But let's talk more youths, talk more college footballer Buddy Josh Furlough from KSL on a Monday Josh, Happy Monday, man.
How are we doing.
I'm doing well. How about yourself?
Good buddy, appreciate the time.
So just a macro question, is it possible that we have two elite college football teams in our state?
Yeah, I definitely think there is. I mean, I think we b what you did to Kansas State, I mean, I think that's that's really impressive. I still don't know if we learned a ton about their offense against a really tough team because of all the turnovers, but I think were it's safe to say that their defense is pretty impressive. And it's fun to be able to have a second team in the state that is ranked and in doing well. So I'm curious to see the trajectory of both these teams and kind of how it all
shakes out and if it still goes well. I mean that that match up between the two teams at right Cycle Stadium is going to be pretty electric. So you have to like that, you know, as just a fan of of goodness, good sports in the state. Right and so I think it's it's really a fun opportunity to be able to have both teams that are doing really well.
So, Josh, I'm sure you because I've heard from a lot of people both in real life and I try not to live on the intranet, but you know, it's part of the deal, so you get emails, you get dms. Very frustrated with the situation with the lack of information about Cam Rising and Utah football. That of course a little PTSD from a year ago. And I started out the show today with a simple opinion that Intel coach Witt is told that he is mandated to report injuries
like they do in pro football. He's just going to keep doing this. His job is to win, it's not to tell you or I who's playing quarterback for him. I understand the frustration, and I do think because of the dynamic that sports are now in bed with gambling partners and gambling apps, at some point there will be enough noise made by business partners or college football to say, look, there are hundreds of million of dollars on the line now based off of who is your quarterback. At some
point they're gonna be mandated to do this. But until they are there. I'm not going to say a word, so give me your thoughts on the entire dynamic. I get the frustration, but I also understand why it is the way that it is.
Yeah, you know, as much as Farans want that information, and trust me, I want that information as well. Having to spend each and every week trying to sit here and find the status of the starting QB is not that ideal. Even putting in an injury mandate. I don't know if it's going to change a time, especially with what they want to do. I mean, if you look at let's say the NBA or the NFL, Yeah, you're gonna have certain metrics to say, Okay, you have to you have to tell it by this time, But most
of those times are still a game time decision. So if Kyle wants to make Cam a game time decision, there's nothing that changes from this Saturday, right, They're going to throw him out there. They're going to see if he can go. Maybe they have to make the declaration an hour before instead of five minutes before. But it's one of those things that's going to be exploited no matter what happens, and so it's just kind of the nature of things, right. I mean, I think they were.
They were really optimistic about Cam and being able to get out there, not being able to understand fully how he was going to hill after stitching get out of his hand, and is tough, and that's why you started to see Isaac sing Moore reps since the week went on.
It's just a tough situation because I don't like on one hand, like I understand people say it's gains and shit by winning him, and to some extent it is, but I think they really just wanted to see how he would respond in practice or not in practice, but in the pregame's warm up, and that's when you make your declaration, right, So maybe it forces them to shift this into Friday or some other day, But I don't know that it's really going to go that far away.
You know, it's not really going to change anything. Teams are still going to have to scheme for both quarterbacks or whatever injury may be. It just might give us a little bit more clarity, but I don't know that it gives us a ton more. So.
As I said earlier, this is where I'm at with it.
There's a real chance.
And I'm not a conspiracy theorist in this space or other spaces. I just don't have the energy to waste my time doing such things. But if I had to guess, he's hurt and they're trying to get him back, and when he's healthy, he'll be back. I mean, I can remember anecdotally a number of years ago when Carlos Boozer was here and Jazz fans were up in arms about
his inability to stay healthy. I had a conversation with Scott Layden, who was Jerry's assistant at the time, and I said, what's the deal with Booze?
He's like, he just hurt. He's hurt, That's all it is. He's hurt and we're trying to get him back.
That's my best guess here with the Cam stuff, any inside as to where we're at with the progress and potentially who could be under center coming up Saturday against Arizona.
