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Transfer portal reaction and national championship picks | Coach’s Corner with Ellis Johnson · The Auburn Undercover Podcast

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I'm your co-host Ronnie Sanders and
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we're joined today by former Auburn off
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defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson as
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usual. Before we get started, click like
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and subscribe below. It helps us out,
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keeps us in your feed. Ellis, good to be
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with you today.
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>> Good to be back. I've been so midweek
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games and those holidays and everything.
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I I come on these shows and I'm
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thinking, have we already talked about
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those games? Are we going to talk about
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these games? I can't keep up what we've
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what we've covered and what we still got
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to go over.
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>> Well, what were your thoughts on the uh
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on on the uh the semi-final games?
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>> Well, it kind of surprised them in the
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Old Miss game that it was a little bit
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closer in score than the performance
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was, but it still was a really good game
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at the end there. I I thought they got a
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bad call on the no call in the end zone
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there at the last play. Uh the other
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game, I mean, I'm just scratching my
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head. Every time you cut on Indiana and
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you watch them, nine times out of 10,
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they don't pass the eye test, you take
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the other team's players and think you
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could beat them. And they not only win,
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they're embarrassing these teams. It's
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just amazing. Uh so that that one really
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was I mean, I enjoyed watching it
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because it was really good football one
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side of the ball, but it it just really
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does. Amazing to me. 44 years of
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coaching, I still sit here and say, I
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can't believe these guys are that
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dominant.
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>> It's amazing to me how, you know, hard,
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smart, and together they play. I mean,
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those guys just And they're not, like
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you say, they're not as talented as Ohio
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State. They're not as talented as Oregon
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and they're not they're not as talented
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as Alabama.
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>> And I'm sure you've probably seen all
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these. We got, you know, it said the
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average age of their team is 23 years
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old.
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>> So, they're older. Average age is 23
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years old. The average age of the Green
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Bay Packers is 25.
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>> And it's it's just amazing. Somebody
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said the average age of the Bears was
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was less than 25. It was like 24. I
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don't know if that's So, and then the
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other thing was on the same little uh
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social media thing somebody sent me. And
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it's got each starter and how many years
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they're into. In other words, Mendoza is
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in his fourth year.
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There's one, two, that's like over half
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of the team has played four more years
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easily. Almost a third of the team is
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into five and six years. And I don't
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know how I don't know how they do it. I
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mean, there's three kids on there that
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are in their second year. They don't
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start anybody as a freshman.
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>> That's pretty amazing. I mean, but if
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you look at what Indiana's doing versus
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what, you know, and doing it that way
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versus what Florida State and some of
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these other places are doing.
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>> Yeah. the comparison.
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>> Of course, a lot of them came with him
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from James Madison,
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>> 12, 13, I think.
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>> Yeah. And whether they're playing and
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starting or not, they kind of brought
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the culture with them.
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>> And they tell me they were a big big
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factor in that first off season and
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spring ball. It was a big factor to have
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all those kids coming in to set, you
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know, set the culture and, you know,
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probably a lot of locker room talk
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about, you know, what the coach expects
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and this is how he's going to want you
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to do it and yada yada. But it's it's
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phenomenal. I tell you, man. I I really
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I didn't think they'd get to the
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championship game and now I I think
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they'll probably beat Miami.
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>> I you know, I do too. I mean, nothing
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would surprise me. You know, I know
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Miami is uh you know, my wife asked me
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the other day, she saw Michael Irvin on
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TV and she said, "Who in the she said,
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"Who's that fool?" I said, "He's
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I said, "That's Michael. He's a Hall of
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Fame receiver." She's like, "Well, he
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acts like an idiot." I said, "Well,
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yeah, he always has."
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He's, you know, he's on the Miami
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sideline, but uh it should be I expect
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it'll be a good game, but uh I'm like
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you. I mean, I I I don't know how you
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bet against um I don't know how you bet
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against Indiana at this point.
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>> Yep. I I feel the same way. And Miami is
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good enough to beat them, but so have
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about seven other teams and they've all
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got their you know what, kicked, not
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just beaten though. you know, they had a
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real close, tight game with Penn State
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and and they had some other really good
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games when maybe went to the fourth
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quarter, but I mean, every game, every
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win other than that Penn State win was
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clearly they were outplayed the other
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team statistically and the mistakes,
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everything. They knock on wood, I don't
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want to jinx them, they had a turnover
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in the playoffs and they're the only
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team that hasn't.
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>> Pretty amazing. I mean, and I think, you
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know, using Indiana as a model, I think
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that for Auburn people, Goish is doing a
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little bit of the same, you know, a few
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of the same things. He's bringing these
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kids in. I'm not sure who's bringing 12
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or 13, but I would have to go count the
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number, but it's a significant number of
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kids from South Florida, including the
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quarterback, which is huge. Um, and you
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know, I know Auburn people are worried,
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a lot of people are worried about all
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the all the kids that have hit the
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portal and that Auburn has lost,
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including Cam Coleman. Um, but you know,
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you won five games last year and
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everybody says, "Well, this this team
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won't be as talented as last year's."
