2017 Big 12 Conference Preview - podcast episode cover

2017 Big 12 Conference Preview

Aug 03, 20171 hr 14 min
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Episode description

Ty and Dan have a spirited conversation about the state of the Big 12 entering the 2017 season and debate Texas's ceiling, Baylor's transition, Kansas State's win/loss total, Oklahoma State's defense, Lincoln Riley's first season at Oklahoma and much more. Plus, important news about our live show in New York City, the newest t-shirt, and our pick'em pool.

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Transcript

Speaker 1

Welcome to the solid verbal. Come that for me. I'm a man, I'm forty. I've heard so many players say, well, I want to be happy. You want to be happy for Dake Edith state is that? Whoo whoom? And Dan and Tye welcome back to the solid verbal Boys and girls. My name is ty Hildenbrand, joining me the far side a planet Earth. Dan Rubinstein, sir, how are you? I'm ready for previews? Oh freaking yeah.

Speaker 2

So we're into August. It is preview time, Ty, How are we handling said previews? In the past, We've done conference previews. We have done you know s and p top forty countdown previews. We did previews as it relates to which team got you. I mean, this was your idea, I got you most aroused. I remember that was a strange year, but you know, we got through it and I think we're the better for it.

Speaker 1

It was what are we weird? G chat? Yeah? Yes, what are we doing this yere? While I'm still waiting for the checks to clear? And depending on who donated the most money, that will be who we spend most of our time covering.

Speaker 2

I like that and who we like the most. Where you're biased towards the most.

Speaker 1

Yeah, that's the way this thing works here in the media. So here here's the deal. As you mentioned, we we've done a bunch of different cuts on season previews last two years. I believe we've done the top forty or top whatever according to the S and P Plus. The S and P plus is still going to have a pretty big role in how we preview teams building up to the twenty seventeen season. We're going to try and have a conference conversation here each and every week now

in the build up to the season. Tonight, we're going to do Big twelve. We're going to start there. But what we didn't want to do is leave some teams like Iowa State out because Iowa State to me as a team that I'm really excited about that I want to talk about that. I know we have fans who listen to the show want to get a little bit igh with State. Matt Campbell discussion out there for some people who might be interested in really just how they

fit into the whole Big twelve equations. So a conference conversation is how we are going to approach each of the Power five conferences. And then we've also got some important nuggets about the group of five conferences as well. Correct.

Speaker 2

I think tonight we're gonna do the American Conference or the Act.

Speaker 1

The Power six.

Speaker 2

Maybe according to the American Conference, the sixth team are the sixth conference. Excuse me, Yes, So we're gonna do some nuggets about the American after we talk about the Big Twelve. We're going to touch on all of the teams in some fashion or form.

Speaker 1

But first time, I have breaking news. Oh, breaking news.

Speaker 2

Okay, yeah, double breaking news.

Speaker 1

Here we go. Who whoa? Whoa? Did you want to play again? No? Just once once? Oh? Okay, okay, that's fine. I did it again.

Speaker 2

We have two things, two news stories to break as it relates to the solid verbal. The first is in a few days, nine days, we're doing a live show in New York. Yes, it's a live live show in the Western Blood. Yes, we're doing it at hill Country Barbecue. Last time we did it Hill Country Chicken. We are friends with the people at the Hill Country Restaurant Group. They've been very good to us, and they serve very good food and they have shiner and all that good

stuff at both of their restaurants. So good cheap beer that's a winning combination for us. We're doing it a hill country barbecue this time. It's a slightly bigger venue. We want to fill it. Most of the tickets are gone, but we are telling you right now, because you are the people who are listening to the show, probably relatively quickly after it went up. If you happen to be in the New York area, we demand that you come.

We want to see you. We will have beer, we will have snacks at either discounted or we're just going to give beer and snacks away because you know what, we want people enthusiastic about our Fantasy Live Things Draft, a Fantasy Things Draft Live, and so we want you to be there.

Speaker 1

So the tickets are where tie The tickets you can find if you go on out to solidverbal dot com. We've got to post up. If you go out to our Facebook page, if you go out to our Twitter page, you've been making Instagram videos. We've got posts on Instagram as well. If you need help finding that link, you can always email us at solidverbal at gmail dot com.

You can also find it out on Reddit at reddit dot com slash our slash solid verbal, which is the subreddit that some of our fans have graciously created on our behalf that. Oh, by the way, sign up for the newsletter of intent. The people who sign up for the newsletter got a two hour notice on when the tickets were going to be available, where they were going to be available, all that good stuff. They're available now.

As you said, most have been sold, but available for fifteen dollars plus some whatever odd fees get thrown in for the ticket processes.

Speaker 2

Super minimal. I think it's like a dollar something, you know. It's it's a very it's not a ticketmaster situation.

Speaker 1

We are We are not going to get rich off any of these live shows, nor do we have any intention of doing so. We just want to meet the people. We're excited about college football season. We love this show. We're gonna play this sound a bunch of times. I'm excited about that, maybe more than anything. It's one of the favorite shows that we do all year, and we just want people to show up. So any place you can find the solid verbal, you can find links to get those tickets.

Speaker 2

And take pictures. Will you take pictures with people? Will you hug them if they ask for a hug?

Speaker 1

Sure? Okay, I'll rerecord your voicemail greeting. Oh yeah, takes whatever. Uh huh, yeah, they have good they have really good food. Actually it's barbecue, and as we both know, Ti New York convented barbecue. So we're in a good spot absolutely, So come on out to the live show. That is that both breaking news stoles though that's only one. That's only one one. I'm gonna play it again, double record.

Speaker 2

Our shirt is done being designed and we are accepting pre orders at solid verbal dot com slash store. Mostually is that I'm a big fan of how this shirt came out, and I say that as somebody who designed the entire thing. But it's the new shirt for twenty seventeen. It's we are not going to be ordering a lot of these just because it's very difficult to keep track of everything. So it's a limited order run of shirts.

You know, we might find a place to put it up after the fact, but we don't know when that's going to be. So if you're interested in a shirt, we have small through I think double X. Yep, that's correct, that's small through double X available for pre order and then you'll get your shirt and everybody's gonna be happy. They will once again be very comfortable. They are a new color, it's a brand new design. I really like

how they came out. I cannot wait to wear one myself because I love the Solid Verbal and I hope that you do too, so solidverbal dot com slash store.

Speaker 1

A few enterprising for ballers found the link hidden in our time navigation at solid verbal dot com. You can see it. It says store. Yeah, click on that order form, fill it out. It'll take you to PayPal twenty five bucks a shirt. Again, not getting rich off this, trying to cover costs and make it worth our while. I want you to be wearing comfortable shirts. It's a very comfortable shirt. I am excited as well about the design

and pre order lasts. How long preorder is gonna last until about like the second to last week of August, So I really we can get people their shirts at some point in middle September and be a great college football season. We'd out to your tailgate promo the Verbal when you're out there at the stadium. And I should

also add that our History show which did really really well. Yeah, people really seem to enjoy the History Show as well as the nineties video game show we did with Bill Barnwell and Ryan Nanny, the two shows we recorded in the same day that caused me to lose my voice for a week and a half, just a little bit. Yeah.

