and then he always has his safety valve, h his his team. He knows where that guy is every time, and
he found him a few times in that situation. I think you so want a third down or whatever was It's just you know, So when you, like I said, when you watch it in that mode and you see play one right after another in quick succession, you had a real sense of what was going on right, you know, on on the field, and Arizona was just really good. That what do you think? What do you think?
Uh? And I'm asking you to do something you shouldn't do, but get into the mind of Jed And what do you think he's thinking about this team? Like he said Saturday night, He's thinking, damn it, I wish we hadn't lost in Mississippi's team in USC. We should have won those games, right, I mean, we should have won those damn games. We should be six and one right now. That's what I'm thinking, because I saw I saw a good chunk at USC last week. They looked like
crap. They don't look good. Yeah, and you know they they look worse than I thought they were going to be during the summer and I thought they were the third or fourth best team in the league. I was reading something. I don't know how legitimate it is, but it seems like like Caleb has become this guy, right, and he has become this guy and the rest of the guys are thinking you're not that guy. You're you're a tour team. Don't leave us. And there might be some fractions inside the
well. But I also think there's there's an expectation that because they have the Heisman Trophy winner from last year, they can come up. But they should be really damn good and he should be able to fix anything. Yeah, they're a terrible defensive team. Yeah, they're not just bad, they're terrible. No, and when he gets them in trouble, even worse. Because last week he got to got him in trouble turnovers and stuff like that. So he's not gonna be able to do that right. And I don't know.
I don't have a bet with you. I just don't feel that they're most they're gonna get into the playoffs with the with the championship game US. No, No, I'm talking about PAC twelve. Oh wow, it's gonna be Washington and Oregon again. And I really like Oregon the second time. Yeah, but again, you know, depending on what else goes on, if they're both sitting there at eleven and one or twelve and one, if you know, they could both get in, I don't. I don't.
I don't have any confidence at the committee will put two PAC twelve teams in. Yeah, but you know, look at the SEC. You know who besides Georgia deserves it. I don't know. Maybe you guys think because the PAC twelve has been notable this year because of Colorado and other teams, uh, maybe that more eyes are on the PAC twelve and because of the quarterbacks they are that that could help them with this, right, and there there's more eyes on the on the on the Pack twelve because of Colorado. For
better or's that's my point, for better or worse. I mean, you know we're just seeing a lot more of that. I mean, what do you think. I mean, it's like there just seems to be so much more attention. I think as far as the PAC twelve goes, it's really unfortunate what's going on with the conference realignment considering the teams you have this year, right, Pack twelve, like so many eyeballs on Colorado, USC, Oregon, Washington and you brought you brought up the defense for USC. I
think there's a little bit of like Colorado to USC. I think you have like like obviously not the start coach, right, but you have a start quarterback who's expected to maybe bring wins that he might not be able to deliver on his own as a solo guy. Show Sudar and Williams like they can't win games on their own, right, you have to have a defense,
and these neither of those schools have defenses. And I think all while that's happening, you have Oregon Washington teams, like you mentioned, kind of slowly building just to go into a different conference. So definitely all eyes around the
PAC twelve. I feel like coming into it's a super second. So it's twelve games, Uh, Washington is eleven or twelve when Oregon is eleven and one, right, whatever, and they play each other in Oregon wins, that Oregon would be be the choice, right, don't Well, Oregon, it'd be the first choice. Okay, So then you have Washington State, who they might have the been Trophy winner, So how would you not could include them? Look, and let's remember TCU who was TCU last year?
