All right, let's get it.
Drives high Friday afternoon, eleven minutes past the hour of two o'clock.
It's been a nice day. It's been kind of a cool day.
Not as warm as we've had for the past couple of weeks. As fall is on its way. We're looking at about eighty eight degrees, clear, little rain earlier today. You got some nice weather over the weekend. It cools down next week in preparation for game day. It's gonna feel like fall next week, including some rain potentially start the week. But as it is every single day, it's good to have.
You along for the rides. Spence check. It's behind the mic.
That's Porter Larsen beyond the glass producing the program today. Happy Friday to you. Congratulations, you made it. It's weekend time. You did the things. You got up when you didn't feel like you wanted to, went to work, dealt with the kids. I don't know, whatever your life entails, keep doing the things and you've earned your weekend and started out the right way with us. Hopefully I have some fun plans over the weekend, maybe heading out and doing
a little call. Maybe you're heading out and doing a little hiking, walking the dog, whatever you're into. Appreciate you making us a part of your Friday here on your Home of the Uts ESPN seven hundred.
Speaking of the Utes, we are eight.
Days away, eight days away from game day for the University of Utah at the Rose Bowl, taking on the UCLA Bruins at nine o'clock Mountain time next Saturday. The TV coverage for that game will be Fox, the radio coverage for the game of Courses right here on your Home of the Utes, pregame coverage with our guy Porter, and then game day coverage Scott Mitchell, Bill Reilly, Stevenson Sylvester and the likes.
So our broadcast team will have you taken care of.
From eight days on this Friday, we are almost there. We're one day away from the start of college football. Farmageddon in Dublin takes place tomorrow morning at ten am. It's Iowa State and Case State, a Big Twelve matchup between two of the top twenty five teams out of the Big Twelve conference. We'll get you ready for that game and talk a little week to zero z row on the program today and we're gonna check in live in Dublin.
Maybe we'll play some bagpipes. I don't know.
It feels irish to me. We're gonna check in live with Chris Camroadnie. He's gonna be our first guest from the Athletic Covers College football good friend of the show. C K will be our very first guest today. Then we're gonna bring in the defensive coordinator from the University of Utahs. Sets your clocks for three o'clock. Set your alarms. I guess I should say would be weird if you set your clock for three o'clock, because then you would
be screwed up all day. But set your alarm for three o'clock to listen to the head coach in waiting and the defensive coordinator, Morgan Scalley. Today we will do a little golf as the Tour Championship continues at East Lake. They had to push up tea times today as a result of some inclement weather in Atlanta this afternoon, and Tommy Fleetwood had himself a day as did Russell Henley
continues to play well. We'll give you an update on the leader board there and we'll talk a little talk a little tour championship and some local golf with Paul Pugmyer today and then our guy Trevor Riley, one of the best to ever do it at the University of Utah, will join us live in studio for an entire hour starting at four o'clock. Then we'll launch it into the five o'clock hour of the program. We'll say goodnight at six and bid you a good weekend right here on ESPN
seven hundred. So a lot of football, top of my awareness. Some uncharacteristic NFL trades this time of the year, you don't see a ton of them. But the Commanders and the Niners made a deal today. Brian Robinson is headed to the San Francisco.
Forty nine Ers, really good young running back.
Niners send a twenty twenty sixth, sixth round pick. Robinson did not play in the preseason game on Monday against Cincinnati, and it looked like the Commanders may have tried to release him if they weren't able to trade him. Commanders are going to save about three point three mil in salary cap space, and the Niners obviously need depth at running back because Christian McCaffrey, albeit potentially the most talented running back in the league, is just not found a
way to stay healthy all year long. He's made it through camp without an issue, but Robinson will certainly provide some depth in that running back room should the Niners need it. So SAMEDIFL News SAMNFL News on the show today. As far as trades go, College football, Top of Mind Awareness.
Kind of a quiet couple of days for news here locally, as we're just kind of getting ready for the games as BYU will welcome in Portland State the start of the young Bear Bachmeyer era under center for the Cougars and Bronco Mendenhall will start his journey in Logan as they welcome in utep So a lot to do on the show. RSL with a randomly busy final day of the transfer window. Don Mark Zuke is on his way
to Cincinnati. Dom was one of the players that was brought in to try to fill in for the sizable hole left behind by the seal of Andres Gomez in the trade of Chico Orongo, Matt Crooks, Anderson Julio. RSL Electingo essentially jettison the majority of their attack last year, which is really blown up right in their face. It was just a dumb thing to do and they have not found a way to replicate the production. I think their second in the last second to last and the
Western goals scored. So Don mark Zuk, who had some moments for ourselves on his way to Cincinnati. DeAndre Jedlin hopefully we'll make his debut against Minnesota coming up on Saturday. DeAndre was a guest on the show yesterday for you
areself fans and may have missed that. It was fun to get to know the newest member of Rayel saw Lake, so Rwan Cruz, victor O Latunji in addition to DeAndre Jedlin brought in to join Diego Gonsalvius and Diego Luna and hopefully over the final eight games of the season they can find some sort of semblance of a consistent attack because it's been pathetic and anemic.
There's no other way to say that.
So kind of a random busy twenty four to forty eight hours for Rayl saw Lake, in addition to all the stuff we have going on with college football in the NFL as well. Eight days away from local game day, one day away from Week zero, less than two weeks away from the NFL Week one, getting Golling, no news on the Micah Parsons situation that seems to be the one NFL storyline that everybody kind of hones in on.
So we've got Chris Camaraddi live in Dublin, Ireland. We have Morgan Scally to talk some Utah football, Paul pugmart and talk some local golf, and Trevor Riley also to talk some college football on the program today. Me Spence check, it's all of you, the great listeners. Happy Friday to you and that guy Porter Larson. One day away from week zero, eight days away from game day.
We made it, man, we made it. Football season is here. Dare we say a football Friday on the show? Sure?
I mean we will talk a little golf, but yes, that's fair to say.
I'm excited for it. Obviously.
Football season brings a different feel. The leaves start to change, the air starts to change. You mentioned possible rain, Spence, definite rain.
Next day, So calm down, Al Roker. Why do you feel like to follow up on my weather report all the time.
I don't know, I think at this point I have to.
It's I don't know that it's a bit really, it's just I like to confirm or add context to our weather reports.
Are you privy to weather information the rest of us are not? Because the forecast has like forty to fifty percent.
I mean, tell me how many times I've been wrong?
Well, I have to admit I've not tracked your predictions in real time.
So have you ever been wrong about the weather?
No?
Okay, never? So you're guaranteeing rain next week?
I guarantee you rain Sunday, Monday, Sunday.
No, not Sunday. I've got a tea time. Are you saying I'm going to be rained off the course on Sunday?
If it's a late tea time, you might get the ten forty five. You might get blown off a little bit, but you.
Know you'll be okay. What about ten forty five? I think you'll be fine. Okay, might get a little windy, all right, fair enough.
So there he is, the al roker of the radio station, Porter Larson, with your weather report on a Friday afternoon. All right, our first guest will be Chris Comrodnie live in Dublin. But before we get the ck courtesy, I've got good friends at Prize Picks. On a Friday afternoon, it's time now for your opening tip.
Welcome to the Drive with Spence Check its on Utah's number one Sports Talk now into the studios of ESPN seven hundred to set the scene for the show. The opening tip of the Drive is brought to you by Prize Picks. Use the code ESPN seven hundred and run your game with Prize Picks.
All right, so Prize Picks is hooking you up with what they're calling max discounts this week. So if you have waited to take advantage of the promotion, you're the big winner here. So first step will be for you to download the Prize Picks app today. Just search Prize Picks in the Google Store, the Apple Store, whatever you use. Download that app and then use the promo code ESPN
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Tomorrow, Case State takes on Iowa State Farmageddon in Dublin, and Avery Johnson, the k State quarterback just has to throw for more than point five yards. One yard gets you the win, okay, and then if you combine that with max discount number two, that's Dak Prescott coming up.
Week one in the NFL.
Dak also just has to throw for more than point five yards, and as much of a laughingstock as the Cowboys are, I think it's a safe bet that Dak is gonna throw. Porter, can you confirm that you believe Dak Prescott will throw for at least aye yard against Philly?
I have as much confidence in that as I do the weather report for early next week.
So it will rain next week and Dak will throw for at least one yard.
I'm pretty sure on Dak.
I think he'll get a yard, maybe maybe one hundred and seventy four or so.
Okay, See, okay, there you go. Well, as long as it's aye yard, you win.
So there you go.
Are good friends at Prize Picks, all right. Week zero is here coming up tomorrow Farmageddon ten A. College football is officially back in Dublin, Ireland. Iowa State and k State, two teams out of the Big Twelve that of course, will be paying very close attention to to the top twenty five teams in the Big twelve, two of the tier one teams in the Big Twelve that most people believe will be competing for Big Twelve championships, So we'll
be keeping an eye on that. And obviously we are eight days away from game day for the Utes at the Rose Bowl taking on Ucla. Utah remains a six point five point favor. That line has remained pretty steady. For those of you that are interested in such things. We will bring in Morgan Scalley today and Ucla. It's just kind of an interesting dynamic. It's more or less a new coaching staff, Deshaun Foster has only been there a year, and then it's a new offensive coordinator, it's
a new quarterback. If you read around some of the preseason predictions or come with some of the preseason rankings, UCLA is not thought to be a very competitive football team this year. I like the nature of this opener, as we've discussed, you know, Devin Dampier on the road at one of college football's most hollowed grounds against a P four opponent, even though UCLA is not thought to
be a Big Ten contender this year. I do think it's the type of opener that you want when it comes to getting to know this new offense, getting to know this new offensive coordinator, and then just kind of understanding rotationally what the players are going to look like. You know, how will the carries be distributed in the running back room where it appears they do have two running backs they like a lot the seven wide receivers maybe eight wide receivers that travel, first of all, who
are they that's number one? Who's going to be traveling? How will the reps be split? And then to see Devin kind of established early on maybe some of his favorite targets will be interesting. I continue to be very curious slash skeptical about the balance on that side of the football. You know, what sort of percentage will we see as far as run versus pass?
How balance will they be? How dangerous will they be?
This was a football team that was an average offense a year ago away from competing for a Big twelve championship.
And look, it is fall camp.
It's the end of week three here in fall camp, and it's the best time of year in a strange way if you're a fan, because everybody has hope, certainly in the landscape of a college football season where whether it's Vegas preseason, media prognosticators, experts, nobody seems to know how this thing is going to go. It feels as wide open as it's ever been. And to me, that makes it exciting. And I'm not just talking about the Big Twelve that seems to be wide open every single year.
If last year taught us anything, both BYU and Arizona State were picked near the bottom of the conference and both of them finished near the top, with Arizona State winning the thing. You know, Utah Oklahoma State picked to finish you know, at one, two or three, depending on who you read, and both those teams finished near the bottom. So the wide open nature of the Big Twelve appears
to be permeating throughout all of college football. Texas is the number one team in the country and they're an underdog in their Week one tilt, which makes it fun to me in my opinion, and it makes it fun to try to understand how many dynamics of this thing are completely fluid and confusing and unknown, and then we see how it will play out. Obviously, Texas is in Columbus for Week one against Ohio State, a massive top three tilt at Ohio Stadium, and a bunch of really
good games right out of the gates. In Week one, you know, we'll see Bama down at dope Campbell Stadium, Florida State coming off just an atrocious season, but they're thought to really have been able to turn around in the transfer portal. A massive game down in Clemson features LSU and Clemson to top ten teams, and we'll be able to get a look at some of the Big twelve opponents that Utah has on their schedule and that
the BYU has on their schedule as well. Week one will wrap up at hard Rock Stadium in Miami with Notre Dame and the Hurricanes, another matchup featuring two top ten teams.
So college football.
Will give you a reward right out of the gates, you know, kind of wet in the appetite before conference play in Ship Round two is in the books at East Lake in Atlanta.
They had to move up tea times today in.
Order to kind of make up for the inclement weather that they're experiencing.
Potentially this afternoon.
The weather forecast in Atlanta, maybe Porter can help us out with that does not look good over the weekend. Scotty Scheffler struggled today compared to the field. He did shoot one under, which we would all love, but his sixty nine drops in four spots. Scotty is at eight under par. He's five off the pace. Tommy Fleewood had a great day to day seven under par. The best round went to Cameron Young, who was eight under sixty two.
That's the second best round so far, only second to Russell Henley sixty one in round one.
Russell shoots sixty six today.
He's also at thirteen under, So it's Tommy Fleewood, Russell Henley thirteen under, Cam Young eleven under.
Bob McIntyre.
Patrick can't lay at ten under than their Scottie Scheffler alone tied for sixth at eight under par. A grip of really good golfers, including Roy McElroy and Justin Thomas at under. So it should be a fun weekend for
the Tour Championship at Eastlake. Speaking of a fun weekend experience a celebration of cannabis, culture, music and community at the first annual Canafanfest set in the heart of Salt Lake City at Granary Live September the twenty seventh, a one day festival of live musical performances featuring Crooked Kings, Changing Lanes, Annella Brown and Moore. Visit ESPN seven out of Sports dot com for the full line of performances, ticket links and more.
Not gonna lie.
I was hoping for some bagpipes or something, but I'll allow the Cranberry's. They are from Ireland and they are one of my favorite bands from my youth, from high school, I think in the nineties, so I'll allow it. Was this you or was this our guy Christopher an Irish band? Yep, really good song, really good radio bump A guest request.
Love it and as you mentioned on the theme, the Irish ran gotta love it, Gotta love it all right.
We go to Dublin, Ireland, where we find our guy, Chris Comraddie from the Athletic on a Friday.
Ck. How are we doing?
Man?
Set the scene? What's it like over there?
Well, it's nighttime.
I'm in my hotel room and I'm watching Irish rugby on my Telly.
Very nice, very nice. What's what's the weather like over there? What's what's the weather like this time of year?
It's well, it's been fantastic the last two days. Like I hit the jackpot. It's been sixty five to seventy. I haven't needed a coat, sorts and a T shirt. I've walked probably over thirty miles in the last two days, just taking in the sights and hitting all.
The necessary places.
It's it's a.
Treat man like.
I wouldn't want to be here when it's cold and windy and pissing rain, but I am going to take advantage of what I have in front of me, and what I have in front of me is sunny, Dublin.
Gotta love it's.