People have asked in response to that, how can they donate to the Solidverbal We are not taking donations for the soliverbal We would instead encourage you to go on out and buy a shirt or come to a live show. Just be part of the community. Help spread the wealth. That's what we're all about.

Speaker 2

Yeah, we're not super comfortable asking for your money for doing something we already want to and love doing. So a shirt or coming out to the live show would be incredible for our relationship as hosts and audience. That'd be wonderful.

Speaker 1

And if you don't want to spend any money, at a minimum going out. If you like the show, write us a review on Facebook or on iTunes at iTunes, dot com, slash Solid Verbal, or just join our pool. Our pickam pool which I sent out to a gentleman yesterday happening. I will be yeah, a lot going on here. As we turn the calendar to August, there will be a pick and pool out on Yahoo which will advertise progressively more and more as we get closer to the season. Ty,

can we talk about football? I love to talk about football, Dan, I'm going to play this. I already gave away the game in saying that we're gonna talk about the Big Twelve. Yeah here, But what are your thoughts in the Big Twelve? How are you feeling about this conference? Dan? I feel pretty good. I was trying to come up with something clever or flashy, or a way to brand the Big Twelve as a whole, and all I could come ahle, I came up with two things. One I probably should

have like heavy metal under me, but incremental improvement. Incremental improvement or El Pasco. Yeah, Well here's my thing. Yeah, every team in the Big Twelve has a big, bold, seventy two point aerial question mark, and the only differentiator for Oklahoma is that their question mark is only big and bold, but thirty six points, yes, not quite as big. They to me represent the clear top tier in the Big Twelve this season. Beyond that, though, I think it's

really interesting. Incremental Improvement's a good way to phrase it. But as a whole, most of the teams, if not all of the teams in the conference, save for maybe West Virginia, which we'll talk about here momentarily, save for maybe Baylor, who knows where they're going, Save for maybe Texas Tech. Because it's always the same preview each and

every year under Cliff Kingsbury. Most teams across the board, I think are going to get better enough production, coming back enough improvements made towards the latter half of last season, we should see a better conference as a whole in the Big Twelve this year.

Speaker 2

The clear worst Power five or Power six, all things considered, conference that there was in twenty sixteen. I believe, the only Power five conference with fewer than fifty percent of their teams finishing with a winning record, which is it's pretty unacceptable, it really is. But I understand they play

nine conference games and other conferences don't. But there's no reason, considering the level of talent generally speaking in this area, that more than five teams can't finish with the winning record. The non conference schedules sort of up and down across the board, but I think it's fair to assume that this conference can only go up from where they were last year.

Speaker 1

I would agree with that. So what I think we'll do talk about our general impressions of the teams within the Big twelve, how we see them all meshing, how we see them all knocking each other off, throwing a little soliverble personality, kick it up a notch with some solible your words, your words, and that we'll just we'll try to suss all this out, man, figure out where it goes. Yes, do you want to start with Oklahoma?

I do want to start out with Oklahoma. Okay? To me, they are, by the way, pre season eighth in the poll, the Amway Coaches poll that USA Today released earlier today. Good timing. They are eighth in the preseason poll. Take that with a green of salt. They are clearly the cream of the crop. They should be able to control the line of scrimmage on offense. They should be solid

with their back seven. What concerns me at a very high level, and what I'm legitimately curious to see, is if there is at all a transition phase now with Lincoln Riley stepping in for Bob Stoops who retired. Remember that it feels like it was an eon ago. Bob Stoops retiring was kind of something that came out of left field. It was a big story. I covered it while you were away on your Where were you? Where'd you go? I was on my moon. I was honeymoon.

You were off mooning. I talked to Bruce Felm and I talked to Andy Staples about it, what it all meant. It wasn't as big a surprise to them as I think it was for a lot of college football fans. But I don't want to undersell the fact that a coaching legend has passed the baton onto a guy who's still relatively young, who's very well respected in coaching circles, but this is still his first head coaching gig Dan. There's a lot that can go wrong with that.

Speaker 2

Yeah, he won't have time to devote as much energy as he has these past couple of years to the offense. Luckily, Baker Mayfield is really, really good at college football, one of the great all time walk ons. And on the flip side, no d d Westbrook, no samaj p Ry,

no Joe Mixon. So certainly going to be new names on offense, But as you mentioned, the lineup front should be really good and the schedule all things considered, and I don't think it's fair to look too deeply into what this Oklahoma team will be just because of what they do at Ohio Stadium against Ohio State early on in the year. Because the Big Twelve schedule is pretty good. Yeah, I mean, they never played Texas as a true road game,

so it's your neutral site Cotton Bowl game. They're on the road against Kansas State, They're on the road against Oklahoma State and Bedlam. But all things considered, it's a pretty even schedule once they get into the conference part of the year. So I really like Oklahoma. I'm curious to see what kind of in game management we see from Lincoln, right that's the big difference on game day. I think I have him down for ten wins. I

have ten and two. I have them losing Ohio State on the road and to either Oklahoma State on the road, you know, Kansas State. Nobody ever wants to play against this style Kansas State team or some sort of weird shootouty game, be it against West Virginia or TCU, who they had a shootout against last year. So that's I'm really excited to see this team, and I think you hit every other point the wins projection. According to our friend Bill Connolly, is currently at nine point seven.

Speaker 1

Okay, so ten wins feels about right to me. I would urge you and we'll talk a little bit more about this when we get to Texas. Don't discount what Tom Herman does as an underdog. We saw what he did at Houston against some teams that he wasn't supposed to beat, namely Oklahoma. Right, we'll see, We'll see what he's able to do, how he assembles those parts. I also want to come back to a point that you

mentioned about Oklahoma losing Joe Mixon samaj p Ryan. They're two headed monster at running back as well as Dede Westbrook, who was in New York for the Heisman Trophy presentation. That's forty six hundred total yards walking out the door, yep. How do they repentance that they've got names, they've got talent because they're Oklahoma. But I don't expect that to be just something that works out automatically. Because you've got Baker Mayfield. I think it's going to take some time.

It helps that you've got a really good offensive line, probably the best in the Big twelve. That'll work for you, But I think it's going to take some time. To work things out. I don't think they'll have that all in order by September ninth when they go to Ohio State.

Speaker 2

I would also add this fun nugget, speaking of which, Oklahoma is one of a handful of teams to have never been shut out in a college football playoff game. Oh college football playoff teams mostly have never been shut out, and that includes Oklahoma.

