Hay yourballers. If you haven't joined Stitcher Premium yet, now is the perfect time it gets you completely add free episodes of hundreds of shows like Comedy Bang Bang WTF with Mark Maren and Bitch Sesh a Real Housewives Breakdown. You also get twenty one thousand hours of exclusive content new exclusive originals like Freedom with hosts Scott Auckerman, Laura Lapkiz, and Paul F. Tompkins. They're launching every week for Premium members.
If you love podcasts, you are missing out. Plus, most importantly, when you listen to add free episodes on Stitcher Premium, your favorite podcasters get paid. Help support your favorite shows. Enjoin Stitcher Premium today. You can get a free month of listening by going to Stitcherpremium dot com. Use the promo code verbal Welcome to the Solid Verbal coll that for me, I'm a man, I'm for I've heard so many players say, well, I want to be happy.
You want to be happy for day Ato Steak.
Is that woo woom and them and tie. Welcome back to the solid Veribal boys and girls. My name is Ty Hildebrandt, joining me as always over there in beautiful New York.
F in City.
Dan Rubinstein, sir, how are you?
I'm great, Tye, and I have a proposal.
Yes please.
I would argue that podcasting is one of the more intimate personal forms of media.
We are literally in people's ears right now.
Yes, that's true. What if we just for today, because we're jumping all over the country, we're hitting a lot of things that are going to hit a lot of people's interests, whether we're talking about you know, we're doing this back half of the nineteen most pivotal names of the twenty eighteen college football I guess preseason correct. What if we went real personal and intimate with it and did like a whole ASMR episode? H do you know
what ASMR is? Now? I don't ASMR. Have you ever seen the YouTube videos where it's like people just like whispering into the mic, like it's a very uncomfortable audio experience, where like it's it's supposed to make like the hairs on your arm stand.
Up autonomous sensory meridian response.
So it's like people like pursing their lips together, like it's a lot of.
Like like real like and this is the thing now you're telling me, this is a real thing.
I'm telling you, if you're wearing good headphones and I promise you were going to get into the rest of the top nineteen pivotal names, go on YouTube and look up ASMR. It's something response I want to say. It's sensory that would make sense to me.
It's an experience characterized by a static like or tingling sensation on the skin now typically begins on the scalp and moves down the back of the neck and upper spine.
It's it's a it's a trep man. It is weird. But like if you go on and you put on good headphones, you look ASMR on YouTube. It's like the sound of scissors, it's the sound of paper, it's the sound of just like people making weird sounds themselves, and it's real. Like it's supposed to bridge the line, not unlike what we're trying to do on this show, right right right, I see it between sort of creepy and erotic.
Okay, there has to be a college football tie in here that we can leverage, because this really could be a thing.
Now, I would say, if there's anything on a college football field that makes the hairs on your arms stand up and sends tingles from your scalp down your spine.
Are we talking about Adam Amin? Here? Is that where we're going?
We're talking about our friend Adam Imean WHOA, Yeah, that's true and just his general presence. So I guess we can't do that. I guess because you are not familiar, we're not going to do an ASMR show. But we do have a lot of names to discuss and a lot of updates about merchandising and live shows. Yeah, man, all sorts of fun. We have a bunch of shows that we're going to be doing the rest of the summer. We've got preseason shows, We've got plans TI, we got.
Big Old, we got a lot going down. So I'm going to have this ASMR definition up on the screen for the full duration of the episode today. I promise my contribution and I'll see what I can work in. Dan, I'm going to see what I can do.
Did that do anything?
A noble first attempt by you? Thank you.
The first and last college Football ASMR show.
Welcome back to the solid verbal. We are a college football show. As Dan mentioned, we've got a live show coming up in Chicago. We're getting oh so close to naming that.
Venue tantalizingly close.
If you haven't already, go to the Facebook page, go to the website at solid verble dot com. Sign up for the newsletter. The newsletter is the place where we're going to drop the tickets when they first become available. We will give you some prior notice so you know when to be on the lookout for that email. But the first line of defense if you're interested is to sign up for the newsletter. Again soliverble dot com and on Facebook, don't forget. You can also follow us out
on Twitter, out on Instagram. You can also subscribe to the show if you go on out to iTunes, to Google, Spotify, tune in, Stitcher. They are about forty five other locations where you can get a podcast, but any podcast app will do. Just look us up. We are the soliverbo and we promise you we talk about college football year round. So here's what we started doing a week ago. Dan, What we started doing a week ago is really taking a deep dive of what we think is going to
happen in the twenty eighteen college football season. What are some of the storylines going to be that captivate audiences? And then kind of as a byproduct of that, who are going to be the key names, the key faces that are truly pivotal if we do like a post mortem of the season and examine all of those storylines and how they influence college football. So like a good example is last week, right, we talked Chico mcclatcher, the
wide receiver for Washington. Well, if things don't go well for Washington on offense, Chico could be a big part of that reason. Why wow, all right, DeAndre Swift running back Georgia. If Georgia offense doesn't go according to the plan, right, Derek Dooley new Missouri offensive coordinator, Ricky Ronnie new Penn State offensive coordinator. These are guys with a very important role to play and a lot hinges on the job that they do here in twenty eighteen.
This is all correct.
Yeah, So what we did is eight of those names a week ago. We've got ten more that we're going to get through. This is the nineteen most pivotal. We get to number nineteen in the very end. Hell yeah, that is where we are going. Solid Verbo at gmail dot com as always is the email address right in let us know what you think. Also, As Dan mentioned, we've got merchandise that's going to be coming out in very very short order. We just put the finishing touches
on our last piece of merchandise earlier this week. The hat will be forthcoming courtesy of our friends over at Cotton Bureau. Stay tuned again to the newsletter for more information on that, and a new website still in development, still forthcoming at some point this summer, courtesy of our good friends over at Superboss. It looks awesome.