Over the course of the past forty eight hours, have you seen the sights? Have you done the tourist thing? What's because I know you had some boxes you wanted checked over there.
Yeah, yeah, I've done a little bit of both, you know. Obviously part of my assignment here is trying to get the flavor of Americana, basically invading Ireland for forty eight hours, not only do we have this college football game, but WWE SmackDown is also in town, so I went to the Three Arena to check out the folks who are getting ready to go, who are getting ready to go to SmackDown tonight.
It's been a trip man, to say the least.
But yeah, I got to go see Trinity College, which was amazing.
Got to see lots of cool churches.
And one fascinating thing about Ireland is they make you pay for everything, and I'm too cheap to pony up twenty to thirty euros to walk into a church.
I can see it from the outside. It's old.
I've seen lots of churches in Europe, but I'm just at the point in my life where i don't necessarily have to fork over the money, and it hasn't slowed me down in that sense. I've been able to just kind of take some sites in and move on to the next. But it's a really cool city, really beautiful architecture. They've blended the old and the.
New very very well.
And my hotel is, you know, within walking distance of Aviva Stadium where the game is tomorrow, so I have no complaints, which is rare.
That is very rare k State is a three point favorite over Iowa State tomorrow, so two Big twelve teams both in the top twenty five. Will you be covering the game with a certain angle in mind?
Or are you just trying? Are you just trying to kind of see what you know?
The reaction is to the folks over there to college football, how will you what sort of prism will you be watching that game through tomorrow?
Well, I'm going to only react and write in the prism that can captivate somebody like you, who's my target audience. So it will be breakdown of you know, very key moments of the game, personnel shifts, motions, all the types of things.
That we usually we talk about.
We are experts at no, I'm definitely making a very bad joke. No, to me. The fascinating part of this whole thing, Spence, is how this has become not only a routine on an annual basis for college football, but it's going to continue and by all accounts, it's been very successful. I think this is the best matchup that they've had since starting this classic a few years ago.
It's a top twenty five matchup they haven't had that, you know, last year they had Georgia Tech and Florida State that didn't travel very well between the two teams. It's estimated to be upwards of twenty five thousand fans who are in Dublin between Iowa State and Kansas State. And I was at the Kansas State PEP rally today and it was insane, like there are so many people
here from both Kansas State and Iowa State. But yeah, I mean the prison will be like be paying obviously be paying it tension to a Top twenty five game. It's one of the oldest rivalries in college sports. I think it's one hundred and ninth or one hundred and tenth straight time that they've played played each other, which is like, I think, one of the oldest running rivalries
in college football. And just you know, the scenes and you know, I'm all about the scenes and the vibes, and you know, it is unique here to say the least. You know, I stopped by an Irish high school football game tonight because they play those here and you can
buy beer and espresso at the games. A little different than covering high school football and draper on a Friday night, but yeah, just kind of the dichotomy of what football represents in the States versus the potential growth overseas is kind of what I'm looking at at the moment.
Do you know the origin story how this kind of came about? It is a little bit of a random location for a college football game, and you know, the nfl CK for a number of years has discussed the potential of wanting to capture the European audience. And I don't know if there's anything here as far as drawing a parallel part of it kind of feels similar to the way folks who believe soccer will catch on over
here at some point. And soccer certainly has its footprint, but it will never capture the hearts and imaginations of as many Americans as football has. And I don't think there's any way that football will ever capture Europeans the way that soccer has or football over there. But are you familiar with the backstory how this game kind of came to be in the spot that you find yourself in today.
Well, if we want to go really far back in time, the kind of the bedrock of this, the start of this is when the NFL had its first international game in London, in two thousand and seven.
That was a big swing by the league.
A lot of people didn't think it was a good idea, A lot of people didn't think it would work. And you know, I think if we're talking about kind of the one off, meaning like what or twice or even three times a year from an NFL perspective, it works and it has worked there. They've played games in Germany, They've played games in London, They're playing games for a second straight year in Brazil starting the season. So the appetite internationally for a minimal amount of football games is there.
From the the air LINGUS College Football Classic as it is known here, Spence Is organizers with air lingas the airline, and and folks just approached people in the US and said, like, this is a this is an untapped market. It is a It is a pretty enticing destination vacation spot for a lot of Americans because of obviously we are we have such a deep Irish you know, culture embedded with you know, with so many I mean, I'm sure you
have Irish an ancestry. I have Irish ancestry. Pretty much everybody in a most people in America have Irish ancestry, so it's a very popular tourist spot. So they just sold it, say like, come on over. And obviously when Notre Dame was here, that was kind of the you know, the bell of the ball. And frankly, I think they should try to make Notre Dame like part of you know, this rotation more often than not, because it just makes sense.
But you know, they approached Kansas State I think it was sixteen months ago and talked to Chris climb and the head coach, and Jean Taylor, the athletic director, and said like, would you be interested in giving up not only a home game, a conference home game, but a conference home game against your probably your biggest rival outside of Kansas and sold them on it, and by all accounts so far, it's it's been it's been a hit
among the fans that decided to come. And I mean, anytime you can sell out a European stadium for any sport, it's going to be cool. I think tomorrow will be especially unique just because the setup of field. I mean, it's they're playing to be the stadium which is where you know, Ireland national teams for soccer and rugby play, so it's a beautiful stadium. It's just up the road and I think it's going to remind me of like
when I was covering the Olympics, like in Brazil. Just I think the vibes there, the setup of stadiums internationally are a little different, so I'm fascinated to see how it plays out.
Did you pack the sticks? Are you going to play Royal Port Rush? I mean, Ireland isn't far from the home of golf, which is Scotland, And as you know, when the game expanded, it expanded into the UK, including Ireland. Is did did you have a chance to pack your your golf clubs and your Antonio Daniel's jersey and your your farming glove to maybe play some of those courses over there.
Well, I don't know if you know this, Spence, but there's a big body of water between Ireland and the British Isle, which contains three different countries. So if I wanted to catch a train, I couldn't. I'd have to catch a flo to head over to Scotland. Albeit to say I did not pack the sticks, I just I'm not a big fan of these, you know, open courses.
I'm more of a I'm more of a tree.
I feel like I need to be boxed in otherwise my depth of vision is too wide. I feel like my typical slice m slice a little harder if I don't have trees blocking my way. I'm just more of kind of an old school you know, Utah golfer as you.
Know, Yeah, no, no, I know plenty of good courses in Ireland, but maybe your next strip over there, you cannot pack the sticks.
All right, let's let's let's move over here.
So for years and years and years, I certainly have complained about it, and I know other people have too, and plenty of people that write for your outlet believe that scheduling uniformity should be mandate mandated in college football in the SEC for years has had this odd dynamic where like Week ten Bama schedules like Troy or something, and it's like a glorified buy Well, following the announcement that the CFP Committee is going to use these new
scheduling advanced metrics to decide who's going to gain access to the CFP, the SEC has announced that they are going to go with a nine game conference schedule starting next season. Brett McMurphy is reporting now the ACC is discussing the same The ACC is now the only P
four conference that doesn't go with nine long overdue. In my opinion, and I've said this before, I'll say it again, I believe we're heading in a direction with college football where most of the cakewalk games that are scheduled, if not all of them, are going to go away because TV partners want the best matchups every week. It's certainly the one thing that college does not have that the NFL does. The NFL every week, even though there are teams in pro football that are down year to year,
you're still playing a NFL team. You're not playing like a USFL team. You're playing a team that's supposed to be on your level. So what do you make of the SEC's announcement And do you think at some point we will have some sort of scheduling uniformity in the sport.
Art Yes, I think, because if the SEC did it, everyone else basically has to follow suit. It is a fascinating kind of turn of events because I think for the longest time, the SEC was fairly adamant that they did not want to go to nine games for obvious reasons. Just because you're talking about the strongest conference in the country.
You don't want.
Your big guys to have a chance to be, you know, suffer a late season upset and maybe tumble out of a playoff spot that you covet so highly.
But listen, there's been lots.
Of random college football news in the last you know, seventy two hours since I've gone. Apparently the Big Ten is proposing like a twenty eight team playoff. Now I my head, you know, man, I'm just trying to be here in the homeland, just just trying to really sink my toes into the sand.
But college football fails to out moving.
But which is not I'm not too happy about to say.
At least Well, and I talked about this yesterday. You know, Brian Rolap front of the show. He is now the commissioner. Well, no excuse me. He's the first CEO in history of the PGA Tour. He spent twenty two years next to Roder Goodell at the NFL. Most people believed, and maybe this will still be the case whenever Goodell has done most people thought Rolap would be the next commissioner.
B Yu guy, family friend.
So I've been able to get to know him a
little bit and interview him a couple different times. He is a very impressive leader, and he addressed the media prior to the Tour championship at East Lake and he used the word innovation and you know, being innovative like four or five different times discussing his vision to capitalize on this moment golf has found itself in with all this attention worldwide, and to juxtapose that with the lack of foresight, the lack of leadership of college football, college
football just seems to change for change as opposed to innovate.
To improve the product.
And I guess the reality, Chris is that you know the powers of being college football even though no one's really in charge, which I still believe is the biggest issue on a number of different levels, because all these conferences can kind of.
Just go rogue. But they know they've got the consumer.
They know that college football fans week in and week out are going to tune in and consume the product.
They know they've got us.
And if you add on the layer that over the past four or five years, the widespread acceptance of sports betting has even upped the interest level because there's so many degenerates to take out second mortgages on their home to place a bet on you know, Pharma Geddon or whatever it is. They know they've got everybody, and so therefore I don't feel like they really feel urgency to
actually fix the issues that plague the sport. The twenty eight team expanded CFP is like the dumbest thing that I've heard even thrown out there in years, and they've thrown out a number of dumb things. It eliminates conference championships, and it diludes Chris the most in my opinion, appealing thing about the sport, which is the prescient, urgent nature of every single game. To me, you have to maintain that or else you do away with what makes this sport great.
Does that make sense?
Oh, I agree with you wholeheartedly.
I've said on the show often the last couple of years that it makes no sense for the powers that be to relinquish any sort of power they currently have because what you said exactly, the consumer has shown their willingness to adopt and roll with the punches no matter what. Listen, man, I'm always going to point to that example of that. You know, that massive super League that got proposed in Europe a couple of years ago, and whose fans, like boycotted the games. It wasn't the little guys, it was
the Manchester United fans. It was the super the fans of the super clubs that would have benefited from this. They were the ones that were up in arms. Fandom
doesn't really work like that in the States. So I think so long as the folks who are at the top will continue to stay at the top, I don't think that they will have a problem with it no matter what, so long as they have a chance to compete for a national title, which has also been part of the news cycle too, because apparently Auburn decided they've
won seven championships or something too this week. Like listen, man, I understand that this is a long offseason, but this week has really really shown us that we just to get to some games because people are kind of acting out.
You know, the other, well, not just the other.
One of the other reasons why college football needs a governing body with a commissioner is to put in place a comprehensive media policy that every team needs to follow. So I continue to compare college football to the NFL on a number of different levels, because I do believe we are headed towards a model that looks like that. In the NFL, fans can attend practices, media can attend every practice. There are player and coach availability after every
single practice. The NFL understands that the media is a conduit to sell the teams and sell the leagues to the consumer. If you juxtapose it to college football, they all act like a bunch of scared children, and they're just terrified at all times, and they want to control everything they possibly can, and they come across as just constantly being worried that some bad story is going to derail everything. I mean, you know, Deshaun Foster is the
latest UCLA head coach and Utah's playing Week one. He's cut off access to players and coaches interviews after practice because he's afraid that these practices, or achieve me, that these interviews are going to be leaked to his opponents and somehow give them an advantage when they play head
to head. Why is it that in college they can't just understand what the pros understand, and that is media helps sell your program to your consumer, as opposed to having you know, just this this constant state of fear, this constant state of being afraid that one interview here or one video there is going to blow the whole
thing up. If there's a governing body in place, with a commissioner and an entire staff, they put a media policy in place that everybody has to handle until they do that, program by program or conference by conference, can continues to try to exude this monicum of control when ultimately I think it blows up in their face.
Yeah, I mean, listen, man, you're speaking my language. You're playing at Irish flute across the pond. I'm loving it. Well, there's so many different layers to this conversation. One I think college football coaches would say, because they call them kids kids in quotation marks, they don't know what they'll say if they're prepared to say what they say say.
But I don't know what the difference is from a twenty one year old graduating from college and becoming a twenty one year old pro And you know, that's that's part of the conversation as well, like the same they stayed pretty much the same age. But the other part of this and it's just you know, can't be understated enough.
Is that like when you become an NFL player, you become part of the players union, a union, and negotiating this type of stuff into union contracts, into these cbas all this stuff is top of mind for both sides because they know what they're getting into. And the media part of this is a huge component of it. But from the NFL's perspective, they know it makes sense for them and the players, albeit they don't They don't probably love having people in their locker room all the time, but it's.
Just part of the job.
I agree like that we've talked about, there's like this sense of state secrets that are, you know, at top of mind every single week come season time. And I know with the advent of the Big twelve injury report like that.
As you know, a new wrinkle in this whole thing. It was funny.
I was at Chris Cleman's press conference yesterday and one of their beat writers asked him about his thoughts on the new Big twelve injury report, and he kind of just laughed and he was like, I know who's out, But he basically said, like Matt Campbell's not going to go read my injury report to try to get like some behind the scenes view of you know who may or may not really tilt the fortunes of the game. I think it's a good step, but again, everybody is going to be able to utilize it one way or
the other. I'm going to keep referencing things that have happened this week, even though my brain is mud. But Pelly Kyle's not going to release it too deep now because of the injury report thing too, which.
You know, hey whatever, you know, you got to do your thing.
But yeah, I mean it, I think it dilutes the excitement, and I think you just have a huge opportunity to go out there and basically take control of how you can have your sport and how your team can be viewed kind of the way the NFL does. I'm not saying like there will be a college football fantasy once, like, but maybe there will be. I mean, like there who nobody ever really saw like the changes of college football coming in the last five years and as swiftly as
they have. But let's just say that there, it isn't as hard as they make it out to be.
And and if.
Everybody just cooled their jets and you know, I don't know, set masan a little bit, take a breather.
Everybody could realize.
That that you know, it is a game, and you'll be fine no matter what.
The paranoia is. It's pathetic. It's like laughable. Maybe maybe a cold plunge potentially, maybe a cold plunge maybe.
Oh whim howks breathing?