Speaker 1

Very good, very good. Yeah uh. And we'll see what the defense has in story if it can improve. It's been good. It's not been elite since brand Vettibles left, but still a pretty good unit. As it relates, certainly to the Big twelve. Who do we have next? We both feel in ten wins? Yes, I'm feeling ten. Let's go down to Texas. Okay, I mentioned Texas. They are pre season twenty three dan according again to the Amway Coaches USA today pol mm hmm. They get with a

green as salt. They indeed are. Last year, they were very young, very very young. Charlie Strong was still the coach way back when the defense as a whole got better throughout the course of the year. Inconsistent, but got better throughout the course of the season. The offense, though

had trouble. They had trouble assembling their parts outside of Deonty Foreman and Shane Bachelle was certainly a revelation early could certainly throw that streak down the side against teams that were willing to surrender the street Notre Dame, but beyond that, it just felt like they had a difficult time building that cohesion. Now we've got Tom Herman, dan is, what is he going to do with Shane Buschelle who wasn't exactly as young, but he wasn't exactly any model

for efficiency on offense. Yeah, and it's sort of a misnomer that you know Houston had this big, fancy offense because of how they played early on in the season. We saw them beat Oklahoma of course early on, But I imagine Shane Bochelle will have a better idea of the expectations of the offense because of Tom Herman, because of what you know, it's Tim Beck, who I know a lot of people have very mixed opinions of as a coordinator. He comes in to help run that Texas offense. But

here's the really good news. I still like Chris Warren if he can stay healthy. I really like the Texas offensive line. Defensively, I would say the Lion's share of the talent is in the back whatever six or seven, Lak Jefferson, Anthony Wheeler. These are healthy people, well hopefully. I like a couple of the defensive backs for Texas a lot. Chris Boyd and PJ. Lock are good, but I don't know if I see like super duper game

changers up front. And that's why I can't really get into the threatening nine or ten wins sort of mode for Texas. So my expectations are pretty limited because of health, because of depth, because I just knew everything, including I think Tom Herman shaved his head. I saw that today.

Speaker 2

I saw they have forty three inch screens at every locker, so everything is getting real sleek, whether it's a scalp or a dressing room. So I am optimistic that Texas is going to improve. If they can stop the run a little bit better, if they can get after the quarterback with some guys being shifted around a little bit better, I think big things for Texas long term. I really

like Todderland to always have their defensive coordinator. Their schedule is not the best because they travel to USC early on but both Oklahoma schools are not true road games, but they go on the road to TCU and West Virginia at the end of the year. So will it appears right now be tests for the front of the defense, so we'll have a better idea of.

Speaker 1

The incremental improvement. That's right, that's right by event. So I want to also mention Todd Orlando, who came with Tom Herman from Houston to Texas. Defense was again very young a year ago and it did improve, but it needs to get better against the run. Like you said, what kind of impact will he have coming with Tom Herman. We know that those two have worked pretty well together to turn their Houston defense into what I thought was a unit that was pretty formidable last year.

Speaker 2

Yes, and on that a similar token. Here's what we saw from Texas near the end of the year, a lost to Kansas. Here's what we've seen from Tom Herman these past couple of years. And I think we both really like Tom Herman as a head coach.

Speaker 1

We've seen Doudwicks, we saw them really look bad Houston against SMU last year. They lose to Yukon a couple of years ago. They've struggled with Navy. So it's the freshing the idea that you should be teams that are you're clearly better than, and so eliminating not limiting. Eliminating the dud weeks. For Texas, I think is going to be the huge, huge thing I'm looking for. There may be dud weeks, but they're gonna play USC tight, and

they're gonna play Oklahoma type. Okay, maybe they'll maybe they'll lose that Baylor, but there are going to be games, those games where they are underdogs where I think they they play well because of Tom Herman and because of all the returning talent they have coming back. Let me, I'm worried about the scale. Yeah, let me read through this list really quick. Right, Who's gonna who's gonna blow the lid off the defense? That's yeah, that's a big

question on offense. But in terms of just guys coming back. Eight of nine offensive linemen, including Connor Williams, who is an All Doplican top three wide receiving targets, seven of the top nine defensive linemen and six are either sophomores or juniors. Seven of the top eight line again, six are either sophomores or juniors and eight of the top ten defensive backs returning. Seven of those are either sophomores

or juniors. So Texas is set up really nicely, not just for this year, but certainly next year as well. What's the record. I see a loss to either USC or Oklahoma. I think they're going to knock one of those teams off. Wow. I think there will be a dud week at some point in there, and I'm going to count another unspecified loss in there as well. I say nine wins for Texas. I'm high on Texas.

Speaker 2

I'm at like seven and a half, seven and five, eight and four. If things go right health wise, I think they they're just going to be that that transition yere.

Speaker 1

Wow, Okay, where are we going next?

Speaker 2

Let's go to Oklahoma State? All right, let's go to Stillwater. Let's go to a team that I think we're both pretty high one and Oklahoma State schedule wise tricky, it's sort of a landmine situation. They have Tulane, excuse me, Tulsa early on, and it's a Tulsa team that's looking a little bit different, but they were dangerous last year. They traveled to pitt SEC really decent, only time. We'll tell Tyler. But they've got a stretch of I think it's at Texas, at West Virginia and Oklahoma in late

October early November. If they can go two and one out of that, I think they have a very good chance to at least threaten double digit wins. I think they're good enough to be pitt They're good enough to beat Tulsa in the non conference. I have them down as a team threatening. I don't know if they can get to that double digit winder in the regular season mark, but I like all sorts of pieces on this team. Even though the defense is pretty inexperienced, there's guys that

have rotated in. There's promising talent there. Offensively, I think we all know the story at this point. Mason Rudolph de Sides to come back. We love Junkyard, Jim Washington. He's not even the only receiver in that core that's really good. They're a deep core of speed and talent in the receiving area of things.

Speaker 1

And Tie, Yeah, guess what I have right now? What's it breaking news? It's not breaking news.

Speaker 2

Tie, I've got a Doode alert. There's a duode alert because Justice Hill is so good. I'm planting my flag on Justice Hill.

Speaker 1

He is long arm of the law, just the long arm of the law. Is a home run hitter. He is a cut and go guy. He was, I believe, a freshman last year and campaign sure was just ridiculous. And gives them the balance that will have to draw safeties in sometimes and give then obviously Junkyard Jim Washington.

Speaker 2

Room to Rome Deep. So he makes this offense complete. Justice So actually reminds me a lot of Michael James and that sort of cut and go and he's sort.

Speaker 1

Of elusive water bug. Yeah, kind of kind of running back. I love Justice Hill. He's gonna be so damn fun. Yeah. By the way, Oklahoma State, the Cowboys are eleventh in the preseason poll. Again, take it with a grain of salt. Release today the Amblay USA Today Coaches Poll. They are gonna be a ton of fun to watch. They always are because of the offense. Mason Rudolph throws an awesome deep ball and Mike Gundy is not afraid to use it. That will make them exciting to watch. On offense, the

questions defense, it leaves a lot to be desired. We're going on a couple of years now, Dan, since everyone was enchanted by what Glenn Spencer could do as a defensive coordinator. It just happens. Yeah, it hasn't been the same. They're replacing a bad secondary with four of their top six defensive backs going elsewhere, graduating, leaving the program. The defense has been mediocre at best since like twenty thirteen, and corner is really weak this year, the worst in

the Big twelve. I am very curious to see how defensively they handle a Big twelve conference that's gonna want to throw the football. Yeah, so that all there. We'll see. They've got so many, got some good defensive ends. I'm thinking like eight or nine. Yeah, I have nine and three. Eight or nine feels right to me. M hm. Defense is gonna be that issue, gonna be a problem. Where are we going next?

Speaker 2

Let's got a West flip in Virginia? Tyler, Okay, let's talk here.

Speaker 1

Point of contention, m West Virginia is pre season twenty USA today am White pole two. Yeah. Last year was a good year, ten and two regular season ten and three, lost the bowl game to Miami. Do you feel that with the following inventory of losses personnel losses, No, that West Virginia should be the preseason twenty Skyler Howard is gone. Two of their top three receivers are gone, five of their seven offensive linemen, five of their top seven offensive

lineman excuse me, are gone. Their top three defensive linemen, five of their top six linebackers, and five of their top six defensive backs all gone. Do you feel that that warrants a top twenty preseason ranking? USA Today am Way coaches, Bull.

