MON POD @SpenceChecketts on Utes Fall Camp, A Mammoth Offseason, RSL Leagues Cup + more

All right, what's going on?

Dry time, Monday afternoon, eight minutes past the hour of two o'clock, scorching hot Utah, August day outside, and as it is every single day, it's going to have you along for the ride.

S bets check. It's back behind the mic. Good to be back. I always say it. I love taking time off. It's always great to leave, but.

It's always great to be back, certainly this time of year, as we are a matter of days away from college football. That's right, Camp Kyle University of Utah getting ready for their opener. YU still trying to pick a quarterback. Probably nice for you fans not to not have to worry about that dynamic. All six of our in state D one teams have opened up fall camp, and we are

Great to have you guys with us. Thank you for making us a part of your day.

A lot of options out there, so when you pick us, we very much appreciate it. My name is Spence Check. It's our host this program, Paul Larson producing the show today, and we are back together after some time off sharpening the sword. As they say, a little vacation. That's a

My guy, my guy.

Lebron James not present at the press conference, which, of course everybody's up in arms about as well. So some NBA offseason stuff. Darreon Fox got paid today with Spurs four years, two hundred and twenty nine mil. Dame Liller is back in state. He's the new general manager of Weaver State men's basketball. Of course, he still has NBA basketball to play of his own ride as he recovers from that Achilles. He's got a three year contract back with the Portland Trail Blazers. So a little bit of

One of our favorites from the Tribune.

Josh Furlong, will stop by to talk some Utah football, some camp, Kyle, as we are just days away from an actual game that we'll be able to cover here on your home with the UTSPN seven hundred, we'll play you some sound from some camp.

One of the things that I was listening.

To earlier today and I just got I gotta chuckle out of it because a lot of the attentions surrounding the offensive line with a couple of all Big twelve potential players and maybe three or four NFL draft picks coach Wait when asked about he said, well, they better be good because everybody's telling them they're good, including me. So we'll get you some sound from coaches and players. Utah camp coming up. Pablo Mashjoenny will stop by, the

That makes me feel like I'm lost in an ethos.

I'm sorry. We got to get that opening tip. Sponsor.

Well, we've got to get our rhythm back. I mean, we haven't done a show together in like ten days.

This too, you've been I don't know, gallivanting. Galavanting is one word.

And yeah, so we got to, you know, got a reconfigure. I guess playing a lot. It's like a I don't know, a fall test run.

Yeah, there you go, played a lot of mediocre golf, sat by the pool quite a bit, tried to decompress. Let me ask you this because you took some time off too. When I take time off from doing this radio show, I don't pay attention to my I deleted social media from my phone. I was not on Instagram, I was not on Twitter all week long, TikTok or whatever the hell the kids are doing these days. I turned off alerts from ESPN and Fox and Bleacher report and be like in less a because.

I was with family all week. It was a family reunion situation.

Like my cousin was like, Hey, who's going to start for BYU a quarterback mich will tune in next week two to six because I'm on vacation. You can listen to what I have to say next week when I'm back on air. You were off last week for a few days as well. When you take time off, do you pay attention to anything that happens in the sports world.

No, but not necessarily with by choice. I'm not like, I'm not shunning the sports world by any means, but I'm usually in a deep canyon or at elevation where there is clearly no cell phone service. As you know, Spence, as you have probably gotten used to, if you try to get into with me outside of like normal sports times or showtime, you may get like the send with satellite or something because I'm just I'm not there, I'm

But yeah, that's very regular for me. Here's how out of it I am.

It took me about thirty seconds to remember which political official you're talking about who.

Actually was shot. Yeah, but now I remember.

Yeah, I came back down into the service and started getting like notifications that that happened over the weekend.

Uh.

Stuff starts to go crazy and then you see you know, nuclear nuclear talks. That's always fun to come back down into service too as well.

Yeah, yeah, and it is odd oftentimes I will pull my phone out to send you a text, and it's like you can only contact him via satellite, and I never want to do that because what if it charges me like an extra seventy box to send you a text.

I think you can do it, Okay.

I think because I have, you know, opted into being allowing that, I think you can do it.

Okay.

I'm not totally sure there, but okay, Well, welcome back.

First show in ten days, we'll get our rhythm falls right around the corner. It's a great time to be on air, all right, Belle Fraser will be our first guest to talk from you, Tom A Mammoth. I want to let you know that ESPN seven hundred is pleased to welcome Simple Plan. Well only everyone outside of me and me we're not pleased to welcome them. Please stoked you're stoked for Simple Plan?

Would go?

Actually, that feels like it could be in your wheel wheelhouse like a Heights school. Porter Larsen, maybe rock into some Simple Plan.

I think so.

Actually, that was the era where all of these like all pop you know, like punk rock bands didn't have lead singers who could actually sing, so they all just yelled like Dashboard Confessional, Blink one eighty two, Simple Plan, Like none.

Of them could actually sing. They just yelled about their feelings.

Yeah, I just looked up simple I actually don't think I listened to them.

Well anyway that sphere, Yeah, you're not wrong.

Everyone besides us on the station as pleased to welcome Simple Plan with bowling for soup.

And three zero h three.

There we go to the plaza at America First Field August sixteenth, twenty twenty five. Make sure to tune in with Shaan O'Connell for your chance to win a pair of tickets to Simple Plan Bowling for soup and three zero h three. All right, opening tip style before we get to bell. College football is right around the corner. I'm not one that loves to do deep dives, certainly on the Coaches Poll the Coach's preseason Top twenty five Poll.

Not all that surprised.

As we've discussed Jake Rehetz Laugh who has now taken his talents to Tulane. Jake was asked about BYU during his introductory press conference when the media Tulane had their first chance to interview him.

He said very nice things, very nice.

Things about his experience at BYU that obviously featured a lot of highs last year as a starting quarterback that led them to an eleven win season and an alimoble win over Colorado, and of course a pretty embarrassing ending to the whole thing. And when I say embarrassing, I'm not putting that on one person or the other. It was just, you know, an unfortunate end to a situation that for a long time was pretty.

Good for BYU.

The quarterback competition is something that Kilanie and a Rod have shown that history and data tells us they're good at this, whether it was Zach Wilson, Jaron Hall, or Jerry Bohannon on Jake Retzov a season ago. You know, this is not the first time they've had to decide who's going to be under center. It looks like and everybody's saying the right thing. It looks like it does come down to McKay Hillstead, who has eight starts under his belt at Utah Stay as a freshman. He does

Porter.

Will you please f Baron Tiger Bachmeyer's mother and father.

For the program, Just for the explanation.

I have so many questions. A bear and a tiger. It's a family thing.

Actually, wait, are there additional children that are also named after.

Animals like grandparents? I think?

Seriously, Yes, I saw an interview. I don't know exactly, so I can't tell you, but I did see Bear talk.

Okay, before you come on air and report something, make sure you're reporting it accurately.

Pace Okay, thank you, I am so. Will you effort the parents? Yes, thank you. So there you go.

Those are the three names being bantied about. Of course, on the Utah side of things, it's very very nice that the quarterback position is solidified, you know, and we won't do the revisionist history about Cameron Rising over and over and over as he is now medically retired from football. He's gonna be an offensive coordinator for his high school football team. But certainly it was probably time for everybody

You know, you just have to.

Wonder whether or not when you have natural talent like those Wilson boys have, oftentimes you're able to simply dominate the high school scene, dominate the Pop Warner scene, dominate the youth football scene, to the point where maybe you don't have to put in the work until you realize that you're at the next level. And if you want to continue to take the step up, you've got to combine the talent with the work ethic. You got to show up for film, you've got to study, you've got

And again, we're gonna let you hear some sound.

A little bit later on, I got to chuckle out of Kyle basically saying, well, yeah, the offensive line is going to be good. Oh well, they better be good because everybody's telling them that they're good, including me. The one positional group, and Sean and I talked about this during cross talk. They continues to be a question, and Devin's talked about this himself. You'll hear from Devin dan Pier on the show a little bit later. Who's going to catch a football? What does that wide receiver group

Does he get?

How much freedom does he get to do exactly what he wants to do? And those two have discussed it a little bit throughout the course of the preseason as they've been asked the question. So it feels like the optimism at the University of Utah right now is pretty high. And you'll hear the sound later on where most players who are asked about the dynamic discuss the positive energy in the moment, momentum and the excitement. I mean, it's fun to be back on campus. I'm living close to campus.

