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E2C Network Joins RAC To Preview Auburn's Season · Run After Cast: The College Football Podcast

• Aaron: Welcome back to Run After Cast, the college football podcast. I'm Aaron, joined as usual by Ryan and Chandler. Ryan: Hey guys. RAC Chandler: What's going on gentlemen? Aaron: And today we are joined by a very special SEC flavored guest, Kyle from the E2C Network. Kyle: Thanks guys. Thanks for having me. I appreciate you letting the Auburn flavor come on there. Times two, I see that we have someone who's of the right mindset in here, which is always a friendly room to come into when you see that. I don't see too many other unfriendly spaces with Ohio State and Mississippi State represents here. So I think we're gonna have a good show. Like so I appreciate you guys having me on. Aaron: Ha ha. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Aaron: Yeah. RAC Chandler: Good. Aaron: Well, we've heard from some of our fans that we don't give enough time on this show to Auburn and Auburn specific talks. just so happens they're all related to Teal, so they only like Auburn. But no, we wanted you on here today because you are one of the experts on Auburn out there. So instead of cutting over to news as we normally do, we're dedicating this episode to deep diving Auburn. Ryan: Yeah, thanks for coming. RAC Chandler: you Aaron: what that means for those who follow it, those in the creative space, and those just looking forward to see what next season holds. So I won't you go ahead and kick us off and explain to some of our listeners out there what the E2C network is. Kyle: Yeah, E2C network, I I guess I'll start with what that stands for. I guess I'd be interested, Ryan. Do you have any guesses as an Auburn person what E2C stands for? Ryan: Mm not really. Kyle: Okay. I had hoped a long time ago when we came up with that, it would be a little bit more clear, but it it'll hit you like a ton of bricks here. Ever to conquer is part of the the fight song. So Ever to Conquer Network is what it officially stands for. We began as the Ever to Conquer podcast, and then I quickly realized that the phrase ever to conquer is trademarked. And so that was back in the fledgling days. And I yeah, I was panicked about everything in the copyright space. Aaron: Yeah. Ryan: yeah. Aaron: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Kyle: so I quickly put that into an acronym and we were at the time were more of a network than we were. So that's where it began as the Ever to Conquer podcast, switched to E2C network when we added a ton of people into what we do. And we've just kind of kept that moniker with the subtext and the kind of the focus, the heart behind what we do, the Auburn experience. now the story behind how we got here, I would assume that's what you would want me to talk about here, is the how we how we got to this place. Aaron: Yeah, yeah the Kyle: honestly it began because we didn't know how to deal with the loss of a national championship in my lifetime. I was a senior in 2010 for Cam Newton in the national championship at Auburn. And so you don't really once once you experience that high, you're like, nothing can hurt me now. Well then 2013 rolled around in that magical season, all the great things that happened with that. And then just, you know, in the last what, I think 14 seconds, I think it was, of that last final BCS national championship game against Florida State. we, we were sitting around after the game, was like, man, three just three years removed, four, I guess, technically. How do we process this? And so I didn't know what to do. And I was like, I got I wanna keep talking to us. What happened? And then finally I just reached out to a couple of people that I knew from Auburn because I'd Ben graduated. This one of the guys was still there at Auburn. The other had recently graduated too. I said, Hey, y'all ever heard about this podcasting stuff? Believe that's how long ago this was. And they, you know, podcasting was still a bigger thing then, but not what it is where everybody has a show now, pretty much. And so I I asked them, y'all ever heard about it? Would y'all be interested? And I got kind of some waffles back and forth, but eventually I got them to commit to this. And so we got on for the first time in January 1st. Aaron: Ha ha ha. Kyle: fifteenth, I think is what it is. We I I waffle back if it's fourteenth or fifteenth when it officially came out. It can't find that original episode if you're looking for it. It's way off in the in the distant past and thank you thankfully buried where no one can find it. And we sat down and that was kind of the gist of it. We just talked about the loss, like ha what what's what's next for Auburn all that and then I I primarily kind of ran with it from that point. My two co hosts at the time, Tristan and Ben, have since long gone off and and doing more productive things with their lives. So congrats to them for breaking free of the, you know, the trap that I put them in into coming to this podcast with me. But no, we had a great time doing that for several years together. we then began to explore building out from one podcast into several, which began with Inside the Jungle and Auburn basketball specific podcast. I am proud to know that as far as as far as I know out there, we created the very first Auburn basketball, soccer, track and field, equestrian, softball, the second baseball one. I know that for a fact. And a and the first ever, well, I can't say it's the first ever recruiting show. There was one other, maybe like the second, third, or fourth. But we we did basically every aspect, had tons of people that were part of the network and they did such great work for us. But eventually everybody got busy and as numbers started dwindling, I made the decision, we need to kind of focus this in and be kind of more streamlined in what we do. And so now it's down to me and my co-host Austin, who run we run the main podcast with the Auburn experience. And we've been doing that together now for a hundred and s it'll be 180 episodes when we record our next one. and then we have a couple other contributors that do it as a volunteer when they want to. We the as of this moment, the Auburn Equestrian show is still running called War Horses with a personality called Auburn Elvis. he kind of Aaron: Yeah. Kyle: Every once in a while he'll be like, I don't know if I wanted to keep doing it, but then he keeps coming back. So maybe I just jinxed myself. He won't maybe he I won't have the pleasure of having him back this year. But he's he's done a great job with that. I I think that's pretty much the long and the short of it. And if the the final kind of way, just to sum up after that brief history lesson of E2C Network, is it if it's orange and blue, it's what we do. My my shtick is this began with the idea of yeah, I'm trying to cope with losing a national championship. But my the the question was at the time. Why is no one else talking about the other sports or the other aspects of Auburn athletics and or and other topics as well beyond athletics? And so we have been venturing to do that for the better part of almost fifteen years, trying to find ways to best serve the Auburn community in any way we can. So it's all about Auburn sports, Auburn culture, Auburn family. If it's orange and blue, it's what we do. That's the long and the short of it. Aaron: Well, it sounds like y'all have kept extremely busy as as people on the same side of knowing how much work it goes into episodes, post production, all of that. Can't imagine coordinating that many shows together. So I can see that natural drawback into the experience side of but no, that's incredible. Yeah. Kyle: It w it was a chore sometimes. It was it was a it was a chore. I literally had a group me text through of just here's this show folks and I they're all like, We got this show coming out this week, this one coming out this week. I'm like, Just everybody, come on. We gotta we gotta streamline this a little bit anyway. So it was good time though. Aaron: Ha ha ha. RAC Chandler: So we see you on every once in a while with the live space as well. So do you branch off into more than just TikTok lives? Do you have live feeds or shows that you have as well? Aaron: And good. Kyle: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. So we are pretty much everywhere. if it's we're not somewhere, you can certainly bring it to my attention and I'll work hard to do that. It's funny because I swore I was just going to be audio podcasting. And then as you guys probably have learned too, you can't do that if you're gonna have a successful show. so I fought for years to do YouTube channel. Thankfully I finally woke up from that after several of our followers begging me to do that and that was the right decision. it's allowed it's what allowed me to start doing that full time. and then I put off TikTok for years. I mean, with a passion. And as you have seen, I I do some of those now when it whenever I can. I'm still figuring out how I as a almost 40-year-old fit into the TikTok space. and and trying to not look too lame doing it. but yes, we do you know, the main content that we have would be the main podcast, which is recorded on Sunday evenings, the Auburn Experience. From that you can watch the show on YouTube. It's broadcast to Facebook. It's broadcast to X. clips go out everywhere. from you know, from the shows and things like that. Segments or funny little clips, things like that. But then I also do those TikToks. I'll call them they're called Spaces on X, I guess. See everything's so everything's so weird now. but yes, that is something that I've been trying to do just as an informal space to talk through some of the Auburn topics as best we can. Aaron: Yes. Kyle: Sometimes productively, sometimes not, as I'm sure some of the times y'all have seen if you've been in there and seen that. but yeah, I think that's probably the core of what we do is the main show which feeds everything. I do have a Wednesday night show, which is like a live call-in show people can do. It's that's very informal. so between the Sunday night live recording of the podcast, Wednesday night call-in show, and then just TikTok streams. That's kind of the bulk of what I am doing. And I s when I say we, those that Aaron: Ha ha ha. Kyle: From time to time do assist. Aaron: Yeah, and it sounds like I said, as we know, like an incredible amount of work. And to even get to that point to want to do that, to put in the time, which I'm sure would be much more than those 40 hours a week you might have in more of a traditional sense, you have to have a passion for Auburn that's maybe unrivaled, except by a co-host of mine here. So why don't you walk us on on how did you come to love? Kyle: Yeah, I think it's the easiest story in the book. It's from birth, as the as the as the youth say sometimes. I was born and raised to be an Auburn fan by my late father. now the funny part about that is is we do have a house divided. And when I was growing up, my mother is an Alabama fan. And she did, if you go look at my baby book of the first phrases I uttered, there's a certain phrase in there, which is a curse word in this house that was said by me before War Eagle. Aaron: Ha ha ha. Ha ha ha. Kyle: And