Welcome to the Solid Verbal. Hull 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 a day?
Ato Steak is that woof?
Woof?
And Dan and Tie.
Welcome back to the song Parble Boys and Girls.
It's Friday.
People can tell. I think at this point, the more energized you sound, the more they see through how tired you actually are.
It's Friday. Get psyched. Welcome back in. It's the UFO Show. I am Tie, he is Dan. Thank you for tuning into the Friday rendition of this crazy college football podcast where we play some space themed games. We talk about bigger picture type stuff. We appreciate you stopping by. As always, don't forget to subscribe to the show. Wherever you get
your podcasts, you can find the song Verbal. You can also go on out to social media and find us on Instagram, on Twitter, on Facebook, and of course now on the Tube of Views Dan, the Tube of Use Okay, YouTube dot com, slash the Solid Verbal if you'd like more, find video content such as this mister rubustein anything I left out?
Uh, I don't think so. I mean you got the subreddit, you have any social place. If you look for a solid and verbal, you'll find us. We're posting all sorts of videos that we never did before and having all sorts of fun. After we hit stop on this, we will record and shoot the brewin a. It sounds like you need a.
Brew to I could use a brew I really could.
So go to YouTube dot com slash the solid verbal to see the newest bruin a that we do after our UFO show and after our recap show. We do a little stuff after the preview show as well earlier on in the week. But yeah, that's a good time, and we've all sorts of fun questions that we'd like to answer on video, so you can hold us accountable visually and maybe not be as confused. Did you have you seen comments that people are like I thought Ty was Dan this entire time, and this is really screwing
me up. Yeah, I enjoy those comments a lot. I guess you look like a Dan and I look like a tie Maybe who knows who knew? So yeah, I'm excited to do that. We don't have a ton in the way of news, just that there's more football happening tomorrow or today, depending on when you listen to this. The PAC twelve may vote tonight, today, tomorrow, I don't know, but at the time of our recording they have not.
I have seen that in a couple of counties that house Pack twelve programs, Lane County, which is where the University of Oregon is, and Boulder County, which is obviously where the University of Colorado is. There have been some spikes that have been problematic as for gatherings, but at the same time, California has made further exemptions for college football teams to practice and gather in large groups. So a totally uneven situation, but we'd expect nothing less given
everything about twenty twenty. Can I ask a question, Maybe it's a dumb one. I know, man, all of our questions are dumb, so this is just standard.
Hit me, what is the deal with these votes?
The votes?
The votes right, Like if you read the press clippings on these so called votes, right, we didn't even know if one actually happened in the Big ten. Even chancellors in eighties didn't know, like, oh, we don't know.
That kind of did or not. Yeah, it's all very unclear.
But is what is the deal with these votes? I need to know more about the process by which they are conducted, because you know the way it is sounding through all of these press reports that I've read, it's like they're choosing a pope. It's veiled in secrecy until the white smoke comes out the PAC twelve chimney, at
which point we'll learn of the schedule. Yeah. No, in reality, it's probably a very laggy zoom call, right, like, how are they doing the votes at this moment in time in twenty twenty, Because my guess is it couldn't be farther from how I perceive it or we perceive it to be.
Yeah, I think it's all over zoom. In terms of the technical aspect, it's all over zoom. And I guess you just I don't know if you raise a hand, I don't know, if you put on a white hat, I don't know if there's something some sort of indicator that you are for or against having a season. I think it largely depends on not schools actually wanting to play,
but based on what the given thresholds are. So, I mean we were on the same page with that in terms of what schools do in certain situations and what numbers might have to look like to cancel or something like that. But yeah, I think we're talking about a probably basic YAYNA, nothing more complicated than that. And it's the conference pitching very specific details to these schools which is determining the ANA.
Yeah, I mean, like, is Oregon's president dabbling with the programmatic background with a duck or the UO behind.
Like I just, oh, you're talking about a physical a physical visual background.
They but you can do it. You can do it digitally, you can upload image and you can kind of make it seem like you're one with technology. I just I need to know more about the voting process, the meeting process. I feel like a real accurate account, an oral history of that is exactly what I need for this moment in time.
So you're not necessarily interested in the different points that are raised, not a different threshold, not care less how scheduling might work. You are interested in who is the most awkward technological parents of all of the presidents and chancellors, Who does not know how to unmute themselves exactly, can't turn the camera on, who accidentally walks, doesn't realize that it's a full body shot and is wearing boxer shorts or something like that. Okay, I like that. I like
that element of it. So it's sort of like school presidents and chancellors. They're just like our dumbest aunts and uncles who are much you're looking for?