Speaker 2

I think the Will Greer or as I now really want to call him, the Bill Greer factor.

Speaker 1

Are we hold on pause? Are we doing the Bill convert? The will to Bill conversion? Here?

Speaker 2

Do we currently have a college football bill with Big Bill Fuller in the NFL? I love Bill Greer, as the name.

Speaker 1

Bill Grier doesn't have enough syllables. Maybe it's one of these things because the same syllables as Bill Fuller, Bill full Er. That's three Bill Greer, only two. No, Bill Greer. That's a little bit of a stretch. Dan, that's fact. Maybe only Maybe Bill Greer prefers Bill in a professional setting, but to his friends, kind of like you with Dan, Danny, maybe his family and friends call him Billy all right, we've done Bill before we'll go.

Speaker 2

Billy Greer got up to some stuff after high school, right, trying to figure it all out in Morgantown, Billy Billy Greer. I think that overvalues how people are viewing West Virginia at the moment, and there are things really like about West Virginia. I love Justin Crawford and what he was able to show last year, another home run hitter. I am worried. The linebackers are pretty much all back, but you're right the front on defense, the secondary is rebuilt

once again. And it's not like these West Virginia teams haven't had two overhaul units year over year. They keep infusing with JC guys, they keep scouting and developing correctly. So Tony Gibson at the very least deserves somewhat of the benefit of the doubt. I'm a Tony great defensive coordinator, Yes, absolutely, But I just it's a tough year to overhaul everything on defense like they're going to have to do, so I think they take a step back. I don't think

they're a top twenty team. Like it's the Amway, which is so funny. The Amway coaches pol.

Speaker 1

Yeah, am way you look at today coaches pol.

Speaker 2

I feel like they're not that sort of nine to ten win type team like they've threatened to be recently. I'm going to say they're a seven and five team this year. They take a step back. The defense will be fine eventually, but I think they're gonna they're gonna take some hits.

Speaker 1

I don't think it's fair to Dana Holgerson that there are such expectations, because again, if you look at what they are losing, this is a near total rebuild. Yeah, it really is. I think you need to temper expectations. It's a tough schedule too, it is it is you're talking about an early game against Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech loses its quarterback, but I think should be a pretty solid opponent in Week one. I don't think West Virginia is going to find their sea legs in time for

that game. I could see Texas Tech being a problem because of their passing attack. I could see Baylor being a problem if they get their defense together. I can see Iowa State being a problem based on the way they're sandwiched in between Oklahoma State and Kansas State. Yeah, I could see a lot of things up in the air. For West Virginia. The only thing I really like at this point is justin Crawford. That's the only thing. I'm a fan of Billy Greer, but he only had two

good games. Yeah, let's keep things in check a little bit, pretty high talent ceiling, but I think that's reasonable to say. I'm saying five and seven, four and eight for West Virginia. I am not in at all huge steps back and I'm usually pro West Virginia Mountaineers, but count me out way out. I am selling hard.

Speaker 2

See, I'm not that down because you have a good court, you have a good system in place, you run the ball well enough.

Speaker 1

I think you win more than you don't. So wow, I'm I'm looking for I respect it system. I'm looking for personnel, and I'm looking for fit. Okay, all right. Fit is the greatest concern for me when I'm looking at teams, and also Dan when I'm talking about dress shirts. Oh shoot, finding a dress shirt that fits is hard. You know that the collars too tight, sleeves are too long, something's always off. Luckily, if you order a custom fit shirt, if you've ever thought about it, it's never been easier.

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Speaker 1

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Speaker 1

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Speaker 2

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Speaker 1

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Speaker 2

Let's go with perhaps because I think for proper cloth or blue Apron, I forget which one. There was a keyword of solid, Yeah, promo code. So let's go with what looks to be the most solid. And that's the most bankable team I think on our list here other than Oklahoma in the Big Twelve, that's Kansas State.

Speaker 1

Yeah.

Speaker 2

I feel very good about Kansas State, not because of what they necessarily return on offense, but because of what they've shown on defense lately, even with the loss of some big names, notably Jordan Willis on defense. I like how their defense is playing. I like what they return on that side of the ball. And the big thing for me is even though their offense isn't going to put up huge numbers, they have such a clear identity and Jesse Ertz is just so solid they might put

together a thirty four hundred play drive. I don't know what they do. I don't know how they do it.

Speaker 1

They're going to go inch by inch and draw people off sides, whatever the case may be. They are going to ruin teams in the way that somebody who is very patient and very adept at NCAA football rip for Xbox PS four whatever, in that they can get five yards every time they run. They're not going for weird RPO plays, not trying to run an option. They're not. They're just patient. And Kansas State does that on offense, and that ruins the other their team's offense because then

they get impatient if they fall behind. Yeah, so Kansas State this year. I like Jesse here. It's a whole bunch. I like what they bring back on both sides of the ball. There's a lot of talent, there's a lot of experience, and all things considered, the schedule's not bad. It is they open against are they early on? Yeah?

Speaker 2

It totally is feasible. They early on in the season. I think they go to Nashville to play Vanderbilt, which should just be a demolition derby that should be ten to seven one way or the other. And then they have it looks like they go to Texas, but they always beat Texas, I mean usually Texas.

Speaker 1

I think that game at Texas will be will be the bell Weather there. There's a tough stretch if you're looking at the schedule critically, very tough stretch from late September through the first three weeks of October, because you've got a Baylor game, which we don't know what we're going to get out of Baylor right now, but Baylor's defense, we'll talk about Baylor's defense could be intriguing. Yeah, at Texas, which I think is a good bell Weather game for

where Kansas State is at. Then in consecutive weeks at home TCU and Oklahoma. You get through that four week stretch, I think you're mostly sitting pretty in the Big twelve. That to me is the rough patch to watch in the schedule.

Speaker 2

I think that's fair. I think that's reasonable. I feel good about it, though. I think at this point, if everything you know, in Bill Snyder's getting over some health concerns he had in the offseason, and we hope he's obviously all right and that full strength sort of anchor this team moving forward. But yes, you're absolutely right that stretch is going to speak volumes. But this feels like the year that we finished the season saying and Kansas

State was Kansas State. They did exactly what they should have done given the talent that they have. I like them a lot. I'm optimistic. I'm at about nine and three right now with Kansas State. Yeah, I like the identity.

Speaker 1

Preseason nineteen, by the way, in the newly released USA Today Coaches, and it'll find to me it totally fine to me nine and four last season. Important to note that this is a team that improved drastically from start to finish, both offensively and defensively, particularly on the defensive side of the football. It's the season war on. The defense got a lot better and that really did make a difference, especially against the pass, which is paramounts if

you're going to play in the Big twelve. My question though, is whether or not they have more than just Jesse Ertz and Alex Barnes making plays offense. Now, we've seen Bill Snyder Kansas State do a lot. Even if you've only got two guys. They can find a way to make that work with that slow, plodding vanilla five yards of play offense. But can they manufacture some big plays like they did towards the end of last season. If they do that, I think that takes them to another level.

