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It Just Means More | How will the SEC Stack Up This Season · Run After Cast: The College Football Podcast

• Aaron: Welcome back to Run After Cast, the college football podcast. I'm Aaron. And I would say as usual, but today I'm only joined by my SEC buddy, Brian. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Aaron: Our big 10 part of the podcast Chandler is out on vacation and we fully plan to take advantage of that opportunity he's given us here. So this week we are here to talk about the SEC. No big 10 limits on this. All SEC, all episode. But before we do get to spend our time in the Southeast, we got to check in with the Raction News desk. as a few things happened this week. Ryan: Yeah, we gotta go pieces of news, you know. My other anchor just ditched me, so had to come up with some stuff. ⁓ the first one I'll get out of the way. This isn't a huge thing, but it's just interesting because Chaz Coleman was a transfer from Penn State to Tennessee, just got cut. And it's just an interesting story because you think of all these guys that are getting big money and going to all these schools, and the only way they don't really pan out or play is if something like Aaron: Hahaha Ryan: ⁓ Brennan Sorsby happens, you know, where he gets ineligible because he sports bets. But in Chess Coleman's case, I guess he just didn't show up for anything, ⁓ in Tennessee. Jim Knowles really liked him because he was the defensive coordinator at Penn State, and he saw something in him because he had a limited number of snaps, but every time he was in there, he was doing great things, getting the backfield, getting fumbles, you know. So he got three and a half million and he didn't play. Aaron: which is a lot of resources. Ryan: And it's a lot of money. And you always think, you know, you see guys in like the MLB, you know, they're getting tons of money. They're gonna play no matter what. You're getting paid two million dollars, you're playing. Doesn't matter if you're hitting 150. So it's weird to see them cut him. But it's more weird that they medically retired him just because they wanted to get rid of him, because I guess he had some problems. They said that he had like some concussions and that may have led to something more ⁓ severe like vertigo. But they never really said anything and then all of a sudden, you know, he's medically retired and the same day he's online money spreading. So it's like in these scenarios, do you still get the money or what's going on, you know? Aaron: Yes. I can only imagine that there's so much. we'll say back room money. ⁓ We'll say there's so much legalese in these NIL contracts that we won't be able to really understand the fine details of as outsiders. But I can assume there are some like minimum guarantees, things like that. I'm sure he's not getting full value of the contract, seeing how he has not played for them. But I bet there's some kind of either buyout opportunity or a conditional guarantee. But it does feel like Hennessey kind of pulled what they had to here. Because medically retired does sound like that can be applied to any player in college football at any point where they're just like, yeah, there's a few too many bumps on the head there. And there could be more significant things, but. Ryan: Yeah, it seems like just an i ⁓ sorry. Yeah, and if it's not that signific even if it is, it almost feels like an excuse to like get rid of ⁓ But I feel like they they have to have some kind of implementation for the player ⁓ safety. 'Cause it's like a big thing that ⁓ these kids are moving across the entire country, risking their entire career just to go play for the school. That if you don't like them and don't wanna play ⁓ you know, you're the one who paid them to come over here. Aaron: Yeah. Ryan: and saw something and it was kind of their fault. Like they just had like poor recruiting kind of thing. So I think you should still get the money. Aaron: I think there's probably some of those things that's in the contract that it's like there are the conditionals but this one does sound like it's a bit of a backroom saga because we've gotten like limps of it over the last few days and for the last couple weeks where Tennessee's reporting like yeah we don't know what's going on with him he's not here to like we hope he's getting through whatever he's going through to you were separated from him And so it seems like something on the wild end of things is going on. Ryan: He must not wanna ⁓ get on the Derek Owing's ⁓ steroid protocol. Aaron: Maybe they weren't offering enough. Ryan: Yeah. All right, so ⁓ the other one, this is the more serious piece of news. They finally passed that five for five rule where now there's a f a strict five year window. It's kind of more of an age thing now. That you have five years from when you graduate high school and if you skip a year and don't start playing 'til you're nineteen, your clock starts on your nineteenth birthday. So The main thing this gets rid of is there's no waivers, especially the medical red shirts that these guys are playing for seven, eight years 'cause they get hurt for half the time and then play their four full seasons. And the only exceptions that I could find were pregnancy, which are weird because we only think about those football turns, but it applies to women's sports. Pregnancy. ⁓ religious missions, so we can call that the BYU clause, because a lot of them take a two year mission trip. Aaron: Yeah. Ryan: and active duty military service and they made sure to put in that it's only active military service if there was no organized competition occurring during this. So I don't know what kind of competition, but I guess if they're overseas playing football somewhere, clock starts. And ⁓ they're gonna implement this in the fall of twenty twenty seven. So next year's incoming freshman. And then the teams are gonna be able to choose the the current model like Aaron: Yeah. Ryan: Whether they want to implement the five E five that year or if it's like the old system where they could play four out of their five seasons with one red shirt. Aaron: Yeah, I believe it specifies in there, whichever is better, whatever grants the longest eligibility for the newer or existing players. So nobody's getting done in with this, which I do appreciate. But. It is. Yeah. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Yeah. The older people though, you know, I couldn't go enroll now and start at a at a program, you know, 'cause I'm too old. Aaron: Yeah. Yeah. And I, is something that like, I, I will say for a ruling for the NCAA to come out with something. This is very simple and clear spoken. Like this felt like they were sick of it and they came up with a very simple concept here. Five years, ⁓ know, if players that exist in the system right now, grandfathered in played by the old rules, people that will be affected by it get, ⁓ in that first year. get to pick whichever one gives them the highest amount. If it's going to be, if it's restraining them before they get to have five. And then for new players, it's after that five. It's like a paragraph and a half of explanation of the rules. And then another one with the three listed exemptions that you made or you mentioned, cause those are the only ones I saw as well. I really like this. I really think this doesn't feel like this benefits any big program. In particular over another, except maybe, maybe we could say BYU gets a little bit of the religious mission, but that should be held against a ⁓ potential student or anything like that. Same with military service or pregnancy. I think those are three good exceptions. think having an exception is important because there could be circumstances where a player does need to file a waiver. And if it is an outside extreme circumstance, they at least have a framework to evaluate off of. So I'm not opposed to that. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Aaron: But the fact that it's simple, clean language, I didn't need a law degree to understand what it's saying and how it's being implemented. I really enjoy it. I think that's a great set to start addressing some of these issues and not have, you know, 28 year old players running around on the field. But I did want to get your vibe on. What do we think people are going to react to this over the next few years? think we're going to see some pretty knee-jerk reactions from the fandom ⁓ after this starts to be implemented. Ryan: Well, first of all, I appreciate you liking my three exceptions that I accidentally count with I was just kidding. But ⁓ yeah, I I think it's pretty good. It's very clear cut, boxed, no exceptions. I love it. I mean, of course if you have an older player, the the fans aren't gonna be very happy. They're gonna keep around as long as they can. But most of the guys that it's more of like the middle, bottom tier guys who aren't as good who Aaron: Yeah. ⁓ Ryan: kind of float through for a few years and then play when they're like twenty four. But we've seen the things we've joked about the Will Anderson, you know, he's like huge and he's twenty six year old and we actually have people like Akeemazador on ⁓ Miami last year. It was kinda overlooked by Ruben Bay, but him and the him and Ruben Bay were like dual threat, defensive line and he's like twenty four years old, you know? And it kinda's getting rid of that. I kinda like it 'cause you know, your body matures when you're older. Aaron: Yeah. Ryan: So I I think it's a good rule. Aaron: Yeah. Now I do think in these first couple of years, we're going to see an NIL Wild West about it because now for players, mean, you got to be playing. You need to be ready in that position at 19. Like pre 19 to 19, that first year, no more red shirts sitting on the bench development. I do see the argument for having that because like, let's say you're a young 18 year old. Coming in, you're being transitioned from a high school to a collegiate level game. But I think you also need to be able to say if you're an incoming athlete, are you ready for the field? If you're not, you may need to sit behind a more experienced quarterback for a year. There's