Yeah, yes, yes, yes, three full rounds, thirty five breaths each, then you retain and then you release. I do it every morning, all right, Chris? You reference the news cycles since you joined the show. There's been a couple of announcements locally that I wanted to get your reaction to. Let's start down South where young Bear Bachmeyer will be the first true freshman to start for BYU in their opener, the seventh true freshman to get time under center for
the first to start under center. He did not land in Provo until mid July. He was at Stanford for spring ball. And you know, I was asked the other day like, is this an indictment on the room, And I said, no, I think it's a compliment to the kid. And if you listen to a rod he kind of tipped his hand early on. He was very effusive with his praise for Bear, But what do you make of this announcement that a true freshman will be starting for BYU this year under.
Center, great name, great jersey number. I mean, that's some like Doug Footie stuff right there. I don't think I can ever think of a college quarter back having a number above nineteen and eons. So good on Bear, Listen. BYU's quarterback situation changed dramatically because of the school that they're at, and that.
Is the reality, bottom line.
I'm going to continue to beat this drum that like losing Jake Retzlov.
Is a loss.
From a leadership perspective because he was so beloved in the locker room and had so much respect from the coaching staff. But Jake wasn't exactly like lighting up like every single team that they played last year. So now your fortunes do change potentially with a true freshman quarterback step beingin. But he was a very highly sought after recruit, and who knows, maybe if all of that stuff with Troy Taylor doesn't go down at Stanford, maybe Bear decides
to stay there. You know, Like I think, if there turns out to be a great quarterback, that's very beneficial for BYU. I'm it's really too hard to say, like if whether or not it's an indictment on the quarterback room, because like, we still haven't seen anybody step out there and play yet. So if Bear goes out there and struggles, then you know, if you're a BYU fan, you can
hypothetically say, like, why wasn't there somebody more prepared? But if he goes out there and he handles his own and he looks ready for the moment, then people won't even remember that that was even a topic of conversation.
We've known for a while who QB one is for the utes, we now know who QB two is. And I suppose if there is a silver lining to Cameron Rising's and ability to stay healthy a year ago, it's that Utah as a backup quarterback and Isaac Wilson, with Big twelve experience, seven starts, nine games played.
Bert Ficklin will be the third stringer.
Now.
Coach Beck said it's two way to b whatever that means. But Isaac is the backup. What are your thoughts on that?
Man?
The phrasing to me is just it's just hilarious. It makes sense that Isaac is the backup quarterback.
He has clout built with that, with that locker room with Kyle. I know, it's a brand new coach, offensive coaching staff pretty much. But obviously Devin Dampier transferred in with alongside Jason Beck, so that's his guy. You know, Isaac we talked about this. I remember we were at the Smiths on Nights South when when when it was going to be Isaac's turn to start, and so many people were so epscited, and I said, just kind.
Of pump the brakes a little bit, let's see how he does.
And there were definitely some growing pains, and you know, I don't think you can put much of any of that really on an eighteen year old true freshman. Like Utah failed collectively last year as a team, especially offensively, it wasn't all on Isaac. So so if you're Isaac, you know he decided to go into the portal. He probably got a lay of the land and figured, you know,
it makes sense for me to come back. Assuming Devin Dampier has a good year this year, he could potentially test the NFL draft waters and then Isaac would be the presumed starter going into twenty twenty six. So We've been talking about QB two at Utah for I think way too long, regardless of who the starter is. So let's see if Devin Dampier can stay healthy so people can stop worrying about who quarterback two is.
What do you think success looks like for Utah Week one? At Ucla? They're a six point five point favorite.
Ooh.
Success at Ucla is obviously a win. I wish I could even venture a guess offensively, but I have no idea. I guess I'll say Devin Dampier and his jolly room of running backs rush for over two hundred yards and Utah's defense holds Nico in check and they leave an old stomping ground that they haven't seen in a few years.
Happy. But it's the first game of the year.
You never know how everybody's going to come out, especially this Utah offense, which we've talked about. It's way too early to crown them, like we haven't even seen them playing a game yet, and who knows, maybe Ucla is revitalized after a very down year and with you know, landing Nico, maybe their offense is ready to take a step forward as well.
So you ever considered getting a neck tattoo.
Actually I have. Yeah, I think you could.
Pull that off.
I think you're one h's not the middle?
Are you right or left handed?
I'm right handed, so i'd probably go left side.
Yeah, so left side if you're right handed.
I was thinking what media members could pull this off, and really it's only you and I.
You're right. Well, the reason supporter.
No porter could pull it off, especially with the.
Long hair and the cowboy hat.
Yeah, cowboy hat, long haired necktat reporter. But like there's no way fault could you know, Like there are certain people that just couldn't pull it off. The reason I bring it up is DeAndre Yedlin, guest on the program yesterday, knew right back for RSL. Thirty two years old, so certainly not in his prime, but really fun interview. Seems like a really good guy and definitely a very interesting
soccer pedigree. This is a spot that they've been rotating, like players from Fruit Heights in for a long time and body Hudalgo is not his way to Montreal, so they've needed to fill the spot quite frankly since they jettison Aaron Herrera. But you're the expert here, what do you make of DeAndre Jedlin here in Utah.
Yeah, big big move for them. I mean, like the days of Andrew Brody and Body Adalgo are over. They've they've tried to patch that spot up as quickly as the air or like they've as badly as possible, but they haven't been able to. And now I think Nold has been pretty pretty well served in that role as a kind of an emergency right back, but his natural position is playing in the double pivot. And I think now your your depth start is you know, DeAndre yedvand
one Noel Kallistan two. I think ourselves needed a adult in the room, so to speak, and I don't think they have an approven MLS adult that's willing to stand up and just maybe take a locker room by the scruff and tell them what's what now? They now they
have landed Rapa Cabral who's been a great leader. You know, Johnny Russell is an MLS veteran, But you know, I think DeAndre Yedlin is the type of player who has both the you know, the domestic league pedigree, that the national team pedigree and just kind of the type of personality that that this that the team needs right now, and uh, you know, woke up to see that they
loaned Don mark Zuk as well, which yikes, man. I mean, you have to give Kurt and his staff credit because they realize that the moves they made were not good and they they had to do something and they didn't sit on their hands the way they did last offseason. So, you know, I think so many fans thought that mark Zuk was going to be kind of the second iteration of Andre Skomez, a highly touted young international winger to come in and potentially develop and be the next star
sold That did not turn out to be the case. Like, dude did not have great body language this year. You could tell that he was probably not too happy being passed over ad minutes by Xavier Gozo and Johnny Russell, who they signed off the street. But he's going to a team that's very good, so if he gets a chance to play there, maybe he'll look a lot better than he did at RSL. But he's playing on a team that probably can win the Supporter Shield and MLS Cup.
So when you go to a team that's full of really good players, you often can look good too.
I actually think Tom Mark Zuk has a chance to really look good in that system. You know, there have been a lot of moments that he's shown his skill, but it just hasn't been consistent enough. And if we're honest, you know, as we look back on their decision to jettison the majority of their attack, it has blown up right in their face. Now to your point, they've realized it looks like the Millers are willing to spend a little cash. So we've got Ruwan Cruz, who we've seen
a couple of different times. You know, Latuni Kid has had a couple of appearances, and I'm told they think DeAndre will play tomorrow. But there are only eight matches left, and you know, three brand new pieces that will be part I think of the first choice eleven need to be integrated quickly. Is this enough time for them to get across the line, make the playoffs and maybe even do something?
What do you think?
I don't think so.
I think that the schedule is too tough. You have Minnesota, who's second in the West. I think on Saturday he faced LAFC twice. I think you've got a trip to Seattle. They just haven't shown it, man, Like I you know things could change, and maybe they cultivate some momentum against Minnesota on Saturday, But I think you're you're asking too much of a team to try to rectify the mistakes of earlier parts of the season on the fly, and that's just too hard to do with new players. But
you know, MLS is crazy. I know they're they're still within striking distance of that night spot and I don't think they'll go into a free fall. But until they figure out a way to score goals like there, I just don't think they have a chance.
Have you tried an Irish stew lamb or beef, some boiled bacon, cabbage?
Have you tried a full Irish breakfast?
Have you tried any of the lovely dishes that you can sample over there in Dublin?
I have not.
No.
I have to look out for my guts first and foremost.
And you know, well, you well you and you know you're in a new country. You don't know wh where's a you know where the next potential stop might be. You know, public rescue. You got to learn, you got to learn the lay of the land. So it's all y'all just got a map things out. Spence like I have to think. I have to think two or three hours ahead, so I play it safe.
When I'm on the road. Let's just say.
That, what about a pint or two over and no pints?
No pints one or two. I'm also just I'm an old man, dude, you know this, Like I'm older than you.
I'm older are not close to.
But but you know what I mean. I okay.
So like the fact that it's ten o'clock here and I'm on the radio with you goes to show how much I have, you know, a supporter of the Drive Monday through Friday two to six. But like this is my bedtime, and yeah, I could be out having a pint a Guinness and it would probably send me mentally physically into a space where I don't feel all that well in the moment.
Or tomorrow and I got to work tomorrow.
You know, I have to prove to the athletic that there was a good reason why they sent me across the pond. And maybe maybe we'll see if tomorrow's an especially good day, maybe after the game we'll strike a pint somewhere. But it is wild here, man, Like everybody is slamming beers, like olds, youngs hipsters like and they're just getting after it and they it doesn't even seem to face them.
And I'm like, man, good for you. I wish I could be that person, but I'm not.
Well.
The other thing is, and they start early. I remember I had a connecting flight to London. I was in Amsterdam at like seven thirty am, and there were there were guys in the pub getting getting loose at like seven thirty am with beers. They start early and they go.
All day, and everybody here just looks like, you know, I mean, everybody here has been fantastically nice, but you know, just kind of stereotype like maybe maybe you know, it looked like they could always be in like a boxing position too. They got the haircut, you know, the Connor mcgregord going on. So just I just, you know, don't want to step on anyone's toes or bump anyone's backpack.
Just minding my p's and q's.
What about what's on the when you're flying there, it's a long flight, flying home.
What shows are we watching? What's taking up the time?
Oh man, just lots of random movies. I watched Ferris Bueller for the billionth time. On as one of my five five films. On the way over, don't know what, don't know what the movie selection will be like on the way back. I'm hoping that I'll be tired enough that I might be able to sleep. But that's a fool's errand because anybody who can sleep on flights is an alien, and that includes you or any one of your listeners.
I apologize.
Actually I envy you because that is a superpower that I wish I had.
I cannot sleep on flights unless I'm heavily medicated. But then I land and I'm like, you have zombie for two days. So anyway, Christopher, we will set you loose. Enjoy Dublin. Enjoy week zero, thank you for the time and save travels.
Was zombie an ode to our friends the Cranberry's. Is that what we did there?
Not intentionally but a good callback. Ck.
You've learned a lot of good lessons on this program, young man.
Be well and travel safe.
Okay, appreciate you.
Chris com Roddy from the Athletic. He's live in Dublin as Week zero gets going with Farmer Geddon coming up tomorrow at ten am Mountain time at his k State and Iowa State. Kansas State is getting three points as your favorite there so college football is here. Like any good coach, it's signed. Update the game plan for a healthy green lawn. As the hot weather continues this month, make sure you're using IFA Step three Summer lawn Food for healthy turf that stays green and every season IFA's
Step three lawn Food. It's the ultimate lawn owner power move. At IFA Friday edition of the Drive Rolling Along. Always fun to welcome in a good friend of the program. Defensive coordinator for you, said coach and waiting Morgan Scaley, excuse me, Morgan, Happy Friday, buddy.
How we doing man Spence?
You sick or what?
No?
No, no, no, no, just you know when you do this for four hours a day every day on Friday, the boy starts to go, yeah, you know the drill.
I'm sure I was gonna say, you sound like me after a Tuesday practice.
That's what I was going to say.
At any point, do you lose your voice after barking the instructions to the team.
Usually it comes in fall camp and then the voice is ready, the voice box is ready for the rest of the season.
Well, you would think after doing this for twenty years. My voice would be used to it, but I guess it's not.
Buddy.
Well, look, I know you don't have a ton of time, so let's get into it. First of all, thank you sincerely, eight days out from game day, I'll just give you nation a message.
Man.
How are things going up there?
Oh?
Fired up, excited for healthy for the most part, love how fall camp has gone progressed the competitive nature of offense versus defense. I think we're ready to hit another color jersey besides our own. So you know, going into it, we had our question marks on defense. You know, the detackle spot was a question mark. Corner spot depth there was a question mark, and I think we've done a pretty good job of slidifying who's gonna help us and feel pretty good about the depth we have there.
So let's start there. How is that d tackle spot coming? Obviously a big loss for Keanu, he's down at b YU. So how is that a defensive line shaping up?
Morgan good?
We needed a couple of things to happen. We need Dallas Bakalahi to progress, take on a leadership role, kind of own that position group Aliki Vi Mahi, the two vets that have returned. We needed jonahle A to put on some pounds. This is a guy that we've tried to to groom and develop and he's finally there. I'm really excited about him and his athleticism now that he has the strength and the weight on uh and then the freshman are kind of man a pleasant surprise to
have these guys step up. Popu Cepalona, Carson Kafusi, Semi Talga, you got Dylan Battle and Sioni Motawaka. All those guys you know could be ready for us to play year one. Now only you know a couple probably will will need to use. But you know, how this deal goes, anything can happen. Injuries are part of the game, and you've got to have some depth, yeap.
Unfortunately, we've all learned that lesson the hard way over the past couple of seasons, no doubt, and look, everybody says football is a contact sport.
No it's not.
It's a violent sport and no team stays healthy all year long. I suppose you know we all say the same thing. We don't worry about your defense with you and coach, with your track record, and the standard is the standard. But as far as that second cornerback spot, you know, cam Calhoun's a Crimson tide. How's that coming along? What's that room looking like?
Very good?
Had some good transfers come in, a couple that joined us early for spring, and then a couple that we've we've added late in the mix. Scooby Davis is a lot like Jonahlaa was, although Scooby probably got more time than Jonah in terms of the development needed to put have him put on more weight, become stronger, be more durable, and he's going to be a starter for us. So excited for him. Smith Snowden has only gotten better, has added the outside element of his game, playing outside corner
as well as having played inside corner for us. And then you take a look at Donovan Saunders who transfer from A and m Blake Cotton. These are names that are going to help us tremendously. Jeremiah Caldwell so a couple others that still need some development. But I feel much better really going into this season than I did last season about the corner position.