We're excited, and I would say just to double down on the newsletter sign up, because yes, you will get the link for the merchan store that will be dropping hopefully the next week or so. I know we've said that before. I swear to you it's coming. Yeah, So go to solid dot com and sign up, or go to Facebook dot com and sign up the newsletter of intent. It's also where tickets will be posted. The link to tickets will be posted before we will post them to
other social platforms. And I will say this, I've got a lot of people in Chicago, in laws, just aunts, uncles of in laws, all sorts of people, because obviously Jody with an Eye is from Chicago Allentown. I believe still a direct flight to Chicago.
Yep, yep.
I think you're going to be toting a couple of important people.
There's a chance.
Yeah. So we've got a lot of college football friends in Chicago, so the friends and family list is going to be robust. But I would say early and often is your best bet in the newsletter of intent is the best bet of the best bet.
We're going to jump back in here to again the topic we kicked off a week ago, the nineteen most pivotal people in the twenty eighteen college football season. As we alluded at the end of the last episode, the subtitle for this episode is Protecting Patterson. Yes, protecting Patterson. So now as you know, Shae Patterson has garnered I think a disproportionate amount of the news here in the
college football offseason. Shape Patterson transferring from ole Miss to Michigan one an NCAA ruleing that makes him eligible, immediately claims he was misled by Old Miss about how severe those sanctions were going to be down there at Oxford. By virtue of that, he gets to play right away now for Jim Harbaugh. Correct, pretty big deal for Michigan they've been wanting, needing that quarterback, hopefully to take their
offense to the next level. So it goes without saying that Shape Patterson is clearly an influential member of the Michigan Wolverines, an influential member of this whole wild college football experience that we're going to have in twenty eighteen.
I think that's right.
I would posit a new theory though, that while Shape Patterson is clearly very pivotal in his own right, the Michigan offensive line maybe the most pivotal position group of that Michigan Wolverine squad in twenty eighteen.
Dip me into that knowledge bucket.
Let's talk a little bit about Michigan's offensive line, Dan. Okay, they gave up the second most sacks in the Big Ten all last season. Hm, They've got to replace Mason Cole, who was their best pass blocker from a year ago. They also need to protect Shape Patterson. So I think you can make a really good case that Shape Patterson isn't much without an improved offensive line at Michigan, And clearly it does start in the trenches up there in
Anne Arbord. Despite all the attention that Shape Patterson is getting I think protecting Patterson is really going to be what it really comes down to for that Michigan offense this season. So I am putting my pivotal chip on the Michigan offensive line and not as much on shape Patterson. What do you think of that?
I think that's reasonable. They've recruited fairly well along the offensive line, as you would expect to give. And you know Jim Harbaugh's history at Stanford in the NFL with his teams developing a lot of top offensive line talent, but perhaps the execution and the performance isn't where it should be given the talent level. The good news is that between Notre Dame and Wisconsin, so that would be September one and October thirteenth, there's not a terrible amount
of really top flight defensive line play. Western Michigan, SMU, Nebraska, Northwestern Maryland. Wisconsin's gonna be tough, but they replace a lot. Michigan State's going to be tough with what they returned Penn State, with how they've recruited, I anticipate, especially by early November, their defensive front should be very good and then they have a Rutgers Indiana break before Ohio State, So Michigan pretty much has to have at least an
above average offensive line this year. I am curious about how that works in concert with Pep Hamilton and how he has even more control it seems. I know, Michigan brings in a new offensive line coach who's pretty well regarded at Warner. He's been around the Big ten, and I think everybody thinks he's a good offensive line coach, not a great coordinator. But I think that new blood should help to improve things. But when I say, in concert,
what is the actual offense going to look like? Because schematically, Michigan since Jake Rudock, which is so strange to say ty, has not been super fun or consistent. A couple of years ago, they ran on some bad teams and put up some big numbers, but against decent teams, this Michigan offense tends to take a couple of big steps back. So I think you're right if this offensive line at least looks above average, that is a stride and a
half forward in the right direction. And given what they have on the road, which is Michigan State, Ohio State, Notre Dame, not to mention Northwestern, who should be pretty decent. This Michigan team, especially upfront on offense, needs to come together rather quickly.
Yeah, and the other point here that is absolutely related is one that we brought up a couple of weeks ago. Do we know if Shape Patterson is all that great? Everyone talks about him as potentially the missing link for Jim Harbaught. You know, he clearly has a ton of talent. He was a five star recruit, you know, got hurt, and.
He's coming off a pretty bad injury. But should, if he's fully healed, be able to buy himself time even if the offensive line isn't up to par. But yeah, I think Shape Patterson has a ceiling of good, just not perhaps excellent like we thought when he was coming into Oxford. So Michigan can win a bunch of games with an average offense, but for that offense to be averaged, the offensive line needs to be above average, just because
upfront on defense they are so scary and dangerous. So Michigan can win a bunch of seventeen to ten games, but you know, against good teams, they still need to get to seventeen, which has not always been the case.
All right, where are we going next? We got a bunch of these to get through.
Let's go too. I'm gonna go out west. I'm gonna go to J. T. Daniels. Okay, that's my pick. There it is, that's number ten.
Is he going to be the quarterback for USC? So?
