Right, what is going on?
It is drivetime, it's a Wednesday, It's about ten minutes past the hour of two o'clock. Little chili, getting chili outside, getting ready for essentially our first cold front of the fall. We've had such a mild, warm fall that we are about two get our first snowstorm. It looks like up in the mountains. Not sure we'll be affected here down in the benches, but it's about to get cold over the next couple of days.
Going to be a chili weekend.
Should be a chili night in Provo on Friday night for Oklahoma State.
Should be a chili night.
On Saturday night for Utah as they welcome in TCU. So, of course, college football top of mind this week, college football top of mine this time of year. Utah is going to try to get right against Texas Christian Saturday night at eight thirty Rice ecl Stadium here in Salt Lake City. Our pregame coverage on the radio side will begin four hours prior to kick, as it always does, will have you taken care of starting at four thirty on Saturday.
So we'll get you ready for that game.
Wednesday is kind of the day where we get you halfway through your work week, we get you one day closer to the weekend, and we kind of turned the page into what happened a week ago, and we start to look out to the weekend and talk about kind of what's at stake now for BYU. They put themselves in a fantastic spot. They're a top the Big Twelve conference standings right now. They have not lost a football game.
They're three to zero conference, they're six to oh overall, and right now that line has moved a couple of times towards the way the BYU Cougars. As of right now, they're a nine point five point favorite in provo over the reeling Oklahoma State Sooners, who at this excuse me, Cowboys, who at this point have probably been the most disappointing team in the entire Big Twelve. I think youth fans who probably say Utah has been but Oklahoma State who
was picked to finish well. Some people pick them to win the whole conference. I think the media picked them to finish third in Kansas State and Utah, and the Vegas odds had Utah one, Kansas State two, and Oklahoma State at three.
And Mike Gundhy is fighting.
Off rumors in Stillwater that his days may be numbered and they're trying to get bull eligible. So it's a big weekend of local college football and a big weekend of course national college football, as well.
A lot of ranked matchups.
This time of year, most of the Dog games are behind us until later on in the season when the SEC team schedule a bunch of cakewalks as they always do. But we'll get ready for a big game down in Austin, Georgia and Texas Top five matchup at dk R Texas Memorial Stadium. So there's a bunch of big time college football games.
Of course, both locally and nationally.
Big twelve continues to try to sort itself out where the pretenders are being revealed and the contenders are left standing. Iowa State's a fourteen point favorite over UCF and ames kind of the sneaky interest game in Morgantown, as Kansas State is going to be taken on West Virginia and Kansas State is only a three point favorite. West Virginia is a pretty decent football team this year, They've only
lost to teams that are undefeated. Actually, Colorado will be down in Tucson at Arizona Stadiums take on of course Arizona. We have Houston, Kansas, and another kind of sneaky big game in Cincinnati Nippert Stadium, Arizona State Cincinnati. Cincinnati is actually a six point five point favorite over Kenny Dillingham. Surprise Arizona State Sun Devil. So exciting week of college football ahead and we'll get you ready for that on
the show today. A couple of unusual NFL transactions with some wide, really good wide receivers on the move, as DeVante Adams is expected to play for the New York Jets on Sunday against the Steelers, and Amari Cooper is going to go play for the Buffalo Bills.
A lot of.
Injury news, unfortunately, we'll get to some of that. On the pro football side. Get you ready for your pro football weekend that will be in on Thursday night as Denver is in the Big Easy to take on the Saints. You can hear that game on our radio station after this show finishes at six o'clock. We have RSL back on the pitch this weekend after a little bit of a restpit, little bit of a break. It's the final match of the regular season. And Demir Krylock and Vancouver
are in town. The white Caps are in town to take on RSL coming up at seven o'clock on Saturday. With a win, ray Al saw Lake will set a single season point record for the club. And that's not nothing. Man, Jason Christ had four or five real elite years here when he was the manager, So of course pulling for RSL. They've already locked in a home playoff match and they are trying to potentially move up depending on some results ahead of them, as it will be the final day
of the MLS regular season. The Utah Hockey Club, after suffering their first loss to the Devils, are back at it tonight to fly cross country.
They're to take on the Ducks in Anaheim.
That's gonna be an eight o'clock the puckle drop at eight o'clock and Anaheim. We're gonna talk some Utah Hockey Club on the show today. And the Utah Jazz continue their preseason action as we're getting ready for the regular season coming up next week.
The Jazz are gonna have one more preseason game.
It's at Portland coming up on Friday, and they beat Sacramento last night.
At this point, they're four to.
One of the preseason, which doesn't mean anything but watching some of the preseason stuff, trying to learn what Will has in mind with some of his rotations, and get to know some of these new players, some of these young players they're gonna be watching that we're gonna be watching for the Utah Jazz all year long. So it is the great time of year where we can talk a little bit of everything college football, Pro football, RSL soccer,
Utah Hockey Club, Jazz basketball as well. And we've got guests to talk about all of that as we are out and about today. We are at beer bar. Okay, So here's what we have and we don't usually have these, so you guys should take advantage of it. If you've never checked out our tailgate, our ESPN seven hundred tailgate, highly recommend it.
Okay, So we're.
Gonna have a tailgate prior to the TCU game, and we are located right by the Smith's tailgate, like the massive setup where like Bill and Sly and Scott kind of do some pregame stuff before the walk. We've got free food from Wingers, we have spirits from our friends down at the clear Water Distillery, in Utah County.
They roll up and.
Provide the spirits. So come on by beer bar and say what's up. I'll limit it to two per person, but I do have about ten and might even have a little bit more. So if you're looking for something to do prior to kick on Saturday before the Utah TCU game, obviously a massive game for a lot of reasons, come on by beer bar, say what's up.
ESPN seven hundred van is right out front.
Come on in and say hello, and we will hook you up with a couple of passes for our tailgates prior to Utah TCU on Saturday. Again, it's gonna be chili, but we have warm food. We have some craft cocktails from clear Water. If you're not a drinker, there are plenty of soda and water options as well.
So that's where we're at today. Beer Bar.
It's one sixty twenties two hundred south right downtown in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Over one hundred beers with thirty of them on tap.
They've got great burgers and brought side of fries, salad, soups, so made sourdo Brett as well. So located in the heart of downtown at one sixty Oneies two hundred south.
The ESPN seven hundred van is right out front.
All right, Our first guest on this Wednesday afternoon is gonna be Kyle Bonnagerro. Kyle joins us from time to time on a pretty consistent basis the top college football Big twelve football Utah Football. Will get to some BYU stuff with Kyle as well. If time allows, we'll maybe do a little RSL MLS with Kyle today. Neil Smith or his weekly behind the Glass visit to TAK Hockey Tak NHL Hockey Utah Hockey Club.
Then Pablo mash twenty. You haven't chatted with.
Pablo on a while, they've been off for a minute, But we'll get ready for the RSL Vancouver match coming up. And then our buddy Andy Larson. Maybe we'll convince Andy to roll on down live on site here at beer Bar, talk a little jazz, talk a little RSL. So Kyle Bonnagera and Neil Smith, Pablo mashr Winny, Andy Larson, Me Spence checkets live at beer Bar, Beer Bar, excuse me, all of you, the great listeners, and just if a few blocks away, we're pretty close to each other downtown
Salt Lake. Is Porter Larson, the producer of this program, Happy Wednesday, how's your Wednesday pout?
Happy hum day to you Spencer of course, halfway through the week and yeah closer to hopefully, as you've talked about throughout the week, a little bit of a get.
Right game for the you.
It's a bunch of other exciting Big twelve stuff RSL Hockey Club, Jazz A lot to get to and yeah, a little jealous that you're at Beer Bark per usual.
It is a great spot. They are decorated for Halloween. They've got the beers on taff and I can smell those brats and burgers. So if you want to come hang out with us at the tailgate, Porter's gonna be doing the pregame show.
Live up there and I'll roll through as well.
Prior to kick for utah TCU just come on down a beer bar, grab yourself an afternoon beer, or if you're not a drinker, they've got soda and water, They've got great food and come.
Say what's up.
Hook he up with a couple of passes for our tailgate lot prior to utah TC.
It's a fun way to meet people.
It's a fun way to get ready for the game, and if you haven't checked it out, it's definitely worth it.
All right.
Our first guest right out of the gates tsat College Football will be Kyle Bonnagurro. But before we get to Kyle Curtsey about our good friends, you're good friends too. It's Standard Restaurant Supply. It's your one stop shop for all of your tailgate needs. You can check them out online or at their convenience Salt Lake location. Three Utah football games left. Make sure your tailgates dialed in. It's Standard Restaurants Supply. It's time now for your opening tip.
Welcome to the Drive with Spence Check. It's on Utah's number one sports talk. Now into the studio of ESPN seven hundred to set the scene for the show. The opening tip of the Drive is brought to you by Standard Restaurant Supply, your one stop shop to build the best tailgate in town. Standard Restaurant Supply thirty five hundred, south West Temple.
So, as we look ahead to the weekend, a couple of very interesting games for our local teams, both kind of playing for different things as far as where BYU and Utah position themselves, and it continues to be a real lesson in predictions, continues to be a real lesson And what does the media know?
Anyway? You know most of the.
Preseason stuff if you listen to BYU coaches and players, certainly Kalani, who he had on the show twice actually Big twelve Media Day and then a couple of weeks after that prior to the season, he hopped on a rods hopped on a couple of times, and they all And this is kind of interesting because every single coach it's kind of like my old take on signing day.
Now signing day is a different carries a different way to a different tone in tent or the transfer portal has made it not a moot point but not near as important.
As it used to be.
But you would listen to a coach whose recruiting class was ranked like seventy seventh, he's like, we got everyone we wanted, Like, well, did you did you get everyone you wanted? Because according to the rankings, you have one of the worst recruiting classes in the country. And prior to the season, every coach is going to give lip service to the fan base and to the media about what they have as far as the hand they've been dealt and how confident.
They are that they can shock people.
And Amy Donaldson hopped on yesterday and we talked about this thing that happens in our state, and it really happens with all of our teams if you think about it, and it's kind of a microcosm of the attitude that we have here in the state. There's like this weird inferiority complex where we want people to like us a lot, and we don't like it that maybe people think we're odd from the outside looking in, so we want to prove you wrong. We want you to like us. We
want you to think that we're cool. It's why jazz fans, you know, they basically lather themselves in joy. Whenever a jazz player just implies that he likes living here, it's like, did you hear Lowry?
He likes it here? Hey, did you guys hear this? Check out this hand by Lowry Marketing likes Utah, We're not weird. Lowry likes us.
And it's this dynamic where, even if the team is really good, we played the underdog role and play the underdog card and say, well, nobody believe. Nobody believes in the Jazz. They're gonna shock the world.
Nobody believes in the Utes, nobody believes in the Cougars.
It really is permeating and has been throughout the DNA of what the soccer club was built on.
And how RSL used itself.
RSL against Everybody was their playoff shirt they printed a couple of years ago. It's the same thing for BYU, same thing for Utah, same thing for the Jazz. And this little hockey club now with all these young players, like, oh, you think that just because we're a new franchise we can't compete. We went into the garden and beat the Rangers. We like that stuff. And Kalaie seems to have done
a real masterful, masterful job. And I listened to his Monday presser every week after their games at both convincing his group that nobody believed in them and also keeping them humble and hungry to make where they continue just to focus on one game in one week at a time. He says it every single Monday. Now, we want to make just our sixth statement, which they did last week.
Now they want to make their seventh statement against Oklahoma State in provo coming up on Friday night, and Kialani has really played this thing well because you can tell that these kids are playing with that proverbial state of Utah BYU football chip on your shoulder. The basketball team last year was picked to finish what thirteenth and I think they finished sixth, So you.
Feed off of it, and BYU is fed off of it.
Kilani and his group they fed off the fact that the media picked them basically near the bottom, I think, thirteenth in the Big Twelve. They fed off the fact that Vegas said four and a half wins, that's your line. They've already surpassed their four and a half, their Bowl eligible, they're cleaning conference and they're unefeated, and you have to give them a ton of credit. It doesn't matter the way you as far as what your feelings are about BYU.
Maybe a BYU fan has been mean you online because the internet is.
Where cowards go to field brave.
All right, that's fine, you know, certainly the cesspool of online back and forth of the rivalry fan bases is something I'm not interested in.
But you do.
You But if you remove that and just look at what they've done. There's no way you can be anything other than wildly impressed with Kilanne and the job that that staff is staff has done so far through six games in the Big Twelve. Now Oklahoma State, I think is the biggest disappointment in conference. They roll in a Provo without a conference win. They're five hundred. They're going to be fighting for their bowl lives.
