You weren't very excited when I laid on my idea about the bumps today, when I said, hey, let's go, let's do a little jam band. Just do a little Northeast style jam band. Now this is the Grateful Dead. But today I need a little I need a little guster. I want a little fish, I want a little string cheese incident. You could throw a little Dave in. You know, Dave technically is a jam band. You didn't seem very enthused about my idea.
They've definitely a jam ban.
There was tone there. What was the tone? There was tone there? Watch your tone?
How do I put this?
Just put it kindly.
I like most jam bands, and in fact, I'm a big fan of the Dead, much like our next Guest album. But but there is a time when the song could end.
I didn't say we're gonna do a little psilocybin in talk in for a seventeen minute guster guitar solo.
They're bumps. They're thirty seconds.
I know, so for bumps we're doing great. But just my overall.
Thoughts, you're not wrong. Kyle vone gera definite jam band fan.
I'm gonna go out on a limb Kyle and say you enjoy a good jam band, I.
Would say, generally speak, I'm very specific to you the Grateful Dead, I don't. I don't venture out much but beyond beyond them. So that's kind of where I sit on the whole conversation of jampans.
All right, fair enough, we can move on immediately, all right, Kyle, So ultimately on the show yesterday and to start the show today, we've been discussing kind of the fallout from the Matthew Sluka Nil dispute with UNLV And after the show last night, I got a couple of messages from some people to work up at the U, and it's just pretty clear that nobody knows what they're doing. But this one kind of sent shock waves across the landscape
of college football. What's what's your take on how this all went down.
I think it's kind of a window into what is wrong with the system and kind of what's going to be possible in the true I think we'll see more of this, not exactly how how this one played out, but I do think you're gonna see more kids leaving at this at this stage of the year. You know, my understanding is like, look, it's the offensive coordinator made a verbal offer of you know, a we can get you one hundred thousand dollars, but it wasn't really a
formal deal. It sounded like maybe it was just in conversation, and then there was no real follow up. Yeah, I think we're still kind of waiting on more of those details and to like show it to me and writing like, let's let's get a better sense of what really happened.
And then look, if you're the kid and you are one hundred percent under the impression that you're getting one hundred thousand dollars and you don't get if you put yourself in the in the kid's shoes, you could be you could understand why he would be upset if he's under the impression he's going to get a hundred thousand dollars. But if you're the coach and you don't know the deal exists, you could also understand while they are, uh, you know, kind of pissed off by this whole situation
as well the collective if they weren't looped in. It's it's really just, you know, really poor communication all the way around. And I'm having a really tough time trying to figure out who's faultier other than the NCAA and kind of letting the sport get to this point because there's just not a clear process for you.
Know, Kyle, it's kind of I was just thinking about this tongue in cheek as a as a big college basketball fan, dating all the way back to you know, the nineties. It's kind of ironic that it's UNLV that's not paying their players correctly because they were like the school under Tark that paid everybody and didn't really back, you know, shy away from it.
Yeah. That's the funny thing, right, is that UNLV is the school with his reputation of being able to make these shady deals, and now that it's legal for them to be the school that's having trouble with it is certainly a kind of a funny development.
Sure, And speaking of a funny development, I asked you and probably ten other college football guests, Hey, do you think there's any shot in do you think there's any shot any chance that the PAC twelve falls enough wrongs, falls down enough wrongs after trying to you know, recruit schools to their conference that they land on Utah State right, and you know, everybody said no chance, right, and so obviously things have changed, and you guys have been great
with this over at the dot com side of things. What do you make of where we find ourselves now with the PAC twelve And how surprised are you that Utah State found their way to get an invite?
Yeah, it's been a crazy couple of days for me tracking all this stuff and having those conversations to try to figure out what's going on behind the scenes. If you asked me a month ago if if Uta State would be in the PAC twelve, certainly would have been surprised, right, But you know when it happened, I was kind of expecting it because they were the next they were next up.
Once those AA schools all passed, it was pretty clear that Utah State was going to be in the you know, in the crossairs of the PAC twelve, so to speak, right, And I think you know, when I was gaming it out the AA school the AAC schools that passed like that, that didn't surprise me at all because the amount of money that the PAC twelve was going to be able to offer them to entice them to leave, it was
a gamble without a real media deal. You know, with the signals buyouts that they were gonna have to pay to leave, there was not a guarantee that that situation was going to be a whole lot better. So, you know, once you started looking at the numbers, it kind of made sense that Utah State ended up there.
