SPEAKER_00 0:24

Ladies and gentlemen, he is back. He is back uh after a short hiatus on the red zone blitz. He was uh he was back, uh he was telling you which college team you should cheer for. Um, he's been pulling out absolutely amazing content week in, week out. He went on a little cruise, you know, he spent some time on the waters, and he's back. Uh welcome back to the Prodigy of College Football, Pigskin Frenzy Zone, Joel Norris. Welcome back, Joel. How are you doing?

SPEAKER_02 0:51

I'll golf that myself, man. That was a great introduction.

SPEAKER_00 0:54

I try my best, man. I try I try to remember all your you're a very busy man, so I try to remember all of your life in the last few weeks and a couple months and see what you've been up to.

SPEAKER_02 1:02

I'm thankful that you invited me back on. I I love being on here, man. I'm glad to be back. And again, praise the Lord again for being on here. And then I made it through the cruise. I went on that cruise back in May. It's now late June, going into July. So praise the Lord I made it out, and um praise the Lord that I'm back doing this, man. I'm blessed to be doing this, and I'm excited to be back on, man. Honestly.

SPEAKER_00 1:24

Amazing, man. Amazing. Well, your home is the pigskin frenzy, and the red zone blitz is, I'd like to say, it's like your cousin's house. You know, it's a fun time. You go, you come have a sleepover, you know, it's a great time. You're staying up all night um playing video games, um, eating food you probably shouldn't be eating and eating too much of it, but it's a good time.

SPEAKER_02 1:42

So it's like it's like it's it's like, yeah, you you knock on the door, just and you're like, you know, you G answers the door, and it's like, oh, come on, you know, come on in. It's you know, we're hanging out, having a good time. It's literally like that.

SPEAKER_00 1:54

So exactly. Exactly. Well, before we dive into, I know everybody wants to hear about your take on a certain quarterback who's not allowed to be in the NFL, but we're getting into it. But cruises, first time, how was the experience? Tell those, tell some people what you like, what you didn't like.

SPEAKER_02 2:14

I mean, it was great. So we went on the uh Royal Caribbean, and it was Symphony of the Seas. Shout out to the Royal Caribbean. Uh, it was nice, it was good. It was one of those things where you look at and you're thinking, uh, wow. It's it's like mismemorizing when you're going on your like your first time. It's so big, it's one of the biggest ships in the world. Um great cruise ship, great, just great atmosphere. The environment was great, the water was pretty. I mean, you felt the boat move a little bit, but it wasn't too bad. Um I mean, it was just an overall fun time. Overall, we went to and you know, stopped at a few places. We went to Honduras and Mexico, uh, Cosmo, Mexico, uh, uh Honduras. I'm trying to think of the city in Honduras. I can't even think of that city in Honduras, Costa Maya, Mexico was one. Uh and that was fun as well. Uh took us a lot of good pictures. Uh, we went to karaoke a lot because karaoke was really fun on that trip. Uh, you get the if you get the refreshment package along with the all you can drink, you know, coat or coke package or whatever, you get a cup and you buy it for like four or five bucks. Um, you can get all you can drink. Uh it's already paid for. It's fun. It's it's it's an overall fun deal. Like the karaoke was fun. We went to a lot of shows, and let me want to tell you something, man. You have to be in shape to do what a lot of these people do, especially in terms of shows. So it it was fun. Oh, overall, that's that's really all I keep saying it's fun because it is. It was a uh a memorable experience. I would go back, honestly. I would go back to another one. I don't know which one I would get on or go to or which route I would take, or which, you know, if I go to the Bahamas or what, but it was a fun cruise, very fun cruise. I enjoyed it, and um, I hope a lot of people, you know, decide, hey, you know what? Go on the go on a cruise. It's just to just relax and have fun and do something unique that you haven't done before. Um, I mean, here's the deal also. There's there is food on the boat, and it's like it's one of those things where we had the dining room package too. So the dining room was fun, and it's like they portion everything out because usually, like in the United States, especially in the South, we like to eat. So when they say, hey, you go to an Applebee's or you go, hey, you want to save room for dessert? No, you can't save room for dessert because you're already full. But in the dining room on the butt uh on the boat, they portion everything out just nice, so you have that room for dessert, right? So then it's like a whole course meal. It's good. The buffet's good up there, which usually people don't like buffet food, or at least I don't like buffet food. That's all great. Um, I'm trying to think of what else is on the boat, it was good. We played, I mean, there's putt-butt golf, there's slides, there's um uh trying to think the pool, there's whirlpools in there, which are cool. The swimming pools, there's swimming pools in there that you can actually swim in. The pools that we that I usually went to was mainly a lounge around pool, which is like okay. Um, you just sit there and then people coming up. A lot of people have recognized me from the boat as well. That's another thing. And uh they were like, Wait, your voice, uh your voice sounds familiar or whatever. And I'm like, Do you like college football? And they were like, Yeah, I love college football. Well, I have a show called Pig Skin Frenzy. Like, oh yeah, you're Joel Norris. So I forgot about Pig Skin Frenzy, and I'm like, the one and the only, man. So I'm one of the best feelings. Uh, it is one of the best feelings that you're starting to get you're starting to make a difference a little bit. And I think it was a fun trip overall. It was uh praise the Lord again that we got to go on it and uh give all the glory to him because it was fun and we got us back safe. And after that, I think another gear hit too, and I know you you you can ask more questions. I'm sorry for talking a lot.

SPEAKER_00 5:59

No, no, you do your thing.

SPEAKER_02 6:01

Another gear hit when I got back, and what I mean by that is I think I worked hard, like harder. Like I think like getting more people on, putting a lot more detail into like a lot of my episodes, and in terms of my graphics and how I market my stuff out, I I think I just got a little bit of a second wind a little bit after that trip. Like now it's almost like one of those, okay. I went on the trip. When I come back, I'm dropping episodes like it's nobody's business. All right. I'm dropping a lot of good content out there, I'm dropping a lot of good episodes, I'm gonna have a lot of good guests on. Let's strap the rocket ship up and we're gonna take off kind of decent.

SPEAKER_00 6:43

Absolutely. No, man, that's that's amazing. And I think that that goes show sometimes you need a little break. Like you need a little, you need a little time away from the regular routine, and you can come back rejuvenated, recharged, and ready to go and ready to hit the gas.

SPEAKER_02 6:57

Because it, and that's a good thing you put you said gas, because you're that's what your body and your mind is like sometimes. Um, guys, look, I love doing this. I would not trade this job in for the world. I would not trade it again for the world. I love doing it. But sometimes you do get a little bit tired. I wouldn't say I was fully burnt out, but you do get a little bit exhausted in terms of like, okay, like we, it's good, but we need probably just to take a step back a little bit. We've been going so long. We need to rest a little bit and chill out. So it's good to take breaks here and there and then go out with your family, spend time with them. That's why the Lord put us there for a reason to have family and friends and to have fun. And then you do that and then you recharge a little bit. Then all of a sudden you're like, I'm ready to go back because I miss doing it. And that's how I felt. When I was on the boat, I was one, I was getting that itch to get back on this orange and black microphone, get back with my system right here, get back at my desk and my camera, and I was thinking, man, I'm ready to go talk to the Ross Stellingers of the world, talk to the Trey Wallaces, talk to all these people. Um, because I want to create the best episodes and get a lot of stuff that's happening in the sport and get some answers on that as well. So it's been fun. It was fun. It was a I I would do it again. Um, I would I'm planning on doing it again. I don't know when, but it it's one of those things where it's like a good thing to do, and then you're rejuvenated and you're ready to go.

SPEAKER_00 8:26

100%. 100%. No, that's that's amazing, man. I think you summed it up perfectly. Now, we're thankful you're back because man, I think I'm gonna start off because we got we're gonna go through a bunch of stuff today, but I'm gonna I'm gonna let you tee off, and I want the the cold on the cold, honest, hard truth.

SPEAKER_02 8:47

I think I know what this is about, maybe, but just just a just a smidge.

SPEAKER_00 8:52

Uh Brendan Soresby.