It came out of nowhere. They lost their conference championship game and they still got into the playoffs, so and played crazy good Yeah and until the championship Yeah you know, but so yeah, I mean there's a look, there's still a lot to happen, you know. Watch. The thing is every every Pack Puff team has a tough schedule the rest of the way. Let's talk real quick about who we have on. We have Michael eleven the first hour, right usual, we'll go back and see what he sees because he
sees a lot of good things. Uh, that'll be at three fifteen, three seventeen, right about that, and then we can Ted Robinson what we're talking about with all eyes more on the PAC twelve does what does it mean in the future, Yeah, for you know, in a month or yeah, you know it. Haads a play by play guy for Packed pub Network, so you see, he gets to see all the teams. Yeah,
so we'll see what, you know, what what he thinks. But the PAC twelve has not been the Packed off has been what people are expecting it to be really good and the fact that that game was so darn good it was cool, he makes kind of elevates elevates the league even more. Yeah, I mean, you know, there's still people saying it was the best game of the year, you know, even with what happened with the Oklahoma
Texas game. Yeah, and that was that was an incredible game too, you know, so I I, you know, I almost feel like there'd be some sentimental value to the fact the league is breaking up and they're gonna say, you know, okay, let's get a couple of teams in there, if they're both good, if they're worthy. I thought you can say, oh, let's kind of get the band, you know, if they're if they're worthy, I mean, I don't expect them to not be in the league. But right now, you know, I've seen, you know,
I watched a lot of football. I watch at the college football. They're two of the three best teams that I've seen, the other one being who Georgia Georgia and I don't they haven't been great. The team that's kind of stuck in there for whatever reason. I only see them. Well, there's Florida's Florida State, Tolordida State. I saw Florida State play I Softloresa State and nearly lose to Boston College. Yeah no. And then there's Michigan. All right, Michigan, but again, who's Michigan played so far?
Right, then they're not gonna playing but great until like next month. So in Ohio State played and they didn't again and that gets to you talk about Ohio State Michigan. They you know, they go undefeated or lose one game every year. Well, the rest of the league sucks, right, you know, after after a High State and Michigan, everybody's been Iowa. Iowa has one loss and they're averaging like eight points a game. We were talking
about that with with someone today. They could sneak into something, and they're not very attractive. They could they could get I've heard the rest of your schedule was terrible. Yeah, they could get to the They could get to the Big Ten championship game with an eleven and one record. Then what happens if all of a sudden they hold Ohio State to fourteen points and they win
seventeen to fourteen. Yeah, fifteen to fourteen. So I saw today some pole I can't remember what was the guy who who picked the bowl games already, you know it's Arizona in a bowl game against Oklahoma State, kind of like the Independence bullish. I saw. I saw one projection that had him in the sun Ball against Georgia Tech. Okay, and that's that's moving up the last This is what day is that it's like three or four new years because this was the twenty sixth, but my game game, so it's something
like that. I think the sun Ball is like on the thirty, okay, twenty. It's late, it's late, in the very late toasa. I do you love to go see that? But I've already got plans between Christmas and years. So they play a bowl game between Christmas and the years. I don't. Oh, then you're done, You're done, You're not going. Well, they got to get there first, Yeah, they got to get there. Look, I think I based on how they played Saturday
and they've got three wins left on their schedule. Sure, yeah, no, no, I get I totally get it. But but but but they're Arizona. Yeah, and were Arizona, and they may not play like that again, Sure I don't. I do think though, we talked about this yesterday that it helps with selling tickets and he said, one more flight, one more playing, and the restaurant home, and they'll have people in the
stands to go see them. Yeah, of course unless they have poop the bed and then they can't they can't let they can't let the Oregon State come in, you know from Saturday and just you know, they can't lose. Did you thirty five to tend Did you see them? There's an exhibition game Friday night basketball. Yeah, I didn't. Didn't realize that. You're you're already dressed up. You're already dressed up for the shower. But what I'm doing, what I'm is, I'm wearing them to get the dust off of
them. They can get washed so I can start wearing them. You've been a receive preseason for the merchandise as well. Yeah, yeah, have just got it right. So I went back and I dug this one out of well, please shower with it. It'll get watched. Thank you. All right, let's get the heck out of here. We're going to come back. We've got Michael lev we'll get his take on Arizona, what he saw on Saturday and what he thinks is coming up over the next week and a
half before the next game. So we'll stick around. For more than twenty years, the Window Depot has provided the best price and the biggest inventory on in stock vinyl 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 pre kitchen design to custom orders from leading manufacturers like mill Guard in jail win order online or find a location near you at the window deepot dot co. Join Children's Clinics and ride for us in the fortieth annual El 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 Dorato Rock Materials. I needed a lot of gravel for my 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 and 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 years. Give them a call at five to two zero four zero zero for two three three. We are Beads of Courage. Come ride with us for the fortieth