We are ESPN seven hundred. He will join us.

We have camp sound later on as fall camps are underway for all six of our D one teams here locally RSL with a midweek clash coming up for Leak's Cup Action. So Pablo mash Ruddy stops by, but we are going to blink and it is going to be time for the second season of The Utah Mammoth here in our market, and our next guest covers the Mammoth for the saut Lake Belle Frasier on a Monday afternoon.

Hello Bell, Happy Monday. How are you good?

How are you?

I'm good?

So any downtime, any vacation. I mean, this is kind of the time of year, Bell, where if you're going to take some vacation, it feels like this has got to be it.

Yeah, no official vacation. I went back to New York and Boston where all my friends and family are for two weeks. Wrote some stories there, but was definitely nice to not be so deep in the Utel Mamus news for a second take a bit of the air and now I'm so ready for the season to start, really counting down the days until even training camp from preseason just so we can get things going for sure.

All right, Bell, here's where I want to start.

What gives you the most confidence that next season, that proverbial next step will be taken and we could actually experience Stanley Cup playoff hockey in Salt Lake.

I think the obvious answer there, and the easy one I guess is you're seeing who they brought in so far this summer, and I think the biggest top six to reinforcement is JJ Peterca, who they traded for from the Buffalo Sabers. You know, they traded Michael Kessing and Josh Stone, who I know people were very sad to see leave, but they didn't have to give up any

Do you have an update on Connor?

I mean I was going to ask that as a follow up, And obviously it's a very sensitive information or a sensitive situation, and the information is sensitive too, and the club has of course been great to make sure that he gets the helped and he needs.

But do you know where we're at with that process now?

Yeah, last time we talked to Bill Armstrong, he said that Ingram's been in the assistant program, that he's doing well, and that they're hoping for the best for him. You know, we also heard that he was playing in a men's league recently, kind of getting his fitness back, but Bill Armstrong declined to comment on any timeline for his return or you know, the specifics. He said he wanted to keep those within the organization, which is understandable give in

Date for him still some money.

According to the numbers I have in front of me, he's still six million change to potentially bring in other players. Do you think this is the group or do you think that money will be used to add a little depth.

I think this is probably the group, But I think if they were going to do anything before the season starts, it might be a trade, and I don't think they will. But I think if they were to do something, I don't see them using the rest of their cap space, just because you know, Bill Armstrong is super responsible, and he also has will Big Fooley, who could be up for an extension this year, same situation as Kill and Gunther was in last year, and gun they extended for

Well, it's been a minute since you and I have been able to catch up, and I know you've been asked about the Michael Carcony story, but I wonder for my audience in this space if you could elaborate a bit. I mean, I can remember watching that post game presser when he essentially was like, yeah, it's not going to work. And look, you always want to leave space for people to have emotional reactions and things like making a living in contracts and money make all of us emotional. So

Yeah? So exit day interviews back in what was that April? I think at the Deata Center, you know, guys talk about who there's seasons when, and usually if you're a UFA or RFA, you aren't as direct as Michael Carconi was. But as journalists we appreciate it, you know, we appreciate him just coming in and speaking his mind. But on that day in April, he said, you know, I love the They're a great group. I don't think there's going to be an answer, a direct quote. He said, I

Any specific takeaways from the schedule release, I mean, I'm seeing that eleven of the first fifteen games are on the road, which is a tough start, but obviously they'll come back around. You play the same amount of road games as you do home games. But as you kind of dug into that schedule release, Bell, what were some of your main takeaways.

Yeah, it's exactly what you said. They have a really tough start to the year. I think it was something like sixteen of twenty or sixteen to thirty or something to start the season or on the road, but you know,

How much of the road heavy schedule early on has to do with the renovations of the building bill.

That's what we thought, but they're scheduled to play preseason games at Delta Center. Their last two preseason games, I believe at the end of September are scheduled to be at Delta Center, and those will be the first you know event at Delta Center since the renovations, so I

So having an interesting conversation. I had a little family reunion last week and chance to catch up with a lot of my family who I don't see very much, who are big sports fans, and we were just kind of pairing the project of the Jazz rebuild to the project of the Mammoth rebuild, and the Mammoth are much further along. I think this is probably year five or six of a rebuild, and the Jazz, I mean, it depends on what their messaging is, which seems to change

Yeah.

I mean, I think there's been a clear shift with the NHL and NHL players and NHL fans perspective on Utah. And I know you're saying how the draft picks don't really have a choice to be in Utah, but I think the narrative around them has been really different for the NHL. And I was actually talking to you know, Andy Larson, our Jazz writer, because it was around the time where all the Ace Bailey drama was happening and

What sort of information can you share with our hockey fan listeners about the new experience in the building Once everything is done once and it may bleed into next season. Anybody who's ever bought a house, or built a house, or a bad construction on anything, quite frankly understands that these things are always delayed. But once that is completely done. What sort of changes are in store? What can you share there?

Yeah, well, it's going to be multi year project. I think they're sayings three to five off seasons because since the Jazz and Mammoth are there, they only have the summers to do the renovations. But this year they focus on the lower bowl and just improving site lines for those seats. Then throughout the arena, when it's one hundred percent done, every view will be full. There won't be any blockages like there were last year. But they've blown out the entire lower bowl and they're raising it by

You and I were spoiled as young hockey fans growing up going to the Garden, so this question might be a little bit unfair, but I'm wondering Bell, when you took the job, what you were expecting as it pertained to atmosphere and fan participation year one for the Mammoth, and then did the experience meet or exceed those expectations?

Definitely exceed, I mean I think I had no idea what to expect in the first place, and the players and coaches have said the same thing. But I think I wrote about this in mccolumn, but Opening Night was so special and magical because I think you saw that you tossed those up and Ryan Smith and everyone here had been saying it for years when they finally got

Do you have any inside insight or maybe inside information about how ticket sales are going? I mean, tickets are available, and then in addition to that corporate sponsorships. As far as how this team is being supported, we oftentimes on this show expand that conversation to all of our products here, our sports properties here, and then the potential of the Miller's bringing Major League Baseball.

I know we're growing.

We're growing as far as the population goes, We're growing as far as simply economic stimulation goes. Business is moving here and such. But is the hockey team being supported with ticket sales corporate sponsorship the way it needs to?

It seems like it is. I'm not sure about corporate sponsorships. I mean, I can reach out to SEG about that. That's more obviously corporate. But in terms of ticket sales, it sounds like a lot of people have put in deposits for season tickets. You know, last year when they opened it, before the games even started, they sold out

All right, Bell, before I say you, Louise, tell us about Mammoth Week. I'm kind of learning about this in real time. What did the hockey club? And I'm not saying that as their name. I'm just referring to the Utah Mammoth as a hockey club. So everybody calmed down, Yeah, what what was Mammoth Week?

What did this entail?

It was a really cool initiative from the team. It was, you know, a statewide summer event and they stopped in seven locations. It was Logan, Provo, Park City, Cottonwood, Ogden, Enich, and Saint George for like a week July twenty sixth to August twelfth, and they did you know, different merph set ups. They did ball, hockey, street hockey, on ice, affordable clinics, and they had special guests that each stopped from the team. It was a lot of you know,

On the ice bell.

Thanks so much for the time. We're gonna blink in October. We'll be here so hockey right around the corner. Have a great week and be well, Okay, awesome, Thank you.

Hi.

Belle Fraser covers the Utah Mammoth for the Solid Tribune.

Just a phenomenal hire. She's done a great, great job.

I wonder how long she'll be here at Belle Fraser One is where you find her on Twitter. You can support her at sl trip dot com and subscribe and support our good friends over at the Trip. The Utah Mammoth will begin play with a road heavy schedule starting on Thursday, October and the ninth at Colorado, eleven of the first fifteen games away from out to Center. Their home opener will be Wednesday, October fifteenth against Calgary, and

Have you have you have you seen any of this for what?

For?

Like? For like security?

So you know like some people, yeah, some people have like emotional support dogs.

There's this new trend.

The Atlantic just did a piece on it where mostly in major cities where maybe some people might be losing it a little bit. Uh, grown adults are carrying around stuffed animals to calm their central nervous system.