SPEAKER_02 8:55

There it is, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:56

Yeah, so so you know the saga, which I thought was over, so I mean I'm gonna do my best way to summarize this. Brendan Soresby got involved in some gambling, he was betting on games while he was in Indiana, and you know, he had a great season last year in Cincinnati, and Texas Tech paid a whole lot of money so that Brendan Soresby could come play for Texas Tech because the one missing piece in that engine that Texas Tech is building is a quarterback. So they thought they found their guy, and maybe they did. And then these allegations come out. The NCAA initially says, You are banned. He uh fights it, he says, I want to fight it. He gets to a Texas, uh a Lubbock, Texas judge, which I don't think uh he would be cheering for any other team but Texas Tech. Um, he gets there, the judge says, Hey, it's no problem. Like, it's fine. Mistakes are mistakes. And then this time, Brennan Soresby obviously checked into rehab for for gambling, for his addiction. And he goes, the judge goes, it's fine, you can go back. The world is an uproar. Teams are saying we're never gonna play you, Texas Tech, not only in football, but in wrestling, in field hockey, in any sport you can imagine that we would ever play you. We're not gonna play you guys. There's chaos all around the universe. And mind you, this is why you know Steve Sarkeesian is taking shots at Texas Tech. They're trying to, they're they're trying to host Texas for this Texas classic game that they're they're trying to plan on the McAfee show. All this is happening. Soresby goes, you know what, guys, I'm gonna go to the supplemental draft. Don't worry about me. I'm gonna declare for the NFL draft. Uh, we talk about it. I think we had an episode Red Zone Blitz. Uh, we went through every single possible destination for Brandon Sores being the NFL and whether or not it was a fit, whether or not they should do it, including my Dallas Cowboys. I was fully on board. I was like, you know what? He grew up around Dallas, it's gonna be a beautiful thing. And today the NFL said, hold on, hold on, hold on. Uh, we're gonna cancel the draft this year. Um, we're not allowing you to participate. To which Mr. Soresby and Mr. Soresby's lawyer have said that they are going to sue the NFL. And then the NFL dropped a letter, Joel, that was possibly the greatest letter I've ever seen from a lawyer, which was basically like, you are not gonna sue us because you have no grounds to sue us. You have not done the work required to fit the model of what it means to be an NFL player. So you are not, you're not even a part of the CBA that you're gonna sue us on. So that's not happening for you. So, my question to you, prodigy of college football. Number one, are we done yet with the saga? Number two, where does Brandon because where does he go from here? I thought I I hopefully I didn't miss anything. Hopefully I got it all.

SPEAKER_02 12:06

Oh, you're good. Um, I'm glad more stuff came out because when I was on shout out to the Ultimate Playbook, by the way, uh, thank you for having me again. That was a great episode that we did. Uh it was this past weekend we did the episode Friday or Thursday, this whatever we did. And it was a good episode. We talked about the Brandon Soresby stuff, and we were saying the supplemental draft, let's see what's gonna happen. He may get accepted, you know, that we'll have to see. And he he mentioned it. He said, uh, we're gonna have to see if he gets accepted. And I said, Yeah, okay. Number one, everyone's gonna say the NFL's punishing Soresby. They're not punishing Soresby, okay? They're not. That's not a punishment. A punishment would be like what the NCAA did, ruled them out of an ineligibility. Um, a lot of people are saying you can't to me it's weird because you can't, and it sounds bad to say this, and I said this the other day, you can't punish him for a college thing. Okay? You that can't translate into the NFL. It's two different things. To me, and that's my that's my thoughts. Now, if you disagree and if anybody disagrees, that's okay. That's just my opinion. You can't really translate that, like, okay, college punishment into the NFL. Not not in not with this, I don't think. Because I don't think it's punishment. Now, if they wanted to cancel because of his track record, that's fine. I don't think that's punishment. I think it's the NFL's decision to just, hey, wait until the 2027 draft. Because it's not like he's declined for the 2027 draft, right? Just wait until the 2027, train up, get ready, and do your best. And hopefully your stock hadn't fallen. He's gonna take one of those 2020 Jamar Chase years in COVID where that's what I was gonna say.

SPEAKER_00 13:55

It's gonna be closer to like one of those COVID draftees where they took the year off. Micah Parsons, I believe, also took the year off.

SPEAKER_02 14:00

Yeah, Jamar Chase did, and he went round one number five. I'm not saying Brendan Soresby Jamar Chase. Not saying that at all. I'm just saying that he he can do that, train really hard, hope for the best. I don't know necessarily what's next. I would think 2027. To me, it's like, why would you sue the NFL PA when you're really not a part of the PA? Um, I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 14:26

I I don't know. I don't know who his consultants are. I don't know who he's got in his circle. I don't know if it's family members. Something's gotta change in that circle with Mr. Soresby. Something's gotta change, Joel, because to your point, you're not even a part of the NFL PA. Like you're not even that's not even a union that rep that's like saying I'm an electrician, but I'm gonna go sue the firefighters uh union. That doesn't make any sense. You're not in the same union. It doesn't, and also, how do you think the owners or the fellow NFL PA or the NFL is gonna take to you next year when eventually you're gonna have to declare for the draft? That's where you're gonna go next year, anyways.

SPEAKER_02 15:06

Right.

SPEAKER_00 15:07

It doesn't do well for your reputation, right?

SPEAKER_02 15:09

And a lot of it's gonna what stinks is all this is out in the open, and even in the 2027 draft, they're gonna look at that and be like, uh, do we want to do we want him? Do we want to take a chance? Now here's the deal. A lot of people are gonna say, dude, when you see what he did, I know what he did. I know what there's a lot of players in the NFL that have probably done far worse things than he has done. Understandable. Here's the deal about Brendan Soresby, though. He can play football. All right, he can play football. He's a good quarterback. To your point, like you said just a minute, like just a minute ago, you said that he had a good year at Cincinnati. Now, did he make was he turnover prone some in certain big time games? He was. He's got to clean that up. There's a lot of mechanics that he needs to clean up. I understand that. But I will say this: he's very mobile, he's got a canon for an arm, he can make good decisions in terms of improvising. Now, I will say pocket awareness in presence needs to be a little bit better, but I will say in terms of improvising, like, okay, just quick thinking, he's got the quick thinking ability. He just has to, in certain decision-making aspects, he needs to get better at it and refine that and read into some more defenses just a tiny bit, and then get his pocket awareness a little bit better. Other than that, he's still a pretty good quarterback. He made some phenomenal plays last year. I look out of the quarterbacks that we had in the draft, and a lot of people, y'all can cover your ears if you want to, but out of the quarterbacks that we had in 2026, I would probably consider taking Brendan Soresby over a few of them. I'm not joking. I would. And a lot of people are gonna say, dude, are you kidding me for saying this? It would probably be more likely in a debate for me that I would have taken Brendan Soresby over Ty Simpson.

SPEAKER_00 16:57

I think he's an LA Ram. I mean, well, I mean, okay. So I like, I like how you said well, I also agree. I think if Brendan Sorsby came down in this year's draft, uh even with the sample size of what he did at Cincinnati, he came down for this year's draft. What I think he would probably go higher than Ty Simpson because I think a team, a quarterback needing team, would probably take a risk on, or not a risk, but they would take their high value pick on a Brendan Soresby over looking at Ty Simpson and being like, nah, I'm okay, I'm gonna pass, I'm gonna try it next year. So I agree with you 100%.

SPEAKER_02 17:35

I mean, I think the Cardinals are probably gonna end up taking the quarterback next year. Again, I don't know why I keep saying this on your show, and I keep saying it on a lot of people's shows. I mean, the Dante Moore and Cardinals thing probably does need to heat up sooner or later, but I think Dante Moore will be perfect for that system, but and they can get a franchise quarterback in that. So that's just me. I don't know. Jacoby Brissett's their guy now. I believe it's Jacoby Brissett, right?