Eltor de 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 the leading edge and exercise equipment. On twenty second this quest 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 voltpeteam dot com that's volpe team dot com or call five to two oh six eight five six two six today in MLS three to eight seven going to be K nine two nine four two Equal housing opportunity. How to commitent to lindrixon credit rates and available loan programs are subject to change. The Ununice. 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 visit Creative Awards, Inc. Two twenty eight West Drackman Street or online at Creative Awards az dot com. Did you know sports cards at Memorabilia are setting records sales last month of nineteen fifty two tops Mickey Mantles 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. Or 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 reduce pain, but helps the body heal itself as well as provide other health benefits. Or Nellis Chiropractic. We use a natural approach to improve an individual's health and well being don't suffer any longer, call or Nelli'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 trans first 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 Betterally insured by NCUA, join the Aviva Children's Services Team and right velchor 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 temp 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 Hardworks 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. Got bugs, termites, bees, or rodents, Arizona Pest Control will hunt them down. Arizona Pest Control is your complete desert pest management. Specialist tests can't run or hide from Arizona Pest Control if 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 night teen forty seven. Go to azpast dot com to schedule your free evaluation today. GAP Ministry is a proud partner of the tour or two soon 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. This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera and
Jay Gonzalez sound Fox Sports fourteen fifty. Subscribe now to the podcast on the iHeartRadio app Just Surgery. I on the Ball. Hey, welcome back to the ball hero Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera. He's Jacinsauce. Now on the phone, we have the Arizona Daily Star columnist Michael liv Michael, how are you, hey, guys? How's it going good? Good? A week off for you guys? Or is it really well? I
mean it's not a full week off. I have several assignments and places to be over the next several days, and Justin my colleague is also working on some stuff. But it's definitely a lighter week when you don't have a game, especially a game that starts at seven thirty pm, and you're you know, you're not going to bed until like four in the morning the next day. So yeah, it's all good. Better you than me. Yeah, I'm getting up at four in the morning because I go to bed at six
o'clock the night. Right again, my tap yoka and I hit the sack. So hey, So Michael, you're you're missing all the packbull Doctor Dark to do that. Okay, maybe much more of it left. I'll stay up for that a couple more months, and that's it. I know. I'm sad about that. So Michael, first impressions after the game were, what were your first thoughts when you saw what happened? God Like? So I wouldn't say that I was stunned, more like pleasantly surprised, but man,
what a what an outstanding overall all around performance by the Wildcats. I would say, clearly the best game that they've played under Jetfish and and really maybe not even close good in every single phase. Like I came out of there going like, man, I have like no notes, you know, like like what are what are we even critiquing here. My report card was all ways except for I think I did the the the offensive line a B plus. You know, I think I think we knew. I think we
knew that they were capable of being really good. But even Jetfish himself, like when if you watch the video that the U of A put out like you know, the sites and sounds like big question of the team was are we for real? Because they had come so close and they hadn't finished the job, and they they finished the job and then some on saturdayay employment, Yeah, no, no question. I was gonna say now, I was gonna ask any different question if I could. I'm gonna change gears just for
the moment. So what's you did a very good job with the with the decommitment of of UH with rushing right. I'm sure that people a lot of work and a lot of thought into it. This may be a tough question to answer. Did you leave some thoughts or impressions from others because you had to talk to others on the cutting room floor? Oh, a really good question, very like inside baseball. I have a question. I appreciate that, no question about it. Yeah, of course, I mean, if
you do a good job. With any given story, you're leaving a lot of stuff on the cutting room floor. So with this particular one, I wanted to find out find out what happened like, and I wanted to get it from both sides. So I talked to some people in the rushing what I would call the rushing camp, and I talked to some people you know, inside the program, okay, and they all agreed that they would speak to me on condition of anonymity, which is fine in this particular case.
I don't think we should do every single story that way, but worked with this one, and then I kind of just decided, like, Okay, what are the most interesting theories that are out there? Do they have any validity to them? Are their rumors that kind of need to be shot down? And so I kind of picked maybe the best five, you know, of the group, and I just kind of went from there and injected my own sort of judgments, opinions, et cetera, amid all of that kind
of speculation that's so prevalent when something like this happened. So coming out of that, you know, what will Did you think that the Russians were butt heads? Did you think Arizona screwed it up, or a little bit of both. I would definitely say that it was a combination of two. But I don't know. I don't really want to like blame one side or the other. I just feel like communication broke down in a lot of ways between the two sides. I do think that at there was an nil component to
this, you know, coming from other schools. I think that was that was a big factor. And in a lot of these situations, I just think you're naive to think that it's not right, you know. I mean, that's just that is the way of the world, the way that they've set this thing up. Now, there are certain schools that have deep pockets or their donors have deep pockets, and they're going to be able to win some of these recruiting battles if that is what's important to a particular family.