I think that's part of why he is so pivotal. I think he will be. He is at he is on campus now, summer workouts have begun. He's working out with the team. Obviously, if you don't know who, JT. Daniels is a well regarded twenty nineteen quarterback who reclassified to twenty eighteen, but is the like the clear class of what would have been this year's class with him. So he shows up to LA, shows up to USC early. Is from Orange County. You know USC. Now without Sam Donald,
they're starting from scratch at quarterback. The coaching staff is largely intact. They add Tim Drevno from Michigan so potentially help with the offensive line where his background is. But if JT. Daniels doesn't start it, maybe it's a situation like it was when Sam Donald came in. Like they start Max Brown, but with a very short leach and
leech leech and JT. Daniels comes in USC has I think at this point some pretty lofty national expectations coming off of winning the conference and not fully showing up against their two high profile national opponents these past couple of years in Ohio State and Alabama. So there's a lot of weight on who's ever on, whoever shoulders whoever shoulders the load. Yes, for USC, and it seems almost implausible that J. T. Daniels would not be starting given
his talent level by mid season. But I just don't know, as a true freshman, and as a young true freshman, what that means for USC's ceiling. Where do you stand on I mean, this is not even close to the first time somebody is reclassified. It's not the first time somebody is reclassified to us C. John David Boody did the same thing, sure, so I believe he sat quite a bit of time, more than JT. Daniels might if he starts the season. So Te Martin is now in
coaching head coaching conversations. Running the offense. I know Tyson Helton, Clay Helton's brother, was running the passing game. He moves along to Tennessee, so a little bit of new faith factor for USC and the schedule, especially against the defenses early on. If JT. Daniels is thrown to the fire, We're going to learn a lot quickly.
It's tough in the early going when you have quality competition and an uncertain quarterback situation. And I don't care if it's JT. Daniels or Joe freaking Neemuth, it doesn't matter. I think this is going to be a move whoever ends up getting that job that materializes late in the year, right around the time USC host Notre Dame last week of the season.
I'm going to make a call right now. If JT. Daniels does not start the season, it's to me, like I said before, almost implausible. They have a bye week after they go to Tucson on September twenty ninth, before they host Colorado on October thirteenth. If they lose that Arizona game some sort of crazy Khalil Tait shootout, which is not unheard of, that's, you know, going to Tucson has always been tough. I think that he will start against Colorado.
Let's move on, Dan, Who's next. I want to go back to the coaching front here.
Dan Number eleven.
Yeah, you mentioned that one of USC's early opponents is Texas the Longhorns.
Right, mm hmm.
I want to talk about an old friend of the podcast. Dan Let's an old friend of the podcast. He's actually been sin Shipley. No, he's actually been on this podcast before. He is the internet's favorite offensive line coach. He's a gentleman by the name of herb hand Yep, you know Coach Hand.
Of course, love coach hand.
Texas gained about one hundred and forty yards per game on the ground last season. That is not particularly an eye popping number, is it.
No, not, especially given where Texas is in the recent history of Texas running back success as of like two years ago. They should never be short of running.
They should never be short of much of anything. In the great State of Texas, it's a recruiting hotbed. But alas the offensive line for the Longhorns recently has underperformed, Texas finds itself in the twenty eighteen season in a rather unique spot. And I'm parroting this somewhat from our
friend Bill Connolly, who wrote a great Texas preview. Nine alignemen for the Longhorns started at least one game last season, but surprisingly none of them started all thirteen, which means to go pretty damn deep in terms of offensive line talent. Five of those nine are back. They also bring over Calvin Anderson, who's a transfer from Rice. He was an honorable mention All Conference USA.
Mister Rubik's cube.
That's right. They've got six guys along that line with a combined one hundred and two career starts. If ever there were a time for an offensive line coach to mold that experience into and better effort this season, I think it would be right here and right now for coach Herbhan. Her coach herb Hand has done wonders elsewhere at previous stops.
Did a great job at Auburn last year, did a.
Great job at Auburn last year. Didn't have a ton to work with at Penn State.
Yeah.
I think if Texas is going to improve demonstrably, it starts again along that offensive line. A common theme for me here Michigan was my first item. Now we're going back to the offensive line as we go farther south and into Big twelve territory with herb Hand, Texas offensive line coach. If there is a gain a notable gain. I think it's there. And oh, by the way, not to turn this into a larger discussion, but I think the Big twelve as a whole is up for grabs.
You hear that's Skyler Thompson.
That's right. As we look at Texas now, as we look at what they have returning, not just along the line, but elsewhere, if they can get a solid performance up front. They got Sam Ellinger coming back, They've got plenty of talent elsewhere. Maybe need to define themselves a little bit more at the skill positions, but I feel pretty confident that they can get the job done if coach hand can get the act together there in the trenches.
Yeah, a lot of questions about this offense this year. I mean, we don't know who's starting at quarterback. There's talent at receiver, but pretty inconsistently consistent. Yeah, you know, it seemed like after that USC game Colin Johnson was you know, slated to break out and didn't.
Really.
I think little Jordan Humphrey is one of the more exciting, versatile receivers and we'll see what they do with him. The offensive line should be okay if they stay healthy inside. You know, there might be some question about depth, and I'm more than anything, I think the offensive line will eventually be fine. More than anything, like who is still who's the dude in the backfield? Who is you know? I don't see a workhorse. I don't see a game changer.
I know they got the transfer from cal Trey Watson, I believe, But there isn't that clear guy. And there seems to be at most major programs, even with questions that offensive skill, especially running back, largely is established and what we're going to get into another school where it's also surprisingly not established. But I'm more curious about who's actually running behind that line by the end of the year consistently, who's toting the rock eighteen nineteen times? Because
really don't hope it's Sam Ellinger. Really don't hope that's the guy running twenty times. That worries me about that. What do we call it beck Meyer syndrome? Yeah, yes, right, so I am. I am most excited to see if anybody can step up in the backfield toting the rock.