And this was a team that.
Some people pick to win the conference, and certainly if you looked at most of the preseason prognostications, they were definitely top three, at least from what I saw. They've lost three straight to at home and they never lose in Stillwater.
Of course, they lost to the Utes.
Then they went to k State and they got run and West Virginia dog walked them thirty eight to fourteen in Stillwater. So they come in limping. There are rumors about who's going to start a quarterback. I'm not sure they know.
And this feels like it's going to be another BYU.
Win on Friday night in Provo, and my guess is BYU as of next week could potentially be a top ten team depending on what happens in front of them. Now up here and saw a Lake, a different tone and tenor and a different dynamic as it pertains to what's at stake here on Saturday night. Essentially every game from here on out for the Utes is more or less a Big Twelve elimination game.
All right.
I do think there's a world because this conference, and I was hoping this wouldn't be the case. I talked about a preseason, but everybody you said the Big Twelve was going to cannibalize itself this year appears to be correct.
My hope was there would be a couple.
Of elite teams that separated themselves, and obviously we thought Utah would be one of them to potentially allow for more than one inclusion in the CFP at this point. Last night, ESPN did their first twelve team CFP prediction show. The only Big Twelve team they had in the CFP was Iowa State.
Their model has Iowa State winning the Big Twelve.
But my hope was maybe a Utah in an Iowa State, or a Utah and a BYU or a k State and a Utah, two really good teams would separate themselves. Then we'd have two teams in the Big Twelve championship game. Maybe with one loss or maybe clean, therefore allowing access to two Big Twelve teams.
It doesn't look like that's going to happen.
So there is a legitimate possibility that one or both of the teams in the Big Twelve Championship game will have multiple losses.
But I don't think three will get you in.
I think two could because BYU and Iowa State have separated themselves, and Tech is still clean as well. Texas Tech is still clean as well. So if you're Utah, you're asking a lot for those three teams to lose more than two games each. But I don't think it's impossible for that to happen. I do think it's impossible for all three of.
Those to lose three.
So if you're Utah, essentially, if you still want to have something to say about the Big Twelve Championship, still could that's still on the table. Every game from here on out essentially is an elimination game, and if you lose on Saturday, you're kind of playing for what Utah football used to play for back when I was a.
Kid, and that is maybe you beat BYU and go to a bowl.
That was kind of the deal, right, Maybe somehow you beat BYU and go to a bowl game and ultimately the separation. The season of the two programs has been interesting to watch because from my vantage point, you know, I grew up in a generation of Lavelle Edwards BYU football dominance. My son has grown up in a Kyle Whittingham Utah football generation of dominance, and it's been a generation of Utah football dominance. They've been the better program
than BYU for a generation for a long time. But there's always this underlying fear with the Ute fan base that things are going to go back to the way they were when Lavelle went well like twenty one and two or something like that against the Utes. And there's this underlying fear that with the way BYU has played this year and the way Utah has fallen flat on their face, are we in the beginning stages of a process where we're going back to what it was like before Witt took over Utah.
That's hyperbolic, that's dramatic.
I don't think that's the case, but there are legitimate questions to be asked. Because there are more than a few people that I've talked to they would definitely know that believe this could be it for Kyle Now.
I don't know if it matters.
We talked about this yesterday, like if Utah Max Chadwick hopped on he covers college football for PFF.
He has Utah now as a seven win team.
So if Utah wins seven games and goes to some throwaway bowl, does that motivate Kyle to comeback for one more try. I don't know if it matters one way or the other. When he's done, he's probably gonna be done. But this is certainly not the way he wanted to go out. And what does the program look like once they're head coach? One of the most respected head coaches and all the college football decides he wants to do other things with his time. Klanie's young. Klanie's not even
fifty yet. I think he just turned forty nine, forty eight. I mean, if Kilanie really has built this thing up and he's going to be the BYU coach for the next fifteen to twenty years like Lavelle was, there are now serious questions to be asked about whether or not we are running into a tipping point and whether or not this generation of you football dominance has come to
an end. Now I'm not there yet, but I definitely hear a lot of people talking about that, and they wonder if after a generation of Utah football dominance, are we now seeing the penduluance swift or excuse me, you know, basically shift to the other side. Because these things are cyclical. There was no way Utah was going to continue to be byu every single year.
Sports are cyclical.
You know, a coach figures it out, you would adjust and adapt to the new world of college football with a transfer portal and nil. Maybe you figure something out he hadn't figured out before, and all this time, maybe Kilani has been going about this the right way because as of right now, there's no doubt that so far this year, the best team in the state plays their football about forty miles down south in Provo. Big weekend of college football locally and nationally. Our next guest, Joins
is consistently to break it down. Kyle Bonta Gera on a Wednesday. Kyle, Happy Wednesday, sir, How are you.
I'm doing good, sirs.
Thank you for the time. Kyle.
Now we are here today sitting in a very similar situation as to where we were all of last season and you fans with some PTSD your reaction to the news that broke since you and I last spoke that Camon Rising is now done for the year for the second straight season.
Yeah, I mean it's incredibly deflating again, right, especially because of everything that happened last season. I think when youth fans are going to dealing with it in twenty twenty three, it's like, Okay, at least we have twenty twenty four. Cam will be back, we can move in conferences and that'll be there's still that kind of to look forward to.
It feels a lot different now, right It's it's you have Isaac Wilson, who's, you know, a true freshman, and he's talented and all that, But I don't know, like at the same level of optimism probably doesn't exist as it would have a year ago when you're just kind of looking out into the future. And yeah, after watching CAM last week against Arizona State, I mean, I can't say that I'm surprised here today that in the past couple of days this is the news we all received.
Disappointing of course for a number of reasons then, but I do think it kind of allows everyone to kind of move on it, and Kyle hinted at the possibility of Cam coming back for an eighth year, but man, it just feels like it's it's probably best not to even consider that.
Yeah, and that's where I wanted to follow up with with you today. I mean, ultimately, I'm a little bit conflicted with this because I would completely understand, like we all we all went to college to try to find a career. We all went to college to try to figure out what we wanted to do with our lives. And certainly, if I had the opportunity to, i don't know, make a million million bucks one point five mil and come back to school for another year and do something I very much.
Enjoyed doing, I would probably do that.
But the question is, you know, does Utah have interest in having Cameron back and attendant to that, will the nil money still be there? Because there are a lot of boosters, the people that are writing the checks that essentially go to the players that have fatigue because he hasn't been playing, and of course he's been hurt. I mean, my heart just goes out to the kid. But the dynamic of him coming back for an eighth year is
a really interesting thing to consider. What do you think from CAMS side, from Utah side, from the NIL side about that possibility?
Yeah, I mean that's why it's so fascinating, right is it. Look, Look, if I could totally understand all the angles here, if you can't rise, like you said, if you can make big money to come back again, and like, yeah, like I could totally see him being interested in doing that.
Like it's considering the way he's gone out right, you don't these last two years, no one, I'd imagine no one's more frustrated than him with the way things have progressed, right, And so if you have a chance to correct that, Yeah, that that's really appealing, especially if you're gonna make money on top of it. But if you, like, if you're Utah or the people responsible for funding the NIL program, like, are you do you really want to invest in another
year of Cam rising? With with the injury industry right now, it's it's not just like a fluky thing at this point. There's been one injury after another over a few years, and so you're certainly not going to be confident that he can make it through and scathe and even you know, at that point, it's like, okay, and that'll have been you know, more than two years, and he's played competitive football, you know, for more than a few quarters at a time. Like,
even if he comes back healthy, is he the same player? Right? You don't really know what you would be getting. Maybe even getting a great player, that's certainly one of the variables that is out there, but you know, it would be a gamble. And then there's the compliance part of it. I mean, I honestly don't even understand how it would work, and I reached out to Utah to try to get some clarification on that. I think they're kind of trying to sort through that right now as well as to
kind of even understand what the options are. Because here's the guy whose first year on a college campus on a roster was twenty eighteen. And so if you're kind of kind to go through it, okay, red shirt at Texas, then he sits out the year with the transfer year, then he gets the COVID year, plays two years, and then misses two years with injuries like he would certainly likes.
It's possible, I guess, because the NCAA could just decide, yeah, like he gets another year for however they want to justify that, but it would take them making the decision to give him that extra year. And so yeah, I mean that's what There's a lot to consider there. And so I mean it's just unprecedented, right to have this many moving pieces with a player who's dis important in for a program that has high aspirations and it has been frustrated by how everything's played out.
How do you think?
And this is going to sound silly, and I admit that it's the question is going to sound a little silly. But if this is it for Cam, and it feels like it is, to be honest with you, I.
Don't think you know.
We had Eric Weddle on the show on Monday, and I asked Eric about the potential of Cam coming back for an eighth year.
He was pretty adamant that that was a bad idea.
We've seen other alumni on social media speak out against the possibility of him coming back.
So it does feel like Kyle that this is it for him.
So if it is, and as he walks out the door, how should he be remembered by this fan base?
Yeah, I think time will heal a lot of this, right, I mean, here's the guy who led the program to two Pac twelve titles. He was the first team All Pack twelve quarterback in what twenty twenty one, I believe, So I think it's best to remember him for those years, and I think that trump's anything that happened since, because there's only you know, so many guys who have led any power you know, then power Fyve program to multiple
conference titles. Right, it's a pretty I mean, there's a number of guys who have done it, but it's a pretty select group of quarterbacks all the time, and just about all of them are are widely celebrated and remembered it positively. So I think Cam deserves that, right. It's not like he quit on the team and he had a major knee surgery that kept him up for an entire season and then you know these are you know,
this is another injury situation that's keeping him sidelined. Right, Like, no one, no one honestly believes that the came rising is especially after Washing got his way through the game against Arizona State, doesn't believe he doesn't you know that it's this is his choice, right, I Mean, he was clearly slowed by injury and and you know the case, you know, I think was made fairly by quite a few people that he probably shouldn't have even been finished
the game because he just wasn't physically there, right and if he had pulled himself out, like he could have certainly made that decision, but he made the like like the other choice, and that was to stay in the game. And so yeah, I think it's frustrating and certainly in the moment, but like two three years done lying or even maybe even tomorrow, right, like cam Risen should be remembered for the success that he had on the field, for.
Sure, No, I agree with and honestly, I do think most people around here will remember him that way. To your point, you know, some time in between probably will help because there's a lot of frustration.
Now.
Ultimately, we find ourselves in a very interesting spot because you predicted this, A lot of people who cover college football predicted this. I was hoping that we wouldn't have
this cannibalized situation in the Big Twelve. I was hoping, and look, maybe BYU and Iowa State are elites, and maybe they continue to separate themselves as the two elite teams, but if I had to guess today, Kyle, one of, if not both, of the teams in the Big Twelve Championship Game, we'll probably have multiple losses, but I don't know that they'll have three. So that leaves Utah with a very thin margin of era of the rest to the way with a semi manageable schedule.
The BYU game here in Salt.
Lake is going to be much more difficult than anybody initially anticipated, but that's a rivalry game and crazy things happen all the time.
The trip to.
Boulder is harder today than it feels like we thought it would be about a month ago. Iowa State comes to Salt Lake too, so there are some complications.
Ahead as far as the schedule goes.
But ultimately, if they do finish strong, they might have something to say about who plays in the Big Twelve Championship Game.
Do you think there's.
A small chance that this team is still going to have something to say about the Big Twelve Championship Game at the end of things.
I don't. I mean, you can make the case for it for sure, and like it's certainly the mathemath. You know they're still in it mathematically, but just the way the offensive has been so ineffective over the last several for several weeks. I'm just not confident that there'll be a to change, like improve enough to where they'll be that relevant. I mean, you've got three three and oh
teams in the league. You've got a number of one lost teams in the league, but there's just so many other you know, you could finish with three, you know, are they gonna run like they would basically have to run the table from here on our right, And like, for me, that just doesn't seem possible given everything that we've watched, Like even in the games that they've won this year, they haven't looked great in those games, right, there hasn't been especially when you look at maybe early
in Oklahoma State, you're like, okay, maybe they got something here, they got things rolling. But now that Oklahoma State's oh and three in the league and and you kind of merely gave that one they away at the end. I mean the Arizona State loss, it's even worse now after Arizona State got punk pretty good by BYU. I mean, they're like, none of the performances today look better than at the time. Right, They've all kind of looked worse with the benefit of hindsight, right, Baylor's oh in three
and I was a not a very impressive performance. So like, it's just there's not a there's not a data point here other than look, ky Woody Handle over the course of his career has has won a lot of games, and you kind of he deserves the benefit of the doubt most most of the time. But as far as like the performance of this team, like it just doesn't look like a team that's con factoring for me.