my dad RAC Chandler: You Kyle: f caught wind of that and and fixed that, thankfully. And so that's the one and only time I've said that horrible phrase. but that's that's really where it starts and and ends in terms of my story of why I became an Auburn fan. But the way I when I get asked this question a lot, especially like on TikTok streams, it's a very very favorite question of viewers, I choose to be an Auburn fan because of everything that it is. And it goes beyond sports, it goes it's culture, it's the family. every aspect of the orange and blue to me is what makes it so special. We have this nebulous concept that I'm hear I'm sure you've heard us spiel a lot of the Auburn family. And and it sounds generic, it sounds cliche, and I recognize I fully acknowledge it is, but it's real. And so there's just this special place, special people, special culture. And I've never found a community of people that I connect more with, even the ones that I vehemently disagree with and think are. Very misinformed. we all we can't all family members can't get you know get get along every single time. but it it's just every I so if you wanna you wanna talk about Auburn food, we can talk about that. If you want to talk about the pe the celebrities that are out there that aren't related to Auburn sports, like I I enjoy learning that here's a fun fact. Maybe I don't know if Ryan knows this or not. Did you know that the voice of Ariel, Little Mermaid, is an Auburn person? Like did you did you know that? That's like the fun fact I like the thr. Yeah. So just Aaron: Did not know that. Ryan: I did not know that. Kyle: The cool things like that that people aren't aware of, like right now we own Apple until Tim Cook r finally retires in a couple of months, I think. But you know, that's just the fun things like that I always like to find out and share. RAC Chandler: Yeah, and on that same vein, just a little sidebar. My wife was scrolling through TikTok the other day and she was like, isn't this the guy that you're going on the show with? And I was like, yeah. And it was a Disney stream. Do you have a Disney channel as well? Ryan: Yeah, yeah. Kyle: Yeah, I try to keep those two things separate. So I guess that we don't have to go down this rabbit hole too far, but really where content creation for the video side of things began with an interest in that type of stuff. And that's where what got me to finally do it on the Auburn side. so yeah, I I have a an affinity towards Disney parks, especially. My wife and I have been going almost every year since we were married, and we'll plan to continue doing that for all ever. RAC Chandler: You Kyle: that has become more of a just a playground of sorts for me where I've I've tested out certain concepts there, things before. you might see me on there sometimes, from t from time to time, just to have fun, talk about what's going on in that space. It's like a little retreat in the content space. It it it it's become just the escape in this area where I still am being a content creator, it just it's just for fun though, at this point. and it maybe maybe someday we can revive that. But As I've been and you've you've found out, I've been inundated with everything that we can cover in the Auburn space and that takes my full attention in the professional sense. RAC Chandler: Yeah, that's awesome. No, we're annual pass holders. We go all the time. So my wife was scrolling through and she was like, that's that's crazy. She's an Auburn fan and annual pass holder Disney guys so that we're gonna get along well. Aaron: Yeah. Kyle: Man, listen, Ryan: Yeah, it's my it's my sister. Kyle: I I Okay, okay, okay. Yeah. Well, I will tell you, we're not annual pass holders yet. I have fought really hard to convince myself to do that. We haven't done that quite yet, but we still go once a year, at least we usually do. believe it or not, we don't have the trip set yet for this year. We're running out of time. It's about to get real busy for me, and you you know what I mean. So we gotta make this we gotta make this happen pretty soon here. but yes, I do that. I enjoy that. RAC Chandler: Yeah. Ryan: Yeah. Aaron: Mm-hmm. yeah. RAC Chandler: yeah, of course. Kyle: It's more of an escape for me than anything. and that's why if you found those streams on TikTok, you'll see above mine, either one, it says these topics only, because I wasn't aware that if you do it from the same phone, TikTok will send the people that follow you on the other thing to the other thing. And so now I have a ton of crossover and I didn't intend for that. It's not that I'm trying to hide that I like these things, I'm proud of it. But it's just I wanted to keep the things separate and yeah, and so it can be a little bit difficult. I have a couple of regulars who Aaron: Keeping the focus. Yeah. RAC Chandler: Yeah. Kyle: follow both things and they're always trying to insert and get me to say certain auburn things in that stream and vice versa. So it gets a little wild over there sometimes. RAC Chandler: So what does Ariel think of the over-under odds for Auburn's win totals this year? Aaron: Ha ha ha. Kyle: I'll tell you what, I wish she she right now she wishes she could not be part of our our world because you know, it's not a good world right now. yeah, I don't know. we'd have to ask Jodie Benson about that and see what her opinions are. I I don't know if she I I n she is an Auburn person. I I know that sh she loves Auburn, but I I wish you know, we got more from her about like how deep she is into that aspect, if she is really into the sports and the football or not, but That's not something I I haven't had the pleasure of talking to her yet, but I would love to do that one day. Ryan: Yeah, and I know you're saying, I think just like recently too, it just shows how loyal our fans are that we're still selling out our stadium every year. Because there's something different. It's like other schools kind of just are fans because of like their peak greatness at certain times, but I feel like there is something deeper. Like we actually have a tight c knit community. I've never seen people this passionate about not just football, but just the whole school and stuff. So I'm like proud of Kyle: Yeah. Ryan: Our fan base and stuff. Kyle: Well, perfect example is this is the fourth straight sellout of season tickets, and all of the seasons that preceded those sellouts have been losing seasons. So either we're gluttons for punishment, and that's what some people will jokingly say, but if you weren't getting something out of it, you wouldn't keep doing it. And so I I would agree with you, Ryan. I would say that loyalty is something that is thrown around a lot in the in the sports. talk space, but Hopper and folks financially showing up when the rubber meets the road, they actually show up. And so I think that's the perfect example of that with that sellout they the fourth straight sell out of season tickets they announced about two weeks ago, I think is what it was. Aaron: Well, before we start hopping a little bit more into the focus of going into this upcoming season and seeing if we are heading towards some greener pastures, we recently talked about some of our favorite college football traditions. So I did want to ask you, what are some of your favorite Auburn traditions that you just think people out there should be aware of? Kyle: Mm-hmm. Yeah, I I mean I can go to the obvious ones right away. the Eagle Flight, Tiger Walk. I think those are you know, some people say they're not unique to Auburn, although a lot of people started doing it after we did it. I'm gonna just, you know, throw out a couple other bird things like the Air Force and all that tried to start flying Falcons and all that stuff I I they I don't know really where the timeline's line up. Maybe Air Force has been doing it much longer than we have. but I will tell you this, Philadelphia Eagles fly the Eagles now because we Aaron: Ha ha ha. Kyle: train their eagles or we sent them eagles. That's you know, that's just how that works. yeah, the Eagle Flight is unmatched. I actually have a degree from Auburn in zoology, believe it or not. And yes, I did work for a zoo for a short amount of t actually a decent amount of time. and I did work at the Auburn Raptor Center as a volunteer while I was a student there. And I I worked with birds in that zoo. So I have a strong affinity towards the war eagle flight other than just it's the coolest tradition ever. And who would say otherwise. but i you know like it I I see the Eagle Flight in much different ways than the traditional fans do. Like I know when the bird's panicking if it ever does, which it rarely does, but like or or I know we're about to have an issue of a bird leaving or something like that, or he's having trouble finding the lure or where the person's down there, you know, trying to bring him in. But the incredible work that they do with that Raptor Center, obviously I know firsthand, even though that's been several years ago, that's I think you can't talk about traditions Especially at Auburn and not mention that first thing. Tiger Walk is awesome. And I I love Tiger Walk. But I'll I'll give you like a an a niche one. that Auburn people, especially if you went to there as a student, know there's this tradition of right in front of Langdon Hall, a seal on the ground, the Auburn seal. And the lore is that you do not step on that seal while you are a student. If you do, You will not have anyone else from I think that and correct me if I'm wrong, Ryan, if you've heard this one, I think the the shtick was at my time, if you step on the seal, nobody in your family will ever graduate from Auburn again. Like that's it ends with you. So you'll I have seen students literally, you know, noses in their phones, not paying attention, and then they realize they are literally about to step on that seal and do like some cartwheel to get around it, you know, and and figure out a way to not land on. Aaron: Ha ha. Kyle: then you get the people who just don't care, and then we'll all scream at them, what are you doing? Like, get off that. So that one's a favorite one of mine that's more about, I guess, the academic side of things, but I have still yet to step on the seal. I can't do it. I cannot bring myself for fear of there's some other mojo out there that's going to prevent my future children from being able to graduate from Auburn. So that's a small, you know, non-sports related one there. Another sports-related one that I love. think a lot of people used to miss. I think they're finally re rediscovering it, is what's called the Four Corners Pep Rally. and this is right after Tiger Walk. Everybody's had all the hoopla of that, rightfully so. But then gates are open, everybody starts heading in. Well, there's the band what the the band members used to march from the four corners that where Tiger Walk ends and meet there for a big pep rally right before they march in, and that's about 45 minutes after Tiger Walk. It's really Two corners now because it's gotten so congested down there they can't do all four streets. but the it's still called four corners because it's in the same location. And so when you see half the band come marching from, you know, half a mile off, same thing down that direction, and they converge together into