Yeah, I think the hard part nowadays in college football is you know, somebody like Cam was going to get a lot of money from Nil, and so when he starts missing time, that just kind of causes problems with the fan base that they want to see him play and for good reason, and so then he starts taking a lot of the heat, like, oh, well, he's just sitting out because he can get paid either way. The
reality is is he is hurt. You saw when he was warming up, he had a glove on and he was growing fine in terms of being able to make the throws. There were you know, he got it as far as I believe, like forty five maybe close to fifty yards being able to throw in the air without
actually people rushing him. But you can tell that there just wasn't, you know, some velocity there, some zip to the ball he was he kind of had a different mechanics with his arm where he was just trying to kind of push through the pain, almost like he was trying to get there. It didn't look like it caught him discomfort in terms of pain, but he was just a step flow. And so like, I think there's a world where Cam can play, right, Like, I think he
can go out there and he can play. But they're looking at this and saying, Isaac is in a spot where is it ideal to have him against you know, a ranked team in an opposing venue. Know, but he's going to give us a much better shot than camons. I think if this was last year where you had somebody like a Bryson Barnes or a Nate Johnson or something,
maybe you push it a little bit more. Maybe you say, Okay, Cam, we're going to put you out there, We're going to rely heavily on this run game and make you just throw a couple of short passes type thing. But I think they have the luxury now saying you know, we've got Isaac. He's going to make his mistakes, he's going to have his problems, but he's still so much better than what we've had, and then our defense is gonna,
you know, fix everything else up for us. So I don't know that this is a situation of Cam saying, you know, he doesn't have the moxie to play, or he's just kind of resting on. No. I mean, this is a guy that's a competitor. You see him on the field. Literally all the complaints that people have about him is he's too much of a competitor. He wants to be out there, he wants to get in the thick of it. So why can't it flip for him when he's sitting out right like, I'm not here to
defend Cam by any means. But at the same time, it's a guy that's hurt, He's trying his best. He wants to be on the field as much as anybody. It's just a situation where he's just not at one hundred percent.
Some good points in there.
I do want to follow up because there's always been kind of both an unspoken and spoken rule in media as it pertains to college athletes, like, look, these are i'm sures that don't get paid, and they're essentially employees in a sweatshop that's being built on their backs. They don't get a piece of it. So it always felt a little bit unfair to go at like a nineteen year old who ultimately isn't being paid for what he's doing and he's just doing it.
You know.
Obviously scholarship that conversation is a different deal. But to your point about the money, like it or not, Josh, as you know, it does change the way people are going to view your lack of availability. If the reports are true, the cameraon rising is making seven figures to play quarterback for Utah, and a lot of that money is coming from season ticket holders, boosters and alumni. Guess what those season ticket holders boosters and alumni.
They expect you to play. They just do.
Now again, I want to reiterate my point that I believe he's hurt. You know, so that's the deal. But what are your thoughts on the way that the money infused And by the way, I'm all for it, always have been years ago before this was even a reality.
I was on this stuff.
But how would you are ticket the way that money being added to the equation for college athletes has changed the way that people view their obligation.
Yeah, I think this is this has always been the problem, right, not that they're getting paid, but it now gives people the willingness to say that, you know, a player is just doing it to milk it for the money. There's now an embedded excuse for people to do certain things. And you know, like, look, I get it, Like I'm not over here forking over you know, thousands of dollars to be able to see an athlete play, So I
get it. But at the same time, like, you can't tell me anybody at Plams level or any of these other players at this level, if they're not that engaged in the system, they're not even getting those types of contracts. Anyway, there's people that love football or love basketball, whatever their sport they play, and they're going to try their hardest to be there. There's very few, especially at the collegiate level, that are just going to take plays off at that
level right like they're in there, they're trying. They have aspirations for other things. So, you know, Kim always had a long shot to get to the NFL. Maybe there's a chance he comes in as an am drafted free agent. All of these things hurt his ability. Now if he doesn't think he's ever going to try out for that and he wants to collect a paycheck and do whatever he wants to, you know, take it up to the Boosters, take whatever, and they can have their words with him.
But this is a guy that wants to be out there. I think it was Chris Camarani wrote his story in The Athletics talking about how how hard it is for him to be able to not be on the field. It's hard on his family to see him not be on the field. I don't think cam goes through that pain and anguish if he's not trying to get back
on the field. The problem is the money masks a lot of that stuff, and so it's easy for people to kind of use that as the front to be able to say, hey, this guy is just milking the clock. You know, he's just trying to get the money, get the paycheck, and then move on. And sure, he's probably taken a lot of money from people over the last two years from injuries. But at the same time, if you're willing to pay a guy who's been injury prone, that's on you. I mean, like in the most direct way.
Like if you're willing to pay players at the collegiate level, that's what it's gonna be. So there's still a lot that needs to happen at the collegiate level of being able to pay athletes. You know, maybe there's a similar situation where in the NFL you have a collective bargaining agreement and your contract is based on how many playing times whatever that may be. You can have that conversation later, but as it is right now, if you're gonna pay a guy, it doesn't matter if he's on the field
or not. That's just the nature of it, and like to use it as an excuse seems pretty petty.
So after the Baylor game, after Cam got hurt, and the conversation leading up to Utah states I didn't know who was going to start, you know, I was pretty confident that that was gonna be Isaac.
I was told they were giving him the reps with the ones.