Yeah, it's and you know it's, uh, it's hard to push back on that altogether, do you think And look, I'm reaching here. So we've seen Isaac Wilson under center certainly, and it's looked okay, at times it looks it's at other times it's looked like an eighteen year old who enrolled in April, and you know he is a true freshman. Wanted to get your thoughts on the potential of maybe seeing a different Isaac Wilson under center now that he knows that the job is his.
Yeah, I think what's been interesting about Isaac, right is that there and you said it was that there have been some moments where he looks really good, right, And I think that's encouraging because it was always going to be unfair for him to step into this job, especially with the expectations of Cam being the guy right, to have not a whole lot of time to prepare expecting to be the starter. So physically, I think he has all the tools, you know, certainly steps into the steps
into the ball, steps into the throw. He can deliver a good ball.
Right.
He's a highly recruited guy, So I mean, I think that the potential is clearly there. The problem is a true freshman, he's eight eighteen year old kid, and there's a learning curve that comes there with that, right, And so is it going to result to, you know, in success right away this season? You're probably not, right, not at the level that Utah fans are expecting, but I certainly think it lays the ground where for him to you know, have success down launch.
All right, So Friday night interesting game down in Provo, because if I told you at the start of the season b YU would nearly be a double digit favorite to beat Oklahoma State, you would have told me I was crazy. But they're nine point five point favorite Friday Night in Provo.
And when BYU was good.
Lavelle Edwards Stadium is a challenging place to play. I mean, they do a great job with their game ops, it gets loud, and Oklahoma State is youth fans would tell you that Utah might be the most disappointing team in the Big Twelve. For me, it's Oklahoma State, who most people picked to finish in the top three and some people picked to win the conference. Out right, So what do you think happens down in Provos b yu welcomes in Oklahoma State?
Yeah, I was just gonna make the same point about it could be worse. You could be Oklahoma State and sure you could be winless in the conference, and a lot of the same elements, right, seventh year quarterback, veteran coach.
And on top of that, they have a guy.
Who you know, might have been a first round pick as a running back coming out last year and comes back to be a part of this disaster. So yeah, I mean, look, you I's got to be feeling really good about where they're at headed into that one. To be that big of a favorite, I think speaks to where both teams.
Are, right.
I think the uius you know, they had the big win against Kansas State, but that was a little bit of a funky game, right I think the Arizona win for IMMED at least felt a little bit more complete. I didn't watch the whole thing start to finish, but I saw enough of it to come away thinking that not only is BYU good, but they're like they're getting better week to week. It feels like two and so
they're really seems to be finding something there. So yeah, I mean, look, I think b YU right now is this is a team that is the favorite in the conference. I mean Iowa States right there as well, and we'll kind of have to wait to see if they match up at the conference title game, but you know, for them to be taking playoff right now, yeah, it's a good time to be a bye fan.
For sure.
It is.
Klanie's done a hell of a job. Before I say you lose.
The ESPN did last night, they did their first twelve team CFP per you know, prediction show. They had Iowa State in as the Big twelve champ and BYU was one of the first two teams out with Notre Dame. Does it feel like and we talked about this and maybe it'll change. But as of today, does it feel like if you're a Big twelve fan you can essentially count on your champ to get in and that's it, or is there an outside shot they could at least get two teams in?
So yeah, I mean this is all tough, right. I mean when I do the Bowl projections every week, you know, I kind of like do this exercise to figure out how to pick these teams, and it's just impossible to do with any sort of accuracy or like in the middle of October, but like I had Iowa State and buy you both then right now, I mean I think if part of that is like the ground defeated, you
know that that that's something. And then like if you look at the SEC, those teams are going to keep beating each other, and so I think if you're like a one loss, two loss, even if you're a two loss Big twelve team, you still have you still have a chance to be considered. I mean, it's just because if you're there's a case here where something the like fourth best team in the SEC might end up with
with four losses at the end of the year. So if you're sitting there at you know, eleven and two, and you're not the Big twelve champ, right, So you say you finished with one loss, you know, two losses in the regular season to win it, or if you're you know, one loss and then you lose in the conference title game, you're still going to have a really
good resume at the end of the year. And so you know, for me, it really feels like the cover still could get to But these are all these are all hypotheticals, right, and so I wouldn't I certainly wouldn't feel strongly about it being a one or two or whatever league at this point. There's just so many variables that so they need to be sorted out.
Kyle, thanks for the time, buddy, have a great week ahead, enjoy a little college football.
We'll catch up next week.
All right, sounds good, Thanks Kyle.
Bonna Girl covers college football, does a little soccer two for ESPN. You can find him on social media at Bonnagura. ESPN is where you get him. Really good talented rider does a lot of their bull projections and yeah, last night ESPN did their first projection show for the twelve team expanded CFP and their model has Iowa State winning the Big Twelve and therefore going to the CFP, and then they had BYU and Notre Dame as the first
two teams out of the bracket. But those are just projections, as Kyle said, and only time will tell where we go from here.
Getting back to some.
College football conversation coming up in just a little bit, we also are going to get you ready for a busy weekend ahead for both the Jazz and RSL. The Jazz continue their preseason action on Friday in Portland. RSL is back at action on Saturday, it's Vancouver. But the Utah Hockey Club is off to a great start.
Now. They did have their first loss.
Against New Jersey, but they've started off three and one and they are leading the NHL and goal scored as a team. Dylan Gunter leads the NHL and goal scored period and Neil Smith time for all behind the Glass segment that we do weekly with the former general manager of the Rangers, Stanley Cup winner.
On a Wednesday afternoon. Neil, Happy Wednesday, sir.
How are you happy Wednesday?
To you?
I'm doing great, Thank you, appreciate the time.
So three and one.
You know what stands out most to you about this hot start? For our new hockey club here in Salt Lake City.
Well, what stands out is Dylan Gunter being NHL's first Star of the Week in the first week of the season is pretty impressive, and he's a pretty impressive young man. And then they've got other guys that have been pretty impressive too with Keller and Cooley. And getting those two wins in New York was great. Unfortunately got shut out in New Jersey. But now they go tonight to Anaheim and I would expect that they'll do pretty well there
against a rebuilding Anaheim team. So they're taking the league a little bit by surprise right now. You know, people don't really know how good Utah is, but they're finding out.
So how long, Neil, because look it's only four games, right and so you know it is early in the season, and this is a team that does have a lot of young players and some new pieces that we're learning.
A little bit more about.
And the Blackhawks game, you know, they really fed off a great crowd here in Salt Lake and then as you reference, they get two overtime wins in New York over the Islanders and the Rangers, and then shut out against the Devils how long would you say to this fan base is a big enough sample size to maybe accurately analyze whether or not we actually have a really special team here in Salt Lake.
You know, I think you should judge the team at the twenty game mark. That's a quarter of the way through the season. And I don't mean that that necessarily is going to be the way it's going to stay for the last sixty two games, But twenty games is a pretty good benchmark of where you're at with the competition.
And you know, Utah will get to play Anaheim tonight and then come home for three, go to LA for one, and then come home for another two, So they could pile up a lot of points if they can do well at home during that, you know, basically a five game Homestand.
So what what can go on the road and getting results due for a young team, you know, a group of players that are living in a new place, a group of players that are getting used to new teammates, a group of players that are getting used to each other. And yes they lost to New Jersey, but those two wins in New York what what sort of camaradie, what sort of team chemistry can be created with those road trips when you actually do have some success.
Well, what's great about playing on the road and winning on the road is that you're there all by yourself. So there's a group of thirty let's say, including staff and everything, or thirty five that's all that's in that building out of twenty thousand people. So you know, you feel a tight bond to each other. And when you win and you turn the music on in the locker room after the game and you're all happy, and you get on the bus and you're all excited, there's nothing
like it for bonding. I mean, it's different than a home game. Home games are great. You win a home game, you meet your wife, your girlfriend, your parents, who have it is, and then you get in your car and you drive home and it's that's good too. When you're on the road, it's just the guys, and there is a special feeling about that.
So let's go back to Dylan Gunther.
And you know Clayton Keller, as you reference, he leads the team in points with three goals and three assists, but Dylan Gunther has started the season on fires.
You referenced the first Star of.
The Week in the NHL probably didn't get as much preseason love as Clayton, who's the captain and was the leading scorer from a year ago. What stands out most to you about the type of player he is and can he keep this up?
I mean, he's not.
Going to continue to score multiple goals every game, but Kenny Ken, is this a kid that could potentially be in for maybe an All Star selection with the hot start that he's had so far.
Well, he could very well be. You know, time will tell. But the one thing about this kid is he scored everywhere he's played, So this isn't new that he started to score now in the NHL. He's been scoring right from junior on and that's what led Utah or sorry Phoenix or Arizona getting the names wrong, to take him in the first round, very high in the draft. So I think you're going to see more of what we've
already seen, which is a very quick release. That goal that he got against Chicago, the first goal of Utah franchise, went off of his stick in a skinny little second after he received that pass. And that's what the goal scorers can do. They can release really lightning quick and from what I can see a gun or he can do that. So I think you're in for some real fun with this guy, especially on the power play.
And of course Clayton Keller, as I referenced, you know, three goals, three assists, six points on the season.
You know, so he's showing the.
Ability to find his teammates and also finish with his own accord. We've talked about him before, but he's off to another hard start, hot start as well.
What do you think think our.
Utah hockey fans here in the market are in for all year long with Clayton Keller.
Well, Clayton Keller has been a great offensive player his whole career, all the years he was in Arizona, he proved that. I think he's going to be even better this year now that he's been named captain and he's got you know, he's got a hold of that. I think that he's going to do well with that. I said that early before the season started that I thought that was the right guy to make captain because I
think he is their best player. Another guy that we haven't talked about, but Logan Cooley I think is having a great start to his season, leading the team and assists and is another extremely high draft pick. The one thing you got to say about Bill Armstrong and his staff when they had a high pick, they picked right. They didn't blow it. And sometimes you can blow it even though you're picking three, four, five, six, seven, You know what you get is not what you saw when
they were playing junior. So and give them credit. They got those three guys that I just mentioned, Gunther Cooley and Clayton Keller. They're all extremely high picks and they're all doing extremely well for Utah.
So against the Devils, and I will not make a Seinfeld face painting joke, although I want to, But against against the Devils, Neil, they struggled to score on the power play when they Rozer for four, and they struggled to stop New Jersey on the power play, who scored I believe.
Three power play goals last year.
They were decent on the power play, but they were really bad at killing power plays. So like the special teams, at least against the Devils kind of reverted back to a little bit of what we saw last year. In order for them to make the playoffs, they're probably gonna have to be a little bit better on special teams do you is there anything you're seeing as far as line changes, you know who coach Torney is electing to play on special teams that you think they could adjust
to be better on this moving for order. Do you have confidence in overtime their special teams will level out a little bit?
No, I have confidence. I want to speak a little bit about the New Jersey Devils because they deserve a lot of credit. It's not just that Utah, you know, couldn't score in the power play and wasn't able to stop New Jersey. It's more that New Jersey played a great game at home, get everything right. Their power play was going, their penalty killing was going, and they're a much improved team from last year. The stuff that they
did in the offseason. The biggest thing was they got Jacob Marx from the goaltender from Calgary in a trade and he's been real good for them. So I don't think that Utah has really got a lot of worries there because of that game. I think that they will get their power play goals, and I think they have improved their defense, and I think they're going to be better on special teams, especially on the MPK, And I really don't see a big worry now as far as
scoring goals. They got eleven goals in those two games in New York, which is pretty phenomenal. And they played you know, road runner hockey with the Rangers in that game at the Garden. I mean, they kept going back and forth and back and forth, one team would scoring in the other team. So you can't play like that and be successful all the time. But there's not going to be any worry about this team being able to score.
It is this team going to be able to be defensively sound enough that their offense can carry them all the time.
And that's where I wanted to go next because it is a good point. And you know, last year, based off of some of the things I read to kind of learn about the team a little bit, it felt like Connor Ingram was asked to stand on his head a lot, and he is a good young goaltender. But they did make some additions, you know, namely Mikhel Sergachev. They did lose Sean Jersey Neil looks like he's going to be out for a while. Bill Armstrong said he's heard he's going to be out for a while, So that's.
A big blow.
But are you seeing incremental improvements from the defense so that Connor doesn't have to make miracles happen. And how do you think they're going to replace Seon Jersey?