Do you have Do you have any thoughts on this?

I think you gotta do what you gotta do, Okay. I don't like the trend.

Listen.

I Uh, I had a blankie for a while, nothing wrong with that. I had a blanky until I was at college.

So did you call it blankie until you got to college. Yeah, yep, that's a little embarrassing. Did you ever have a stuffed animal when you were young that you love? Oh yeah, okay. It was a Clifford the big red dog.

Cliff I love the Clifford the Red dog nephew has it nice and if he's ever like rough with it, I'm like, hey.

Be nice to Clifford.

You keep that nice.

I had a giant bear there you go, with a yellow jersey number thirty three, and his name was Kareem abdul Ja Bear.

It's a real story. There you go. I love that bear. Emotional support bear.

Josh Furlong brings emotional support to the program on a Monday. Josh, did you have a stuffed animal that you love? Well, maybe you're part of this trend. Are you currently carrying around a stuffed animal?

Heck no, And.

I don't get it, but I did have a stuffed animal till I was what like five or whatever. There's a video of my dad back and so like I beat the crap out of that stuffed animal. And my mom she was a seamstress, and so she would like take it apart and try to fix it. Well, like they she took it apart and I couldn't find it, so I asked him where it is, and he's on video saying he's dead, and I'm just like, oh my gosh, so traumatizing. Yeah, no, I'm not a stuffed animal guy.

Well, Josh, you can trauma dump on this show. At any point, do you still want to be friends with Porter even though you just found out he called his blanket blanky up until he was eighteen years old?

Yeah, that's that's questionable. I mean, like, I mean, did he take it to his dorms and like sleep with it? Okay, okay, I mean tweet their own you find comfort in once you find it comfort in.

I guess at least you didn't call it like woobye or something, because blank he's better than some corny nickname. Anyway, let's move on, Josh, and let's talk you tough football your ma.

I saw that you recorded a pod.

I'll tune in, uh, certainly later on this week, as I do for all Josh's POD's main storylines. Week one Utah football camp go.

I'd say, just kind of the optimism around this offense. I mean, it's easy, you know, coming in, and anything better would be optimistic compared to what you had last year. So I don't know that it's crazy, but at the same time, I think there's a genuine belief that this offense is pretty special. Kyle Whittingham talked about how this team came in from the spring. They made progress. You could tell they worked in the offseason and they didn't

For the youth wide receivers.

Josh wide receivers, wide receivers, wide receivers. Where we're at, Where are we at? Give us some names. Who do you thinks could be catching passes from Devin this year?

Yeah, I mean it's still TVD right, like I mean, until they've proven on the field, it's tough to know. But I think based on kind of what we've heard, Tobias Merriweather and Larry Simmons, two guys that came in after the in the spring portal, so after spring camp, have really kind of embraced their roles at Utah as being kind of the top guys. They both have a great frame to be able to be great assets for

There have been youth fans in the past, certainly, and fans are fans, We love them, That's why we have jobs, but have been pining potentially for maybe a little bit of a different offensive approach, something a little bit more entertaining. And that's not entirely true because there have been certain seasons where the offense has been elite.

We understand that this is a different look. It's a different approach.

Like entirely tell you fans from a macro level what they're in for for Coach Becks offense.

Yeah, I mean, it's in the basic terms it's an uptempo offense, no huddles, It's a team that's going to be running, you know, rpo based spread type concepts. I would say there's simplistic in the sense that you know, it doesn't take a Bible to be able to understand what a wide receiver has to do. They don't have to look at the defense, they don't have to scheme against them and try to figure out what they're doing. It's you run this route. You've got probably you know,

For a fan base that certainly will probably be traumatized for a while about a quarterback potentially being injured when it comes to protecting Devin, I mean, obviously having maybe the best offensive line not just in the conference, but among the best offensive lines in the country will help how much of this quarterback run game will be design quarterback runs. How much of it is RPOs, how much of it is Devin's decisions, how much of it is coach Beck's calls.

I think it's all of that, honestly. I mean, I think it's it's one of those things where everything's on the table. I don't think it's one of those where they're going to have a designed thing where you say, Okay, we're gonna run at X amount of times from Devon, We're going to have you know, way Shan run at X amount of times. It's it's gonna be dynamic and based on kind of what the defenses are giving you. Devin damp Pier will have designed runs. Those designed runs

So wa Sean Parker with a solid season in Wazoo as a freshman close to eight hundred yards over five yards per carry, which obviously is a great number. Does it feel like that he has separated himself as RB one And what does the rest of that room look like?

Yeah, he's he's I mean, something would have to change for him not to be that guy. I mean, he's saying all the right things, he's doing all the right things. You know, he's coming in with a bit of confidence on his side. He thinks he can get to fifteen hundred yards this year, at least across the thousand yard barrier, and I think that would be great for Utah. But I think he's, you know, unless somebody takes it from him, he's the guy, and I don't see that happening right now.

As we have all learned, and it's not just a Utah dynamic pretty much everywhere, you got to have at least a couple of quarterbacks ready to go. If not, sometimes three, maybe sometimes four or five. If recent history shows anything about Utah football.

Coach Beck was asked.

Jason Beck was asked last week about the quarterback room and the dynamic of what's going on behind Devin. He alluded to this was Wednesday, said quote, we're not too far away now from starting the game plan for UCLA. We have two scrimmages along the way. By the end of that second scrimmage, we'd really like to have an idea of what we're doing. After asked about the backup quarterback situation, of course, it's Isaac Wilson, who he saw

Yeah, Bird has definitely been making a push, right. I think he's pushing Isaac aton He is a true freshman, and so I think there's I don't want to call it hesitancy, but I think you learned a lot last year with Isaac being a true freshman that he has to be hands down the best guy for him to take that QB two spot. I think the potential and the way that Jason Beck is running his offense probably fits Bird a little bit more simply because he's similar

I was away last week and Porter and I were discussing this earlier in the show. In fact, I'll ask you when you take vacation, Like for me, I delete social media from my phone. I delete alerts from any sports outlet. I am disconnected. When Josh Burlong is on vacation, how connected is he to the worlds of sports.

As I don't know? I mean, like I have to be, I think because I have to edit other people's stories. So I try as best as possible to kind of push it all aside. But there's always something that I'm looking for. I think it's really just kind of finding the right balance for you. For me, you know, I like to at least be in reach just in case something happens on the beat or something else happens with my workers, and so it's just kind of it's maintaining

I guess it's different because you actually have people that report to you and rely on you. I am an island porter and I we kind of.

Do our thing.

We have nobody that needs to worry about us. We don't need to worry about them, So it's different. But I bring it up because I had heard of.

This Salissimo kid.

But when I was kind of re entering in the atmosphere and re you know, installed the social media apps on the phone that you use for information, the story was everywhere, was all over the place. So walk us through this. How close was you taught to landing him? Did they think they had him? And why ultimately did he land at Tennessee.

Yeah, so early on he was supposed to commit. I believe it was July fifth, and around that time, one of the on three guys, Steve what Olpsong, gave a prediction that said that he was going to commit to Utah and at that time it very much so was leaning and trending towards that. You know, he liked everything about his official visit. He liked everything about staying home, but there was always another team, generally being Tennessee and Tennessee mostly because of the SEC. He really loves the SEC.

And to your point about the transfer portal, it really changes it. You know, it's interesting, Josh on a number of levels, because like it changes the way we cover National Signing Day, National level Letter of Intent Day. They used to be like an all day, you know, uh, covered on the radio, covered on the newspaper, and it's

They're far far behind, Like BYU is in a top twenty five class in Utah's top fifty, Right have they gotten MOA. There's a chance that they would have been top thirty. But it's it's one where you know, Utah needs some work to do. At the same time, you're

From a local standpoint, how is Utah hanging in?

It felt like for about I don't know, maybe a decade to your earlier point about by Uspoorian into independence and Utah's inclusion into the PAC twelve, and of course, of course Coach went and what he's built, it felt like more often than not for a long time, Utah was getting most any local kid they wanted, including for a number of years the Chase Hanson's and the Britain Covees and the kids it felt like they were BYU tried and true oftentimes ended up in Salt Lake City.