one big pep rally all together. Like to me, that's just awesome. I love our band and I love participating in that as often as I can. So yeah, I think those that kinda runs the gamma there of some of the obvious ones and Just some personal or smaller ones as well. Ryan: Yeah, I like the the pep rally one. We usually wait for that and before we go in like an hour before. But even like when I was growing up, my dad didn't let me step on the seal. I've heard different ones. Like you might not graduate. I've heard one that like if you step on it, you're not gonna marry an Auburn person, stuff like that. And that the only thing is that you touch your graduation ring on it. And that's like the only time or whatever. I've heard some people do that. Which is very funny. I never touched it. Kyle: Good. Yeah. Aaron: Yeah. Kyle: Yeah. Yeah, that's there I ca I can't do it. It's it feels like there's something I'm gonna mess up down the line for somebody else in my my lineage. I don't know. Ryan: Mm. RAC Chandler: Yeah, your great, great, great, great grandkids are like, man, why did I get denied to Auburn out of all the schools? I mean, when I really wanted to go through. Aaron: Yeah. Kyle: Well, Grandpa Kyle Grandpa Aaron: Yeah. Kyle: Kyle stepped on that at at some point. Ryan, do you know the legend about the the big gear sitting next to Sanford Hall? The the one that's rusted over? No, I mean it's probably not one you want to know. the legend is is it's it's this old I'm sure it's from the old agriculture buildings, and there's like a mill and it's just a giant gear. You look at the thing, it hadn't moved in centuries. Like there's no possible way for it to move. Well Ryan: No and my dad's probably gonna kill me. I don't know. Aaron: Ha ha ha. Kyle: If you take your Auburn lady to that gear and kiss her in front of it and it moves, you need to run. That's about that's all I'm that's all I'm gonna say on that. So that it goes a lot of different ways. So that one you know is is one that's been like a running gag for some people who are aware of it. So don't if you don't wanna know, don't go take your, you know, your Auburn girlfriend or fiance over to it and and get a little smooch because you may not like the answer that you get from the gear if it starts turning. Ryan: What are running from? Aaron: Ha ha ha. Kyle: You know, I'm just gonna let you imagine that what what's going on there. you know, just just let that be. that might actually be le less scary. I don't know. But you know, well sometimes the imagination, let's just say it let's just say how about loyalty would be would be a good way to think about that one. Aaron: Yeah. Ryan: Nick Saban comes out of the woods. I'm just kidding, sorry. Aaron: Yeah. Yeah. It sounds like maybe we have a future rat clip we'll have to shoot to put that to the test when we're up there. RAC Chandler: yeah, that's a good one. Yep. Kyle: He should. RAC Chandler: We'll we'll have, yeah. Next time, next time Ryan gets his lady friend involved, yeah, we'll bring him out. Roll to Miss Corner, then go take a trip to the gear. Aaron: Yeah. Ryan: okay. Weird side question. So we had an episode a few episodes ago where we did our top five favorite traditions in college football in general. All five of mine ended up being Auburn, of course, but theirs weren't. So they were making fun of me because I told them that Toomer's Corner at night there was a distinct like smell that was super nostalgic. Do you know what I'm talking about? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Kyle: Yeah, let me let me connect with over here with Chandler. Chandler, do you know what I'm talking about when I talk about P Pirates of the Caribbean that smell? That's that's what he that's what he's talking about. That's what Ryan's talking about. There's a smell, and I'm not saying it's a good one, that is in the air after an Auburn win and after Tumor's Corner. I I I'm sorry that I didn't bring that one up. Obviously that one's just as important as Tyre Walk or anything else. but yes, Ryan, you're a hundred percent right. RAC Chandler: Yes, the water, like the water ride smell. Yeah. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Kyle: It's there. whether you like it or not, that smells in the air. Ryan: I like it. And that's a good way to put it, the pirates of Carvian one. That's a great way to put it. RAC Chandler: No, we just we just played on him that he is a just an infatuation with the wet toilet paper smell and that's just his thing He just walking through like Target some of them gets wet and he's like, wow, that's it. That's the smell I'm looking for Aaron: I believe That's it for me. Yeah. Kyle: I don't know if anybody's infatuated with it, but I think we just accept it. It's part of the tradition, it's part of the experience, and it's part of your rite of passage. If you can't learn to tolerate this smell, then you weren't born to be an Auburn person. RAC Chandler: Ha Ryan: Yeah, I was just telling it takes me back like when I'm like a little kid, you know. I remember that. It's like nostalgic for me. Not saying I'm like obsessed with it something weird, but Yeah. Mhm. Kyle: Mm-hmm. Aaron: Yep. Which Yes. Kyle: That's a core memory. That's what you're saying. It's like one of those core memories of your childhood of you've been experiencing this for this long. And so you just know it by heart. Aaron: And it just came out of pure shock that we got to hear the term I'm nostalgic for the smell of wet toilet paper. And the initial reaction to that is not a positive one. So Ryan: Yeah, yeah, yeah. RAC Chandler: Ha ha ha ha. Kyle: Well, it conjures up certain s images if it's not given the proper context. So that yes, this is not this is not the pro the way that toilet paper should be used. and so this is the usage and the wetness of it is not anything gross. Aaron: Yeah. Absolutely. Yes. Ha ha ha. RAC Chandler: kind of host would we be if we did not strip the context from it and post that as a raw clip without context? Poor Ryan. mean... Aaron: Yes. Kyle: I I think that's ex that's exactly what you're supposed to do because that's how we Ryan: Yeah. Kyle: we get the clicks, right? Ryan: Mm-hmm. RAC Chandler: Exactly. Aaron: But no, it is something every time I hear Ryan, I've heard you now speak, other Auburn fans. I haven't had the pleasure of going up to Auburn for a game yet. but every time I hear about it, you all make it sound so magical. Like there's this absolute love that you just don't get everywhere else. There's plenty of fan bases that do hold that, but it's so consistent with. you all that it does make me want to go up and I can't wait till we're on plans to get up there and catch a game. So it's going to be a moment I really look forward to. Kyle: Yeah, I think you'll you'll get a w kind of a essence of what we're talking about. You know, obviously if unless you're really into becoming an Auburn person, it won't hit you as strong as but you you'll get a little bit of whiff, literally, in in a tumors corner of of what what we what we love about it, what we experience about it. And yeah, I think it's best to s exemplify it in Tumor's Corner. Yeah, you're there to celebrate trip most likely an Auburn sports win. Aaron: Yeah. Mm-hmm. RAC Chandler: you Kyle: most likely football. but David House, who is the guy that we quote every time we start our Auburn show, The Auburn Experience, he's the former athletic director of Auburn. He's now like the most Famous Auburn historian, he I say David Housel said it best, the whole of the Auburn experience. He talked about that the whole of the Auburn experience takes place at Tumor's Corner. Here we celebrate victories, graduations, engagements, whatever it is that you need to celebrate. this is your place and this is your pa people to do that with. so that think that's kind of if you want to get real, you know, I guess mystical about it, you can add that that kind of flavor in there with the way he phrased it. And that and sadly that. Aaron: Yeah. Kyle: quote comes from the last time tumors corner was rolled with the original original trees, which that, you know, to this day still what an interesting story. but if you go and look at the pictures of that air tumors corner, people to this day swear there was one million people smashed into that block somehow. And I believe them because I was in it and I could not move. it was a sad but special day. And I think that was a great example exemplifying what Aaron: Yeah. Kyle: that tradition is all about to us. Ryan: so I was wondering how intertwined are you in like going up to the school and like in like media days and practices and stuff? Like do you ever go up there? Kyle: So I spent my rule of thumb when people ask, do you go to the games? It's like I'm on as let's have a family obligation. I am there on Auburn Football Game Days. I try to attend and come to campus, even if I'm not coming to the games for other things, just to be there to capture the atmosphere and stuff. We like to gather content, share pictures, videos, things like that. so I I'm a non-traditional media member in that I don't really fit in the space that a lot of the current like beat writers and they and the work that they do occupy. w maybe some of that marries a little bit with some of the things they do and I think traditionally they have now moved into some of the spaces that I have as well and and that's just how it naturally happens. so I have I I'm not a traditional credentialed media member. I I have been credentialed for certain Auburn events. and I one of them's hanging behind me right now. but it it's you know it's a very unique experience when I get the pleasure to do certain things like that and I I I treat it as a great honor. But you know, it's just one of those things I don't fit that space too much. So you kinda have to be, you know, wise with what you request of to be able to do and things like that. But I I do work with the athletic department and, you know, request if I could be a part of things like that. And I have been granted that. very thankful for that from time to time. but it's true. Kind of just man on the street type of content. And whoever's will willing to talk to me, whatever's out there to capture, do a lot of following Obby around. And man, listen, if you want to do some content and get some clicks, just follow Abi around. He just now started following us on TikTok too, and he's been in the chat the last couple days too. And I don't know what to do with myself because the greatest tiger in the world, the real a real tiger, don't get me starred on that, is actually following me now. So I don't know what to do with myself at this point. Aaron: Yeah. RAC Chandler: That's awesome. Aaron: Ha ha ha. Ryan: Yeah, that's pretty cool. Aaron: Yeah, having a having a fan moment as trying to keep that composure I'm sure is Kyle: It's like what what did I what did I do? Now I have to actually watch what I'm saying because Obby the tiger and he and like literally he's watching everything we do. Like you'll turn around, Obby's behind you. Like don't you s gotta be careful what you I can't let Obby down. Aaron: Mm-hmm. Ha ha ha. No, especially in the realm of credentialed work and everything like that. I know that's something we respect of you do have to, when you're working in a passionate