Our good friend Max Chadwick is on the line here. We'll get him in just a second. Want to remind you he does a great job at Pro Football Focus covering all things college football, and he's done a hell of a job this week breaking down, in particular the Big Ten. We're going to so kind of focus in on that with him. You can find him on Twitter at Max Chadwick CFB. Max. Welcome back, my friend. How you been I've been great on again. Good man. Hey, I know you took a little trip last week. We
missed you. Have you finally had a chance to done box and play EA College Football twenty five? Come on, let's hear it.
I actually no joke. I actually flew in yesterday and the first thing I got back was start my career as a coach. I'm the offensive coordinator currently Tennesa Stage owls. Our owls are now st right now. Owl that's the losses I threw niners a Middle Tennessee. But we bounced back from that though. But yeah, I'm we're kind of building up right now, the owls right now, so let's see how that goes.
I respect it, though he started from the bottom, that's right, My son went straight to Clemson. I'm like, dude, come on, come on, yeah.
Right, you got to earn that job.
You got to earn that job. Absolutely, I'm with you there, Max, You've done a great job over the course of the week here breaking down the Big Ten. I want to focus in on that for a few minutes with you here if you don't mind, and just kind of go team by team here Michigan and you can follow Max again on Twitter, Max Chadwick CFP. He's got a great thread going with a lot of YouTube videos linked to that. Michigan. With their defense, we know they might have the best
defense in the country. No more Jim Harball at Sharon Moore's time now new quarterback. What's your overall assessment of this team after that historic run they made last year?
Yeah, you know you talk about that defense. The defense is still a national Chaffs of caliber defense, right, I mean they have maybe you get a argument that they might have the two best defensive players in college football, and Mason Grant the defensive tackle and Will Johnson the cornerback. I mean, those two guys, you can argue your top five players in college football, and not only them. You bring back a guy in Kenneth Grant, who's one of
the best tackles in the country alongside Mason Graham. Desion Stewart one of the best as defenders in the country as well. In that defensive line, Jayshawn Barham, the transfer from Maryland, I think, is one of the best linebackers in college football. And then Rod Moore, who tours atl a few months ago so hopefully gets back soon. But he's one of the best stasties in the country when he's healthy as well. So Michigan's defense is still on
National Champions of Caliber defense. The problem is offensively, your place basically everything right. Jajon McCarthy has gone. Your first round quarterback, one of the greatest running backs in program history has gone in Blake Corum. You lose your top six offensive lineman, so all five starters and your top backup are all gone as well, and you lose your
top two wide receivers. Now, they do have the best height end in college football in Colston Loveland and a really good running back in Donovan Edwards and a terrific offensive coach in Sharon Moore, but there's a lot of questions offensively, especially a quarterback as to what Michigan's going
to do next year. So again, still a defense is capable of winning a national title, but as a matter of whether or not the offense can come close to that for Michigan to even make the playoff next year in a twelve team.
Them Max, Let's talk about what could be the best team in the country by many measures, in that's Ohio State. But then the compounding pressure on Ryan Day. What an interesting juxtaposition. Now as Jim Harball moves away from the conference, Day is still there. What's the overall outlook you have on this Ohio State team.
Yeah, I'm gonna spoiler right now. I'm taking Ohio State to win the national title next year. I think they have the best team in college football. I think the only question I have is whether or not Will Howard, who I really like. He's a really good quarterback, but whether or not he's the quarterback capable of winning a national title. Now, we have seen this before. We have seen, you know, Jake Koker lead Alabama to the national not even leads use the quarterback for Alabama during during their
national championship season. So we've seen guys that aren't you know, stars win a national title before. But when you talk about a team like Georgia, for example, that has an elite roster like Ohio State but also as the best quarterback in the country in Carson Beck, isn't a difference, right, But I think Ohio State defensively is loaded on all three levels. Offense is really good with a running game that can be maybe the best in the country is
quench On Judkins and trey Von Henderson. A really good offensive line, still really good receiving corps with a mechanic BUCA. Jeremiah Smith a true freshman who was the number one overall crew coming out of high school, and all signs indicate he's going to be an immediate impact player as a true freshman. So I am buying Ohio State. But if there is one question mark for me, it's whether or not Will Howard is a guy capable of winning a national championship as a starting quarterback.