By the way, I'm told he's getting the reps with the ones this week, just so you know, at least to start the week, and we'll kind of see what plays out from here. But I said during that week, whether or not it's Isaac on Saturday, I think it's probably safe to say that if Utah is gonna win the Big Twelve, Isaac is gonna have to step up for them again.
At some point, I did not.
Know it was gonna be instilled, But I still believe they're going to need Isaac to step up to meet more moments, because how can you be confident even if Cam comes back against Arizona then he's just gonna stay healthy.
We all want him to be healthy. I don't want him to be injured.
But if you've seen enough Josh from Isaac that you're confident that this team can win the Big Twelve even with this eighteen year old true freshman under.
Center, I mean, I think it's getting there right. I still think your best chance is with Cam. You're going to do everything you can to get him on the field. I don't think anybody's really questioning that. But I think each week, as each week goes on, if Isaac continues to make progress and he continues to do things, I don't know that this schedule is super difficult that they
couldn't do it without him. Obviously, getting into that title game and then playing in that title game with Isaac would be a tough challenge, but I think he's the type of kid that you know, he steps up to it, he's not phased by it. So I think there's the ability is day. Let's say the issue is you have to hit so almost perfectly right, like getting to a championship, winning a championship, all things kind of have to work in your favor. And that's even with like a healthy
Cam Rising. You're doing that now with a true freshman. And it's not to say that that can't happen or that he can't lead a team there, and I think the team rallies around him in a way that it could work. I just think the ability to be able to do that, you know, the margin of error is just so much lower there that you want to be able to see Cam on the field. So, you know, I think you heard that on College Game Day as well.
Kirkirbstreet talked about if Cam Rising plays Utaw easily beat maybe he didn't say easily, but they beat Oklahoma State. If Isaac played, they don't. I think that's kind of where you're getting at with this. You know, where Isaac, you may be able to get something. I think people are starting to believe in it more, especially against in Arizona or in Arizona State, but it's going to be so much harder when you're playing Teams are going to be more different. You know, the Iowa State their defense
is going to be a little bit tougher. That BYU game, that's going to be tougher. Obviously an emotional game with it being against his brother's old school. You know, I think it's possible. I just don't know that it's going to be as sustainable for Isaac if they can't get Cam back. It's just too much to put on somebody. Can it happen? Sure? I just don't know that it's a lot a likely opportunity.
So Josh, as you know, because I asked you every time you were on the show leading up to the season. And this is also predicated on things that were discussed publicly from the coaching staff.
Is there wasn't a Bell cow back. There are four or five that they like, Well, maybe there is.
Have we seen enough to know that now Utah clearly has an RB one and Makai's is going to be somewhat of a Bell cow Moving forward.
Yes, with the caveat right, I think they still want to keep him at a lower carry limit. He's obviously getting those number one reps. I don't think there's any question there. They're still putting Mike Mitchell Linn in those third down scenarios where they need some short yardage just use his muscle to get in there. But I think that's a perfect situation for the Mkaia can get in there. If he can do his work on first and second down and maybe a third down occasionally, that really gives
you tell what they need in this bellcal back. Right, he's proven that he can do it. Oregon, the Oklahoma State excuse me is probably one of the toughest defenses that they're going to face this year. There's others but it's going to be on par with that, and if he can do it against a team like that, that kind of shows his vision and his ability. I mean the fact that he's out there stiff arming guys and he's breaking tackles and then doing in his little stutter
step to make guys miss bilk. He's got the talent to do it, it's now just replicating it on a week to week basis, and so I think him getting that confidence, he's supremely confident in himself. I think that bodes well. And if they can continue to get that out of him, yeah, one hundred percent, he's that guy. But it's still never going to be the you know, the Zach Moss or the chaquindin Jackson where he was
going to get thirty thirty five carries a game. It's going to be much more tempered to try to make sure that he gets you know, good touches, but it's not going to be so much that they wear him out by the time the end of the Steven comes and then you're stuck with nobody out there. So it's
definitely moving past that running back by committee. But I think it's still going to be one where they watch and are careful so that they're not over using him because they just the depth from Mackay to the next guys at this point is pretty drastic. And some of that as Mike Mitchell being injured so he hasn't been able to see the field as much. But you've got to keep him healthy to keep that run game going.
No, Karen A.
Reid, But the defense did what the defense usually does when the head coach is who it is, the defensive coordinator is who it is. They did go, you know, prevent to soften it up a little bit at the end to make sure they ran out the clock to get the win, and it got loose a little bit, But for three and a half quarters, Josh, the defense was really solid.
What stod out most to you.
