For fifteen years, the Big Show dominated the Utah sports talk airwaves. First it was Craig Bowler, Jack and Gordon Monson, followed by Spence Check its in Monson. Now all three are reunited on the drive. It's time for the Big Show Hour on the Drive at Spence check Its exclusively on ESPN seven hundred.
All right, it is time for the Big Show Big Hour. We do it every Thursday. Sometimes we're in studio, sometimes we're not. Today we are not. It's brought to you by Big O'tires get our Healthy Car Special for fifty nine to ninety five, which includes a conventional oil change, Jackson alignments, breaks, batteries, and more over fifty locally owned and operated locations in Utah. Visit Big o'tires dot com
to find a location near you. All right, batting eat off today the better half of the Big Show ar Let's call it how it is the TV voice of the Utah Jazz, the legend around here, the Great Craig Bowler, Jack Bowler.
Happy Thursday afternoon, sir, How are.
You spans them?
Great?
How you doing?
We're good man, We're good.
It's a big weekend coming up, and you know this is your alma mater K State rolling into Provo for the first time since what like seventy nine? Did you ever think your alma mater was gonna be playing college football in this state?
Dute surprise and really a treat. I had plans to be there, but the games at a thirty. I thought it was going to be at noon. It seems like I have this problem many times. But ESPN made it a primetimer at least on the West Coast in the Mountain time zone, as a primetimer at eight thirty, so I have another commitment. Sadly at night, I'll be able to watch, well, i'll record it, but I'll probably be able to see the second half live. But man wanted
to be in Provo. Got a lot of friends in town, and I told them they will love the scenery and the field, the vibe at Lovella Edward Stadium. It's a special place and it's it's gonna be a fun game. I tell you. The crowd in Provo is great. They're gonna find that one day. I believe it's twenty twenty six maybe or was it twenty seven, that BYU will be in Manhattan, so they're gonna get a taste of what Aggieville and just a great feel of fans in Manhattan as well.
Had a chance to interviewed Chris Climb in Big twelve media Day. Very impressive, very impressive guy. Yeah, and I gotta say, Craig, like they bullied Arizona, Like Arizona, they suffocated them, like it wasn't even a fair fight. Arizona top twenty team at the time. What do you think byus in for as K State rolls into pro bo is a six point five point favorite.
Now, well, I'd tell if people are going to say you're just talking up K State because you went there, but no, this is a good football team. This program has come a long way led by Bill Snyder years ago, and they continue to build. You know what, every football team wants to have the tradition and just a way of how they play the game. And I think they do it, you know with lesser you know, five star players, Spence. Look, they go out and find threes and fours and guys
who want to play the game. They work high level hard of getting to that to that level, and I'm proud of them, I really am. Look, Avery Johnson's a young kid. The quarterback for K State. He'll be twenty next month, November two, and just a sophomore. But I thought he really came into his own last week, as as you know, and so did the O line D
line for K State avery fast. You know, it's really the first taste I've had of him a full type of game situation where you know, he was, you know, going high level, high motor, but he can get on the edge and he's working on his passing game, and I think that's one thing Kialan He's probably looking at this week. How do you keep him between the tackles and force him to throw the ball because he's not
that experience with the passing game. He's I think he's starting to show signs of that, but his legs are really his best attribute right now.
So ultimately you brought up the lad kick.
It's an eight thirty kick, and that is you know, it's the you know, it's it's a necessary evil. As it pertains to where the Big twelve is on the hierarchy of television executives picking teams for prime windows. It is primetime on the West coast, but it is way too late for folks back east to really stay up and watch. I wonder ifrom your vantage point case state rolls in, there's already altitude. That place is going to be going crazy at eight thirty. The night games in
Provo are fun. Man, those kids show up and show out, so it's going to be loud. What sort of complications you think this brings for Alma Mater? The fact that they're probably not going to be done until the Sabbath begins.
I love that. You know they won't mind playing after midnight. Look, I think that's okay. I don't think YU is gonna pull their players off the off the field either if it goes late. But you know, I think the altitude will be a bit of a blast. I mean, you know that they'll have to get used to it first quarter. I'm always a believer Spence covering teams over the years, they always talk about how do you start games, especially
on the road. Six and a half point favorites? Okay, any coach will take that, but don't get over confident with that spread, by the way, and look, I think any home team is always worth three points, no matter how good or how bad you are. But I think it's the way you start. Look, just go in, do your thing, don't don't turn the ball over. And I know the Yu's defense probably will try to blitch is
young quarterback and force him to make mistakes. Look, Klane's very very good in game planning in my opinion, and I think, you know, they know his strengths and weaknesses, and they want to rattle this guy on the road.