I'm not saying that that is the sole reason that this happened. I'm not saying it's fifty percent of what happened. I'm saying that it's definitely a factor to some degree. So lost in this, uh was the decommitment of Willheigh too right where you didn't write about that. But I'm sure you learn more from all this. Yeah, I didn't. I mean, I don't know as much about that particular case. I do know that, like the kids been in Washington and he went up to went up for a visit at Washington.
I can't imagine a better uh, you know, recruiting weekend for U dub than how that whole thing played out, with Dame Day being there. Incredible crowd, like, unbelievably good game. I mean, what a scene. I feel like anyone would just sort of sign on the dotted line after being a part of that. But you know, I don't know. I don't like people are maybe are upset or they feel like, oh, you know, hey, maybe same old Arizona. They can't close, they can't
bring in the local guides. Maybe that's true to a tiny degree. But to me, this doesn't really change anything about the way they've gone about recruiting. I just think it's a shame that it didn't work out, because it would have been really cool if it did. All right, so they've got a week off. Obviously, the question of the week is going to be quarterback. I mean, I don't know. I mean, he almost I don't know if his hands are tight or well, they're not tired because he's
gonna do whatever he wants. If you were, if you were a betting man, what you think Fafeta is starting the next game? I would I would definitely place my bet on Noah Fafita. I think that Jed has told the team what's going on. I think he told the quarterbacks what's going on.
I just think he feels like he has no reason to tell us what's going on right at this point anyway, for them, largely because you force Oregon State, even if it's kind of transparent, you're still forcing Oregon State to spend a certain amount of time preparing for the other quarterback, you know, like the remote the possibility, even if it's remote, that he's going to switch back to Dolaura. Who knows, maybe he'll even play the Laura
like you'll play both guys. I don't think he will, because he's an NFL coach at heart, and and that's not what they do up there for the most part. But I just feel like Defita has played his way into the job, Like how could you mention him after he has done so well? He's gotten better every single week in terms of the passing yards and completion
percentage, zero turnover. Where he plays this last game, he's just operating like a point guard, distributing the ball to his playmakers and just letting the offense percolate. So we've already gone through seven weeks, right, Well, how fast does that go? Right? Who would you say is the MVP to this point? Offense both if you want, man, it's tough, I would say, yeah, I would actually vote for on an offense because so much playing time has been divided at certain positions. I vote for Jonah
Sava, the offensive lineman. He has played almost every snap. He has played both right tack land right guard pretty seamlessly. I think he's allowed one fact the entire season. He's just been a real He's been a rock for that. I'm super consistent. Uh from the start of the season tip to this point. Uh, and defense that I just don't see how you can pick anyone other than Jacobanu. He's there, you know, leading tackler,
most offensive stops, he's tied to the team lead and quarterback pressures. He just kind of you know, they don't have a lot of stars on that side of the ball. He's close to the thing and he just sort of feels like the players would be the most difficult to replace the lost him. Yeah. Yeah, I mean I I was when you start, when you said Jonah, I was gonna throw out Jonah Coleman because I just love that
guy. But you're right. I mean he's not. You know, he's better started a couple of games, but man, he's these last few weeks he's just been he's been money. Hey look, I'm I'm a bit as big a Jonah Coleman advocate as you'll find. I've been saying it's like the first time I saw him practice. I mean he's a stud. There's no two ways about it. I mean he's averaging over five yards after contact per rushing attempt, which is I think third in the country. Crazy, crazy,
fat. He's just like he's like a it's like trying to tackle a bowling ball. Yeah, you know, he f low to the ground. He's super strong, he's really tough, runs really hard, and and like I could see two you know, it's not like he's the one trick pony. He can make some moves in the open field as well. So very impressed with Jonah. They haven't skipped a beat without Michael Wilder. Guy there,
So let me ask you a quick question. I just came up with this one on Russia to any good, maybe the stupidest question of the day. So, so, Jenson is two and a half years of coaching here as a head coach college wise. Has he become a has he become a better coach? And we talked about this yesterday. Remember her first year he said he can't call places, he should let somebody else call plays. No,
he's calling plays and doing really well with them. Maybe it's better tell But to me, I'd answer my gold question saying, yes he has, But what do you think I think definitely you learned from experience. He was a first time head coach. He coached what two games in UCLA. But if that's different from actually being in charge of a program, right, And the thing about when you assist a college coach, it's not just what happens on Saturdays, you know, so much of it is what happened the rest
of the week and the rest of the year. Like recruiting is at leaf tap and he and his staff have done a really good job in that regard. He's put together this NFL style front office. He's made really good defensive coordinator hires. You know, there was a lot of skepticism. I think about Johnny Anton going into last year and even maybe throughout last year, and he's quieted a lot of the doubters with how well the defense has played.