Yeah, I think the biggest change there is more around the LDS kids, the kids that you know, you would expect to be BYU that Utah picked up, you know, the Britain Coveyes, the Chase Hansson's. Like you said, these are the kids that BYU kind of whiffed on a little bit, and whether it was they weren't evaluating them the right way, or they just weren't viewed as the better team. You know, Utah was able to pick that up.

At the end, it feels like, I don't know, maybe last year because it was Utah's first year in the Big Twelve, and it was also the first year the expanded CFP, it felt like last year there was more conversation, there was more written work, there were more topically prevalent situations regarding whether or not this is coach wits last dance Sean O'Connell on our radio station down at Big

Morgan, I'm handing it off to you.

I think he would prefer to go out on a different level, and he has certainly earned the right to do that. But are you getting any info as to whether or not this will be Kyle's last dance? And then what do you think has to happen this year in order for that decision to be made.

Yeah, I mean, I think everything's trending that way. You know, I think the real belief was he wanted to go out with Cam Rising. You know, he and Andy Ludwig, We're going to you know, right out into the sunset. At the same time Cam Rising left. As they go and win the Big Twelve, you get your third conference championship and you know, three different conferences, and you know, you get this opportunity to be able to do something

Yeah, you referenced the naturally the national respect that Utah

Yeah, I mean, I think it'll go a little bit right like, and I think it depends on how Utah finishes when Kyle does retired. I mean, if Utah is still considered a top to your team and they're bringing back you know, let's say he retired this year and you're bringing back Devin damp Here next year, I think that gives you kind of some extra hope that that will help Morgan. But I think you're going to look at it in a way where if Morgan can keep the majority of his staff that he has right now,

What are your thoughts on Utah's strength of schedule and what are the games that's hand out most to you. According to CBS Sports, they have the Big Twelve strength of schedule like this, Baylor one, TCU two, and then they have Utah three, third hardest schedule in the Big twelve. B YU is all the way down at sixteen. This is CBS Sports. They believe b YU has the easiest schedule. They think Utah as the third hard ist schedule. Does

Yeah, I mean you're getting some theft teams, right, like you obviously have to go play Baylor on the road late in the season. You know, Baylor could be you know, hitting on all cylinders at that point, or they could be a shell of what we think they are going to be. But by and large, you do get most of those teams the top teams, so like Arizona State, Texas Tech, you get them at home, and so there

All right, Josh, before I say you lose, you know, the Coaches poll, the USA Today Coaches Poll, oftentimes you might as well use it as toilet paper because these coaches don't necessarily I'm not saying all of them, but you know, the reputation around this poll. Do coaches really dig in to rank their top twenty five? Is that the assistant sid? Is it an intern? Who knows? But it is early August. We're inching our way towards games, so stuff like this is topical.

The AP pool, which you are a.

Voter for, will come out next week BYU at twenty three Utah receiving votes, and if you just go down the list after the top twenty five is done, it puts Utah as the thirtieth team in this poll. Highest ranked Big twelve team is Arizona State, they're at eleven, and then you've got k State at twenty. I always stayed at twenty one, BYU at twenty three, Texas Tech twenty four, and like I said, Utah thirty.

What do you make of that? Generally speaking?

Do you think that's similar to what we'll see when the AP is released next week?

I mean, I think Arizona State will probably be similar. They'll probably be somewhere between eleven to fifteen if I had to guess. But outside of that, you know, it remains a crapshoot. I don't like I think the coach's poll is weighing heavily on the result of last year, well somewhat using kind of the progression of this year. You're putting Texas Tech in there simply because they've gone to the transfer portal and gotten a ton of players, and I, you know, I think that they deserve there.

Josh, my man, thanks for the time on Monday. Keep up the great work, have a good week. We'll chat soon.

Okay, sounds great. Appreciate it.

Since Josh Furlong covers the youth for KSL always appreciate his time. Stops Bot today courtesy of our friends at IFA Country Stores. Like any good coach, it's time to update the game plan for a healthy green lawn. As the hot weather continues this month, make sure you're using IFA's Step three Summer lawn Food for healthy turf that stays green and every season IFA Step three Lawn Food. It's the ultimate lawn owner power move. With our good friends at IFA, I'm going to bring in Pablo. Pablo

We have some breaking news. Hold on Jazz fans.

The Salt Lake City Stars, the official ge League affiliate of the Utah Jazz, have acquired a.

Second round pick.

From the Long Island Nets in exchange reformer for forward Jalen Giney who goes to Mexico City and a three team deal. Gany twenty three games for the Stars last year, three points, four boards, twelve minutes.

Stars get a second round pick.

That's what you call a blockbuster. Very season deals.

Speaking of trades, you're allowed to just not be a Cowboys fan. I think we're there if they screw the Mica Parsons thing up. I think you're officially allowed to pick a new pro football team.

You know, you would think so, you would think so, But it's kind of just par for the course. Like our guy Martin's been bugging me about the Putt and Micah Parsons thing all off season. I said, dude, it's gonna end poorly and I'm gonna be mad about it. And that's being a Cowboys fan. And well, here we are. It's looking like it's gonna end poorly, and the Cowboys

But like, you can't screw it up with that guy, you know, like he's the one guy you can't screw it up with.

I think the Cowboys have shown that when it comes to like long term deals and extensions and taking care of players that you in your locker room that you want to, you know, keep long term, they can screw it up with anybody, their quarterback, their running backs, their star pass rushers, left tackles, they'll they'll go out on a limb and pretty much make anyone angry when it comes to contract stuff.

Have you seen Lebron James swing a golf club?

By the way I have?

It always cracks me up because I think a lot of people just view golf as something that's pretty easy, like if you've never played it before. Lebron James might be not just the best NBA player of this generation, he might be the best athlete, full stop, period of this generation. And he looks like he's never swung a golf club in his life before. You would think an athlete like that would just have some sort of natural inclination.

Yeah.

I have kind of a unique perspective here because I have played golf with my mom, my grandmother. I have played golf with like elite climbers, right, I have played golf with really good basketball players, and I have played around a golf with a literally a guy with a jacket. Okay, so Mark, right, Marcomera, I wasn't gonna name drop, but thank you for doing something.

I want to play golf with Markomera.

So I you know, I've seen all the levels of golf. I when people ask me about the sport that you know, maybe aren't playing it or not super into it, I tell them it is the easiest sport to play, the hardest spart the hardest sport to master or be good at, because you can literally just like pull up in a golf club, step one foot out of your cart and smack that thing, and hey you might get a good chot every once in a while. It's very easy just

Like major major covered sports.

Michael Jordan himself the hardest game he's ever played. Update just for you. I have set the over under for club breaks this year at one point five. I'm allowing one club break this year, same as last year. No no, no, no, no no no no no no no no. We well, if I recall correctly, we may have set the over under a one point five and everybody smashed the over and everybody won money. Okay, at some point there's an

Okay, so you got some cushion. Zero club breaks.

I cannot say in good conscience there have been zero club throws. Fine, there have been a few. There are a few last week last week. I have not No one gives a rip about this. I know I have not played well in like a month and it's really starting to grind on me. So the driver was chucked into a tree that demanded a little climbing. Okay, I also had to go this. This really pissed me off. Okay, this last week really pissed me off. So par three,

You know what, Yeah, don't do that.

It's I find of love.

No, you can do not sit in your ivory tower and look down on golfers having a tough time and then mock them.

What kind of human does that.

It's better than the guy at the Park City Municipal Resort that I think has twice tried to fight me on the golf course.

Why because he lives in a like listen, you try not to hit the ball into the house. You just try. That's pretty clear. I'm not trying to.

But my buddy, you live on like a dog leg to the left and you look right on the corner there. He apparently he causes issues with Like, there's probably people listening who have at the pond at the Park City MUNI had an issue with the guy on his back deck. I'm telling you there's people who text in if you.

Have you know what hole we're talking I love.

I haven't been there a long time. Okay, but I hit this ball.

He comes out, Hey, learn how to golf right, And then my buddy steps up. He hits the ball and it doesn't just like go over there. It hits this guy's deck. While the guy's standing on the deck, and he gets like aggressive about it.

So it went back to back. He had two balls. But brother, yeah, yeah, you're not wrong. Hey, yeah, you're.