Uh.
And I get it. And so don't throw a pick, you know, try to establish a run game and let your offensive line help you. And I think BYU and Utah excuse me, b YU and k State Uh, both these both these teams are strong upfront, and I think the test for BYU, in my opinion, is the physical play of what the Big twelve brings. And I think that's the first taste for the Cougars in a way,
how they saw uh, you know, they saw teams prior Baylor. Uh. But I think it's going to be interesting to see how everyone responds as this season really kicks off in conference play.
So last thing here, and I just want to make sure this doesn't change your opinion.
On the outcome of the game or how going to play out.
But my sources, Craig indicate that Saturday night in Provo, the good folks.
Down at BYU will roll out.
Yes, indeed your classic maple cougar tails. But attendant to it, they're planning on releasing a very limited edition vanilla frosting cougartail. Does that change your view on how this game is going to play.
Out on Saturday?
I saw that. I saw that, You know what, if I was there, I would definitely be taste. That'd be a tasty treat, to be honest with you, the original If I'm not mistaken, where will the original frosting be? And then the lighter cougartail? Is that in the front or the front of the tail?
That's a good question.
But I'm also told that they're releasing limited edition new packaging for their cougar tails. So I'm only bringing this up, Craig because but it also feels like this is an underreported element because those students are going to be even more fired up after consuming you know, this new cougartail scenario.
Maybe that is something that you need to tell your alma mater about.
Yeah, I'm gonna make a phone call. The sugar high will be at you know, be insane Spence. As you know that concerns me. You know, sugar, you know, but you have to be careful too. That sugar high wears off, you know after a while. So yes, be prepared for a wild crop. And it could swim up down. It could, It could could. But I'm I'm anxious for these guys that I know to come into town Spence, I really am.
You know.
They always say, what you been down doing on Utah all these years. That's well, you're gonna get the You're gonna get your first taste of really what the mountains and the night feel at Lavelle Edwards Stadium feels like, uh, you know, I did ten years of BYU football and basketball, and I've always been in awe of both stadiums, by the way up on the hill and down and that
team down south. As people love to kid each other, but I mean, really, we're lucky to have two really incredible stadiums of high magnitude now in the Big Twelve. That will I think radiate a lot of positive vibes for people outside the state who are getting the first taste of what's going on here Big twelve football.
Man.
Right now, it's rolling multiple teams in the Top twenty, Top twenty five, and I'm excited about it, and I think BYU fans should this should be a fun game. Could be decided by a field goal, could be decided by a turnover. But the six and a half points I'll take. But pay State has to make sure early they understand what they're up against, a great crowd, very physical football team, and just don't give yourself, you know, don't turn the ball over and try to establish a
run game. I sound like a coach, but that's the way it plays out, especially on the road.
All right over to the utes, Greg, something something's cooking, Okay, something's going on here.
I don't know what, all right.
So it's just really odd to see a line swing four and a half points in a matter of just a couple of hours.
That rarely happens.
Okay, So when we signed off air last night at six, Utah was a two point favorite. And then went home, walked the dog, grab some food, and suddenly I get like four texts simultaneously and they all said the same thing.
Is cam playing on Saturday?
And I said, well, I think so, you know, like we don't know, and I want to be clear until the conference mandates Kyle and his staff to report injuries. I totally understand why they don't. It drives me crazy, but I get it. You know, the competitive advantage of keeping your opponent on its heels.
I understand that.
I do think college football will eventually adopt the pro model where we will get an injury report and that does away with the ambiguity. But until we are there, I understand why they do this. I can't speak to why that line moved four and a half points in a matter of hours, but that means something, Craig, I don't know what it means, but it means something.
Well, look today, am I right? Two and a half? That's where we're That's.
That's where we are. That's where we are today.
It's interesting, isn't it the Cam rising factor? I mean, would you say that's probably it?
Well, it's it's either somebody in Vegas got a tip the cam's not playing because it can't be that like Karenna Read is out because a four and a half point swing indicates like a big time injury to somebody that really moves the needle, which would be a quarterback.
All due respect to Karina that we want him back to it either means that somebody got some information that maybe Cam is out, or when the line moved towards the utes to two points, some shark or some wise guy laid down a seven figure bet, you know, and and and to move the It's one of those two things. Unless I'm missing something, well, I.