Now? That looks like he's going to miss significant time.
Yeah, it does look like he's going to miss significant time. And the manager, Bill Armstrong did say that of the guys that he felt that there was a couple of names that he felt were he was going to they were going to give a chance to come up and kill in But you know, Dursey is a loss. It sounded like he's going to be out for you know, a few weeks the lower body injury. They already have Marino out with a lower body injury already, So they're going to have to dip into their depth now and
try to get by. But that's the National Hockey League and that's what happens during the regular season. You know, you get injuries and you've got to deal with them, and you've got that's where you hope that the management has strong enough replacement. People don't forget that they signed Robert Bartuso in the offseason, who played for the Islanders last year. He won a Stanley Cup with Saint Louis, so he's more than capable of playing in the National
Hockey League and and filling in. They've also got a couple of young kids and Zueber and coach, so those are young guys that they're not sure where they fit on the whole thing, but they're going to probably be given a chance to come up now that they've got both Marino and Dersey out of the lineup.
So I'm honestly asking this just to ask because I don't know if this is the case. But from my vantish point, watching them play through four games, they don't look as big and physical as some of the other teams they've played.
I mean it look they're.
They're very skilled, as you've referenced, they are going to score a lot of goals.
They're very entertaining on the attack.
But do they have the strength, the force, the physicality that some of these other NHL teams have. It feels like maybe if they're lacking in one area it is simply size, strength and physicality.
Is that a fair assessment?
Well, I don't think that's unfair. I think that that's fair, but that doesn't always necessarily mean that that they're not going to be extremely competitive this This is a team that's climbing the ladder, as we've talked about in the offseason, and that's going to get better as you go along, and they're going to fill parts in. They can't be they can't be everything. You know, they can't be skilled, great defensively, score a lot of goals, and be big
and tough all at the same time. When you get to that point with their team, you know, you're knocking on the door for Stanley Cup. And I don't think Utah is knocking on the door for Stanley Cupp. But I do think that they're knocking on the door to be in the playoffs and maybe win around So you know, I yeah, they may not be as big and physical. I don't think that that's a real detriment though to where they're going this year.
So they have about eight point five million dollars I believe, according to what I'm reading that they can spend on other players. They also have a great pipeline ESPN. Their hockey covers.
Today ranked all the NHL teams.
As far as their prospects go, Utah Hockey Club is ranked number nine and we've talked to you about, you know, Tez Againla, who's now you know, in the pipeline, as well as some other really talented young players. Do you think at some point Bill's gonna look at this and decide to maybe make some additions to utilize their prospects and utilize the cash they have. And if he does make additions, Neil, where do you think he does make them?
Well? I think that if he does make additions later in the season, it'll be in the in the probably in the veterans who have been around for a while, some players that have either won or have been you know, close to winning and have been around so that they can supplement all these good young players that they got. That's normally what you would do it at that point in the season. I don't think you're going to see him trading for another young player because they're okay there
and they've done really well. As I mentioned earlier in the conversation, they did really well in the draft. That's why they're ranked so high. But in fairness to everybody else, they've had a lot of high picks over the years because they haven't been in the playoffs. So I think now it's time that they are going to take that next step, and Bill Arnstrong may decide as he watches this team get closer to the deadline, Hey, we've really got a real shot here to either make the playoffs
or you know, whatever the case may be. There's a lot of different benchmarks, and that'll be how much you'd spend at the time. You're not going to spend a lot to get a player to simply make the playoffs and then lose the player in the offseason. That would be foolish, So they won't do that. But it'll be interesting to see how he supplements his team before.
We move on to some other big picture of NHL topics. Tell us about Anahi, the team that Utah will play tonight, as it is a match day, a game day for the Utah Hockey Club, Vegas has Utah as the favorite to win the game, even though it's on the road. What should we know about the hockey club's opponent tonight eight o'clock on ESPN Plus.
Well, you should know that they're in a big rebuild. They are not a team that I don't think is knocking on the door for to make the playoffs. They know where they are and they're rebuilding. They didn't do much in the offseason. They're going to depend on young players coming up. They're going to depend on developing their own young players. The one thing that's interesting, that's a side note, is they change their uniforms. They wear orange now.
They obviously were always in a brown color. And they've gone back to the logo that they had in their original days of being the Mighty Ducks. They've got the Mighty Duck logo on the front. So they've got some real good players, I mean, some good young guys that you can watch out for. You know, Trevor Troy Carey sorry, is a real good player. Trevor Ziegris is a really talented young player. Cam Fowler, a veteran on defense, is
a good player. Those are all guys that you can look for and you know, and Ryan strom is another veteran that's been there for a while. Jason mccavish. They've got some They've got some real good young players. But again they're in an early stages of a rebuild. I'd say they are where Arizona was two or three years ago.
So we find ourselves in the Central Division of the Western Conference. So let's talk about some of the other teams that we need to be watching out for, but let's start with a team that I think most people well, look, it's only three or four games, so let's not get weird. But Colorado has not won yet, and they are a sieve on defense. They've allowed twenty goals, which is worse in the NHL, and they've scored ten, which is about
mid table but not great. So I think a lot of people expect them to be just fine, but they are in our division out here.
What do you make of the slow start for the Avalanche.
Well, I'm surprised. They've got some real superstars on that team, and obviously and Nate McKinnon, the reigning MVP of the league. And they've got Cal mccarr who's any team would be just licking their lips to be able to get a defenseman like him. They've had a tough start. Their goalpending hasn't been good. Georgia, who they traded for from the Rangers, has been there. I think this is his third year. He came in after the year after they'd won the
Stanley Cup. He hasn't delivered the way that they would have hoped for. They went out and got Capocacko off of waivers from the Winnipeg Jets to be to supplement their goaltenders. In the backup is a kid named Ananin. They hadn't been good goal but cal mccarr said after the Islander game, which was a loss at home, that childish mistakes cost us childish mistakes in that game, So we'll see. I think they're too good to say where they are. I think they're going to rebound.
So Dallas has not lost. Dallas through four games, has stayed clean twelve goals scored, only five allowed, and they have not lost through four games.
What do you make of the stars hot start.
Well, they're a team that everybody's talked about as a Cup contender. It's not surprising to me that they've got that start. The team that is surprising to jump down one is Winnipeg, who's hasn't lost at all. They're three and zero and they've only had two goals scored against them three games. So that's sort of surprising to me. Not that I thought that they weren't a playoff team, but that I didn't think they were going to be a dominant team. Another team in the conference for Utah.
That's shocking everybody is Calgary start. They're four and oh when people thought that they were going to be down with the Anaheims of the of the conference, and they've turned around and they've even beaten the mighty Edmondson Oilers there there across province rival in Edmonton. So there's some real surprises going on in the Western Conference especially.
I got to ask you about the Rangers since since you know that's my that's my childhood team, and watching it was surreal turning on the TV and watching a hockey club with Utah on their chest play in Madison Square Garden.
You know, obviously a great run last year.
Uh you know they've got so far through three games, two wins, one.
Loss that lost to the Utah Hockey Club.
Everything I read indicates they're gonna have something to say about the East at the end of the day. Do you do you believe that with with the Rangers back in New.
York, Yeah, I think they're going to I don't I don't know that they're going to win the President's Trophy again, which to the team that's got the best record in the entire league. But I do think they're going to be a team that's going to be hanging around first place in the Metro all year. They've got some stiff competition this year with the Devils, and the Devils and the Rangers I think are going to be the class
of the Metropolitan Division. I think the Atlantic Division with Florida and Tampa and Toronto and Boston is a lot stronger than the Metro Division. And to answer your question, yeah, I think the Rangers should be right there on top of the Metro or fighting for it, and the same way with the whole Eastern Conference.
All right, Neil, before I set you loose, Obviously, we have a lot of new hockey fans around here. I wonder if you could share your podcast where people could find it because a lot of people still wanting to learn about this new team.
Then the league as a whole, Where can I find the podcast?
Well, they can find it anyhl Rapp. It's on every platform that you get podcasts on it. Today, Spence, we did what we call Short Shifts Show. We're going to do it twice a week where it's just fifteen minutes and we bring everybody up to date on what's been going on in the last few days and so that was a lot of fun to do. And I mentioned Utah in that show being one of the teams that are really doing well to start the season, along with Calgary,
Winnipeg and Dallas. And it's a fun show. So for those fans that perhaps are following one team, they can listen to our podcasts and find out what's going on in the entire league and perhaps how their team stacks up against the other team. So it's NHL wrap Around and you can get it wherever you get your podcast.
Neil, thank you as always for the time. Have a great week ahead and we'll catch up next week.
Looking forward to it. Spence, thank you all right.
The great Neil Smith, general manager of the Rangers for twenty years, and they want to Stanley Cup when he was the general manager, who's the head scout of the Detroit Red Wings, spent some time with the Islanders, and now he's got a podcast.
NHL Wraparound dot com is where you find it.
He's gonna be joining us every week throughout the hockey season to give us all the knowledge we need to understand what we're seeing here with this new young Utah hockey club who finds themselves in Anaheim tonight for an eight o'clock that's when the puck drops eight o'clock will be the start of the game. It's on ESPN plus Vegas has Utah is the favorite to win the game tonight and as Neil mentioned, Anaheim in the middle of
a rebuild, it's been a really fun start. This is a fun team, man, a fun young team that scores a lot of goals. As they went back east and won a couple of games in overtime including against the Rangers at the Garden. And yeah, right now, Dylan Gunther leads the NHL and goals scored. And right now Clayton Keller was six points is your leader so far for the Utah Hockey Club. So a lot of fun to have NHL here in Salt Lake City. We're live here
at beer Bar today. It's one sixty one of these two hundred south located in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City, Utah giving away VIP tailgate passes for the ESPN seven hundred tailgate events. Prior to Utah TCU, only three Utah home games left, man, So if you haven't checked out our tailgate, it's fun. We have a good time. A lot of clients there, a lot of listeners there.
Our pregame show with Porter will be live there starting at four thirty for that eight to thirty kick as it's a big one for Utah trying to get right. So come on by Beer Bart's one sixty one East, two hundred South. We'd love to meet you, say hello and give you a couple of passes for our tailgate event coming up on Saturday prior to Utah TCU. All right, we're gonna do a little RSL today, Pablo mash joining the head coach of the club.
The manager of the club.
Will stop by on the other side of four o'clock, Andy Larson, as the Utah Jazz continue their preseason adventures.
One more game.
It's gonna be up in Portland on Friday, and then Memphis in town coming up next week for the regular season opener. John Morant and the Memphis Grizzly Jaw is back. Obviously that changes what Memphis could potentially be this year, so stay tuned for that. Kyle Bondagura College Football, Neil Smith, Utah Hockey Club.
So we've been bounced around doing a bit of everything.
On this Wednesday afternoon, Happy Wednesday to you, you're halfway through your work week. You are one day closer to the weekend. Porter Larson, pregame host Utah Football. Do we have an idea of your rotating cast of characters coming up on Saturday?
It's Saturday.
It may be a literal rotating cast of characters, as a lot of folks are out of town and whatnot, so they may be just stopping by via phone. May have a few folks stop by segment by segment on site at the tailgate, but it's just going to be me and whoever I have dialed in, Nate Orchard, Isaacaciada, the usual crew hopefully stopping by, but probably probably not
on site. I think I think some of them are a little a little bummed about the state of the program just this week and are not making an appearance on campus. But that's it's understandable. We'll still have a good time up there and enjoy it with clear Water and our friends at the TELGI.
Yeah, no doubt, no doubt.
So you know, it's interesting you referenced, you know, the current state of the program and the way that people are kind of feeling about it right now, and I get it.
You know, I.
Kind of have a tough time with maybe you fans that are a little bit entitled and spoiled, but that's what happens when you're used to a certain level from the team that you love. I mean, I started the show off with this today, I wonder what your take is on it, because look, man, and people probably get sick of this, and I definitely hear from people about it. Like I can recall a number of different years where as a youth football fan, the thing was like, hey, if we beat BYU and go to a bowl.
That's a great year.
And you know, ultimately when I was growing up, it was Lavelle Edwards. I think he went like twenty one and two against Utah or the course of a generation and with the pendulum completely shifting over to Utah for a generation under coach with I sense this like underlying current of anxiety from the fan base, and it's either in a vacuum moment in time with what Kloonnie has done to start the year.
And of course there are several reasons.
Utah has not looked like we thought that they would, the main one being the issue a quarterback. Is it hyperbolic and over dramatic to react to this from a Utah fan perspective, watching Brigham Young do what they've done, juxtaposed to a tough start for Utah to believe that this is the new reality, or do you think there's something there?
