College Football Conference Championship weekend gets rolling tonight and then throughout the course of tomorrow a lot of big games, a lot of things still need to be kind of ironed out. Excited to bring on our next guest to talkston college football, my buddy Max Brown on a Friday, Max, Happy Friday.
How are you doing Friday? Spent some doing well? How are I'm well?
I'm well. So We've had an unexpected busy news cycle over the past twenty four to forty eight hours, and University of Utah has been looking to add an offensive coordinator and a couple of guys said no, thank you and took other jobs. But Jason Beck has been hired as Utah's offensive coordinator.
Now.
He played quarterback at Brigham Young and the numbers at New Mexico were really good. They've got a quarterback in the transfer portal named Devin damp Here. A lot of people are wondering if he's going to land here in Salt Lake City four hundred and eighty four point two yards per game, fourth best in the nation. What are the biggest roadblocks when it comes to trying to replicate that type of production in P four football in the Big twelve next year.
Yeah, I think the first thing that jumps out to me too, after just you know, briefly diving into his background, is you know, what kind of identity do you want to establish with being the Utah offensive coordinator versus like his previous stops. You know, you go to a place like Syracuse, you go to a place like Virginia, even a place like New Mexico, Like, there isn't a huge cultural distinction about those spots. So I think you can kind of just a do what you want to do
as an offensive coordinator, right, whatever that philosophy is. But Utah is unique in that. And I remember talking about this, you know, years ago, seven eight years ago with you guys, and that you know, Utah, you'd have to think that consistently you're going to be able to get a big, physical offensive line. So as an offensive coordinator, how does that change your approach? You know, if you're a pass happy guy, well then you might think about running the
ball a little bit more. If you're a strictly shotgun guy, like is there more under center action? And then you know vice versa. If you're more hey, under center only old school pro style, which you know, he's not necessarily that way. Well, then I know at times Utah has been craving for more explosiveness at different eras of course in the past, So that to me is the first
thing that I think he's gonna have to navigate of. Hey, I'm at a place like Utah, who culturally and the guy that I'm able to recruit might be different than the three other stops that I've been to before this either call and plays or being a quarterback coach. And is it just Hey, I'm going to take the exact same system that I had a New Mexico and Syracuse and bring it, bring it to bring it to Salt Lake. I don't think that's necessarily the right approach for any
coach at any stop. But to what level does he, you know, alter things as a result of the guy that that Utah can get consistently.
I'll ask you a follow up about the quarterback that was with him at New Mexico, Devin Dampier, who again is in the transfer portal should he land in saw Lake? The same very same question, quite frankly, Max, what are the biggest challenges in roadblocks between you know, a quarterback who really put up great numbers at New Mexico in the Mountain West to potentially a quarterback playing for Utah trying to do the same thing in the Big twelve.
The number one thing that sticks out to me is just the spotlight on you is going to be a lot, a lot brighter. I mean, even as they filed out loud. It reminds me of a guy like, you know, when cam Ward came up from Incarnet War to Washington State and you can see all the talent, but you also can see his brain going a million miles an hour. Because it's different when you're kind of the lower level guy. Maybe people don't expect me to do as much, and it's easy to kind of be in your own cocoon
and put up big numbers. But then when you come to a school like Utah, a team that is what arguably the most disappointed fan base right now in college football in terms of how the season went out. Maybe at this point Utah fans have kind of come to grips with it. But if you would ask me that, you know, two months ago, a month ago, you probably
would have put Utah right up there. And so he's going to have if you were to come a little bit of this savior mold and coming off the back of in that scenario, presumably off the back of Cam
Rising's incredible run as a Utah you quarterback. So that just comes with a lot of pressure, and with pressure comes a greater microscope, and a greater microscope can lead to overthinking and just be and in a sense of I guess just being a little bit more uncomfortable than you might have been at a place like New Mexico.
All right, speaking of Cam Rising, Max, I know we've talked about it, but it's topical because it's still news worthy noteworthy that there's the potential that he will be back for an eight season now. Coach Witt has said on a couple of occasions that's up to Cam. I wonder what you think that conversation would sound like if Cam did walk into Kyle's office and say I want to come back for year eight. You think that's something that would be embraced with open arms.
At this point near this, this question was coming out when I was blogging on because I was I was like, man, I'd be asking the same thing if I was in your seaton. I go both ways, which I imagine is probably how most Utah fans are thinking about it. On one side, it's what arguably the best quarterback, if not the best quarterback in Utah history, at least from a production, awards, championship standpoint, And so are you ever gonna like kick him out the door? I find that hard to believe.