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No, but probably won't, but you may win
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more games.
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>> Yep. May play better. I don't have any
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doubt that bringing those kids in,
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especially I assume they're in there now
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and they'll be in the offseason program
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and they'll be in spring ball and and I
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think that really puts the transition
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into high gear. I don't think there's
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any question. Now, will it be a huge
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impact on the field next year? We just
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have to wait and see. That's that's true
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on any any group of players. You never
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know what kind of impact they're going
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to make. But if you could bring a dozen
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or more with you from your program
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you're leaving, I just think it it
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brings your culture and it brings your
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process. It brings a lot of things with
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you. And I'm sure I guess some of his
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coaching staff are coming too. So, it
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just helps, I think, to have those
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players in the locker room uh during all
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this transition period.
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>> Well, he's brought a significant number
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of uh of coaches with him, including
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offensive line coach who looks like he's
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about 24 uh and the offensive
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coordinator who looks like he's about
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27.
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And uh so, he's got some young guys, but
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he brought a bunch of coaches with him
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and he's brought a bunch of players with
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him. So,
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>> I would think that from a transition
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standpoint, it would be
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>> it'd be fairly smooth. I know they
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haven't been able to keep as many, you
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know, on the roster as they had hoped.
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Um, but I mean, that's that's the nature
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of the beast at this point. I'm not sure
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that uh, you know, Texas probably would
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have paid Cam Coleman whatever he wanted
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anyway. And I think they I think they
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probably did.
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>> Yeah. Well, I I heard that rumor about
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Simpson. I shared that with you the
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other day. Have you heard anything
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about it? validated or
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>> Yeah, I I heard that uh that you know he
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had I guess he declared but they were
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trying there there's people trying to
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get him to come out of the portal. So
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>> yeah, that come out the draft.
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>> Yeah, declaring it's no big deal. You uh
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that that's not binding at all. And I
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don't know when the I don't know when
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the date is that you you know if he
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signs with an agent or something. Of
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course they can do about anything now
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and they go appeal it to a federal court
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and and some liberal judge is will
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always give them what they want.
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Well, at at this point, I mean, the NCAA
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has proven itself
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to be inept, and that's and that's a
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compliment.
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>> Yep.
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>> How do you break down the championship
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game? You got Indiana, Miami, and Miami
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playing for national championship in the
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in their home stadium, even though I'm
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not sure what kind of uh you know, I'm
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not sure what kind of homefield
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advantage they'll have. Although, you
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know, in in a game like this, it it may
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matter. Yeah, they uh kind of
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notoriously don't draw that well even
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in, you know, even in the days when they
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were winning all those national
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championships.
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I mean, they had a good 40,000
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following, but they hardly ever fill
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that place. Of course, they're having to
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play in Orange Bowl back then. I
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remember we went down played them when I
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was in East Carolina one year. We played
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them and uh they didn't have that big of
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a crowd. Of course, we wouldn't have
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been a real draw either, you know, to
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bring them in other side. So, but uh
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that's always been true. It's a very
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small school. You know, it's was it
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about 10,000 or so? It's private. Uh and
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you look at Indiana. I heard this radio
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riding down the road the other day.
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Indiana has the largest living alumni
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base in America.
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>> I saw that yesterday. Now,
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>> I knew they were big. I mean, a lot of
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those big 10 schools, you know, 50,
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60,000 students. I didn't know. I mean,
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Indiana must be, if not the biggest, it
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must be one of the two or three biggest
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over the history of the school. Uh, and
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I' I've been up there. My brother got
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his masters there. Uh, I guess it was
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about it was back when Knight was the
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coach and uh, but he got a masters in PE
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up there and I went up with him a couple
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times, drove one of his cars, and we
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stood about two or three days apartment
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hunting. So, camp was beautiful. I I
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couldn't really get a feel how big it
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was, but that is amazing. And Ronnie,
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these aren't these aren't PE and uh
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sociology majors. You know, these these
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Big 10 schools. I mean, they I'm sure
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they got some write-off majors, but you
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know, they they graduate petroleum
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engineers and doctors and lawyers and
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people that are connected and network
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and all that kind of thing. It's a power
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that's never been tapped. And I mean
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they they were rabbid about basketball,
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but you know, you don't need all that
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much money to have a great basketball
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program back when they were good.
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>> But I'm telling man, of course, Cuban,
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Mark Cuban, I didn't know he was an
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alum, but he's supposed to be
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>> he's supposed to be the big bag man now.