All right, where are we going next? Stan, I'll follow your lead and go with a coach.
Let's go to the other side of the ball and We talked about him a few weeks ago as one of I think one of the more secretly fun moves. That's Nate Woodie to Georgia Tech. Nate Woody long time, he's been there for a few years, app state defensive coordinator has sort of well traveled, but Georgia Tech, most recently under I want to say it was Ted Roof struggled on defense, and.
You can say that to be to put it lightly, Yes, that would be correct.
They've struggled, and I understand that there are certain challenges both in terms of who George Tech and recruit because of academics. Though other schools that have similar challenges Stanford Northwestern have put together see Notre Dame has put together good defensive line classes, good fronts. I think Notre Dame is probably a little bit different. But there is no reason Georgia Tech at its very least can't be creative.
They're not going to have this, They're not going to have the same five star, huge ridiculous talents along the defensive line. But Nate Woody is somebody over these last few years and especially last year, created havoc upfront. So that's tackles for a loss force fumbles, tipball stuff like that.
Where they are they are causing troubles. Tye the troubles, and I think if Georgia Tech, as they switch, I think from a four to five to a three four, if they're able to populate that front with the at least approaching good size, I think if they can stir up confusion, if they can be creative under Nate Woody, this isn't a defense that's facing a lot of established quarterbacks. They have USF you know, Juwan Pass and Louisville early on Clemson. We don't know what's going to happen with
quarterback there. If they're going to be starting somebody young. Virginia Tech I know Josh Jackson I believe is now going to be able to play. Miami quarterback is up in the air after how that finished last year. Georgia, well, Georgia will be good. Georgia will be good. But if Georgia Tech is able to create that havoc sort of winning with Guile, I think they can cause a lot of problems in a not sure thing division in the ACC.
So Nate Woody, I think if he is able to install and teach quickly, and I don't think the talent is there yet, but by the end of the season perhaps I think Georgia Tech could be like a Necro brother, a Phil Neicro, Joe Nicro. This is what I want. I want. I want Nate Woody to be Alex Grinch Nekro. That's what I want. I want. I want an ephis every once in a while. Are there any more Necros? Is it just Joe and Phil?
I believe it would just be Joe and Phil Necro. Okay, I'm back in the day.
Wow, I'm seeing some dope baseball cards right now in Google Images.
There's a Lance Necro who's a Lance. Yeah, he's a son.
Apparently does he play baseball.
He's wearing a baseball hat in this photo, so maybe.
Okay. I mean, we saw what Duke did last year with just blitzing the hell out of everybody. I want that for Georgia Tech. That's what I want. The Necro Yeah, who was it was? Jim Knowles was the defensive coordinator.
Yeah, it's just Georgia Tech and defense do not exactly go together. It's usually like oil and water, and that's been the primary complaint that Georgia Tech fans have given to us over the years. We've had plenty of Georgia Tech fans right in, a lot of very passionate fans of the program, many of whom are quite simply at a point where they're wondering if Paul Johnson is going to work out. That's the way that Georgia Tech should continue going over the next couple of seasons. I think
a lot of their problems start on defense. The offense in and of itself is unique enough. They've gotten enough talent. I think that they can be rather effective on that side of the football, but they've got to keep points off the board fair.
I think Tech fans they want to watch some flexbone, They want to figure out if they like Paul Johnson still. They want to eat some heirloom barbecue. That's the place we went to. Yeah, airloom barbecue. I've been to. And there's a new place, Bee's Crackling. Okay, that's the new place, Ty, That's the new place in Atlanta, Bez Kracklin. Bee's Cracklin. So we want the d cracklin for Georgia Tech. That's that's what our point is here today.
Dan, Let's go back to the Big twelve here, let's done. This one's a little bit like shooting fish in the barrel. So the way we describe this whole segment is that we were notably trying to veer away from some of the common names. It very easily could have been Shape Patterson and not the Michigan offensive line. You can make a case for Shape Pattins. Of course you can't write there are some though that, to be honest, you can't avoid them.
Mm hmm.
We're going to talk about a coach here. I'm going to talk about a coach momentarily I think fits that mold. But there is a player. We've talked a lot about him this offseason. Quite frankly, we would have talked a lot about him even if it weren't the slow offseason because Kyler Murray has been a huge part of the narrative all throughout the offseason. He's going to be part of the narrative moving forward. He's probably going to be a Fantasy Things selection when we do our live show
in Chicago. Oh, it has to be not to tip the hand too much, but Kyler Murray is in a very unique situation. He comes over as a transfer from Texas A and m He was highly recruited, got a little bit of playing time before deciding to pick up his ball and move up north to Norman m HM. Sat out a year, got a little bit of playing time a year ago behind Baker Mayfield, and was the heir apparent to the throne there after Mayfield left, went
off to the NFL, got drafted first overall. In the interim, what has happened is that Kyler Murray, the baseball player, was drafted ninth overall by the Oakland Athletics. Was signed for five million dollars with the Oakland Athletics on the condition that he gets to play one season of football.
Yep.
One and only season of football. I can't believe in their right mind that the Oakland Athletics are okay with this plan. But Kyler Murray must have a damn good agent that negotiated he gets to play one season of football, So it really is boom or bust for him. It seems to me that Kyler Murray has gotten every benefit of the doubt that he's just going to step into the Lincoln Riley offense. He's going to fit right in.