SPEAKER_00 17:59

Well, they gotta they gotta pay the guy, I think he's still holding it. And Carson Beck is there, and they have Gardner Minchu rolling around, which he's just there for the vibes. But no, to your point, I think a Dante Moore would be would be excellent there. Now, Jewel, segueing away from this, because I don't I you know, like my thing is that I'm gonna put a bow on it with this. Mr. Soresby needs to spend the year collecting receipts, and by receipts, I mean he needs to go in, maybe coach some high school football, maybe go back to Dallas and work on, you know, something that can show that he's made a difference in his personality, he's made a difference in his character. Show the receipts because I guarantee you, next year, when it comes to combine testing, when it comes to interviews with these GMs, they are gonna want to see receipts of hey, you took the year off. What did you do with that year? Did you sit at home playing video games all and felt sorry for yourself and just yelled at the television? Or did you go and did you go make an impact? So it'll be a very important year for receipt collection for Mr. Soresby.

SPEAKER_02 19:03

I was also gonna say this before we move on, but also just clear your head and try to continue to re-win fix your brain and rewire your mind. Because addiction is a heck of a thing, man. And when I say heck of a thing, it is. I again, like I said before, it destroyed I've said it on plenty of shows, including my own. It destroys marriages, careers, um, opportunities for yourself in general. It does. And your life. In your life, it can it controls your life and it destroys your life almost. So it's like uh, or not even almost, it probably does. So it's one of those things where he just needs to get help, continue to seek treatment. But not only that, get into real world situations to where he can then learn how to deal with it, grow, and once he is grown, then start working your way back up into getting prepared for the 2027 draft. Which right now, here's the the thing right now, continue to seek treatment and all that, but also he needs to be around people that uh care about him and love him and don't want to see him continue on with this problem, right?

SPEAKER_00 20:12

He doesn't need a bunch of yes men. He needs to get right now. If he has he's gotta clear his circle of everybody who's gonna tell him what he wants to hear. Because he is if he can't get his circle clean, if his circle is still the same, you know, hey man, they're just they're just screwing with you, man. Like it's not your fault. Like, come on, what's the worst that you did? You're like, you know, it was just some bets or whatever. If he's still got that around him, it doesn't matter. Like you could do all the work you want to do, it's not gonna do anything for you. He needs to clear his circle, his circle has to be of people that, like you said, care about him, love him, support him, want to see him do well, but at the same time are not afraid to tell him, hey man, you're screwing up here. Like, yeah, that's what you gotta do.

SPEAKER_02 20:56

100%. I don't even know why this went on for as long as it did. I mean, Texas Tech was a lot, I mean, they they played a whole lot into it. I understand that, and a lot of the boosters.

SPEAKER_00 21:06

Well, I'm sure, I'm sure, all the I'm sure those boosters of Texas Tech were not happy hearing this come out, and I'm sure they're probably pissed at Cincinnati. That's the game that they should schedule. They should schedule a little Cincinnati versus Texas Tech. Call it the Soresby Bowl.

SPEAKER_02 21:19

I think it's I think it's on the schedule. I think it's on the Cowboys.

SPEAKER_00 21:21

Are they playing each other this year? Okay, well, that will be the Soresby bowl.

SPEAKER_02 21:25

I think it is on the schedule. I'm trying to think of here's the deal, man. Texas Tech is going to be fine. I think it depends on if Kirk for Kirk Francis may be the guy. I think Will Hammond's the guy. I've said it plenty of times.

SPEAKER_00 21:38

But see, if the people where can people follow you on social media? Because I've seen this a lot that uh you've been posting about Will Hammond being the guy. So where can people go and see your takes?

SPEAKER_02 21:48

X, Instagram, TikTok, at Pix underscore Frenzy. All you have to do is just type that in, or type my name in, maybe, and then you're good. Um hit that follow button. And not only that. Let's do it on PigSkin Frenzy in general on YouTube and all audio platforms, Podbean, Spotify, and Apple to be included. Man, especially on YouTube, subscribe on YouTube. But you can hear it on there as well. Because Will Hammond is the guy, I believe.

SPEAKER_00 22:14

No, I listen, I love it. And we're going to talk a little bit about Texas Tech. Now, before I go into the breakdowns of the different conferences that I want to talk about today, Brendan Sorsby gambling addiction aside, before we hit, you know, all that other stuff with specific teams, what is uh give our listeners your overall temperature check on the upcoming uh college football season? What is what do you think is the biggest storyline headed in it?

SPEAKER_02 22:45

I think that's an interesting one. I'm kind of sort of feeling two things. Number one, well, three things. How's everybody gonna feel about the eligibility stuff? Are they gonna feel uneasy? Are there are there is there more stuff coming out with that? What's gonna happen there? Number two, the expanded playoff again, because that's got everybody scared and got everybody kind of worried about that. Um well, four. Well, four, let's go with four. Number three, what's going on with that Protect College Sports Act? Yeah. I asked Trey Wallace about it. Um he's told us what it is, and he in layman's terms, what's happening should protect us from a lot of the stuff that's going on in the sport with the portal and all that stuff.

SPEAKER_01 23:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 23:40

Let's open the door for more guidelines and regulations. Could be, hopefully. Hopefully it is. I'll give you a good one that's on the field. I want to see, is it just all one of those things where it's like, okay, Big Ten is kind of all right, at the top of the mountain still? Or is the SEC gonna work its way back up and like pull up, you know, we're not gonna take it. Oh no, we're not gonna take it moment and try to get a national championship. So sort of pointing towards the same sentiment as what Ross Dellinger said on my show. I want to see what the SEC's gonna do. How are they gonna respond? Um, I I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 24:28

Wow, I'm I'm surprised because I I thought you were gonna go with uh with a man out in Baton Rouge. I thought that was gonna be one of your ones. I thought you were gonna have that one loaded up in the chamber saying Mr. Kiffin with possibly the biggest exit and then followed by entrance and then back going back home in the same year.

SPEAKER_02 24:50

I think that's a very good SEC type storyline, SEC game storyline. I think the overall bigger picture is is the SEC gonna get back on track into okay, we got the team despite the parody, all that junk, we're gonna go take it to the Big Ten's best. Because I'm not gonna lie, SEC's been kind of struggling a little bit against the Big Ten, at least the top of the mountain, besides Texas and Michigan and all that. I'm talking about between the Indiana, the Oregon, and the Ohio states, what's the SEC's elite doing against those three teams?

SPEAKER_00 25:25

Oh, I know where you're going. I know where you're going. We're going right to Big Ten. We're going right to the top. We're going to start with Big Ten. Because the SEC doesn't deserve to start on the show. I'm sorry. I'm I'm sorry. A lot of people.

SPEAKER_02 25:37

Hey, man, it's your show. You're doing your show.

SPEAKER_00 25:39

No, well, you know, the SEC's got to win some games, to your point. We got to see some, we got to see some production on the field before we can start, you know, claiming that starting spot. So I'm going to give the starting spot to the Big Ten. Now, Joel Ohio State, we'll start there. They're loaded. Jeremiah Smith, consensus number one wide receiver in the country.

SPEAKER_02 25:58

Best player policy football.

SPEAKER_00 25:59

Yep. Julius, Julian, hey, if they listen to your show, they know. They know this is this is a listen, like I said, it's your cousin's house. You're going to have a lot of dual listeners here. A lot of people are going to be like, yep, yep, he said that.

SPEAKER_02 26:12

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 26:13

Uh, Julian Sand is a Heisman finalist. Uh, they've added some defensive help through the portal. Now, analysts keep pointing to the offensive line being the Achilles heel, um, as it was exposed in every loss they had last year. How much should an Ohio State Buckeyes fan actually worry about that?

SPEAKER_02 26:38

I mean, there's some smoke to it. 100%. I think the depth and of the offensive line is a concern a little bit still, and the conditioning of the offensive line is a concern. I I I would think to me that, and I think, and this is a lot of people are gonna say, dude, it's still Ohio State. Yeah, I it's just the Arthur Smith higher a little bit. I think the spring game was okay, and he did all right, but I want to see it in a real game situation. I don't know, maybe week two against a certain, you know, going down to Austin, Texas, and we're gonna see what happens against the Texas Longhorns.

SPEAKER_00 27:17

The rematch.