So I think there's no question about it. Jed would probably say the same himself. And it's maybe it's not like this calling wait, because he's done that plenty of times. It's the rest of it. You know, it's managing your time, managing people, managing the whole program. And I think there's I think it's a very good point that you make, and I'm a good theory and I think it's true. Yeah, Okay, well, Michael, enjoy your time off the weekend. Enjoy the weekend. You never get
weekends. I'll be spending like six plus hours at high Corbett dealed on Saturday, bring a ball baseball scrimmage, So you know, do you want to call that time off? And they could be worse things. It could be worse things. You could be doing what I'm going to be doing this weekend, and it's putting in a floor. So no, Hey man, Hi Corbett, Hey, Hi Corbet, it's the best place to thank you, Michael. Appreciate it. No, no, thank you Michael. Thank you
guys. Good stuff, good stuff. You know, I never ever, ever, never ever would have come up with the offensive lineman. I'm yeah, I don't even think about that, right, I don't. But but you know, he follows them more, and he he's got the stats, he knows the numbers. And when he said though to Summon, like, hey, yeah, kind of makes sense, right, yeah, because their offensive line has been has been money. I would have never thought that though, which is great. Yeah, that's where we have him on this.
We don't vote for the precincts, all right, So we're going to be right back. Well, we've got some stuff to talk about. We'll take your calls. Five two zero, four, one, six seventy four fours. If you're an Arizona men's basketball fan, you know it's been successful for nearly forty years. Now take a look back at the Loudolsen era. In
my new book, Lessons from Loot. 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. Lessons from lut is an insight to how he built the program into a national powerhouse. Want 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 two zero eight five zero six eight sixty six five two zero eight five zero six eight sixty six Fair doown. 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 in 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 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 cool. If your fall gets overheated. Give us a call for for zero four zero six nine or go to picture Rockspooling dot com and cunning. Fall season is upon us and fans are bearing down for our new and approved 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 you 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 All State Agency at twenty seven nineteen North Campbell or give him a call at five two zero three two three nine three three three. You are in good hands with Edmund Marcus All State Agency. Looking
for an exhilarating adventure new to al Tourdy 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 help from United Way of Tucson in Southern Arizona. Learn more at Unitedway Tucson dot org. San Miguel High School is participating in
the El Tour 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 at visit San Miguel High dot org. Steve Bravera and Jake and salads. They have their eye on the ball on Tucson Sports Stage. Chef Fox Sports fourteen fifty Hey, welcome back to Why on the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifteen. I'm Steve, He's Jay.
Got our guy Kevin with us today. We're hello. We got about twelve minutes. You guys can give us a call if you'd like. Yep, fight two four one six four forty will take your call and Jay, what do you got? Okay? So this came up on uh, you know, I subscribed to the athletic and they had a serve put out a survey. It was yesterday or the day before. I think it was yesterday, Yesterday, Tuesday, Tuesday. Yes, it was yesterday because I wouldn't have
done this during the games. So it was a it was a how do you watch college football? Survey? They had some interesting question We're only a handful of questions, so I since I responded to it in nice other results, they thought we could talk about it because it was pretty interesting and you know, the interesting questions that they asked and the responses that they got. So the first question is what network do you prefer for national game broadcasts.