space, you have to keep aware of how much obligation are you signing up for, which changes th the representation of the passionate work. So it is something that I I respect that. That is something that you have to keep in your mind. But as we were speaking about the future of Auburn, y'all are undergoing a changing of the guard whole program is we can say changing. So we'd like to get your opinions on how do you feel about that change? Where do you see this going in this upcoming season? Kyle: Man, that's a good question. And I have for the first time in my Auburn fan life been the most cautious that I have been. Let me give you the full context. I I am still harboring on a little bit of resentment about twenty twenty. And rightfully so, I've been proven right at this point that my favorite phrase is it didn't have to be this way, when they fired Gus Malzon. and that, you know, there's still I'm still shocked at the amount of people that want to hold on to that hatred of him and there's Aaron: Ha ha. Kyle: This how do you hate a man like Gus Malzon, first of all? He's the nicest dude ever. He just moved back to the Auburn area too in a retirement, which is another reason to prove why people love Aub Auburn and he just can't explain it. The people we fire want to stay there and come back. I Hugh Freeze is still here technically too. So listen, it's a great place. But all that to say, I have Aaron: Mm-hmm. Ha ha. Kyle: really tried to hold back because also I think we're at a point in this program and and my concern a lot of time is even more for the fan base where we need to kind of settle expectations and this is not about us you know learning to be okay with just a bowl game and things like that's not what I'm saying. No we're all trying to win a ch national championship. That is the focus that is the goal that stuff. But let's also talk about reality. You know Auburn made some decisions that in my opinion they didn't make in 2020 that set them on this path and have set future coaches up Even if they weren't the right fit or not for a a rough time. namely now we come to Alex Golish. listen, he's wiped the program pretty much ha at least half clean with and brought in a lot of his people, which, you know, there's the running joke of the USF Bulls. And so I think the question that comes with that if you're gonna be the USF Tigers or the, you know, whatever you want to be in that in that w w realm, will what he brought over? Aaron: Yeah. Kyle: translate to power of football and those pieces that he brought over with marrying it with the Auburn people and and the other pieces that were brought in. How does that marry in year one? It and I really don't know. we've seen that this model work with Indiana and Cygneti. And so I I think it can work. Does it mean that it happens at Auburn immediately? No. Does it mean it happens, you know Five years, maybe. Does Auburn fans have the patience for five years? At this point, I'd say no. so I I really don't know what to tell you in terms of where we're sitting at expectation, what you should expect for this year. My general rule of thumb for Auburn historically is when I I get ready to make predictions closer to the time, Auburn's capable as a minimum expectation of eight and four every single year, in my opinion. Now, if we keep on this trend. We're gonna have to drop that down a little bit. But I still believe resources, support, financial resources, all this stuff, facilities. Auburn's capable of bringing in the talent and managing that talent to get to an eight and four, even in the SEC, playing Alabama and Georgia every year, capable of getting to eight and four as a bare minimum expectation. Now that hasn't happened for five straight years, six, I guess, technically, with the COVID year for Gus Malzon. but You know, that's kind of where I'm starting every year. I d I would tell you at this moment I'm leaning towards less than that, but we'll figure I tend to get a little bit optimistic as we get closer to the season. Ryan: Sorry, go ahead. Sorry. Yeah, so I'm kind of the same boat. Like, I'm slightly worried about it because I'll take it back like the whole time. Me and my dad, my dad grew up, like, went to college at Auburn. He's 1985. Last year Bo Jackson was there. So he was there and he always talks about back in his day that like every single year, it's not like you're gonna have a great year or a terrible year. It's like you go into every game thinking you have a chance to win that game, you fight it out, you just might not win or whatever. But RAC Chandler: You got it. You got it. Ryan: That's gonna happen. And even my whole life, I got to witness the national championship. I got to witness the kick six and all that great stuff. And even like six years ago ish, like you think twenty nineteen, twenty seventeen, we're still beating number one George, number one Alabama. I think there's too much recency bias that like I'll say it lightly, that Brian Harson kind of like nuked the program a little. And but Kyle: Yeah. Ha ha ha. Ryan: I was like kind of hopeful with Hugh Freeze coming 'cause he was doing so good in recruiting. He had like two top ten classes and everything. So going into last year, my thought was we had so much like tangible hope that not just like I really hope we'll be good again. Like we have the the actual talent. They always talk about how great of an offensive mind Hugh Freeze is. Whatever, even though I think he took a step back going into last year. That I went in hard nosed telling Chandler. We're winning nine games this year. And I'll and we didn't win nine games, obviously, but I think there's an asterisk there. I think there's an asterisk there. I'm not trying to be like delusional. Oklahoma game bottom a few points. Georgia game spot a full few points. you know, maybe should have won seven, eight, nine with the talent that we had. But I think that I don't know if it was because of Aaron: Ha ha ha. Kyle: I'd come close. Ryan: You freeze health issues, but I feel like our offense was was way more predictable. He was running about five plays for the first eight games or something until they fired him and we kind of exploded whenever they let Derek Nicks take over on the offensive coordinator side. But this year going in, I'm more nervous that I am kind of like a blind hope that I'm not sure if the USF guys are quite as good. Like you were saying, if they can carry over. It seems like Byron's super great. He's a great athlete. But I watched a lot of film from last year and I kind of like the the run and gun offense, like where Alex Golish kind of spreads him out. He seems to run the ball a lot. If he gets one on ones, he'll take the chance. And it worked really good at Tennessee when in twenty twenty two they had the number one offense in the country. So I'm not so worried about him, but the talent that he's bringing over, I don't think are as good as Cam and Eric Singleton and everything. Are you But I think our defense is like slightly similar. I feel like a few guys need to step up, like we lost Jay Crawford and we lost Kaion Lee. But I feel like we have so much depth that safety and our linebacker room's so good. Maybe the defense align with like Blockden leaving and Keldrick Falk, but we like Deshaun Womack. So I'm not so worried about the defense and Durkin, but more just of our offensive production. Is that kinda like your thought process? Kyle: Yeah, I mean that yeah, yeah. I mean let me I've just It's very easy, in my opinion, for Auburn fans to make sense of the last s let's go seven, eight. Auburn's biggest issue, in my opinion, has been a lack of consistent play at the offensive line position. I know that's not the popular take because it's boring. It feels like it's a much more difficult fix because it's not about one individual. It's about an entire unit that has not played well consistently together for that long. Aaron: Mm-hmm. Kyle: You've had great individuals. You've had people who have had success that are in the NFL now. Like that they're great in in of themselves. And put in the right system, the or system group that they're working with, they're great. Like their their talent comes out. But for whatever reason, Auburn over the last Seven, eight years has not been able to do that. There's this narrative out there with with Gus about his offensive line recruiting that I I push back against a lot. And s some of it is true, but it's not talked about in enough context for it to be an intelligent conversation and argument, in my opinion. But it it's the biggest question mark every year for me. Football is a very simple game, as much as we like to, you know. Aaron: Yeah. Kyle: Make everything complicated. If you cannot block well and if you cannot tackle well, you and can when I well, excuse me, not well, consistently, you will lose more often than you will win. So that to me is Auburn's biggest Achilles heel, and we'll continue to be that no matter who the coach is, no matter who the offensive coordinator is, no matter who the quarterback is, until we can keep a quarterback off his back with more than 1.3 seconds to make a decision. It's it's flat out. Like people love to dog some of these quarterbacks that we have. And and while I'm not gonna sit here and wait wave a banner for some, you know, them and some of their performances, I'm also not gonna sit here and ignore what they haven't been given in terms of support. And that could be scheme, that could be the offensive line and consistent play, a lot of those things. So yes, I mean, to round out what you were all talking about there, Ryan. The defense, I think you can feel some security in given Durkin's there, s a lot of the talent is still there. Maybe the cornerbacks, as you pointed out, have those two that left are the other two ready to go. and then so a couple other pieces there. You can find some maybe solace in that. But it's the offense. And frankly, to me, it's the offensive line. You know, I I didn't know at first when Coach Gollis said, Would y'all play pray with me for the offensive line, saying that jokingly, was he being like jokingly serious or jokingly joke? Like I I took it as a j I still take it as a joke, but Aaron: Mm-hmm. Kyle: I think what he was getting at is w our success is right here. And if you talk about his philosophy and what he has preached, and I I continue to I guess preach it for him, it's for some people it's a gross phrase, but he he wants to run the piss out of the ball. That was his phrasing, which I think Ryan: Mm-hmm. Kyle: Ryan, and you can tell me if you agree or not, that that is going to play so much better with Auburn fans and their patience than the RPO. Right or wrong, whether I you know, I I ran the RPO pretty dang good in college football twenty six. I learned how to run it like a champ. But We like to run that we are called ourselves running back you for year with Bo Jackson, Carnell, Ronnie. Just we wanna run the football. And I think when we went with Hugh, that never got consistent again. So I think that doesn't help. So the I think there's gonna be struggles. the biggest question for me is the offensive line play, but just run the ball and figure out how to do it, you know, somewhat effectively. And I think you're gonna buy yourself some time if you're Alex Goalish. Ryan: Yeah, yeah. I think it's very important we run the ball. And like the O line thing, I I don't think Bonix was bad, but he did not have a lot of time even whenever we were back. 