I think that gets them to that nine win mark. We're going to have to wait and see. That hasn't necessarily been their identity, but I think the pieces are in place where they can do it. My other set of questions is about their defensive front because they lose Jordan Willison. That's gonna hurt. Can the front seven hold up against the run and force the pass? Because I think they'll be pretty good against the pass this year.

Speaker 2

Yeah, that may ask you a question, Sure, would you want to be and we're talking optimist at Kansas State?

Speaker 1

Would you want to root for this Kansas State team? Just that's the end of the question.

Speaker 2

Yes, pure, pure style, pure This is what I have come to expect every week from Kansas State. They will be outmatched by a couple of teams that are clearly just way more talented and have a system in place. You know, Kansas State maybe can't keep up with their speed, can't produce enough big plays. Whatever, be it Oklahoma, be at West Virginia, be at Oklahoma State, whatever, But you know that Kansas State is going to be more sound. They're going to force more one on one tackles than

most of the teams they play against. But there's not going to be a ton of exciting plays, deep passes, trick play. You know, whatever the case may be, is that a team you would want to root for?

Speaker 1

I would say no, because cheering for Case State's a lot like cheering for Navy in that, even though you don't have any kind of pyrotechnic identity on offense, you sort of know what you're signing up for. You I love root Navy. You know what the team is going to do offensively, and you also know that if it's not working, it really ain't working right, and that can be maddening. Yeah, so I would say no.

Speaker 2

We saw a couple of years ago and they just stopped being able to run the ball completely, like it was feet that they were averaging per carry.

Speaker 1

Texas for me is the Bellweather Game October seventh circle it right now at Texas, I've got K State at seven and five. I am not buying K State this year. I disagree. I haven't said that in a long time. Let's go to Baylor. Mm hmmmm. Baylor is clearly in transition. They started last year six and oh. They finished oh and six a tumultuous interim year led by Jim grob which was weird, but they had to do it. In the offseason, they hire Matt Rule from Temple, which was

a bit of a surprise. I have warmed to Matt Rule, I will add I've never been the biggest Matt Rule coaching hire fan, but I've warmed to Matt Rule based on what he's done so far. It's interesting. It follows the theory of hire the opposite of the guy you had in previously. And if ever there were an opposite to Art Briles, just stylistically, schematically, certainly that guy would be Matt Rule. Fair to say, yeah, absolutely fair to say.

What intrigues me, What surprises me, perhaps the most of anyone in the Big twelve is how much I like the potential that Baylor has on defense. When I used to talk in that way about a Baylor defense. But there's a lot of talent there, Yeah, a ton of experience. It's back and the combination of Matt Ruhle and Phil Snow was really effective at Temple. They built legitimately good defenses in Philly. Offensively, I have no idea what's going to happen. I don't even know what's going to look like.

I suspect that will probably take some time. On the defensive side of the ball, Dan, I'm actually quite bullish on what Baylor could do. This is a conference that needs better defenses to give it, I think, a better reputation. So I'm excited to see what they can what they can do here. I am pretty optimistic about Baylor this season, and so I'm kind of feeling seven or eight wins here.

Speaker 2

Okay, I thought the Wheels, I mean, it was very clear the Wheels came off on the field last year and second half of the season, and certainly it's a fresh start for Baylor, for whatever that's worth.

Speaker 1

Do you know who they open with Baylor? Baylor? Yeah, they opened with Liberty. Liberty right, who hired the athletic director who was at Baylor for a while and a Liberty Baylor matchup is sort of like what if there was just really inclement weather and they just decided, you know what, let's just not this year.

Speaker 2

That's just not That's how I feel about Liberty Baylor. Beyond that, schedule's not bad. They go to Duke, they go to Kansas State, to Oklahoma State, but it sort of clears up near the end of the year. It's a front loaded schedule, which is very strange to say.

Speaker 1

With Baylor. I like them. Matt Rule hire a lot. I like his staff hires a whole lot.

Speaker 2

I like what Obviously it's hard not to what Phil Snow did with the Temple defense these past couple of years. Baylor's going to be fine on the field because of Matt Rule. I don't think they're going to be as nearly as explosive. Nobody will be as they've been these past few years during the Arbriles tenure. But schedule's not bad. The quarterback position, whether it's it's Zach Smith or a new Solomon, the Arizona transfer running things, it'll be okay.

There's talent along the skill pa positions. I have them down as six and six just because I do think there is going to be transition elements that you know, they might lose toss up games, they might have problems with offensive identity. We're not talking about a Temple offense that was super explosive at all. So what exactly are they going to be trying to do with an offense that was recruited to play a very different type of system that I think there's going to be There are

gonna be some growing pains there. Numbers are still a little bit dicey just in terms of pure available high level talent. So six and six feels about right, yeah, and I show some flashes, they're going to show some deficiencies.

Speaker 1

I shouldn't just pan over the offense and say I don't know what they're going to do. I don't. I still don't know what they're going to do. But right what strikes me in looking at this roster is that the main stabilizing forces from a year ago are pretty much all gone save for Terrence Williams and three offensive linemen. Seth Russell gone, Katie Cannon gone, Kyle Fuller, dom de Susan on this Tom yeah gone, yeah, this is Mora. So they've got a lot to work out on that side.

Of the ball that hasn't necessarily been Matt rules Forte. Defensively, I'm excited to see what Phil Snow can do because they do have a lot coming back on on the defensive side of the football. So I'm feeling like seven and five, eight and four if I want to get really risky with it. But seven and five, let's let's keep it right there. Who do you want to go to next? I want to talk about Iowa State Wow, before TCU. All right, let's talk about TCU. I don't

want to disrespect to you. We'll go TCU respectful. TCU is my playoff pick a year ago. Remember, Yeah, how'd that work out? They won? Eight and four? They didn't make the playoff. Alas, for all intents and purposes, everyone is back from that eight and four team from a year ago. They have, according to our friend Bill Connolly, the most returning production of any Power five team, which is certainly meaningful.

I am going to harken back though, to what I said a year ago about Tennessee, and that is it's about trust, babe. Oh my god, it's about trust, babe. Okay, explain yourself. I am not gonna go where I went a year ago with TCU because I just don't trust Kenny Hill. And I know it's not all his fault. This is more of a me thing, not a hymn thing, just laying my heart out there for everyone. Some of it was his fault. He got a lot of drop passes. A year ago. There was a revolving door at wide

receiver because guys kept getting hurt. You can't blame it all on Kenny Hill, but you can't blame a chunk of it on him. He made a lot of dumb throws, a lot of bad mistakes, and quite frankly, you just can't do that. You can't do that. For as good as he was to start his college football career at Texas A and M, that's how inconsistent he was this past year at TCU. There were times where I wondered if he was really interested in playing or if he

had just mailed it in. Felt like he had killer instinct. To me, maybe that's too harsh of criticism, but that was what I was left with at the end of TCU's season a year ago, and for that reason, I don't know to what end I'm willing to subscribe again in twenty seventeen just left a bad taste of my mouth. That's all rational. That being said, there is a ton to like here because Kyle Hicks also comes back. In addition to Kenny Hill, They've got four senior offensive linemen,