Who among us is going to pick the photo from the beach trip last year and use it as the backdrop in this zoom? Like? You know that happens. Of course that happens. These just all know each other. You know that happens. How are your work calls? I want you to get in trouble right now? Are your work calls? Is there always somebody on a group meeting that goes for it on the zoom? No, we don't have a lot of video calls actually really yeah, I know a lot of people out there do, but we don't. We
haven't had a whole lot of those. It's really only as needed. But it's been a learning curve, I think for a lot of in America, you know, to kind of adapt to this new reality of having to be on camera.
Not something we're too during early on a few months ago, when we were in California, we did weekly trivia with my in laws and you know it's cousins and whoever. You know, it's a few different people on the zoom call Zoom trivia, And it was always the older participants that couldn't really get a good hold on the mute un mute situation. So you'd ask a question like this is the stupidest FN question, like we can hear you, mom? Yeah, Mom, I can hear you. And that's always fun, it's always
wonderful to uh to like say, guys, mute. Yeah, yeah, it's right there. So I'm positive this is happening on these PAC twelve, big ten whatever calls.
Eight way headset, a headset with a mute button is essential right now, Essential to own, essential, to have, an essential to master. I am still mastering mine, and I believe I was on a phone call during which I threatened to take my puppy back to New Jersey and everyone in the room heard it.
But I would like there to be a requirement on these calls that every participant brings, like a twelve year old or a twenty three year old to the call to just monitor things from a quality control standpoint, a.
QC standpoint, perhaps an added staff member.
Yeah, because if you can't figure that out. You shouldn't be figuring out a season.
Well, welcome back. Yeah, we do talk college football mostly. I do need to know more about this. So if we have any insight sources out there, solidverbal at gmail dot com, don't forget. As you are preparing to watch these games, start thinking through maybe how you want to call the reverblind this weekend. Yeah, you know, four to eight verbal one, give us a holler. Let us know in the moment we went in the moment reaction. As
you're watching these games, the SEC is underway. Dan, My guess is there's a lot of raw pent up, a motion that just needs a needs an outlet for water. One give us a call.
And we're getting closer to Big ten seasons. So perhaps Big ten people watching from the sidelines have thoughts. I'm seeing this was new to me. I'm just seeing this headline now as we record this. It looks like Rondelle Moore opting back in great great as of eight minutes ago.
Open enrollment, Baby, open enrollment come and go as you please, but only for a few weeks.
So the Big Ten, with the addition of both Rondelle Moore and Rashad Bateman getting better at receiver. This is good news, This.
Is great news. I love Rondelle Moore, We do love ronde I mean he's tipped these he's tipped his hand at this point that he's going through after the year. But that's okay, it's fine. Come on back, baby.
I think we mentioned the Notre Dame Wake Forest cancelation, but since then, also it's been Tulsa, Arkansas State, South Florida FAU, and North Texas. Houston. Houston just the worst low in terms of scheduling. It's toss season. They tried to to to set something up real quick with Baylor and that fell through, and now Houston North Texas has fallen through on and it's because of situations at North Texas, not anything to do with Houston positive tests as far
as I have seen. So it's it's a really rough way because it seems like the players have done everything they've been asked to stay safe and adhere to all the protocols. So it looks like by my count, four games postponed, but still a number of them hopefully moving forward in healthy fun ways.
Should we get to our game this year, I'd love to UFO, baby, UFO. Let's do it.
Who what's what's this week's you time? This week Friday orbit.
Is ultraviolet Dan? Okay, okay, welcome on in to our ultraviolet Friday orbit. Would you like to hear why it is a ultra violet Friddy orbit? Dan? Of course, what do you know about UV light? Have you ever heard of UV? Ultraviolet light?
Yes? I know it comes from the sun.
No.
Correct, It's why I have to wear sun's screen. It can do damage to you. I know you can't see it even though it has the word violet. And it'd be really cool if you knew if it was an especially purple day. But I actually did a little bit of research because you can do space photography with ultraviolet light. Using ultraviolet light. The Swift Observatory, it's a satellite up in space taking pictures. Do you know where the Swift
Observatory satellite is? I mean the mission of the Swift Observatory satellite is run through.
I mean DeAndre Swift. No, I don't know.
It does have to me a vaguely college football connection the Pennsylvania State University.
Oh I should know this.
The Neil Garrels Swift Observatory shooting high res ultraviolet space photography galaxies far far away on film. I should have known that, but a last I did not know that. Shout out to gamma rays.
Sorry, Dan. Uv light makes up about ten percent of the radiation emitted from our sun. It is harmful to people. It can cause skin cancer or just a plane old fashioned sunburn. But but but but but but it is also beneficial because it causes the body to produce vitamin D, which is essential to life.
Yes, it is.