'Cause we saw he had he had a ton of glimpses of talent, but he was like a little young and I think we kinda thought he was frantic. But when he went up to Oregon, he just seemed so much more poised and so much better. And it maybe was the O line situation. Kyle: Do you know why that is? Because he went to an offensive line that had nobody starting it less than a junior, that had all this experience and all of this moxie. And it it worked. That I mean that I'm sorry. I mean, that's it. Because he had the weapons at Auburn. He had the offense that he could be successful in at Auburn, but Ryan: Yeah. Aaron: No Ryan: Yeah. Kyle: That's the answer right there. I mean and and look, I'm taking credit away from Bo. Bo is an is an incredible athlete. RAC Chandler: Running game. Alex Golish preaches it. You want to get the offense, you know, Chernin. If you don't have a good run game, it's hard to establish anything else. So I know Byram over at USF, he had like hundred and fifty plus carries, about a thousand yards in the ground. So do you expect them to rely on him? Maybe not that heavily, but do you expect them to rely on rely on him pretty heavily in that run game, or do you expect Jeremiah Cobb and Co. to be a split backfield and have Byron Brown be like a safety net, like if needed he can run. Kyle: with the amount of running backs that he brought in to Auburn along with the ones that stayed. Jeremiah Cobb being the primary one there and the lead back. he brought over Davenport from USF, Bryson Washington, you know, being in in most people's eyes, the number two by back there. And then you brought up Byron Brown and certainly he's your, you know, everybody's favorite dual threat quarterback kind of prototype. I I don't see how you don't use all of it. I think in an ideal world you try to marry The two together and make one play off the other. I think that's people love to harp on. Well, Cam Newton carried the 2010 team, and that's just I mean, sure, but but again, lacking a lot of nuance and context in that statement. they forget that they had an incredible backfield there with Michael Dyer headlining it at the time, but some very specially talented backs and wide receivers could even be utilized in that offense in the run game. you know, with this statement, again, I'll repeat it. It run the piss out of the ball. I think everybody's gonna be doing that. And and if it's Byron, so be it. If it's primarily Jeremiah Cobb, which would be my preference, just because I'm at an old school run the run the running back into the ground type of guy, that so be it as well. to me, I think the signs point toward that it it is in its best form going to be everybody doing their part, hopefully some equally. But I mean when something works and you can't stop it, you couldn't stop Cam Newton at some point. You just keep doing it. Right. So it's whatever gets rolling first. So maybe the thing is people key off of Byron, knowing that that's probably the tendency, and that opens everything up for Jeremiah, for Bryson Washington, for Omar Mabson, who's been here at Auburn as a hometown kid, like whoever it is. You know, you know, I that's to me. it it's hopefully it's gonna work right away to the point where they have so many options they just don't know what the not Auburn doesn't know what to do with them, but the opponents don't know how to stop that off it's Aaron: No, I completely agree with you here. I think it has to be a whatever works, works method, because especially coming in, new coach, coming in to the SEC under Auburn, you fire everything you got. What's the harm? And especially, as you said, if you got to run everybody to keep linebacker safety tied up on the wrong guy, that's perfect. You know, that helps. So till they find that rhythm of what works, go for it all. Kyle: I mean, just got to, you got to fit, you're good. just, I think we can try to figure out as much as we want, what is the best system for Auburn in this running? And we just don't know yet. I mean, the beauty of it is, is you've got so many options as we've all kind of said here that you can work with opportunities for others to have to key off of and figure out. And so I think the gist for me with the run and figuring that out is I'm just thankful that Auburn's getting back to running the piss out of the ball. Ryan: Yeah, it sorry. Aaron: Well, if you're gonna fix O line issues, getting to run the ball is a fast way to do it because y you can't make it work without it. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Yeah, optimum. Yeah, and I kinda like the more traditional run game. I think Jeremiah Cobb was great. I know we brought Bryson Washington, but it almost seemed to me like Mabson might al almost start over him. But it's weird to look that at USF, Byron Brown had sixty percent of the offensive carries on their team. So I hope we go to more of a traditional role, like you're talking about where we let Cobb get the ball. So yeah, that will be a kind of O line thing. But I don't want it to be so much of Byron Brown is like a run first quarterback. I know that people were so worried about his throwing motion. I think he can like physically throw the ball good. I was a little worried at A Day, but I think he was just a little excited or something. But I don't know. I think people like Jeremiah Kroger or C Jeremiah Kroger, I think that Kyle: I do it too, I've done it too, so no worries. Aaron: Yeah. Ryan: Yeah, yeah. I think he's great. I think Keyshawn Singleton's great. I think he can physically throw the ball to them. But I don't know how we let Cam Coleman walk. Like guys like that, Eric Singleton, I feel like we're definitely maybe taking a little bit step down on the receiving core. But if Alex Gouler's system is this much better and he can get it done with these guys, then any more offensive production than last year would be good. What what do you think? Kyle: Yeah, listen, I know everybody's focused on a cam Coleman and for certain part of the fan base, the sky is falling and all that kind of stuff. Listen, cam was a generational talent. You saw that. I mean, he also wasn't perfect either. So let's not act like, you know, this is the end all be all of wide receivers. He was good. He and he lived up to the hype in a lot of ways. And we saw that in a lot, but, uh, you know, few frees brought in all that talent at wide receiver. And it, for the most part showed up, but it just didn't work. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Kyle: holistically with the offense all the way. And there are a variety of reasons we can debate on why that is. But this, this new group of wide receivers, I'm kind of almost feeling like it's a special group because it feels like a new freeze four or five, whatever, because they're all this guy's guys, Alex Golis's guys that know his system, know what he wants to accomplish. And you've got to believe that on some level that gives you a leg up as an offense. to prepare as you get going into this new era with them marrying in here with Auburn. So yeah, maybe it's not the name of a cam Coleman or Malcolm Simmons at a time, you know, had some right name recognition as well, Perry Thompson too. But you know, you've got to hold over from that and Bryce Kane who could, I'm kind of rooting for the kid to be honest with you. He's the one left over from the freeze for that didn't get a lot of time. And so just rooting for him big time to maybe kind of show that he shouldn't have been left out of that equation as much. Yeah, I I think there's some reason for hope with that group. It may not have the star power, but I think it can marry well, especially if you give them some time with running the ball effectively and consistently. Ryan: Yeah. sorry. RAC Chandler: In that same wide receiver group, Deshaun Spencer, Sam Turner, freshman guys, they look to be like some real gems that are being the developing fold there in the wide receiver room. Do you think those guys could have an impact as freshmen this year coming into that wide receiver group? Or do you think there'll be any any other impact freshmen across the offense that could have roles in that offense? Kyle: I mean, Sean Spencer is probably going to be the one that everybody wants to. I think everybody's looking to attach that Cam Coleman hype to somebody. And I feel like that's the area that a lot of people are going. And with good reason, it's not just fan speculation. The coaches talked him up. The players talked him up in spring practice a lot. I think that's probably. the area if you're looking for a freshman star that could rise up out of somewhere and earn some extra time, not going to say starting time right now. I think that's probably your most likely candidate. You know, at the time, it's not the most interesting thing in the world. Last year was very impressed with Kale Ellis at center, given what he was asked to do with our starting center going down. I don't know where he's going to be in the pecking order now as far as center or just working on an interior offensive line. I'm hopeful for his future. that he's been thrown into the fire and had to learn how to be effective and I forget what game it was because I was talking about a lot there was some block that he laid on somebody the moment he came in and it broke I think it was Jeremiah loose for like a 50-yard gain and I'm like this hey man okay I'm with you this true freshman being thrown and he's he was a young true freshman to it like I think he was 17 years old at the time so if you just want me throwing a dark horse one like Maybe some I'm gonna throw in a little bit of height towards Kail Ellis. Hopefully he can continue to develop on offensive line as someone who's very focused on that. But wide receivers, the skilled position players, Sean Hall, think is the main one people should probably be looking for. or Sean Spencer, excuse me. I just realized I did Deshaun Hall, who was a recruit for Auburn this year. Yeah. The next one. Deshaun's everywhere. Ryan: Yeah, the next guy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, Aaron: Mm-hmm. Ryan: yeah. Yeah, but it is comforting to know that they have played together, they have like a tight knit thing coming in, that everyone is talking about day one, Byram and Keyshawn Singleton already were knowing what to do. So that feels comforting. I I think if they can keep it consistent that we'd be good. I just don't wanna fool myself into getting all this hype. 