including Austin Schlottman, who's a big deal at center. The back seven of their defense is loaded. All of their linebackers, including their leading tackler, return, and they've got a workable schedule which is mostly backloaded. In November, when teams like Texas and Baylor will probably be more experienced, it'll be tougher than if you had them early. It sets up pretty well for TCU. The only real question I have is along the line Josh carroway self, Cavante Turpin. He's

a minidod alert for me, Mini dood alert. We don't play mini doodle now, No, I'm just telling you, he's a literal mini dude. Yeah. So, I think if you want to be optimistic about TCU, the canvas is there. It's there for you to paint your picture of what a successful season looks like. I'm just I'm not going to engage on that level with TCU again. I'm going to say eight and four. That's what I have down here as well. And I think it's the Kenny Hill

pulled back factor. It's the inconsistency from receivers as talented as they are. It's an identity thing they lose. You didn't mention Doug Meachum. He goes over to Kansas to run their offense. Honey Comby's still there, and they promote I think the running backs coach to a co coordinator job, so some transitions along the staff. I just I don't know what to expect from TCU. You know, you look at the problems that they had last year. I'm not

sure how they've addressed everything. Hopefully it's just a health thing. Hopefully it's an identity thing. Hopefully it's a motivational thing.

Speaker 2

If then, you know, then you can see nine or ten wins, if everything is clicking and they stay healthy. You know, Gary Patterson with time and experience to reshuffle things, seems like a good thing. I'm going to say eight and four. I think some things get better, somethings stay as is. I don't see it with this schedule, especially

the stretch. And you mentioned a workable schedule, but there's some chunks in the schedule, they have Texas and Oklahoma and consecutive weeks in November, and then early on in the season, sort of late September, early October, Oklahoma State on the road, West Virginia and then Kansas State on the road. So a variety of styles one after the other.

I don't know those are all the defenses there, you know, maybe, say for West Virginia should be a tricky enough that I don't think TCU is able to pull away.

Speaker 1

So I have eight and four. The other thing I'll add here, I don't want to pan over the defense because they do have a lot coming back in the back seven. This defense has yet to return to the glory days of a couple of years ago, right, I mean, at some point they need to stop giving up big plays.

Speaker 2

I erase the entirety of the twenty fifteen season, including the bowl season of TCU, So I don't even know what you're talking.

Speaker 1

Oh, right, of course, at some point they got to stop giving up big plays. They got to start being disruptive again. The only good part of their defense, the only consistently good part of their defense from a year ago, was a pass rush. They need to be all around more consistent in order for this team to take another step forward and maybe try to live up to some of that hype. I don't even know if there is hype. I'm just making that up as a whole. That's how

I feel about TCU. Sort of ambivalent. I'm going to go eight and four. All right, we were Now we're talking about Iowa State. Please? What I am excited about this team? Why? Good question? Okay, good question. This is the program to follow if you have no rooting interest to the Big twelve, if you just want to invest in a story Dan that's going to be fun to watch over the next two to three years. I think I think Iowa States where it's at. We got a lot of people who own this show and they say, Wow,

I'm listening in Australia. Who should I root for? You're telling Australians root for Iowa State? Oh kind am, Yeah, the hell is wrong with you. Matt Campbell's first year in ames last year they went three to nine. A lot of improvement from start to finish. There are some good pieces coming back from a year ago. He did a good job recruiting in the offseason. At a minimum, this is a program that no longer feels as stagnant as it did at the end of the Paul Roades era.

I think he's I think he's doing some stuff. Defense is going to be a problem. They're gonna get overpowered by a lot of the better attacks in the Big twelve. I'm worried about the offensive line. They got experienced, but most of their starts from a year ago are gone. So that's going to be a work in progress. To keep Jacob Park safe, open up holes for Mike Warren. The defense, you know, that's just going to be where it's at. It's going to be a mess. I am

excited though about my doodle Art. A gentleman. You may have heard of him by the name of Alan Lazard. Sorry six five two twenty three, Alan Lazard. I have a storied history with mister Lazard. Please tell we are nothing if not friends, honest brokers here on the solid verbal den I've never publicly admitted this. I've had grave difficulty getting this gentleman's name correct really over the past two It's just like a mental block for me. Two years ago. You can go back and find a preview.

I may have edited it out, but at least the first time through, I referred to him as Alan Lizard. Okay, and then I realized the air in my way is A couple weeks later and I started calling him in true Eastern PA form Alan Lazard, which was also wrong. Now I'm back officially on the Allan Lazard train. But the bigger point that I have, in addition to the fact that he's a thousand yard receiver, he's a big dude.

He's going to be an NFL prospect, probably get drafted next year in the senior year, clearly Jacob Park's top target. The larger point is that we've got options now for the coming season. I've sort of been workshopping a few things that I think of real potential. Here. I'm upset already. I'm pre upset. I'm gonna give you two options. I want to tell you which I should go with, because whether you like it or not, I am going with one of them. This better be better than your four

syllable guys. Option A huh charred by Alan Lazard.

Speaker 2

Oh, I'm I'm really gotten. I really have fingers crossed for Option B because it's the.

Speaker 1

Big twelve Texas Tech. Texas Tech gonna get charred by Alan Lazard. Okay, I'm waiting. It's a slogan. It's like Body by Jake. Now, I got it. It's not a nickname. It's more than that, and it could be if it doesn't work out, it could be the name of his restaurant or a showing food network Charred by Alan. You don't like it, I'm I'm ready for be. Option B would be if I want to return to my roots as an Eastern Pennsylvanian with a slightly Philadelphia influenced accent. Okay,

the Duke of Hazzard Alan Lazzard. But it's not it's name. He's dangerous, he drives a Dodge Charger. He wants to date your sister. He's the Duke of Hazzard, Alan Lazzard. Why don't we just call call ioways say it el passego, el passe coo. Yeah, because Jacob Park is really good, even though he has a weird skin, beret haircut. I don't know if you've seen what he looks like. It's very it's very strange.

Speaker 2

Yeah. Yeah, I think we just accept Alan Lazard Alan Lazard for who he is. Now I was I was thinking about these all day. Dan a workshop. You're you're just gonna toss them in.

Speaker 1

The waste basket.

Speaker 2

I think we got to keep going, ty, I think we got to keep workshopping chard by Lazart. I'll accept that one ahead of whatever the hell you said was option B.

Speaker 1

What do you think about being team? Then you really ruined the whole night for me.

Speaker 2

Iowa State is going to be good, perhaps eventually, if they recruit well on defense, if they're able to stay healthy on offense.

Speaker 1

We like Jacob Park. You skimmed over the fact that Joe Lanning, who started out the season at quarterback for them last year, is now they're starting mid linebacker. Hell yeah, I hope he's awesome. Would you say he's the quarterback of the defense? Yes, he is the quarterback of the defense. In so many ways, Iowa State was in games last year. They blew a lead against I think it was Baylor, and they lost a shootout, but they were in even though they went I think they went three to nine

last season. They were competitive, they didn't back down. They played motivated football. I was very excited to see that because the Big twelve was kind of stanky last year in a number of ways, and the emergence of a competitive Iowa State and even to a slight lesser extent, the emergence of a competitive Kansas team was at least

you're ready tie. Yeah, incremental improved, incremental improvements. I think they have Northern Iowa again this year and the game they lost last year, so hopefully they can flip that game. They can hopefully flip maybe either the Kansas State game or who else were they close against the lost the Oklahoma game. They're probably not going to beat Oklahoma this year, but if they can flip that or Oklahoma State they were competitive in I could see a four and eight

campaign for Iowa states. I could. Yeah, to me, this is like the new drive for six. I don't know. I don't know where six is coming from. I'm not sure I know where five is coming from. The schedule gets weird in November. You got three or four on the road, including your final two at Baylor at k State. You'll probably be able to throw against something. Teams definitely should be Yeah, lackluster defenses. West Virginia comes to mind.