So, It's kind of like the ultimate double edged sword. And in our weird little world here of college football, it is sort of a metaphor for how we treat the sport, is it not? It? For sure?
Is ultraviolet light the cause and solution to all of skin's issues? Right?
So today, Dan, Yeah, today we are examining the fringe cases in the great sport of college football. We're looking at quarterbacks who could either kill your team or make it stronger on any given week.
I like this a lot.
Okay, all right, So when I kind of came up with this concept, the guy who came to mind first and foremost was Kenny Pickett. And I don't mean to pick on Pitt. I'm not trying to pick on anybody.
But pick on pit Kenny pick It, okay.
But Kenny Pickett, Canny Pickett, I think is a really good case for discussion here. Right Like we've seen him have three hundred yard games, we've also seen him decidedly not have three hundred yard games and almost look like he doesn't know what he's doing out there. There are other names on this list that maybe aren't quite as extreme, but everyone kind of falls into that fringe territory of which version of this quarterback are we going to get? This week?
We start with Kny pick How do you feel about Kenny Pickett? How do I feel about Kenny Pickett?
How do you feel about Kenny Pickett?
I don't think he has a ceiling as an upper half acc quarterback. And if Pitt isn't running the ball like they did two or three years ago, there is there is very little way to see a pit game that he is not doing basically as much damage as
he is doing good. And so I am I understand the double edged sword, because he's put up some pretty good statistical games, but I'm just it's hard for me to see him circling around, orbiting around to becoming not an issue, right Like, I don't think he is going to get to the point where he can just not throw interceptions and do well enough on third down and not be a reason Pit wins, just not be a
reason Pit loses. I don't think he has that ceiling, which is a bummer because because their defense has gotten to be really, really strong. I think I agree with that. So here's the deal with Picket so far this season. Pitts obviously to and no beat Austin p beat Syracuse. Going to get harder this week against Louisville.
For sure. Anny Picket both games basically seventy percent completion percentage. First game against Austin P they lit up Austin P fifty five nothing. He had like fourteen yards per attempt. But after that against Syracuse. I know Syracuse is making some upgrades on defense. I don't know if they've all taken yet, but only six yards per attempt. If you go back and look at what Pickett did last year, there are plenty of games in there six yards or
fewer per attempt. Yeah, we do have instances where that was not the case. We have an instance against Penn State in particular, where he threw for three hundred and seventy two yards and was well over seven per attempt.
Amazing.
It's a but which Kenny Pickett are we going to get this year? The remainder of the way. Are we going to get the Kenny Pickett that through for three hundred yards not once, not twice, not thrice, but five times last season? Or are we going to get the Kenny Pickett that through for one hundred and forty six yards against Miami Florida last year? Which Kenny Pickett are we going to get the rest of the way?
I mean, it's going to be somewhere in between. I don't have their exact schedule in front of me, but I you watch him play football, and I imagine Pitt fans know this all too well. Even after a really impressive play from him, you're going to get two or three throwing off of his back foot, stepping into the wrong lane or wrong pocket area. There's just an awareness issue with Kenny Pickett that if he hasn't overcome it by now hope to be wrong. It seems like he
just sort of is what he is. So he might give you a couple of glimpses, but for every one of those, you know, three hundred and twenty three, three forty four. There's going to be another couple duds. That's who he is to me.
Couple duds.
All right.
I mentioned Penn State. Let's let's stay in the great state of Pennsylvania.
He threw the ball fifty one times, by the way against Penn State to get to three hundred and seventy two. So correct. Yeah, sorry about Sean Clifford. Okay, I have better things to say about Shan Clifford.
Sean Clifford twenty three touchdown passes a year ago to only seven interceptions. He was also fairly mobile on the ground, ran for four hundred yards on the year five rushing touchdowns. I think that's an element of his game that Kirk Sharaka is going to look to try and get more out of.
We've probably said Kirk Sharaka's name more than any other non Penn State podcast this offseason. Probably. Yeah.
I was on YouTube looking up pronunciations of that name. That's my go to for Of course, I felt like Sean Clifford got worse. I know he was nicked up. I never got the impression that in his twenty nineteen campaign he was necessarily getting better, and.
You were never really a fan of the Ricky Ronnie offense to begin with, and so when he's beat up running an offense that you weren't a fan of as somebody who paid close attention to this offense, it doesn't feel like a great cocktail.
Yeah, it felt like an album that had no continuity from track to track. Okay, Yeah, there were predictable qualities to that Ricky Ronnie album, but there just didn't feel like there was continuity, like it was going somewhere, like it was trying to tell a story. And I do think Clifford was a bit of a victim there and that if he did not show improvement from the start to the finish, play calling had a lot to do
with it. But we obviously haven't seen what his twenty twenty campaign looks like yet because they have a few weeks before they actually start playing. So I guess all we have to go in is one year. Damn. What was your reaction to what we saw in year one under Clifford?