Move on to Oregon, a team that's getting a lot of attention right now for a lot of reasons. They move into the conference and Dan Lanning one of the coaches I respect the most in the game. Right now, you got Dylan Gabriel now and that is a huge addition because I loved his tape over the past couple of years. Could be the best offense in the country
right here, and they're possibly a national title contender. What's the ceiling on this team and what's the overall vibe you have on this Oregon team moving into this conference?
The ceiling is a national championship. Honestly, I think they're one of the three best teams in college football, alongside Georgia and Ohio State. Right And I just mentioned before, like Dylan Gabriel, I think he's gonna be my Huism pick this year. I think that offense is gonna be humming, and Dylan Gabriel is one of the best quarterbacks in America. Is gonna be putting up huge numbers, kind of in
that bow Knicks role and both Knicks. Let's face it, if he won that Pac twelve playal game in Washington, he would have won the Heisman Trophy. Right, So, I think Dylan Gabriel certainly as a chance to win the Heisman next year. And Oregon's offense is absolutely elite. They have maybe not only maybe, I think the best receiving core in college football, one of the five best offensive lines in college football and a really good run game as well, with Jordan James Lea leading it. So in
the defense is also still really good. Right. They brought in Jabar Mohammad from Washington. He's a really good player. I like the defensive line. I think it's a top ten d line in the country. I think it's the top ten secondary in the country. And Dan Lanning is a defensive minded head coach. Right, So the offensive lead the defense is really good. I really think this Oregon
team is yeah, a national title contender next year. And mentioned before I will high I stay with Will Howard did the quarterback of winning a capable of winning a national title? I think Oregon definitely does with Dylan Gabrie, who I think is one of the three best quarterbacks we have in college football right now.
Max Chadwick PFF dot Com is our guest talking a little big ten football right now. And look, here's a coach that I covered for a couple of years down here, Matt Rule. Now goes back to the college game in Nebraska. You've talked about Dylan Roylo, the freshman quarterback, true freshman, and the pressure he's under and the defense being what it has been since rule got there, A very strong unit. What's the outlook there? Do you think they're trending in
the right direction? You think they're going to get that first winning season? And what's it been eight years now?
Yeah, it's been eight years. It's been a rough eight years for Nebraska. It used to be, you know, one of the big programs we had in college football. It has been a really, really rough stress ever since they really fired Bo Pollini. It has been rough for them. But yeah, I think listen, I think they are certainly in the running. In last year, they had a really good defense, like, in fact, one of the ten best defenses in the Power five last year, and they brought
back basically everything from that defense. They just still have a really good unit on that side of the ball, and I think, yeah, some improvement should be expected. And that's why. You know, again you said they haven't had a winning season in eight years. Well, their win total right now is at seven and a half. So clearly the sports books are second has to change this year. And I think the big reason for that is Dylan Roola.
You know, he's a five star quarterback coming in the number three quarterback in the country, the highest rated quarterback Nebraska's ever brought it into that program, their first five star recruit they've ever brought in in like nineteen years. As well. He's got a lot of pressure on his shoulders, but he is a cap He's a really capable quarterback. And now he looks really good in that spring games. That developed guy as well. He's like six three two
twenty already as an NFL body. You look poised in that spring game. And let's face it, last year, Nebraska was five and seven, so one win away from making a bowl game, and they had one of the worst passing games in the country. If Dylan Raiola is any improvement on that passing game, they could absolutely win seven eight games next year. So I think Nebraska is kind of a little bit of a sleeper in a Big ten.
But it's tough because it's a nineteen year old kid who went to a senior problem what two months ago. There's a lot of pressure on a kid heading into his first year of college.
Yeah, I can tell you rule coaches those guys hard. We saw it down here. So this is a big year for him as well to give the people down there in beautiful Nebraska some hope that hey, for the first time in almost a decade, we can be winners again. That's a hard thing to go through, but rule in the college game has proven. Give him three years, he can do it. We'll see if can get it done here earlier than that. Max Chadwick is our guest from PFF dot com. Let's pivot to the NFL for a minute.
All indications are at Minnesota that Sam Darnold. I mean, look, take it with a grain of salt. It's training campus day two, but boy, he's got the hot hand. It looks like I don't think you read too much into that, but it's clear they want him to have the majority of the reps right now. Does that eventually change? Do you think during camp? But do you think Sam will get the starting job for at least a month or two and then we'll see how it goes.