What do you make of the decision for both the Air Force and UNLV to stand pat stay in the Mound West Conference as opposed to jump ship.
It's it's it's really similar to the decision the aa AAC schools made. The Pactal just wasn't able to offer them enough money to justify what they were going to be getting from the Mountain West. You know, I don't have the numbers nailed down, but there is a significant financial incentive being provided by the Mountain West to stay in the conference. You know, this is kind of a more of a short term deal, right, and that just
made it worth their while. You're gonna look at those schools now, you're gonna have a chance to you know, be at the top of that conference for you know whatever. It looks like it certainly won't have the appearance of a very strong football conference, but they'll have this you know, call it twenty twenty five, thirty million dollars from the
Mountain West. That was only possible because of the exit fees that the other schools in the Mountain West were responsible to leave, right, and so they could either go be the eighth team in the PAC twelve. You know, the PAC twelve kind of made it clear early on that they didn't believe that un LB should be a
part of that first wave. So you could either be the eighth school in this new look PAC twelve, which still isn't a power conference, or you could kind of be the you know, the top of the heap in this new mountain, new look Mountain West with all the
money that they've they've been incentivized with to stay. So, yeah, it's a it's it's an interesting dynamic, and you know, there's still a lot more moveing that has to happen because both conferences are still below the minimum threshold to be to be a conference by NCAA bylaws.
And that's where I wanted to follow up. Both need add one more member institution. Any thoughts on who those schools could be?
Yeah, that's what I've been spending the day trying to figure out and there's not a real consensus yet. I mean they think if you game it out, there's a you know, a couple of places you go Texas State, you know, other Conference USA schools, I mean New Mexico State to the Mountain West, makes makes some sense. Utah is a school that you know, look, they don't have much in the way of football history. But you know,
that's kind of where we're at here, right. This is the this is the trickle down effect of all this realignment. So we're talking about schools that don't really you know, relative to you know, the schools we're used to talking about, don't have a lot to offer. But that that's how far down the list we are. And I guess we should have expected that, right that the realignment was never going to really stop and eventually those schools were going
to be brought into the mix. But I think we're going to see is you know, eventually some FCS schools are probably going to have to elevate, are going to be enticed to do so, to fill to fill out all those conferences. You know, eventually you're going to run out of schools, and so I think, you know, it's it's time to start vetting some of those FCF schools that might have some interest.
When the dust settles, what happens with Gonzaga, you know, because there's all this like misinformation out there. A report was actually tweeted out then refuted, and now I'm just kind of wondering, you know, when the dust settles, where there's where they're going to end up?
Kyle, what are your thoughts?
Yeah, I wouldn't I wouldn't be surprised if they ended up in the PAC twelve eventually. And I know the pactwelve has had conversations with them. I you know, confirmed that they had conversations with Saint Mary's also in the WCC, right,
but where that conversation. When that conversation was taking place, the PAC twelve was also optimistic it was going to get the four AAC schools, right, and so keep in mind, if they had brought those four schools in, then the media evaluation for a potential deal was going to be different than it will be with wherever it settles on the football side, right, And so the amount of money that they could offer Gonzaga is going to be different now than it would have been with the AA schools
in the mix of the AAC schools and potentially un LB in the mix, And so now Gonzaga has to then look at it again and say, Okay, like we have a pretty good thing going here. We've been able to turn ourselves into a national brand playing in this conference. Do we leave for whatever it is the pack this
new look PAC twelve has to offer. I think it's a little bit of a different conversation than it would have been with those AAC schools, But yeah, I think once it's set, once football is settled, those conversations can get a little bit more serious again and they can kind of work out if it makes sense for both parties. I think the PAC twelve would like to have gun Zaga and potentially Saint Mary's if it just for like, uh, for numbers purposes for basketball, their payouts will be different
than the football schools. Of course that should be pretty well understood. But yeah, I think we have to just wait a little bit before that those talks can really heat up and see how real they'll be.