On the tea box. There's some cowboys that are trying to play some golf.

Be patient.

If you're out there like heckling, I'm okay with it. Just don't try to fight the golfers. You live on a golf course, I'm sure you have insurance.

You cannot be the person that buys the home on the golf course and that shock that your house is getting hit by golf balls, especially due respect at a Muni course. Okay, and look you're talking there. You're talking to Bonnie. Okay, you're talking. You're talking to a guy that's grinding at Bonnie and Mountain Dell every weekend. I'm not some country club snop and PC Muni is a

And you know, there's a list of five or six names that we could kind.

Of go over a little bit.

Are you hearing anything about this group and how it's coming together? It just feels like it is the one glaring question concerning a positional group at Utah, and if that's the only positional group we're worried about, it's probably not a bad thing.

Yeah, if you want to zoom out.

I also want to learn quite a bit on the depth at de tackle right. A lot of faces we haven't seen yet, and we know that's a rotation that Kyle and co. Likes to go six seven deep sometimes cornerback as well. We know the departures, we know the faces that are there. We also know there's some transfer ins that are going to make that conversation interesting. But Jess, the big question going into fall camp is who's Devid Dempire going to throw to on a night to night basis tight end.

We have a good idea there's some bodies there.

I think the loss of Land and King leaves some opportunity for some young guys at the tight end position. But yeah, man, it's going to be by committee at wide receiver. And we asked Micah Simon, the wide receiver coach, last week, you know what that hierarchy is looking like and he kind of declined to answer, which I think tells you tells you what we're working with. There's gonna be have to be someone that you know, I don't

Who it's going to be.

You know, there's Creed with more, There's a bunch of transfers. There's players there that I think that this staff is confident in, but they're even on the hill kind of declining to tell us that anyone's.

Distancing themselves in any sort of way. Zach Williams was thought to be the number one.

He's off to Southern Cal after a really good performance in the spring. Five new transfers for Utah at the wide receiver position. The Tobias Merriweather kid looks the part. He's six', five one ninety. Five Ryan davis comes in From New, mexico obviously familiar with Coach beck And. Devin tobias played At cal last, year but sparingly he only. CAUGHT i think eleven, Passes Larry, Simmons southern Miss, Justin Steve Stevenson wyoming and As porter Reference Creed whittemore as.

Learning more about.

THEM i do Wonder, porter AND i always hesitate to, say, well youth fans want, this and all youth, fans you, KNOW i think there have been some grumbling in the past about maybe a little bit of lack of creativity on offense and maybe wanting something a little bit, Different and that's not entirely fair because coach lud had some of the best offenses in the history of the school and obviously won a couple Of pac twelve championships to, boot do you feel like the what is perceived to

OFFENSE i. Hope.

So, right there's a lot of context, there and part of it is that this offense. Was it wasn't even What Andy ludwig wanted it to.

Be last. Year he was dealing with.

Obviously a rash of injuries and a whole bunch of a whole bunch of stuff off the field that you just can't really plan. For and you, know when you're you're dealing with your third string, quarterback you're in your fourth string running, back your your playbook gets. Tight, man the operations that your, freshman your red, shirt your fourth string quarterback can run, through they're pretty limited in a lot of. Ways and we heard that from the. Staff so,

YEARS i also like the dynamic of the opening game at The Rose BOWL.

Ucla it is a late.

Kick that's nine O'clock mountain time On fox On august the, thirtieth so we are just twenty six days away from.

GAME i actually kind of like this.

ONE i think a landing spot where you you should go on the road and get a. Win you will experience one of the greatest stadiums in all of college football and a football team that can at least provide some. PUSHBACK i always hate THE Fbsfcs week. One it's gonna be seventy to. THREE i don't think that does much for, you and maybe that's the deal with Cal, Poly but opening DAY ucla kind of like that.

One i'm with.

You, obviously it's a Former pac twelve opponent in a storied, venue so there's just a little extra FLAIR a little extra excitement.

For a game in The Rose.

Bowl regardless of the, situation regardless of the. Context but like you, said it also gives you taugh an opportunity to knock the rust off without like playing down to competition or having to adjust the way they. Play you're gonna have, to you, know bring your a game to BEAT ucla On week. One you're going to have to work through a few. Things you haven't been able to play live full reps so far this. Year so that's gonna be big for the youths to get off on

Ago ucla returned sixty seven. Starters that second last in The Big ten only To. Purdue they returned sixty seven, starters they have sixty seven transfers and, recruits and as far as the projections, go, Yeah conley has them as the fifty first ranked team in the. Country Only Michigan, State, Maryland, northwestern And.

Purdue we're below them in The Big. Ten so That's utah's first.

Opponent coverage Of utah Football, Camp kyle has brought you in part By Big, Willies Beer, bar The, Advocates Baskin, Robbins Big O', tires Mountain Land Power, equipment advanced window, products and. Others as we are high speed ahead to game dates right around the, corner just over three weeks, away so stay tuned for that eight real. Quick we're gonna let you hear From Devin Dan. Pierre we're gonna let you hear From Jason. Beck If tom, allows we'll

TWITTER i kind of gave up on the scroll part of, that so not really not, really definitely no.

TINKERING i still see it every once in.

A WHILE i feel like every time you move over to the for you, portion it's like high school kids fighting in.

Bathrooms, yeah, yeah you get a lot lot of. That that's kind of WHAT i was alluding. To it's really.

Weird it's really strange. Anyway maybe that's just.

What i've you, know How I've i've brought my algorithm to.

Me i've never intentionally clicked on a video of two high schoolers fighting in a.

STALL i didn't think. Sothing it's really weird. Anyway all, right we're gonna bring In pablo Mash.

JOHNNIE rsl has a midweek tilt and they're back at action AND mls leagues play coming up On. Saturday but before we do, that it is that time of year where we have a little bit of access To utah football players and coaches As Camp kyle is. Underway so in case you missed any of, it we'll start with the NEW qb one for the.

Utes Here's Devin. Dampier, devin how was it out?

There it was?

Fun it was. Fun glad to be with the. BOYS i, mean you, know this is what you dream.

For so getting closer to the, season we've got high expectations during these, practices AND i think we made a good impression towards.

That it don't seem like in.

Spring there a good amount of energy of trying to get after.

It how different is it involved there's a.

Game, yeah you, know we practice in a way that's very, safe but at the end of the, day you, know we're still going one hundred. Percent so it's definitely the way we have the Structured we're still allowed to go one hundred percent whilst having to take practices Of, YEAH i, mean practices are.

Real, Davin do you have to take a different approach with your leadership and being more assertive now that it's fall camp in the season is right around the.

Corner, yeah you.

KNOW i try to be the same person throughout the, year but you, know obviously we have new people that just got, here so just to be able to get.

In that impression and get them hot.

On they got a shorter amount of time to go with the, Program so just to make sure we're emphasizing that that's the leadership That i'm are right.

Now is there anything that's really kind of the change revolved about coachbacks offense coming From New?

Mexico good, AREA i mean just the smallest.

Weeks Coach beck is the coach that you, know he looks for the best out of his player and you know he finds a way to get them in their best. Situation, so, uh you, know different guys can do different, things and you, know we we explore those.

Talents you have a lot of new, receivers, Obviously tobias And larry are. There what have you kind of done to help bring them, along get the, maclimated The utah and so.

Forth, yeah just the extra work.

Summer you, know we're not allowed to be with the, coaches and just to tell those guys they let's go outside and. Work AND i mean they were there every day that we did those type of, practices so you know they're willing to.

Grind do you have anything specifically that you want to work on during the next few next leading.

On your first?

Game, yeah just.

CONTINUED i mean you're never gonna be one hundred, Percent you're never gonna be, perfect so just continue to learn the game and right, now just connection with the.

Receivers though again we got to do a bunch of.

New, guys so just be able to make that connection right.

Now what's your first impression Of Mary.

Well, Uh tobias is a. Guy he came out here and obviously he stood out. Today so you, know here's kudos of. Him but he's gonna be ready at u c L a for.

Sure All, RIGHT i gotta do. IT i GOT i gotta do, it AND i only do it once a. Year, OKAY i only do it once a, year BUT i gotta do. It you have to my, Guy Paul, kirk my guy whoever else is up, there to all of my dear friends WHO i love and respect in the door at The university Of utah football. Program stop conducting interviews while the jugs machine is. On please please just, studiase maybe just while they're doing the, interviews just chill with the jugs.