nothing wrong with that. But in the world with the NIL unlimited funds the way we have, we'll have more teams throwing out offers to coach quarterbacks that aren't necessarily playing first string in their first year. So I could see it being an issue, but I think if we address some of the unlimited transfer world that we're in, that will go a long way to correct that and get us back more to our developing young talent that sticks around with a team that we believe in style of college football that we all know and love. Ryan: Yeah, especially if we get to that rule that with the ⁓ the one free transfer, that would be really good 'cause they can just stay on there, develop. And I guess like it's not a big deal if they need a year to develop. You could just give ⁓ more game reps, you know? It's the same thing. You would have got four anyways. You're in college the same amount of time, so you can develop as a freshman. But even Auburn last year, we had a couple of weird things where we weren't trying to play certain guys too much 'cause we were worried about losing their redshirt. We trying to save ⁓ for the next year. So it's like you wanna worry about it. Aaron: Yeah. Ryan: Give ⁓ reps, you know, they'll just be better. Aaron: Yeah, yeah, or you're in that situation where you're up 23 points, 24 points, and you want to say like, OK, let's take out our starters. Let's put in some of the young guys. Let's get him some reps. And now it's not this balancing act of like, well, do we have a game later that we're to need them? Let's not put them in yet. I think you're right. Like having some of those red shirt barriers out of the way will be nice. Ryan: Yeah, you can just purposely put them in even if they're not as good, just to get reps. That'd be good. Aaron: Yep. Yep. or even to let first string breathe for a play. ⁓ So I see this as an upside. Ryan: Yeah yeah, I think it's good. I like the twenty three H cap too. I think that's good. Aaron: Yeah. Yeah, I think we do need, we've just seen so many crazy graduate ball level players coming through and transferring in for one year for a team, carrying them as far as they can go. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Yeah, 'cause like everyone on their brother was getting ⁓ getting medical redshirt years. And COVID we're still getting COVID years last year. That was like almost ten years ago at this point, you know? Aaron: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And now that we're through all that, now that that craziness is over, I'm glad that they're like, here's a hard rule. Here's a hard set. This is very easy to interpret and very hard to work around. So like I said, it would be something I'd be very against if they were like, this is the rules, except in cases where. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Aaron: the school set in the state of Ohio. And it's like that those kind of exceptions we see in previous rules where it's like, there's clearly something in here that benefits a heavy resourced team. Ryan: Yeah, but I don't like the loopholy system, so I think this is really good. 'Cause it Yeah, 'cause most organizations, you know, they're super strict on rule. That's their job. Is to make sure that everything's running good. So when you're purposely setting up a thing where anyone can can get another year or something, it's kinda scummy or something, you know. Aaron: No, no, I'm so happy with that. Yeah. Yeah, well, I also think this is the NCAA shoring themselves up. I think I believe last year's legal budget for them or legal expenses was like almost $700 million. And so I don't I don't remember where saw it. I saw it in a report I was reading, but ⁓ I can't faithfully credit it. But it is something that it's like this feels like how do we get away from that? ⁓ we don't have all these messy. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Aaron: vague rules, we have to have this clear cut to somebody can't sue us every time they're unhappy. Ryan: Yeah, and we keep making the Wild West jokes, but it's cause everything is just whenever NIL and transfer portal open, everything's just been so crazy. Like there was no rules, pretty much. So I think it's great. Aaron: Yeah. And I hope we get some more of this kind of rule writing for NIL, for transfers and for these adjustments that the NCAA is clearly attempting to make. Ryan: Yeah, they'll probably see how clean this is and just start doing it with everything. So yeah. Aaron: Yeah, yeah, they'll realize like, our budget on legal expenses has gone down $150 million this year. I wonder what the cause is. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Alright, well I think that's it for news. Aaron: Yeah, so overall, I mean, we could say not a super eventful week, but I do think an impactful week for news in the world of college football. Sure. We'll have more coming out as we keep closing in towards the season. So takes us in what me and Ryan have been dying to talk about, which is the SEC and this football season. Now we all know that the SEC just means more. But does it mean more playoff plots than we got last year? That was the big question I wanted to bring to you is last year we had four teams make the playoff from the sec. They lost really handily. I saw a lot of crash talk online, which deserved, ⁓ I'm not going to sit here and say our sec energy can sometimes be undeserved and, ⁓ maybe a little over abundant, but. Ryan: Yeah. Aaron: a lot of people saying, has the SEC fallen? Has the SEC gotten to the point where they are down, back on earth? Ryan: think so. ⁓ I think we're still at the top, obviously. ⁓ people make the argument that like peak for peak, we go with Big Ten because they have Ohio State. They have Oregon, who, you know, I'm not a big fan of, don't think they're ever actually that good. Always preseason hype. But I think we're kind of shooting ourselves in the foot doing this nine SEC game thing because all of our records look worse. I think you throw teams like Texas in there last year that they would have done pretty good, even though they're a couple spots out. Aaron: You Ryan: Where, you know, most of the time I know we had four teams in there, but we were kind of knocking ourselves out. Alabama knocked Oklahoma out. ⁓ Texas Tech was or not Texas Texas AM a little overhyped. That was the worst game I've ever seen when they played Miami. Aaron: Now, I, yes, but it still was only 10-3. And so like, I think when we saw the game, it felt bad. But then if we think about, you know, Miami then putting 24 points on Ohio State, a close game with Ole Miss, and then a close game with Indiana. Like I think A ⁓ was a lot more competitive than people gave them credit for. It just looked sloppy. It looked bad. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. I think the whole game looked bad. Cause you look at Miami. They are like a super short yardage run five yard out routes, run screens to Malachi Tony, run the ball up the middle with Mark Fletcher. ⁓ Carson Beck's not throwing the ball downfield. ⁓ he can't do it anyway. But then Texas AM, their offense struggled a lot. Then yeah, they held him to only ten points, which is pretty good. But other than them, it's like, yeah, Alabama knocked Oklahoma out. Ole Miss knocked Georgia out. Aaron: Old Miss, not Georgia, yeah. Ryan: Yeah, it's stuff like that. We're knocking ourselves out 'cause we're a competitive a competitive conference. But I think most of the top half teams are super competitive in the playoffs. Aaron: Well, and I think it's something that, yeah, we, we had it rough against the losses. And I really think people kind of pointed to Alabama in that three to 31, but Indiana, that was also before we were watching Indiana all the way at the end, Alabama may have not been there and ready. Uh, but people are still, people were rally behind Texas tech who, you know, hadn't even worse showing against Oregon. But it is something that I think just seeing Alabama fall so hard is shocking to people. I just don't think a lot of people are ready to see that happen to Alabama. Ryan: Yeah, I mean Alabama's definitely taken a a fall the last few years. But they're like not that good. They seem very sputtery to me. Where last year they had a ton of potential and they had a pretty high upside. Like you go in the Oklahoma game and you're seventeen nothing. They just turn it on all of a sudden. But even in like the Auburn Alabama game, they had like no yardages. Like Kai Simpson threw for a hundred yards. They didn't really run the ball very well. We doubled their production even though they beat us. And we're pretty terrible. We went five and seven. So teams like that. They lose twenty eight to th ⁓ three or twenty eight to seven against Georgia. Aaron: Yeah. Uh, 38 to, oh, yeah. I'm sorry. Yeah. Um, go. Ryan: ⁓ yeah, yeah. Yeah. But then I also don't think we really realized how good Indiana was until then. We kept asking, Are they legit? until that game. They're like, Yeah, they're pretty good, you know. The Alabama was sputtery. Aaron: I mean, I'll even, I'll even, you know, self admit here that I kept going like once Indiana really gets put to the Coles, we're going to see them. And then it like, I kept saying it every week. Like they just really haven't been challenged yet. And then we got there and I was like, I think it was in that kind of second quarterfinals that I was like, oh, they are really playing like this is good football. And I just mentally wasn't ready to accept it from Indiana. Ryan: Yeah, 'cause I even did that too. I kept being like, they didn't really play anybody. They didn't have to play Ohio State this year, you know, and then they played Ohio State, and my whole thought was, wow, Ohio State looked terrible. But then I realized that Indiana's just super disciplined, which absolutely dominated Alabama. So, yeah. But I think this is a s ⁓ sorry. ⁓ But I think this is a super hot take. ⁓ that I don't think the Big Ten schools are actually that good. Aaron: Do it. ⁓ go, no, Ryan: I think they play two or three games a year. So they're all either nine and three. The top ones are all either nine and three or ten and two, automatically making the playoffs. And then we have to win like every single game. You can't play week in, week out, the Georgia, Texas, Ole Miss, and everyone be ten wins. Someone is gonna lose to three game. Most of them are gonna lose three games. You'll have one or two, you know. Alabama shouldn't have been in last year though. So it's weird. We're showcasing like weird circumstances here in the playoffs. Aaron: Yeah. And I will say like, think when we broke down some of the schedules of the big 10, like Ohio state's playing a real schedule, like that, that felt like, you know, if they make the playoffs, they've earned it. We do believe that they will earn it they'll get there. But we do look at something like Oregon schedule and then felt like there's not a lot of resistance for them. But then bringing up like we could say if we took the weakest schedule, the weakest schedule, I believe in the sec. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Aaron: might be LSUs this year. ⁓ I would say there's a debate point. People could say we could push maybe what we think is the absolute weakest, but I would say it would still contend with LSU. And that still has a good five or 16 stretch in it that it's like, those are going to be challenges. Like there's chances in that that it's going to be difficult. And they're just lucky they pulled four. DC teams as opponents as options for this. So is that a path that LSU can make the playoff? Sure. They're going to play. Well, Kevin's going to have to everything in place. We kind of we broke that down under the wind total breakdowns. But. Everyone else, think in the SEC is fighting a very difficult schedule to get playoff, like to be something where 10 and twos can be very impressive. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Aaron: for me to see an SEC team walk out with. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Yeah, and they like don't want to put ten win teams in the playout. They're putting you in the back half spots, you know. There's only a few of ⁓ But yeah, you're playing three peak games, and then if you sleep for a week, a lower tier team will still just take you down, you know, if you you're not ready. So I think it's hard. But I also not trying to just destroy all the other conferences, you know. It's like why don't we have to play six conference games? So what's what's the deal? Aaron: I do. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And why we've talked about it. Like you can't have every conference balanced completely by skill rating and everything. But man, some people have it easier this year. ⁓ We've talked about ACC as a whole. There is some chances for shakeup in the ACC, but Miami should have a pretty. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Aaron: Okay, back, there we go. Mark that. No, no, no, that, no, thank you, let me know, because my interface turned off because I have been recording since over 12. Oh no, it's fine. So where was I? Ryan: Okay, sorry. Yeah, I didn't know if that was on my end. Okay, yeah, yeah. I'm so sorry. It w it was just that last piece when you start talking again. Aaron: Yay. I forgot. I forgot what I said. ⁓ was talking about. ⁓ Did you hear me mention, was this after I mentioned that like Texas Tech being, didn't really see anything or ACC up in the air? Ryan: Yep, you started a you started saying ACC and then you said Miami would take it. Aaron: Okay. But do think if we take SEC as a comparison point this year, I do think we're just absolutely up in the air of who's going to come out on top. I truly don't know this year. Ryan: Yeah, ⁓ the ACC thing, like Miami's definitely at the top, but the rest of AC's like pretty terrible. They haven't been good for a while. Clemson's been terrible. FSU's been terrible. Didn't Duke win the ACC last year? Or something? They mean Virginia or the tech ⁓ the ⁓ ACC championship. It's just crazy over there. I don't know what's going on with them. But I think we're definitely top to bottom, like significantly better than everyone else. Aaron: you I'd say as a whole, without anybody here to stop us, think if you take every team in the SEC and then give them a skill rating, think that that would on average be higher than other conferences right now. And that's including Mississippi state right now. I'm going to go ahead and throw that out that it's rough for us. ⁓ but as some of the bottom, I, I, know today when I was looking at the overall odds for who could take the championship, there's multiple group of six teams. Ryan: But yeah, they Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, of course. Aaron: that are higher odds to win the whole thing than Mississippi State this year. So hard to hear, but I just think even in that position, we still see a consistently strong conference right now. Ryan: Yeah, and I know I'm super biased, but I kind of agree with it. But what did you say before that? I'm so sorry. I got sidetracked. Aaron: No, no, no, I know. I said the SEC being wide open for who takes it. Ryan: ⁓ yeah. The the SEC's weird because we got Oklahoma and Texas a couple years ago, and Texas has kind of made themselves a top spot. And I know Oklahoma went to the playoffs, but even last year I didn't think they were very good. So it's kind of just weird the people that are actually kind of getting in the playoffs or seeming successful. Because it's always just been Alabama. It's been Alabama, it's been LSU until this last few years. Because Alabama unfortunately Like, I think they've gotten significantly worse. This is the first year Caitlin Nabor's really on him on his own. He kind of had a little bit of the Nick Saban and he's just kind of tapered off every year. This is his first year alone. Like when they joke about the high school coach has his freshman come in from middle school and has his full year, it's that but in college. So we'll see how that goes. They don't seem that great, but even they made the playoffs. And then Oklahoma still has John Mateer. And all these guys so they can be good, but I just don't see them I feel like the top guys are Texas. You know, these new these new guys come in and Ole Miss. Which is surprising 'cause yeah. Aaron: Yeah. Surprising. but no, think if we take something like if we talk about Oklahoma, like I think Venables has done an amazing job with Oklahoma so far. To me, great example of letting a coach slow burn a program. Like he, instead of calling for his head every time they had a down year, they let him cook and we're seeing progress. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Aaron: And that is what you want out of your program. You want to see progress. And I do think they're rated very highly this year. And a lot of people like if the tier had avoided injury, like where would he be? I do think that kind of overshadows some of. But here's inconsistency before the injury. I think he's a great player. think he's doing really well. I just think he still needs development. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Aaron: And we could see that this year. think so much of the SEC and what we're going to say in this episode is going to be like, if we see that development this year, because a lot of where the SEC ends up in rankings will depend on that. ⁓ I do think if we take, who do I think will make the playoffs this year out of the SEC? think George is the one that I would say confidently ⁓ with Stockton returning. He was. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Aaron: there last year, is he the best in the SEC at quarterback? Probably not. We know he's not because Trinidad-Chamless is here, but he was consistent enough to have Georgia play the way Georgia plays. And I think there will be ups and downs. There can be games they should lose that they win. There should be games that they win that they may lose. But I do think they'll play consistent enough to earn that spot back in the playoffs that they do pretty much every year now. Ryan: Yeah. Yeah, and they always have a super good defense. They have a ton of returners. Gunnar Stockton had the highest QBR in college football last year. The really only big name that they're losing is Zachariah Branch, which is like really good receiver. But I mean they didn't even really throw downfield anyways. They threw a lot of screens and stuff. They have a kind of a dumpy little offense. Hopefully they have a good tight end. I don't know if Oscar Delp's still there. So we'll see that. But they're always on the top, you know. They always have a great defense. They're always pretty solid in offense. In Aaron: Yeah. Ryan: Yeah, ⁓ Trinidad, obviously better than him. I think Ole Miss might make it too. I don't know how they're gonna be with without Klain. Yeah, I don't know how they're gonna be without Lane. They have him and Keywon Lacey coming back. You know, they got Jay Crawford from Auburn. He's really great. They have a lot of good guys coming back. They have a lot of good guys coming in from the transfer portal. And they did pretty good last year. Especially with a little chip on their shoulder. I don't know if they'll still be playing like that. Probably. Especially against LSU. Aaron: There's a pathway. Yeah. Yeah. ⁓ yeah. ⁓ yeah. And having that so early in the season, week three can be a defining game for their season. If they come out, whoop LSU. They might have that momentum to ride all the way to the playoff because I think as long as the gameplay doesn't change that much, you know, I think you let Trinidad play and you call the game similar to what we saw called last year. you know, kind of mirror some of Kiffin's play calling there. I think we'll see ⁓ perform still very, very well. Ryan: Yeah, 'cause they still did stall in the playoffs without him. I think they should have beat Miami if Keewon Lacey didn't get hurt. They're just super limited. Yeah, I think there's people like that. I think Texas can be super good. 