No, I mean, I think it's easy to go there because of everything that you're seeing this year. But I do hope that folks are not prisoner of the moment. Right everything in college football is sick and that will continue.
Yes byu is on what looks like a little bit of an upswing in twenty twenty four in Utah due to some injuries, due to some recruiting cycle stuff, due to I think some uncertainty with the future of who may be at the Helm with with you know, Kyle Whittingham obviously in his last half decade or so of college football, maybe less there.
There's going to be a cycle there.
Spence as a as a Hokies fan, like, I hope people understand how good they've had it as a Utah fan for so long, literally for two decades. If if I can go back to my own perspective. Frank Beemer retired at Virginia Tech in twenty fifteen. He is he's the Kyle Whittingham for my friends in Blacksburg and guys, Hokies have gotten to double digits and wins one time since he since he retired. Before that, it was a bowl game every year, it was ten wins almost every year.
It was a BCS appearance, it was high touted recruits, it was you know, a good defense every single year. Of course, the special teams that we were used to seeing and Spence, it's kind of a good parallel to what you see here at Utah because it's a kind of a mid major school punching above their weight for a good couple of decades, kind of because of the
head coach and partly because of the head coach. And I do hope that that Utah fans understand how good they've had it for so long, so that they can have a good perspective about these low cycles, these these valleys rather than the peaks, because that's just the reality of college football.
Spence, no one escapes it.
The one, you know, the one difference there is Utah over the last twenty years. You can throw Iowa in there. You can throw with a few schools, of course, the the Bamas and the schools that are in there every single year. But to have this sort of consistency, it just doesn't happen. And you know, there will be a downturn maybe when Morgan Scaley or whoever takes over, but it won't be permanent, and it never will be permanent. And especially if you have the right people in the locker room.
Yeah, these things are cickle, cool man, I mean, and I have a tremendous amount of respect for Kilanie. And as soon as I heard the news that Bronco was leaving, I remember sending out on social media and talking on the show. I was doing the show at Gordon, at my old station of the day, you know, back in the day, and I remember, you know, sending out on social and talking on the show like Kilanie's got to be the guy.
And I felt like.
You know, for no other reason, you know, what Kilanie had done up this way, cutting his teeth under coach with would prepare him for this opportunity. And look, it's it's always funny to me. And there's a ute angle here too, you know. And we've talked to doctor Hill about this. As Doctor Hill joins the show from time to time for an hour and studio. It's always funn
to get his perspective. The first few years in the PAC twelve, you know, year two, year three, because year one was a little funky with the way things played out, they actually had a chance to compete for the thing when no one thought they were going to be able to. But a couple sub five hundred years PAC twelve big Boy football, there were plenty of people in this community, plenty of youth fans, boosters, season ticket holders, wondered aloud whether or not Kyle was the guy. And well, right
now BYU fans are singing Clownie's praises. I know for sure that there was a big faction of that fan base was skeptical about whether or not he could figure it out. So if given long enough time, and I always say, doctor Hill deserves a lot of credit, you know, bringing in Urban and then deciding to go with Kyle, and then rolling with Kyle when a lot of people
thought maybe he should look to do something different. And obviously the bulk of the credit goes to coach Wit, who has worked himself into one of the preeminent coaches in the country, not just out here in this portion.
And you talk to anybody.
Ultimately about college football the country, and you bring up Kyle Whittingham, it's a consensus and unanimous praise for what he's done. And I want to give Tom Homoll credit too for rolling with Kilani, and certainly as they entered the Big Twelve and that job became different. I don't know the details of Kilanie's contract. USA today came out with their annual coaches salary list.
It's up online if you want to see it.
BYU a private institution, we don't get that information. I was told that they did renegotiate and make Kilanie you know, a whole in a sense where they're paying him the way that Big twelve teams should pay a coach that they like. But you know, I think there were a lot of people that care about BYU football that wondered whether or not if Kilanie was going to be the guy to figure this out, to make sure that they
could find their footing in the Big twelve. And then last year, you know, with the decent start and then they fall flat on their face, they couldn't get it done in conference, didn't even go to a bowl. I think if given enough time, you know, smart coaches figure it out and Porter from my vantish point today, you know, on this day in a vacuum, I think we have to give Colonie a lot of credit for, at least
at this point bringing Jay Hill works out. And I know a lot of people are really down on a rod, but those BYU coaches, those guys deserve their flowers today. Man, I think if given time, I thought they'd figure it out. And at least, as we say her today, it feels like they have.
They absolutely have.
Obviously when you when you run the table, at least to this point in the season, there's something clicking with that team. Again, I don't think they have the best roster in the Big twelve. I think there's there's a lot going on where they're trying to and having to
kind of mixmatch their their roster. Of course that the offensive line has dealt with some injuries throughout the year, the defensive has dealt with some injuries throughout the year, and we're not talking about those because they are performing through those issues. And that's a testament to the changes there. Because I Spence, you go back just a couple of years ago and BYU was the team they were struggling with every week. It seemed like a season ending injury.
They couldn't keep guys in the field. Of course, that's snowballs, and when you're not winning, it's hard to recoup from that. So yeah, as you mentioned a lot of guys that we're familiar with here in Salt Lake and Kilani and Jay Hill and Gary Anderson who has been really really instrumental with some of that offensive line stuff that I was mentioning in defensive line stuff I was mentioning as well, they have responded in a way that not many of
us were expecting. Did I expect BYU to be better than the preseason poll at thirteen?
I did.
I thought they'd be, you know, a couple games there. I thought they'd get the over on the four and a half wins. But to be here already, Spence, and to be running the table and to control your own destiny within the Big twelve, that's really really impressive, and they deserve a ton of credit. I'll give another shout out. I know it's not Jay Hill or Klon but our guy Skyler Maine, who's a full time down there, Spence.
I mentioned that's a team that has for a half decade a decade dealt with a lot of injury issues, and that trend is at least moving in the opposite direction.
So quick shout out to him as well.
Excuse me, porter, that's doctor Skyler Maine.
To you, that's Sky, that's my guy Sky, but doctor Doctored everyone else.
Yeah, phenomenal mustache and look it.
That is an element that has to be brought up because I'm not calling anyone out and.
That's not the way I do radio.
And certainly when it comes to football, it's not a contact sport. It is a violent sport. But for the second straight year, Utah football is dealing with not just a couple of injuries here, there game changing, catastrophic injuries
that change the scope of the season. I mean, as I've talked about, and I've talked about with a bunch of guests in ten fifteen years, when you're sitting around and you're with your boys, hanging out with your family or what, and they say, hey, Utah football twenty three, twenty four, tell me about it, It's like, well, we don't know, we're not sure these two teams will always be the what could have been teams, And I don't you know, in sports, media today, you have to place
blame so you can have a hot take. I'm not placing blame on anyone at Utah for what I perceived to be just something you deal with.
If you're gonna play a violent sport, you're gonna have injuries.
Now you have to have depth and contingency plans in place to make up for those injuries. And it felt like Utah was in a better spot with contingency plans in place in the case of these injuries. I mean, I think it's fair to say, even in a truncated space and a small sample size, Isaac has been better
than Nat or Bryson were last year. And should Cameron miss time, as we talked about to start the year, you know, to preview the season and start the season, it did feel like they were in a better place to handle that. But one of the reasons BYU has been able to really play well right out of the gates is they've been more or less healthy.
Now.
They lost the Hinkley Rapotti kid, LJ. Martin as well, so a couple of running backs missed some time. LJ came back, he looked great. And the bottom line is when you have the data and you have the proof in front of you, you have to ask questions about exactly why this stuff happens. BYU has had some real fortunate luck this year with health, where Utah just hasn't.
Do you have any inside or info.
About, you know, potentially what sort of you know, health that we could see coming back for Utah football this weekend on the defensive side of the ball.
Yeah, well, at least this weekend there could be some positive news with the return potentially of a Karenni Reid of a Connor ro tool. Obviously, Junior Tafuna came back and was at full strength. I think there's still some question marks along the defensive line, but Utah is expecting to get at least some of their defenders back. Karenni reads still a question mark. It's it's really just a
really nagging ankle injury. You know, when you roll those those ankles, they can sometimes take a lot longer than you may expect to return from. So that's the situation with Karenni and Spence. I think that's as big as obviously the absence of Cam Rising has been the absence of Karenni Reid on the defensive side for Utah has been absolutely massive and all and an under talked about because of the Cam Rising stuff, because of what Utah has dealt with for the last eighteen months, it's kind
of flown under the radar. Man, They and not just the entire defense, but Lander Barden looking for kind of a leader there alongside him as well. You've seen it both with the absence of Karenni but also with a little bit of a fall off from Lander. They've really really missed Karenni read They're hoping to have him back this weekend, but that is still TBD. This is a team and you mentioned it, Man, at a certain point,
you do have to pay attention to the trends. I'm not a guy who likes to place blame anywhere, and from all accounts, Utah has a really really good strength and conditioning program. But it's not just these last two year Spence. I mean, you go back to twenty nineteen. That was a team that dealt with injuries to Tyler
Huntley and Zach Moss, Jason Shelley. Jason Shelley started several games, Julian Blackman missed parts of the year and then was out after the PAC twelve title game because of an injury. You go through, even the PAC twelve title runs that the youths won, Mackai Bernard was playing cornerback. There was injuries all over the field. They were just able to get over them in twenty twenty two, twenty twenty three, and obviously it's snowball to a point where it's really
catching up with them now. But again, I don't like to play the blame game like you, but at a certain point, and I think a half decade of guys that are struggling to stay on the field, you got to at least analyze that data and try to make some changes. I'm sure they are, but we'll have to wait to see the results of that as time goes along.
I hope the stadiums fall on Saturday night. I really do.
I know that this has not been the type of start fans were hoping for, and I do sense a little bit of a general I don't know, fatigue worn out over the storylines of injuries, over wondering who's going to be under center.
There's still everything to play for.
You guys know that I would be hard pressed to sit here today and tell you Utah is going to run the table. But We have seen Kyle Whittingham's teams in the past figure it out after some slow starts. We have twenty twenty one right lostes to SDSU and BYU, and then they went and won the Pac twelve right, so all is not lost, Porter, before we catch break? Are you old enough to remember? I was doing the
show with Bill at the time. We were doing Bill and Spence, and then I was in charge of our Utah football pre half and postgame on the radio side in twenty ten when College Game Day was in town and my buddy Ryan Rosillo was doing the college Game Day radio and so you know, we spent a bunch of time together talking football.
He joined the show prior to.
The game and number three TCU rolls into town and Utah was number five at the time in twenty ten, and it was a drubbing.
It was maybe the number one example.
I could come up with at the top of my off the top of my head, where folks were just so juice for that game. Game days here twenty ten, it was forty seven to seven. Andy Dalton did whatever he wanted to do. Are you old enough to remember that game?
I am old enough to remember that game. I was in high school at the time. But okay, we had a game that day. It was a state playoff game in which we also lost to our.
Friends in Mantai.
So I had a football game in which I lost, and then I got home and my family was entirely upset because they were checking the score and seeing that Utah did not have a great outing.
That was a really good TCU team. They went to the Rose Bowl and beat Wisconsin. But my goodness, that was just And these two t teams have played some classic games back in the day, you know, obviously former Mount West Conference piers, and both teams left the Mount West Conference for Power conferences, and both teams have had tremendous success on their own right since then. So big one coming up, kind of an elimination game the rest of the way. Utah's a four point five point favorite.
Eight to thirty Kick time at Rice Equels our pregame coverage with Porter live from our tailgate.
We'll begin at four thirty.
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into town. Our next guest, the head coach of RSL, Pablo masch Joetti on a Wednesday, Pops, Happy Wednesday, man, how are we doing?
Happy Wednesday? Spends too and great budds.
So you're ready to get back at it. You're ready to get back at it. Been a little time off. What have you guys utilized this little break for?
Yeah?
So I'm super excited to get back at it, you know, last home game of the season in regular season. And some of the things that we've been working on has been close sides of the ball defending. We've been working on defending the box again, critical areas to make sure
that we shark it up on. But the majority of emphasis has been on being more games in front of goal, and in order to do that, the positioning of our tens and our nine have to be such that we're threatening their back line, our own back line, as opposed to just peeling off in the areas just to keep
the ball and keep possession of it. So taking trying to turn the screws a little bit on being more goal dangerous in that final third, and the guys have responded really well, some great pictures where you know, we got a you know, a wide player out in the just outside the area and we have four or five guys crashing the box and putting the ball in dangerous
areas and really you know, threatening the goal. And I think that's an area that you know, we haven't been great at in the last month or so, but you know, given the way it's been in the last ten days, it's looked really great and hopefully we can apply some of that in real time this weeken And gets Vancouver.