He's going to play at a very high level. All that despite the fact that he's only had one hundred and forty two pass attempts in his entire college football career, there's no denying Dan that he is an incredibly talented attat If he got drafted in the top ten of the baseball draft, he's obviously a talented kid. It really does rise or fall with the plight of Kyler Murray in twenty eighteen for the Oklahoma Sooners, does it not?
Oh? It absolutely does, especially an offensive line overhaul. Defensively, they were sort of a mess last year, so I mean later on against teams that it mattered against, but they had nice moments on defense. But it's not like everything is in place around him so that even if
he struggles, Oklahoma will still be pretty good. Everything's not super in place, except for they have right now the most innovative offensive head coach probably in college football, and Kyler Murray, certainly, as you mentioned, has that innate talents.
I think we are rooting for Kyler Murray to be and I'm only going to speak for both of us, well speaker for both of us were rooting for him to be good because it's a year that's shaping up and it could be a special year, not necessarily for high level quarterback ten talent, but high level quarterback excitement. Even without Baker Mayfield. You have the situation in Tuscaloosa, you have a situation in Georgie. Of the situation, you know,
Trace McSorley should be very good. We're hoping Dwayne Haskins is very good for similar reasons. At Ohio State, he has been announced as at least will go into the fall camp as starter. Jared Sidham should be very exciting. Khalil Tate is obviously mister excitement, so adding that to each conference. Whereas I don't know outside of Will gree or there's anybody in the Big twelve that defines excitement and fun at quarterback, at least in an established way.
Whereas at least we have that inkling because of Kyler Murray as a recruit, because of what he has shown in his very brief time playing for Oklahoma. I believe he played half after Baker Mayfield, he started a half after Baker Mayfield was suspended. But there is that tantalizing love, that word possibility that Kyler Murray fulfills his potential in an exciting offense and that would be terrible news for the rest of the big time.
That would be college football ASMR.
Yeah, that's that's exactly right type.
I think that's where we're headed with this. I am rooting for him to succeed. I'm rooting for him more now than I think I was previously, if only because this really is a unique situation. I can't remember a situation like this where it was already a foregone conclusion that he was only going to play one season because of baseball.
Yeah, there have been players who have played basketball and it was clear that that was their sport or you know, run track. I remember Devin Allen at Oregon. That was sort of clear at a certain point. But the whole being drafted and established and that road already being paved, that seems new.
It seems like we're in unique territory for me. That I think makes me want to root for him a little bit more so.
What about Samarja, Was he drafted before his last year, was that after and he just decided?
Samarja just decided after the fact. He decided after the fact. There was very much an open question throughout his senior season if he was going to go and play baseball or football? Is he still a pitcher? Is still pitcher playing? Still making money? That's why you play baseball. That's why you play baseball. Make more money, especially as a pitcher.
Yeah, great, cool, love it.
Kyler Murray. I think so much of the Big twelve season in front of us is going to hinge on how well he does or doesn't do. So need to throw him in the ring here? Where are we going next?
Alexander Madison? Tie?
Whoa mad dog?
Okay, I'm not I go Madison Avenue? But whatever, Ty listen, we can do whatever we want. It's our show. Yeah, Alexander Madison. Aside from sounding like a bootleg, Hamilton is a really good running back for Poise State, a team set up given that they have a four year starting quarterback in Brett Rippon and return a ton on defense, at least outside of the clear best player in the conference in Leyton Vander esh who first round, second round?
He was drafted pretty early on. Was he a first round pick?
Tie? I believe so? Yes?
Whatever, Yeah, it doesn't matter in the context of Alexander Madison, who has the potential, has the ceiling of running crazy for Boise State, a team a program that year after year, whether it's Jeremy McNichols, Doug Martin, j Jaye, whoever, they've just they've been a consistent place to develop running backs. And he was beat up at the end of last year. It was sort of an up and down November for him.
But if Alexander Madison is healthy with a pretty experienced offensive line in front of him, they have a tricky ish early schedule they go to Troy into Oklahoma State, but with that time to prepare and he being the man I am, I'm anticipating big things for a key player for what is probably the most stable group of five New Year's six contender.
I think, boys, he's going to be the best group of five team this year. I really do.
It's a tough that Troy in Oklahoma State thing is tough, but yeah, they are built to weather a lot even against those two teams, even going to Oklahoma State because of the experience, especially on the back end of that defense receivers. Kind of a question for Boise, which I think even is a bigger reason to look at Alexander Madison, Madison Avenue.
I'm going with that go a mad Dog this year. But whatever, I like.
Him a lot, and I think that is going to be an underrated part of what should be a top fifteen ish team.
You mentioned Brett Rippon.
I did.
Brett Rippon at this point feels like he's as old as Mark Rippin, Dan, He's been there. He's gonna be a four year starter.
Do you remember Brett Rippin's first bowl game? You're probably gonna say no, but that's okay.
No, definitely not.
Brett Rippon was the quarterback the year Boise State beat Northern Illinois fifty five to seven in the Poinsettia Bowl. Okay, and I want to say Northern Illinois put up a total of like nineteen yards.
Oh that game, that's right, I remember that.
Oh that was so that was mathematically so fun. And I've granted a low point four for an IU. But that just the fact that we're going to be able to, hopefully, if you're a Boise State fan or whatever, bookend the Brett Rippon experience and it begins sort of with that just impossible dribbing makes me happy on the inside.
Tye n IU had thirty eight passing yards and negative five rushing yards in that football game.
Is that? Is that a thirty three yard game.