So since we have already talked about the depth outside of the front line, guys, and you've discussed some of the names. I mean, do you feel confident that? And look, I'm knocking on wood because none of us want injuries.
But it's just part of the.
Deal man, As you know, do you feel like you can weather that storm should it come your way on your side of the football?
Oh? Brother, I didn't even want to talk about it, but yeah, that's again you. Big part of springball is development, big part of fall camp is solidifying who's going to be a part of that travel group. Another guy didn't mention is Jackson Benny, who came on and had an unbelievable off season. He was big contributed on special needs. But this is a guy that you know, a lot of yout fans are going to be fired up about because he's going to be making plays. So add him
to the to the mix. His versatility can play safety, he can play nickel, rabbit, Evans can play nickel, he can play strong safety, tail can go down and play corners. So really that's what you're looking for. Or when guys go down, because it'll happen. Do you have the versatility to put the best eleven on the field or are you short changing, you know by putting a guy that may not be in as ready. He just knows the position better. But we'd rather go with our best eleven.
U c l a an interesting opener at the Rose Bowl. It's a new quarterback, it's a new coordinator as well as Tino, sincere's the offensive coordinator. I don't know how much I would imagine we're about to launch.
In a very specific game prep.
But I'm sure you've been, you know, operating fall camp with one eye on the Bruins. I've been asking all of the guests this, Morgan, I'll ask you, what does success look like.
For you game one?
When you're on that plane flying home from from the Rose Bowl. What will success feel like to you?
Just being playing to our culture, you know, running to the football, playing with good fundamental technique, playing situationally smart football. I mean, obviously there's going to be mistakes that are made. A lot of the big plays that we make on the defensive side the ball really have to do with relentless effort guys running to the football and playing with some physicality. So you know, that's kind of been our calling card. And if we play to our culture, to me,
I can deal with the other stuff. But we have to, you know, play physical, smart football.
Tell me what you've learned about the Bruins. What makes them dangerous? You know, they're they're in the midst of I'll just call it a pivot. With a new coaching staff a couple of years ago, and like I said, a new offensive coordinator, really good talented quarterback, a big news out of the Tennessee transfer situation.
What do you know about UCLA as of now?
Well, obviously I did not. I mean I knew of the quarterback. I didn't know much about his game. So after you know, watching a ton of film on him, very impressed, very impressed, not only with his ability to spin it, but when he runs the ball, he's not he's not soft, and he's not a guy that looks to go down. He's tough. He's tough minded. So they
got a good one in Nikoso. The receiving core that they have there includes Mikey Matthews, who we know as a slot receiver coming from US to cal and now UCLA has and they've got a couple of other wide receiving threats that are really good. You know, the O line is going to be, in my opinion, their work in progress. You know, you take a look at our d line, it's our work in progress. That's offensive line
is going to be their work in progress. But the quarterback and skill players, including the running back transfer from Caw who's a dynamic kid as well, that's going to be the strength of their offense.
In my opinion, this last week, when Devin Dampier said, Hey, sometimes I have eight seconds in the pocket, my first thought was, well, that's not going to make Morgan happy. Obviously, you guys were an average offense away a year ago from competing for the Big twelve championship. Tell me from your advantage point, this new revamped offense under Jason Beck with Devin under center, how's it looking to you?
Morgan?
I'm excited to watch him, excited to watch him work. The offensive line obviously, is the huge strength the skilled players that we've brought in Devin's leadership. You know, let's be honest, he's got eight seconds because we can't touch the quarterback. It's not like we can sit there and get after him and practice. But no, he is so competitive. That's what I love about him, is that competitive drive.
And he's not over confident, he's not cocky. He comes to work every single day, and he earns that right to be confident. So add to that the schematic elements that I love, the shifts and motions, the formation into the boundary, the Q run game, all the different things that Jason's doing. Really excited to watch these guys work.
All right before I set you loose.
You know, ultimately the past couple of years, as a result of lack of health, has not been what we're used to. Because you and Coach Wade and you know the coaches up there, you've set a standard that I know you guys take seriously. What gives you the most confidence. You do not have the target on your back that you did a year ago. As far as everyone expecting you to win the thing, I think most people believe
you're going to be good. I certainly do what gives you the most confidence that this year will look different than you're one of the big twelve.
Moran, Well, I don't. I go to work looking to win one game, brother, And I'm dan like, I'm dead serious with this. I think you do yourself such a disservice going looking beyond I Obviously you want to know that you're going to be competitive and know that you've got the right pieces to be competitive. I feel like that's the case here with both offense and defense. I feel like we've got the right personnel. We just got to do a great job of, you know, playing smart football,
and it is going to require some luck, man. I mean the years that we won the championships, our guy stayed healthy for the most part. And you look at the two thousand and four Fiesta Boll team that I played, starting eleven at the beginning of the season. We're starting eleven the end of the season on the defensive side of the ball and primarily on the offensive side of the ball as well, so the Sugar Bowl year. So
it does take a little bit of luck. But you also have to be smart the way you practice and compete against each other, and we've definitely done that this fall camp and heading into the season. So just excited for game one, dude, and not looking beyond that.
Well played.
I'm looking at my inbox and do I need to resend you my cell phone? I mean, one invite to play some golf during the off season. I don't think is too much to ask for somebody I've known for like twenty five years. Do you do you do you need me to resend you myself.
Morgandy, listen, trust me, you're not the only one that has not been playing golf. I've been able to play primarily with one guy, and that's Shereefshaw, and you know, a couple of rounds here or there, but ultimately, my summer was with my family. I got a daughter that graduated and we went on some vacations. But we need we do need to get together, brother, we do need to get together. You take care of that voice box, okay, and during the off season we'll make sure something happens.
Yes, thanks for the time, man, best of luck a week one and all year long.
Okay, all right, brother, yeah, all right.
Morgan Scalley, defensive coordinator for the University of Utah. We are eight days away from kick The Utes will be at the Rose Bowl to take on UCLA. They remain an eight or excuse me, a six point five point favorite in Vegas. Don't forget that game. We'll kick off at nine o'clock Mountain time. Television coverage is on Fox, and of course the radio coverage is right here on your home of the Utes, ESPN seven hundred.
We are one day away from.
College football We'll get back to some college football in the.
Five o'clock hour.
Chris Tom Roadnie is live in Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, Farmageddon case State. Iowas Day tomorrow, less than two weeks away from the NFL. But the Tour Championship is going on in east Lake. They had to I guess I should say at East Lake in Atlanta. They had to push up tea times today for some inclement weather. This afternoon home of Bobby Jones, O ex guest joins us on a weekly basis to talk about the world of golf. My buddy Paul Pugmyer on a Friday afternoon. Paul, Happy Friday, sir, how are.
You doing great, Spence, how are you doing?
I'm good, I'm good. I have to start with a confession. You're going to be mad at me. Are you ready?
Yes?
Last weekends I went to visit my brother and his wife and their six children, a lovely family. Had a great time in Indianapolis, and as I landed, he said, Hey, I've got a surprise for you.
I said, what's that?
He said, Well, Live Golf is here and Scott O'Neill, who's the CEO, and the commissioner of Live Golf back in the day, worked in Madison Square Garden. He is a BYU guy, a member of the Olds Church. My family knows him very well, and so Scott was able to get us some passes to go to the Live Golf event in Indianapolis, which I did and I even had a decent time.
Paul, do you forgive me?
Oh, no forgiveness needed. I went to a Live event when they were in Las Vegas last year and they treated me really well and it was a good time and really instruct us. I still don't think it's a championship model, but it's a good time and you do get to see some really amazing golfers. I mean, some of the world's best are live. I'm glad you got to do it. And let me just say here, isn't it cool that both Scott O'Neil with Live and Brian Rolap with the PJ Tour, a couple of by you
guys running those two tours. That's really cool.
Well, here's the other thing, Paul, they know each other and like they have a lot of mutual friends. So look, I know it's going to take a minor miracle at this point with Live being established the way that it is to bridge some sort of gap. But at least you know Jay Monahan and you know the powers that be a Live Greg Norman. They didn't even want to be in the same room. Brian and Scott are friendly.
They know each other. I don't know if that means that there's a deal on the horizon, but at least we have two guys in charge of these tours that are familiar with each other's That can't be a bad thing.
It's got to be a good thing. I completely agree with you. I think Monahan made a mistake and not taking the call back when all this was first happening, but you know he doesn't consult with me. But I agree with you completely. It's got to be nothing but good that rol App and O'Neill can sit down and have an adult conversation.
While we're in this space.
We had the first opportunity to hear from Brian Rolap, the new CEO of the PGA Tour, prior to the start of the Tour Championship. I mean, he's given some other interviews, like we had Rex Haggard on yesterday and Rex was able to catch up with him right after he kind of took the job. He's only been on the job three weeks. But this is a dynamic, sharp, bright guy who is the mastermind behind the bevy of revenue streams created by the NFL with their live television deals,
streaming and otherwise. And he said, among other things, quote, the goal is not incremental change. The goal is significant change. And I do think that makes certain people nervous who love the history and the degree of the PGA Tour and things that make the tour special as opposed to things that maybe might be changed. It might make some people uncomfortable, but the fact of the matter is Paul Golf has a moment right now that it has to capitalize on a moment that it may have never had
quite frankly in the history of the sport. With all the interest worldwide, I mean, you know, we've already talked about my complaints of six hour rounds and inabilities to get tea time sore locally, but look, ultimately, this type of attention can only be good for the sport. What did you make after listening to what Brian Rollop had to say to the media contingent at East Lake.
A couple things jumped down at me, and all the points you make are really good points and really good observations. The thing that jumped to me the hardest is that this is a man who is comfortable and confident saying I don't know. And that's a rare quality in a leader and in a person that people are looking to. And there's a whole bunch of cameras in his face, but he was willing to say on different topics, I
don't know. This is not my area of expertise, I'm learning about it, or other people are going to take that particular point and run with it. I was impressed with that, and one of the effects that that has is Bill there are several First of all, it makes you trust them more when he says I do know, and when he says I do know, it makes you really want to stop and listen because you're thinking, Okay, this is what this guy is expert on. I'm going
to listen to what he has to say. I was very impressed with his presentation as a leader, as an executive. I was very impressed with the way he handled the questions that were being thrown at him, and I was impressed with the content he says, we're going to be making big change. Yeah, you're right. Now is the moment. It might be an Arnold Palmer moment or a Tiger Woods moment, but it's a moment, and this is a
chance to really build things right for the future. And I think this is a guy who is willing to make hard decisions and make things right for the future. I'm excited.
He's also announced the formation of a championship committee led by somebody named Eldrick. Tiger Woods will serve as the chairman of the future com committee. The other names some caught me off guard. I mean Patrick Cantley, Adam Scott, Camillo Vijagas, and then Maverick McNeely and Keith Mitchell. I'm not trying to be disrespectful. I was just kind of
surprised that those were the names on the list. They're going to bring in the former energy chairman from Valero, Joe Gordon, John Henry, who's the principal owner of the Fenway Sports Group, and then theo Epstein, who is the man behind the resurgence of both the Red Sox and the Cubs. So I wonder what you make of that that list of names. The Competition Committee that will be kind of in charge of in acting some of this change.
I want to start with the book INDs of the list you just gave of tiger Woods and the Epstein, and then I'm going to come back to Maverick McNeely. I think these are the three most important voices in the room. Tiger Woods because he is tiger Woods and no one else's tiger Woods. It's all self evidence. Nobody will command attention to the degree of tiger Woods, which means that when he has something to say, the entire ecosystem of golf will stop and listen to what he
has to say. That's vital theo Epstein for the reasons you just summarized, this is a man who has twice, not just once. Either the Red Sox or the Cubs would have been a career defining achievement, but he did it twice, and he redefined cultures and changed the arc of entire organizations in a successful way. This is a guy who has an undeniable top level experience of taking things and turning them around and making them better. And now there's just flat a winning culture both in and
on the North Shore. And so then let's go to Maverick McNeely. McNeely, of course, is the son of Scott McNeely, who is Son Microsystems, and he was raised in that environment, raised in that house. He is a graduate of Stanford. But Maverick is developing his own reputation, not based on
his father, on his own ability to analyze data. And I think that that really really will matter because you've got somebody who is really good at analyzing data, but he also is walking inside the ropes every day, including this week. He made the field of the Tour Championship, and I think Maverick McNeely will be a really important voice going forward.
Oh, good context. I didn't know that. I had no idea, So that makes a lot more sense because it felt a little bit random without understanding that context. All right, Paul, before we get to the Tour Championship, before we get to the local golf scene, a couple of other topics. I wanted to kick the tires with you about since
you and I last spoke. You know, Scotty Scheffler won a tournament because Scotti Schefer wins tournaments, and look in the tournament exactly exactly, and you know, as I said, Rex joined me yesterday, and I know that we get well, I should say, I know I get pushed back when I do the Scotty is Tiger thing, But it does kind of feel like there's just this thing going on with him that we haven't seen maybe since Tiger. And then every time I say that, I see a stat
pop up that just cracks me up. So Scotty became the first player since Tiger to have back to back five win seasons on the tour and the only golfers in the past forty years to do that. The problem is, Tiger did it in ninety nine and two thousand, two thousand and two thousand and one, two thousand and one, two thousand and two, two thousand and two, two thousand and three, two thousand and six, two thousand and five, two thousand and six, two thousand and six, two thousand
and seven. Our guy did it six times over the course of an.
Eight year span.
So like every time I'm like, hey, you feel it kind of feels like Scotty's doing the Tiger thing. You see something and you realize that Scotty's got to do it for another five six years before it is applicable. But are we inching closer and closer too. I guess what I'll say, feels like a historic run from the best player in the world.
Right now we are and look, we're in the third year of Scotty putting up Tiger numbers. In the first year you do it, you go, okay, Jordan Rory, others have done that. Justin Thomas has done that. They've done it for one year. Second year, you go, okay, wow, that's two years. But the third year that he's doing it, which is where Scotti Schefleier is, now, you have to really start paying attention and really start saying, wow, now we are talking about the kinds of things that Tiger
Woods did. Now the next point is exactly the one you just made. Tiger did it for a long time, basically a decade, and it is almost unimaginable when you start, I mean every time, really the arc of Tiger's accomplishments, it's just breathtaking that Scotty is doing that now, and there actually are some statistical accomplishments that Scotty is beyond Tiger.