On the other side, you know it is if this is this was a tough season twenty twenty four, you know, does it just drag out if you allow Cam to to return? And does it hurt Wilson's production and growth if he doesn't know if he is the guy? And I think that's a very real conversation that you need to have in addition to just the health concerns for for Cam. All straddle the middle there a little bit. I wouldn't be surprised if Kyle does does some of
the same, assuming you don't go into the portal. I do think there's a world, especially with a like coach Whittingham,
who you know, he's got the credibility. He doesn't have a fan base that is going to second guess every decision that he makes, which is not necessarily the case for other fan bases, And so I think you could do a scenario where you give Cam the chance to, Hey, take the reins and be the guy ope, and then but still giving Wilson more of the ones reps than you would to a normal backup quarterback in spring ball and throughout summer, with the understanding that Hey, he is
very much our guy for the future, and Cam, Hey, we're riding with you in twenty twenty five, assuming you can stay healthy. And I guess I just say that where Utah has a unique scenario where I think you could thread the needle because you have a hometown, exciting young quarterback who on paper might not leave. And then on the flip side, you have a beyond experienced quarterback that you don't necessarily need him to get every single rep under the sun. And I think there's a whirl
to prep both as a starter. And maybe ye're shorter with that least than you would have been in years past from an injury perspective with.
Cam, I may have buried the lead a little bit, Max, because I suppose the question I should ask you is, if Cam doesn't come back, do you feel like the answer under center was in the quarterback room, or do you think if Cam doesn't come back, and it's Isaac, it's Brandon Rose. Do you still feel like hitting the portal to bring in a season bet is the approach? What what are your thoughts on the current quarterback situation at Utah if cam and Rising does not come back next year.
I think in today's climate, you have to do your due diligence, and I think you have to be out there in the portal and seeing what's out there. In terms of who who is available. You just never know, you know what veteran guy might be might be looking around. I would, on paper, not be in favor of bringing in another young guy because I think that gives the wrong message to Hey, we're trying to develop young quarterbacks
into into being guys in the future. But if there is a established starter, older guy one year rental that has played at a high level. I mean, I ironically literally saw Miller moss usc starting quarterback last year at the grocery store yesterday. He did not say Utah was on his list, but like that type of guy, if he was enamored with Utah and was like, hey, this this could there, there could be there could be something here.
Like that type of guy, I think could make sense and allow Wilson to you know, grow and develop and wait his turn for another year. I don't think that would be a death sentence to his Utah youth career by any means, And so that type of scenario would make the make the most sense to me. But getting another young guy to come in there and compete that hasn't really proven himself. I think Wilson showed enough upside that that scenario wouldn't do anything for me.
Before we move off of the Utah stuff, just uh, And there's no way of knowing. I'm just asking your take on the dynamic because where I'm at to is, since we have not heard an announcement about coach Wit retiring, I just believe he's coming back. There's still conversation about it. But if you're a coach under contract, you don't need to call a press conference to say I'll be back.
You just show up and do your job. And Kyle has been actively involved in the early signing day in the transfer portal, which opens up on the seventh the ninth. Are you kind of of the same mindset that since there has been no announcement, it just feels like coach WIT's back on the sideline next year.
That's a good question. I don't know if I'm that far, just because I feel like, you know, it wouldn't surprise me if he got through this whole recruiting cycle and then once the once the buzz settles down and we get into true offseason mode in February. If if it's like a if it's what he tries to be a calm kind of exit stage left. Obviously it won't be calm because coach Whittingham is historic, but I could see that type of dynamic, especially because they've already mentioned the
coach in waiting. So when necessarily be like totally blind siding the team, I just go to right now, Like so much of it as optics wise, like right if you if you would have announced that he's leaving last week, well then you jeopardize your current recruiting class. Well then if you announce that he's leaving today, well then it's like, oh, well, why didn't you do this four days ago before guys
signed on the dotted line? And then you know, if you wait another month and I know, you know Bowl game is not not not a factor necessarily, but like you know, you get through the get through the holiday season and then make that decision. I could see a world where that happened, So I guess I don't read into these past couple of weeks nearly to that level. Fair enough.
One of the things that I always discussed as it pertains to the Utah BYU robbery is the unique nature of the game, and that's why I think it's among the best robberies in college football. As a guy that really knows the national landscape, I mean, Jason Beck played at BYU, coach Wit played at BYU, Kalani coach at Youah, A Rod coach to Utah, Jay Hill coach to Utah. The cross pollination of the coaching staffs, to me, makes it a rivalry that kind of stands on its own.