They should be be able to be had in the secondary and Texas Tech that's kind of their mo We'll talk about them next. But I'm going to say I'm gonna say five and seven at best, four and eight more realistically, Okay, but I'm excited. I like Matt Campbell. I'm a big fan of the Duke of Hazzard, Allen Lazard and Mike Warren and Jakwan Bailey on defense. So I think they take another step forward. I'm excited to

see where they go. I think them getting incrementally better, even if they're not going to make a bowl that's meaningful for the Big Twelve. They need to have I think more parody between top and bottom, and I think this will help get them there. Agree, all right, let's go to Texas Tech. Dan, Let's do it. I am obligated to play this sound every time I talk about

Texas Tech. We put a ton of research into these previews, as you because we're covering a bunch of teams each week, So you know, don't don't pan it, don't kill us. Excuse me if we pan over some stuff here and there, if we don't get into the full minutia and the machinations of each team, all right, that's not what we always do here. It did dawn on me though, that there's really no need to overthink Texas Tech. The preview has been exactly the same each of the last three years.

The names change, the preview is always the same. True it does every year every year. It's well, Tech's got a good offense, they're gonna throw it for a ton of yards. They got to play better defense. They play better defense, they're gonna be much better shape. But offense, there'll be a ton of FUNNL watch. We just we don't know if they're gonna stop anybody. And I feel like we're there again this year. They lose Pat Mahomes.

Their defensive lines of total reboot for their top five tacklers are gone.

Speaker 2

Yeah they were super beat up last year too on defense. But yes, the point stands.

Speaker 1

But I'm just, you know, I'm very blase on Tech Tech again. I need Cliff Kingsbury to prove to me that he's got more in the tank than just a really fun offense. Okay, I think that's all right.

Speaker 2

They have promising quarterbacks, they have speed on offense. They're going to put up points, they're gonna put up yards. The defense, you know, if it's not a disaster, that will be a surprise, because that's what we've come to expect. I don't know that there's more to say about Texas Tech at this point. I think it would actually be wasting our breaths to say anything that we already have not said.

Speaker 1

Yeah, I'm I'm I'm fine with that.

Speaker 2

I would also add, though, that two of the quarterbacks on the depth chart their names are Payne Sullens and McLain Carter, which are aggressively Texas quarterback.

Speaker 1

Now, it's very aggressive.

Speaker 2

Yeah, yeah, I have them down as five and seven, five and seven. Maybe when a shootout they didn't, I go five and seven here.

Speaker 1

Yeah, Final team, Final team, Dan Rock, Chalk Jayhawk. Mmmmmmm. I'm not going to ask you how high the ceiling is because that's a weird way to phrase it for where I think Kansas is going to be this year. Instead, let me turn it around a little bit. Let me ask you how much higher do you think the floor is in twenty seventeen as opposed to twenty sixteen?

Speaker 2

A significant distance, because if the floor is one in eleven, two and ten, I think even not even sort of based on win loss record, but just what they look like on the field. They keep infusing with JC guys the defensive line looks really good. I like the ability on offense to find playmakers. The talent is in a place that's much higher than it was under Charlie Weiss, and I don't think that can be overlooked, and that includes coaching talents. They hired Doug Meachum. So I expect

improvement in scheme, in identity on offense. It's going to take a while to really look like a robust, big twelve offense. But schedules fine, it's backloaded. I don't think they're winning five games, but can they go threatening three and nine, four and eight, A couple breaks here and there, Maybe they play a team with an injured quarterback and pick off a few passes.

Speaker 1

Yeah, I think so.

Speaker 2

I don't expect it's another drive to six team, but I'm gonna I'm gonna say three and nine, but an incrementally improved three and nine.

Speaker 1

I'm interested in Kansas primarily because of the way that David Beatty built this year's version of the team. He'll Connelly referred to it as surfing the transfer market as if they were at English soccer school. But there are transfers, there are jucos stepping in plug and play guys to help stabilize the ship, because the problem at Kansas was

not just limited to schematics. It was talent. They need, they need bodies, they need better players, and I think he's trying to do his part to build depth this year. You know, offensively, last year they were a huge mess. This year they lose a good chunk of their secondary from a year ago, which wasn't great to begin with, but again, that's gonna be a problem spot. You're right to say that there's a murderer's row starting in October

and then all throughout the rest of the season. Here is what happens to Kansas in terms of their schedule between late September when they're on buy and the end of the year. Texas Tech at Iowa State at TCU, K State, Baylor at Texas, Oklahoma at Oklahoma State, all in consecutive weeks. I don't know if they win any of those games. And Bill Connolly was wise to point out in looking at that schedule that really the hit or miss game, the Bell Weather game for Kansas is

going to be Ohio in Week three. Ohio, which he's got projected as the one hundred and third best S and P plus team in the country. He's saying, that's the bel Weather game, and I agree. I agree. You got three games in the beginning that are probably winnable. Maybe you pick off a game at some point later in the year. But I don't know how you get

to four wins. If you're Kansas, you can go three to nine still improve drastically because they've been so bad, and I think feel pretty good about where things might go in twenty eighteen.

Speaker 2

So they have as I look at this, quarterback wise, if we're worried about their defense, guys who will throw it all over them, A good chance of guys who are throwing it all over them. Maybe not a guy until that well, Texas Tech probably will, but other than Texas Tech, I'm not fully confident in.

Speaker 1

What Billy Greer. Billy, We'll see what happens Billy Greer. Yeah, in terms of depth of dangerous quarterbacks, it's a good year to be rebuilding a secondary, a bad school. We'd a bad program or bad with a bad squad or an underwhelming squad. So they always seem to put the fear of life into TCU every year, and that's on the road this year it's in Fort Worth. They're going to beat somebody that we don't have it down as right now. They are going to take somebody down that

seems improbable. That's what I will say. All right, Well, in closing here, since we've gone through all ten teams, yes, let's let's tier off these teams. Let's let's put them in like four groups. I think we both agree that Oklahoma is tops. Mm hm. You think they're alone on the top. I think they're alone in the top tier. I would put in Tier two Oklahoma State, Texas, and TCU probably in that order, Okay. I suspect that you would put k State in that tier. I would, Okay,

behind TCU. I have k State kind of right on the border of tier two and three, and then I go Baylor sixth. I go bail in a better place than West Virginia right now, I think so because I sort of have that too. Yeah, West Virginia right on the cusp there. If there's a gray area between tier three and four, I put West Virginia there. Even though they're again preseason top twenty, which for the life of me, I can't understand they are totally rebuilding. I really think

you got to temper your expectations. I still would argue the benefit of the doubt factor is pretty high there. And then for me, I go eighth, Iowa State, Ninth Texas Tech. Who I'm just I'm probably putting them ninth. Not because of actually believing they'll finish worse than Iowa State, but I'm just fed up with Tech's Tech. Okay, on a personal level, I'm very fed up with them, okay. And then tenth is Kansas. You know, a bunch of transfers,

plug and play guys. I'm curious as to how they Lord Doug meetchim away and what that could do for a Kansas offense. But uh, three and nine, I think this is a ceiling for them.