Would think it has to be big money bet. I mean, unless something's happened in practice, because all indications point that the laceration on the right hand at Cam Rising wasn't as serious as some people thought, and that Cam would
be playing. But look, I think you have to look at the history of Cam and the way that the youths have handled his injuries in the past, very very quiet up until game time, and they really never spent last year early were upfront until maybe what was it Week five, week six, that this wasn't going to happen for Cam to play. So what I've learned in college football, in the pros or whatever it may be, I'm not convinced until I see it, And so I think maybe
again Vegas maybe knows something. That's what they do. They make a lot of money in this bet game, and these guys are on top of it. How they get that information is beyond me. But maybe again, it's the way it works itself out. But it's either big money on Utah that drove it, or they know something about Cam that we don't. I don't think it's Keepy nobody else right that would really turn the dial down into Oklahoma State's favor.
Now, a four and a half swing in like two and a half hours is a quarterback injury or big money.
I don't know what else it could be.
But let's move off that, Craig, and let me ask you, since you and I last spoke, we did see Utah for the first time in twelve years go up to Logan. They got to win over Utah State. It wasn't pretty. It was rough for the start, but specifically focusing on Isaac Wilson, I thought the young man met the moment after a tough start, I thought he really stepped up.
I thought he answered some questions.
What did you see from Utah's backup quarterback last Saturday?
Well, confidence came his way and that's what they were waiting for. And I thought, honestly, you got to say that with Kyle and Andy and the way they kind of game planned it, I thought they put a lot of confidence into him. I thought he found his you know, after a little maybe slow, shaky, you know, first couple of series. I thought he just played great. I mean, they put it on him again. Offensive line, strong, d line, played their game, and I think Isaac really found some
confidence and who he is eighteen years young. That's a tough transition from high school to college, believe me. And you know, the speed of the game is real. These guys all run fast, they hit harder, and they're smart. And I think I was impressed. You know, I wasn't sure before that game, but he as the game continued on, I thought, Spence, I don't know what you saw, but I thought I just saw building confidence and flow and that's where the game kind of just came to him.
And I was happy for him either. You know, fans can get on you pretty quick, and it happens in the NFL, and you see guys get binged, right, But I thought Isaac stood up and said, Hey, that's why I'm here, and that's that's why you name me the number two quarterback behind Camp.
I wonder Buller.
I was listening to your old buddy Joel Klatt his podcast this morning, and he broke down Utah Okay States, and he said any he wasn't reporting this, but he referenced that there's a feeling and he would know. I mean, he's pretty plugged in in the scene of college football. There's a feeling this could be wits last year. I don't know if it is. It is a topic in
this marketplace. Taiale is old as time because at times Kyle will drop hints, like when he came on the show just a couple of years ago asked what my father was up to. I said, he's basically retired, spending time with the grandkids. And Kyle said, well, that's going to be me soon. And of course people freaked out, like, oh, does that mean he's done. I don't know what he's done. He's got a couple of years left on his deal.
But if Utah football wins the Big Twelve, if they go to the CFP and for the first time as a head coach, Kyle has a legitimate chance to really play for a national championship. Do you think that motivates him to look back and say, I was here from
the Whack to the Mountain West Conference. I was here from the mount West Conference to the PAC twelve, we won, We won Mountain West Conference championships, We won Fiesta Bowl, Sugar Bowl, we won PAC twelve championships, We went to a couple of rose Buls, and now I had a chance to play.
For a national championship.
First of all, what a resume, I mean, my goodness, you don't start to finish. Second of all, do you think that might be enough for with to say, you know what, I don't know what else I can do. I did the best I could. I left it better than when I found it. Give me your thoughts on that.
Yeah.
I think a lot of players always think they'll walk off the field once they won a Super Bowl, but then all of a sudden, the hunger of the game returns and it's hard to leave Spence. I think it'll be hard for for Wit to leave, no matter when. I mean, it's in his blood, it's in his DNA about right. And he always he had chances to make a jump from here or there, probably had an NFL
call once or twice. He's kind of hinted on that, but he loves it here and what a magnificent job and really transitioning from Whack to Mountain West now to Big twelve Pac twelve, Big twelve and man, he has your What you just read Spence is a resume that
very though coaches possess. The one thing that's missing. If he would have I'll tell you what, if he would have put won of those two Rose Bowls, he may have stepped down then maybe, but you know, he keeps coming back thinking that this is a good team he's put together and he has there's so many weapons if they stay healthy. Does he walk away? Man family may have something to say about that. Probably, yeah, it's time, But you know what, he loves this game and there's
a lot of talent. And if he does leave, Morgan Scaley's the one most from all indications, will be the one to what would you say Spence benefit in a big way? I don't think there'd be much of a t The school rules. When you have a winning program at a very good conference, with a great fan base and the hell of a stadium, that's gonna, you know, keep this program down if at all. So, if Witt decides he's earned it, he may be. Maybe some people try to convince him to stay in a while longer.