'Cause they lost Aaron: Yeah. I think they have the opportunity to. I think Texas is often thrown into a category that says, this is the team that's going to do it. But if we really break it down, it, because oftentimes we'll see that comparison to like Texas is the Texas team, Texas A ⁓ wants to be. And I think we see the same issues come up in both Texas and Texas A ⁓ when it comes down to the big moment. Ryan: Yes, yes, yes. Aaron: They don't have the experience at the level to push through and win that game that they need to win. And both Texas and Texas A ⁓ suffer from that of like when it is on the line, when the season's on the line, that's when they run into the issue. And that can be just an issue that a program runs into that doesn't have postseason experience. know, Georgia, I don't think Kirby Smart's sweating that bad when he's in the postseason. It's just another year of football for him. Ryan: Hmm. Aaron: Nick Saban in Alabama was the same way. It's just like, this is where we go. We play and practice for this. Yeah. Ryan: Yeah, that's their thing. That's when they strive. Yeah. Yeah, that's their thing. That's when they strive. But I think they always give Texas some weird premature hype. You know? ⁓ they're always pretty good, but they were always in the top of the pack twelve with Oklahoma. They're always talking about how great they are. It's a little different at SC. They have actually been doing really good though. But I think this year they actually have some real hype. You gotta look at that. Can't just look at the fan base, you actually gotta look at the talent coming in. And I've that I've said it a thousand times, sorry for saying again. Aaron: They have. Ryan: Arch, you know, he was picking up steam at last into last year, but you're giving him more weapons. You're giving him Cam Coleman to throw downfield. Cam Coleman, probably the best receiver in the SEC. Go into them. ⁓ they kept Ryan Wingo, who's a super big guy. But he's he's a lot of short yard screens, you know, so they have more of a dynamic potential there. Let's see if Sark does it. The only worry for them, really, is that they're losing CJ Baxter and Ryan Wingo, who both left, but If their running back is just decent, you know, they'll be pretty good. And their defense is always pretty good. They have a lot of returners. So I'm I'm pretty excited to see that. Aaron: No, it definitely is a consistent program. Like it is something that, you know, when talking about, they going to go all the way? I don't want to take away from the progress Sark has made with that team to say they show up each season looking very similar with improvements. And I think you're right. This season, this time the hype does feel a little bit more real for me. Just don't know if they're ready for. All the way yet, and I wouldn't be surprised if they proved me wrong Ryan: Yeah, but they kinda seem like our organ. Like, preseason hype, everyone's gonna say they're super good. But this year I think they actually have a little bit extra to give ⁓ some more credibility there. ⁓ Aaron: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And kind of in that same vein of like what we've seen from Clemson each year where preseason they're like Clemson's easily got the whole thing. They're going to be a top five team if at worst a top 10 team. And then those first couple of games, things start to go wrong and people go, well, this isn't really what we're seeing out of Clemson. This is an anomaly. And then we, see it over and over again. I don't think it'll be that bad for Texas, but it does feel like when you get the hype, it can often work against you. Ryan: Yeah, yeah. Especially for Arch, you know, they crowned him up ⁓ how good he is for even played. You know, it's you can't win that. Aaron: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, no. And we'll see. I do think he will be a good quarterback this year. think we will see a, a ⁓ level headed Archibald take the field. Ryan: Yeah, I think he'll be solid. I know that if he has one good game, they'll say he's a Heisman front runner. But that same thing last year, when you were talking about John Matir being inconsistent, we're overlooking it. You're going into week three, week four, and you're picking him now as your Heisman front runner, him and Ty Simpson. It's like no, like they're good. Again, why am I the guy that is like it's like why am I the the no you're not that good guy? But no, it's like you're really good. You're a DC quarterback, you're not a Heisman front runner, you know? Aaron: ⁓ absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. Ryan: Nat bring yeah, Alabama this year, they're an interesting one where they're losing Ty Simpson. We just gotta see how their quarterback play is. Because they're losing experience for sure. They have a little high upside with ⁓ Keelan Russell, but I don't know how good he's actually gonna be. Those guys are kinda like in just very random, like are they gonna be super good? Are they gonna be super bad? They're losing, ⁓ what's his name? ⁓ he was number five on their team. You know what I'm talking about? Aaron: searched up for it because I do not remember his name. Ryan: I can't believe I'm blinking this. I don't watch football, really. Aaron: ⁓ Ryan: ⁓ Jeremy Bernard. Okay. Sorry. I will resume. Yep, they're losing Jeremy Bernard, who's their best receiver. ⁓ they're also losing ⁓ Horton, who is another receiver, but then they have some young guys, you know, they have ⁓ I'm so sorry, I'm forgetting ever's name. Yeah, hold on. I'm so sorry, I need to look it up. I'm so sorry. Aaron: Do know his number? It's cool. New position? ⁓ ahead. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ryan: Okay, sorry, I'll d ⁓ sorry, I'll just resume. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. So they're losing Jeremy Bernard, but then they still have people like Lazier Brooks. They have Ryan Coleman. Williams. So hopefully that name change does something great for ⁓ But I still don't really know if they'll be able to run the ball very well with Ryan Grubb. I know I mentioned he's the hot seat guy. He's never been able to effectively run the ball. But they have like one of the best running backs in the nation. So if they could just get him going If Lazier Brooks steps up, he stepped up in that Oklahoma game. You know, he looked great. But I think they're definitely on a down road spiral where they barely didn't make the playoffs last year. And they might get into a game or two less wins this year than they did last year. Aaron: Yeah, I was going to say, I do think Alabama might be sitting on the outside. I don't think they're going to fall far, but I do think they're going to have a more difficult year just because we are talking a big adjustment. This is the D'Bourre going solo. And I do think D'Bourre was in a rough spot to be compared to Saban. It is, it is a tough job to take. I think he has done very well. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Yes. Aaron: think the run game has been an issue. I Grubb is the hot seat of Alabama. think DeBoer is still building his program there. And I do think Alabama is going to give him the time to do so. So I think it might be something in two, three years from now when he's got quarterbacks that are a little more set to his system, they've had the time to develop talent around the way he plays ball. We could see Alabama back in that, you know, guaranteed slot. that we're used to seeing them in, but it could also go the other way. We, know, there's no telling, but I do think they've kept it competitive. Ryan: Yeah, and they always win somehow. They're always up there, you know. So I was gonna say that I think I see them barely missing the playoffs, but I think they kind of barely missed it last year. Kinda got in. Kinda got in anyway, which is like whatever. But yeah, it's a huge adjustment. So we have to see how he does. Aaron: Yeah, and then made it anyway. Now that kind of like in terms of, well, I guess we still have A ⁓ to talk about this, the potential returners of the SEC. And I do think A ⁓ gets dunked on more than they deserve to get dunked on. think they just are weird and people don't like how weird they are. I think Elko has done an amazing job. I think A ⁓ Like Texas is fully committed to elevating their program. I think they were ambitious with Jimbo learned a lesson. Elko seems a lot more level headed and we can say that some of their games last year weren't challenging and some of them weren't. I think they played relatively well. We, they had stumbles, they got to the playoffs and I think there may have been not just being up against Miami. There may have been program pressure for the athletes. I think there is something when you are in a program that wants it so bad that when you get closer, the stress is up. I think you can get into a little bit of a freak out. Ryan: Yeah, and I think it's pretty good. I'm mainly worried I'm pretty sure they lost Scooby Williams and Casey Concepcion. So we need a couple guys to step up for him. But Marcel Reed, decent veteran, you know, I'd like to see him throw the ball a little more consistently. I think he runs very good. I think he has games where he really steps it up and throws super good. But I feel like he's kinda sputtery a little. Or I want to see him do super good. But also like I've seen videos of him partying. out in I games and stuff. So maybe tone that down. Maybe get the passing a little more consistent, you know, and they'll be really good. I think they're consistently up there. They they have a potential to be a 10 win team every single year. And I think even though they had an easier schedule last year, like we talked about, an e easy SEC schedule is not an easy schedule. Aaron: ⁓ yeah. No, an easy SEC schedule means you have a good chance at making eight and four. Like it's, still tough. And Texas A ⁓ is known as the eight and four team. So the fact that they, feels like maybe we're more 10 and two now is a huge bump up for that program. Ryan: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah. I think it's great. 