SPEAKER_02 27:18

A rematch that I will see if Arthur Smith's offense can take it to that Texas Longhorn defense. I just want to see. I want to see how they how they operate. I want to see what Julian Saiyan's gonna be about in that system. It's gonna be different from Brian Hartline's. So I think really overall, and I'm not trying to avoid the offensive line question, I just think that's something that I would probably be looking into as well. Not just the offensive line. I think the offensive line is big. I think that the the injuries and the conditioning need to be studied and looked at, and the depth needs to be looked at, which is crazy because I'll have to say had some good offensive linemen in previous years, but looking into that, yes, but also look into the whole system of the offense in terms of playbook and how Arthur Smith runs things. Because I go back and watch the Falcons, go back and watch the Steelers in previous years.

SPEAKER_00 28:07

You guys Well, I was gonna say it. I was gonna say it, but then I'm like, no, I can't be this mean. Joel's on the show. Like, you know, we can't be this mean to Arthur Smith. It is to your point, Joel. If you watch the Falcons and you've watched the Steelers over the last little while here, there is nothing exciting that happened while Arthur Smith was running those plays. So I love the fact that you have Jeremiah Smith. It's fabulous. It's a great thing. It's a great, it's a great Ferrari to have, but if the Ferrari is just going to be parked in the garage and the garage is them running it down every every play and then chucking up a play action pass to the sidelines, it probably won't be a good look for Ohio State.

SPEAKER_02 28:50

Brandon Innis, Kyle Parker Jr., Chris Henry Jr., they got guys on that receiving core that are good. It's led by Jeremiah Smith, but they got some guys on that receiving core that's great. Um they have both Bo Jackson at running back. They got some guys. It's just, how is it going to be, is it gonna be different than, and I could already say it's probably will be, but is it gonna be different than Brian Hartline's? We'll see. We'll just see how it how it is. They got a tough schedule, man. A lot of people are probably gonna say, well, Ohio State's gonna run through people. Are they? I mean, I mean, I mean, in the three-game stretch they have is Indiana, I mean, I'm not in no particular order. I don't, I'm not gonna don't, guys, don't crucify me for the order of this. Yeah. But USC, Indiana, and Oregon in a three-game stretch, that could very well be your season. Then you got a tough Iowa team that you got to play, and Iowa's probably gonna be stingy. I think they probably squeak that one by, but we'll see. Then you got Texas, and then you got Michigan at the end of the year. A Kyle Winningham, Michigan, nonetheless. So I'm not gonna sit there and say, hey, Ohio State's gonna smoke everybody. Let's just pump the brakes on that a little bit. I don't know yet. Ohio State's a team to me that you look at and you're thinking they could be solid and they could be the best team in college football, or the schedule making get to them. I don't know, but we'll we'll see.

SPEAKER_00 30:13

No, 100%. And you spoke about this team, so I'm gonna move it right there next. Oregon, uh, the preseason favorite in a lot of models. I mean, Dante Moore is back. The defensive front is loaded with all Big Ten returners. Dan Lanning has improved the ducks win total in each of the last three seasons. Oregon hasn't taken that final national championship step. What do you think has to be different this year for them to get there?

SPEAKER_02 30:37

They're getting closer and closer every year to a national championship. I kind of curious about how the trenches are gonna go this year. Yeah. I think I was a little bit concerned about that during the offs, during the offseason a tiny bit and during the spring. Still am a little bit, but I think it will improve. I I think the running game, because uh they're they're kind of having a revamp running back room as well. So I I kind of want to see how the running game's gonna be. I think for me overall, I think Dante Moore has got to come in clutch in bigger games than because he has come in clutch in big games, don't get me wrong, but I'm talking about playoff type of games, discounting Texas Tech. I'm talking about against an Indiana, you know. He played okay. I mean, obviously against James Madison. He played good. He played all right against or against Texas Tech, but not phenomenal. It was mainly the defense of Oregon just handwork home against Texas Tech.

SPEAKER_00 31:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 31:39

Indiana, Indiana was a like a buzzall just running through everybody this this past season. So can Dante Moore in big moments, big games, playoff type games, step up in the big time moments? Kind of like Marcel Reed, but not really. Um But I I think Dante Moore for me is one of those, can he step up in the big moments? He's got to refine some things. I think he will. I think he's the best quarterback in college football. I really do. I think once that happens and he refines everything and he steps up in those big moments, it's gonna be hard to deny Oregon. It really is. Um that may be a pre-spoiler, a little bit of a pre-spoiler for next Tuesday's Big Ten Championship Conference standing projections. Uh, we dropped the ACC one out this today. So uh we had the Big 12 on Thursday, Big Ten next Tuesday. So pre-spoiler a little bit on Oregon, maybe. You may think, oh, does he have them in the top three? Maybe, maybe, but I don't know, man. Dante Moore is that key piece to me to making it happen. Also, one more for Oregon, if they can just stay healthy, yeah. Well, that's Evan Stewart and Decoria Moore for sure. If they can just stay healthy, I strap the rocket, man.

SPEAKER_00 32:55

No, I hey, I it they to your point, each year, closer and closer, they've inched, they've inched, and now this this might be this might be the year. It could be there there is a team, though, uh, who had pop the greatest season last year, topped it off with a national championship win. What are the repeat chances looking like for Indiana? Do you think there is a case to be made for Indiana being a legitimate repeat contender, or are we do we just got to pump the brakes a little on this uh on this noise?

SPEAKER_02 33:31

I think to me, depending on how Josh Hoover plays, that's a big factor. Because I think Josh, I've uh you heard me last year with Josh Hoover. I thought he was a breakout player and could have been could have been a breakout player for TCU. Yeah. I think he did play really well, but he also was turnover prone. It was like hot and cold. So if he can ease up on the turnovers, he's a he's a legit. He's a legit quarterback.

SPEAKER_00 33:55

Well, you can whip that thing around the field.

SPEAKER_02 33:57

Oh, yeah. It's depending on how he plays for Indiana. And he's got the receiving core. Charlie Becker's back. You get bringing Nick Morris from Michigan State. So you got the receiving core with you as well. Offensive line's still thick and big and ready to go and tough and stingy. So you got that. You got the defensive line as well. Uh I think overall, for me, you bring all back all your coordinators as well. I think the chances are good. Yeah. It's just depending on to me, and I'm not trying to put any pressure on Hoover. It's just depending on how he plays. If the turnovers are fixed, they got a strong shot. If not, then in some of those big games, that could cost them. I'm not going to count out Kirk Signetti. You can't count him out. I counted. Yeah, I learned that last season, and I got it wrong all the time.

SPEAKER_00 34:44

So no, I've hey it takes a big man to big man to admit that. It's uh shout out Mr. Signetti. I'm sure he'd love to chat with you and tell you, tell you where to go for the next season. So if you're listening.

SPEAKER_02 34:55

He would probably cuss me out, but that's fine. Look.

SPEAKER_00 34:58

It's okay. Well, beers on beers on me for that for that interview. I'll have them shipped in. Uh moving on to the big dog. The big dog in terms of the SEC, very loud. Um, I so I never like being in Canada, you don't understand really how crazy it can be to be an SEC fan of a school. And I read Jay Busby's book, loved it. Um, thank you for that recommendation, Joel. And recently, I have uh subscribed to uh Sirius XM. Since uh my time back from Pittsburgh, I subscribed to Sirius XM. And on Sirius XM, there's a channel called ESP and Extra. And I I and I listen to the Paul Finnerbaum show every day. Every day I listen to people call in, and we're talking that you and I both know it's the offseason. No, you and I both know that there is not a whole lot of stuff going on, especially for the SEC folk. Like the Soresby stuff doesn't really you know affect them that that that badly. Every single day, there are thousands of people probably in that queue that are waiting in line to talk about their favorite SEC teams and how their SEC team is better than everybody else, and how the SEC as a conference is better than anybody else. And I want nothing more than the SEC to return to just dominance. What do you think? How many teams do you think A, we need in the playoffs this year from the SEC? Well, I was we'll start there. How many playoff teams? And which ones are they gonna be? Are you allowed to say that yet?