Never once before this year has anybody, including Tiger Woods, ever gone into the Tour Championship in the top twenty of the top five strokes gained categories, strokes gained off the tee, strokes gained around the green, strokes gained approach, strokes gamed putty. Scotty Scheffler is in the top twenty of all of those strokes gained categories. It is astonishing. He is absolutely in a group of one right now in terms of where he is playing, and Tiger lived
in a group of one. That's the ultimate comparison. Now, can Scotty Scheffler do it for the next decade? Can't wait to see.
That's the question before we get to the Tour Championship. This is one of these golf you know, like historical elements that I'm going to need you to kind of educate me on. And it's going to be a simple question with not very simple answer. What does Bobby Jones mean to the game of golf.
So much? It's so deep. Every player who has ever mattered since Bobby Jones will say that they were inspired by and they want to be like Bobby Jones. Bobby Jones ushered in in many ways the modern game. Bobby Jones was a dominant superstar in a way that the sport has never seen. He did the Jim Brown thing. He walked away at the top of his game at a young age. He was twenty nine when he left.
He didn't play top level competitive golf in his thirties or beyond, and yet he's still a master record that's one of the greatest ever. But on top of all of that, Jones was an artist with a golf club. There was a beauty to his game. Even with bad film, and it's black and white film, it's not you know, even with bad film from the air, you can just see there was an artistry to.
His game.
That is very, very rare. I'm trying to think right now if there's anybody around right now who has that level of artistry, and certainly Tiger on certain shots, Adam Scott in terms of the beauty of his swing, but no, Bobby Jones was an artist like none other, and he's he is just special in every way. Probably the most significant way is how he was the inspiration and the model for so many top players who have followed.
Wild to me is just learning about because for our listeners, we're talking about this because East Lake is like the home of Bobby Jones, where he learned to play golf. But he graduated high school at sixteen and went to Georgia Tech major mechanical engineering. You know, he decided that engineering was boring and went to Harvard to study English lit. Like then he went to law school at Emory, passed the bar after three semesters. Like we know, Bobby, And by the way, did he only compete as a as
an amateur? Am I also understanding that correctly? Oh yes see, Like this is like under the radar, at least for average sports fans. One of the most fascinating people in the history of sport that I've ever like learned about.
It's pretty wild.
No, I agree completely. I got on a Bobby Jones' biography binge a few years ago and read four of them in a row, and yeah, I know it's obsessive, but it was very, very interesting. And you are so right to talk about his educational pursuits. He he felt like he never could get enough education, like he never could know enough. But he he got the engineering degree, a master's being English, and a jd. Who do we
know who does that? And this is while he was competing at the top level in the world in the sport unreal.
Yeah, it's it's pretty wild to learn about. Uh, just Bobby as a person, what he meant to the game. I mean he found it Augusta, Like what's going on here? It's pretty wild, you know what his imprint has left on the game of golf. All right, as far as East Lake the track, as far as East Lake the course tell us about it.
It's an old school parkland course built around a naturally occurring lake that at the time was east of East of a Lanton. Now, of course the metro area and then and the metropolitan boundaries of our excuse the municipal boundaries have subsumed that. But you can see downtown Atlanta in the background from certain TV shots that they show. It is a hilly course. It's long, it's up to
seventy five hundred yards. Now. They always had a lot of land there on the property because they got it when it was down in the country, and so they've had room to expand and grow with the modern game. It is a course that is demanding. But this week
they are tearing it apart because of the rain. What's happening is because of the rain, the ball will plug in the fairway and so they're playing lift clean in place, and so you give these guys a clean ball in their hand that they can put down on the grass just the way they want to, and you have them hitting it into soft, spongy greens and it's like throwing a dart at a dartboard, And that is exactly what's happening.
They are throwing darts and they are going low. And there's a whole bunch of low scores happening right now.
There is.
And they had to push the tea times up today for inclement weather this afternoon.
And are we in for inclement weather all weekend?
I mean, are they going to have to get creative on how to finish this tournament.
They're hoping that they'll get through to Sunday, but maybe maybe now they have the advantage that they don't have a big field to try to get around the course. We're not trying to get one hundred and fifty people or even seventy five around the course. We're trying to get thirty. And they playing twosomes. If you need to even put thirty into threesomes and get it get around the course even quicker. But I think they'll be able
to do it because of the small field. But yeah, they've they've got weather issues there this year.
Okay, so when it comes to the low scores that we've seen, you know, ultimately Tommy Fleetwood is still looking for his first win on the Peur And look, at some points, it's kind of like Cam Young earlier this year. At some point you just feel like it's gonna happen, because obviously Tommy is that good. He just is, and he's one overseas, he's one everywhere outside of winning here. But there is something that's happened to him when he's had opportunities over and over and over where he's allowed
it to kind of slip through his fingers. Our guy goes seven under today and he's thirteen under, tied with Russell Henley.
For the lead. Are you feeling like maybe this is Tommy's chance?
I don't know why it wouldn't be, except that there seems to be some kind of gremlin sitting on his shoulder right Who knows what it is that gets in his head the last three holes on Sunday afternoon as many times as it has happened, but it has happened, and I have no explanation for it. But if he's in the mix coming down, coming down the back nine on Sunday afternoon. I'm going to be cheering for him because I want to see him get over the top.
And you know, Fleetwood has such a good attitude about all this. He said, wouldn't it be great? Wouldn't it be funny if after all this, the one I do break through on is the Tour Championship. He goes, that'd be great, wouldn't it? And I agree with him, that'd be great. I like that you mentioned Cameron Young. We've got to talk about Cam Young today and what he did on the backside. Keeping in mind he's hitting into soft greens with the ball in hand down in the fairway.
So the trick to Eastlake this week is hit the fairway. The rough is long at four and a half inches, it's thick and heavy with water. But if you're in the fairway you can go at this course well. Anyway, Cam Young hits all the fairways this on the backside today he shoots twenty nine with an average proximity of just a little over six feet and he has nine one puts ug real nice, I know.
So we should give a little love to Russell Henley, who's certainly not the longest player on tour, but once he gets within about one hundred and sixty hundred and seventy cards, I've just been wildly impressed at his ability to find greens and find greens in the right place and give him a chance to certainly two putt if not, you know, make birdies. And he goes four under today after carding a sixty one yesterday, and he's got thirteen under with Tommy. This has been the best season of
Russell's career. Do you think he can lift this cup? What do you make of the first couple of rounds for Russell Henley?
He totally couldn't lift this cup. Look, he is one of the six who qualified for the Ryder Cup on points, and that's not an accident. Henley's been a top flight quality player for a long time. He's kind of an understated, softly spoken kind of guy, and so he flies a little under the radar. His game is not spectacular, which is to say, he hits it on the fairway, he hits it on the green and any two pets and walks to the next hole. He doesn't give shots back.
He's got a very simple repeatable swing. I love his swing, but he's just not a flashy guy and he but he is absolutely a player who has every tool to lift the FedEx Cup. Absolutely he does.
Hey, before we move off this tournament, I've got a couple other quick ones for you as we approach the weekend. You're always good to tell us you know, based off of where the leaders are at and who behind them has a chance to win it. I mean, look, if you're willing to expand your mind to six shots, there's Justin Thomas and Rory McElroy and Sam Burns at seven under. If you're willing to only adjust your mind to five shots, there's a golfer named Scotty Scheffler who's five strokes back
now heading into the weekend. But Tommy and Russell are thirteen under. So how many golfers left you think have a chance to compete over the weekend.
You're right to mention Scotty. Scotty did not have his game today and he shot sixty nine. Shane Lowry shot sixty three. He is the big group at minus seven. Somebody out of that group is going to make a move. Be Justin Thomas, might be Sam Burns, Rory McElroy's in that group, Scottie Scheffler at minus eight, he's six back. The one that really gets my attention is T four at minus ten, and that's Robert McIntyre. He is explosive and dangerous and by the way, you're probably hearing it here.
First MacIntyre will win a Masters. He will win at Augusta, and so he has a mechanical advantage. Augusta is set up to favor a left handed golfer, and he is a powerful left handed golfer with an ability to get streaky and to make a lot of puts. I am just one hundred percent confidence that Robert McIntyre will win a Master's and I would be unsurprised to see him make a run on this tournament this week as well.
All right, Paul, moving off the championship, we are inching closer and closer to decision day for Captain Keegan Bradley. You know this is this is a hot topic, man. I asked Rex yesterday and ESPN today with their Golf Riders has a round table debating whether or not he should pick himself, and it feels like there's more momentum for support should Hegan do that as opposed to the other side of things, which is I know that you've been there, and I think a lot of people agree
with you. But Scotty, JJ Spahn, Xander Rison, Russell, Henley Harris English are the six players who have automatically qualified. When we hear the announcements, Give me your best guess on what the six names will be.
Well, yeah, what a great thing. Let me first say that on Utah Golf Radio tomorrow morning, we will have the two thousand and four Ryder Cup captain Hal Sutton on our show Nice and we're going to put We're going to pose this question to mister Sutton and see what he has to say about it. I'm very, very eager to hear his thoughts from somebody who has actually sat in the captain's chair and knows what it means and knows what it takes. And he's played on four
other Ryder Cups as well. He knows what it is to be a player. So, uh, which which ones make the make the cut? I think that first of all, that Keithan Bradley should not pick himself. I think that being a team captain is a big, big thing and you want people who are who are focused on on exactly being a captain, and people focused on exactly being a player. I think you've got to look at the players in points who are right as starting at seven
and beyond. Right there, seven is Justin Thomas, followed by Colin Morty Kaala and Ben Griffin and Maverick McNeely. I think those next four must go, and then after that is when it gets interesting. And the ones that I think should are the ones that should go are also playing really well at Eastlake right now, and that's Cameron Young and Patrick Cantley. It was the sixth I would pick.
It's such a risk because if Keegan picks himself and it blows up, he will be under so much scrutiny, you know. Now if it works, he'll be applauded as a hero. It's just a massive risk. But look, before I set you loose a question about the fall schedule, namely the Bank of Utah Championship down at Black Desert
Resort coming up in October. There are a lot of good golfers that did not make the top fifty, a lot of good golfers that need fall points, including our local player Tony Fenaw what Generally speaking, maybe you're hearing some things about the field that you think we'll see down to Black Desert this fall.
Well, I've been texting with Tony's management and as of yesterday afternoon, they had not made a decision. Tony had not made a decision about any of his Fall Series schedule, where he'll play and where he won't, So we just don't know yet what ton he will choose to do. Tony is solidly within the top one hundred. What he could do in getting points in the Fall Series. He can't get into the top fifty that ship is sailed, but he can get into fifty to sixty and there
are some advantages there. So are those enough of an advantage to where he'll want to play him or does he want to take a break. I don't know. I don't think he knows yet. So we don't know that about Tony. What we do know is that Patrick Fishburn from Ogden, from Fairview High School, from Brigham Youa University. Patrick sits at ninety five on the FedEx points right now, and he needs the Fall Series to solidify and assure his position within the top one hundred to get his
fully exempt card. He will be playing. I think it's a given that he will play at the Bank of Utah Championship at Black Desert, and we're going to get a chance to see him on Utah soil and a PGA tour A that is, Patrick will be on Utah Golf Radio tomorrow morning as well. I'm going to pose him that question.
Awesome, awesome before I said you loose, I know you've already kind of teased, but let's get a rundown of what's on the show tomorrow.
Sure, obviously Hal Sutton and Patrick Fishburne. As I've already said, We're also going to be talking with the sixth time Utah Section PGA Women's Player of the Year, Hailey Sturgeon, who is responsible for taking getting the Utah Women's Open to go to the Country Club of Salt Lake. We're going to get the backstory on that from Haley, and we're going to do a recap on Kihyakina winning the Utah Open at Riverside, the youngest player ever to win the Utah Open, beating a fifty year old record to
become the youngest to win that tournament. We're going to do a recap on that.
Paul, Thank you sir for the time. Enjoy the weekend. We'll get you back.
On soon looking forward to it.
Thank you, Spencer Paul Pugmeyer. Check out the show tomorrow.
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Good friends at Stansbury Park, So the Tour Championship at east Lake around two in the books. They had to push up the tea times today for some inclement weather this afternoon. Tommy Fleewood and Russell Henley are your leaders in the clubhouse at thirteen hunderd Parr.
Cameron Young is at eleven under Bob McIntyre.
Patrick Cantlay at ten under Scottie Scheffler lurking at eight under. About to get weird on a Friday. Let's get weird on a Friday. I like getting weird on a Friday. Trevor Riley is live in studio for the next hour or so to talk some football. And I don't know where he collects his mail, how he is operating as an adult in society, whatever else comes our way.
Holdout, Trevor, how are you you know, Spence? We've all had some public stories go crazy, right you think? So we had a couple of meet a few, Okay, I've had a few. And so that's how life goes, right it does. It's rock and roll like the song right, yeah, indeed? Well,
and you know you've lived in the public cry. I now for quite some time as of I and when you're in the public eye and things get a little loose, folks for some reason are very interested in it, and then you just kind of do the best to move on, right. It's just one of those things that comes with the territory. Yes, indeed, by the way, I want to show you something. I just moved from Hawaii and so I left some stuff there in this this great family, the Mamone family, Ricky
Mamone fighter. Check him out. We're backing him now. That's Jackson State Baby twenty twenty two. And then I saw an article. I know the algorithm's listening because in my feet it popped up their HBCU top ten. We got Jeremiah Williams and Jonas Wertillian. I coached them at Jackson State. Just a shout out to my HBCU guys, you know, thinking about you, and now that I'm with the Islanders, it's kind of the same type of level of play where it's last shot you, we would say. But we
got a game tomorrow, so I'm kind of excited about it. Yeah, let's talk about it.
So this is your national championship undefeated ring from Jackson.
Well, we lost the final game. Okay, so we didn't put that on the ring, that we were undefeated in conference play. But then they have this exhibition game called the Celebration Bowl, and we just kind of partied the whole week I think in Atlanta. Well that doesn't count. Then you were undefeated. Yeah, yeah, yeah it was. It was a fun consolation, but we did lose that game. But I just I've been thinking about it, man, I've been thinking about my time back then and missed those guys.
I'm excited for those two guys, particularly to hopefully make it now.
Last time you were here, well I should actually let me rewind you were not here when I walked out of the studio during a break and Dylan came up to me and said and said, hey, does Trevor want is his super Bowl ring?