Is there another rivalry in college football that has as many coaches on staff that at some point either played or coached on the other team.
I know, and I don't even think it's close. Like the only scenario is that I'm trying to run in my head is like some of the sec rivalries where you know, if Saban's rocking and rolling and then his disciples then all go to Georgia or his disciples. I'll go to Ole Miss and not that Alabama will misses. The rivalry that by u UTI is but it's unique and I think the I'm sure the gravitational poll to the state of Utah from a religion standpoint, it has to play a factor in that which is unique and
awesome in its own right. But no, I cannot think of a single other rivalry that that that that's that that is the case. And in large part because you know, we see the the college football landscape. You know, four decades ago, it might have been, hey, we have to hire a Florida guy if we're a Florida school. We
have to hire a California guy if we're a California school. Nowadays, you'll see Mario Cristobal get offered from Oregon and then he'll get offered from Miami on both sides of the coast, which I think hurts the scenario year you're talking about of you know, regional rivalries having coaches that overlap.
One more question pertaining to the local scene. Then we'll move on to some conference championship stuff. But Utah States lands on Bronco Menon Hall. Bronco Menen Hall is back in the state of Utah after one year at New
Mexico prior to that, of course, at University Virginia. And you know, it's interesting, Max, because Bronco was asked to kind of reclaim BYU glory of the pass back in the day, taking over for Gary Croton, and Gary had one really good year and then really lost control of his locker room and there was a lot of unsavory behavior year by players that is not necessarily commonplace down at Brigham Young and it's not the very same dynamic.
But Utah States had a rough calendar year with moving on from coach Anderson and the ugly scene that took place up there. So what do you make of Utah State bringing Bronco Menenhal back to the State of Utah.
First reaction is figured, it's a good hire for you know,
a couple of reasons. I thought. One, you know, he's just obviously coached at a high level in the region, in the state, and so I would imagine a lot of his blueprint recruiting strategy philosophy would be rins and repeat, and rins and repeat sometimes kind of has a negative connotation because obviously you want to stay cutting edge and stay innovative, but I guess there's proof of concept, which is not usually the case for most head coaching hires.
Usually it's hey, this is the vision I have, this is what I hope to become. Bronco can say, hey, man, this is literally what we did at the other school within the same state, and obviously the same are different. But I think that's that's attractive. I think Utah states, you know, transition into the PAC twelve and that just
naturally being a new dynamic. I think the timing of that is awesome with a new head coach, where you can start fresh on both paths and try to you know, re establish a culture there and then from an even more high level. And you know, I called a couple of Virginia games this year, so it was out there, you know, talking with Tony Elliott, who obviously took the job after Bronco Mendenhall at Virginia, and we were just talking about, you know, just the Bronco path there a
little bit. And I remember from Afar and I was playing there. I remember being like, man, why did Bronco leave BYU for for Virginia? Like to me and maybe this is me just being a West Coast guy, and I grew up in a decent Mormon population in Samamish, Washington, Like I was like, do w I use a better job than Virginia? Like why why'd you leave? And I
was playing again. So I don't remember all the nuances, but I'd imagine some of it's like, you know, him coming back to his comfort zone of what he knows he can do well and what he knows he can recruit and excel at because he's shown that he can do it. So I'd be excited if I was a Utah State fan. I gin it's a good higher all right.
Conference Championship weekend starts tonight at six o'clock. UNLV Boise State Big twelve fans will be cheering for UNLV so they can potentially get one of those top four buys and we'll get there at a moment. But Boise State is a four point favorite. What do you make of tonight's Mount West Conference Championship game? Who do you like and why?
See?
I like gent for the Heisman, so I want Boise to. I like Boise to ultimately get it done, but UNLV. UNLV is one of the most intriguing teams in the country, not only because of everything that went down nil wise in the first month of the season, but for those that have not.
Tuned into UNLV, their go go offense is just incredibly unique, and especially for a x's and o's guy like me. The way they blend RPO and triple option and downfield shots and then hodgma League Williams their quarterback as well as pretty dynamic. It's just a fun offense to watch, and the type of offense that defensively, if you come in and swing and miss with your game plan and your safeties and linebackers aren't fitting their run lanes, unl of these offense can get after you. So this is
a scary matchup. But I think the physicality of Boise State and I'll trustee Ashton Gent get it done.
You like Genty over Travis Hutter.