So as a result of some of the schedule oddities this year, you know, the three games in seven days, the league's cup break, and you know, just it's it's been a little convoluted at times, so you kind of had to juggle the lineup to keep guys fresh for the weekend, so you hold him out during midweek. As as we approach this game coming up against Vancouver, are we going to see as close to a first choice playoff style starting eleven as possible now that you've had a bit of a break.
Yeah, I think so as close as we can get.
We have Dominic Marsuk who's coming in from pulling this evening, and obviously he's played, he's played two games over the span of the week, and then he gets in you know, tonight, and it's obviously close to the game time, so you know he'll he'll probably be more of a player that comes into the game, but could potentially be a starter. And then me have Brian Verry as well, has been
suspended for three games. We'll miss this one. In the first playoff game, but those would be the two guys that are you know, our question marks that that have been a really you know who's been right in the
you know, run down the stretch. So but but as far as that, it gives us an opportunity again to look at players different positions that that can give us maybe a wrinkle heading towards the playoffs when we're thinking more tactically as to how to break teams down whether we're home and we want to go for it or away and be a bit more methodical on our approach. So this game will definitely be as close to, you know, the starting group other than those two, those two players that I just mentioned.
When last we spoke, you were very honest and very upfront about the message to Vera after the unfortunate incident.
Have you been.
Happy with the way he's responded and where's his head out?
I mean, he's got to be bummed out.
Man.
It's not just missing Saturday, he's missing a playoff match. I mean, that's that's tough for any player. How's how's he responded?
No, it's it's it's You're absolutely right, And I think again that's for one difficult thing for I think any athlete is is that the consequences are long lasting beyond the you know, the sidelines, right, it goes beyond that when you're we're spending three games and it's like what it happened on the field, and so it's it's him
taming his wild side. But the way he's approach it's been awesome understanding that, you know, I need to get back into that game environment where where I'm breathing hard. And so what he's done is he's teamed up with our with our fitness coaches, and he's doing our double session every day, and so he's really buying into the you know, he feels terrible for the team, but understand that feeling bad for yourself and the team is going to get you in the right headspace to contribute come
the second playoff game. So I'm doing double sessions. He's been bright in training and really positive. And again, we all need moments and lives in our lives that that stop our world to make us think about what we've done. And I think this has been a moment in his life that hopefully we won't see it again in the future.
So what's the plan in that spot?
I mean, you know, losing the hurts for several reasons, not just what he brings to the back line, but you use him on set pieces and you know, corner kicks and then there are times where you have that play in place where you play a short corner to him so he can fire away with that rocket of a left leg. What's the what's the plan in place when when VARs out?
Yeah, So from an attacking standpoint where we're not going to be able to make up for what he brings, because you're absolutely right, he's one of our best free kick takers. He's dangerous on any set piece, so unfortunately we won't be able to make up for that. But from a defensive standpoint, and the Philip Quinton has stepped in played a really good game against San Jose, and I would say some of the attributes that Philip brings
to the back line. Has a lot of great communication and he's just really diulgent in all the little things that go un noticed. His body shape.
Is tackling his and again his communication being is probably his greatest asset to our team in real time. So whilst we can't make up for some of that, I think he brings other things to our group. That will make us better defensively. And like I've said for the last few weeks, when you get down to these these games, playoff games where it's you know, everything's going to be tight and can tell you want to make sure you're
doing all the little things right. And I think Phillips the right guy for that position.
So how is the progress, because you know, at times we have seen a tremendous amount of quality from all of these players that I'll just say that are in the attack were obviously chi Cho's chie Cho Anderson Julio to me, has been an unsung hero all year. As we've talked about Diego's Diego. We talked about Crooks last week with his work rate, and then there's Diego, there's the new pieces you know, obviously Lachlan and Dominic two.
You have a lot of options in the attack. How is the progress coming and have you settled on the group that you want to see either Saturday or in the playoffs in attack?
That's that's that's a great question, and I think we're still kind of formulating that. Again, Dominic not being available to start this game, it will we'll kind of hamper
that a little bit. But I think one of the things that I've realized in the last five or six games is the important of Matt Crooks, and he brings to life all those players around him because of all the little things, all the little things he does with the ball, plays simple gets, gets his players teammates involved, and then defensively all the dirty work he does to close things down to allow us to win the balls
higher for the field. So, you know, Chicho, obviously, you know, we got to get him scoring the goal, and once he does, I think we're going to have the best striker in current form in Major League soccer. And it's just that we're just hanging on that one moment where the ball is the back of the net. Diego Luna has been awesome in every phase of the game, and just like last year, you know, he's picked up where he left off at the end of last season, which
was carrying us into the playoffs. And you know, the fantastic play he made in San Jose to steal the three points is you know, uh, you know, it's reminiscent of the same type of form he was in last year. And then the other position, you know is either you know, Dominic or Diogo and and I think depending on our opponents, will have a lot to do with that. Dominic's in
a great run of form. You played two games with the under twenty one Polish national team scored two goals, so he's in a great reun of form as well. And I think you know Diego today in the eleven to eleven screamage that we had buried a fantastic goals.
So we have options. It's just I think again we haven't in the last six or seven weeks been able to get everyone on the field at the same time because of the scheduling, because of suspensions and injuries and what have you. But I think we're getting closer and closer, and I think those three players have definitely solidified their position within the team that earned them a bill in the playoffs.
Obviously, a big storyline has been the battle between the two keepers for that spot, and at times, as we've talked about, it just simply.
Hasn't been good enough.
We are coming in though, with back to back clean sheets and back to back shutouts. I'm just going to ask, is the plan Zach did Zack win that job back? Are we're going to see Zach on Saturday and potentially moving forward into it's hopefully a deep playoff run.
Yeah, I'm gonna keep saying what I've been saying Spence, and I don't want to jinx anything, and we're taking it game by game, you know, And I think, you know, the game against Austin, you saw a bit of experience.
As that brought to the back line.
Both hit the ball without the ball, and we've been able to now sits the set piece problem that we had just with that communication and I think his level of experience and and then going to the next two games where we had two shutouts that obviously it's it's like the struker scoring a goal. I mean, that's that's putting the cape on a goalkeeper, right, And so I don't want to I don't want to get too far, too far ahead of it. I feel like that's in a great spot where he comes in every day and
earns his keep. He's training really well, and and when you have experienced players that are training well, playing well, they're now in a position to help leave the group, which is going to be critical down the stretch. So you know, we'll we'll take it one game at a time. But that's been an amazing job of you know, putting himself back in that the picture at the right time of the season.
Force and I always feel the need when we hone in on the keeper to follow up with the question about the group in front of him, and that doesn't just include the back four. And you know, a couple of weeks ago when you joined US, I talked about from my vantage point, seeing a work rate from Chicho and Diego specifically that maybe we haven't seen consistently, you know, all year long. And it's not just a keeper issue. It's not just a back four issue. It's a team issue.
When you're not defending the right way and allowing goals that are costing you points, you feel like you're getting the buy in from the group to defend as a team.
Yes, in particular really the last two games. And again I think for me, if there's a phase of the game that exemplifies team, it's the defending part. It's because everyone plays soccer because they want the ball, they want to pass the ball, they want to dribble the ball, they want to shoot the ball, and they want to score it right. And that it doesn't matter if you're a center backer you're a forward. Those are all things
that all soccer players like to do. The selfless thing is working hard for the team defensively, and again the guys up front, they're tasked with making the play predictable for the guys in the midfield. The guys in the midfielder are doing the same but also trying to win balls in the midfield. And then the lap line of defense is obviously the back line, and they're the ones that make the goalkeepers job easy by by marking men in the box, by you know, doing other little things right.
So again I think you know, if you were talking to me a month ago, I would have said, man, this is the area that we need to work on, and those are areas that we've worked on. The commitment, and then then you need to, like you said, the buying and the commitment from the guys and and the
guys at front starting the teacher. I've done a fantastic job. Uh, in the last few weeks have really make it adficult for teams to play easy to our through our lines, which then gives everyone confidence because we believe that we have a great attacking group and if we can get
the ball in dangerous areas we will score goals. The biggest prompt for us in our in the middle of the sea towards a lot of part of the season has been conceding so many goals that it makes it almost impossible to get results because you know, if you're conceding two goals, it's it's all the same to duds to score three, right, So if he can keep teams at bay defensively, we have the firepower, you know, to
get results. And I believe in the last few weeks we've really turned the trus on that I know.
You're referenced in you know you often hear this in soccer about a striker, you know, and someone is talented as chie Scho. It does feel like you get one and then the flood gates could open. I'm sure the fan base very interested in his form in training.
How he's looked.
I mean, during that fifteen game on Beaten Streak, Bob says, as referenced before, if he only scored once, it felt like he had a down game because he was just so dominant.
So how's he looking, how's he sound and has his head? Is he ready to roll?
Yeah? I know he is.
Again the last three sessions in particular have been dynamic. And one of the you know, objective metrics that we use is obviously the GPS data. So how much sprinting, how much highs be running and and it's it's it's amazing how there's a correlation between strikers that run hard and sprint a lot with their goal production.
Right. So we sat down and we talked about all these things, and after each session, you know, Chicho has been going with the fitness coaches and looking at his data, you know, and I think that's the type of commitment that that that we had when teacher was scoring a ton of goals, right, And it's really easy to get down on you when things aren't happening, but it's it's also important from a coaching perspective to reinforce those habits and those behaviors that put them in those positions to
score those goals. And so he's been, uh, you know, above average all those metrics, and that's for everyone on the field. And when chi Jo's operating in that place, there's it's only a matter of time before you know, the ball hits to the back of the net. And then once that starts happening, you know, I'd hate to be, you know, the defender on the other side of the field.
What would setting the single season point record mean to you? I mean, as we've talked about, Jason had four or five real.
Elite, elite years here.
Uh, and you know, if you guys get three on Saturday, by any measurable metric, you're the most successful regular season team in RSL history. Now you want, you want to lift trophies, and you know there's no trophies for setting that record, but what would what what would that feather in the cap mean to you.
And your group?
Well, again, I think it just validates the process that we have to get to where we want to go. You know, I think every year that I've been here, we've we've improved in in in that place where we're we're getting more points, we're in a better position in the playoffs. And you know, unfortunately spent the special sports that no one has time, right, everyone wants it now. And your truth is in life is that everything takes time. And what what what takes time is formulating a process
that that will breed success. Because again, you can have a one off year where you finished eighth and you win an VLS Cup. Right, you can have that, and we have that in Colorado. I think you've been a seventh and we of winning them Moss Cups, but then the next year we struggle to get out of the first round. And so I think the most important thing from a coaching perspective is here, here's the formula to
get us to where we want to go. And if we can get players playing one to two percent greater than anyone else thought they could, and we do that as a collective, then we're here to today. We will always be at the top. We'll always because we have, you know, the blueprint of what it takes to be a team, what it takes to be successful, and one off games, what you know, and all these lessons that we've learned over the years and applying it in real time.
And so for me, that's what that that's what that means. It means that the processes that we have in place are are working, and that we just need to double down all the little things that will keep us in the in in that uh in that top three, top two every single year in the West.
You know, sometimes players leave under try and circumstances, and sometimes players leave and they're not necessarily thought of fondly then, And sometimes there's Demir Crylock, who just simply is beloved by everybody, and I would say is on everyone's RSL Mount Rushmore and you.
Know, anecdotally, Pablo.
A couple of years ago, when I was down at a playoff match for you guys, Demir pulled me aside and said, hey, thank you for interviewing.
Me all year. And I was like, what, Like, who does that?
I mean, I don't think I've ever had a player on any team on any level pulled me aside to say thank because look, man, I know the deal. I'm sure you got the text from trend to day and You're like, dude, are you serious? Like, I know you guys don't want to do this. I'm under no you know, false pretense. I've been on the team side and the media side, and that just blew me away. But that's kind of who he is as he comes back. What would you say about the former captain of RSL.
Yeah, I think he's one of the most professional people, right, and I guess one of the most one of the best character people I've been around a professional sports and
and I think you said it right where. I think gratitude is always the best statitude, and I think he is so grateful for this opportunity to be a professional athlete and does not take one single day for granted, whether it's with the media side, whether it's with the foundation and given to the people in the community, whether it's his teammates and holding a standard that is so hard for him to hold that he knows it's what's
that's for the group and for himself. And so you know, he's he's one of these one in a million guys. He's almost a dinosaur anymore because the next generation they're very human far between. And so you know, I've I've
had nothing but wonderful experiences and memories with Dommy. He's had, you know, a big impact on me as a coach, and having to have difficult conversations with him and look him in the eyes and seeing that he's given everything for the club and and still having to make a decision you know you're not going to start this weekend.