Did you get your Super Bowl?
Right?
I got it back and it's a second place ring. Oh it's okay. You know it's for the kids. There's a lot of diamonds in that thing. Yeah, there's a few. It was in my son's closet for you know, seven years, and they moved and so he's like, hey, dad, how about this? And I was like, oh, yeah, I'll take that. I'm recruiting now. I could use that for sure. Little douchey here there, But it works. They turned it around, hey man, last chance. It's a weird thing. But we're
passing around town. I thinks it's with Dave Fogergn right now in Highland. Okay, it's been with him for a week. But I don't have a lot of stuff. I'm kind of mobile right now, so I'm just I like to bury treasure and then go back and find it.
Okay, Well, as long as you're keeping the things that are legitimately valuable close by. I mean that ring, even though it's the second place ring, with all those diamonds, you could probably catch a little cash for it if you needed to.
Well, I quit going to Wendover, so it should be good for a while. I'm banned from Wendover. You're banned from Wendover. Yeah. I went there with my son and my business partner, and I had broken it. I lost fifteen hands in a row. This was a number of years ago. I slammed a table. I think I broke it, and then I walked. I walked through the double doors and I went and had food there. Are we stopping on the way driving to San Francisco. And they said, Sir,
I thought it was getting a upgrade. They'll give me a room because I know I'd spent some money there. They said, you need to finish your meal and immediately leave the premises because you broke the table.
Yeah.
And I said, well, and they said, let me show you this. Oh I'm so sorry, and they said's okay, all right, you donated a good amount to us that night, but you need You're not allowed in town anymore. In town, no, I'm banned from the city. Well, I mean the gambling establishments I'm banned from. But I still can go there and play golf a good course there, Yeah, yeah, for sure. Were you playing blackjack? Was playing blackjack? You ever lost twelve in a row? Yeah, it happened.
I've had some long nights at a blackjack table. I've had some good nights at a blackjack table, but more often than not, I it's it's the old saying. You got to know when to hold them, no one, you gotta know way man if you walk away.
So what I do now?
Like we were in Vegas for Big twelve media days last year, and I very much enjoy throwing cards, like too much, so I've got to be careful with it. So I sat, I sit down. You know, I find like a ten dollars minimum table. I'm not trying to get weird, And over the course of a couple hours, I went up like two hundred and fifty bucks, right nice. And then you know, I got to work the next day, so I'm just looking at the clock. I'm like, you know what, I'm gonna play one fifty dollars hand and
see what happens, and then I'm walking away. I lost the hand, but I walked away with two hundred bucks and I played for like three hours, which I view as a big win.
I would say tremendous amount of self control. I would have played back in the old days another twelve hours, getting on a heater. That's gat problem. And if you lose, it's almost more. Gambling is bad. I don't gamble anymore, neither do I. I've retired from that. But yeah, the whole time in my life, it was just not good, as they say. But they were nice to me. The people there were very nice to me. They could have
arrested me probably, sure, Yeah, nice. So anyways, they don't gamble kids, not good.
Yeah, yeah, no, to stay away from it.
Actually, this is a funny story.
We were going through Mesquite on our way to California, and I was with my girlfriend at the time and her family, and I was I think eighteen years old and back east.
There was a spot.
Close to my hometown where you can go get fake id's in order to you know, buy whatever you need to go where you need to. And I was never, like, you know, intent on using my fake ID. And this was far before the movie super Bad came out with the mcleve fake ID. But my fake ID said I was born in Hawaii, said I was forty seven years old, and my name was John starksh the Knicks shooting guard at the time. That was my that was my hero, and I had it in my wallet more of more
as like a joke. But we're in Mesquite and I'm with my girlfriend's two brothers, older brother, younger other and we're walking around the hotel. Everyone's sleeping and Brad, the older brother, was like, hey, let's just go pull some slots, Like yeah, sure, I'd never done it before. I had a couple bucks in my pocket, so we're pulling like quarter slots and I hit one for like, I don't know, thirty dollars, right, and it's a really cool thing.
And the quarter starts spilling out.
This is way back in the day when you actually had quarters as opposed to how.
They do it now digitally. This is like one arm bandit your pell pull in the slot armand I'm like, sweet, I just made thirty bucks.
And so as the quarters come spilling out, the security guard comes walking over. Because I obviously looked young, He's like, hey, do you have any ID? And, like a moron, I pulled out my fake ID from Hawaii that says my name is John Starks and I'm forty seven years old and he looks at me. He's like, you have got to be kidding me. They arrested me. They took me to jail. My girlfriend's father had to bail me out to the tune of five hundred bucks. Wow, the first time I saw a jail cell.
It's not the spot Mesquite. That was nice. I like Misquite.
And this was in nineteen ninety six, right, So.
It's a dirt town, dude. It took you to jail in a dirt town.
They did.
They threw me in a cell with three other guys and up. You know, I'm eighteen years old.
Terrified.
I'm like, is this shashank Am? I going to die tonight? But yeah, you know, when it comes to gambling, it's like everything else. What you cannot moderate, you must eliminate. That's true, you know what I mean?
Well, speaking of the weirdest place I ever got arrest, I've been arrested twice. Once I had some tickets. I was actually going to propose. My first wife got pulled over with big le A Tomo vaugh We both went to jail. Okay, we got bailed out by a great guy, a former player of ours, a teammate of ours, Colt Sampson. Okay, he bails us out. Interesting story, but that was cool. Coach Wit didn't like that phone call. Hey, we're going to be late to the but I was on my mission.
Okay.
I'm in Sweden and I'm driving. We're late getting home. It's two lane road back and I'm just I'm driving like I'm on the I fifteen. Dude, I'm passing people yellow and I'm so we get pulled over and the policeman and I kind of played dom oh I'm sorry. I'm the dumb American. He's like, you just wait, come here and there. This is in Sweden. It's two thousand and seven, Taylor killing can he can he can vouch for this story? He was there, He pressed his play.
He's like, watch this. He hadn't. He took him forty minutes to catch me because it was a two lane road, so he was trying to catch me the whole way. He says, you're going to jail. He took me to jail, wow, on my mission in Sweden. In Sweden, and I just started praying and it was nice. He said, you can sit in the front seat, but we're gonna take you to jail, right ah. And so anyways, these elders just begged with the guy please let him out, and they let me out. But I was there for five hours
and holding cell and she leftial Sweden. What is jail like in Sweden? Oh? They gave me some cookies.
It was nice.
See.
I was gonna say, like, did you ever watch that show Locked Up for Broad There was online, I've seen it, so, I mean they tell horror stories of like what it's like being like in like a Mexican prison or you know, somewhere in South America or like Russia or something like. When you're traveling, you bet obey the law of the land, because an international jail sale doesn't really sound like the spot. But if you're gonna get arrested internationally, maybe Sweden is probably the place to do it.
And I could use a few months in a Swedish gel every once in a while. It was so nice. There were nice people, the leads are awesome. But don't gamble, kids. I'll just tell you, gambling not good. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I mean there's a reason why they build a new casino every week in the desert because we're all losing our money when we try to gamble, whether it's on sports or at tables entertainment purposes only. All right, Big day tomorrow, Yeah, Big day tomorrow, Trev.
What should our listeners know? I think we've got a good we gotta we've got a good product to go watch. All right, Snow College has got one hundred and eighty kids on their on their team. They're gonna have some nationally recruited kids. We're gonna have a few kids that you want to take a look at. And I think the product's gonna be good. We got some speed, all right. We got two corners who look like NFL guys, six' three about two hundred, pounds can run a little. Bit
we got two. Lone we got our two tackles are over six six and three. Twenty got a few quarterbacks that can sling the. Ball But i'm excited mostly for that. Product we're gonna junior college football In Salt Lake. City that's never really. HAPPENED i don't think it's happened in recent. History, recently it's been a long time if it has. Happened so that's the, thing and there's no other game in. TIME i think we're kind of kicking off college football here in the state Of. Utah you are you?
Are, now let's rewind a little bit for our listeners that still may not be. Familiar you are the general. Manager it's. Official you're THE gm of The Utah. Islanders, yeah what are The Utah? Islanders what's your our listeners?
Now.
Yep in a, nutshell we have an academic partnership With Solti Community. College now that alone helps us become legitimate and at the junior college level because we are an official school. Now but we also have opportunities for trade. School we have guys that are going To utah or B why you are playing with us because we're still a club. Team with all that being, said we are servicing the local community. Here about ninety five percent of our roster is.
Local.
Okay so that's another thing is you're gonna come see some of the great players from high school in the last couple of years and where they've, been where they're. At if you have, time we'd love to have you, tomorrow seven o'clock Right Zions May. Stadium you can buy tickets AT Uta islanders dot com or AT Uta. ISLANDERS i think it's gonna be. Fun this is, it. Right we haven't really. Recruited we had eighteen guys on the roster about seven eight weeks. Ago how many guys do
you have? Now we have over. Fifty you have over fifty. Players, yes and our offensive line we got some, size all, right we're gonna Have we're gonna average about three hundred. Pounds Ok, yeah we got some size in the d. Line we got some. Corners so it's gonna look like we're gonna look good getting off this bus right now we. Play we're gonna, see we're hoping for the best obviously effort, wise but we're excited AND i think that we're motivated to play.
Hard tell me about some of these players and kind of some of their, stories because one of the cool things THAT i think you guys have going for you is there are just so many talented athletes that don't have the same opportunities that certain players. Do if you're born in a different socioeconomic, situation or if you're plugged into a pipeline when you're, twelve, thirteen, fourteen then you're gonna play for the high school and then coach Waiting klonnie will be able to see.
YOU i told you the story anecdotally.
Before the Black top playgrounds In New York city are full of the most insanely talented basketball players you will ever. See but they were raised in impoverished. Communities they come from. Ghettos they didn't have opportunities to PLAY aau or high school. Basketball some of the greatest basketball players in the history of the sport nobody knows about because they weren't plugged
it in the pipeline the way other people. Were so this platform that you, have you're giving opportunities to really great athletes that don't have the same opportunities that maybe some of their peers. Do so tell us about some of these, stories how you have come to meet some of these, players and the opportunities you can provide people looking for something.
Similar i'll just talk about my. RIDE i like to ride home with some of the players every once in a. While, hey take, me give me ride. Home i'll feeds you a we'll. Talk so two nights, AGO i got to ride home from our. Safety he's From Carbon, Okay Carbon, utah, right coal, minor been in the. Mine. Right he's also lost a. CHILD i, mean this is a guy who's overcome and drives an hour and twenty minutes a day from pace into. Practice. Wow and so you talk about.
GRIT i mean that's. Inspiring we got A chilean, Kid, okay was That Texas Tech it didn't work. Out then he was at The Ogden, jets and then he was with Another he's been out in this, country traveling around him by, himself trying to find a team to play. For we got a guy who played college, basketball has never played. Football but then we also HAVE i got a guy who played At Iowa Western Ia central last.
Year oh. Cool we have some guys now that aren't just these, stories but we have kids that have overcome a. Lot and you, said the west side of town is full of these. Guys you, know we don't have the blacktops, here but we got the west side of. TOWN i call it, right and you know What i'm talking, about everybody out, there the west side of, town west side of, fifteen and interesting things go on there and sometimes kids fall through the. Cracks but we also have kids who
are going TO. Byu. Right we have kids that are From Saint george and from great famis just great all around. STRUCTURE i would say we have kids in all The appropria. Kids was with the kid last. Night he's twenty six years. Old he works for the. Prison he's AN, emt great guy. Man he was a receiver in junior. College now he's six five two four he's playing D n for. Us we're a little longest yard, there, Right we're trying to dabble in all. Places, yeah i'd say this first, season right,
especially we're gonna have a lot more of these. Stories but our goal is to be a, legitimate big time. Program and you got to start Somewhere, okay we're. Late we were late to, start BUT i think we've put together a pretty good roster and our goal is to win every. Game but our goal mainly is to help these kids go to the next. Level we're not competing for a. Championship we're competing for these kids to get picked up.
Well and the old saying like the best time to start was ten years, ago the second best time to start is.
Today you can only start where you.
Start how are people getting like how are you getting the word? Out like when when you hear from, players like how are they hearing about this?
Opportunity it's been just a all over the, place right from even talking to someone on the, tracks right and then they talk to somebody or seeing someone at church or the. RADIO i, mean this has been a great platform for. US i think that people find out that we're, serious right because you know these things they come and, go sometimes spend so many. Times you've seen minor league football, before, sure yeah a. LOT i was on a team and it was here and it was. Gone, right we were
sitting in a meeting And Dennis erickson's. Talking then all of a, SUDDEN i, said, coach the league's been folded. Right that happened here a few years. Ago so now that we're with the college, THOUGH i just want to reiterate that to. Everybody we are a legitimate Academic we have an legitimate academic partnership with all the community. College so we're not backyard. Boogie. Okay a lot of the
stories you're going to hear. Them they they're, interesting, right the fact that we have kids that are willing to go as far From South, america you, know to come here to play. Football we always have a saying around, us if you provide an opportunity for people to, play they'll. Come they say that if you build, it they will. Come all cliche, there but in all, reality this is what we've.
Done.
Right Chris helen and his Wife jess screen protect that's a our main. Sponsor they've left kept us sing alive over the. Years it was a semi pro, team and Then chris had this. Vision, yo let's get with. Solid why Is Sali Community college not have a football? PROGRAM i mean that's a Question i'm Sure spence you've asked, before like why they have a great basketball their baseball programs nastually ranked this. Show why are we not playing
football very. Fair so we're filling the. Void and after this, season especially when it's when our season, ends, man we're gonna start, recruiting, Okay AND i think that we're going to have a good shot to, really really really build a program when we start being able to really recruit.
Well and this is a good time of year to talk about this BECAUSE i would imagine there are people listening to the show that maybe you're a, parent or you're an, uncle or you have a neighborhood kid who you feel like is a really talented. Player maybe he doesn't love, class maybe he's not making, grades maybe you, know he's gone sideways a little, bit and we won't have an opportunity to instantly go To utah go TO.
Buyu and with a solid community college, partnership you have the ability to offer them a chance to yota class and get some credits and get the grades. Up and if they do that and then join your program and actually learn how to play football at a high, level the opportunities that they could receive as a result of that path seem to be pretty endless if you keep going in the right.