'Cause I feel really good about the defense. If I'm just starting to think the offense is good too, you know, I Might just think we're gonna be better than we are. I don't know. Kyle: Yeah, I'm all for optimism. I'd rather you be on that side of the fence and it's all be on that side of the fence. And some of these people that think the only way that you can be keeping it real online is by being negative. I've never understood that logic thinking. but yeah. I, the offensive line questions is just what's going to drive me, you know, this entire time, like not, not about being pessimistic or anything like that. I just need to see a little proof of concept and then my optimism will probably take over in terms of where this offense could the team. Yes. But the offense could marry with that defense that we believe have every reason to expect big things out of. Ryan: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was Aaron: Which I appreciate you bringing up that idea of like, better be optimism. This something we love. all of us participating in college football love college. And it's better when you're enjoying the thing you love. But earlier you talked about managing expectations. And I think that in that realm of saying like you can be optimistic to have an eight and four season. That's fine. that's if that's a first time first season results as a head coach, not everybody can have the Indiana year. Under Signetti, where you know, two years in you're in a national championship position. We're managing that and saying don't scream at the athletic director to fire a head coach six games into their first year and expect the program to remain above water. Because I think that's something where on the fan side, we have to have some responsibility of being very vocal. And when we are, that impacts come from that. You know, they people can turn as off the ears as much as they want to it, but it's still out there, it's still droning. And if everybody's screaming, we're just going to keep this cycle of changing head coaches on programs every two, three years. And we a lot of programs are worse off for that. So I just I I like when people point that out of saying it's okay to manage it. You can be excited. You can say we're excited to have a good season, but keep it an idea of what really is a good season, especially in the SEC and especially with The changes to the schedule. I think you come out with eight, nine wins, especially in a fresh program, you're doing really well this year. Kyle: Yeah. And I will add on to what you're saying there. I think there's what's missed a lot of time in the discussion we're having here is that you're being a sunshine pumper. If you don't just keep it real as the, they say, and, first of all, when someone accuses in it happens more often than you think is someone who's not really been committed to a record or anything right now. And I'm like, please call me a sunshine pumper. If your accusation of me is that I'm too positive about something. So be it. I'm so glad that's what you think I am. Aaron: yeah, yeah. Kyle: I am all about constructive criticism. What, what I mean by that? I don't mean that you have to hold their hand and, know, just say, you know, sweet baby. You know, like everything's going to be okay. You did so great. That's not what we're talking about here. You know, we can say last year, Jackson Arnold did not do a good job of managing what he was asked to do in that system. Now that could have been all coaching that could have been him. It's probably somewhere in the middle of those two things. He was not a good fit. for the system last year at Auburn. can also say something that may trigger some Auburn fans right now. Brian Harson is a good football coach. Everybody okay with that statement? I just want to, Brian Harson is a good football coach for someone else, but he's not a good fit for Auburn, whether it's culture, all the different things. It didn't work. It's not a good fit for Auburn. He's not a good coach for Auburn, at least at that time. So. Aaron: Ha ha Kyle: All these things can be true. can talk about the obvious facts, even if they're negative things, but we got to be able to talk about it more than just fire the head coach. that. mean, if that was the answer, we would have worked. It would have worked with Brian Harson. So I'm just sorry. You're gonna get me going down rabbit holes now that I don't need to do, but. Aaron: Yeah. No, no. Like I said, it it I like to make sure when we have people in this space saying things like, it's okay to have criticism, but at the same time, not just say, I hate this program. There's nothing they can do. Everything about this was just terrible and useless. And it's like, well, there's still things you can look at that's positive development. There's things that you can look at as critical sliding, and we can point it out, we can talk about it. But at the end of the day, you gotta leave some. room in the heart to love the program you follow. So I I'm I'm a proponent of that, of try to keep yourself as the individual loving the sport the way we do. Even if it's not the best of times. And as somebody is a Mississippi State fan, I can say, you know, sometimes that silver lining's harder to find. But there's still things to look forward to. Kyle: Yeah. RAC Chandler: I have a little bit of a loaded question. but since since the NIL is a is a wild, wild west state that we're in, there's money flowing from everywhere, all these kids are getting paid an astronomical amount of money. do you think NIL makes it harder for these like kids coming out of high school or these unexpected stars to kind of come out of the fold? like not saying Deshaun Spencer or Sam Turner are one of those, but do you think those kind of guys, like in that pecking order, that aren't necessarily supposed to be a starter and may not get paid as a starter? Aaron: Yeah. RAC Chandler: But if they come out and shine, do you think there's turmoil or headbutting in there if th if they're now getting playtime that a guy that's getting paid a lot more that is supposed to be the starter that doesn't live up to expectations? Kyle: I mean, I don't see how you couldn't. Yeah. I don't see how you couldn't have turmoil in the locker room when money comes up. mean, the Bible says money's root of all evil. So, I mean, when, when that comes in, uh, to play, evil comes out, you know, and we're all human. We're all are susceptible to things. And my gosh, if, I was that susceptible as a 17 and 18 year old, 19 year old person, I can only think that the same thing would be true for 17, 18 year old night. RAC Chandler: Exactly. Kyle: Throw in what somebody's getting from the portal versus what somebody's getting in straight out of high school, all these things like that has to play into it. And so the box has been opened up and there's no way to put it back in one day. And so I'm kind of, I'll be honest with you with portal, like lamenting, NIL lamenting. I'm just kind of done with it. Like it is what it is at this point. I've just accepted it. And so like, I'm like, we we've made our points. We all hate it. Like let's, don't think there's anybody in this. conversation that says I am 100 % for everything that has happened in NIL portal, all that stuff. If you are, then I need this. Let's just, got a doctor I need to get you an appointment with today. But it, it's the world we live in. I've, think I've just learned to accept it and try to block out some of those parts of it. But I don't see how that doesn't work to have some effect on your culture in your locker room. And so if you're a coach that can manage that really well, I think you're going to have success. you can't, you get fired. RAC Chandler: Yeah, I I think it's gonna be harder and harder to juggle. I mean, there's there's so much money floating around. I know for Ohio State, for instance, like David Gabriel George's battling between Tennessee and Ohio State. I mean, there's some serious numbers being thrown around for that kid coming out of high school that has never taken a collegiate snap. So to have somebody like that come in your program, and then if you have like a third year junior that's already starting, and all of a sudden this guy comes in and potentially is gonna take your job. I mean, it's there's gonna be a lot of murky waters that people are gonna be navigating through. So just wanted to get your opinion on it because I know it's a it's a crazy situation. Yeah. Kyle: Yeah, it is. And I don't think it's going to get any simpler anytime soon. Ryan: but it seems like Golish and Durkin kinda tried to make a big deal in keeping a good locker room environment when they were getting rid of Cam Coleman and Kayan Lee. I don't know how true these stories are, but people are saying stuff like Kyan Lee said you have to give me forty thousand dollars to get on the plane to go to Texas A and and that Eric Singleton and Kim Coleman are parting the day before a game. Stuff like that. And he was saying I don't want that to be a part of my program and that like I'm okay with them leaving almost. And originally when I heard that I thought they were almost coping they left, but now where I'm seeing the culture these bringing from USF, I'm starting to believe it a little more. Do you think that's gonna affect our season a little and our the way that our team gets along with each other? Kyle: Well, I think what you're hinting at is this discussion around performance based NIL and that type of stuff, incentives and things like that. And I think that's a good way to approach it. At least on the surface, it sounds good. I think the important thing for as fans to remember is that we think sometimes we've got more figured out than what we do. And it's so easy to take a message board person saying, RAC Chandler: Yep. The incentives and stuff. Kyle: I have my source and the insights telling me this and I'm like, well, then tell us your source. Like, no, don't, don't, don't hide behind it. Like, no, I I'll be honest with you. I have quote unquote sources too, that I don't reveal, but what I don't do it is just for clicks. Like I have, there are reasons not to reveal people that have given you information because if you do. Aaron: Yeah. Yeah. Ryan: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Kyle: It won't be there anymore. So it's, I think it's, what's your intention behind sharing that information is and all that kind of stuff. I'm getting on a tangent here that I didn't need to get on, anyway, like I just, those rumors, those things like that. My first inclination is just not to believe them. And maybe that's a, the opposite way I should be doing about this thing. I just, I just don't buy into them. I got to see hardcore facts and proof. RAC Chandler: Yeah. Information dries up. Kyle: like your sources, who they are, how well they're informed before I believe some of those rumors and things like that. But, you know, do I think that 17, 18, 19, 20 year old kids are out doing stupid things? Yeah, we all did. So I think that's happening. Aaron: yeah. Yeah. You throw a couple hundred thousand dollars into my bank account at that age, too. That would have been trouble. Ryan: Mm-hmm. Kyle: Yeah. And, look, every program goes through, mean, Georgia more than anybody. can't get, they got to send their whole campus through, driver safety ed, but Auburn has at least some drama pop up every summer. And sometimes it's very tragic stuff. Sometimes it's very minor, but still not something you want to have happen to people on your roster. we're talking about college kids. Aaron: Yeah. Kyle: We're all that. We all make stupid decisions. You throw money in there, it's going to get stupid, even more stupid than you were. And, I can go with the narrative that some of these guys left because they were asking for too much and understand that's probably the case. But once they're gone, it's not any ill will to them. They just don't exist to me anymore. Not, have any ill intention. I, as long as you don't leave Auburn disparaging them anyway, I'm, Hey, listen, go do you. If we run into you that I'm not going to wish you well in that way. don't, I wouldn't say I wish him well in any regard, but I'm just, it's just like, okay, that's the world we live in. They're gone. I'm my focus is on this team. What you, what fans need to know about this team and not so much focusing on what was, I focused on what, what is and what will be. Aaron: Yeah. Ryan: That's a better mindset to have. Yeah, yeah. 