Speaker 2

Wow, down, down down, Yeah, all right, I mostly agree. Should we check in with our parallel universe Serius XM version of the show, Let's do It, Ladies and gentlemen, Welcome back, SiriusXM The Solid Verbal eight eight.

Speaker 1

Eight, nine nine, nine. Tune tu Tim give us a call in the insta Loom hotline. We are talking Big twelve. What will Oklahoma look like without vod stoops. It's going to be a change, no doubt about it. What can Texas do with new coach Tom Herman? Will he bring some much needed energy to the forty acres? Gotta be honest, big question right there. Mike Gundy has a big offense this year. Will it be enough for those cowboys to make some noise? Gonna be a fun fall in stillwater,

no doubt about it. We know Cliff Kingsberry has the looks, but will he find the defense? Some new questions and Lodock, that's for sure. Should we be hearing sirens warning about dan O Holgerson's air raid? God, wait and see? Is can he Hill the answer for TCU? And can Gary Patterson get this Hornbrock team back to where they were? Only time will tell. What about Kansas State? Are they sneaking up on America? And what about Kansas, Iowa State, Baylor?

Could they make some noise? A huge question, no doubt about it. Eight eight, nine, nine on tune Turn ten, give us a buzz on the install Loum hotline. And now because you've requested it on that hotline, Disbussyo, I love those ties. Ty. You brought it back in, Yes, you brought it back down. Oh it felt right, Ty felt right? We got to pigive the people what they demand. It felt good.

Speaker 2

Yeah, just to know it's out there, ty Just to know it's out there. For not listening to podcasts, it felt good.

Speaker 1

It feels good to be back in the swing of things here talking about twenty seventeen college football. I do have five nuggets though, Tye, please please, we don't want to leave out the aa C nuggets. Yeah.

Speaker 2

Please, I've got a group of five nuggs. It's power six nuggets. Here's what you need to know going into the season. According to me, you probably don't agree with all of this.

Speaker 1

Number five. Randy Edzel's back. Yeah, dream job? Can we play? Can we play? Sexier than Edsel? Throughout the course of the season, because people really got into that. Absolutely, I had gotten through. I had my mom texting me about Randy Edseel's overall sexiness. Okay for me, but it was fun. William Shatner, Oh, you're you're playing it now?

Speaker 2

I'm asking you, ty Is William Shatner objectively sexier than Randy?

Speaker 1

No, you gotta go Edzel. I think I'm going on Etzel's younger.

Speaker 2

Yeah, it probably has his own hair, sure, but he hired RTT Lashley, who has been at Auburn, and Auburn was looking for a change offensively, so he's running the offense that you caught next. SMU has a literal large receiver, and he is a big receiver in every sense the word. Courtland Sutton is probably one of the best three receivers in college football. Is borderline unguardable, especially when he plays in the American He is awesome. He's really good. You

should watch SMU. If there's a like a weird random Wednesday, Thursday or Friday night game, watch Courtland Sutton.

Speaker 1

He's worth it.

Speaker 2

What about what about Tom Selleck? Oh, Seleck is way sexier than it. You gotta go with this passroom slowly, not even close. I would point out that Riley Ferguson is really, really good. He is the quarterback of Memphis. He of course transferred from Tennessee a little bit ago, even without Chip Long, who Notre Dame pulled away unceremoniously.

Speaker 1

He's very, very good.

Speaker 2

He finished last season with an eleven to one touchdown interception ratio in November was super efficient.

Speaker 1

I like him a lot.

Speaker 2

I like Riley Ferguson, I like Mike Norvella everything is happening from Memphis. He's a He's an even bigger prospect than just good in college. You could be a good pro prospect ideal size. What about John lithgow Ah Edseel, Yeah, you gotta go. I think you gotta go.

Speaker 1

Go on ed Soel. There's a there's a sportiness to Edsel that I don't think Lythgo is ever gonna match. Houston has Ed Oliver, and Oliver is going to destroy everybody that tries to block at Oliver. Also, they have Kyle Allen, but mostly they have Ed Oliver. Yeah, Major Appleoy takes over Kyle Allen is fun, but at Oliver Finally, and this is the one you're gonna appreciate your guy, Quintin Flowers, Tie, my boy, he's got a very very soft schedule, my boy.

Speaker 2

Seventeen, Charlie Strong takes over at USF. Quinn Flowers is back, A ton is back on both sides, which isn't always the best because that defense wasn't particularly good, but right spot of that defense. Who is the leading returning tackler for the American Athletic Conference Tie, It's a great name because I'm gonna say it right now.

Speaker 1

Augiez augez Jay, do we say it like John Miller, Sanchez Sanchas, Augie au g g I E Sanjay, I'm excited. Yeah.

Speaker 2

So those are your five American you know, Navy's rebuildings, all sorts of stuff. Well, hopefully Willie Fritz improves that tulane. But yeah, it should be a really fun conference this year. All right, Well that does it for Big twelve. That does it for some American nuggets. Next week we're doing the Big ten. Next week we are doing the Big ten. Yes, that sounds right. We're starting big. We're starting literally big. I have one more sexier than Randy Edzel for you, Tie, Yeah, let's go with.

Speaker 1

Warren Beatty. Probably go Randy Etzel. I'm going baby Tie, and it's not close for me, Gonna go Randy Etzel.

Speaker 2

Now, Warren Batty is definitely sexier. Warren Beatty has a long history of being a good looking guy.

Speaker 1

What about Randy Etzel or Bob Davey. That's almost like the brothers say, they're kind of the same person At that.

Speaker 2

Point, I'm one personality. I think I can believe in Bob Davey a little bit more. As about three I'm still going to.

Speaker 1

Bob davey okay fa fair all right, So again, thank you for tuning in. Check us out on Facebook, on Twitter, on Instagram. We're all over the place. We're also on Reddit, reddit dot com, slash r slash Soliverble. Some fans set up a little community. If you're interested, Yeah, hang out. I promise people I would read off that url. Join the pool by the shirt and if you are available. August twelfth in New York City, Soliverble Live Fantasy Things Draft.

Most tickets are gone, some still available. If you're interested. If you've got questions, email a soliverable at gmail dot com. Otherwise going out through the website, to Twitter, the Facebook, the Instagram, all over the place. We've got links if you are interested to buy tickets and come meet us. We're exciting. It's gonna be a fun show. Hi is six'. Five that's. Right how many people know? That for that guy over, there my good Friend Dan, rubinstein for, Myself Tye,

hill the, brand thanks for hanging with us. Again we will catch you all in a week talk big town or, meantimes stay solid he one more. Time don't forget about our friends over at propercloth dot. Com Dan rubinstein, Tested Dan rubinstein. Approved stop wearing shirts that don't. Fit go to propercloth dot com slash solid, Today enter the gift code solid that's S o L I d and save twenty bucks on your first shirt

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