He goes, Listen, I respect your opinion. I'm grateful for the honesty and the transparency, and so everything he does is with just a top class character and understanding and like I said, he's one of the few. He's one of the few that still remain in the game, and it's always great to see him. So it'll be great to see him this weekend.
So we find ourselves in an inner Wait real quick, when you got the text from Trey.
Were you bummed or are you really excited? Let's let's be honest.
I was really excited to spend anytime Trey goes, hey, can you get on with Spence at four? I'm like, yeah, four or five?
Six? You tell me?
All right, man, all right, you don't have to tell me the truth. It's all good. I always appreciate your time no matter what. You know that. But coming up.
On Saturday night, you guys and Seattle, who are tied and potentially could move up to third, are taking on Vancouver and Portland, who are both trying to avoid the wild card.
It's pretty wild the way this thing has played out.
So you do you have Trey with Apple TV behind the bench updating you do you not want to know anything?
Just go get your three? I mean, how do you handle the final match?
Yeah? No, I think again.
I think it's it's one of the things we talk about incessantly, and here is controlling the controllables, and the only thing our control is the way we perform that hopefully puts us in a position get to get a great result.
And so even using this last game, it's not like whether we win or we lose, you know, it's not like, ah, we win, and so we were finished. It's like, no, now we're starting again. Now we're starting a whole different series with the playoffs, right, So I think for us it's really about taking the things that we've applied these last couple of weeks and being more threatening in front of goal, being good in front of our box to defend.
And so that's the way. That's why I don't even want to know what goes on in the other games, because it has really nothing to do of how we approach the following week. So, you know, we played well this game, we put ourselves in a position to get
a result. That's the only thing I care about, because then we can take that performance, we can review it, we can apply whatever training sessions we need to really focus on those little minute details and then attack the playoffs full of bigger and desire and belief and and and make a real, real good run in in this playoff series, all right.
Before I set you loose.
If the playoffs started today, as you know, you would play Houston at this point, is it was just like screw it, let's just go get it done. Or is that a matchup do you really want to avoid? Like obviously the past, you know, number of matches have been rough and maybe it's just a bad matchup. But I mean, at this point, you're just like, it doesn't matter who's in front of us, or do you really care about who the matchup is?
No, I really don't care.
And and again I think if I'm a player in that locker room, if there's a team that I want to face the way I look at it from my experience as the player, and it might not be the same today, but I would say, let's let's go get these guys.
Man.
Let's we got We got two of the three games if you need them at home. When they came here, I think we won five to two or something like that. It was a you know, we had a really good game. And so homefield is a big thing. So that's what we've worked so hard all season for. And so if it is Houston, you know, They're a fantastic team. They're obviously a difficult team to play, especially away from home.
But I feel like.
If we're you know, if that's who we face in the first round and we can overcome this group of players that that have causes so much grief this year and last year, I think, uh, there's there's there's no one that that that will be scary moving forwards. So I think you want to win, you gotta beat the best teams, and so grew better to do it than Houston in front of our home base at.
The Riot, cold chilly night. Let's go. I'm excited for it.
All right, brother, Well fall soccer is always my favorite.
So excited for what's next. Best of luck on Saturday and always calling for you.
Okay, thanks, Man's appreciate it, Buch.
All right, Pablo Master, Runny Aresel head coach, back in action coming up this weekend.
With a lot on the line.
Rsel can still move up to third potential, but they have locked in a home playoff match and the opponent is to be determined.
All Right.
We're live today at beer Bar right downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, at one sixty one East two hundred South. We are giving away VIP passes for our ESPN seven hundred Ultimate Tailgate Experience prior to the Utah TCU game on Saturday. Porter will be doing the Utah pregame show live from the tailgate starting at four thirty.
All roll by as well. It's a lot of fun, man.
We have free food from Wingers, we have spirits from Clearwater to Stilling, and we're giving away two passes per person while supplies last, just for stopping in and saying hi. Here at Beer Bar one sixty one East two hundred South right downtown Salt Lake. You can see every RSL match here. It's the only sports bar in Salt Lake
with no blackouts because they do have Apple TV. Our next guest likes beer and soccer, yet he's not here at beer Bar, which hurts my feelings since Andy Larsen from the Tribune, where are you, dude?
Yeah, that's there. I would have liked to come out, but I had a meeting, a three o'clock meeting and a six o'clock meeting, and I can't. I had to. I had to do this one from home, So sorry about that.
Were your meetings at Juniors or what's what's the deal.
Hey, that's only on Mondays and Friday.
Okay, fair enough, fair enough?
All right, Andy, safe to say that the preseason has been somewhat encouraging for the Utah Jazz, for a team that's not getting a lot of buzz both locally and nationally.
Yeah, last night was a fun game.
What has stood out most to you throughout the preseason which will wrap up coming up on Friday.
Yeah, you know, I think there's a few things. I think one, the defense does look better right now, and it's start to know how much of that is preseason teams taking it easy on the Jazz. You know who's out there on the floor. Frankly, they're playing a lot less John Collins and a lot more Walker Kessler. But that being said, there they're sixteenth in league defensively through the preseason, which is a lot better than twenty nine
or thirtieth that they were last season. So, I you know, I think they've taken a step there on transition D and really kind of staying and finishing throughout a play. And then you know, I think there have been some kind of promising steps forward taken from the young guys. I mean, I think conty George has looked really good. I think Taylor Hendrick looks significantly bigger and maybe ready to contribute kind of at a role player level, not as a star or anything, but at a higher level
than he did last year. And you know, Cody Williams looks like a pretty good kind of fit in right now kind of player and we'll see obviously how he develops. But I don't think he's taking anything off the table right now, which is pretty rare as a rookie. So you know, I think there's some some good stuff going on here that maybe says, hey, this isn't a fifteen to twenty win team, this is a thirty win team. And you know, again we'll see what that means if
preseason is real. But the the I A would say they've played better than expected so far.
So what have you You referenced Walker playing a little bit more than John and I hope that continues. But from both the starting lineup and benchmit a distribution, any surprises about Will's preferred rotation so far? And what are your main takeaways from the players that we're actually going to see?
Yeah, I mean, I think the takeaway is that there is like a real youth movement here, but they're not going necessarily all the way in right like, so you know that they it does seem like they're going to play the callier over Patty Mills. It does look like that, like me, Michale, you kin grew you Banks aren't going
to play right away. I do think that it's notable that you know, like Bright sent the bass and the rotation, even though he hasn't looked brilliant, you know, I think there is a lot of youth there, but there's still you know, there's still kind of the four veterans on
the roster who do kind of demand playing time. Obviously Lowry's one of them in part of the future core, but Colin Sexton, John Collins, and Jordan Clarkson are guys that probably don't match up with that timeline and probably they would like to move on from at some point. And so I think that's a that's the real question
we'll see during the regular season. It's like can they trade them or you know, are there any buyers that at kind of some relatively large salaries for those guys, or do they instead kind of play the load management make up injuries game to make room for the likes of Kyle Philipowski, who is a d M p CD
in a preseason game last night. You know, I think that that's going to be kind of interesting to see how that that really plays out, because I think there are kind of eleven guys at least who probably kind of demands time on this roster and probably nine or ten rotation spots to put them in.
Walker last night four blocks, nine boards. This is a big year for Walker Kestler. Oftentimes, you know, year three, it's when teams more often than not, are deciding on options. You know, for that didn't get his picked up for the Kings after year three. Most of the time rookies
do have that option picked up. It's pretty rare, and I'm not saying Walker's not going to but year three more often than not for most players outside of unicorns like Lebron and Wembin Yama, you got to figure out whether or not this is gonna be a rotational piece for you moving forward, and whether or not you have just a benchwarmer in the league, or is this a guy you can start and rely upon to anchor your defense.
I've not really changed my calculus on him. I mean, the numbers dipped a little bit last year, but it wasn't like a precipitous dip. It was just minor here or there, But it was clear that he didn't take a step up from year one to year two. Have you seen enough in the preseason to give you confidence that we will see a positive step from Walker year two to year three.
Yeah, I think a little bit of one. And I guess I'm not saying huge stripes or anything like that. And I still think, honestly, the biggest thing that would help Walker would be playing with a top level point guard. You know, I think, honestly, he just looked a lot better in that rookie season in large part was playing with Mike Conley, who could deliver lob passes, who you know, compared to Kanty George, who's not strad that right. But that being said, I do think he's playing with a
little bit more physicality. Will Hardy said that he thought the Decreaseason game against Dallas was the best rebounding game of his Jazz career and picked up fifteen rebounds including five offensives in that game. You know, I thought he
was I agree with Will. I thought he was very good in that game, and I do think, you know, he made a big defensive impact last night and what was ninety five percent of a regular season game with the Kings playing four starters over thirty six minutes, So yeah, you know, I think ultimately like that is, the question with Walker is not whether or not he's an NBA player,
he definitely is. It's whether or not he is a starter or a bench guy, right and and really, how much do you want to pay him on that extension in those extension talks starting next season? And I think most likely is that he's kind of a tweener in that way and that you know, he's someone who you can start defensively, but maybe he doesn't have the offensive skill set that you feel really great about doing that, and maybe a player worth in the end of fifteen
million dollar range. But yeah, he gets to determine that based on how this season goes for him. And you know, I think again, I'm thinking kind of small steps there with improved physicality on the glass, a little bit better screening, a little bit better hands, but it's not anything I think fundamentally changes who he is as a player.
How has Taylor fit in next to him and obviously lowry and what do you what do you anticipate from Taylor all year long? I mean, the measurables have always stood out, and the experience he gained last year. Oftentimes, even as a young player with not a lot of experience guarding the other team's best wing, can he grow into a legitimate defensive stopper that will can use on dynamic offensive wings from other teams?
And you think we'll see that this year?
I you know, I think he can, but I don't think he's there now from a game processing point of view. I think, first of all, teams aren't going to be guarding him right Like, there's just not enough confidence in his overall offensive game. Uh. Frankly, the the the handle I think is his weakest point right now as a player, Like he just can't be, you know, trusted to dribble to create on his own, even just against closeouts. So, uh,
you know, that's an obvious improven point. I think he can knock down threes relatively well, and I think he can stay in front defensively against pretty good players. But I don't think you think he's an elite stopper by any means at this point in his career, and you know, that still makes sense. He's still young, he's still just in his second year, and Jazz knew that this would be a project. But I do think that, uh, you know, if you're expecting him to be a stopper this year,
that's that's going to be optimistic. You're you're you're looking for flashes of development and kind of continual development and his ability to read the game and make those kind of plays. I do think he looks significantly bigger and older this year, right Like I do think like just his body grew up a little bit, and I think we're seeing some of the benefits of that in preseason, but he's still kind of struggling to impact the game
on a possession by possession basis. It's more about flashes right now rather than about putting together a full you know, twenty four or thirty minutes whatever he's going to end up getting in regular season actions.
So is there a chance, Andy? You know, ultimately I don't believe this.
Team has a shot to make the playoffs, but is there a chance as a result of some of the teams in the league that have aged out a little bit and also the dynamic of simply players not showing up in Salt Lake City, as Tom Haberstrow did the research for US a year ago, that as a result of Will playing, and if he decides to do this, if there's no tricky like Larry has a sprained ankle, he's out for two weeks, and Will plays his best lineups every night, and they stay healthy and they don't
lean into load management, that they might be able to steal a bunch of regular season games that nobody sees coming and maybe even approach like a thirty five to forty wins such like I said, this is not a team that I believe will make the playoffs, and if they somehow squeak in if they face any of the other teams in the West that are in front of them fully healthy, They're not going to win four times and seven tries, but they could potentially win more regular
season games than most believe because a lot of the teams that are going to be playing will be sitting players for load management or they're just not showing up in Salt Lake. Can they overshoot regular season expectations? If Will decides to play his guys big minutes every night and they simply show up to work and work hard.