Machine you.

Can you can turn it off for five to ten. MINUTES i know that you.

Can.

Yeah i've been doing those scrum interviews for long enough THAT i almost kind of think that it's part of the. Deal it's like ALMOST i don't Know edict's down from the, top, like hey throw them over. There BUT i digress BECAUSE i have mentioned it how many. Times, right we're not on. Video we rely on. Audio we are a radio and you, know Whatever.

I'm tempted to write a strongly worded email To Taylor.

Randall oh to rand to the. President you said it might come from the. Top i'll go to the, top. MAN i Know, TAYLOR i Know, teresa his assistant word for us AT. RSL i might write a stroke and you know. Me in my relationship with, email it does not.

Exist, yeah you don't do too much. Email, NO i.

Actually just cleaned out my email from the entire TIME i was.

GONE i didn't look at it. Once good for.

You so both the Personal gmail and THE espn email there Now i'm caught up love it got some new. Sponsors good news, there shout OUT dj checked out that email mostly just spam on The gmail. Side but, look it's not that. Hard and it's been going on. Forever do you know when this? Started when did we start being forced interview these players and coaches right next to the jugs?

MACHINE i MEAN i have been covering the team since twenty, sixteen twenty, seventeen and it's been that.

TIME i can't tell you about. Before but all, right well are the other? Interviews are?

WE i got some sound for you with. It no, jugs no. Jugs you, know we walked. Inside okay to the, Media.

Yeah can we just do that from now?

On and we interviewed the coaches in this nice comfortable, environment so we'll play some of that.

Now all, Right we'll let's you hear from the new offensive coordinator for The university of You.

Tah Here's Jason.

Beck spring ball is, about you, know installing the. Offense what is the next phase In paul camp in terms of your offense and getting it integrated with the.

Guys you obviously need to be ready for all the situations that are going to be coming, up and it's really identifying who are the trustworthy, guys the playmaker. Guys when you put those eleven guys, together all doing their different, roles you know who can you depend on and count.

On so it's a matter of finding.

Consistency who showed up every day consistently getting their job done so we know we can count on him to put him out there for the. Game so that's where you're trying to develop that and tease that out of who to count on when you put him out.

There the last six, Months devn's really taken some time to establish his full and, LEADERSHIP i guess heading into fall, camp as the offensive, coordinator and just what are you looking for him to continue to make steps and establish himself in the offense and and so.

Forth, yeah just continuing to lead both first by example through his play and that real consistent playmaker doing the right, things and then being a good, teammate which means if you.

See, something you, know you're not their, friend you're their.

Teammate and whether that's positively reinforcing what they're, doing or whether that's whether that's asking him to live up to a different. Standard and so dev shows up every day and work charm and he leads by, example and so just continue to do that and then and bring everybody else a long and develop the chemistry with all those score.

Guys when it comes TO qb two, spot what are you looking for and how quickly do you want to try to establish?

That, YEAH i mean you're not too far away now from you start game.

PLANNING ucla and.

In the seasons here and so we have two scrimmages along the, way and by the end of that second, scrimmage you would really like to have an idea plan of here's what we're doing the same. Thing it's all, about, man who can you. Trust who can you depend, on who's being consistent and in that role when their numbers, called their opportunity comes, up who's going to be ready to take that.

On Tobias merriweather And Larry simmons were the two receivers that you brought in during the spring. Portal how important are these next few weeks and getting them up to speed with the offense and their chemistry with damp.

Hair, oh it's.

Really important to see what they can bring to this team to help this often score points to win games and so them you, Know Bryce duke running back has experiences in so, yeah it's really the next two. Weeks you, know you're not making huge judgments right away because it's going to take a little time to settle in and

Offense what led to your interest in your pursuit of? Them what qualities do they possess that you think translates?

Here you, know we're looking for guys who can consistently, win get open catch the. Ball the more they can stretch the field or be versatile play both outside and inside is, great but it's all about who can consistently, win make plays catch the ball to help move the chains and score.

Points kyle talks about this off it'll be pretty similar to what you ran At New. Mexico how similar to? That and kind of what are you trying to do that's maybe different or are you trying to get in from?

There you, know we're still in that process of that playing. Out for, instance when we Started New mexico last, year we had five six skilled receivers that we thought were going to be some of our better. Players and as we headed in that first, game.

That was kind of the trajectory we were.

On, well as we got early in the, season some of those guys were struggling to consistently make, plays and our running backs were way rising up and what they were, doing and so that thing, shifted you, know in that, course and there became two receivers and a tight end that we really relied, on and then it was all these running back, guys and so the offense kind of molded more that.

Direction so you, know.

The devin and the on line that's the most predictable right. Now it's the other spots that are more the what direction is this going to? Take with the dependable, playmaker guys you trust and kind of the offense molding shifting the.

Direction we're fans that haven't seen it.

Yet how would you kind of describe your offensive?

Philosophy, Man we really just want to put the right guys in the right places to make. Plays we want to adapt to what our strengths are and play to those. Strengths you, know real like eye. Test you know we're gonna go not at a fast, tempo but we're going to a. Huddle we're moving guys, around you, know kind of. Spread you, know THE qb reads and RPOs are in.

There but.

Year to year that thing always shifts to who are your who's your, personnel and what are their.

Strengths in some years that's more, passing some years that's more.

Running so you know that thing will vary because we want to play to our.

Strengths when you have a our receiver or star running, back it's pretty easy to feature them in the. Offense it seems like you've got two star offensive. Tackles how do you go about featuring your offensive line and their strengths as.

Players, yeah you, know we look at the quarterback, first and we look at the old line second of what they can. Do and the old line is obviously a strength specifically with the. Tackles, man they're, athletic so you can do things with your tackles where you utilize that athleticism that you may not do with other. Guys, so you, know getting them out on the edges and screens to block in, space having them pull in the run, game you, know to add to your run.

Scheme so using their.

Athleticism to block the second, level.

To block them the perimeter is something you want to take advantage.

Of you guys move autot at a tight end towards the tail end of. Spring you know what kind of led to that change and what are you looking for him to? Do you, know as Fall campie's ready to.

Open, yeah he's kind of this high brid guy that's has good size and he's you, know two twenty and he's a, big strong. Receiver so we know the flexed out in the slot outside stuff is going to be natural for. Him so we, thought let's move him to the tight end room so we can develop more of those things that he's not as experienced that knowing from that room we can always, flex mount and do, stuff but to have him in the outside receiver room and then try to move him inside to do things you.

Know a little. Different so so that was.

Just the kind of have him in that room as a home base to expand his versatility and how he can help the.

Spring in the, spring you Said waishan was. LIMITED i guess where's his health at and do you expect him to be.

Full go For, Yeah, yeah he's, Healthy he's had a really good summer and.

Yeah bringing to.

Go, yeah how Much Doesne johnson change this office for?

You, well that's going to be part of this.

Discovery of how consistent, playmaking what is he bringing at a high, level because he definitely.

Has you, know some juice speed and can do unique.

Things so we definitely want to utilize, that take advantage of it and discoverment how much and in what ways and all of those things that we can count out at the, high high level more than just kind of a gimmicky.

Thing here or.

There, well Season devin ran what and also passed a? Lot is there the development that you're looking for maybe to have him be more passed first or maybe more run.

FIRST i, mean walk me through your thinking on.

THAT i, mean he'll as just him, Individually he'll continue to progress and develop and.

It is really.

Capable so this is not a thing where we were running them more because he was not capable as a.

Pastor it was just.

And he'll continue to develop that. Way it's really just the pieces around him and what we could do let the him and being more.

Involved in the run.

Game certain times in the season we had some critical injuries and so he became you, know if it's fourth and, two who do you trust most to get this? Thing with a couple you, know there's a spot where in the car was out with the high ankle spring and a.

Couple of those.

Games, no you absolutely Knew devin would get you the, first so you called.

His number a little.

More so it's just kind of dictated by you, know the matchup hell of you, know all those.

Things you two more.

Here he talked a lot about dev talked a lot about.

Just improving his decision.

Making you, know now that he's been here for six, months have you seen any improvements in that and just turn over.