I went back and watched the Minnesota game because that felt like there was a good mix of the good and bad. Accuracy issues for sure, downfield. He let a lot of balls hang like his deeper ball even his longer intermediate passes left a lot to be desired in terms of arm strength and touch. But I came away impressed with, you know, his ability to extend to play.
I guess it's that indescribable moxie, the word that you love so much, Like I felt like Sean Clifford had a good amount of that with his ability to run
and extend plays. I came away saying, Okay, if Penn State's running an offense where they're not depending on him to rifle balls downfield to tight creases, now they probably will against teams like I don't know, Michigan and Ohio State during his time at Penn State, But if they're not on that as part of the offense, if they're able to run the ball more and he has more wide open receivers because of play action and Journey Brown running well and Pat fryarn me with being able to
go up and get balls, that to me becomes really interesting. If that's what Kirk Sharaka's offense looks like at Penn State, that it's more custom made for what Sean Clifford can and can't do because if it looks like if the offense looks like what Joe moorehead was running with Trace McSorley, where they were really bombing downfield a ton and Trace McSorley with time was completing a lot of those passes. I don't think Sean Clifford's set up to succeed at
Penn State. But if it's quick hitting, if it's slants, if it screens, if it's wide open play action, I think he should take a nice step forward given his ability to run and with what I think it will be a better offensive coordinator situation. Is that is any of that out of bounds?
No, it is a better offensive coordinator situation. I hate to say it, but by default it's better.
Do they have a problem out wide? Though they who is wide? It's who's the problem out wide? I don't know that's that's okay? Sorry, sorry, let me let me rephrase. Do they have a problem in a good way? Do they have a guy who will be a problem to other Big ten defenses without you know, obviously kJ Hammler's gone right, like, is there that go to dude? Out wide? Friar youth looks to be promising up the middle, but is there somebody's like, oh, safety's gonna have to keep an eye on him.
Look, I heard the question. The answer is still I don't know. I don't know. That's that's I think one of the great unknowns about the twenty twenty campaign. Ken Johan Dotson, step up right, he's a name people know.
I don't know.
Yeah, he hasn't yet, he said flashes. I don't know.
I honestly, just In Shorter did not work out and he transferred.
I honestly don't know. So I could list names off, but the truth of the matter is I don't I don't know. I don't know if any of those guys are going to rise to that level to really be the go to.
So no, no, I think it is part of it.
None of what you said is out of bounds, and I think that's a that's a big part of it. He did have a little bit of that Ian book quality to him, in that he was gritty and tough and he could run if he had to, but also wet marker type yeah, but also stared a little bit too much at the defenders coming at him and got some happy feet and a little bit of deer in headlights from time to time.
Yeah, he the Iowa game was rough, and I don't know when exactly he got dinged up, but his numbers fell off a cliff really into October, like it didn't happen all that late into the year. It was. The Purdue game was probably his last good one. I mean, he did a decent enough job bringing Penn State back against Minnesota, but you know, had backbreaking interceptions. Penn State wins that game if not for the turnover.
Not for the turnovers, No, for sure, let's go to your boy, Max Duggin. I know you. We can't go a day on the Soliverble Slack channel without you talking about Max doug In. This Max back eligible.
I'm not eligible, but back, healthy cleared.
Back healthy cleared. We're grateful for that. I am looking forward to seeing his twenty twenty campaign get underway whenever that is. Don't know if it's going to be this weekend. But you're a huge Max dug and fan, Dan, aren't you.
I like his arm strength more than Clifford's. I think his top end speed is higher than Clifford's as well. I worry about a little bit about receivers in the offense at TCU after taking the step back that it took. It was rough, It like full on difficult to watch last year. And I know people were pointing to his dual threat ability in the yards he was able to pick up on the ground, but there was in watching
Max Duggan. I watched a quarterback who probably should have red shirted, who probably should have taken time to get mental reps because the mistakes that he made seemed to be you know, communications, breakdowns with receivers, not understanding his reads and who to read, and you know, it was it was a happy feed situation. And I know he was thrust into that starting role. I'm sure he was the best option. You know, TCU has had transfer issues and injury issues, so that was probably the best move
and he was a playmaker. So I'm I'm encouraged that he can be someone who develops with those mental reps into a top half of the Big twelve quarterback. But TCU ceiling if he doesn't take a noticeable jump this year. It's hard to imagine that they can just be led by you know, running the ball and defense and him
not turning the ball over. They're going to need a plus year for Max Duggan to have any chance of taking a step forward, or else they're going to waste what looks to be another pretty good defense.