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And I I mean, hell, they got all kind of
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power. I'm very concerned. You You're
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not as old as me. You know, as a kid,
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you you really start becoming aware of
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sports and you want to see it on TV and
9:59
everything. When you're about six, five,
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seven years old, you want to go play
10:04
little little league football. You want
10:05
to watch TV. You want to watch football
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on TV. Hell, when I was coming along,
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there was nobody on TV but Big 10 and
10:14
the Pack. Okay, maybe you when Auburn
10:17
Alabama on, they were on. When Alabama
10:20
played Tennessee, they were on TV.
10:22
Carolina Clemson, for example, they
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first game they ever played on TV was
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1979.
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>> Wow. Yeah, I mean we couldn't get with
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two channels or three when I was growing
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up and now you got a hund and something
10:35
channels on your TVs. You got cable, you
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got streaming, you got all this stuff.
10:40
And so everybody's on TV now, but back
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then they weren't. The most powerful
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entity in college football during that
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time was the Rose Bowl
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>> and and the Rose Bowl parade. I mean, it
10:52
was a huge financial boom. And of course
10:55
those two conferences got all the money
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and and so it just people who are not
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our age, my age, you're younger than me.
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It's going back that way if we don't
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watch it. And the reason they controlled
11:08
it back then is they controlled all the
11:10
money. And the reason they controlled
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all the money is there weren't that many
11:14
sources of money. And and of course they
11:16
had the hands on most all of it. Uh now
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you know the SEC's become powerful and
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all of it because TV
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>> but these schools now these Big 10
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schools and Southern Cal and maybe the
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two Texas schools if they don't get
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control of this thing they're going to
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buy all the players and it's going to
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turn into a 20 team you know game for
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the rest of the time. you you won't see
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anybody else in a legit national playoff
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uh possibility except those guys that
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are paying millions to the to the kids.
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>> Well, if you look around, I mean, Ohio
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State, Texas&M,
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I mean, they basically got an unlimited
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budget. And if you find a booster that's
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going to bankroll and stuff, Texas Tech
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now unlimited budget for for the most
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part. Um I just pulled up student
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population here. Indiana, this is
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unbelievable. Systemwide, Indiana has
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there the total the student body exceeds
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89,000.
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>> Wow. They're counting satellite campuses
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and stuff like that.
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>> Let's see. Indiana University's total
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student body exceeds 89,000 systemwide.
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Here we go. With IU Bloomington having a
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record enrollment of over 48,000 in fall
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2024.
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>> Okay.
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>> And then Miami looks like they have uh
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22,000, which is more than I thought.
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>> Oh, that's a lot bigger than I thought.
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>> They've grown. They used to be right
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around 10, I thought. But um Well, how
12:43
do you see this?
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>> We got off on a tangent there, but I
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don't think that stadium will be Miami
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percentage-wise. I I would be shocked if
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it's not more Indiana people there.
12:55
Maybe not a whole b bunch more, but I
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bet there'll be more Indiana fans there
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than Miami fans.
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>> It wouldn't shock me at all. I mean, it
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it should be pretty Yeah, I maybe it'll
13:05
be a pretty good game, but I mean, it's
13:07
uh you know, I wonder how people feel
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now that we're arguing for Notre Dame
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getting in over Miami.
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>> Well, that's what But you know, I
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thought about that the other day, too.
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But the ones that awful quiet was
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Alabama.
13:20
>> They didn't get dropped and never got
13:22
into controversy. But remember, they
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were part of that controversy, but they
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didn't move when they lost to Georgia.
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>> No. and and the other ones that lost in
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their conference championship game, they
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dropped on on the thing. So, I don't
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know. I I still think Notre Dame was
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probably one of the best five teams.
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We'll never know.
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>> How do you see this this game playing
13:45
out? Are you still have any
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>> Well, I've been so accurate on all the
13:49
others. I'm I'm sure everybody out there
13:52
wants my prediction. I've probably
13:54
batted about 500 on these games. I I
13:57
don't know. I mean, I just I could sit
14:00
here and tell you where Miami's got a
14:01
better player here or there and a good
14:03
matchup and you know, they might do
14:05
this, might do that. And I keep watching
14:08
Indiana goes out and just I mean they
14:11
just mauled uh Oregon and I mean they
14:14
Oregon they might have been a little
14:16
overrated but they got great talent.
14:19
>> Yes.
14:19
>> And uh I mean it just and everything of
14:22
course the first play of the game set
14:23
the tone. It was a really smart play.
14:27
The safety rotated late and I think the
14:30
quarterback probably made the right
14:32
read. You know, he threw the out cut,
14:34
but he left the ball inside and the DB,
14:38
it's almost like he knew what that
14:40
safety disguise and rolling over the
14:43
top. He knew what it was going to tell
14:45
that quarterback to do with the ball.