I'm not sure he's well paid we know that probably one of the highest paid employees in the state of Utah. I'm not mistaken. So if he walks, he earns it, right, But I could see him sticking around to enjoy it. But maybe the time has come. Only he knows or very few people, very few people in a circle knows.
All right, Craig, before I say you lose, I mean we have been very football centric and I cover everything that goes on, So we do hockey.
We'll do a little RSL.
The Utah Jazz start their camp in what, yeah, like two weeks away.
I mean, this is why this time of year is so fun. Just in a matter of days.
Quite frankly, we'll be able to really cover all of the local products that I enjoy covering. I mean, that's kind of what this show is about. We're not one product centric. We cover everything that we have going on here and do the best we can to be fair and all that stuff. But as jazz camp approaches, you know, another year with Craig Butlerjack behind the microphone. Is this the time of year where you start to get excited? Is this the type of year where you start to
get antsy? What are your what are your thoughts on the Jazz being back in just a matter of a couple of weeks.
All the above. A week from Monday the thirtieth is the big day where the team and our staff get together and the media has a chance to really get all the all the interviews out of the way and a chance to kind of get to know a lot of new faces. Spence, yeah, some of the players around,
as they call it, open court right now. And then the Jazz get to work and we actually start the preseason in about two weeks time, which I can't believe against New Zealand the Breakers at home, and before you know it, it's here and hockey started what yesterday with their their camp. So this city is growing and the eyes will be interesting for me to see where the eyes are concentrated on hockey or whether it's the NBA, and of course what look, what's going on with football?
I mean, the Big twelve has a lot of eyes on it and obviously a lot of eyes on Utah at the moment. So man, it's a great time. It's a great time for you know, Salt Lake City, Utah
fans uh to see what's going on. Jazz fans. A lot of questions spent though that I have to get answered as a broadcaster, as I watched this team grow very young, two straight years of three uh well, five number one picks in one second round with Philipowski the big big kid on a duke and then you know, what do you do with JC and what do you do with Collins?
Uh?
You know?
And Sexton is he going to be a starter? My guess is yes. And the growth of Kiante and Taylor Hendrix, all those things come into play. But I'm most interested too to see what Walker Tesler becomes in year three. Big t and most NBA players will tell you that year three is kind of the jumping off point that either you find out who you are or the Jazz may move on. Who knows, But I think it's a big year. I mean for a lot of players, but for Walker. With Pilapowski in the camp, it's going to
be pushed. But I think there's there's those three guys. Keante's got to turn down his turnovers, Taylor's got to grow with confidence and strength, and Walker's just got to find himself on who he wants to be. Can he find a face up game to the basket or Is he just going to put the ball down like Rudy did on top of the rim? Is he a good defender? Can he run the floor? Absolutely? But there's always these questions, dispence,
and that's what I'm looking forward to. And I'm anxious also to get to know the game of hockey better. To me, that's important for this fan base to give it some time. Some fans already know out you know, the outsiders don't. But I think they're going to be hung to understand what hockey is all about in the physical play that comes with it. I think it's going to be damn fun.
All right, Bowler, thanks for the time, my friend, and have a great weekend and the weather's supposed to beautiful, so hopefully have something fun planned and we'll chat.
Soon, thank you, sir.
Hey, Well, you tell Gordo man, I I kind of miss him.
I will tell him.
I will tell him that you miss him, but I will not say that we miss him. I will say that you miss him.
Is that fair?
Well? Well, let me backpedal on that. I'm not sure. What do I don't know.
We'll be reunited soon, buddy, Okay, I'll keep the great Craig Bowlerjack TV Voice The Utah Jazz brought to you today by Big Oh Tires. Get our Healthy Car Special for fifty nine to ninety five, which includes a conventional oil change, checks on alignments, breaks, batteries, and more. We want to keep our customers safe on the road and help them save money on tires and service. There's always
something on sale at Big O'd Tires. Stopping any of our fifty locally owned and operated locations in Utah or schedule an apployment online. We know tires and service can be an unexpected expense, so Big O Tires wants to make sure you have financing options to keep your vehicle on tiptop shape. We have no credit needed, financing options to fit any budget and any situation. Big O Tires has over fifty locally owned and operate locations in Utah. Is it Big O' tires dot Com to find a
location near you. The Big Show, Big Hour continues, brought to you by Big O' Tires.