Yeah, I think that's I think that's accurate. I would point to some of the efficiency numbers though, that we saw last year, and they just they weren't efficient through the air at all. No, as a whole. I remember doing the TCU preview year ago expecting more out of the ground game. Then ultimately they ended up getting it. I mean, they were fine on the ground. I'm not implying they were a terrible rushing team or anything like that,
but I expected more. We didn't get it, And I think you're right to say that there was definitely a he should have red shirted quality to what we saw a year ago. That said, I think the potential jumps off the page at you. Yeah, you can look at the numbers and they tell you one story, but if you watch him out there, there's a moxie that I like.
No, there's an element, especially with the way he runs the ball, that if they can better tailor the offense to his dual threat ability, it should open things up. In the past game, I don't know if it's more zone read stuff. I don't know if it's more rollout stuff, quick read or go kind of things for him. But down Max Duggan, and this was it was an offensive issue at every level, but down Max Duggan brought t
Seed down. He was the reason. I mean, every quarterback is if an offense has a down game basically, but it was another like it. It was kind of Kenny pickettish to me that it becomes very tough TV to watch and I am desperate to watch football. And what TCU's offense looked like at times against the better teams on their schedule, it was just bad TV.
Speaking of bad TV, let's talk about Jared Guarantano.
Okay, well this, I mean there's a very stark contrast here.
I'm ready, Yeah, I don't feel like Guarantanno has gotten any better, and he has I don't know. There is a definitive Boomer bust quality to Guarantano, and the extremes are are pretty polarizing. We've got games where last year he threw for over four hundred against Missouri. We've got other games that have been far from four hundred, and he's gotten hurt where do we stand on Guarantano? Is
he getting better? How do you feel about him? Within the framework of the twenty twenty Tennessee campaign.
So quarterback was sort of up in the air for Tennessee. They rotated, they started Brian Moore or whatever, and it sort of I think, can shake a quarterback's confidence. Physically good, Jarrett Guarantano is crazy impressive now. The bottom of the SEC is where he made a lot of his hay last year, and so he was pretty bad in extended time against the best teams on Tennessee schedule. Now their schedule should be better this year in terms of the
hit after hit after hit. But it's just the way he was not able to come out of the gates last year was definitely a knock against him. He was, I guess okay against Georgia State and not that great against BYU, and then things just got worse over the first half of that season. But he did, to me regain some confidence at least against the lower part of
the conference. Now, Tennessee has designs of being and I think rightfully so competitive against the class of the conference, and so for jareded Garantano to be a part of that improvement. It's I mean, it's basically all going to be on his consistency and accuracy. And he's had a number of different offensive coordinators. He has now year two
with Jim Cheney seems like he's irrefutably the dude. And so now going into this year, it's the winnable games that he has to perform much much better, and so last year that was Georgia State and BYU. Of course. Beyond that, though, when he had extended periods of time last year, especially that second half, he looked more confident. He was stepping into his throes, he was extending plays with his feet, he was spreading the ball out nicely.
So I think his upside is still fine. What he has around him is it seems like it's more impressive than it ever has been, even losing a couple of big pass catchers. So I'm cautiously optimistic that his slope is moving, maybe not sharply, but upward. And so he was confident going downfields in November. I think it'll carry over somewhat given the continuity just with the coaching staff, and I saw Jeremy Proul got an extension as well.
I don't know that's not going to affect him, but the continuity to me seems like a big deal.
Yeah. I you know, here's a thing. It's been a work in progress at Tennessee for a long time. This is not lost on Tennessee fans anywhere. It's been a work in progress. I think they've got the guy now with Jeremy Pruett. The way the team played, especially on defense, I keep coming back to this. Down the stretch last year was really telling about where this team is at and that they've bought into his system. The offense should
be a lot better this year. I've locked Tennessee up by the way Week one on the road South Carolina at night minus three. I don't like locking up road teams, but I think this core that is coming back on both sides of the football for the balls is really exciting and if you're a Valls fan, you should feel good about it. The running game I think should improve. It has to improve. It's going to be year two
under offensive consultant Jim Cheney. If Guaran Tano can get a little bit more of a support net, he probably wouldn't have to do as much in order to improve. That is what I am counting on. So I don't know if from a skills standpoint, we've seen anything that makes me feel all that excited about his ability to get better. But I think if the system improves, it's got like a rising tide lifting all boats quality to it, and his numbers will improve and Tennessee will improve.