14:46
They're so dang smart and well coached
14:49
and they they do a lot of things so much
14:52
better than other teams. They're
14:55
football smart and they're disciplined.
14:57
They got great technique fundamentals. I
15:00
mean, you can just tell some of the
15:02
things they do. Some of these other
15:03
teams have a better player, better
15:06
talent over there trying to do the same
15:08
thing. and they may outrun them
15:09
occasionally or out jump them, but they
15:13
don't play with consistency, you know,
15:15
and doing all the things right. The one
15:18
of the biggest plays in the game was the
15:20
the running back hitting the
15:22
quarterback's elbow, if you remember,
15:25
causing the uh ball to come out and it
15:29
wasn't it wasn't Mo's fault. It was a
15:31
running back's fault. You just will
15:33
never see Indiana do stuff like that to
15:35
themselves. And it's just it's just a
15:38
difference in I don't know maturity,
15:41
mental toughness, physical toughness,
15:44
all the above.
15:44
>> Probably has something to do with the
15:46
kids being older. I mean, Auburn's
15:47
basketball team last year was an older
15:48
team and they, you know, you made a
15:49
final four run. Um,
15:51
>> but I mean be, you know, be having a kid
15:53
that or having kids that are that are
15:56
your average age is 23 versus, you know,
15:58
19
16:00
is a difference. I mean,
16:01
>> Yep. Well, I I think the biggest key to
16:04
the game, if I just kind of get X and
16:07
Owise, the last two or three outings,
16:10
Miami's been able to protect uh
16:13
help me out the quarterback and having a
16:16
senior moment
16:17
>> back.
16:18
>> Yeah, he had a he had a period now
16:20
between those two losses he had in the
16:22
ACC
16:24
and it was a game between them. He had
16:26
something like six interceptions in
16:28
three weeks. I don't I don't know
16:30
whether it was protection or missing
16:31
some players or if he just got off
16:33
track. He's been really good last few
16:36
games. Now, one game they didn't have to
16:39
have him do a whole lot. I I'm going to
16:42
say it was not against Old Miss. I think
16:44
it was uh
16:46
who was the one before that, but they
16:47
they really ran the ball so well they
16:49
just kept running it and so it didn't
16:52
put much pressure on Beck in that game.
16:54
Now, this last game
16:56
>> Ohio State
16:57
>> Yep. They just kind of kept it on the
16:58
ground. never gave him a chance. Now, if
17:00
Indiana can stop their running game or
17:02
even slow it down and then get some
17:05
pressure on him, I think I just think
17:07
Mendoza is so much better than he is.
17:10
But, but, you know, protecting the
17:12
quarterback and having good targets and
17:14
all that's part of it, too. But, if they
17:17
protect if they protect Beck, uh, he's a
17:21
good solid quarterback, but he can't
17:23
make the plays Mendoza can, especially
17:25
on downfield throws. So, we'll see. I I
17:28
think that may be the the one area that
17:31
I would say they've got such a huge
17:32
advantage uh and going to have to
17:35
somehow affect Carson Beck uh to I think
17:39
take control of the game.
17:42
>> Yeah, the line is up to eight and a
17:44
half. Opened at seven and a half
17:46
by Indiana by seven and a half.
17:49
>> How do you um do you think they cover?
17:53
>> That's a good question. I the these
17:55
college games when they get in these
17:56
playoffs are so unpredictable. I I think
17:59
that's a good spread. I mean, just kind
18:00
of look at two teams. I would think it
18:03
was going to be closer than that. But
18:05
these college teams are so volatile. You
18:08
know, the NFL, you hardly ever see a
18:11
20point runaway,
18:12
>> but you know, they all the damn games
18:15
come down to can you burn the clock out
18:17
and not let them have the ball again and
18:20
score. And if you can't do those three
18:22
things, they got kickers that can kick
18:24
the damn field goals from from minus 50
18:28
yards in in a strong win or whatever. I
18:32
mean, if you leave a timeout and
18:35
anything over 45 seconds on the clock,
18:39
they can move the ball 30 yards down the
18:41
field. They got a kicker Mike can kick a
18:43
field goal and and you you get beat
18:45
because they get the ball
18:46
>> from 60 plus from 60 plus.
18:48
>> Yeah. I mean,
18:49
>> and especially especially if you're in
18:51
Denver. I mean, you may you may hit one
18:53
from 65 up there. I mean, it's
18:56
>> but you don't see that as often or if
18:58
much at all in college. Uh it's hard for
19:01
these kids that age to get in that
19:04
situation and be able to control it like
19:06
those pros can. Uh hell, they don't even
19:09
try to do it from a strategy standpoint.
19:12
I don't even think the coaches try to
19:14
try to hang their hat on that. They try
19:15
to score as much as they can and, you
19:18
know, get ahead and play good defense.