One more quick expansion question, because then we'll actually get to games that are being played. What's the latest as far as you understanding goes with Yukon and their flirtation Brett or Mark East Coast guy. He wants the New York market and if somebody grew up back there, I can tell you Yukon basketball moves the needle in a way that's saying John's doesn't, or you know, even Syracuse
obviously they're upstate. But Yukon basketball would help the Big Twelve, you know, at least kind of sneak in a little bit through the side door to that New York market. You think that's a union that is inevitable given time.
Where are you at with that?
Yeah, I don't know. I don't have any great like first hand insight and reporting, like only the only inside I have to that is just what I've read as well. Yeah, I mean it's it's an interesting proposition, right, But the problem is that is that Yukon also has football, and I don't think the Big Twelve has any interest in
bringing Yukon football into the mix. I know the Pac twelve has had some discussions with Yukon, like preliminary discussions about bringing them in as a football only member to try to get to try to get them to the necessary amount of schools too. Right, So Yukon's in a weird place fitting into this whole mix. I mean, the conversations have been ongoing for a while. My understanding is that a lot of the schools in the Big Twelve
were not really in favor. I mean, Yukon entered the league and that probably carried the day as far as setting those conversations to the side for the time being.
All right, good stuff there.
You guys have done a great job and you specifically on kind of helping us understand all of this.
Let's move over now.
To the Utes who start out four and oh one and oh and Big Twelve play and you know, Cameron Rising, it continues to be a question mark and Isaac Wilson has been under centered the past couple of games, but they've been able to get it done.
And they go to Stillwater where no one wins.
I mean, Oklahoma State is tough to play in their stadium, but a four and oh start one and oh one conference they welcome in Arizona coming up on Saturday night, and Kyle, as you know, Arizona stopped them pretty good last year and the coaches and players have talked a lot about that throughout the course of the week, watching Arizona K State. Watching k State kind of bully them around the field gives me a lot of confidence that
you talk and do the same. So where yet with the start of the utes season and what do you think happens on Saturday night?
Yeah, I mean you have to be happy with four o obviously, right, and the fact that yeah, I mean you look if you looked at the schedule to start the year, and I think the Oklahoma State game was the game that was like, oh yeah, that's that'll be the toughest game on the schedule. It's Oklahoma State. They you know, came in with with high expectations. That's on the road. And to win that game without Cam, I think is a statement of intent about what's possible this season.
I still I still think they need him back to make a real run at the playoff and to accomplish the things that they think they can write it that I think they can. But you know, at the same time, it's I feel so like gunshy now about like what do you make of it? Right? It's been the same story for for a long time with with Cam and
is he available? Is he not available? This one doesn't seem as serious, but at the same time, you know, there was a there was like early last year, we also thought he was a week away, right, And so it's hard to really try to make sense of it. I'm sure that you guys have a better read into it just being there and and and hearing from players and coaches during the week, but you know, from a national perspective, trying to monitor it is it has become
really difficult. Arizona interesting team because I mean I was really high on Arizona coming too the year. They have a lot back from a team that you know finished the finished last year with seven straight wins. It was one of the best seasons in school history. You got this quarterback who was playing at a Heisman level down the stretch, best receiver in college football. But the last
two weeks that the offense just hasn't hasn't clicked. I mean, they didn't move the ball at all outside the first drive against Kansas State and even against Northern Arizona it was it was it was pretty dire on the offensive side, and so they had the talent to be good and to give you tall all it can handle. And you saw, you know McMillan and I know, if it Beata last year and what they can do. But you know, here we are three games into the year and they kind
have kind of reset expectations on Arizona. So I'm excited to be there. I'll be there in Salt Lake this this weekend for this one. So excited to check out both these teams in person for the first time this year.
Oh very nice, Well, travel safe, You're gonna enjoy some great weather. It's a late kick, but it's supposed to be like seventy degrees at eight o'clock on.
Saturday, so it should be a lot of fun.
Let me ask you your opinion on because you know, we've discussed the as you can imagine here in Saul Lake, we've discussed the Camra Rising Isaac Wilson dynamic quite a bit. Look, the bottom line, Kyle is money does change the equation. It does change the conversation and folks around here like if Camera Rising is really being paid seven figures to play quarterback for the University of Utah. I think it changes the way people view how this stuff has been handled.