Direction here's a quick story a, Right so The chilean guy is Named. Desusa all, right great, kid great. Story he has been doing this thing by himself right just he's twenty two years, old just traveling around trying to figure it. OUT a local guy here Named Tom, bower he adopts. Him i'm your grandpa right. Here here's the. Story he's, Like i'm gonna help. You So tom introduced
me to these guys Black Ridge. Fleet, right they put together service trucks and all kinds of special, trucks you, know men those cranes on the back of pickup trucks and the Nap heed. TRAILERS i, mean they work with the garths and, amazing, huge huge. Facilities it's where they used to Print Deseret news way out west right when the print industry went Down spence they filled. It they're doing trucks. Now. Anyways to get to the, point we were in there today talking to these, guys and they're
full of, technicians. Right they need guys that have known the. Trades, yep we're offering that right now at our. Place you can do a trade and still play. Football that's not something that anyone else is really. DOING i think we're the only one THAT i. Know we've gotten a few calls from other teams that are interested in our. Model but the model is such that we can actually help
these kids in the community right. Here they can go to school, here play football, here and then we can put them immediately into a. Job yeah it's and, say well that's basic for every. College, yeah but now we're this is legitimate for. Us, now this is a real. Thing we had to talk today about. It, hey we want to have a, partnership but we're linking this. Together we need to send some of our technicians that we are going to grit we want to send them to you,
Guys and so it's already kind of. Starting the momentum is. Starting, MAN i, Know i'm so happy WHEN i saw we have about fifty kids that are going to. School so that's a big deal for. Us it's a huge. Deal we got fifty kids in. School everybody very happy about. That so before we.
Catch a, break we'll do some mutes coming, up tell us all the info we need to know for. Tomorrow what the scene's going to be, like your the atmosphere is going to be, like we're everything we need to.
Know, okay LIVE, dj all, right it's gonna be you know football. Game it's gonna be junior college and it's gonna BE i Think Snow college is nationally. Ranked we're this is our first. Game it reminds me Of Jackson stay a little, bit right when we came into, town or When dion came into. Town we played AN nai school from From florida And Edwards waters was the name of it IN espn came out for it and it was one of those games where we just had to get a game that we wanted to get on the.
Field and this is kind of one of those things where we're just. Excited this is our first game as an official college football. Team SO i would say you could expect a lot of excitement right first. Games there's always crazy stuff that happens and we're hoping to minimize. That but they see the biggest improvements between the first and sane, Games so both of, us this would be
a first. Game and THEN i would, say you're gonna see great, effort all, Right you're gonna see some great effort from kids or local and it's gonna be a fun.
Time so tickets can be found At Utai islanders dot.
Com you low was five, Dollars baby come on, out bring the, family roll on out if you're thirsty for some. Football starts at three. Pm is that?
Right?
Yeah we Got Brian blecken AT dc. Nice we've Got Senny bonnuku d line. Coach how About Steve savoy? Receivers there you, Go john new offensive line love. It, Okay so we got a bunch of Former utes and other guys in the. Community we'd love to see you. Guys please come, on come on. Out starts at three o'clock. Tomorrow Utah islanders dot com is where you go for. Information like any good.
Coach it's sounded update the game plan for a healthy green. Lawn as the hot weather continues this, month make sure you're using IFA's step Three summer Lawn food for healthy turf that stays green in every. Season IFA's step three Lawn. Food it's the ultimate lawn owner power move AT. Ifa Trevor riley one of the best to ever do it at The university Of, utah a LONGTIME NFL, vet now the general manager Of Utah islanders is live in. Studio go To Utah islanders dot. Com it's The fire And
Ice bowl tomorrow three o'clock to ten o'clock At Designs Bank. Stadium, yeah out In, herriman that's where it's.
Up.
Yeah it's a great facility the, women, okay and the indoors used by everybody in the. Community but come on. Out we're the first football secondary FOOTBALL i call it In utah this. SEASON i think, yes, indeed, yes. Indeed so food, trucks, right so you can feed the kid outs food trucks and we got good ball and a LIVE. Dj AND i think it's going to be. Exciting it'll be. Fun there you.
GO i like, It so head on out and support this new. Endeavor all, right Trev you have been able to spend some time up at practice for the utes and talk to some players and, coaches AND i don't want to speak for, you but you feel pretty confident that this year is going to go well For utah.
Football, yeah is that fair to? SAY i. DO i think that nil has been. WEIRD i Think utah has kind of figured out what they're how they're going to handle it right, now, Okay AND i feel like the kids are, motivated they're gonna chip on their shoulder that last year was not, acceptable and even the year before it was kind of a, letdown, Right so this is kind of THE i JUST i think it's gonna be a good. SEASON i think the luck is coming our. Way we're going to stay, healthy, right the breaks are
going to go, away because sometimes that doesn't. Happen sometimes you get a double wam where you know the ball isn't bounce you away and you get. HURT i feel like this is our, year AND i think we got a good. Quarterback he's, poised you. Know that's the WORD i like to use with. Him he's. Poised and obviously we Got Morgan. Scalley, okay we got Coach. Witt Morgan, scalley we Got Jason. BECK i like our three headed monster. THERE i think those three guys are as good as
anyone in that. CONFERENCE i really believe.
That, yeah, No i'm with. You we Had morgan on last last. Hour it's good to catch up with him for a little. Bit do you Think morgan is chomping at the bit to take? OVER i didn't want to ask him. That and, look, Obviously Coach wit is Coach, wit and he has earned the right to tell us when he's. Done BUT i have to imagine at some, point if you've been told like you're next for a lot of.
Years at some point you want to be. Next so after we win all our games this year and we go to the playoff and have a great, season right when we have a reunion of this team in ten, years we need to sit those two guys down and let's, say let's have a real. Conversations what was really going through your head right before we've? Won Coach, Skelly, yeah AND i think we can all feel in a read between the lines there you probably wants to be the head.
Coach BUT i think he. Understands you, know this happened. Before Remember John, peace of, course coach Brought John pace back After klane left for one, season AND i always reference that he did it and it worked out. Right morgan ended up taking a lot of that work and doing most of the. Work in my, opinion Probably john's. OLD i Think john was in his late sixties at that. Point but, anyways it's not the same exact. Thing but, Again morgan's gonna have his. Time at the same, TIME
i wouldn't be surprised if somebody tries to poach. Him another team tried to make him an. Offer, dude if you're running a top ten defense every every, year you're gonna eventually someone's gonna offer you enough money where you're gonna think about. It at least at LEAST i.
Would, YEAH i mean it's inter. Like there have been rumors that LIKE sc wanted him as their. Decoordinator there have been rumors that some smaller schools when he was a little bit, younger wanted him to take over as a head. Coach and, look there is preston for. This there have been other quote head coach isn't. Waiting they just got sick of waiting and wanted to be a head, coach and so it took opportunities.
Elsewhere do you Remember Texas Mac brown and, yeah man Must chant that's. Right, yeah there you Go. FLORIDA i think he took that. Gig that's anyways It i'm hoping that it works BECAUSE i love both those. GUYS i Think Kyle morgan basically raised me WHEN i was twenty. One they made me into, it not as a crazy person AS i could have. Been they smoothed me. Out but not enough talk About kyle. TOO i Think kyle his game in game decision making right is as good
as anyone. There, ever there's ever been in the, game he, said a few, fumbles but not. Really the only ONE i can think of is That washington game right years. Ago someone will remind me about this with the exact situation but time out and then they scored on some. Players, yeah that's about the only. Time and even THAT i would have done the same. Thing this guy is a master of in game decision. Making and then you Got, morgan who's a genius on, defense and SO i think
he's probably waiting to see. YOU i want TO i want to see IF i can do this on the whole, team because he's kind of mastered calling. Defense, dude he's really really really, good like really Good. Morgan oh He's oh, YEAH i mean second to. None SO i think there's somebody you asked me how that's. GONE i think some of those feelings ARE i they'd be in my, head LIKE i, WONDER i THINK i can do this for the whole. Team but at the same, time he Got, kyle who's still coaching his rear. Off, sure and so
it's this weird. THING i don't, know, MAN i Think kyle probably wants to stay as long as he wants to, stay, Right he's not like sticking it to. Anybody he's just, LIKE i want to keep coaching AND i have it in, Me And morgan's, like, WELL i Guess i'm. Here but, again how much money would it? Take all, right let's put you in that, Shoes. Spence if someone Says i'm gonna give you seven million dollars a, year it can be the head.
COACH i don't, WELL i don't know the specifics Of morgan's contract when he takes, over but that's close to What kyle, makes, Right SO i think it would have to be a lot more than, That okay For. MORGAN i think it would have to be more than a couple. MIL i think it would have to, be you, know closer to like nine or ten.
Mil so let's say they come out have a top defense this, year we make the, playoff, right we make a, run someone's gonna come, knock AND i would.
BET i think it would have to be a big. JOB i think it would have to be A big ten or AN sec. SCHOOL i don't think he would jump to Another big twelve. SCHOOL i think it would have to be you, know like a like a big college football brand that has a very safe landing. Spot regardless of what the future of college football looks. Like because, look if we're honest, HERE i believe that Both utah AND byu are in a safe, spot both currently and
in the. Future BUT i know that the list of schools ahead of them are so if it's one of the top twenty blue blood programs in the country that has a landing spot and the big ten of THE sec that has done their calculation On Morgan, scalley they decide they want a jettison a head, coach and they say we're going to give you a six, year sixty five million dollar. Offer then if You're, morgan you have to look at.
That it's just one of those things that we were talking what, If but the weirder things have, happened of, Course and we're talking About texas. Again that guy Left. Texas, dude you're coaching waiting To. Texas, yeah that's a BIG i, Mean utah is a good, gig don't get, sure sure, Sure, Yeah exus is an unlimited. Coffers, dude they got. FUNDS i, mean they got so much money on what to do
with it relative to the. Sport SO i just Think i'm waiting to SEE i Think i'm waiting to, see BUT i believe this team this year is going to have a fantastic. Season.
YEAH i, mean like you, KNOW i do believe That morgan is the Ultimate utah. Man you, know he never even considered going anywhere, else even though he was an insanely awesome high school running. Back they probably could have played. Anywhere he wanted to play At. Utah he's wanted to coach At. Utah and my true belief is the dream job For Morgan scalley is to be the head coach Of utah. FOOTBALL i do wonder if do you Think
morgan knows When kyle is? Done do you think there's a plan in place that none of us really know.
THAT i don't think, so you don't think. SO i don't even know Of. Kyle and some days you want to, coach some days you. DON'T i kind of retired from, coaching AND i was very not even close to these guys as the, resume BUT i had done it for a few years AND i JUST i didn't want to do it. Anymore, yeah and even Now i'm not really coaching, Now i'm general. Managing but sometimes it happens that, way at least in my own. LIFE i only speak for.
MYSELF i woke a couple of MORNING i don't want to coach, anymore and that may come, back But kyle may have that one. Day could, be it could be at the end of the. Season it could. Be he's not that. Old, no we'll.
See and the other thing about, that like he's not that old and he's young for a sixty five year, Old like he keeps himself in good. Shape he does not look like he's aging at. All and every TIME i see him or top to, him he has that same energy that he did when you were.
Playing he's, sharp, Man he's still sharp as, attack, right AND i think he's evolving with this nil and he's got an unbelievable. Staff so it's just there's a lot of, drama all, right this is this is there's storylines, here, okay and what's going to? Happen? Right And god forbid we lose a few right, now and that's when things get all crazy around you, know people start talking smack
and all this, stuff and people start having. Opinions So i'm rooting For i'm rooting for a. Playoff Bit, okay, well how many is is?
It?
Twelve teams this, year twelve. Teams i'm rooting for a, playoff But i'm telling you we need to manifest this The. Utah we need to be in that playoff this, year, Baby i'm telling you that'd be.
Great and you know the other thing, is in the history of the, sport there have been coaches that have aged out of the job that just don't want to go. Away but that's just Not. Kyle it's just not who he. Is you don't get the feeling like The, obviously the Ten state stuff With sandusky was, awful But paterno had aged out of the job far before he got forced.
Out let me tell you, what, Dude joe pa was in the, box, right didn't even have a headset On god bless the.
Guy.
Right, sure but there's rumors he had a drinking. Problem those are. RUMORS i can't substantiate. That these are just locker room. Talk but that's just so there's guys like, That And i'm crapping On joe a little bit only because that's not. Good. Right you can't be drinking on the job if that's a real, thing and you can't be you can't be not coaching if you it's a real, thing and so nobody wants to see. THAT i don't Think kyle's anywhere close to. That, No, no not that we're close to.
THAT i, mean, really that's my, Point, like if he wanted to do this for another, three four or five, years he's fully capable of doing.
IT i don't think anybody argues. That just about In swedish they, say, orca does he really have the, effort does he want to put the effort into does he want to spend the? Time? Yeah and he seems sharp as attack to. Me so it's just a lot of. Storylines what if THE, oc what if we have a top ten? Offense, okay then THE oc is going to get looked at it and it's just out and it's a natural. Progression and SO i could see a thing, where you, know both, coaches both coordinators could leave at
the end of the. Season, yeah not because of the, animosity but if we have that good of a seizing, everybody that's what, happens. Dude people get people get.
Promoted Ohio state has a new, staff, RIGHT i, mean you win, championships your your coordinators are going to be. Poached detroit didn't even win The Super. Bowl they're replacing both their. Coordinators philly's had to replace coordinators every. Year of, course it happens when you have a great. Seat and do you think there's anything about the outcome of the season that would Motivate kyle one way or the. Other let's say you're right and they go to THE, cfp they win The Big Twelve.
Championship it's a double digit win.
Team let's say they win eleven, games they go to THE cfp even win a. Game do you think that's a situation Where kyle Goes, OKAY i can leave this place in a very good spot For morgan to now take the baton and.
Run WHAT i would do IF i Was, kyle and this is if it was. Me i've never spoken To. Kyle if you just that situation, Happened i'd leave and take another job for more. Money i'd leave in going and Say i'm starting. Over this is my real. Retirement, now i'spen the next seven years right hanging out In South florida or wherever the heck it would be. Right or go TO la and take that sc. Job you know that's going to open. Up maybe that job's going to open. Up if they don't win this.
Year.