'Cause I was like worried about it when it was happening, but yeah, now that I'm seeing this team like I'm starting to feel more comfortable with it too, so Kyle: No, I think that's probably you got a lot of reason to think that and believe that there's some whether it's because of the culture, the things that they're doing about incentive based stuff. think there's a reason for that. Aaron: Yeah. And I we talked very early on in the off season talking about the incentive idea in the Wild West world, you do need people out there trying new things. It could it might it not work? Possibly. Could it work? Possibly. W you know, the season's gonna tell us the truth. And that's something where it's just as college football fans, we take the heart the off season heart. You know, it's something where it it builds up. Kyle: yeah. Aaron: For us tough. So it is something where it's like sometimes we just have to wait and see. And it's hard, it's hard to be that way sometimes. I know I'm excited. And as it gets closer, it that it that gets harder and harder to wait. But no, I as you said about NIL and what can we do about it? Nothing. And is are they working on it? I'm sure they are. The solution's gonna be the correct ones. Who knows? who knows what they come up with when it's gonna come out. Kyle: Mm-hmm. Aaron: We do have to play the field that we're given. What's the next season look like? That's the ones that they've got set in there. Those are the rules we gotta play by. That's what we gotta look at. So make the most of it, make the best of it. You know, we'll see what how that all burns down and how it all comes together. So I know we're all excited. I know we're all looking forward. And I even as Ryan was saying here, I think Goalish is given. us something, even people outside the program, something to at least look at and say, we're trying something new. We've got some things. We've got some, we've got timing. We've got we got connections between players that exist as they're coming in. There's a lot more than this just being a fresh off the press program. So a lot of things to look forward to. Kyle: Yeah, I think it's you look at it the way you look at the USF guys coming in what their their connection they're bringing in the Auburn guys and you got other portals people that were everywhere you're trying to work into but you've got two core groups that already kind of connected and if you can marry those two together I've used that phrase a lot for some reason this day you ever notice that as a content creator you like find the phrase you want to use like a thousand times every time you so that's marrying something shut up Kyle stop saying it but anyway yeah I think Aaron: Yeah. And then it drives you crazy every time you catch it. Yeah. Yeah. RAC Chandler: Ha ha ha. Kyle: Marrying those two together is not easy, but if it works, hey, you might be having something special. RAC Chandler: Round out at least the offensive questions I had. Last season, 197 yards in the air, 176 yards in the ground, about three seventy five a game total y offensive production you were averaging. Do you see that offensive production increasing this year with all the new pieces and parts coming in? Do you think that system and the cohesion that they're gonna bring from USF over to Auburn will in the long run make for a better offensive production in the year? Kyle: Well, you got to remember, and it's obvious that you're going up against the SEC defenses. And so that's just the talent alone is going to be more of a challenge to the production of that offense. And so I think it's appropriate to operate with a fair amount of cautiousness because what we're asking here is can the success replicate what happened in their conference? Now, remember They have played others in power conferences and found some success at times. So there's a proof of concept there that it can work, but now it's not just one, two games. It's nine sec games. So now you're going to, and you hope the idea would be, even if you struggle a little bit at the start, as you're getting more accustomed to that speed, that skill, that talent, that's just inherently there. That's, you know, accrued in the sec, the big 10, whatever. that eventually you're going to catch, everything's going to kind of catch up to it. So I guess that's the quick, big question is can that offensive production find its feet quick enough against sec defenses? and I think that doesn't, I'm just bringing up reasons, I guess, to justify why I'm so cautious about record predictions this year is because of questions that you just brought up. Can it get better? Can it improve? Can they replicate what they did at usf with the Here it is again, marrying the talent that Auburn already had. That's the big question and I wish I had an answer for you. Aaron: Yeah. Another one of the seasonal tell. Ryan: Do you have an opinion at least on it? Kyle: I would say the optimist in me believes given the amount they want to run the ball that yes, it can work. I'm going to point you right back to my biggest question. Can the offensive line block consistently and whether it was a joke or not, Alex Gullish said, would you pray with them with me or pray with me about them? So it kind of makes you go, do I just need to prepare myself? Uh, but I see no reason to not believe there's, there's proof he's done it before. He's been in the SEC too and knows that skill as an offensive coordinator and that speed that you have to compete against on defense. So, you know, I think what we've kind of, as we're talking it through here, the question is, can it compete with the SEC? There's reasons to believe it can. So I would say yes. I'd probably lean yes. How quickly that happens. Florida, then Vanderbilt who doesn't have what's his name anymore. Thank God. Aaron: Ha ha. Ryan: Fabia? RAC Chandler: Yeah, Ryan: Yeah, get him out. Kyle: Uh, pop, we RAC Chandler: Diego. Kyle: don't say his name here. don't, you know, uh, yeah, there's two, there's two games right there that it's not LSU. It's not, you know, Alabama, Georgia, no offense, Florida. Sorry. You know, but like, you know, it, you got, you got some time to catch up to those guys that are perceived to be the best. Ryan: Yeah. sorry, sorry, sorry. That new Mexico game was rough, dude. Ugh. Aaron: Ha ha. RAC Chandler: Yeah, cautious optimism headed into this year for the offense. Ryan: Who I am too. I just don't know. And I watched so much USF film from last year just because I've been so worried about it. It seems to me I don't want to have another I love Peyton Thorne. I'm not saying anything against him, but while Peyton Thorne was there in that Hugh Freeze thing, I feel like why like we built up to having like a huge explosive play and it just quite didn't work. We almost connected on a giant play. And when I was watching a lot of the USF film, I think they have a lot of potential. He likes to kind of spread out. He leaves guys outside the hashes, runs the ball a lot. So when they were loading the box, they would have kind of an issue running, which I think would bring up the offensive line thing. If they can block, we do well. But it was good because then they run a lot of dollar three three two six kind of things against us where we could kind of expose the vulnerabilities in the defense because we're spreading the defense out. So I think that was great. But my worst concern is consistency that Chaz had a few big drops in games they were talking about. And Byron Brown, he's super good. I think the overall offense is super good and they have super high potential. But there's like a couple times he's not quite getting his first second read would kind of force in a throw or someone would drop a big play. So I think if they could get the consistency down, then I think it would have a lot of success in our conference. So I'm just really hoping that it's consistent. I think it has a lot of potential for it though. Kyle: Yeah, I mean, I've said it earlier and you just said it now. think the key word here and it doesn't matter. The players can be different. The coaches can be different. It's consistency. That's what's Auburn's been lacking on offense from for the years now. RAC Chandler: And with a nine game SEC schedule, you gotta have it. No matter what team you are. You gotta have it. Day in and day out. Unless you're playing Mississippi State. Aaron: I mean Yes. Kyle: Hahaha Ryan: Sorry. Aaron: No, I I I I do think that's something that makes the SEC the SEC is you do you have to be consistent. like to succeed in the SEC at that high level, you have to be consistent. And whether your consistent is consistently great or it's consistently good, both of those will take you very far. But if you play an up and down swing game It seems like this is where you get punished for it real heavily. Kyle: Yep. RAC Chandler: So what was the the over under it was what six six and a half? Seven and a half? Ryan: It was seven and a half, right? Kyle: seen I've seen a couple over and under so I'm not sure which is you I'll consider the the official one for Auburn. RAC Chandler: I know that I I always use hard rock because that's what we can use in Florida. But I I th I think six and a half, seven and a half. I would I would smash the over on both of those. I've told Ryan I think eight, nine wins is where I would I would love for you guys to be. And obviously I I'm sure you guys would be too. but I see I see definitely eight, maybe nine. I I think I think you all have the tools to do it. Kyle: Yeah, where I'm sitting at right now, if it's six and a half, I'm taking the over. mean, that's just, that's just my, my nature. Like seven and seven and a half, you know, brings a pause for a second because, know, if this takes a little bit of work to get right, then that's, I'd still lean over, but it's a little bit more of a question for me because we're talking about five sec losses right there. That it's the sec. mean, it, you know, RAC Chandler: For sure. Aaron: Yeah. Yeah. Kyle: Mississippi State can catch you in Starkville because they got them bells that go off. Aaron: Ha ha ha. RAC Chandler: It just means more. Yeah. Aaron: But no, and and especially this year, y'all don't have you don't have the hardest SEC schedule, but you're far away from the easiest as well. So it is something where it it is a good year to be in a transition, but it is gonna be a testing year. It is gonna be a really forge yourself in those fires. But you know, f like with our schedule, there's you we can have a lot of talent, we can have a lot of optimism, you know, at the absolute highest peak I could see us win in seven games. And that's hard to hard to say as a fan when you look at it that way and you're like, well ours was four and a half and I wanna optimistically say over, but it's it's there's a realistic side too. So th with