I think it's always been the plan. I would be pretty surprised at this point of vision McCarthy is the starting quarterback Week one. I think Sam Donald will be the guy. And obviously, listen, Donald's had a rough career so far. We'll see how he does, though, I will say he's in a great environment right, I hate and JJ are both in great environments. They got a really great offensive minded head coach and Kevin O'Connell I'm really
high on. They have a good run game as well, and with Aaron Jones now and they're obviously the best receiver in the world, and Justin Jefferson, a really good young number two receiver in Jordan Addison, really one of the best tight ends in the league in TJ. Howkinson, and a really good offensive line I think too, with guys like Christian darriso just got a big contract and Brian O'Neil as your two bookends that tackle. So it's
a great situation for any quarterback to walk into. So I think Donald will be the guy for a little bit, and they just want stability at quarterback, and I think it's always smart, you know, not to have your rookie quarterback start Week one for you unless you absolutely need him to, and I don't think they absolutely need him
to right now. Now. Of course, Donald is not the long term answer, and I'd be pretty surprised if JJ isn't the starter at some point in the season, but I do think that plan is for them to open the season at least with Sam Garnold as a starting quarterback.
Max, it's training camp season, so obviously everything that we see take it with a grain of salt. Nothing, nothing means anything right now. But Russell Wilson wakes up this morning something wrong with his calf. It's feeling kind of funny. Justin Fields gets to take the you know, the first team snaps. How does this bode well for that quarterback competition right now going on in Pittsburgh? Does that kind of give I guess Justin Fields a bit of a
leg up? Does it look better for Justin Fields? Or are we just kind of reading too much into this and it's gonna be Russ's team come week one?
Yeah, it's really interesting, right and he's all I think you probably saw the video, the same one as I did, where feels through a beautiful deep ball in practice.
Steelers twitters made the verdict is in Max he's the guy.
Yeah, yeah, trust me. I've tried to convince myself the same thing. I I don't think as much as I like Justin Fields, and I think I hope that he is a long term answer. I don't think Russ is. I do think Russ will be the guy and I think Tomlin has as repeatedly said that before that Russ is a starter. I would be pretty surprised if Rustin Fields opens the season as the starter. Again, it's a fluid situation though, right it's okay, Okay, Russe Wilson's a starter,
He's gonna start it for all seventeen weeks of the season. No, that's not the case. I think Justin Fields will certainly be right on his heels. Right if Russell Wilson does not look good, if he looks kind of similar to what he looked like in Denver, then yeah, Fields could absolutely get a shot to start. But again, like the Sam Darnold situation, I think Russ will be the starter to open the year. But like the Minnesota situation, I
think the Pittsburgh was also very fluid. It could change throughout the year.
And then one more question.
I guess it's a question.
You've been seeing all the I'm sure the videos and stuff going on in training camp. Have you seen the motor on Peyton Wilson. Have you seen the one where he breaks in and people are like, man, I had to do a double check. I thought this was TJ. Watt for a second that guy gets after it.
I love it as I just see that video. I love it, man, And I know the biggest reason why he fell in the draft was due to medicals. I think the report actually was that he doesn't even have an ACL in one of his needs, which is like, I don't know how that's possibly right, but it's a little little el is a little concerning. But listen, if he was fully healthy, and that's really the biggest week
to sign counting report was that it was health. If he was fully healthy, you could make an argument this guy was a first round pick in the NFL draft. He was the best linebacker in college football last year, and he's an elite athlete as well, so I think he would have been at least a top fifty pick
in the NFL draft if he was healthy. So if he ends up staying healthy throughout his career, the Steers got an absolute steal at the end of the third round in Peyton Wilson, who I thought, even with the health concerns, was still the best linebacker in last year's draft and I would have taken him as the first linebacker in the draft. So I'm very high on him. The Stewers need to help at linebacker. You certainly got it, and they got him at Patrick Queen raised a really
good player. They got it in Peyton Wilson. Two freak athletes. Again, Peyton with the health is the biggest question mark for Peyton Wilson. We still don't know how healthy he can be. But if he says health though, I think it could be absolute steal for Pittsburgh.