I think maybe you know, like I don't want to say, even like forty wins to me is optimistic. And I don't think forty wins gets to a playoff spot in this your's Western Conference, right. I think there are thirteen teams that on paper are pretty clearly better than the Jazz, right And you know, maybe one or two of those kids Injers and you move up to the kind of eleven or twelve spot they've been in in the last
couple of years. But I also don't think that this roster is a tire player, right, Like, I think you're right that these there are good veterans. I think, you know, Larry Market is a really good player. I think it's relatively deep. I think they do play hard. I think there's decent odds that the defense is not worse than
the league like it was last year. And I think you know, they're going to win some significant games because of the home you know, home court advantage, because of the altitude, because of teams resting guys coming into Utah, because they take a lot of threes and three point variance is a thing. And I think, yeah, there's just going to be some games where like the youth wins out and beat the tire team on the second hand of a back to back or whatever. Right Like, it's
it's not a Washington Wizards or Detroit Piston situation. I don't think where they're going to win fifteen to twenty games. I think they they're a little bit better than that. And so you know, really where you get into kind of a from a tanking point of view, I guess it's the Eastern Conference right where you do have the Pistons and Wizards and Hornets and Raptors and Bowls and a couple other crappy teams. I'm forgetting here, and those are going to be kind of your competitions for the
lottery odds. But yeah, like I think a thirty win season, you know, that is their biggest over under right now, and that feels about right for where the talent level is on this roster.
All right, let's talk about the dynamic that most people really want to discuss, and that is the media meals this year at the Delta Center. So it looks like you and I are going to be smashing some ja dogs. Is that the case here?
I've been trying out new things. I mean it's only been three games, right, So like Maxwell's is no longer in the arena, there's a new piece of place called mods. I tried that honestly, was was B minus grade, if you know, if we're honest, tried out the notch was a Coasta Beida last night. Those weren't bad. But yeah, this is a season of experimentation and learning about the concessions that the Delta Center for sure for us.
So what we're referring to and I learned this as reason, well, I guess I was at the hockey game and I enjoyed myself a jay dog.
I like a good jay dog from time to time.
Now, now the hockey team the locker room is taking up space, and so there's no more media dining room and we're eating eating with vouchers on the concourse.
Is that the deal moving forward?
Yeah? Yeah, So, I mean I don't know if we're we'll get into whatever, We'll just say everything. Yeah. So where the media dining room was last year is now where the hockey the Utah Hockey Clubs locker room is this year. And they say there's no other space downstairs for media dining and so yeah, we get twenty dollars vouchers as media members for every game. So that's that's
what we get. And you know, honestly, it's not bad in some ways, Like at least this way you kind of get to choose what you eat if you want, and there are plenty. There were some times last year where heck, I you know, I wasn't in favor of the media dining buffet, and so we'd go upstairs and get a slice of piece or whatever. But now that's that's kind of our deal. And then I personally just eat it in our media seets. But you know, up to you where you want to eat it.
I guess Andy, this is what the listeners want. The listeners want to talk about how the media will be fed. I promise you this is compelling content.
Look, and I mean I don't think it is. But I've heard good things about the by you tube cono spread the league, the NBA. Some teams like Detroit has little Caesars arena you wouldn't believe has the best stake and spread and just the most amazing choices you could ever imagine, you know, like it's better than a Vegas buffet in Detroit. And then you have a lot of teams now that, yeah, are doing the concession bouchers things, some even liminum to just one place you can buy
like chicken tenders from the league. Is changing sense in a way that really matters to our listeners.
Is this all because you tweeted about Stewart Adams?
I don't think so.
No, this is your fault, dude, This is all your fault.
The hallway is because I tweeted about Stuart Adams. The dining situation, I do think is like largely just because the hockey team needed the place to have locker room, which is pretty reasonable. Now, look, they're still the club. They're still like the Delta Sky three sixty club for the rich folks in the first five rows. That's still on level one. They're still a family room on level one.
There's still Ryan's Sweet the Underground on level one. But yeah, there's no more immediate dining on level one.
Fair enough, all right, last jazz thing. ESPN's doing their player rank. Lowry comes in at thirty. Lowry comes in at thirty three. They did I think fifty to ten today. That's down five spots from twenty eight. So what ESPN rank is telling us is the best player on the Jazz by far quite frankly, is the thirty third best player in the league.
What does that say to you if anything?
Yeah, and the Ringer released their list today too, and I think Glwery was thirty first, and then Colinsecon I believe was ninety seventh. I may have those numbers one or two offs, but yeah, it gives you the vibe, like looks for this Jazz seems not the most talented top level with in terms of top level talent, right, Like, that is clearly the thing that the Jazz needs to add in order to be an actually good team again,
is a top twenty player in the league. And that's that's why we're talking about thinking, that's why we're talking about big game hunting and all of that. Right. I do think Lowry basically had the same season he did, you know, one year ago. The difference was he played fewer games, and you know, the the win loss totals didn't look as good and so that impacted some of the advanced stats. But like in the end, I you know,
I think Lowerry's a good player. I would probably put him like in that when he fits the thirty zone rather than in the thirty to thirty five zone. But really we're you know, putting hairs at that point, and yeah, it's all about how are you going to find that next top twenty guy? Probably even you know, really if you want to be a true contender, a top ten guy to add to the Jazz's roster. And you know
that's yeah again draft right, that's a game hunting. That's all the stuff we've been talking about all off season where we don't really have an answer on how the Jazz are going to find that guy next?
All right, Andy, before I say you lose, the lads are back after a little bit of a break. Pabla joined us last segments Vancouver. It's interesting because RSL plays Vancouver and simultaneously, Seattle plays Portland, and RSL and Seattle are still in the mix for three and Portland and Vancouver are trying to avoid that wildcard spot. So it's
gonna be a crazy night on Saturday seven o'clock. What would you like to see on Saturday night to indicate this team is in a good place heading into the postseason.
Yeah, I think a few things to see. I feel like I'm asking for a lot here, but a win, a clean sheet, and a good attack. But like those are kind of what I'm looking for right Like the defense has been a significant question all year long. Can they figure out a defensive rotation that's not allowing a gazillion shot? You know, who's your starting goaltender? All that kind of stuff, I think is a really interesting question. The offense has you know, dropped the level clearly. Can
Chicho get going? You know, what do they do? You know, in terms of who's starting at the wings? Is that Mark Duke is at Lachlan Brook? Is it? You know, I think they're there are questions to be asked there. Do you definitely start, you know, can Diego Luna playe ninety minutes? Diogo the guy in the middle, or do you go with Anderson Julio at some point up top and slide Chicho back? Like they're real kind of rotational
questions to answer. But like, to me, kind of the most important thing is this chance I think they if they do end up in third, I believe they could steel still steal the CONCACAFT Champions Cup placement, and that would be I think a big deal. You know, I think it's been a long time since ourselves played in that tournament, and I think, you know, a season that was so good in these stretches. I think it could
really benefit oursel to have that international competition again. So that's kind of what I'm hoping for as a fan, is to see them play at that top level, at a continental level again the next year, rather than you know, kind of miss out on it on that tournament like they have in the last what half decade or so.
All Right, buddy, what I appreciate the time. Have a good week gets you out against suit.
Okay, sounds good, Thanks Ben, all Right?
The great Andy Larson from the saw Lake Tribune. Get them on Twitter at Andy B. Larson is where you find them.
I think this is a.
Good message for a Wednesday afternoon, halfway through your work week and one day closer to the weekend. Sometimes you can't always get what you want, but if you really hone in, you get what you need. At least that my takeaway from this brilliant song, this brilliant Rolling Stones track, Because right now I don't know how to spend this for a Utah football perspective forord Her, because right now, Utah football fans probably not getting what they want, but
certainly not getting what they need either. So I don't know I was going to try to be philosophical wax poetic. I think I got nothing in that direction.
Yeah, well you're on the right track. That's that's why I'm getting the song out there right. It's a It's a week in which I think Utah fans listen the expectations spents coming into this season. I think we're really really high, historically high for the University of Utah football team. And it wasn't just about the team that they had returning. It was about the opportunity they had in front of them, the expanded College Football Playoff, the wide open Big Twelve.
It was it was easy if you were a Utah fan, and I could see it.
I understand why it was easy for us in studio here as well, to get really really excited about what we wanted the twenty twenty four college football season to look like. And while we can't necessarily get all of that, we can still move along and have a good season. It's four and two. The utes are not again. I don't know how it's maybe sounded if you're listening to
sports talk airwaves in Salt Lake this week. But this is a team that's four and two and still mathematically in the hunt for a Big twelve title, and of course that's something they have to play for. It's something Isaac Wilson will have to be much better for. But it's still a reality. It's still there, and it's not a team again that is zero to five. That is something that I think folks can at least find some optimism, some silver lining in well.
And can we remember that this stuff is supposed to be fun, yes, and it's a zero sum game that ultimately doesn't matter. These are eighteen, eighteen to twenty five year olds, I guess that are just doing the best they can with an oblong ball made of pigskin, like we need to. And I'm reminding myself too, I'm not preaching here. Can we just remember this stuff is supposed to be fun because during the offseason we pine for it. Then it gets here and it seems like folks are
just miserable no matter what. It's supposed to be a good time.
Porter it is, and it is a good time it is.
I do.
I'm with you.
I think a lot of people and I don't want to get on my diatribe. I think a lot of people, whether it's fantasy football, it's betting on sports, it's getting involved in the donation side, whatever it may be, there's a lot of people that seem to be how do I say, more involved than they actually are in the product, in the game, in the college football world. And that's fine. I understand you want to be a part of the product. You want to be part of it, but you're not.
If the UTS lose or if your favorite team loses. Breathe, take a deep breath, go outside, talk to your kids, do something in that regard. But you know tomorrow there'll be more sporting events and you'll be okay. I I think this week specifically, I saw a lot of people that maybe maybe we're getting a little too personal with how they felt about a college football sporting event and a status around it. And I just don't think that's healthy for you, for the for the fans, for the players.
I think there's a step back and hopefully folks can take that. And yeah, I do think that there's an issue when it comes to gambling and how people treat athletes, especially college ones, but that's a longer, different conversation.
I hope that stadium's jam packed on Saturday. I'll be there.
Porter is going to be there. Hopefully you'll be there too. Let's support these young men. There's still a lot to play for. And don't forget our pregame coverage. We'll begin at four thirty on Saturday. Is gonna have that for you, So roll by the tailgate, say what's up? Would love to meet you Friday coming up, We're gonna be at Overtime Cards and Collectibles. It's a little bit of a funky setup because I'm on remote for my show at the Snowmobile Expo. Would love to meet you there on Friday.
Then after I'm done, I'm gonna roll over to Overtime Cars to say what up to my guy Chris James and Scott Mitchell is gonna host a couple of hours therefore you I'll do a little radio with Scott. But want you guys to support this great spot Overtime Cards and Collectibles. It's the best spot for all your football, basketball, hockey,
MMA and even Pokemon card collection. So on October the eighteenth, on Friday, Logan Cooley, We'll be there the Center for the Utah Hockey Club signing autographs for all the fans. You can buy tickets for the signing at Overtimecardsocollectibles dot com, so put that into your calendar. It's five to seven on Friday. We'll be there at Overtime Cards, their new location in Sandy.
All right, Porter, Before we say goodnight, what comes our way? On Thursday edition of the show.
On a edition of the program, as we do each and every Thursday, we'll have a big hour presented by Big O' Tires and our friends at Clearwater Distilling, Gordon Monson, Craig Bowler, Jack, We'll talk youts, we'll talk BUYU, we'll talk jazz, maybe a little hockey club as well with Bowler and our friend Gordon mons and then joining us live in studio Chris com Ronnie of the Athletic, usually a Friday staple, but I've talked Chris into stopping by
in person. Always always good to have Ck and studio, So we'll do that, and then we'll wrap up with a little sports court our friends from Handy in Handy Law before we turn it over to a Friday one day closer to your weekend.
All right, that'll be a good Thursday show, so join us for that, and don't forget coming up next little Major League Baseball playoff action. We'll see if the Metropolitans the New York Mets can continue to make life difficult for the Dodgers. It's the Mets Dodgers coming up on the other side especially well. Thank you Kyle Montager and Neil Smith, Poblo Master, Honni Andy Larson for any the sound you made miss from the show. Check out the
website it's ESPN seven hundred Sports dot com. Download our mobile app and take us on the go. It's the ESPN seven hundred app that's available in the App Store or the Google play Store. Then, finally, for what we do every afternoon in our four hour afternoon drive space, check out our podcast page which is called The Drive with Spence check Its and that's available.
Wherever you get your shows.
Make sure to subscribe, rate, review, sayd ie things, give us all the stars for Tara my Onside Tech and of course Porter the producer of this program. My name is Spence check it saying I enjoy your Wednesday evening. We'll talk to you on a Thursday drive back in studio. You can catch it right here on ESPN seven hundred