Get Our Healthy Car Special.
For fifty nine to ninety five, which includes a conventional oil change, checks out alignments, breaks, batteries and more. Visit big otires dot com to find a location near you joining me now, my buddy saw Lake Tribune author Gordon Monson on a Thursday afternoon, saw Lake Tribune writer excuse me, Gordo, happy Thursday.
How we do it?
That was the best sports talk host in the market.
That's very kind of you, Gordon.
I appreciate you saying that, and I just want to get your take right out of the gates about what you just witnessed in the UAFA Champions League game between AS Monaco and FC Barcelona.
Preposterous, post, ridiculous, I mean, I can't even find the right words.
Just shocking, huh okay, any specific element of the game that was preposterous and shocking just.
Because it was bad form. And I didn't see, you know, I didn't see I didn't see the action I thought I was going to see. I thought that the game was lethargic and the Paul movements shucked, and I mean just it was. It was sloppier than I thought.
Huh okay.
You know reports have in front of me are talking about what a clean, fast paced game it was and now entertaining it was for the audience.
You must have seen something different with your keen eye.
Well, I mean you say, I say, you each his own filterer crew, their own eyeballs, and look, all I can tell you is what my brain tells me that that's.
What sure sure beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Gordo, all right, let's start with Utah. So last week, Utah goes up to Logan for the first time in twelve years, and they handled their business, but it was a little shaky at the start. But I want to hone in on Isaac Wilson, who I've been talking about all week as a young man, who I thought Gordon really met in the moment after a shaky start, What did you see from Utah's QB two.
Well, you saw the growth during the game. Early on, it looked like more of the same what we've slipped betwe've seen earlier. But as time went on, he seemed to settle in and I thought they allowed him to show what he's got and I think that emboldened him and made him a better quarterback. I'll say it this way. I don't think there's any doubt that Isaac Wilson's going
to be a really good quarterback. He still has stuff to learn, and once he does that, and I think the arm talent he is going to show itself well, Utah, it's future quarterback looks to me in really good shit.
I really felt like a general sigh of relief in this community based off of just how unprepared they were a year ago to handle the injuries to their quarterbacks. And I say that plural because it was Cam and Brandon. But it has to be a huge sigh of relief because here's the thing, Gordon, I mean, look, none of us want Cameron to be injured. None of us want him to get hurt. We want him to be healthy.
We want him to play all year. But if I asked you to bet the sizeable Gordon Monks and salt Lake Jbune paycheck on whether or not Cam is going to play in every game this year, my guess is you would bet it that he won't.
I mean, we have the data.
It's hard to stay you know, optimistic, even though we want him to stay healthy, it's hard to be optimistic about him playing every single game. So I still believe if they want to win the Big Twelve, they need Cam under center. But at least ute fans know that there's a kid waiting in the wings.
Where it doesn't look as cat straphig it.
Did a year ago when it was bryceon than Nate and Bryce and the Nate like they do have a plan in place this year, and I think that's a great sign.
All true spence, every bit of it, and I think he'll get better. The problem for Isaac Wilson will be if he is called upon in the game or two moving forward, he's probably going to face a better team than Utah State. I know there were a lot of compliments passed around about what the Aggies and the way they played in their toughness and all that sort of thing. Kyle talked a lot about that, but really that's not relative to what they will face in the Big twelve.
That is not a comparable football team, and so he'll have to He'll he will get better, but his opposition will get better as well. So we'll see how that all works itself out. But he's the kind of quarterback that will benefit greatly from watching Cam play in the meantime, and if he does that and his attention, that's the part of his game that I think really will come and that's the part that needs to come out. So good news for the Utes on that front, no other way.
To say so, some tenuous storylines have emerged over the past, you know, twelve to sixteen hours here Gordo with Utah high speed ahead to still Water to take on Oklahoma State. And when we signed off last night at six o'clock, Utah was a two point favorites. And then, as I've talked about all day on the show, I go home, I walk the dog, I get some dinner, and then I get four Tech simultaneously that say the same thing, which is is Cam playing on Saturday? I'm like, well,
I think that he is. But here's the deal. In about two and a half hours, Gordon, the line went from Utah favored by two to Oklahoma State favored by two and a half. It was a four and a half point swing over a matter of two two and a half hours. That doesn't mean nothing. Now, it doesn't mean Cam is not playing. But what do you make of just the way the line has switched over to the direction of the cowboy and whether or not you think should be concerned?