Great stuff as always from Max Chadwick. Hey, just back to college football for a minute. A couple of SEC teams. I've seen you chronicle here over the last few days or so. You're high on Ole Miss and look, I see the reasons. Yeah, you feel a lot like the twenty twenty three Fourida State team. Rivals this a little bit in terms of the fact that portal was very good to them. They went out and took care of business. They've got their quarterback and a lot of other players
coming back. What about this Ole Miss team.
I'm all in, man, I'm all in on the Rebels next year. I think there I said before, I think there's a clear top three of college football Georgia, Ohio State, and Oregon. I would put All Miss fourth in that ranking. Honestly, I think They have maybe the second best offense in the country, an elite quarterback in Jackson dark who is a top heising center in my opinion, with how how much numbers is gonna put up a really good running game.
Even though quichjhn Jucks has gone the still bring back with Lusie Bentley, and they did really good in the portal of getting it into a few running backs. Honestly, we're really talented players in the portal. I think the second best receiving corps in college football is there as well. The one question I have offensively is the offensive line, but everywhere else is the Leaite and also link Kiffin is one of the best play callers in the sport.
Right defensively has always been the problem for Ole Miss, but they killed the portal on that side of the ball. They brought in Prisby Montiellen, who could be a first round pick at edge defender from Florida. They brought in Walter Noland, who could be a first round pick at the tackle from Texas A and M. They brought they brought in other guys in linebacker, at corner, at safety who are really talented players too. I like Pete Golding
at defensive coordinator. He's got a lot to work with now, and I think if that defense improves, is gonna be one of the best offenses in the country. I think this is the biggest threat to Georgia and the SEC, and I think the Ole miss in my opinion at least, is the second best team in that conference next year.
Game Cox, let's take a quick peek at them as we host all of their games here on Fox Sports Upstate. We're an affiliate for the game Cock Athletic Network. And you wrote about them too, and you had a video about them, just featuring a couple of their key players, Leonora Sellers and of course Rocket Sanders, the transfer running back. What does this season look like do you think for South Carolina? I know they're in a competitive conference here,
a lot of new additions. What does this season look like do you think ultimately for this team?
Sure, yeah, obviously got a new quarterback, you know, losing Spencer rather to the NFL. Leonora Sellers is a really intriguing guy. But he's a runner. He's got really intriguing physical tools. He's got to see more as a passer as of right now. I like the run game. He mentioned before Rocket Sanders, he was really banged up last year at Arkansas, did not look like himself at all even when he was on the field. The year before, though, he was one of the best running backs in college football.
So I'm really looking a huge bounce back year for him this year. I like the Oscar Adaway to the other running back and got in the transfer wort. I think he's'n be a good player for them as well. So that run game with Sellers, who could really run at quarterback, with Rocket Sanders, with Adaway, that's really good. The issue I have, though, is the offensive line last year was horrible, yes, and it kind of remains the same this year. I'm a little nervous about that with
a new quarterback and Lenora Sellers, and even the run game. Yeah, you can have great run running backs and a great quarterback running the ball, but if you can't block, it's gonna be tough for them to really make a lot of things happen on the ground, right, So I like some of the things I have Defensively, I think t J. Sanders and Tonka Hemingway are really really good dtackles they have, but I it's tough for me to really project South Carolina as a bowl team as of right now, They're
gonna be really really close to it, and maybe they do get to the six win mark, but I don't know. With a new quarterback that we don't know much as a passer, and that offensive line still looks like a major weakness. I have some issues with South Carolina and maybe not enough for me to say, oh yeah, they'll make a bowl game next year.
On your next visit, will break down the ACC and of course Clemson of local interest here because we know you have your hands full not only at PFF but with your new role on EA Sports College Football as the Tennesaw State. Hey, promote what's coming up? Man? What can we look forward to over the next couple of weeks here from you?
Well, what's coming up as a conference U with a championship first for Kennesaw State. That would be tonight. So I'll make sure I fill you guys in with what happens with that tonight. But we're dropping all our videos. We're actually in the middle of recording our Big twelve previews right now. Tomorrow morning we'll be recording our ACC
previews as well. All seventy Power Five teams are getting their own previews, so a lot happening at the PFF College Football Show you could find on YouTube and anywhere.
Your podcast too, Max, It's always a pleasure, man, Go enjoy your time in front of the Xbox, my friend.
Thanks guys,