Ratio or just how he's reading the. Offense it's you.

Know it's hard to put a total thing on that right now because spring was so.

New with all the skill guys get on the same.

Page so we'll kind of see where it picks, up you know in fall Campra but, no that's that's what it's all, about Right it's all about being a dynamic, player being a playmaker and protecting the ball because that dictates winning in such a high.

Range so just going forward.

That, way we talked about What Larry anderviz brings to the wide receiver. Room what Does bryce bring to this running back room.

Now that he's joined based off the, film you, know it'd be great to see him and get. Him but based off the, film he brings an element catching the ball out of the. Backfield you, know he's proven where he's done that in the. Past and then his running skill set he can you, know he has some, juice

Does and so being able to see what he can do with those skill.

Sets all right, there you got want to remind you this time here a lot of you might only be interested In utah football as we're less than four weeks away from game. One one stop SHOP espn seven hundred sports dot com and of course when we have access to, it will play it for you both During sean's show and then my show in the.

Afternoon The drive Was spence Check.

It time to hit the pitch on The. Drive THE Rsl insider today and every day is brought to you by Beer Bar Head downtown for watch parties and game day shuttles to the stadium more at BEER barslc dot com.

Till FOR rsl this, week it potentially is the busiest stretch of the entire. Season after a little bit of a kind of Light june Into, july we've gone and the, lads as we say here for the lads.

Have really turned the, page unbeaten in eight of their last. Nine It's Leagu's cup action coming up On wednesday before they. RETURN mls play In New york On, saturday and the head, Coach Pablo Master money on A monday, Afternoon Happy, Monday, pops how.

We doing doing, Great, bud appreciate the time as.

Always so it comes to The League's, CUP i know you guys prioritize.

EVERYTHING i, KNOW i know you want to win.

Trophies what sort of dynamic or challenge that is a little bit different does this tournament kind of face you as the? Manager and then intertwined in the question when it simply comes down to how busy the schedule, is how are you guys balancing this?

Out, Yeah SO i think the way they format a determament this year has been actually pretty good where they the first leg of, it the first three games are you, know within ten, days and so you know what you're up, against so you can really just focus on the first stage of The League's. Cup SO i think that's a big improvement from from last, year which was pretty which was intertwined with league. Games so here we've just taken ten games to focus in on our three, opponents and

Now is it LEGA mx or Lega MkIS you got to help?

ME i hear it, Right you're.

Both, uh it just depends on you. KNOW i think for us it's LEGA. Max for them it's.

Legs, well did you just throw a third option at me, geez, yeah.

Because the thing IS m In spanish is m the, right but they say it really, fast so it sounds like m ekis, okay so it's it's m.

Akis, yeah, okay all, right fair.

Enough however your tongue feels on the, day if you want to roll, it you, know if you want to just let it, go it's league.

Amakis i'm going league at Max. Pops i'm Just that's that's How i've always. Rolled that's How i'm That's i'm gonna continue to. Roll so let's let's talk about the first two. Matches The Club, america who massive. CLUB i think they finished second in this tournament before and obviously very. Famous it almost felt like a road, game so Many Club america. Fans And i'll tell you, what MAN i we'll get, to you, know the unfortunate ending with The

America, well you, KNOW i think the biggest thing was the way the guys competed against the big. Team you, KNOW i think we've you, know we've we've done them in the league in the last recent. Weeks but going up against The juggernaut to start this, COMPETITION i thought the guys put their best foot forward and play the heck of a game on both sides of the, ball and you, know to concede with whatever it was like fifteen seconds left of injury. TIME i think it was

Guys and then moving over to the second game you played In League's. Cup it was another really good. Game The San luis game they got you IN. Pks what stood out?

Most, YEAH i think, AGAIN i think this is where we ran into a bit of. Fatigue there's a few guys out there that have been, going you, Know Saturday wednesday for a month, now AND i think there's a bit of tired. Legs early. ON i think the first goal we conceded was, uncharacteristic a bit of sloppy play with the ball that transitioned into you, know sloppy playing about the. Ball and you, know they, they you, know they they tied up the game and then went on

Game, okay what are you up? Against On?

Wednesday and you, KNOW i started reading through the tiebreaker scenarios and THEN i decided to go on and live my life instead of. Continuing SO i can't sit here and tell you That i'm extremely well versed on exactly what you need to do to get. Through can you get through if you go get all three On wednesday and and tell me about this side that you're playing.

Against, yeah so there's still a slim possibility that we can get. Through we need to take all three. Pks even the two points in pks is not an, option and then we're gonna need quite a bit of, help. RIGHT i think we're gonna need the help from four or five different. Teams and it is. Competition it can definitely. Happen so instead of worrying about all that, stuff just you, know put put a great group up there that's ready to win the game and then let the chips fall

Game, how if at, all do those dynamics shape the eleven, selection because it sounds like slim chance to. Advance you have put yourself back in the middle of THE mls playoff chase and we'll get. There but also you want to win and you hope that everything kind of falls your. Way so when it comes to all of those, dynamics it feels like, pops it could go either. Way you want to rest your guys for the playoff, chase or you want to go all in and get.

Three how do you on that?

Out, yeah that's a great. Question you, KNOW i think there's one, way and it's it's it's it's it's a bit of a damble and AND i think where you know that that That i'm willing to take it is have a few prescribed subs at have time so that you can get your best players on the, field but you can also manage their. Load, right we got. It we got a bunch of guys that are running in the.

It's a little bit of yesterday's. News, HOWEVER i was out of town last, week and SO i haven't had a chance to talk to you on air about the return Of Chi sho and what that was, like and also getting a win over a really Good San jos a team which is more important than than. Anything but what was it like to Have Chia cho back in the building and give me your thoughts on that?

Win, yeah it was. Strange it was almost, surreal you. Know you, KNOW i Think Chie show having been in that stadium all over last year and in the, sea you, know his connection with with the, fans it was really. Peculiar AND i think for me seeing him across the field and knowing that he's cable, of you, know scoring goals from, nowhere was was Obviously, yeah you, know it gave me a bit of. Nerves but the guys just really handled themselves really. Well that played a great. Game

Chicha did you have an opportunity to catch up with them at, all and if, so what were those?

Conversations?

Like, Yeah, no he was really, gracious you, know he, says you, know obviously he, misses he misses not being here with the, group you, know with the, fans the,

Points tell me what you've seen both in training and then during matches From diego since he came. BACK i, mean he got the goal the other. Night it was the first goal for you guys Since. May it was a little bit of a poacher's.

Goal do you.

RESPECT i, Mean i'm not calling him that we know how good he. Is is is there a little? Fatigue is there a little like? Adjustment tell me where you're seeing From diego right?

Now, YEAH i think you hear the nail on the, head you, KNOW i think you, know going into this last, Game Diego luna has played fifteen matches in the last seven, weeks, Right and that is obviously What i'm talking. About when when when the players are playing in the red from a physical load, perspective like and then you'd taken all the, travel you, know they played some friendly games before The Gold, cup played all The Gold cup games, here and then

Year so ultimately we and we'll get to the new, additions but before you get, there you, KNOW i didn't know much About lachlan when he was, acquired felt like he had some moments early. On why ultimately do you think it didn't work out With lachlan as he's he's now moved.

On, yeah you, KNOW i think every you, know it's that's a great, question AND i think locklom would probably have the best answer to. THAT i think for, me you, know it's not an easy league to assimilate. To it's and if you're not getting the playing, time it's really hard to get those wheels, turning and and and and and to commit to your craft away from home is

Stuff and also and, LOOK i want to be, CLEAR i have zero inside information about what happened With, lachlan BUT i find.

It i've always found this.

Fascinating, pablo any, sport whatever it, is the the the art of analyzing talent combined with the necessary knowledge of whether or not the talent is also a. Professional and that's that's an intangible. Thing it's really really hard to identify because, ultimately AND i say this all the, time just get me the, talent then we'll figure it. Out you, KNOW i don't care if there's redundancy Between diogo And. Diego they're both. Awesome figured. Out give me the talent's

That?

Then how quickly do you notice whether or not that's going to be an?