19:20
And if it comes down to that kind of a
19:22
ball game, Indiana might have a big
19:25
advantage because they got those older
19:26
kids.
19:29
>> Before we uh before we go, we got let's
19:32
talk about the NFL a little bit. I know
19:34
we normally don't, but I think the
19:35
audience might be might be interested in
19:36
these openings. Eight NFL openings.
19:40
When I saw the Tomlin thing, somebody
19:42
sent it and uh sent it to me some. I
19:45
said, I think that's eight now.
19:47
>> And I don't think none of them have been
19:48
filled yet, have it?
19:50
>> No. Uh they're they're, you know,
19:52
they're starting to do interviews, but
19:53
you you look around at these eight that
19:55
opened and two of them, you know, Mike
19:58
Tomlin had been at Pittsburgh for 19
20:00
years and John Harbaugh had been in
20:02
Baltimore for 18 years. Uh both won
20:04
Super Bowls. And you look at these other
20:07
jobs, you know that you got the Giants
20:08
that are open, the Dolphins, uh I'm
20:12
surprised it hadn't already opened. Uh
20:15
Atlanta, Vegas, uh Cincinnati, I'm
20:18
sorry. Yeah, Cincinnati, Cleveland, uh
20:21
Tennessee, and Arizona. Some pretty good
20:23
jobs and some that that not so good. But
20:25
I mean it's a from an NFL standpoint,
20:27
but I mean it's it's
20:28
>> Yeah, I heard some one I can't remember
20:31
who they were talking heads on radio and
20:36
it was he was a former uh GM and very
20:40
well respected. But his take on it is if
20:44
the Penn guy at Atlanta, if you have
20:47
confidence in him and you think he's a
20:49
15-year guy, maybe a 12 year guy, he
20:52
thinks Atlanta and uh Baltimore
20:58
and the third one he picked was
21:03
he said Tennessee's got a great young
21:05
quarterback, but the problem is their
21:07
whole their whole ch depth chart just
21:10
needs almost overhauling and he thought
21:12
that was too heavy a lift. There was a
21:14
third one though that's opened that he
21:16
thought those would be the three best
21:18
jobs you know to get.
21:19
>> I think New York the Giants job is
21:21
considered to be you know pretty decent.
21:23
The Raiders don't have any players
21:25
>> at all. Um just looking through here
21:28
Miami you know they don't have
21:30
quarterback right now. Giants, Falcons,
21:33
Raiders,
21:35
Cleveland. I'm not sure who, you know, I
21:37
mean, since Cincinnati, you got a
21:38
quarterback there and Arizona. So, maybe
21:41
Cincinnati, maybe New York. I'm not sure
21:43
which
21:44
>> it I can't remember, but it was
21:47
definitely Atlanta and and Baltimore on
21:50
the front end. And there was a third one
21:51
he really felt like had a good roster
21:54
and a good quarterback ready to go. So,
21:57
that was that was his take on it. But,
22:00
uh, I was a little bit I was a little
22:03
bit surprised about the harbball thing.
22:05
I think there's some there's something
22:07
involved in that with with the
22:08
quarterback.
22:09
>> They didn't get along
22:11
>> and and I my understanding is he just
22:14
not a gym rat. He doesn't really work
22:16
the game. he he's playing off of natural
22:19
talent and that's starting to dwindle
22:21
because he's getting older and I think
22:23
you know they're getting frustrated with
22:25
him and when you get a situation like
22:28
that it's just monetarily and
22:32
structurally it's easier to let the
22:34
coach go than the damn quarterback. You
22:36
know you can replace the coach may not
22:38
get the same coach but you can get one
22:41
and he's going to have a less effect on
22:43
turning the thing over than the
22:45
quarterback is. It's kind of kind of
22:47
messed up, but that's the way it is.
22:49
>> Yeah.
22:50
>> So,
22:51
>> just pulling
22:52
>> Mark Tomlin I think the Tomlin thing
22:54
they trying to write it like it was a
22:55
little bit mutual.
22:57
>> Yeah.
22:57
>> I feel like he you kind of kind of I
23:00
don't know didn't have a quote from him
23:02
but it just sounded like he felt like he
23:05
kind of gotten stuck and it might be
23:07
good for him to make a change as much as
23:09
it is for the Steelers to make a change.
23:11
And I I could see that, you know, he
23:13
might can get another team that has a
23:15
little more talent in the right places
23:17
that helps him do it by his philosophy.
23:20
And uh, you know, it he's got a great
23:23
great resume, but when you're stuck
23:26
losing first round playoffs for is it
23:30
eight years in a row or 10?
23:32
>> Uh, I believe it's eight, maybe it's
23:34
longer than that, actually. I'm I just
23:36
pulled up his uh
23:38
>> I just pulled up his uh his record here,
23:41
so I'm I'm looking at it. So, they lost
23:44
they haven't won a playoff game.