SPEAKER_02 36:46

I mean, I can make probably like a uh a prediction, maybe. Maybe I I think it's gonna be it maybe subject, maybe asterisk, subject to change. Um, I'll have a probably a full laid-out definition by August. So hopefully I can come back by August and I can give back to you.

SPEAKER_00 37:06

We're we're gonna have yeah, we're having you back before then.

SPEAKER_02 37:10

Oh, I'm trying to think. Uh for the SEC overall, I mean, for everybody that says, you know, for the SEC, man, you you talk about you know the SEC and the Homerism and all that, but dude, look, in the South, and I'm from the South, so from the South, dude, football is religion down there. It literally is. It's like a religion down there. SEC football is religion. That's why SEC is so hyped up. It's got the big brand and all that, because college football is like down there in the south, is something else. It's like a different planet.

SPEAKER_01 37:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 37:45

So, and then look, it's it's it's it's you get hyped up in the Big Ten country. I'm not saying you don't, but I'm gonna be real, man. When you get down south, it's something else.

SPEAKER_00 37:54

But anyway, so smoking like a good Southern boy.

SPEAKER_02 37:58

Yeah, exactly. I went away to go. It's something else down in Miss down in Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, Bama, wherever. It's something else.

SPEAKER_00 38:07

I just want to say, for the record, I'm gonna I'm gonna mark this on my end. A merch idea for the pig skin frenzy. Maybe it's a collab merch idea.

SPEAKER_02 38:16

Sure.

SPEAKER_00 38:17

Southern football, it's something else. Pig skin frenzy. It's something. That's it. That's all you got. All you gotta put on the t-shirt. Southern football, and then in quotes, it's something else.

SPEAKER_02 38:27

You can just pull the Peter Parker, Toby Maguire thing when he said on Spider-Man, it's something else. So for the playoff, for NFC. Um I'm looking at like three, maybe four. I would say Georgia, Texas, LSU, and maybe Texas AM. Maybe.

SPEAKER_00 38:51

Georgia, Texas, LSU, and what was the fourth one?

SPEAKER_02 38:55

Probably Texas AM.

SPEAKER_00 38:56

Texas AM.

SPEAKER_02 38:57

Maybe. You can also make an argument for maybe Ole Miss, maybe Bama. Maybe.

SPEAKER_00 39:07

I I've heard Bama fans on the Phantom show. They're not going to be very happy if they find out we're doing to we're talking this lowly about Bama.

SPEAKER_02 39:14

Maybe. I don't know. I I think the three certified right now is LSU, LSU Georgia, in Texas right now. If I had to pick a three, top three right now, I'm not giving y'all the order yet because we're waiting until next Thursday's episode of Pink Ski and Frenzy to discuss the conference standings. But right now, randomized order, no particular order, Georgia, Texas LSU right now. I would give that right now. But who knows? LSU schedule's tough.

SPEAKER_00 39:44

So I'm gonna ask you that. So that's my first question. Or first question for you is LSU. I mean, Lane Kiffin goes back to Ole Miss week three. We've talked about that, everybody's talked about that. Um, facing his foreign program for the first time since he left. Um, I mean, they've talked apparently that $40 million have gone into this roster. I would not be surprised. Listen, great things are happening in Baton Rouge. Uh Clemson, starting the season. You're in Ole Miss. Then Texas AM all before October. You then you got Alabama and Texas back to back and at home in November. That's tough schedule. How many, how many losses realistically, do you think are baked into that LSU schedule?

SPEAKER_01 40:29

Hmm.

SPEAKER_00 40:31

Because I I got them get I got them losing two, at least out of that. I'm not and I love three. Yeah, I was gonna say at least two or three. I've I've seen them going down because that's hard. It's a hard schedule.

SPEAKER_02 40:44

Their October is more friendlier than their September and November. Yeah. But I think the trap game for Auburn, that could be something. Look, I think a lot of people, everyone's gonna say Auburn doesn't have near the talent that Florida has and all that. Look, I get that. Florida's a good team. But I'm gonna tell you what. What Alex Gulliff is doing with Auburn, because everyone is I I got a lot of flack for saying that you put, you know, what about the underrated teams? Underrated teams? You're talking about Florida. Florida's a good team. They are a good team. I think they're gonna be an underrated team too. But I think a lot of people are underestimating Auburn, especially with what Byron Brown did at South Florida. I think he may can do in the SEC, maybe. Maybe. I'm not sitting there and saying, look, he's going to or he won't. I'm saying maybe he does. And if he does, I would probably kind of not, you know, sit, you know, and be like, oh, Auburn sucks and all that. Look, I think Auburn has got a really strong shot at winning eight games. I really do. I think that trap, if you circle that for LSU, that Auburn game game at Auburn. Yeah, that's a trap for me. No, I agree with you. Kentucky's different.

unknown 41:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 41:55

I had Susan Lax on the show. Shout out to Kentucky, shout out to her.

SPEAKER_00 41:58

Hey, all love to Kentucky. All love to Kentucky over here.

SPEAKER_02 42:01

It's just going to take some time. A lot of people are going to, you know, she she messed with me on that. And that's fine. You can she can mess with me on that. She has the right to. She works there. I just, I, to me, I think it's going to be a little bit of a slow bill for Kentucky. Now, I think Kentucky's got the talent. I really do. I think Kentucky's a very, I think Kentucky to me is a dark horse. So we'll start there. They're a dark horse right now. I think good but underestimated would be Auburn and Florida. Gotcha. I think Auburn's a trap game. Kentucky. I think LSU beats Kentucky. I think they beat Mississippi State. I think McNeese and Louisiana Tech. I think the tough games come in with Clem. I think they're going to beat Clemson.

SPEAKER_00 42:44

I think they win the open.

SPEAKER_02 42:45

I think they're going to beat Clemson. And a lot of people. Last year it was tough, and I wasn't going to predict it until August. I think I'm a little bit more confident in LSU against Clemson this year than I was last year. Just because of who's coaching them, because of the roster, because of where it's at. I just think and Clemson needs a rebuild, right? And it's kind of in a rebuild right now. I would fail. I'm going to officially pick it in August, but I think right now I'm leaning towards LSU in that one.

SPEAKER_00 43:13

Yeah. I think so too. I think the I think their quarterback this year, I think he did a great job in his uh previous stint in Arizona State. I think he's going to come in out. He's going to be balling. I think Lane Kiffin's got the ability to grab people and make them into superstars.

SPEAKER_02 43:27

If Sam Levitt can be healthy, let me put it that way. I think that foot injury was rough. If he is fully ready, full on, ready to go, I think he's a side, he's an amazing quarterback. He fits Lane Kiffin's scheme well and his place and Charlie Weiss Jr.'s scheme well, he fits their playbook well. He can be a really good quarterback for them. They got the talent. I think the offensive line, to me, besides Jordan coming in, besides Braylon Moore happening, Jordan Seaton coming in and You get Braylon Moore, all those guys. Man, look, I think they're good talent. I think Jordan's a good talent. I think he's the best offensive lineman on that team. He's the best lineman on that, in the on that line. Bray Lynn Moore's second, but at the same time, you still got to have a full unit. I think if the the I think the depth of the team, little bit of a not, I think they're I think their their starting lineup is phenomenal. You gotta get the depth going. You gotta get the especially in the trenches. I think that's the biggest question mark that I have about LSU. Can the trenches hold up? Can they stay healthy? Then they can make a run. That's really it. Ole Miss is gonna be tough. Ole Miss will play better in that game than they will all year, I believe.

SPEAKER_00 44:45

That's the one thing that they're gonna wake up for. That's their national championship, is that game.

SPEAKER_02 44:51

Yeah, pretty much. And I'm not gonna sit and say they want Metanati and all that stuff. I'm not. Because who knew? Who knew they were gonna make it last year?

SPEAKER_00 44:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 44:58

But I'm gonna sit here and say this, man. They are marking that down.

SPEAKER_00 45:03

I think those are.

SPEAKER_02 45:05

They are waking up and it's on their calendars. Hey, we're counting down the days until we play LSU.