Now, I am of the opinion that he's hurt.
We had coach went on the show yesterday and they're trying to get him back, and when he's right, he's going to play.
That's where I stand now.
You referenced last year, it was the same stuff every week, getting close you know, needs to be cleared by the doctor, doctor Neil Atrasha, And that was a real thing.
I'm not saying it wasn't.
But do you think we're high speed ahead to college football adopting the pro model of reporting injuries? Because until Kyle gets the email from the Big twelve saying you gotta report, he's simply gonna do everything he can to do his one job, which is to win football games. And if he thinks holding some information back gives him an advantage, he's going to continue to do it. At some point, do you think coaches will be mandated to report like they are in pro football.
I do think that's going to be the case, and it's already happening in the SEC. I believe. I think that policy this year, right, and so look, it's it's once it starts, Like I think a lot of those policies kind of fall into line across the country. So like, I can't imagine there's a world where the SEC is the only conference doing that interperpetuity, right, I think it's
reasonable to have that policy in play. But look, I covered the forty nine ers when Jim Harbaugh was the coach, and he said something that always stuck with me is like, look, if we think something is going to give us, you know, a one percent chance to be better, to have a better chance, so when we're going to chase that one person. And it was like something really insignificant that he was talking about at the time, But I think that applies
with the injury stuff. I mean, if you can force another team to prepare for two quarterbacks that are kind of different in style, like, yeah, there's probably some benefit there. Like is it going to swing the game? You know, I don't know, Probably not right. But at the same time, if you're adding a little bit more to the other team's plate during the week that they have to prepare for,
like that's not a bad thing. And I don't know if there's a real tangible benefit to announcing your starter early and so yeah, like I want to find out who's playing. I'm it will generate interest, right. It certainly helps speading lines and those sort of things, and gives everyone a better sense about what to expect. But yeah, I think Kyle's wealth and his right to operate that way is as frustrating as it might be.
So we might have two very elead college football teams in our state.
Now.
I am a pump the brakes guy on BYU for now, just because of the way the game went down last weekend against k State. But k State rolls in a provo as the number thirteen team in the country and BYU just smoked them. Now, there was a insane punt return, there was a scoop and score, there were two picks inside of the red zone. I think BYU had like two hundred and forty nine yards of offense. But it is what it is. They get to win. It wasn't close. They're four and oh now, they were three and oh
a year ago. They get into Big twelve play last year and it was just a catastrophe. They will tell you there were one or two plays from winning three or four of the games.
That's great.
I don't hand out participation trophies on the show. They've never won a Big twelve road game. They're zero to five. They've lost their last ten Day games. Crazy enough, it's a ten am kick at least Mountain Time style at Baylor. So before I set you loose, same question I asked you about Utah. What do you make of BYU's clean start? What do you think happens coming up on Saturday?
Yeah, I mean I think they're clearly a better team than Baylor. Right, Like the early morning thing is interesting. I wasn't aware of that, but yeah, I mean you have to it four to oh. I think the SMU win actually looks pretty good. It was a kind of a not any very exciting game. But look, they held a team to fifteen points that went out and scored sixty six the next week, right, And so there's something
you know to like about that. I mean, the rest of the schedule, you know, make up with what you will, but I you know, to be here at four oh to have the win against K State and look as kind of unusual as the game was against K State, I mean you laid it out well with just all that. It wasn't the traditional domination, but it was still a lop sided win against a ranked team that had just had its way with Arizona the week before, right, And so yeah, I mean I think it's this is always
the case. Early in the year, right, it's like, Okay, we're watching, we're paying attention. Now you've earned the right to kind of be in the conversation, and now at this point of the season is where we kind of really separate, you know, and try to figure out, you know how, what to make of those early non conference results.
Cole, appreciate the time man, enjoyed the weekend ahead, and enjoy your time out here, and we'll get you back on again soon.
Okay, sounds good, all right.
Kyle Boneger covers college football for ESPN. Get him on Twitter at Voneger at ESPN. He's been really really good with the expansion stuff PAC twelve Mound West Conference style be in town for Utah Arizona, which, by the way, you can hear that game on our radio station beginning at four point fifteen with pregame coverage with Porter Larson.