23:47
They lost in the wild card game.
23:52
Uh
23:53
look, let's see. Looks like their last
23:55
playoff win was 2011. Maybe
23:59
>> that's what I thought. Something like 10
24:01
years. I don't know. Might have been
24:02
more. I think that's for that's 14 15
24:04
unless I'm missing something.
24:06
>> Yeah,
24:06
>> could have been 2017 but still I mean
24:08
that's
24:09
>> right. I mean sitting there I think it
24:11
said he's one of three people or
24:13
something done something total wins
24:16
total wins
24:17
>> sitting there 19 years. I mean there's a
24:20
lot of longevity stuff that's really
24:23
impressive but that's not moving the
24:25
needle. That's not making Pittsburgh any
24:27
better right now. I think that's
24:29
probably what they were up against.
24:31
just, you know, hadn't had a losing
24:33
season ever.
24:35
>> Mhm.
24:35
>> 19 years. Nobody else could say that.
24:38
Nobody.
24:39
>> Listen to this. Listen to this record.
24:40
10 and six, 12- 2, 9 and 7, 12 and 4, 12
24:43
and 4, 8 and 8, 8 and 8, 11 and five, 10
24:47
and six, 11 and five, 13 and three, 9
24:50
and six, 8 and 8, 12 and four, 9 and
24:52
seven, nine and eight, and then the last
24:54
three years 10 and seven. In a national
24:57
football league, that is hard to do.
25:00
>> Yep. And I I think that's a credit to
25:02
their organization as much more than
25:04
Tomlin and he kind of fit it. And when
25:06
you go back to Chuck Null and that's
25:09
probably before your time and then you
25:10
had
25:11
>> Cow
25:12
>> and then you had Tomlin
25:13
>> that's it. And of course the common
25:15
denominator, the Rooney family. And Mike
25:18
took over football team was pretty well
25:21
put together. And then I think it was
25:23
right about the second first or second
25:25
year he had been Rothllessberger and he
25:29
he was really a really great draft
25:32
almost unexpectedly great,
25:34
>> you know, out of a small college.
25:36
Anyhow, he he kind of inherited a really
25:40
good football team and he he was perfect
25:43
for for what they needed, the structure,
25:46
the standards, you know, the all the
25:49
things, the goals and all that that they
25:51
believed in. And of course, he he won
25:53
two and it was in the first four years
25:55
of his tenure there. Now, since then,
25:58
whether it's the front office or whether
26:00
it's him or whatever the problem is,
26:02
they kind of got stuck in not not
26:05
mediocrity, but just above average. I
26:08
mean, nothing they've done except for
26:10
about two different seasons, and even
26:12
those seasons, they didn't get out of
26:14
the first round. Uh, so yeah, I I don't
26:18
know. That one did not surprise me. The
26:20
thing that Baltimore did. So,
26:24
>> I think Baltimore's made a huge mistake
26:26
and they're going to live to regret it.
26:28
>> Oh, I agree with you 100%. I And I kind
26:30
of I thought it might open, but I mean,
26:32
again, you look at his record, he's been
26:34
there 18 years, three losing seasons,
26:36
and I don't think people realize how
26:38
hard that is to do. I mean, you you look
26:39
at his record now. I mean, 11 and five,
26:42
9 and 7, 12 and four, 12 and four, 10
26:46
and six, 8 and 8, 10 and six, 5 and 11,
26:48
8 and 8, 9 and seven. I mean he and he
26:51
made the playoffs one two I mean the
26:53
last three year I mean eight and nine LA
26:56
this year but then before that uh the
26:59
three previous years won 12 13 and 10
27:01
went eight and nine in 2021 and then the
27:04
three years previous to that won 11 14
27:06
and 10 I mean it is impossible almost to
27:09
do that in the National Football League
27:10
and 180 and 113 with a 614 winning
27:14
percentage that's that's a that is I
27:17
mean and Tomlin same thing I
27:19
with a 628 winning percentage.
27:23
>> And that don't forget that very last
27:25
game that Harbaugh coached
27:28
>> a 24 year old kicker missed a what a 37
27:31
yard.
27:32
>> What was that? How long was that field
27:34
goal? It was not a long field goal. Now
27:36
it was windy.
27:37
>> It was windy, but he misses that field
27:40
goal. And I mean I you know it's
27:43
football and you're responsible for it.
27:45
You're the head coach. But a kicker is a
27:48
kicker. I mean, you know, you just can't
27:50
you can't coach a kicker into making a
27:52
field goal. You just you try to recruit
27:54
the right ones and sign them and keep
27:56
them on on contract and all that good
27:59
stuff. But there ain't many coaches that
28:01
can go out there and fix his mistakes
28:03
when it's when it's not smooth. And
28:06
that's what lost the ball game. And it,
28:08
you know, that's what it came down to.