SPEAKER_00 45:10

I think every paramedic in that in that town, every cop, every fireman, every response emergency response person uh will be ready to go. Because they probably are they think it's it is gonna be mayhem. Yeah. Uh Joel, speaking of mayhem, we haven't seen a full season from Arch Manning. And I say that as uh 2025, his November and postseason numbers were elite. Uh 15 touchdowns, 13, 68 passing yards in that stretch. Um, Texas is built around him. Stark has come out and said that. Um, all eyes will be on Arch. People have already given him to the Jets in the next year's draft. They've already placed him on the New York Jets roster, or whatever team is we're making fun of that week. Where does the ceiling on this offense go in 2026?

SPEAKER_02 46:08

They're going to have to. I think they're gonna be one of the best in the sport. They should be. I mean I think Arch is gonna be a lot more improved. I put him at number three in my quarterback in my list for 2026, heading into the 2026 season. Because we have seen a full season from him in last and in his late season. It was he, ever since the regular rivalry onward, he's gotten better and better and better. If he can keep up that momentum and how he played in the citrus bowl now, the sky's the limit for him. He's gonna be one of the best, if not the best in the sport, maybe. We'll see. I think the offense centered around him with Wingo and Coleman, dynamic.

SPEAKER_00 46:55

Coleman coming in is huge.

SPEAKER_02 46:58

That's big. That changed a lot. Um, you get that, you get in the backfield, you get Smothers, right? Back for him, or coming in for him. Uh, you get uh Relique Wilson there, really. I'm sorry, Relique Brown there with them. So it's gonna be good. It's gonna be a little bit offensive line's gonna be alright too. Defense is gonna be good too. Must champ back there for him. Very interesting move. Can't wait to see how that turns out. I think they're right now they're playing physical, which is good.

SPEAKER_01 47:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 47:30

I I think what to me is the hype going to get to them? Now, I think the hype got to them last year. Is the hype going to is the hype going to get to them? I think to me, here's my deal. Texas has a real big issue of getting in their own way. And I think I don't really want that to happen for Texas. I think they got the talent to not get in their own way. I just think last year they had that problem. They got in their own way in a lot of games. Now, Georgia, different story. I don't but they don't play Georgia this year, I don't think. Thank gosh. Because I mean, that's kind of their kryptonite, kind of like Georgia and Alabama usually. Um for Georgia, Alabama's kind of their kryptonite a little bit, besides the SSC championship game last year. Get into that later. But um, yes, for Texas overall, the schedule kind of favors them a little bit too. So I think the if you're talking about this the ceiling, is it's pretty high to me for their offense. I think they're gonna be one of the best in the sport.

unknown 48:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 48:39

I'm just gonna have to see if they, you know, do not get in their own way with stuff.

SPEAKER_00 48:46

As a as a Cowboys fan, I can tell you it might be something in the water in Texas. There might be something uh something going on in the water because yeah, that sounds everything you just said describes that the roster being the roster is so good and loaded.

SPEAKER_02 49:00

Recruiting was good, transfer was good, the NIL money is all there, the resources are there. Do it's like I said last year, do they have the team? If they have the team chemistry, do they have that team? If they have that team, the sky's the limit for them. It's the pressure is gonna be on for sure, for sorry.

SPEAKER_00 49:18

And I think it's and I it's it's on Arch, uh, but I don't I'm a big, big, big guy when it comes to uh Colin Simmons. My boy Colin Simmons. I need he's gotta he's gotta be the he's gotta be the engine, he's gotta be the dog on the defensive side of the ball. 100%. A lot of people are gonna look to him like he come on, buddy, we gotta see you in the top five in the draft. And that's what I want to see from Colin Simmons this year. I want to see him absolutely kill people out there, be a monster, be a menace, and then next year get drafted in the top five. I think there's he's so talented, like you said, there's so much talent on this Texas team. A lot of it is just unlocking that talent. And I think some of it also is on Sark. I gotta see some, we gotta see some innovative play calling, brother. Like we gotta see some, we gotta see you pull some stuff out of your bag when you got talents like Coleman and Wingo, and you got a guy like Arch who's there. Like, I I don't know if this will be the last season they have with Arch, and I'm sure they've got a plan for the succession plan and everything like that, as most big programs do, but you gotta pull it out of your bag.

SPEAKER_02 50:17

And they may not, it may, it may not be the last season. Well, who knows? He may exactly he may get the full year new eligibility deal, and he may run out of eligibility and pull what Peyton did and Eli did and his granddad did with Archie. I mean, he he may just pull a manning, a classic manning, and run out of all of his eligibility, graduate, then enter the draft. They all do. So he may do that.

SPEAKER_00 50:41

He may be he may transfer. I don't think I don't want to be the guy to I don't want to be the guy to say it, but hey, in today's era, anything is possible. Like we've seen it. Like that would be the wildest thing, though, if he did. That would break that would break the internet, I think, when it comes to college football. If March Manning declared transfer, um, depending on how they do this year. I don't think that's happening, by the way, before Longhorns fans start attacking me. No, I don't think that's a good thing.

SPEAKER_02 51:08

Yeah, if he leaves Texas, I believe he will go to the NFL.

SPEAKER_00 51:13

Yes. I I wholeheartedly agree. I think uh the NFL will be the only place he leaves. Absolutely now. The the final team I wanted to talk about in the SEC, and I know people are gonna be like, you didn't talk about all of them. I promise we'll have the prodigy back. We'll go through all of them. We're gonna go through a little skim here. Uh, Georgia. Uh, you know, a lot a lot of analysts have them going running the table. Uh I think their schedule is a little bit favorable, uh, one would say. Um 12-0. Is it realistic? Or do you think the uh Georgia always finds a lost narrative uh applicable for the dogs?

SPEAKER_02 51:51

So I think they can drop one, maybe. I mean, I think the the do they have they need more pass catchers. I think that's the problem. I think the problem is receiving right now. They lose a lot of guys at the receiving core.

SPEAKER_00 52:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 52:07

You can say the same thing. Oh, well, what about USC? They have all their freshmen guys. Yeah, but their freshmen right now at the receiving core is pretty legit in the Big Ten. That's a different story with Georgia. Georgia, they have guys, but it's mainly at their tight end spot. That's their key, their strongest position on that team is their tight end spot. They have Elias Williams, Lucky Lawson back, or Lawson Lucky, excuse me, back at uh tight end for them as you know, their senior go-to veteran tight end. He'll start. Elias Williams is in there, uh uh Jaden Redell, Ethan Barber. They're they're a loaded tight end room, man. But you got that as pass catchers, and you can utilize them as pass catchers because they're they're usually utilized as like blockers. Bring it back to the Darnell, Washington, and Brock Bower's times, man. Just make them elite pass catchers, and then you're good. But you also need a little bit of help in the terms of a pure wide receiver. And I think that's the problem as well for Georgia. So we'll see what happens. I think Gunnar Stockton's good enough. I think their running game's obviously good enough. Hopefully, Nate Frazier is healthy by then. We'll see. Their trenches, still physical. It's just the receiving core. The offense in the receiving core is it for them right now. I think their linebackers are gonna be strong. Their secondary is gonna be loaded. I think Georgia's gonna shot, but yet again, they always seem to find that one. Let's see. Well, I mean, let's look at their schedule. I mean, Tennessee State, that's a win. Western Kentucky, win. At Arkansas's a win. Oklahoma, I'm gonna lean towards a win. Who knows? We'll see. Vanderbilt's a win. At Alabama, could be a loss. Because I mean, it happens all the time. It seems like Alabama just shows up for that game. Besides the SEC championship, besides the SEC championship last season, usually it's Bama's game. Usually. They got Auburn at home. Florida at Atlanta, which why did you bring that game to Atlanta? Keep it in Jacksonville. We'll talk about that later. Adam Miss, a rematch from a Sugar Bowl. Then you got Missouri at home at South Carolina. Bringing that game back is awesome. And then you get Georgia Tech. So you may can find a loss in there or two. I would probably think I would, they're probably going to be favored in every game they play, but you could find a loss, maybe one or two in there. I don't know if that's a good idea.