so many unknowns, I can imagine that it's even harder to take the swing. Now one thing I did want to go into outside of the stats, outside of the predicting the season, Golish coming in has been somebody that I think It's very vocal and very willing to talk to the press, put it out a statement. And I would say, as an outsider looking in, after Malzon left, I feel like Auburn's had a bit of a cultural issue with a disconnect between the administration and the fandom in terms of like getting all back onto the same page to get that same excitement. Do you think Goldish is the type of coach to help mend that or get the fans back on his side, back excited for the program and the culture again. Kyle: Yeah, I can see where you would feel that disconnect, especially with the Brian Harson situation. That one was pretty obvious and part of the reason why I'll maintain he was not the right fit for Auburn, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's a terrible football coach. Hugh Freeze, you know, that one's an interesting one to me. I think Hugh Freeze's legacy is about a lot of what ifs in games and out of games and things like that. You wonder if he had come in Aaron: Mm-hmm. Kyle: instead of Brian Harson to begin with, right or wrong, you know, like that, that wonder if he would have been able to pick up a little bit more of the, where the pieces were left after Malzahn, given there was a little bit of, I want to say similarities, but there's a, there could have been some continuity with some of the things they like to do. But culturally, you know, I'd like to say that whatever cultural connection issues there may or may not have been, whether it's between fans and administration, fans program, whatever. I think it's so easy for us in the early stages of a new relationship, a new coaching tenure, just to holistically say, yeah, the culture is fixed. I mean, like I can point you back to when they said that with freeze. I can point you back to when they said that with Brian Harson, I can point you back to when they were saying that the first couple of years of Malzahn. Aaron: Yeah. Kyle: Feel like that's our tendency as fans is to believe this guy's got it, right? He's hard-nosed and then you can go back and find the same people saying the exact same thing. Feel like I'm being way too non-committal and I think that's my nature this year, but I just I don't know I'd like to my optimism in me would like to say yes that this May be the guy that kind of he's younger he kind of a little bit different than Aaron: Yep. Kyle: what we've had in the past. So maybe he's got a little bit more energy to what, if it needs to be a pushback against something that's, know, in the administration or something like that, or fight for and advocate for himself and the way things need to be run here or don't need to run, or this person doesn't need to be. There's been some conversations too, and some quotes here and there about people ask him about, you know, how do you feel about pushing back against donors or things like that? And, you know, he's been very, I think, open and honest about how he would handle those situations and been very clear that This is my decision, not yours. It's easy to say that. It's another thing to do it in principle, if that's what's going on behind the scenes. Again, I'm a very big skeptic by nature. So the big bag of boogie donor thing, I just don't buy without hardcore facts. And I've never seen one ounce of real proof shown to me about that. so, again, I think I'm bouncing around the, the, our, our topic here, but I think it's easy to feel. Yes. The culture is fixed. The connections fixed with this guy. Aaron: Mm-hmm. Kyle: My optimism says I believe that can happen. I think there's some reasons for goalish with the way he's carried himself since day one since he got here that point that lead me to feel that that's an okay conclusion to go to. RAC Chandler: You know what what's funny is the first program I think of when I think of the jumping to the programs fixed, the culture's fixed, is this year's Florida team. I think there's so much buy in on John Summerall, and I'm not saying it's right or wrong, but I think he's saying all the right things. He's a younger guy, he's coming in, he's a really fiery personality. I think that they are super, super bought in and it'll be interesting to see how that program plays out. Kyle: No, I'm glad you brought that up. And I think, I think that's a good way to maybe even look at this. Cause if, if some raw works out for Auburn, which let's remember he was supposedly the leading candidate for Auburn for a long time and then Golis and Golis is here now. And so you've already got this built in history. If people don't are aware of this with Auburn in Florida, traditional rivals, they haven't played a lot because of. SEC scheduling. Thankfully that's fixed now. I actually, it's my number three, you know, favorite matchup for Auburn of all time is Alabama, Georgia and Florida. RAC Chandler: Mm-hmm. Kyle: So really happy about that. So I think you have the makings here of a really great potential dynamic and rivalry given the potential of some are all coming to Auburn at one point, Goulash being here now, both younger, both up, I mean, up and comers in a way. And if they stick at these two programs together and kind of create this back and forth of, you know, the battle of the orange and blue situation and put all that together, I stopped myself from saying it at that time, put all that together, you know, Aaron: Yeah. Kyle: You've got this traditional rivalry that can just explode even more. And that has me as an Auburn fan and lover of Auburn history and Auburn football history. Really excited. Aaron: Yeah, and I will say as we've kind of broken away from the direct side, with the new schedule for the SEC, as though it's harder, I do like the current layout, the back to back, the more games, because I love SEC ball. I love what playing SEC teams, getting that extra one. I think we're gonna see a few more people we might not see as often. And it seems like every SEC school is rivals with. every other SEC school except maybe Vanderbilt seems to be the only one that doesn't get thrown around ill though all the time. But yeah. Now, yeah, I'll say Auburn definitely has the title of they'll claim everybody, but it is something that it is I look forward to that. And as you're saying, I do think we get to see it seeing two young coaches coming into a program and two young vocal coaches, which I think we in the SEC love fiery football. Kyle: Apparently we are because we get them every year with Alabama and Georgia. I mean, you know, go figure. you Aaron: And we love when people talk with confidence. Whether that confidence is founded or not, it makes good press, it makes good pregame hype, it makes good trash talk between friends. I I I agree with you here that I think Summerall and Goalish have that potential to just have one of those, you know, tender to a flame, get a get something that you don't get to see that often, heat it back up, get more interest in that game. that you know, outside y'all two's program bringing more SECIs into it and making it more of one of those games where it's like, Well, if it's on and they're facing each other, you gotta have it. So Kyle: And this, as you're saying that these, this dynamic just popped into my head and it's got Florida included in it, Spurrier and Fulmer with, those two and those two, know, there there's they, their star power had been developed at that point, but you know, these are two younger guys. mean, we could be talking about that dynamic. They're just Auburn instead of Tennessee here, uh, with Auburn and Florida. So, I mean, if you're an Auburn fan and you got nothing else to be excited for it, just be excited for the potential of this Auburn Florida thing to be happening more often. And there's a reason that you're kind of. Aaron: Mm-hmm. Absolutely. Mm-hmm. Kyle: on the same trajectory right now together could be really special with that rivalry. Aaron: But no matter what happens, we are heading into a big season of changes. Whether you're an Auburn fan, SEC fan, I think this year feels so very up in the air. But I do think I'm gonna take your advice here. And no matter what we're going into, keep a little optimism, keep a little pessimism, keep expectations grounded. But let's go in and have a good time. So we wanted to thank you for coming on. This has been a great chat. I it getting two Auburn fans together. you could just feel how passionate y'all are on this program. You can feel anticipation and excitement, all of this coming down. Some cautious optimism, but I know we're all excited. We're s even outside of the program, see what happens with y'all this year. So Kyle, thank you again for coming on. This has been great. It a lot of fun to sit and see what y'all think. So before we let you go Do you have anywhere where listeners that might love your take here can find you? Kyle: Yeah. I'm always going to push people primarily to YouTube first, youtube.com slash E2C network, letter E, the number two, the letter C network primarily. We do have a website. It's kind of a little bit not the best way to go there. But if you go to that site, there are links there as well to a lot of things. I can provide you guys with a link tree. That's kind of the mini website these days. It's got everything on there, every social media, every way to contact us, everything that you can connect with. And we do a little bit of everything on there. The main thing that I would push you guys towards is join us on YouTube on Sunday nights at 9 Eastern Time 8 Central if you have nothing else going during that time frame or you can catch the replay as well. That's where the sausage is made so to speak. You can watch us go through our podcast recording and the shenanigans and I do mean shenanigans sometimes that happen there usually by the way of my co-host who has malfunctions with his stuff all the time but yeah that's the best way to connect. We have a live chat that goes on with that. Aaron: Yeah. Kyle: so you can mess with us during the show and also have a little bit of Q &A at the end of it as well. That's where I would send people primarily, YouTube, ETC Network, hang out with us there. It's kind of the home base of a lot of the stuff that we do right now and kind of goes out from there. Aaron: Well, we'll make sure that that link tree is in the description of this episode. So please go follow, engage Sunday nights, go check out the live chat. That sounds like it's gonna be a blast, especially if you're an Auburn fan. And no, once again, thank you as fellow content creators in the sphere. Thank you for all the hard work you've put into this. Thank you for those hours and hours of editing behind the scenes stuff that people don't see. We appreciate it. And once again, thank you for coming on, joining us here. Everybody listening, you know where to find us. Thank you for following us on the social platforms that you do. If you already do, if not, go check them out. We appreciate it. We're gonna be back next week talking about whatever college football podcast should be talking about, college football as we wait for the season to kick in. So we look forward to seeing you then. Ryan: They make me do this. Bye bye.