28:09
>> And I think it's probably amplified
28:11
because he got the job from being a
28:12
special teams coach. Um, but he's also
28:16
been there 18 years and he's not a
28:17
special team coach anymore. He's a head
28:18
coach and I just don't see how you move
28:20
on from a uh from a guy like that. But I
28:24
mean, I'm I'm sure he'll get a job and
28:25
I'm sure he'll do a great job. I mean,
28:26
if you look at uh you know, some guys
28:28
like Tomlin uh you know, Shawn Peyton
28:30
stepped away with Saints, took a year
28:32
off, uh ended up took took Denver and
28:35
then his second year there, he's you
28:36
know, they got the best record in the in
28:38
the AFC and um
28:40
>> Yep. you know, he great coaches in the
28:42
NFL uh are hard to find because if you
28:46
look at you look at some of these
28:48
franchises that aren't great franchises
28:50
historically like Las Vegas or the
28:52
Raiders, Raiders in general, and you
28:54
look at Cincinnati and you look at all
28:56
the all the instability at some of these
28:58
places and then you look at the
29:00
franchises that have stability for the
29:02
most part, um you know, historically
29:06
it's, you know, you look at the top
29:08
franchises in around the NFL, it's the
29:10
Kansas Cities and the Pittsburghs and
29:13
the Giants.
29:14
>> Um, the families that are stable. Um,
29:17
like you said,
29:18
>> that's what I was going to say. The two
29:19
factors I think are the most important
29:21
on consistency in that league. I mean,
29:24
you know, somebody will jump up and win
29:26
one every 13 years. But to be in the
29:29
hunt almost every year,
29:32
it's the ownership.
29:35
And then the coach that comes in, he's
29:38
he's he's usually going to be a guy and
29:41
it's going to be my way, the highway.
29:43
>> And the ownership understands that, you
29:45
know, guys like Parcels, Bellichic, Andy
29:48
Reid, uh, and these two we talking
29:51
about, you know, they they weren't going
29:54
to waver with players and stuff, you
29:56
know, about, well, you know, we're not
29:59
going to do that anymore because Joe
30:00
doesn't like to do it that way. this is
30:03
the way it's going to be done, you know,
30:04
and if they if you don't think they're
30:05
going to do it, don't draft them or
30:07
trade them. And it's not that simple.
30:10
Not that. But I mean, you don't see the
30:12
consistency in the winning on on the NFL
30:14
level without great ownership and
30:17
without a coach who is a consistent
30:20
person, you know, how he wants things
30:23
done.
30:24
>> There there is no question. And you, you
30:26
know, people don't realize either. You
30:27
know, the Ravens, uh, you you and I are
30:30
old enough to remember this, but some of
30:31
these younger guys aren't. You know, the
30:33
Ravens were were the Browns. And, right,
30:35
the Browns, uh, you know, they wouldn't
30:38
be the Browns stadium. So, Art Modell
30:41
moved from Cleveland
30:42
>> and two years later, I guess two or
30:44
three years later, they uh, you know,
30:46
the Browns are back. Um, and all the RA
30:49
all the all the Browns players went to
30:50
went to went to Baltimore.
30:53
But the
30:54
>> that was my child that was my childhood
30:55
team, the Browns.
30:57
>> Well, there you go.
30:58
>> That's I was Jim I loved Jim Brown. And
31:01
so when I was a little third grader to
31:03
fourth grader in there, that was my
31:04
favorite team. I can't remember what
31:06
year they moved, but it was Hell, it was
31:09
I was I was in grammar school, I think.
31:11
>> 9 You talking about the Ravens?
31:13
>> Yeah,
31:14
>> 96 maybe. Let's see.
31:16
>> Oh, was that long?
31:17
>> Yeah, it's been a while. Um,
31:22
let's see. I'm looking up here to see
31:23
what when when they moved.
31:26
>> Everybody, I was I was around when Paul
31:29
Brown
31:30
got rid of sold the team or quit
31:32
coaching the team and went down and
31:34
started Cincinnati.
31:36
>> You probably weren't born yet.
31:38
>> How about that? 96. I was I was right
31:39
about that.
31:41
>> I thought it was much earlier than that,
31:42
but that that makes sense now. Well, you
31:45
know, and and if people and and Art
31:48
Modell was not considered to be the best
31:50
owner in the world, you know, I mean,
31:51
that the Browns the Browns got to uh you
31:54
know, got to the AFC Championship game,
31:56
could never get past the Broncos. Um
31:58
but, you know, he leaves and goes to
32:00
Baltimore. And actually, I tell I'll
32:01
tell you and the listeners a story. I
32:03
when I interned up there, I interned
32:05
with the Ravens. It was 98, I guess. And
32:09
every day Ozie Newsome was a GM, Alabama
32:12
guy.