Huh? I do? I do. I think one thing that goes like largely underappreciated is Boise State is eleven and one and about to be the four seed in the college football playoff. I feel like we're the general national media is talking about it as if Gent's stat line is like RG three or like a who's in like another three loss Heisman winner type of guy where it's like, oh, he's putting up his stats and he's exciting, and we
see him on Sports Center Top ten and all that. No, Boise State's winning and know by the way their one loss was against the game that I'm sure Boise State fans feel like they should have won against Oregon. So sometimes I feel like the team dynamic, which is a factor. It feels like in all other Heisman races is not working to Genti's gents favor and this year's race.
That's very fair. All right, let's move over to the games tomorrow. Let's start with the Big twelve championship game. We're gonna have that game on our radio station coming up tomorrow ten AM. Arizona State is one point five point favorite. Now that line's moved a couple of times towards the way of Iowa State. Obviously, being a Big twelve market, will be very interested in this game. How do you think it plays out?
The Pac twelve guy me, We'll ride with the ASU every single time. I think that ASU is gonna like stub their toe or lose. Mo Betim. I actually picked Arizona last week against the spread because I just was like, man, it feels like one of these weeks the emotional energy of Kenny Dillingham and that ASU team's gonna stub their toe or fall flat, and they continue to respond every single week. Sam Levitt's been fun and all this PAC twelve original PAC twelve folks know all about Cam Scataboo.
Now the country knows about him, and give the rock to number four. Good things will happen.
Georgia Texas Mercedes ben Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia Texas two point five point favorite. Who do you like out of the sec.
I don't see. I mean, man, I go back to that matchup that they had earlier on this season when Georgia absolutely manhandled Texas. Texas had to bench their starting quarterback because he was just making mental errors and not being able to get through his progressions. I think there could be a world where that same short leash mentality comes to the park. I think that Georgia defensive line shows up again. I think it's closer, but I still
have that game in the back of my mind. You know, it wasn't even like a two score game and it got away from him. Georgia absolutely manhandled Texas. That whatever kool aid Kirby's drinking in terms of, hey, no one's given our team a shot. His guys continue to buy into that, or at least they seem to buy into that. So I know, Georgia hasn't been perfect all season, and Texas got it done obviously last week. But I'll go the Bulldogs getting it done.
Big Ten Championship Oregon and Pennon State Lucas Oil Indianapolis. The Ducks are a three point five point favorite. Do you think they complete the undefeated season.
This one's fascinating to me because I'm a Penn State fan. Like you know, in years past, for James Franklin, like this would have been this would have been the game. This would have been a huge game. This would have been a type of game that could change the narrative of James Franklin and Penn State in big games. But it feels like even if Penn State were to win,
the narrative would not change for James Franklin. He would still have to prove it versus Ohio State, prove it versus Michigan, and prove it in the College Football Playoffs this year. So the dynamic there is just interesting and fascinating to me, but I'm gonna trust what history has shown me, and it showed me that in big games, Penn States playmakers have not been able to be activated.
I won't even say that they haven't shown up because it feels like sometimes it's not even like they're, you know, getting those opportunities. I still want to see more from Drew Aller in big games. I think he's got a ton of talent and it wouldn't surprise me if he's a Sunday quarterback someday. But I'm still waiting for that moment where he turns the corner and Oregon doesn't have a weakness. I guess if Penn State were to win this game, it would have to be a physical, gritty game.
Penn State's got to be able to run the ball on the Oregon States defense or Oregon's defensive line. That would be the pathway. But I haven't seen anything from Oregon that gives me concerns. I think the Ducks get it done.
Nightcap is Clemson SMU out of the ACC. SMU a two point five point favorite. Their only losses to b YU, and I think this is another scenario Big twelve fans sharing for the upset. What do you think happens out of the acc before he set you loose?
Yeah, I've covered both these teams in person this year. One thing that is not getting enough chat out is Clemson's offensive line is banged up, to say the least. They were playing a third string left tackle when I had them in person three weeks ago, So I have tons of concern about their ability to get it done upfront against an SMU defensive line that they're all the guys that are scared, that will scare you, but they
can they can be active for sure. I think Kevin Jennings is one of the most underrated quarterbacks, SMU signal caller, one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the country. So I think that SMU finds a way to get it done that chip on the chip on their shoulder with Brett Lashley saying, you know, we're not getting the credit that we deserve. And I haven't been overly impressed with Clemson this year, especially in the trenches. So the Mustangs get it done.
All right, Max, Thanks for the time. It's gonna be a fun weekend. I appreciate it, enjoy it. We'll chat soon.
Okay, thanks Ben, appreciate you all right.
Max Brown, college football analysts over the CW did a ton of stuff for the Pac twelve, really entertaining college personality both on Instagram TikTok as well as Twitter at Max Brown for or is where you find them