I did, honestly, the secondary was what I was most impressed. Utah put a ton of pressure on them in the box and obviously stopped Allie Gordon. All that was great, and I don't want to take away from that, but I think what I was most impressed by was how good those dbs were able to lock up these wide receivers that everybody comes in and talks about as being
some of the best in the conference. You really didn't get a ton of yardage from them, and ye had you know, each of them had about fifty yards and most of that came in that that those last two drives. But these dvs did a phenomenal job of being able to lock them down. You know, Ala that Gilman, he had one of the best coverage grades of the week. You know, he did really well being able to protect them there, being able to see what needed to go.
You have Smith Snowden that continues to improve, Elijah Davis, Phoebe Davis. You know, he's really come on for Kenan Johnson and become a viable starting caliber guy. Him mixed with Cam Calhoun. This is a position group that you know, we were really worried about coming into this, especially when Kennon went down, and I've been really impressed with what they've been able to do. It's not perfect by any means.
I think there's you know, some things that they still need to correct and teams can can absolutely find ways to ski against that. But to do that against these wide receivers that Oklahoma State had shows the potential that they have and I think that was probably the most impressive asset of the defense despite a lot of things going on that allowed this defense team to do really well.
All right, Arizona rolls into town and they're coming off of bye and last time we saw Arizona they just were bullied around by k State, who got smoked by byu. Utah fourteen point favorite at home against Arizona. Based off of the data that we have so far, this feels like what should be an easy Utah win at home. Give me your thoughts on this game coming up Saturday night late KIK fifteen on ESPN.
Yeah, I think on paper this easily flips in Utah's favor, right, I mean, I think Arizona had a great quarterback and wide receiver, but outside of that tandem, they don't really have enough pieces to compete on the level that they were competing last year. And you know, they have to face the Utah team that absolutely remembers that game last year. Arizona embarrassed them. They came in, they were scoring late.
You know, even when I think it was like fifty seconds left, they were still running plays that you would run in the second quarter. I mean, they were trying to score as many points as they possibly could on Utah and it was a demoralizing a loss for Utah, And so you were going to see a Utah team that is pretty focused on this game, right. I mean, I know, on paper, it's really easy to say that
Utah is going to roll in this game. But I think there's just a lot of I would even call it hard feelings, but I think there's just a memory of what happened, that this team is going to do whatever they can to be able to kind of showcase who they are. And the fact that Arizona doesn't have the depth of the talent that they had last year, this could be a bloodbath. I mean, this could be a situation where Utah absolutely steam rolls them and makes
them pay and do all that from last year. But once again, you know you've got a freshman quarterback that's likely going to start. That changes the dynamic, right. I think if Cam does this, this is easily like a twenty one point victory. That's not to say Isaac can't do it, and I have, you know, a lot of faith in Isaac to be able to do it, but
it changes, right. So it's easy to sit here and say they're going to blow them out because Arizona doesn't have X, Y, and Z. But I think this is just the game where Utah's is so much more of the talented team and Arizona just doesn't have the dogs to be able to fight, all.
Right, Josh, Before I say you loose, you know, BYU pick thirteenth in the preseason media poll, Vegas over Under was four point five. They're at four wins. You know, you can't argue with the fact that it was impressive. Now, it was a unbelievable combination of great fortune and opportunistic skill. Over the course of like six and a half minutes, they scored thirty one unanswered in the most bizarre of ways. However, four and oh top twenty five for the first time since twenty twenty two.
As far as.
Utah and Byu being in there together, what are you willing to say about how good b is today based off of what you've seen so far?
First off, I mean, I think that defense is real, right, I think what j Hill has done is pretty remarkable. I think, you know, they have a lot of talent, and you're seeing that they're starting to buy into his system. It's much improved from where they were a year ago. Where they were getting pushed around a lot offensively. I still don't know that we know who they are. I think those turnovers masks, you know, some of the problems that they have where that momentum and just everything kind
of collapsing in on Kansas State. That a masks a lot of that, and we still don't know fully what this this BYU offense can be. But with that said, I mean, anytime you can get a win, especially a dominant win like that against the ranked team, I mean you you have to credit the team, right Like so it's easy to sit here and nuance it all and say that, oh, by you did this, but it really was fortunate. Yeah, all of those things did happen, but
I think you know, by you really showed out. And what they can do, My question really comes down to is similar to Utah in the early years of the Pac twelve, where you can hang early with some of these teams and you're going to be really good and you're going to flip some of these games that you probably shouldn't. What's that going to look like if the season develops. Are they going to be able to maintain that depth? Are they going to be able to stay healthy.
You know, as it goes on, it becomes a much more difficult challenge. You saw that with Utah a lot, where they could get through September and October relatively fine, and they could compete, and then that November hit and suddenly they wear a shell of themselves. That's where I want to see BYU kind of take it to the next level.