EVERYBODY i really believe. That, yeah and they Love kyle with. Him they've been talking about K dubb for a lot of. Years, right his dad was IN la with The rams and The. Raiders kyle's from. THERE i wouldn't be surprised if they brought back the old, school. Right so there's a lot of options when you. Win there's a lot of options when you. Win that's WHAT i would, do you said about, Me i'd Leave utah and After i'd win all those, Games i'd go take another. Gig that's a weird, take
but that's WHAT i would. Do i'd BE i, go let's come, On, Morgan i'll see you in the. Trenches let's.
Go that is such a wild visual to. Picture coach went on one side coaching Against. Morgan, no we want to see that. Though that's how much success we want to. Have we want to have these twelve one, seasons, guys we want to see coaches move. On right where this is a program where that has not had a lot of coach.
Attrition who? Leaves the assistants aren't promoting themselves to be coordinators because they love living, here they love working for coach with they don't Leave Ben Jim hardy's been there since twenty. Fourteen, guys dang.
It, yeah coach a, lot you know for all the conversation, like oh he elected to step, Aside, no he didn't. Like andy was clearly asked to find something else to do with his time after the offense couldn't figure it. Out talk to me About at Our Utah FOOTBALL vip, event you addressed the group and talked about just the sheer size of the old line just out there.
Big these kids are guys when we get off this, bus, right we're gonna look like we're AN nfl. Team we look like AN Nfl Pro bowl. Team as far as the offensive, line they're, Huge they're well, trained, right they don't have. Guts these are. Big Remember Nate, solder, sure, okay play we played At. Colorado he was our left tackle for The patriots for a number Of Super bowl. Runs he had like a six pack at three hundred. Pounds he was like six.' eight he used to beat me, in,
gassers right he was kind. Of embarrassing THAT'S why i was a backup Guys Like. Nate solder but we got guys who look, like, THAT right i call him. Freak shows, you know you find him at, Freak, shows like look at. This, guy man he's he's running in the, sixty six he's three hundred and. Twenty pounds he's got some ads. Like this these guys are done a great. Job, Recruiting, Right, Lomu Right Highland? High, School, Right jim i'm still waiting
For my. Christmas card he played for, My, BROTHER right, i, say hey you check this. Kid out then then they got comp. At center hey there's another. Five star and then the. Other tackle they got This kid fano who, you know so he'd better. Be good we're, paying. Him right and then so these guys are all. ALL potential i call him top one. Hundred guys top one hundred to me is that first three rounds right?
To?
Me first the third round is really you can you know if The team, mike said, they take if, they don't you dropped to the second. Or third we got three guys in the offensive line and maybe four uh one of. Them guards, YOU know i don't talk a lot about guards because. They're whatever but we got three guys who are maybe top. One hundred we should win a lot, Of, games spence if we, stay healthy we should mow people. Over Well And michael mokafisi has thirty. Three,
starts yeah and he's gonna get. A look we don't even talk. About.
HIM like espn ranked their top one hundred players in college football. This Week spencer fino came in. At seven that's regardless. Of position that's not the seventh best tackle in. The country that's the seventh best player in. The country and We can he reminds Me of sewol a. Little bit oh okay. A pinay he's just a. Freak ATHLETE and i coached this His. Brother nephi those guys don't grow, on. Trees, man yeah these Are like hellodi people and Talk. About
morgan morgan used to tell Stories about hello in. High School And john pace told me this. Is good this is a, rumor story but it's kind of a. Cool story his parents approached him about.
Skipping college is this the thing where we can skip college and just go right to the league, for, yes yeah and AND and i wasn't around for all, that STUFF but i know that these guys when they. Come. Around Man garrett bowles is. ANOTHER one i trained, with him. ALL right i remember training with Him At dave. Stroshein's place he was a. Freak show he Was At snow college and this guy was there for. A semester he walked in, and say can you get? Me insurance i'm
going to. The draft after this kind of laughed and we, were, Like, what no he's and he was. As Built so utah's Had the State. Of utah we we've produced some monster guys that CAN and, I, think hellodi, you know it's kind of the standard there when you when you think, about guys we might have two of those guys on. This roster that's wild to think. About it, utah man.
Tell me, you know you you were mainly a Linebacker, for utah but you were did You Play?
LITTLE deanna I played danna on? Third down? Third downs or if we played a ten or eleven personnel TEAM and i played. The, End okay but to, your point defensive end is a. Fighting position it's just fighting right offensive tackle and d d n's you fight each other for an. Entire, game yeah if you're It's.
The.
Gladiators Okay so i'm kind of a more off the. Ball Guy But john, PA's Right And kyle whittingham that the Greatness. Of kyle they they made me. Get, tough no you're gonna, do, This dude You're gonna you're gonna Go Against zane beatles every. Single day and it was. Refiner spire we sharpened. Each other Caleb schlutter, off right used to head by him in, the, FACE right i had no chance to beat. These guys so you start becoming kind of, a, Dog right and so you can
imagine how our defensive line is. Gonna, look well that's whase they're. Training.
Against, dude, yeah well and THAT'S what i wanted to, ask you because on a couple of different occasions, last year after the B y u game was one, of Them coach witt, himself said we are losing the battles and, the trenches which is not something You hear kyle say about his. His, line now there were some health issues last Year With logan fano and others, going down so all of us are on the same page that this old line is going to be. Incredibly dominant but what
about the. Other side what have you what have you seen from The front on the, other side.
There's a guy on there who's about as old as could Be, VIA mahey i coached him, all right that was a long. TIME ago i think we recruited him in. Twenty eighteen he's. In there he's, the center is the heart and soul, that defense in my opinion's the guy who's been in. The lungs then They, Got, Barton okay barton's going to be all over the field. This year then they got The other. Fano boy so those three guys, in particular, old strong, great athletes and they're training against
these monsters on the other side. On paper we should light, it, Up dude i'm telling we should be lighting these. Dudes. Up man you remember, twenty eighteen we were playing cover two on first and second Down With John Pennasini lucky. Foe two we were. Killing, people man that's the TYPE of i see that type. Of personnel we don't even have to blitz. That much we'll go we'll light you with a four. Man rush and those are the defenses
are scary you because then what do you? Do do we were playing cover two on, first down, second down giving up three and three and a half. A down we were, killing. People scaly we had those guys, dialed, In MAN so I think i'm looking for a repeat performance twenty eighteen defense maybe a. Little, better okay, ALL right i do like.
The confidence what about the BALANCE before i set you loose? On, Offense, speaking look they've got two running backs they like. A lot they've got a quarterback that can run looking like, the wind and we saw. LAST year i just continue to be a little Skeptical because devin's passing numbers weren't great a. Year AGO and i just don't know about these. WIDE receivers i just don't know.
About, them well that's always the Thing. About utah we. Don't, Know okay bayle just, showed, up, Dude right i'm, here man, Right right and obviously you know he just got traded by the way they Did. The, saints yeah but we've had a history of pulling receivers out of our. Rear, ent okay when the time, is needed we've pulled, him. Out right we've had a few of. Those guys there's this kid. NUMBER eighteen i don't know, his name but he transferred in late or he's a. Recent guy the
all kid, can. RUN right i saw him. At practice he looks. PRETTY good i think we got this. SLOT receiver i. Don't, KNOW sorry i don't know. The names light skin guy slot received movie is a white guy slot. Receiver heat. He's good but the quarterback in, the system to me is what really is? Gonna work my only question mark is it? Running back and no one's talking
about the tight. End room fred's got four. Of them fred's got four, of, them dude we had four of them before We had remember We, had cole We, had brandt we had, this Guy Remember, dalton kincage and so. You have we had some guys that that could. Do it but the running BACK room i still don't. KNOW about I think mark's gonna have those guys ready. To
go we always seem to have a, good Back but spence. Running, back right if we can run the ball for five yards of carry on first and second down six yards, of carry? Watch out do you.
Think we'll see? Balance though because it part of me feels like we're gonna see, a rush. Heavy attack they ran for three thousand last Year In. New, mexico YEAH so i think the coach would. Like, That right we're gonna, have uptempo spread. Run game, but again, this quarterback. He's, accurate right last year.
Was whatever but with this offensive line and this, RUN game i think we're GONNA have i. SEE us i think you should complete over sixty five percent of his, boss right just to, be FRANK and i think you should probably have close to twenty. Touchdowns, passing okay those. Are marks i'm.
Looking forward if, That happens it'll be a. SUCCESSFUL year i. Think So, all, right buddy great to. See you have fun tomorrow and whatever you need to let. Us, know Okay. Thanks Vince, all right The Great. Trevor riiley before we catch a break to get into the five o'clock hour of, the program we Welcome in ryan From The.
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Seven four less than two weeks away from, week one it will Be the cowboys And the Eagles.
In philly speaking speaking Of, The eagles medlife tonight taking On.
The jets We've, Got falcons, Cowboys, Tonight, vikings titans And Then bears Chiefs And caleb williams is expected to play For. The bears and, then yeah, Week one, september fourth so right around. The corner as, of tomorrow we are one week Away from utah FOOTBALL and byu Football And utah state. As well but of course week zero gets going tomorrow morning, ten am so an early kicktime OUT of Espn In dublin island where It'll Be iowa State And. Kansas state
so football season. Is here you guys made it and know a lot of you wait all year long for this time of year and fall us right around. The corner so fun time for us on, the station fun time to talk sports in, this market, All right porter one Of, the well you, never know with the weather and, the state we could have beautiful weekends all the way Up. Through october you, never know but there's a chance that
our warm weather weekends. Are dwindling as somebody who enjoys getting out into the wild and drinking water from pure sources, and such what do you have planned for?
This weekend anything fun that definitely getting taking.
Advantage of as you mentioned one of one of the, last weekends there's a there is a little bit of a stormfront, moving in, so okay, all right, Calm, Down hey i'll.
Take advantage if It, Rains sunday i'm gonna be mad. At you don't be mad. At me WHO should i be? Mad at it'll be in, the, AFTERNOON though i think you might be able to get you. Round it where do you get your?
WEATHER information i Just Use, Farmers, farmers yeah like an App called Farmers or farmers, literal farmers and they know it's. Probably reliable, It is yeah, it. Is yea, So yeah well we'll get.
Some Moisture but i'll be outside this weekend enjoying what will be kind of the last. REAL listen i unplug when it comes off, season, time right so the, Sports stuff i'll really start dialing into some hoops off Season some utah, you know, roster stuff, some opponents big. Twelve teams i'll start to watch a bunch of film and get ready, for, it because to be, completely honest once football season, is over once basketball season, is OVER while
i do pay attention to some golf and some. Soccer, stuff obviously we do the show every day and that keeps me somewhat in. THE loop i kind of turn off the notifications the sports stuff for a good portion of. The Summer so i'm going to take advantage. Of that and then, Next, week spence, it's Uh it's utah, football season so we'll be we'll be full, steam ahead.
And you will be Hosting our utah football pregame coverage. ONCE again i believe that's official.
Courl.
Be uh we'll be live four hours before kickoff each and every.
Game day uh brought You By. Red bull shout out To.
Red bull, got Out red bull gives you weeks indeed. And confirm, so yeah, we'll uh we'll be live four hours before Kickoff. Every saturday there'll be a mixed match of. FORMER utes i am excited To Have zach moss on the show through uh through some of. The weeks he'll he's obviously doing some, Rehab, stuff, so uh we'll take advantage of. His Services, Trevor Riley, robert johnson the, usual
suspects maybe a stop In. FROM sly I Know, kenna scott who we talked to on the show a few, days ago is going to be in town for the.
Rivalry game he's going to join me for. That one so, uh yeah looking forward. To, IT uh i think seven years now of doing the, pregame show and and that's THAT'S what. I like i like breaking down a defense and looking at, an opponent and, you know looking forward to to what you're gonna see on a, game day and and uh, that's uh that's coming.
Your way what eight days from?
Right now will you discuss the POTENTIAL of ucla utilizing the?
Spider Too? Why, banana, yeah, okay good we'll get to it if.
You.
Want good uh do you think you could get a hit Off A Little League world? Series? Pitcher yes. SO DO i don't KNOW why i brought.
That up Every time i'm WATCHING, On tv, I'M like i would rope off.
These, KIDS yeah, i, mean listen there there's a few.
Of.
Them right here's.
The deal We're Watching Little League world series and this is the age where like two or three of the kids have hit puberty, right right and they're like. Almost men some of, Those kids i'm sure could strike me out and sit, me down. No problem but there's a few teams that make their way Into The Little League world series, and, like okay that that that kid's gotten. NOOD alarm i could. TAKE him i could take him to.
The, YARD yeah, I mean i could give you a two for five DOUBLE two rbi night off some of these twelve.
Year ols i'm pretty confident.
In, that yeah maybe maybe NEED some, Bp, first, yeah right, for sure for sure get.
Dialed IN but I think i get hit.
Off, THEM yeah i, do too, All, right porter before we, say goody what comes? Our way On a monday edition of, The, show Ye.
A monday edition of, the program it is officially. Football season we'll have A Recap, Iowa State kansas State. In Dublin stevenson sylvester will join. The Program, josh furlong are a p voter here in the in, the market will join. The Show, bill riley the voice Of, the utes will join.
The program we'll HAVE some rsl on. The show and It's a monday during college, football season so you KNOW where i will be up on The Hill kyle whittingham his press conference that'll come to you LIVE on espn, seven hundred and then of course you'll likely hear it back in the afternoon.
As well there, you go so we will say. Good night join us For a monday edition of the show special thank you Today to Chris com ronnie Live. In Dublin, morgan scaley defensive coordinator FOR. The Us It's paul pugmyer for some tour championship talk and an hour long conversation with one of the most Interesting guys i've ever met.
In, my life That Is.
Trevor riley if you miss anything any of the sound from the, show today you guys know what to. Do now the touch POINTS are espn, seven hundred sports dot, com online take us on the go with our mobile APP dot espn seven hundred app is available In The app store In The Google.
Play store then for what we do in.
Our space if you miss any, of it it's hard to be in your car for four hours.
Every day the.
Good news is the modern day and age of consuming. This stuff it's all online on our. Podcast page it Is Called the Drive With. Spence Check it's it's available wherever you get, your shows, so subscribe, rate reviews saying nice things in, the comments and give us all. The stars it actually does Help. For Port i'm spence, saying tonight have a, great. Weekend guys, enjoy yourself be good, to yourself and be good to. Each other be safe.
Out there we'll talk to you On a, monday edition a game week edition for the utes Of the drive and, as always can find it right HERE on espn seven hundred NINETY. Two andfm we are proud to be Part OF Utah's espn.
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