Well, I don't know the answer to the question with any exactness, but I think your instincts are pretty good Spence, and that that is somewhat concerning because when you have the kind of injury that Cam had, you know that thing can be bothersome in a lot of it. It's kind of like a golfer who you know, you think a finger problem or whatever, but when you're gripping the club, as you know, as a season golfer, you know that
could really bother you. And when you're delivering a football that is this sounds funny to say, but it's got grains in it and it tears away at the fingers sometimes and can cause real problems for somebody who has something like that. So, man, I thought he was going to play. I thought he was going to play for sure, But I'm not so sure anymore. And if he doesn't play, I think this is going to be the toughest game you need to play, the toughest opponent they play all
year because they don't play Kansas State. It don't play Kansas And so I mean, this is it. And so if he can't go, that means he really can't go because the youth, if they're going to leave him in any of their regular season games, this is the one they meet him the most.
Yeah, if he doesn't play on Saturday.
He's properly hurt, and I can already feel the general consensus in the market of oh, here we go again. Now, let's be very clear, we don't know whether or not Cam's going to be under center.
I don't.
If I had the guest today, I would say that he is, because that's what I've been told. And I'm the one they told everybody last year that Cam and Brant weren't playing all year long after two or three weeks and caught a ton of heat.
But do you feel like.
Gordon, because I've heard a lot of people talk this way this week, do you feel like if Utah goes to Stillwater gets it don against ok State, that puts them in the driver's seat to potentially win the conference, even though it's only week four.
Yes, I do. I do agree with that. And Spence, going back to last year, you were miss you were miss you. Yours is making mistakes. You were misled. You were misled, and a lot of people were misled. They made it sound like, oh, it's just around the corner. It's just around the corner, and that was the longest, biggest corner I've ever seen, And of course you never ended up playing and so that was not foolishness on your part. That was what everyone on the inside saw it.
And then it didn't work out that way. So but if the US get this game on the road against the Cowboys, you know they're gonna have to They're gonna I mean, the Cowboys literally been averaging one hundred and twelve yards on the ground. So as much as Oregon, Scaley and Kyway they can talk about stopping the run
and that teams so important to them. It is important to them, and they happen to have the Cowboys have a very good running back, but they are loading up all kinds of minds, all kinds of yardage on on through the air, and so the back half of that Utah defense is gonna have to play well. And I thought what we saw against Utah State showed some vulnerabilities that I didn't think we would see. However, there's the mental side of the game too, and who you're playing.
I am absolutely sure that the Utes are fired up to play this game in still Water, So I don't think you'll have any lapse in focus or concentration against this kind of opponent to be physically good enough to shut that attag down.
Tell me from the perspective of a season journalist like yourself. I said this earlier, intel the conference or college football excuse me, mandates that you report injuries. I understand why Kyle and his staff do what they do now, as somebody who covers the team and tries to talk to the community about the storylines, it drives me nuts that we have to deal with this.
But what do you make of the dynamic in.
College football juxtaposed to the pros where you have to submit the injury report, where a lot of schools, including the utes, just don't say a word in order to not tip their hand to the opponent.
Well, all of college football is moving towards the professional model, and some of those things are maybe unfortunate some people see it like that, But this is one that they should change, and I think they will change. It needs to change. There's too great an interest, there's too much there's too much riding on these games for guys not to be honest about who's going to be available, because that makes a huge difference. Obviously, a guy like Cam Rising,
Are you kidding me that he's not available? Yes, you have a different way of looking at a football game. I think that's only fair. It's not just fair to the gamblers. It's fair to the fans, it's fair to the media, it's fair to everybody who loves college football. Tell the truth about who's going to be available and who is it. Yeah, the NFL does that, right.
Since we're in the space, I'll just ask you if it isn't Cameron, if we are if we're sitting down on the couch, if we got the TV fired up, and Utah let's say they get the opening kick, they receive it, return it and boom first first in ten Utah and then out runs eleven and not seven and it's Isaac can not Cam? Do you think they can go get That would be a big upset on the road with a true freshman in Stillwater. Do you think Utah can get this game? If it's not Cam and it is Isaac, I think it'll.