Two, if Tennessee is to have a definitively improved season given the tennisans from last year, they have to win their first two games. That's mandatory. They have to win on the road in Columbia, and they have to beat Missou with the first year head coach in Knoxville. On the back half of their schedule, which is I mean the three other four final games, it's hosting Texas A
and M, Auburn on the road, Florida at home. So if they're able to start to and zero, it's that A and M game at home that I have circled like this is the referendum on Tennessee progress. Texas A and M at home coming out week after Fayetteville and Arkansas on the road. If they're able to beat Texas A and M in Knoxville, there is your proof of concept of not just Jarrick Garantano, but Tennessee as.
A whole, let's stay with A and M. Then you mentioned ABM. Kellen Mond is an interesting case here. We talked about him last year, at least I did in the context of first off, the schedule was brutal nine did not do them any favors, but it was always a situation where they were going to go as far as Kellen Mond could take him, and ultimately they ended up going what eight and five throughout the course of the year wonon the bowl game. Seven and five, I think,
again a byproduct of the schedule. Good enough team, top twenty ish team.
How do you feel about Kellamond?
I like him, and I think unhealthily so okay, I think I'm way too high on Kellen Mond than perhaps I should be. You do have these yippie moments where he makes a really bad throw, but then at the same time he is very indicative of this game, right, Like, there are qualities to Kellen Mond that you look at him, you see him out there running around, you see him scoreing eight touchdowns, you see him making a big time throw. It's like, and this kid's got a lot of promise.
Mm hmm.
You can't say that though without at least acknowledging the downside, like there's plenty of that too.
I totally agree. I rewatched all of his throws from the Georgia game because I specifically wanted to look at for any of these guys games in which they sort of were their most average self, and had they been better, they probably would have given their team a better chance to win. Now, that was a close game, that Georgia game. That was a questionably officiated game, to say the very least. But I came away from that game and just from
the general Kellen monding, general Kellen Mond experience. Excuse me, always returning to the phrase where was this Kellen Mond earlier?
Yeah?
Where is this Kellenmond against this team? Where was this Kellen Mond against that team? Where was this Kelen moond in the first quarter, the second quarter? Because against that Georgia defense, mind you, maybe the best pass defense in the country, incredible pasty defense. He was stepping into his own offensive line after holding the ball too long early
on in that game. He was missing open slants, missing open hitches, makeable throws, throws that would have taken Texas A and M from second to ten, to third and three or to a first down, and then he's he's making those throws in the fourth quarter. And mind you, they didn't get into the end zone the first three quarters of that game, but he was when there was an urgency to the game. He became a gamer. I just need to see four straight quarters of that Kellen Mond.
He sales a lot of balls. He takes a little bit too long in the pocket sometimes, but the best of Kellen Mond, both as a runner and as a thrower, is pretty intriguing. It doesn't seem like Jimbo and that staff fully trust him to go downfield a ton, which is fine, play within your ability and if you're constrained by your system, just played to the best of that system. Whatever. But now without potentially his number one receiver, I don't know how much both he is going to be trusted,
the receivers are going to be trusted. I know there's in some intriguing speed in college station, but I'm fascinated to see with and I have texts, say and M schedule in front of me. Three fascinating games after their opener against Vanderbilt on the road against Alabama, Florida and Mississippi State Florida at home in week three? Is that Kellen Moond referendum a good defense not the absolute best
in the SEC? At home with some time after playing Vanderbilt and Alabama to get a sense of what your offense is and isn't. That is the referendum on the Kellen Moond evolution. Because as a human, he's been crazy impressive. Specific moments, specific plays, specific games, he's been impressive. Now it's time to just this is. He's in grad school. Now it's time to get that masters.
No, I think that all tracks Dan, Okay, I was intrigued by my mind last year. I have been the whole time, but I am especially so this year.
I really am.
I think grad school is probably a good way to put it.
Yeah, it's time to secure the masters.
Let's go to bo Nix bo Nicks. Okay it is. Do I have an argument with bow Nicks because I sort of made it last year?
Okay?
Do I have an argument that the final stat line for him does not fully tell the story?
Yeah? In some ways?
Okay, continue because I feel like at the very beginning of the season, so last year, if we turn the page, beat Oregon in his first game. It was a game Oregon could have won. Yeah, I remember, well beat Oregon by what a touchdown? Twenty seven twenty one.
Here we go.
He had moments in that game where he looked wise beyond his years. He was a true freshman starting. He's a legacy, you know. There was a lot of steam on bow Knicks coming in. Numbers weren't great, but had some moments in that game where it was like, Okay, this is a kid who's a gamer, and I think
that much is is true the full way through. What I would say though, is that those moments sort of waned right, Like there were moments against Alabama that were really exciting, and there were moments against Georgia that made you feel good, but there were like three interceptions against Florida that didn't make you feel so high.
I was a rough watch. That was a rough watch of a game, yep.