You know, to me, that was a no brainer. ESPN and ABC they got of the of the Boat, the CBS at twenty, Fox at eighteen, and then NBC just a sliver because all they've got is Notre Dame. And then they do They've added a Big ten game this week. But you know, that's kind of like, okay, no brainer. But then some of the other interesting questions, what is your favorite conference network for games? Big ten edged out the SEC, they were both way ahead of the
ACC. Then after that came to back twelve at seven point five typicult, But and then your favorite broadcast announcer team, So the two guys in the booths Chris Fowler, Kirk khurb Street my favorite. I mean, I like sense guys Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt. That was a tough one because I like Gus Johnson a lot. I'm not as big. I like Joel Klatt a lot more than I like Kirk kirk Street. That's so I voted Follower
and herbs Street as well. But then you got Brad Nessler and Gary Danielson on CBS, Sean McDonough and Greg McElroy in ESPN, and then a bunch of guys I've never even heard of. After that, I've heard of something. He's got Tim Brando, no Tested Tour, Noah Eagle, some of those guys are in there. But Herve Street and followed got thirty eight point three. That came some some interesting stuff. Pat McAfee, we've talked about here and mentioned. You know, you and I are not the demographic form.
But I do like the show. You like it. You see a show. I don't see a show like when I had a chance, I do it. Can I see this and not entirely for this reason, like a car crush, you can't take your right because you don't know what's gonna happen. If I just watched maybe six or seven shows, but you're watching it to see what can he cost because they allow him to cost and they but yeah, but if they noticed to cuss on this show, we'd be
fantastic. Oh yeah, we'd be like, you'd have to we're money exactly anyway. So this is about his role on Game Okay, Okay, see that I haven't. This has been a big controversy for sure. I think he's ruining Game Day. Okay, I really Okay, how do you feel about Pat mcafeel on Game Day. Like it thirty percent, don't like it forty eight point nine percent, no opinion twenty one percent is it wasn't not a selection? For give him a couple of years, or give him some
give him a season or two. Just how do you think about him right now? I mean he's been on it, on it right. Yeah. The thing is, once you don't like him, it's hard to not like him. Yeah, he's kind of hard to avoid once you once you see it, you can't. Yeah. Some reader comments I don't watch Game Day anymore solely because of Pat McAfee. I think is that he's an embarrassment to ESPAN and the major whatever cibility. Have you seen him on it? Have
you seen the game Day? So what's the big deal is he? What's he's bringing to the show? He's brought to the way I describe it is he's brought a World Wrestling you know, a WWE persona to a show that a doesn't need. That. He's loud, obnoxious, he grabs the attention, he gets in people's way, He talks too much, and he says ridiculous things. There you go, Jay, I got a call from I gotta call about you yesterday. Hi, you're on the air and I on
the ball. Hey Jay, this is done. Hey DoD. You know, my opinion on McAfee is he's just twenty twenty threes version of dick Y Town. Yeah, in a way, you kind of started getting good and we were getting more on ESPN. It was fun and it was all that and all, you know, and then it just grew. It was just tiring. If how became a clown in no time. He was just you
couldn't you couldn't even hear him. I don't I don't dislike McAfee. I think he's just he's just trying to be a little bit edgier than what what everybody's used to. And and and that forty eight percent on that survey is forty eight percent of the people that pay to read the Athletic. I don't pay to read the athletics, so I'm not in That's an interesting point, don interesting point. But again, as we've said, you got to see
that it's it's not the demographic. Were the demographic that's reading the Athletic that likes McAfee exactly correct. And and he's and he's grab he's grabbing ratings. Yeah, they wouldn't have given him a show, well, especially a show right after first. Yeah. That On another subject, yes, on another subject. I wanted to add something. I want to get this out. It's not that or that Arizona is not getting the local kids right now.
It's that they're in there fighting to get them, and so we're they're going to get them. The better the program becomes, the better the program is going to look for these guys to stay. How old are you so the good thing is I'm fifty eight. Good luck with that. No, no, no, we were, we were. We were a good pro hold on real quick. We had the CEO of Siaga about three or four pretty good players, right, yeah. The other schools were after. Yeah.