'Cause they always Aaron: And I do think, think if Reid is consistent this year and less curse of the coin flip quarterback that A ⁓ suffers from, I do see them as a potential making the playoff. Ryan: Yeah, I think they can do it again. I think he has a ton of potential. He's super fun to watch. It's just there's certain times. Like the first half of the South Carolina game last year, didn't really get it done. Texas didn't really get it done. He was a little banged up last year. But I mean he seemed fine. And I don't know. Aaron: And I mean, that happens though. I think that's something to look at of like, is that a program issue? Is that an offensive line issue? It's a running quarterback issue. If you have a quarterback that's going downfield, they get banged up. That's why coaches don't want them to do it. ⁓ But if it is what makes your program work, if it's what makes your offense move, then yeah, that'll happen. Ryan: Can I pee real quick? Okay, sorry. Sorry. Good. Okay. So is there any other teams besides Mississippi State that you might consider like another top tier program here in the SEC? Aaron: Yep, I was gonna say, I do think we've gone through our highest chances of making the playoff at this point. So I wanted to go down into our mid-carders, who could be some dark horses to pull through, because I do feel like there is a good number of SEC schools that feel like if they have a great season, they could be in the runnings. And we just wouldn't consider that. We can start off, we don't have to go long on it, but I do believe Auburn's one of those programs. I do think even though we have those questions about Byron Brown, even though we have those questions about Golis, I still think there's a path that if those things fire the way they're supposed to, if we see Byron Brown playing with the same level that we saw him at USF, even though he's going against much harder competition. I think I could still see a season that goes the distance for Auburn. Maybe not all the way, but at least two post-seasons. Ryan: Yeah, it's crazy. I feel like I see a lot of these teams that in my head they seem like a middle tier, like I don't know. They could either like bomb or be like super good. And Auburn, you know, they're a little more personal to me, so I'm super skeptical. We don't have the same ⁓ tangible hope that we had going in last year. This is more of like a blind hope. I hope we do really good. Aaron: ⁓ yeah. Ryan: I'm so scared of Byron Brown. I go through periods of time where I don't see him play, I don't see him throw a ball or do anything, and I start feeding in. I'm like, yeah, he could be pretty good. Yeah, he has a ton of potential. If he fixes a couple things. But everyone else thinks that he is already fixed and he's coming in, he's gonna save us. But like I'm so scared, he just keeps proving wrong that he can't do it. So if he shows up and he Aaron: Yeah. I mean, the good news is you guys got to go up. Like you can't go down in the Auburnt world. Things will either be just as bad as, and be like, okay, well we're getting some development back in. It's a first year or it will be better. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Yes. I will say the more I think about it, I think our defense is super good. We had a great defense last year. That was like our only thing we really had. And our coaching staff has a huge upgrade. I think the fact that Golish is coming, super good. He's a significantly better offensive coordinator than Hugh Freeves was. I think DJ Durkin, super good, super glad to see him returning. And most of our secondaries return except for Kaiane Lee and ⁓ Jay Crawford, who are two of our best defensive backs. But now apparently we have so man like so many other defensive backs and people that are kind of veteran guys now, sophomore juniors, who have been playing. We have a really good linebacker room, and we lost a few significant D linemen, but we got people like Deshaun Womack from Ole Miss, who's probably a better pass rusher than I would've like Keldrick Falk and keep talking about him, but he was more of a pure run stopper. He was really smart, filled the gaps. I think Deshaun Womack's a significantly better pass rusher. And we have the best linebacker in college football as Avri Atkins. I'm really terrified of Alex Golish's wide receiver room and quarterback. If by our running back's room's good. Our lineman seems solid. I really like he brought Eccles over or the tight end. I think he'll be super good, but he was out so we didn't get see him in the spring game. But other than that, I'm terrified. I don't think Chaz Nameron's that good. Keyshawn Singleton's amazing. And I think we have guys. We have people like ⁓ Deshaun Spencer and Sam Turner, who's been hurt but is supposed to be super good. But they're not gonna play because he's just gonna play as USF guys. So if he puts the right guys in and Byron Brown just tweaks a couple things, I think we can be really good. ⁓ Aaron: And as long as Golis can fire with the talent that you guys have, if that can get on the same page, I think you guys have a decent season ahead of you. I think, like I said, all the way to there's a chance at postseason. If everything fires the way Golis believes it can fire. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Mm. And I don't think we can win it all. But if Byron Brown's clicking, yeah, we put the right guys in. DJ Durkin's gonna hold the fort down on defense. We can't really have much worse than we did on offense last year because we did nothing. So we just have to do anything and we would have won like nine games last year. So that's like a good sign, but I've just been hurt so many times. It's like, will it happen again? I don't know. ⁓ Aaron: Yeah. Yeah. Ryan: Another weird team one team I'll actually put a little higher. I won't say so middle tier. I think LSU will be in the upper third of the SEC this year. Aaron: ⁓ see, I consider, I considered LSU as a potential making of the play out. I, don't, I, their schedule is on the weaker side, as I mentioned earlier, and the fact that Hiffin is good at his job, like despite how we all feel about him. but I think that's just part of it. Like that would be a question I'd sit down and ask is how much of the trash talking, the presence, Ryan: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Aaron: the trolling nature that he has is to bring focus to the program, to keep his name in the media and really embracing that idea of like, there's no bad publicity if it's just trash talk. And cause I mean, if we really think about how bad the Ole Miss stuff went down last year, he's kind of skated by it already. I feel like a lot of it. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Aaron: for how impactful it was when it was going down to being like, yeah, that was, you know, the noise of last season. ⁓ Ole Missing, forget, I won't sit here and say they are okay with it, but I think the rest of the SEC is like, ⁓ let's see what he's got. But like to me, I'm looking at Kiffin as like embracing like the wrestling heel role. Like he's looking for the crowd to boo him when he goes out there. But if they know who he is, then that's what matters. Ryan: Yeah, and I think he's hilarious, all the stuff he's doing online. I don't agree with all I think he's hilarious. And I think he's his big offensive presence, which will be good 'cause they kinda weren't so good on offense last year. He'll bring it in, he'll do great. But it's like so weird in this in this arrow read 'cause it's all like will it happen? Everyone has the potential. The Auburn thing, the LSU. But I think LSU has the potential to be like on borderline, barely missing Playoff barely making that nine, most of those yeah, most of those like eight, nine, like you're not getting in, but if you should have like get to ten, you know, somehow it's super great, and he gets to ten wins, you know, they could be in there. And it's just weird to think, like I don't know what will happen, but they'll have potential. I think that they almost flipped. I know we're talking about people that last year the top's kind of staying at the top, but I think Alabama, you know, has kind of moved down to the middle. I don't know how this is gonna go. Aaron: They could go either way, yeah. Ryan: And they're kind of in the top of like I don't know how this is gonna go, but top of the SEC. Aaron: Yeah, like in my head, LSU Alabama have the same, like they're either gonna fall right inside or right outside. Like I'm putting them mentally on the same potential train and that's crazy to think, but both are programs that have been there. LSU is not that far removed from a national championship. is something that, it's not crazy to think about. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Mm. Yeah, I was gonna say it's crazy to say, but I think they're right there. ⁓ another middle tier team, Florida, you know, I don't think they're gonna get that much better. But they have a lot of hype going in this year. Aaron: Yeah. Now, I don't want to see here in Donk Kong, Florida. They've had it rough as a fellow having it rough, SEC person. I will say their fans can sometimes be like, it's our year. And it's like, you may want to settle down. Like you may want to say like last couple of years have been tough for y'all. Let's settle back. Let's yeah, let's just, just the fans. Just say you got a new coach. You got a new program. Ryan: Yeah. So don't dunk on Florida. Just the fans. Aaron: see what he can do before you start saying like postseason or bust. I'll say I will say a lot of them out there have been very reasonable about it, but you know, you get into some of the Reddit threads, you get in some of the forum posts and you're like, come on, fellas. Ryan: Yeah, yeah, yeah. That'll be good. They pretty extreme a lot of times. ⁓ the big thing is I don't know what they're gonna have for quarterback. Apparently Aaron Filo, who's some like red shirt sophomore, and then he came from Georgia Tech's gonna play. And then they have a red shirt freshman who will probably be his backup named Tremel Jones. So one of them will play. ⁓ but I mean they look terrible last year. But the only upside is love Jaden Ball, their running back actually. Really like him. Aaron: Yeah. Ryan: And they have Eric Singleton from Auburn, who was actually really good, even though we didn't use it very much because Hugh Free sucks so bad. So they got it. Aaron: No, I do think Florida will be in a better place at this season. I