And there were the kind of those downer moments along the way as well, where it was never fully apparent whether these were freshmen type things or whether this was a bow Knix type of thing. We will find out more this coming weekend. I saw him big Boy Yet's Jeff took Kentucky outright he did, because part of what bo Nicks has working against him this year is that he's got an entirely new offensive line and also an entirely new offense coordinator to some extent that he has
to tran Lern. So I don't know if we get the answer to that in twenty twenty, but Bonnicks, to me, it's we're at least within the context of this game, we are dealing with that question of how much of this was just him being a freshman versus how much of this is something that we expect to continue now into twenty twenty. Well, there are very few true freshmen who are ready to play quarterback at a high level from day one in a major conference. Let's get out
of that out of the way. That this is not his struggles last year are not fully on him. Like you can name the guys who have come in to a huge program with a stacked schedule like Auburn had last year and we're above average, that's a just a near impossibility. So with that out of the way, there was a timidity. He was timid going downfield somewhat after some lack of success overthrowing dudes. He has a terrific arm like. Physically, bon Nix is in a fantastic space.
The architecture of last year's offense was pretty questionable, in terms of play calling, in terms of injuries, in terms of shuffling, what kinds of throws he was trusted to make week in week out. At his worst, he looked like he was in way over his head, and at his best he looked like he was way in. He was in way over his head. But when it counted, he was able to come through. And that happened against Oregon.
That happened against Alabama after kind of lackluster performances. So I guess win your personal clunkers, which bon Nicks did. So I'm encouraged by his ceiling. I'm encouraged by some of the skill talent, especially at receiver around him, but the shuffling that's happening literally in front of him along his line. And now with a new offensive coordinator and hopefully it's it'll be a more of a quick hit
offense like what Chad Morris did at Clemson. So that gets him into a rhythm and gets the ball out of his hand quickly, so he doesn't need to sit in a pocket and make longer reads and go downfield as the entirety of the Auburn offense. But I am hopeful with a new offense that Bnicks is going to look more comfortable, not just because he's older, but because we have a sense and I'm sure obviously the coaches have a sense of what he can and can't do comfortably.
His twenty nineteen campaign was an omelet cooked in an uneven cast iron pan.
I like this new omelet tie. I like this.
Some spots the bottom was browned. Other spots it was still running, not cook the full way through. Just in speak, and he was not in a losing effort quarterback. He did not leave it all out on the field. He did not play his best and just get out gunned by somebody. He was the reason Auburn lost games or almost lost games. And so that that is, that is something that.
Needs to flip this year. That he is just a bystander in a bad Auburn performance, not the one at the front of the parade.
No more hoobastink, no more reason, thank you, we got time for one more Dan. You get to pick Okay, so you can choose from the following. You can choose Desmond Ritter. You can choose Spencer Sanders, Ryan Halensky, Jack Cone, Tyler Shuck who we we just don't know anything about. That's that was the one wildcard I put in because he's a duck. James Blackman who, I mean, any of those guys stand out to you? Blackman does. But I feel like I'm already on record.
I'm tapped out.
Yeah, I've seen enough on James Blackman and Spencer Sanders is hurt. He had a freshman campaign that look, I think going into the year made it pretty apparent that a lot of the season was gonna hinde you what he could do. And I haven't seen what the deal is with his walking boot.
But you want to talk about King Cone. I have some thoughts on Jack Cone. All right, Well, I think he's pretty good. Give me your King Cone thoughts, go ahead. I don't think he's ever going to be the reason Wisconsin beats Ohio State. And if Paul christ is okay with that, continue along. He had a program changing running back behind him and next to him, and that's you know, in a program that's had a ton of them. So that running back and Jonathan Taylor tailback is gone. The
offensive line should again be good. There's experience there. Wisconsin's never going to try to win downfield a ton and Jack Cone completes a lot of his passes, and he is seldom the reason they actually lose a game. Usually they lose because of flukey reasons, or a team is just more talented and just out wills them and outguns them for four quarters. That's I mean, that's that's the mark of a truly really strong program that Wisconsin clearly is.
It's a balance, it's a complete program. I am going to be curious this year because he has a blue chip next great QB at Wisconsin behind him on the depth chart in Graham Mertz. That's Mertz, not arts. I am curious to see if if they feel like what they have outside of Jack Cone is good enough to challenge for the conference title. They return. They've got a lot upfront on defense, back, the secondary is in really nice shape. They lose a couple of big time receivers,
led by what Quintes Cephis. They lose the biggest name in the program and Jonathan Taylor tailback. But if they feel like they're coming together nicely, I'm curious to see how much run Graham Mertz gets if they believe he is that next step quarterback. That to me is fascinating.