Be much more difficult. And if I were Oklama State and I saw Isaac Wilson come out on that field, I would do everything I could to disrupt him and hurry him up and make him feel uncomfortable, because the strength of his game is when he does get comfortable and he sits back in that pocket and he can look around and find his targets. So I'm the Cowboys.
If I see Isaac Wilson on the field, I'm going to do everything I can to to make him not just nervous but incapable at times of delivering the football.
All Right, one more Utah storyline, then we'll move over to BYU. You were the guy that hopped on the show last week and said, quote, Wyoming sucks end quote, and you appear to be right, but I wanted to get your take on this.
I was listening. We just talked to Bowler.
I asked him this question because Joe Klatt, who Craig worked with for a number of years on the college football side, his podcast today. This is kind of his weekend preview pod, and Joel's one of the college football guys I like to listen to.
I think he's really bright.
And he previewed Okay, stay Utah, and then he went on a little Kyle Whittingham diatribe where he talked about and I want to get your take on this because the topic of when will Kyle retire is not new in the marketplace, and part of it is because he drops hints here or there about not wanting to coach past sixty five, or on my show a couple of years ago when he asked what my dad is up to these days, and I said he's kind of retired, spending time with the grandkids.
He said, that's going to be me soon.
Like Kyle does, drop little tidbits and hints, you know, kind of chumming the water a little bit. But if Utah wins the Big Twelve this year, if they go to the CFP and for the first time, coach Wit has a chance to coach a team that really has a shot to win a championship. I don't think they're Texas or Ohio State or whatever, but you understand the
spirit of the question. That will mean Kyle was here from the Whack to the Mountain West, winning mount West Conference championships, from the Mound West to the Pac twelve, winning Pac twelve championships, and going to the Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Sugar Bowl, and then the Cherry on top of the Sunday is a CFP appearance, and winning the Big twelve year one, it is easy to surmise that that might be enough for a guy to look at the path behind him and say, man, I did all
I could. So that was kind of Joel's thinking earlier today. I wonder what you think about this, if if Utah is able to do all that, do you think this might be coach WIT's sponsong.
All good logic there, because those of us who know Kyle have been talking to him about this and it's not until he's dropping. He's sincere in what he's saying. And his reasons for talking about retiring are good ones. He talks about family and listening time with them and being able to do things with his grandkids and he hasn't been able to. These are all noble reasons for him to go. He's a better football coach now than he's ever been. He's got a great program going, the
whole thing is moving forward. And so some people would say, well, why would you leave this? Well, he's got other things that he might do is more important, and he's already accomplished all this stuff that you talked about. And if they do go to the playoff this year, if I were on a scale from zero to ten, ten being most likely, if they go to a college playoff and situation and represent themselves, well, I would put that number about an age.
All let's move over to BYU. Do you want to spend any time on the Wyoming game. You're the one that came on air last Thursday and said Wyoming sucks, why you should roll?
You were right, and they did give me your thoughts.
Yeah, and that's exactly and Wyoming's not good. And Colisataki said afterward, you know, in so many words, he said, we probably should have won by more, but he felt good about what's happening with the team moving forward. But it's so hard to judge how good they are against that kind of opponent. I mean, that team is not good.
And one thing that my covering college football through years has taught me is that the caliber of competition you're going up against is this is not exactly rocket science, but it makes a huge, huge difference. Kansas State's a terrific team who and they can move the ball on the ground, and they've got a quarterback who's a dual threat guy. And those are the kinds of quarterbacks who have caused BYU a lot of trouble in the past.
Wyoming just didn't have the firepower to slow BYU down and the way it was necessary even on their home field. So yeah, nice win by BYU. But this week, this week is when we really start to learn about the Cougars.
So let me ask you this.
The defense through three games has been like last year was so weird. I'm watching BYU football, I'm like, wait a second. Your head coach is Klonie Satake. You just hired Jay Hill and you're like last in the nation in sacks. It was really strange. So they've flipped that this year and they have been really good defensively. Have you seen enough from BYU on defense to believe that on that side of the ball they can hang on Saturday night against a really physical Case State team.
My number one question, well maybe probably number two, behind the quarterback situation about BYU is can they pressure the quarterback? And you just address that. They surprised me in that regard. Klannie told me they were going to be able to do that, and I wasn't sure I believed him, But that is the best way to stop a gifted quarterback. Now this kids are going up against on Saturday night. You can pressure him, but he's mobile enough to move around and so I don't know how that's going to go.