Tye fifty one plays thirty three total yards. That doesn't feel for those doing the math at home, that is less than one yard per play.
Oh that's so so so.
That's an S and P plus ratings killer right there.
Yeah, I would say, so.
Moving on, we have next. Should I just get my other give me out of the way, please, let's get it out of the way here. I already mentioned Kyler Murray. Again, We're not going for the obvious, but sometimes the obvious are just too obvious. You have to throw them in there. I'm gonna go Scott Frost, another favorite here of the podcast. In the off season, Scott Frost comes over from UCF. He is coming home, so to speak, to Lincoln, Nebraska. He is taking over as the new head football coach
for Big Red. He can potentially, potentially, now potentially create a huge, huge counterbalance in the Big Ten West, not only to Wisconsin, not just this year, but okay, moving forward, a huge counterbalance to Wisconsin. Not just to Wisconsin, but to the entire Big Ten East, which I think until now has largely been viewed as the dominant side of the Big Ten conference.
Mm hmm.
If you can start to bring the whole conference into equilibrium, Dan or a greater state of equilibrium that makes the Big Ten as a whole, I think a much much more interesting conference.
Agree.
The reason that I throw Scott Frost in the ring is because I want to talk about the schedule before the Cornhuskers in this twenty eighteen season.
But who sang the coming Home song? I've had it in my head since you said it about Scott Frost, I believe is there It is?
Skyler Gray? Yeah, wow, good job, thank you. That's what I'm talking about here.
Right when you least expect me playing that song when we bring up Scott Frost during the season all season long, Wham, there it is.
I bring this up kind of in the same vein as some of our Chad Morris discussion earlier this year, where we don't necessarily think Arkansas is going to go on in a kind of title run in the SEC or nationally.
But hold on writing this down, we're sort of expecting saw not on title bet on Arkansas.
That's what that means. Yeah, But I think there is enough potential here for Nebraska to put the pieces together to knock off one of these presumed Titans in the Big Ten and affect the way we view the Big Ten come late November.
Rank the upset ability yeah, of Nebraska versus Big Ten powers.
So let me go through this Nebraska versus Michigan games at Michigan end of September.
Your thoughts, well, I just Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Michigan State. I'm just asking you to rank the most to least likely that situation where Nebraska upsets them. I think Michigan wins that game.
I think Michigan wins that game. I think, as I look at this here very quickly at first blush, I think Nebraska over Michigan State the week before Thanksgiving games in Lincoln. I think that's probably the best chance of it.
Mm hmmm.
I'm very curious, though, very curious to see what happens in early November. A very tough spot going to the Horseshoe against Ohio State. However, that's like Nebraska's national show.
Was after a bye week. That's true.
Yeah, after bye week. That's like Nebraska's national championship. So I'm not saying so, I'm just saying I feel like there is gonna be a game in here when Nebraska pulls an upset because Scott Frost gets creative, he gets
his troops assembled. And maybe it doesn't happen for him this year going ten to two, but eight and four, seven and five, even with like a just a big upset in there could be enough I think to make him pivotal not only in this season but in every season moving forward where he remains as the braske head football coach.
So I would say most to least likely. I'd say most likely he upsets Michigan because again, Michigan won't be able to score thirty points. If Nebraska offense is at least rolling in it's a shootout. Least likely, I would say at Ohio State. Second, least likely Wisconsin, both of those on the road. Second, most likely Michigan State. So i'd the Michigan schools first, Michigan. Michigan State's on the road.
It's going to be cold and gross, and East Lansing and oh no excuse me, and even in Lincoln it's going to be cold and gross in late November. So I'm going to say at Michigan, Michigan State, at Wisconsin, at Ohio State in that order.
Do you agree with the selection as a whole, with Scott Frost's for twenty eighteen for twenty eighteen, not twenty nineteen twenty eighteen.
No, not necessarily, Not because Scott Frost is too famous and too mainstream for my hipster college football tastes, but just because it's going to take a year, just because I like his coaching staff, I like some of the talent on hand. I'm a believer that he is going to get talent to Lincoln within the context of talent that would want to come to Lincoln. Okay, that isn't necessarily nearby, but that's going to Michigan in two Wisconsin and to Ohio State in his first year installing everything
on both sides of the field. I think that's too much task for all.
Right, Well, let me let me do one more here and then you can close it out with two of your own.
Okay, go for it.
I'm gonna I'm gonna stay on the coaching side of the fence here, not gonna go head coach because I guess that's not hipster enough for you, Daniel.
It's not. It never is.
But let's go back to the big twelve. Let's go to the defensive side of the football. And let's talk a little bit about West Virginia. Okay, I meant it when I said it that the Big twelves a little bit up for grabs this year. It feels like there's a lot of turnover. Not quite sure where things could go, right.
Yeah, I mean because of the new quarterback situation across the conference.
Yeah, let's talk about Tony Gibson.
Okay, West Virginia quarterback on that team.
But yes, defensive coordinator, you're right, Will Greer comes back. If he stays healthy, he and David Sills can continue forging that bond doing amazing things in the passing game. I'm not worried about West Virginia's offense. I never really am. They've got seven starters back on offense, They're going to be fine. Where I'm particularly interested is on defense, where
they also have seven more starters back. I think West Virginia could be a top ten team if again, the offense performs at the level I think we expect and we get something from that West Virginia defense. If we get something from that West Virginia defense, we saw it a couple years ago. But they're very disruptive on the defensive side of the ball created a lot of plays with their defensive backfield. I want to see what Tony
Gibson can put together in twenty eighteen. I think if they can be disruptive on that side of the football, given all the turnover that we're going to see around the Big Twelve, particularly on offense, this defense at West Virginia could really be an X factor, could propel the Mountaineers to something I don't know, something we haven't seen from them in quite some time during the Dana Holgerson era.