Issue, YEAH i think that's the toughest, Thing, Spence and and to be, fair you, know we can extrapolate a lot of information from like has this player travel a? Lot you, know has he has he been To europe? Before has he left his country? Before because that's a big that's a big thing for us because if he's done. That that means he's got the capability of living away from family and still. Excelling, Right SO i think that's that's a big, thing.

You.

Know and then and then it's really zoom zoom calls and conversation and our leadership Coach Grant barge is on these calls of us and it has a bunch of great questions that hopefully will disseminate some some personality, things right like is he is he a does he have a growth mindset versus a fixed? Mindset like some of these questions can give you this, way but at the end of the, day it's all it's all the roll of the. Dice AND i say that because the human

Ground what's gotten In? Ojeita what's going on?

HERE i mean one goal in like eighty games and now three in the past, Three like.

What and what sort of? Look everybody likes to score.

Goals it doesn't matter what position you, play what what sort of jews can that give?

Them, well it's IT'S i think ironically it brings him a lot of confidence and all the other little things that we're asking them to do from pivot. Position, RIGHT i can answer. QUEST i think he's watching a lot Of RONALDO messi. Highlight uh it's it's, yeah it's out of His you, know he doesn't score a lot in. Training he just does his job and does a really good job at that and facilitating the ball from the back to the front and keep you, know and. Pressing

Team well and as we say here today With mecha and by the, way would you characterize A mecca as one hundred percent?

Yet, No, NO i think he's still about sixty minutes. Fit and it's so tough in the middle of the season to go from out six weeks then ramping him back. Up But i'll tell you. Spent you, know the performances that he's had have been really really, sharp really sharp coming into games and really changing you, know the games that he. STARTED i thought he's played really. Well so he's.

End, well it's interesting as you kind of look at this a little, bit BECAUSE i Thought ruiz Against Club america was, dynamic and you've got A mecha coming back healthy and Suddenly ojita's on. Fire like that positional group you have with that central holding mid is so so strong and certainly a. Lynchbin are all three of them good enough where maybe you look at some sort of way to get all three of them on the, field even if one of them has to play in a different.

Spot, well you.

KNOW i think we've built Such it's taken so long to get the attacking group, going AND i feel like they're doing a great, job you, Know, Diego diogo and That gozo and then obviously we have some new players in camp now that you, Know for as much As i'd like to do, that we also have to remember that in order to have a good, run you're gonna need.

Season All, right with a few remaining, minutes let's talk about the new toys you have to play. With we've been waiting anxiously for some reinforcements and.

They're on the. Way so. Wrong Rawan cruise has been on the ground for a.

Week i'm told to twenty four year Old Brazilian, pablo AS i always, Say i'm not gonna lie to. YOU i have not been grinding On botafogo. Tape SO i don't know much about this young. Man but in your limited, experience what sort of player is?

He what sort of person is? He and when you think we'll.

See, Him, yeah he's a fantastic. Individual he's got a really he's got a big heart and and just always a smile in the. Space a little bit Like Anderson julio as far as the energy gives, off is really really.

Group, finally before say you, LOSE i also have not been dialed into The Czech First league. Lately, However Victor OLATUNJI i believe is on the ground and we'll await his, visa, medical all those things to get. Done but he is the other reinforcement addition on the. Way same, question what kind of, player what kind of? Person when do you think we'll see?

Him?

Yeah another, uh he's a voracious, reader is what we learned when we did the. Zoom he's really well, spoken it speaks Perfect, english has travel to so many different places In. Europe and from a physical, perspective you, know he's he's he's a big, body, right you. Know you Know hamison a, lave you, know and he's probably one of the biggest GUYS i. Know AND i would say

ATTACK i think any other additions before that window, closes you.

KNOW i talked To kurt. Today he, says there's there's there's a couple there that may or may not come. Through so you, KNOW i think these were these were our primary targets and uh and we were able to secure. Them so that's that's. Awesome and then you, know if we get, one, one one or two more it would be it'd be a. Slam So i'll keep my fingers. Crossed but but more, IMPORTANTLY i think these guys are. Well we'll take up a lot of attention to really

Go, well it's been fun to see the forum turn around and be excited to see what you do with these new. Pieces thanks for the, time, BUDDY a good.

Week, okay Thanks, nane appreciate it.

Much Bablo Master Ronnie.

Arsa with a midweek tilt In League's Cup, action they need a miracle they need to win without going TO pks and then they need six different results.

To go their.

Way so you, know we'll see how that.

Goes back To league play coming up On saturday Against New york and Then charlotte is the week after. That they're back home next on the twenty third Against. Minnesota go TO rsl dot com for single game. Tickets brought to you today by our friends At Advanced Window, products where you can get twenty five hundred dollars off when you buy ten windows or. More it's a Local Salt lake company operated by a, Guy Nate, orchard the mayor of Sac Lake.

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Right saying good night for A monday edition of the.

Show great to be back after a little time off sharpening the. Sword Stephen covey would, say last week high speed ahead of college FOOTBALL nfl right around the, corner and we're gonna blink in The jazz and The mammoth will be back as, WELL rsl with the midweek tilts On wednesday In League's cup action by you looking for a, quarterback you tak camp rolls. On Cam young finally gets a win in the Windhom championship over the, weekend the one thousandth winner on the Tour Tony fenal minus, four

Something you want to bring my blanky?

In?

Please do you still have?

IT i have, It it's in. STORAGE i don't sleep with it, still BUT i couldn't bring myself, to, like. Listen it got to the point Where i'm not going to donate it because it's like ripped, up it's like falling. Apart it's probably. Gross i'm not going to donate my, blanky so kept in its.

Story did that affect you? So for our listeners that may have missed it?

Earlier porter admitted on the show that he kept Why he kept his blanket all throughout college and continued to refer to it as his blank.

Ye did that affect your dating life in?

College if you know a prospect would come over and you'd be, like, hey don't sit on my blanky, please.

KA i think it came up for, Sure, okay but you KNOW i own it.

Whatever, well and for my, PART i had a giant bear that had a yellow jersey on with the number thirty three and his name Was Kareem Abdul.

JABAR i think it's. CLEVER i think it's.

Cute it it also explains how OLD i am because he was literally still playing WHEN i had that.

Bear kareem was playing for The.

Lakers so, again the official stance of the show is whatever you need to make yourself feel more safe and, secure please do. That, yeah as long as you're not harming other.

People, yes, okay.

You, know and, hey if it's a beanie, BABY i don't, know it's not going to protect. You i'll just Be I'll i'll just go. There the Beanie baby's not going to do. Anything but if it helps you feel, better, yeah.

Yeah in the instance of an, attack the stuffed animal will not be. Helpful that's the.

Like an emotional support, pet, right even if it's not in a more like let's say it's it's a pethic can sense it an anxiety. Attack they usually like do things. There they go alert someone or press a button or. Something i'm not sure The toys r Us isle is gonna do much for. You, hey, again whatever you need to, do what you gotta.

Do Little League World series going, On Major League baseball trade deadline is coming, gone So pennant. Races if you're looking for something to tune into tonight on the sporting side of, things that's kind of your only, option all, Right, Porter before we say good night for This monday, show what do we have coming up on A tuesday edition of the.

Program, yeah don't don't forget about The Great lakes region of The Little League.

World so, obviously, yeah tune.

In but first tomorrow we'll talk To Kyle Bonnet kura of course college football and maybe a little soccer With kyle as, well a little offseason catch up with. Him we'll chat With Spencer, linton check in with our guys down, South Richard Smithy smith stops by to talk a LITTLE

Fun that means we're getting weird on A, tuesday so join us for that special thank you Today Belle, Frasier Josh, furlong And Pablo maaster Or. Honey we also played some sound From, Devin Dan pierre And Jason. Beck if you missed any of, it WEBSITE espn seven hundred sports dot, com download our mobile app and take us on the. Go THAT espn seven hundred app is available in The

Day we have a. Podcast it's Called The drive With.

Spence check It's it's available wherever you get your, Shows so, subscribe, rate, review say nice things in the, comments give us all the. Stars it. Helps Reporter I'm spen saying. IT i great to be. Back thanks for your. Ears have a Great monday. Night we'll talk to you on A tuesday edition of the. Program as, always you can find it right here ON espn seven hundred ninety TWO. Nfm we are proud to be part Of UTAH'S Espn radio.

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