But that defense is going to have to be stellar for the Cougars to get a chance to win that game, and they've got to stop They've got to stop that around game because I think KSE State is averaging like almost two hundred and seventy two hundred and sixty yards a game on the ground, and so will they be able to do that well. The run defense has been pretty good thus far. We'll see how it does against a really quality opponent and.
You reference this.
So for me, I feel like I've seen enough from BYU's defense and the respect I have for Jay and Kolani to believe that physically they can hang with most teams in the Big twelve. KSE State might be an exception, but I think BYU is going to be fine that way. To me, Gordon, this is a Jake Retzov game. This is if BYU wants to win on Saturday in provo home field advantage, their quarterback has to be better than he has been, not just so far this year, but
the four starts last year. Like in my opinion, U Y, You're about a touchdown underdog for them to pull off the upset at home.
This is a Jake reetz Left game.
Yeah, and no turnovers are a very few mistakes. He's got to be an intelligent, proficient quarterback because they're gonna have to keep up with k State because KSE State's going to move the ball and they're going to gobble up the yardies on the ground. Even with that BYU defense, I mean, these things they're connected. That why defense can keep k State off the field offensively, then that will give obviously Jake where it's a lot more opportunity to
move the ball for the Cougars. And you know, I mean, I'm willing to give him a little slack. I'm willing to let him grow into that role because it's not an easy role. But when you're going up against this kind of opponent and all the fiddle faddling is done, now you go out. You got to go out and be real, play good football. It's go time for BYU.
Even though they do feel comfortable because they're playing on their home field, and they should, I mean, that is an advantage, but against this quality of an opponent, they're going to have to play their best game of the season by far.
And you should probably know this, Gordon.
On Saturday night, the BYU the whoever's in charge of the game promotions. They've announced that they are offering the traditional maple glaze cougartail, but for Saturday night, which is also a white out, which is also known as Monday in Provo, they are offering a cougar taiale with vanilla frosting too.
Does that change your opinion on how the game will go on Saturday?
Oh, it's the cougar's all the way. I mean, who wouldn't want that? It's been a long time. It's been a long time since I've had a cougar taiale. But that sounds inviting to me. You know what happens is and you know how it is. In Provo utilize sugar in order to create energy because they can't really turn to other substances without breaking the honor code, so they
go heavy on the sugar. It's probably less healthy than the things that are prohibited, but it's going to fire that crowd up, and maybe it'll fire up the actual players on the field too.
Yes, sir, All right, my friend, I appreciate your time today. Safe travels, and we'll get you back in the studio soon.
Okay, alrighty, next week we'll see you.
The great Gordon Monson from the Solid Tribune, my co host of the Big Show for seven years, different time, different places. Appreciate Gordo's time on this Thursday afternoon. All right, Porter will be live pregame coverage Utah football coming up Saturday, starting at six thirty am.
Is that six seven am?
What is it?
We'll be on at ten am ten am.
We'll be on ten am this week.
Who's on with you? Jordan Win nae bye.
This this week a guy who's well, let's say, pretty qualified to talk about quarterback ify situations. So well we'll get to all of that with our guy.
And you will be bout Time Pub Jordan Landing.
Bout Time Pub, Jordan Landing out there in West Jordan, So come by, say hello and grab some food and we'll have some tickets and tailgate stuff and a bunch of stuff to give away. So talking football, grabbing some wings and going from.
There Saturday ten am, Porter, Lars and Jordan Win.
Check out the bout Time Pub location at Jordan Landing, so definitely check that out. Bout Time Pub is the place to watch well anything, NBA, NFL, UFC, NHL. You tell you it's football, Make bout Time your place for sports or even brunch. All food made from scratch, new mocktails for those of you who don't participate in partaking and alcohol.
More TVs than tables.
All bout Time TVs have their own receivers so they have all the game going live. So their locations are in Ogden, Leyton, West, Valley, West Jordan, Sandy, Tula, Herman, Bluffdale, Lehigh and Vineyard, Utah. Sports bars celebrating our fifteen year anniversary. As porter mentioned in House Smoked Wings. Build your own Bloody Marybar ten am to two pm during brunch, so.
Check them out. Bout timepub dot com is where you get more information.
The Big Show, Big Hour is brought to you today by Big O'tires. Get our Healthy Car Special for fifty nine to ninety five which includes a conventional oil change, checks on alignments, breaks, batteries and more. Want to keep our customers safe on the road and help them save money on tires and service. There's always something on sale at Big O'tires, stopping any of our fifty locally owned
and operated locations in Utah. Schedule and appointment online. Visit Big o'tires dot com to find a location near you,