Man, I think West Virginia's defense is gonna be torched. I do.
That's why I'm saying if if they can get anything together seven returning starters, if he can pull it together, would that or would that not be a truly pivotal story in twenty eighteen.
Well, I don't know where that number specifically comes from, and obviously there are starters who start a couple games where you can include that. But they lost a couple dudes that they were counting on for serious playing time along the defensive line to transfer. A couple of linebackers got hurt. They're replacing both corners and we expect big
twelve offenses to at least be competent. And I am just I believe with my whole heart and soul and brain that West Virginia will beat a team that they probably shouldn't and they'll beat them forty five to forty one or something like that. They'll be really fun and we get a bunch of crazy gifts of will greor running around making faces and having a good time. I believe that. I just think they're going to lose two to five of those as well, because I don't think
to compete in the Big twelve. To even just be competent in the Big twelve on defense, you just you have to have things going for you. And I don't see West Virginia's defense as a team. And this I think speaks to why this is a correct answer of choosing Tony Gibson as a pivotal name here. I just talent wise, attrition wise. I don't think West virginia Is defense has a ton going for it. So if they're able to muster something, sure, but I think it'd be a miracle. And this is not a take, This is
not me trying to rile people up. I think it's a miracle. If West Virginia wins eight games, I think everything has to go perfectly. They just feel like a seven and five, six and six team to me, And that's not being kind but being at least having a little bit of optimism. All Right, I think they got burnt.
Well, it wouldn't be anything new if they got burnt. That's true, quite frankly, that's what we're used to Dan. But I'm just saying, if he can spin any kind of gold, now.
It's true, he's done it before.
Out of whatever returning experience they have, I think it makes West Virginia potentially a top ten team given that offense and who knows. As we look in the Big twelve.
They bring in Kenny Bigelow. Do you remember that name?
Yeah?
Sure, he was like a recruiting with two thousand and four, got hurt a bunch of times at USC.
Yeah.
I think he grew up on the same team or same seven on seven team as David Sills, so it's been a journey for both of them. I don't know how you can be as old as Kenny Bigelow and still go by Kenny like he just has to be a Ken big.
Well, you made the Danny to Dan switch at some point around college for any day of college. Kenny bigel apparently never.
Did Kenneth Bigelow. Yeah all right, yeah, but you know what, if he's really good, that speaks to your hypothesis.
Where are we going next? Now? I see you've got two players here, Yes, that you've listed. One, by the way, is not very hipster.
I agree. I don't know which one you're talking about, because these.
Are the second one here on this not very hipster. I thought IM like this one as well.
Let's talk about Joe Burrow, who is not hipster, even though he is getting hype without actually doing anything, which feels like a very hipster thing.
So now I have a question for you.
All right, I have an answer, potentially.
I think it goes without saying that that my nicknames that I have put forth here over the last couple of seasons have really been solid gold.
I'm still not on board with Duke of Hazzard Alan Wizard, but okay.
Duke of Hazzard Alan Wizard had major staying power.
It's so many words.
EQ causing treble. That was instant gold, Dan.
Yeah, people are all just lining the streets with that one.
When you think of the word burrow, what do you think of.
I don't like a groundhog or something right burrowing into the ground.
So what if instead of Joe Burrow we just went Joe dirt in twenty eighteen, would that be a thing we could do?
That's pretty good.
Yeah, Joe dirt.
It's it's clean, it's quick, it's and that might be like LSU's national championship aspirations over cleanly, quickly. Joe Burrow aka Joe Dirt, I think is good. Thank But generally we give nicknames to people who have proven worthy of being nicknamed.
Right, generally speaking, that is correct.
Yeah, okay, So Joe Burrow to catch everybody up if you have not, if you've been burying your head under the burrowing your head. Thank you, ty, thank you very much, Thank you. ASMR crackle crackle. Joe Burrow is a grad transfer from Ohio State who showed potential during the spring game for Ohio State. Everybody seems to like him. He graduated in three years, so he has a couple of years of eligibility for LSU. Was a grad transfer is on campus now, I believe, and immediately eligible because he's
a grad transfer. Steps into a situation without a clear cut starting quarterback. They have a couple of decent recruits, and you know, Miles Brennan played in some games last year but didn't show enough to warrant not going after a grad transfer quarterback, and so Joe Burrow, talent, likable whatever from Ohio will be immediately thrown into the fire. They have Miami Week one. I want to say in Arlington.
I'm about ninety three percent sure that's true. They go to Auburn, they go to Florida, and I believe the week after Florida they are playing Georgia, so they will he will see fast, aggressive, angry NFL Leiden defenses sooner rather than later. And this is all with a new coordinator and Steve Enzinger, I hope I pronounced that correctly, who took over a couple of years ago on an
interim basis. And everybody's saying, Oh, they're gonna They're They're opening up the offense, They're gonna throw downfield a lot more. They add Jonathan Giles, the promising albeit not huge receiver
from Texas Tech. The big surprise to me about Lsu is that he is not going to have a year over year, there's a new guy who's a new star running back like Texas should have, like LSU should have, But after Darius Guice, after Leonard Fournette, there just isn't that obvious dude to take over and take some of the weight off of Joe Burrow's shoulders. So to me, if Joe Burrow is good, and I know they've recruited a couple of decent receivers recently, Teris Marshall's the newest one.