SPEAKER_00 54:36

Do you think the pressure is more on them, though, because you saw Indiana just go out and do it? Do you think there's more recency bias where they're like you look at that schedule and you're like, Indiana did? And mind you, it's not the same schedule that they have this year, and Indiana faced probably different opponents, but do you think there's a little bit of recency bias, especially with some restless Georgia fans who are like, just get it done. And what a what a place to what a team to cheer for, eh? Like you're just always used to winning, so you're like, hey, can we get a perfect season?

SPEAKER_02 55:11

I think to me, because they had a perfect season back in 2022. Yes. I I don't know, man. I I don't think I think a pressure to me is less on the undefeated aspect of it, more so on the can we get past the quarterfinal aspect of it? Because the past couple of seasons, it seems like there has been a little bit of a fall-off in terms of you get there and you're like, uh, Georgia doesn't look, you know.

SPEAKER_00 55:44

They don't look as violent as they normal as they normally look and as dominant as well.

SPEAKER_02 55:49

You don't look as you don't look like Georgia, man. You don't where's come on, Kirby, where's the dogs? You know, you don't see that, right? So for me, I would say more pressure on getting past the quarterfinals. Uh, for the love of all that is get out, do not bring them to the sugar bowl and do not give them a buy because it seems like the past two seasons, when they get that that sugar bowl spot, they always lose.

SPEAKER_00 56:13

Yeah, they have too much sugar.

SPEAKER_02 56:15

Uh exactly, man. Get it out of them. Please take us to Miami, take us to the Rose Bowls.

SPEAKER_00 56:21

Move them around. Go somewhere else.

SPEAKER_02 56:23

To me, a lot of people are gonna say it's favorable schedule. I think the early part is favorable. I think it starts to get competitive for Georgia. I mean, OU, Bama, who knows how Auburn's gonna be? Auburn can bring a fight to them. Yeah, who knows how Florida's gonna be? Florida can bring a fight to him. Addle Miss, we'll see what Pete Golding's about. Missouri, who knows? We'll see what Missouri's about. I mean, they may be a little bit better. I concerns with Chip Lindsay as the OC at Missoula, but we'll see. South Carolina, I'm can I'm curious about South Carolina because you look at South Carolina, and I know I said it last year, hyped him up last year a little bit, but maybe this year they can have a strong year because I think South Carolina's in need of a strong year with with Kendall Bryals now as the OC there. So we'll see. GT gonna be like clean old-fashioned hate. It's gonna be that's just gonna be the rivalry. It's in Athens this year. That's gonna be the cue, okay, gonna go back and forth. So it's it's rivalry weekend. It's it's always gonna be more of a tough, you know, hard-osed game. But I think the later part, like as as they go into September 26th, my birthday, by the way, guys. So uh make note of that. You're gonna make note of that on the calendar. That scale, that game, that day right there with OU, I think that and onward, that is when it gets more competitive for George, I think. I think it will get competitive as it goes all. But early, I don't think it's all that competitive for me. I think the three games, first three games, they'll easily go three and oh.

SPEAKER_00 57:57

No, that's that that hey, music to uh George fans easier ears there. They don't want it the easy route. Now, mind you, my co-host, it's late where he is, and we got some teams that are left. And I know people are probably wondering, you missed my team, you missed this conference, you missed that conference. Listen, I'm gonna invite him back. He's gonna be back. We're gonna do the rest of this, we're gonna do a part two of this because I love doing this. It was fabulous, it was amazing. I'm glad. Now, before he leaves, though, we're gonna finish with one team because they believe in no conference, and that is Notre Dame. Joel, Notre Dame, uh, much to I think they let every single person in the universe know uh that they were left out of the college football playoffs last season. Now they're back with CJ Carr, quarterback, uh schedule loaded with six ACC opponents, plus a massive matchup against Miami November. How dangerous is this Notre Dame program heading into 2026?

SPEAKER_02 58:58

They're the number one team entering 2026.

SPEAKER_00 59:01

Boom.

SPEAKER_02 59:02

In my estimate, I think they are the number one team entering 2026. That stance has not changed. You released that what, in uh early May? Like, man, like right, did you release that in early May when you know you were at the goal on that cruise and everything? Yeah, my stance from the cruise or whatever has not changed. Notre Dame is still the number one team in my estimate. I've really liked what they've done during the spring. I like the confidence that CJ Carr has presented himself with in the spring. A lot of people are gonna say they're gonna hand the ball off to Anayas Williams. They will, but CJ Carr is going to have to play. All right, he's going to have to make those throws more. He's gonna have to do more.

SPEAKER_00 59:40

You gotta replace Jeremiah Love and Darien Price output somehow.

SPEAKER_02 59:44

You do. And Anias Williams is still gonna be good, but he's not gonna be a Jeremiah Love. Yeah. You're going to have to step up to the play if you are CJ Carr. You're gonna have to throw the ball a lot more. And when he did throw the ball last year, very little turnovers. As a freshman, yeah. No, it's gonna be a lot better in my opinion.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:03

No, 100%, 100%. Now, I've been impressed because I've been looking at their recruiting that they've been doing. They're building a program for years to come. I feel almost silly saying this, but I'm gonna say it anyways. Now, if they miss the college football playoffs, again. That was suddenly because Marcus Freeman was in talks. Everybody loves linking him to NFL jobs. It's the greatest thing that people have come up with for Marcus Freeman. But does the seed start to get a little warm if they miss the college football playoffs this year?

SPEAKER_02 1:00:44

I don't think so. I think he he will, I don't know. I think for me, I don't think that. I think that to me, to me, if Marcus Freeman leaves Notre Dame, it it may be for the NFL and or for Ohio State eventually. Because he played at Ohio State.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:02

Yeah, no, 100%.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:04

Like if Ohio to me, if there's a world where Ryan Day was retired or stopped, right, stopped coaching, and Ohio State, the biggest job in the world, right, has opened up, or what at that time at least, the biggest job in the world opens up, they're gonna call Marcus Freeman. That's his that's his home. That was his original home. And in the words of Paul Bear Bryant, historian over here, when mama calls you and tells you to come home, you go home, right? Now Notre Dame is not his original, that's not his alma mater. He loves Notre Dame, don't get me wrong, he loves it. It's Ohio State, though, and that's where he played football. So, so, and he was an assistant coach there for a little bit too, a GA too. So, maybe that, that's my I think that would be my thing, my desk, my end destination for Marcus Freeman. But if he does go to the NFL, great. Like cool, like that's that means I mean he's earned it. A lot of people like him. He's he's a he's a good coach. Yeah, I don't think he's gonna get fired regardless. I don't. I don't think he's gonna like, I don't think they're gonna force him out. I just think now would he take another job? Who knows? I think the only reason why I think the to me, this is my dead answer on this. I do want to talk about the schedule for Notre Dame, but I think my answer on this would be Marcus Freeman leaves Notre Dame if he decides to leave Notre Dame, not if they force him out.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:34

Amazing. Amazing. He leaves it on his terms. Well, we see that. We see that with the way the man is moving. The man is moving and not releasing any of his merchandise to the general public. I hear you, Notre Dame fans. I know. I would also love to see buy the catalog of clothes that Marcus Freeman wears. Now, on that note, we got a couple fun questions for you. Simple, nice, easy, bang bang. Number one, best uniforms in college football. This is gonna upset some people, but it's it's fine. It's fine.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:12

Probably Oregon or there's three. I'm a simple guy. I mean, I can I just give it like a five, like a five lister?