think they will do better. I don't see a playoff path for them. ⁓ once again, love for them to prove me wrong on that. I just don't see it this year. I would love to see them turn around, get super strong again. ⁓ because once again, they're not that far removed. You know, they're not that crazy out there from a national championship. Not super recent, but it's still a program that's been at that height. D'oh. Ryan: Yeah, it's kind of been a while, but they've been solid since then. I'll put it like that. So Yeah, yeah, yeah. They've had solid seasons since then. But I just don't think John Tremmel's that guy. I think he's acting like he's that guy. You know, and sometimes you get people to buy into that. But when it really comes down, I'm kind of interested to see and that's another one, I don't know what's gonna happen. This is more of a I don't think it can happen, but there always is something like weird, like it could, you know? Aaron: Yeah, except for the last couple of you. Like it's a firm. don't think so for me. Now somebody that I do think would fall in that category for a lot of people, but not for me is Missouri. I could see, yeah, I could see Missouri. It's weird because Missouri feels like a quarterback at A ⁓ Like it is one of those things where like when they are on, they are a five star team. Ryan: Yeah. Me too. I was gonna bring him up too. Aaron: Like it, and it feels like They are always right there. Like if one thing changed in that season, like the one either offensive issue, one defensive issue that they had, they would be going all the way because their highs are so high. But then it's just like they'll play somebody that should be a win. And then just the hardest stumble you could imagine. It's like the Texas eight of South Carolina game for them where it's just like, happened? Ryan: Mm-hmm. Aaron: What? And then next thing you know, they're eight and four. Ryan: Yeah, I feel like in the past they haven't really been that good. But then those last few years, you know, I've always just said they're really scrappy. They always give really good teams a hard time. Sometimes they'll sneak into the higher teens in rank. But then this last couple years, they've actually been getting a little bit better than that, even. Not even scrappy, but competitive. So I really love Austin Simmons. I like what I saw out of him at Ole Miss, you know. He looks super good. Aaron: Yeah. But yeah. Ryan: But Trinidad was just so good that he just overlooked them. Everyone thought Austin Sim was gonna start last year. You know? ⁓ the thing I am worried about, their running back, Ahmad Hardy. I've talked to people that are like, ⁓ he like should have won the Heisen. He's so good. Which again, I'm the guy who puts everyone down. No, he's not. But but I he's like pretty good. He's their starting running back. ⁓ he was at a rap concert in May and he got shot in the upper leg. So he's probably not gonna play. Aaron: It's gonna be tough. Yeah. Hahaha Ryan: They keep they said he's gonna play, but he's still apparently under assisted walking right now, so he can't even run. I don't know how he's gonna play in two months. Aaron: just don't know what curse the NCAA has put on Missouri. Cause there's always that bit of like, if the NCAA needs to come down and make a change, they make an example out of Missouri for no reason. And it's like, it just feels like it is a curse at this point of like, when they get the momentum, when everything starts to click, it's like something crazy happens. And I mean, how many teams have to deal with their running back getting shot pre-season? It's just, it's wild. Ryan: Yeah, like hey, hey, y'all can be we'll let you be pretty good this year. ⁓ just kidding, we shot your running back. And they're like, you know, Aubert's one of Aubrey's running back got shot like a couple years ago. Or something. He used to run he was like a backup because he was young. And he'd run a lot of kickoffs and come in sometimes at running back 'cause he like a freshman. And he even s I think he played fr s sophomore year, freshman sophomore, and then I just didn't see him in a while. I said, What happened to him? Aaron: Yeah. No. Ryan: And there was some video online of him at practice where he came in with a cane. I guess he got shot and like got some like neurological stuff messed up, couldn't run or anything. Barely walk. You're like, what's going on with all these guys getting shot? I know. It's terrible. Aaron: I mean, it's crazy. But it is something like, hope, you know, we see how to make full recovery. Of course, you we, that's all we never want to see somebody's career and due to an injury, especially outside the game. mean, every injury is a bad injury, but like you'd hate to see somebody put in that much work and then not be able to see out the work. But it, but it just, to me, it's that it's like, why can't Missouri get a break? Ryan: Mm-hmm. No, no, no. Yeah, it's sad. Aaron: and show everybody how good they are. And we'll see, I just don't want to count them out. I just don't feel right saying like, I just don't think it's this year because it could be. If it comes together, we could see a very high level Missouri game. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Yeah, other than that, I think everything's good. I was just saying I think they would even have more potential with him. And it sucks, but that's like another thing. I think that's why NAL's so good. 'Cause his whole life is like playing football and if there wasn't getting money in college, like his his life's over, you know? But he still got some money. Aaron: Yeah, all that work just kind of is, is nothing. But yeah, now I think that's the thing we have to keep in mind is like for the people and how crazy and how much time they spent dedicated to this one thing in that attempt. And then it's like, okay, we can still do it. But, another team I'd put in that same category. You know, I'm a ride or die for him here. It's the South Carolina game. Like I just don't want to count them out. I feel like last season was. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Aaron: terrible for them, but it was a really hard season. And there were the, there were things that shouldn't have had, they shouldn't have lost against them. Like that, that's inexcusable to lose after that point of the game. But they are so much better of a team than the record reports. Like there's just something there that if that works out, I mean, we, talked earlier about QBs. think Lenora Sellers is something truly special. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Aaron: If that comes into a way that all comes together, I could just see them being dominant. Maybe not undefeated, but I could see a path that there's a 10-win season for Ryan: Yeah, like I think they can win some big games. I don't know if they can do it all the time. Last year I didn't quite see the consistency, but they're like peek is like so high. Like they could be so good. They just need to get everything clicking. You know? Aaron: It's crazy. Yeah. And I just think it might be one of those things. Cause I do like Shane Beamer. I really like him as a head coach. Uh, you know, being somebody who was in the era of Frank Beamer at Virginia Tech, seeing that, that program, the culture around it, seeing Shane Beamer representing a lot of that as well. But also not letting a down year burn and become worse than it is. by, you know, unforced errors with the media and everything like that. feel like he handled it very gracefully, but still accepted responsibility for it. And I felt like that earned some goodwill. And I think South Carolina is also a program that's willing to give the benefit of the doubt. Like I said, if for some reason they go crazy and fire him, please Shane Beamer, come hang out at Mississippi State. We love you. We'll take it. ⁓ I will happily let you sit on top of our program forever. ⁓ but it is something that like, I don't think that'll be the case because I think we will see them return to some of the previous seasons and last year where we are seeing high winds with them. Ryan: Yeah, but they're pretty good. They have a lot of returners. Lenoris is just gonna be more mature. You know, I could see a potential for them being really good. Someone I'm not seeing good potential. Vanderbilt? They're gonna be terrible again. Back to the old Vanderbilt. Aaron: I don't, I don't want to say they're old Vanderbilt because that's a bar tumble. I want, I think I do think people are overestimating very similar, like what happened with Arizona state after scataboo where they're like, it's still going to be the exact same Arizona state. It's like, it probably won't because you had a power player and I can't see them. Ryan: Close. I think they're gonna be close. Aaron: being as consistent in that mid Carter fight. I just don't see them tumbling back to the like, it's pretty much a bye week when you're up against Vanderbilt. Ryan: Okay, I won't say bye week, but I think they're gonna be pretty bad. Their entire offense was Pavia and Eli Stours. So I don't think they're gonna be able to score any points. And their defense was like okay. They kinda get a lot of points put up on them, but then put up more points. Kinda thing. Aaron: Yeah. Yeah. Now I, I'll say schedule wise for them. They don't have the most intense schedule. It's definitely not a Mississippi state category schedule here. They do have Kentucky. They do have Arkansas. ⁓ they have Florida, which we just don't know yet. They have us. ⁓ I think there's a chance that they could walk out of this. Yeah. Ryan: Yeah. That will be a competitive game. That's what I'm saying. That will be a competitive game. Y'all might win that game. I'm not kidding. Aaron: That's both earthful and endearing. But no, I could see this where they have a good seven win, eight win season. I think they have a schedule that could let that happen. Buy them a year to build back up a little bit more, but I just can't see them reaching the same height. I absolutely agree with you. Ryan: Ha ha. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. ⁓ also you mentioned Arkansas and Kentucky. I'm sorry I'm sorry to get mean here. But I think they are bad and are going to be worse than last year. I know Kentucky beat us, but Hugh Freeze did it on purpose, so it doesn't count. Aaron: Aye! Yeah. I can't. Kentucky and Arkansas are in the, can't see a possibility for them. I want Arkansas to be good. I do. I like Arkansas. I like Arkansas fans. I think Razorback's cool mascot. There's a lot about their program I like. Been unfortunate for them. Like it has been rough. And I think as a fan base, they've stuck by. They haven't fallen into the doldrums of morose, just absolutely loss of hope. And it's brave that they haven't because it has not been, there's not been a lot of light in there for them. So I am hoping that everything comes out on the other side for him this year. Kentucky. Kentucky is wild. Kentucky has always been a wild team. They've always been one of those that's like. willing to get in your face. They're willing to talk trash. And this is the players on Kentucky, not even the fan base that would just go in and start. Hopping off and it's always felt like you might need to win more before you do that. ⁓ but I don't, I do. I love a team that trash cogs. Yeah. It is something that it's like, I just don't. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Mm. I don't I like the attitude, but like go go play some basketball or something, you know? Aaron: it. I just don't know if they're even committed enough to football to say like, we're going to try to take the conference. Ryan: Yeah, and I feel terrible for Arkansas. You know, I feel like they've been in a bad spot. But it's sad 'cause I think their only glimpse last year of hope was that they had Talen Green and he's gone. So kinda kinda not good for them. So Aaron: Yeah. Yeah. Like it is something that like we could say Mississippi State's been in a very similar position for the last couple of years. You know, when we had one SEC win in three years, that's a tough, tough place to be. But we've had talent. Like there is great talent on Mississippi State right now. We have one of the best quarterbacks in the league. We have an incredible young, talented quarterback. We have great running backs. It is something that it's like, it's all there. We just haven't been able to like. Unify it as a team and getting heat results out of it. I will see if that happens this year. I'm not super ready. I think defensively will be a little bit better and that's all I can hope for. But Arkansas, I feel like doesn't even have that level recently. Like they just don't have that level of talent. And they, they could in the future. I would love to see them rebuild. I'd love to see them back up on top. Well, I won't say on top because they haven't been on top, but I will say in the mid Carter's, I want to see the competitive fighters again. Ryan: So would you say that it's ⁓ it was a coaching issue for y'all, that they can't just put the talent together for success or Aaron: Like as we have a young head coach with levy, I'm not the biggest levy fan out, but I'm also not going to sit here and say like, you know, there's no path that he doesn't turn into a head coach. He's a young coach and young coaches make mistakes like this. He's an OC that came into head coach where I think that involves a huge shift in program dynamics and understanding where you're going for it. ⁓ I do think we see a lot of DCs make that move. And when they do, they normally have an OC that they just lean on where I think Levy tried to do a lot. And I, there are some things I like. ⁓ I love that he is willing to throw a punch in the mouth play two, three plays into the game. And I think that's because he knows they're being underestimated. I think they know they're not prepping against them as high. They're watching tape for their next real opponent. And he'll take a ⁓ throw that's, you know, a 50, 60 yard bomb downfield and that, you know, first drive. And I think that can put teams off their game and then knowing, Hey, you're at Mississippi state. It's loud. can't hear your communications off. And that could be part of the adjustment as well. As a head coach, you have to go to Mississippi state and learn how to have a team that can't hear. That's, that's difficult. So I don't want to be a downer on. Levy. Ryan: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Aaron: I'd love for him to show me something to believe in this year because we haven't really had. Ryan: Yeah, well I like it. That's a great strategy, you know. Early and often, hit ⁓ where it hurts. You know, if you get ⁓ down, kick ⁓ whether down, you know. I love that. You just gotta do it the right way, you know. Aaron: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And like, love bold plays. I love somebody that's willing to take the shot. If they know like, Hey, this isn't our year. We're not going to the championship. We can beat a team though. We can beat somebody that we're not supposed to be by being crazy. Like we, they, won't want them to guess what our next play is. And I love that. I love that energy. Ryan: Yeah, like if you're playing Georgia, you're not gonna get a one play touchdown running the ball up the middle. You might get a one play touchdown throwing at sixty yards downfield, you know, you gotta try it every once in a while. Yeah. It only takes like one or two. Aaron: Yeah, you can always hope there's blown coverage and you know, happens. Yeah. But it is something that like, think those for the most part, that's just where that is. mean, they're really, there's one team we haven't talked about and I have a feeling you have held off on it just as much as I have for the same reason. Cause everybody else, think we've kind of talked down at the not going to happen. We've talked about the made Carter's. Let's talk about the one that people have all over the place. We started with this in the news. Tennessee, Tennessee's in a weird place. Ryan: Yeah, I don't know. I think last year, I don't think they were that good. I think people thought they were good. And I don't think they actually turn out to be that good. I think they kind of had an easier schedule and they kind of just got by, in my opinion. You know, Derek Owings coming in, you know, you have a bunch of enhanced guys on your field. Makes it a lot easier. Jim Knowles is an interesting one. He did really good at Ohio State as a defensive coordinator, but his players were so amazing. I don't He did that great at Penn State. So we'll see how he adjusts to the SEC kind of football. ⁓ I don't know. Other than that, I'm I'm not sure. I could see them going like anyway. I think they'll be solid, but I don't know if they will actually be like an elite team. Aaron: It's hard and Tennessee fans are gonna just absolutely murder us for this. Tennessee feels like it's an eight and 14. Like it, like it, it, it's hard to say because I will give Hypal credit. He is a good salesman of a team. He has a great energy in their team. He's done impressive things. That thing is, like Tennessee is to me an eight and 14. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Mm-hmm. Aaron: that can punch somebody like a Georgia or Alabama in the mouth when you don't expect them to. And they can come out with a win with a hard fought game that you're like, where's this the rest of the season? Why is it? Why aren't you playing like this all the time? And they'll play, you know, some very run heavy quarterbacks. They'll throw some unconventional gameplay in there. Ryan: Yeah, like I'm kinda the same thing. I think they'll be good, but yeah, good in the SEC's eight wins. You know, I don't think they'll make the playoffs. I think they'll be a a good team, a competitive team. But that's about about it for me. I don't think they're they have much more in there. Aaron: Yeah. Yeah. And so I think the tough part is. So we kind of started this off with this breakdown. You know, I think we see that there's a lot of teams with paths to it. If me and you were to put a number on how many teams do we think we're going to see in the playoffs from the SEC this year? What are we thinking? Do we think it will be more than four or less? So you think it's going be right on money? Same as last year. Ryan: Four. Mm mm. I think I think the way that everything's set up with the schedules and the committee, I think we are almost set up to have four teams in the playoff. I think we should have like six or seven teams in the playoff. If we're picking like the best teams in the country, be competitive, it would be like maybe six of ours, three from the big ten, and then a courtesy ACC team, and then Aaron: Hahaha Yeah, we let Miami get there. Yeah. We told him in pack 12, doesn't even get a mention. ⁓ no, but no, I, I think I agree with you. I tried, I spent, you know, this week thinking like how many can I see? Can I make a case for five? Is there a case for three? think three, I think three is more possible than five this year. And the reason being is I think. Ryan: You know, put a couple G fives for fun. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Aaron: We will see teams perform that way. The new schedule is going to be tough to make sure we have 11 and one teams. I think we will see more across the board for the SEC tenant tail, ⁓ at the high levels. think Georgia might be the only one that can escape that. ⁓ I think everybody else is going to have to be 11 and one to be considered. And so it's like, LSU wants to get there 11 and one, ⁓ everybody else has to reach that pinnacle. Because I think big 10 packed 12 front runners in there have schedules that fill up a lot of slots very quickly with things that would be hard to not have 11 and one seasons for or 10 win seasons. think Notre Dame's definitely got one this year. Like Notre Dame's in, and you know, I know your feelings on Notre Dame. They're going to be most improved. ⁓ but no, I do think. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Let's approve, yeah. Aaron: They have the talent, they have the coaching, they have the program right now to make it on their own merits, whether or not they have a locked in, if they're in the top 12 slot or not, I think they're going to make it. ⁓ you know, Virginia techs, my dark horse for making it from the ACC. ⁓ I do think we'll see Miami there again, just because who's going to challenge Miami in the ACC. UNLV of course, I still think it's going to make it for the G6 lot, but that's not really taking a slot that SEC would take. So I just could see that there are teams that have a clearer and easier path to 10-11 win seasons than most of the SEC teams this year. Ryan: Yeah, 'cause it's pretty weird, ⁓ the way that it's set up. You can't have a bunch of ten and two teams. You can only have a few. The way they have it, like, they'll put a ten and two SEC team in there. But if you're winning nine games, like, you're not gonna be in. And it's kinda weird the way they're setting up. You have Oregon and Ohio State are in it already before even playing. Notre Dame's pretty much in it already before playing. Two G five teams. That's only seven more slots. You know, and that's not counting Aaron: You're not getting there. No. Yeah. And that's like, yeah. Ryan: a Miami or an ACC or just like some dark horse random school that's not from the SEC. Aaron: Yeah, if Indiana stays at the same level that they can be there, ⁓ because I don't want to, we just haven't seen enough of Indiana yet. We haven't seen enough of Cignetti to say, is he going to keep the ball rolling? I believe in my heart he can, but we just don't know for certain that I'd be willing to throw down on it. But it is something that it's like, yeah, there's a lot of those teams right now that we just have. Ryan: Yeah. Aaron: You know, Penn State could be somebody. I don't think they've got it this year because they fired James Franklin. ⁓ but you know, that's where Virginia Tech might, but yeah, I just think there's a lot of teams that have a much easier schedule. Now I will say, I do hope the other conferences adopt this nine schedule, ⁓ in conference schedule. I think to me, I'm more invested in the SEC schedule this season than I have been in years because you remember the old East and West. Ryan: Yeah. Aaron: years as well where we just all kind of played each other over and over and over again and it was very kind of stagnant. Like there'd be the upsets but as an Auburn fan I'm sure you could look at the schedule and say like win win win, possible loss win, loss win. Like you could have that where you felt pretty confident in the schedule there would just be like there there's a plus or minus two win. Ryan: Yeah, I liked the old East and West system just because it's nostalgic for me. But I think Auburn specifically, we had a really hard schedule. Every single year, we would play Ole Miss, who was not really good. They were scrappy until recently. But if you're looking at us now, you're playing Alabama, Georgia, LSU, and Ole Miss every single year. Like, every single time. And that's that's a hard thing for that to be your base schedule. Pretty tough. I think we almost need like a cross conference thing. We play Big Ten. Aaron: ⁓ yeah! They were in the mud with us. Ryan: schools and ACC schools, not nine SEC. Because even you take the big ten, if you play nine games and you have the hardest schedule, you might have like three that are like really hard for you. And that's like nine wins if you don't mess up too bad. If you're like a solid team. But I think the way it's set up right now with a 12 team playoff, it's weird. The it's almost like you're trying to get everyone representation. So I think the way that it's set up Aaron: Yeah. Ryan: You can't really have more than five SEC schools anyway, just 'cause it cuts down so much. It's like, okay, there's five slots left, you know, and you're not gonna have five schools that are tenant to. So I think that's why just I'm picking four. 'Cause I think that's just a a solid number. Seems to happen a lot, kind of thing. Aaron: Yeah. Yeah, and it'll be something where we'll see. I agree with you. Instead of having as many conference games as we have, I would like to see structured out of conference games, get rid of the Cupcake games. You know, I'm against those, but I wouldn't mind if they split it and said like, OK, you do two out of conference games. One is scheduled against the top 50 % of the conference. One is scheduled against the bottom 50%. So you don't necessarily have to have a full season of incredibly difficult games, but like You know, from the season previous or when they draw, ⁓ you can have like, OK, we can have some cons, cross-conference trash talk because it is hard to have if we only see each other in postseason and, you know, in a bowl game that nobody shows up to play. Like they've got the band members out there playing because they're filling slots. Like it is something that it's like, it's not quite a representation. The postseason has become it and we are getting to see it. And I think that's where people can say, you know, is it SEC on fraud alert? We haven't shown up great for them. But ⁓ I think as the competitive side, as the conference competitiveness that we all have in us, I'd like to see more of that. I'd like to see us to say like, OK, who is running a hard conference? Or, you know, if Georgia comes to your neighborhood and, you know, punches you in the mouth a little bit, if you say, ⁓ maybe maybe it is hard to play Georgia multiple times. Ryan: Yeah, but it's it's hard. They're looking at us like, ⁓ you're you're losing all these games now. You're not making the the playoffs. It's like every single team's gonna have at least two losses. And if one team's undefeated, another team's just gonna be an eight or nine win. It's like weird. The trade offs there. I don't mind a couple like cupcake games, 'cause it's interesting, like like you gotta give them a couple weeks off or something every once in a while. But I would like the ⁓ the thing. How you were talking about doing out of conference, but I think doing it top and bottom is weird. 'Cause even Ohio State, like, you look at some of their schedules the last couple of years, and they're playing Team Up North and Penn State and these teams that are super high preseason. Even Texas was ranked like one preseason and they all fall, you know. ⁓ Team Up North's not ranked anymore, Penn State's not ranked anymore, and then Texas is like fifteen. So Preseason they have really hard schedule. Ends up not being that easy. I think Texas kind of did not a good thing because they talked about like you need to have a harder conference schedule to maybe make the playoffs. So they schedule Ohio State and you lose and like you're not making the playoffs now, you know? So even Alabama, they're gonna schedule ⁓ games against Ohio State and they backed out 'cause I think they saw it didn't work. That even though you're playing these harder games, you have to win the game or you're not gonna make it in. Aaron: Yeah. Well, I also think too, some of that was like, we'll go up against Ohio state. Like we can do that. Like we'll be all right. And then like Ohio state has hands and they're like, hold on. Maybe we adjust. Maybe we go after an organ or something right now. you know, get the, get the preseason hype and, ⁓ hope it doesn't play out. And I think this time they're like, I think Oregon or Ohio state's going to be a powerhouse. So let's not do that. Ryan: Hand by hands, you mean Jeremiah Smith. Aaron: Yeah. Hey, no, absolutely. But no, I'd be like, Hey, give me texts right now. Start tried it. Ryan: Yeah. Yeah. Dude. Yeah, that'd be good. Yeah, make her schedule easier. Let me play text. Aaron: Yeah. Okay. Leave Ohio State. Let them play wherever they want. We'll take Texas Tech. ⁓ but no, no, I do think I agree. I think we'll see the same representation. I think we're going to all be a little more bruised and bloody by the end of the season. I don't know if we'll perform any better this season, but in terms of, in the postseason, but I think it's interesting. I am excited. Ryan: Yeah. Aaron: No matter what happens, I'm excited to see how the SEC shapes out who will be some of the top teams because as we talked about, it really could be all, a couple of them. don't have to name names in particular because it might hurt one of us as serious feelings, but I do think there is a path that so many teams in the SEC can make it to the playoffs and are playing at a very similar level. Ryan: Yeah, the middle tiers seem like rebuilds ton of potential to be good. And then we have our couple higher echelon guys in there and yeah, just a few like they're just here, you know. Thanks for being a part. Yeah, maybe next year. Something like that, you know. Sorry. Not talking about the I'm talking about Kentucky, not Mississippi State, I promise. Aaron: Yeah, yeah, we're having a good time. Yeah. Hahaha Yeah, yeah, yeah, me too. You know, as I'm crying. ⁓ But no, no, it will be interesting. We'll have to see. We'll also be able to hear Chandler's opinions on all these. He's going to come in on next week. Cause he's going to listen to this episode. He's going to disagree with so much of it, ⁓ and agree with a lot of things as well. So I'm sure he'll have some thoughts he wants to throw in instead of researching the news, ⁓ this week, but you'll hear about that when we come back next week. Once again, we're going to be talking about a topic that should be talked about. On any college football podcast, we're going to be talking about college football. So make sure you tune in. Thank you all who have been listening, who've been following, who are looking forward to the episode each week. We really appreciate you out there for those of you that are following us on our social media platforms. Thank you. It is so good when we check in on them and seeing that they're growing every day. That's awesome. It just is something that makes us so much fun to do. So once again, huge thank you. and we can't wait to see you next week. Ryan: Yeah, and it'll be good to have Chandler back. It a little sad without him today. But But ⁓ his contract says that he's not allowed to talk bad about SEC. So don't be too worried about him coming back and saying anything bad. Yeah. Aaron: I know, it is. Yeah, or else he doesn't get his NIL money. So, yeah, we'll be back at full strength next week. Ryan: Bye bye.