We've seen it happened before. We've seen it happen before where we know what with Kelly Bryant, say at Clemson, Where's like Trevor Lawrence is getting us above Alabama and Kelly Bryan has taken us far, but we have somebody special ready to take us to another level. I'm curious to see how much action Grammartz gets if they feel like that's who he is. No, I think that's fair.
And I think I sold Jack Cone short last year because in the bit that we had seen him in the twenty eighteen campaign, I was very underwhelmed.
But yeah, that's first year guy.
Yeah, first year guy. He did improve last season for sure, and so that's on me for maybe not giving him his due. But I do think there is a glass ceiling quality to what he can provide.
He was awesome against Minnesota last year on the road in a decisive victory. No, I mean he has I think a little bit of that in him. I don't know if we've fully gotten to his full potential, but it will be interesting to watch with Graham Burts the Salies. Yeah, I mean, he's just it's just that level thing. It's a pretty good ceiling. But what does Wisconsin have designs of He struggled against Oregon and certainly against Ohio State twice. So yeah, I think we know who Jack Cone is.
It's a matter of how much is the rest of the team around him. You know, what does the running back position look like? With the giant vacuum that JTT left behind. That to me is fascinating because there are pieces, There are pieces in a short season, weird things happening. Maybe this is the year where the Jack Cone Jamie Moyer paint in the corners things works. But I don't know, still seems like he has a definitive ceiling. I think I'm with you.
And what's interesting I think about that Wisconsin offense is it is so fundamental to having a good running game.
Yeah, it's a good offense for a quarterback. You're just because of play action, because of the focus on the running game, they're going to be open passing lanes.
That offense is always loaded in terms of the ground attack. And we've seen a few instances over the years, and I guess the Russell Wilson instance would probably be the most telling. But Russ had like thirty three touchdowns in that offense, was a Heisman contender obviously, Yeah, different iteration, right, and now at a top flight NFL quarterback, right, Like, these guys don't grow on trees. But my only what is he might be the MVP?
Right? Is that a thing that I've I've heard so far He's had an incredibly ear Okay, but my only point is if you put a really good quarterback who can throw and can do all the things that Russ did in a system like that, you're right.
It's a great program, great program for a quarterback. Don't know if Coen has all of those tools in the arsenal, but you can get a little bit better. It makes that team really really stout, and.
It's one that I don't think gets enough credit for taking some steps forward to evolve. They're not just lining up a full back and a tailback in the eye and just slamming in for four or five yards. It does feel like that sometimes. If it does, they've gotten
more creative. They've dallied with they've had alliances with the RPO, with the spread, they they have gotten more creative over the years, but they have just developed, I mean in impressive way, that reputation for power football and developing offensive lineman, that smash mouth element. But I do think that they've evolved impressively because it's Evolver Die tie and they just keep ending up in Big Ten championship games. So they're
doing something right. And so I'm just curious to see if if Paul christ if whoever has the cajones, if push comes to shove to say, this guy actually gives us the best ceiling chance.
All right, Well, fun topic right in again, Solid verbal at gmail dot com. Let us know your thoughts on these quarterbacks and others. Maybe that we left off the list on our ultraviolet Friday orbit, Dan, we.
Got to get you to that observatory or the Penn State whoever is controlling the satellite telescope stuff. That's the field trip we need. I need to know if there's a joystick involved. Well, first we got to get to Hawaii, we do. First, we got to get to the man Laya observatory up there. What was that the kek kek? And then we can we can make our move to State College and see.
Don't you feel like you should be into the Keck Observatory though, like start smaller at Penn State.
I guess, but we shouted out Keck first, so I think they deserve priority.
We don't want a Max dug In situation where we step up to the big leagues before we're ready.
That's true. Okay, so we'll get you on that joystick at in State College.
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We're gonna hang up now and do a video Dan the Yeah, we're gonna do our Brune Brune crack, open a couple of beers, some bruskis. I'm ready. I am ready answer some questions in the meantime, if you're looking for something else, if you're walking your dog, if you're doing some dishes. Big Boy Bets dot Show, the weekly college football wagering and betting show I do with Jeff Schwartz former offensive lineman. You've heard them on Serious, read
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This week, I believe now talking about bathroom emergencies at thirty thousand feet correct.
That is correct. And bless any flight attendant trying to stand in his way when he's not supposed to be standing up and in the aisle because he has an emergency. Bless him for.
That guy over there, my good friend Dan Rubinstein, from myself, Ty hilden Brandt, enjoy the week of games. Call in four weaight verbal one four eight eight, three seven two five to one. I'd love to hear you reverbs. Love to make you part of our show in the meantime. We will catch you all on Sunday and meantimes.
Stay solid, peace,