32:13
And so I'd talk to Aussie, you know, and
32:15
then they would pick at me because I was
32:16
I was the Auburn guy. And Art Modell,
32:20
Art Modell figured out I was an Auburn
32:21
guy and he would call me over to his
32:23
golf cart every day. He'd ride around
32:25
his golf court at practice. And uh he
32:27
called me over to his golf cart every
32:28
day and tell me some kind of a lame
32:30
Auburn joke. And uh and I'm walking off
32:34
the field after practice one day with
32:35
with uh with Aussie Newsome. And he
32:39
says, "You know, Mr. Modell must really
32:41
like you." I said I said, "Why'd he say
32:43
that?" He said, "In all the years I've
32:45
worked here, you're the first intern
32:46
he's ever even spoken to." I said,
32:47
'Well,
32:50
I said, "Well, hell, I guess he does
32:51
then." But but no, it was it was a good
32:54
internship. But the difference and Steve
32:57
Biscotti was was buying in around that
32:59
time. But having having experienced
33:03
that situation uh in Baltimore versus uh
33:07
the next year when I interned with the
33:09
Redskins, which is now the Commanders,
33:10
and Daniel Snyder came in and bought the
33:12
franchise. Um you talk about night and
33:15
day. I mean,
33:17
>> it it was it was a completely different
33:20
world. Um, the Redskins was about as
33:23
class under under Dan Snder. I'm not
33:26
talking about now, but under Dan Snder,
33:27
it was about as classless or an
33:29
organization as you can imagine.
33:30
>> Yeah. I I remember, you know, Coach
33:32
Furer took that job and he he said, "I
33:36
made decision on money and just thinking
33:39
that, you know, NFL or whatever." And he
33:42
said he he said, "I knew on the way up
33:45
there on the plane that I was making a
33:48
mistake." And of course it the game
33:50
didn't fit him that well. But the whole
33:54
time they were there, they've told me
33:56
some of the stuff that were just so
33:57
dysfunctional that they couldn't get any
34:00
communication sometimes on players that
34:03
they thought would they should draft
34:05
this guy and not that guy. And sometimes
34:07
you you couldn't get any communication
34:09
on it. You know, no input. Uh you just
34:12
hell you come out there to practice and
34:14
whoever shows up, you got to coach them.
34:16
Yeah.
34:17
>> But uh yeah, they said it was pretty
34:18
bad.
34:19
>> It was it was uh it was it was about as
34:21
bad as I had experienced. I mean it it
34:24
uh you know just the just the the the
34:29
atmosphere around the office was just
34:30
negative negative negative. I tell you
34:32
one one thing one thing I did remember
34:35
about the the Redskins experience is do
34:37
you remember Charlie Castley? Long time
34:39
GM in the NFL.
34:40
>> I know who he is. I didn't ever meet him
34:41
but
34:42
>> Well, he he was the GM. He was the
34:44
outgoing GM. North Turner was the head
34:46
coach and uh I'm the intern, you know,
34:48
North I come in one day and North Turner
34:50
sends me to get gas in his car. He was
34:53
driving a damn big old Suburban and he
34:55
hands me $20
34:57
and I wasn't paying that much attention.
34:59
So I get up there and and I'm I'm
35:00
putting G and he tells me to keep the
35:02
change and I'm thinking, well, hell, it
35:03
must not have, you know, and I I turn
35:05
around it's got like 30 plus dollars in
35:06
it. I'm like he tells me to fill it up.
35:09
So I ended up paying for North Turner's
35:11
gas.
35:13
But anyway, Charlie Casually started out
35:15
as an intern. He was he was the outgoing
35:17
GM of the Redskins. Started out as an
35:19
intern uh in the NFL, worked his way up
35:22
to be a GM. And Snyder had come in and
35:25
little did we know he Cashley had gotten
35:27
fired that morning. But Cashley always
35:29
met with the interns be before the the
35:32
internship was over because he that's
35:34
where he started. And one of the
35:36
classiest things that I've experienced
35:38
uh was was what he did. He he came in
35:41
knowing he didn't have a job and had
35:43
already been fired and he made a point
35:45
to meet with us interns that morning and
35:47
as soon as he walked out of the meeting,
35:48
the Washington Post broke the story that
35:50
he'd been fired. Um, and he'd already
35:53
been fired that morning. So, I I thought
35:55
that was pretty uh pretty classy of him.
35:58
>> He do that.
36:01
>> But, uh, well, anyway, Ellis, it's good
36:03
to be with you again today.
36:04
>> Yep. If Indian doesn't win, don't just
36:07
I'm just changing the changing the pick.
36:12
>> Hey, it should be a great game. Should
36:13
be a great game.
36:16
Thanks to everybody for tuning in. Click
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36:19
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