If he is good, that means his line, which does have some experience, That means the receivers and past catchers that he's throwing to, that means somebody's emerging at running back. Then LSU can win nine game. But there are so many variables and Joe Burrow not throwing a meaningful college pass and stepping into a pretty crazy situation schedule wise, is feels like a pivotal name for me. Ty Yeah, just.
Does Joe Burrow Joe Dirt? Thank you? Yeah? I look, the quarterback position at LSU is up there with Florida, It's up there with other schools where the natural impulse is to say, well, they're just they're just a quarterback away. Whether or not they all right, whether or not that's true in reality, remains to be seen. But Joe Burrow is an interesting case just because he comes in with a lot of promise. He comes from Ohio State. You said it a couple of weeks ago. He's gotta be good,
gotta be Joe Dirt. Come on, well, we'll wait and see. We'll wait and see. Can't any worse than what they've been trotten out there the last couple of years. LSU hasn't had a serviceable quarterback since.
Like Zach Mettenberger, man, you your slander of Danny Etling is not going to go unanswered to. Danny Etling was pretty good last year.
He's okay, pretty okay.
He was pretty good anyway.
Joe Burrow, Joe Dirt, Joe Dirt. Who's our last pivotal name here?
Final player? One of my favorite names, just because it's a fun name to say, but also because he is probably one of the three best pass rushers in the country. Cleveland Ferrell, Cleveland Ferrell, Cleveland, Cleveland, The Cleveland Show. Cleveland Ferrell defensive end for Clemson. Just a maniac, a monster in the backfields, A should be one of the first two or three pass rushers off the board in next
year's draft. Has not been at Clemson terribly long, but he has a very specific luxury tie of having the best probably defensive tackle duo next to him in Christian Wilkins and Dexter Lawrence. So it feels right that he is going to be I mean, and alongside Austin Bryan on the other side of the defensive line is just
going to be trouble ty. He is just going to be trouble And the reason I went with him over Lawrence, over Brian, over Wilkins, who are all excellent and could all go in the first round next year of the NFL Draft, is because of his ability, specifically to get to the quarterback with the quarterback questions that Clemson has of their own that he will keep, and he will probably do more to finish off plays even if the interior part of that line is collapsing the pocket and
forcing sacks to him. I think he is going to do more to worry quarterbacks. I think he is going to do more to get offenses behind schedule, behind the chains, and that in turn should give Clemson's offense even if they're inconsistent with a true freshman. Even if Kelly Bryant is not what he probably probably should look like given what he looked like at times last year. It gives them more shots, it gives them more opportunities to get into a rhythm. And there's just something that scary about
a pass rusher with Cleveland Ferrell's ability. So that's why I am and this is a defense chock fowl. Let me Kendall. Joseph is great. We mentioned the defensive line. There's guys everywhere, but his sacking ability, and we talked about gravity a little bit last year. Defensively, I think he may have the most gravity on that team. Just because you have plans. He doesn't care. And that's Cleveland Ferrell.
Cleveland Ferrell, Yeah.
Cleveland Ferrell.
There you go, Cleveland Ferrell and Joe Dirt closing us out here on the nineteen most pivotal people for the twenty eighteen college football season. One notable name is Missy here. Dan, we're only up to eighteen.
Oh, can I guess let's go with we already mentioned Adam A Memes. We're not gonna go with that. I'm stump ty. I don't know Steve Sarkisian. He's always good for a laugh.
Listen, it's got to be the solid verbal.
It's the solid verbal.
It's got to be the solid verbal. We're the ones putting this show out.
That's true.
A prime number nineteen. Your name's for the twenty eighteen college football season. So if you exclude us from this list, which you never should, I'm going to read through the list very quickly. Today we did Michigan's offensive line, Kyler Murray, JT Daniels, Cleveland Ferrell, Alexander mad Dog Madison, Joe Burrow aka Joe Dirt, Scott Frost, Tony Gibson, herb hand and
defensive coordinator for Georgia Tech, Nate Woodie. Those names, in addition to Clark Lee, Charles Chip, Kelly, Chico mcclatcher, DeAndre Swift, Malcolm Perry, Marcus Arroyo, which somebody made fun of me for the way I say.
That, Arroyo. It's arroyo, ah royo. No, No, not a row roy Arroyo, Royo, arroyo. Thank you, Derek Dooley and Ricky Ronnie. To close out your nineteen most pivotal people for the twenty eighteen college football season. Yeah, so now you're just gonna waste away your night listening to and watching some ASMR.
That's correct. Yeah, I need to I need well, I was gonna say I need to get on this, but I need to expect further to see what I'm missing here. See if this is a real thing.
It's going to change your life and not necessarily for the good.
All right, Well, on that note, don't forget to email in Suliverble at gmail dot com let us know your thoughts on the On the list, we had somebody emailing with Brian Farrence, which is a pivotal name for Yeah, it's pretty good Iowa football. Maybe not for a college football landscape as a whole, but you can make cases for a lot of people, certainly that weren't on our list. We'd encourage you to email and tweet in let us know what you think. We are gearing up here for
the college football season at Solid Verbal HQ. Don't forget to join the newsletter if you want more information about the upcoming live show in Chicago, about the merchandise that we're going to put out there within a matter of days now, about our upcoming website, and anything else that we've got hosted up in the clip here again, solidverbal
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Silk Crow.
That's right, Saturday, August eleventh, By the way, Live Show Chicago tickets.
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On that note, for that guy over there in beautiful New York City, my good friend Dan Rubinstein, For myself over here in trusty Allentown, Pennsylvania, thanks again for tuning in. We will catch you all in a week. In the meantime, stay solid