Did we hear Arizona in on them? I don't remember them saying that. No, no, no, no overall Oh yeah I don't know. Yeah, yeah, because we heard the Oregon and Washington were there, right right right, Yeah, No, it's tough. Well, the two guys, the two guys that are on the Midtown team that had signed with Arizona were
completely neglected. A staff a goal, yeah, no question, I mean, I know, I know there's some I know there's some other guys that are in town that Arizona should be in on that they would probably get. But you know, it just depends. I just think that the fact that they were in on trying to get those guys, I think that that that speaks volumes for the program itself. Right, No, I don't disagree with that. Done all right, don thanks a bunch man, appreciate it.
Yep, that's all right. So Jay, we talk about this all the time. If you have the Ransoms and the Bijons and you know Texas or Ohiosti coming for you, what are you going to do? You know? But also you know, I feel like the relationships here were so broken. Yeah, I'm gonna take them a while. Sure, no question for guys to say, Okay, I'm staying No. This was a blow to that
because they thought they got it then they left. Sure, no, no. And then on the other side you have the guys like Jake's, the Tennis's who kind of are overlooked and what do they want to play here here? Because they were overlooked by other people, they got to get some of those guys. Anyways, Okay, getting back to the whole the whole thing, So there was that comment about McAfee. Then another one said, I think Pat McAfee has a great energy to game day, and I don't understand
the hate for him. And this is my favorite one. Oh I'm not a big McAfee fan. It far out weighs watching anything involving Urban Meyer. Who's that? And that's why I can't change it. I tried. I tried to watch the Fox Show, and Urban Meyer makes my skin because because because of his show or because of who he is. I think because of who, because he's arrogant, ye, you know, and then the whole
you know, just the way. I just never liked Urban Maye. So it's more, you have a bias, have a bias against Urban and I don't want to listen to anything. Sure, okay, let's give you the go back to the ESPN. We have it's a it's it's a Reese Davis. Uh no one. Do you have what's his name again, Patt McAfee. But then you have courso Yeah, so that's kind of making it uncomfortable. Opinion is the issue. I think it's misplaced energy. Yeah, Pat
McAfee brings a very like young, exuberant noise. He brings noise, he brings nice and that's what they're at, no question. But then you have the other side, and that's my Yeah, that's what I feel. It's a bad cast to put him in, and a bad cast to match everybody with. I mean, it does doesn't. If you're watching it that hour of the morning and you're getting Pat McAfee screaming, and then you're getting Kirk curve Street trying to just like talk regularly, it doesn't match. It gives
the view like a very it's hard to listen to feeling watching it. I disagree with you. Yeah, yeah, But then then you talk about Fox. It's my understanding that's a pretty good show. But then but then you have uh, what's his name? Uh? You know who who likes him? I don't know anybody who likes him? Urban Meyer Like, well there exactly. Okay, So here's what do you watch pre game shows more or
less than you used to? Sixty three percent say less, But it points out that ratings are still really strong a pregame show, So it doesn't it doesn't seem to match up with you know, the data. Then finally it says, do you believe TV networks are biased? Towards certain conferences with question eighty two yes, yes, And then do you believe TV networks play an
active role in driving conference realignment? Five with no question Yeah. With the other five percent on that one, that's my it's a plus or minus five percent. So you saw this weekend. I don't know the details on this, but Colorado is going to be on a b C again over Washington and all these school See, that's that's the factors over Yeah, that's done, you know after what they did the other day. Absolutely, but people are I guess not people. It's the station yea or the company nets it's in
love with them, which makes zero sense that it bothers me. But like Arizona, Arizona's got a seven thirty game, gets working state, that's gonna be a great on TV, is on TV, it's on ESPN. Okay, but at the seven thirty at night you got you got U c l A and Colorado are playing at four thirty, Like what the hell? No, that's gonna be that's a terrible game. U c LA is a bad
team and Colorado's has become a very bad team. I mean, you can't you can't lose the way they did the Stanford and and still get it for every ward every ward. All right, we're gonna take our break, we're gonna come back. He'll be breaking news at the top of the hour. And we've got Ted Robinson from Pack Club Networks coming on at about four to twenty, so stick around. We gotta cat. I'm gonna have a good samd holing in that and the boughts Inland of so say, I'm gonna get loose. He's on fire.