SPEAKER_00 1:03:23

Sure. I'll uh we'll allow it. We'll allow it.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:25

We don't want to make people jerseys. It's not about making people mad or anything. I just there's a lot of good ones. Yeah. I think in no particular order, I think Oregon, LSU, Penn State, I think those three are great. I think old Miss's uniforms are pretty cool.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:43

Oh, they're pretty sweet.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:44

I think that the I like Notre Dame's. A lot of people are gonna say, dude, boo, on that. I really like the old classic gold helmet uniforms with Notre Dame. Um honestly, for me, oh, the crimson. I gotta go with Alabama, man. I think there's nothing like the classic retro, the number helmets. Those are just classic, they're timeless. You can't really change that. You know what I mean? Yeah. So now that's my five.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:15

That's a solid list. And now to mark the the end of the episode. I know every if somebody follows you on X, they they know this already, but you really love Whataburger.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:27

I do.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:28

You you really love Whataburger. You are a big proponent of of Whataburger. You are constantly seen on social media singing the praises for Whataburger.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:38

It is. And there's not one in Illinois, and I'm mad about it.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:43

Yes. What is the okay? First time someone goes to Whataburger, what should they order? What is the what is the prodigy of college football order? Whataburger.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:57

So if you want my order, y'all can clip this. I would love for you guys to clip this. I usually get a double meat water burger with ketchup, mustard, very specific, pickles, and grilled jalapenos. Then, or fresh, if it depends on what I feel. And then I usually get an onion ring on the side with either a A, a water, a Dr. Pepper, or a Coke Zero. That's what I usually get. You can get anything you want at Whataburger, though. I think that Whataburger clears everything. We're gonna be here for another hour if we talk more about Whataburger, honestly. It clears everything.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:47

This man knows burgers. I I I honestly that sounded delicious. My first thought was this man loves heat. And now, second thought is that was beautiful. That was Anthony.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:00

Now, five guys can bring some competition to it. But overall, Whataburger just has the heart, man. It has my heart to it. I think it now, if you're talking about like for me, everyone I someone told me the other day, like, no, Culver's clears Whataburger. I'm like, dude, no, it doesn't. Now, custard and ice cream, sure. But dude, the burger itself? If we're talking about beat burgers, Whataburger beats everything, in my opinion.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:26

And just so I'm aware, I'm just gonna throw some players in there, and you can just tell me if the Whataburger is better than them. Just gonna just gonna throw this one out there. Um Shake Shack To me, yes. In and Out?

SPEAKER_02 1:06:45

Yes. Oh, 100%, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:47

Okay. I mean, I ain't gonna I ain't gonna I ain't gonna argue with you. I have Whataburger in Texas, man. Whataburger in Texas is a fabulous time.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:56

No, a lot of people a lot of people are gonna say, what are you talking about? In N Out's the best. I've had an In N Out. It'd be Whataburger. Whataburger's better, man.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:05

I I love it. I love Food Corner with Joel. I love Food Corner with Joel. It's one of the best. It's one of the best.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:12

We could talk about restaurants and food all day. Man, I just think that in terms of fast food burgers, Whataburger is the best. It has my heart. I would love a sponsorship with Whataburger. If they can get on the code.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:23

We're gonna get you sponsored. No, trust me. Trust me on this. We're gonna get you a shirt. We're gonna get you a care package or something. We're gonna get you something. Let's clip it. Clip it. All we clip it. Are we gonna clip it? We're gonna promote it. I'm gonna put some ad spend behind that one. We're gonna put it right into what I'm gonna I'm gonna geotag the ad spend into the Whataburger headquarters, which I don't know where they are right now, but when I release this episode, I will. We're gonna geotag it. And the fun cousin is gonna get the cousin that came over a little nice little uh Whataburger care package. It's gonna be a good one.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:52

Or a Whataburger partnership something with the pigskin frenzy. Because, dude, I mean, let's be honest. Whataburger, it has everybody's hearts. The thing that's so sad is the nearest one is five hours from me. And I'm sitting there and thinking, why am I here? Like, do I need to go back down to Mississippi or do I need to go back down somewhere else? Or does the does the pigskin frenzy headquarters in the war room need to relocate? I mean, I mean, who knows? Only to be closer to a freaking Whataburger around here, man.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:21

I mean, I just mean uh Hey, if there's some affluent people out there, you know, some people with some change, some some potential boosters for college football, let's get in touch. Let's open a little franchise up in uh in Illinois. Let's get this thing going here.

SPEAKER_02 1:08:34

I mean, Whataburger, man, is just it's just something, you know. It's like the look, I'll I'll even say my quote, right? Well, we're talking about the southern football, right? It's something else. Whataburger is something else, man.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:46

Bang. Bang. It's something else. They're gonna love it. They're gonna love it. Well, listen, Joel, this has been amazing. I time flies when I'm talking with you, especially when I'm talking to you at college football. Uh, as I promised, uh, everybody, we are definitely getting you back on. And if it's up to me, we're gonna get we're gonna get him on at least in a regular sense. At least we'll people know, hey, he's coming on at this time. This is the day he's coming. So people can you know, order their Whataburgers, sit down, they can tune into uh a little show, a little pig skin frenzy, a little episode of that, and then they can tune into a little episode of Red Zone Blitz, and it'll be and before you know it, it's time for another Whataburger.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:27

And enjoy exactly enjoy your Whataburger for me because right now I cannot enjoy the Whataburger, right?

SPEAKER_00 1:09:34

Exactly. Exactly. Now, before I let you leave, Joel, where can people uh where can people find your content? Where can people write to you? How can they get in touch with you? Um you know, let everybody know where they can find you.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:49

Man, and find me at True Voice Digital as well. I need to plug that as well. True Voice Digital, uh, it is a uh true voice.digital.com. It is a uh a faith-based Christian streaming platform, up and coming. It is a great platform uh to have faith-based inspired content uh on the show. And not only that, just our content as well is now on there. So we're thankful for them and we're thankful for that partnership as well. It's gonna be great. And uh find us on there as well. You can find us mainly on YouTube, Pibean, Spotify, uh Apple, I believe. Yeah, uh anything, Amazon, just hopefully the Alexa doesn't go off in y'all's houses. Just say play Pigskin Frenzy. So subscribe, follow on that as well. Uh social media is X, Instagram, and TikTok at Pixwinn und Discord Frenzy. Just follow on there. You're gonna get wild takes, just like I said. I still, I mean, again, I will post it keep to the cows come home. Number one, right now, Notre Dame going into the season is number one. Number two, Whataburger clears everything in terms of fast food burgers. So you'll get a lot of takes like that.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:52

So I love it. I love it, I love it. And I, you know what? I want to I want to say a special thank you to Joel because um as this show evolves, the red zone blitz evolves, as things change, as things move around, um, personnel changes, everything else, all the others things. Joel, for those of you that maybe are new listeners, um, is one of the founding members, I think, of the show. I think he is the one of the first people that I ever talked to when it came to about this space. And he hopped on. He's like, Yeah, man, let's do it. Let's do this interview. And I'm pretty sure I botched that first interview um that that I did. And it was just from there to now, we're almost we're almost hitting the year mark of uh of me and Joel knowing each other. And I think it's been a it's been an amazing journey, man. And I can't wait to do this season with you again. It's gonna be an amazing season. Um, we're gonna have you on, we're gonna do some things. I'm gonna work with Whataburger. Hopefully, we can get you get you that little care package. We're gonna get some merch lines going, all sorts of stuff this year. So I'm super excited.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:50

And I'm just gonna say this as well. As a person that loves doing this, honestly, uh, I love what you do. I listen to you all the time. So obviously, I I'm a red zone blitz guy. I love coming on here. I love making guest appearances on here. Um, I'll be on whenever they need me, whenever you need me. Uh, it's one of those things where if you're in this space, number one, uh, like my friend George Reiser has said, don't take yourself too seriously when you're doing this. Uh be professional, but have fun when you're doing this. Um, you don't have to be, you know, you don't be crazy and wild and all that. But at the same time, lay back. Don't be so stiff. Lay back, have fun, talk, and you know, just don't take yourself too seriously doing this. That's number one. And then number two, keep pursuing your dream and staying the course in this. That's why I say stay the course in this. Because number one, my grandfather told me that. He told me to stay the course in whatever you do, uh, and stay the course for the the path that the Lord has for you. So just trust in that. And if you trust in the Lord and then stay the course, everything's gonna go for you and go well for you. So uh just keep on going and pursue whatever dream you want. So to me, that's why I think the red zone blitz has been successful, and that's why I think pig skin is gonna continue to just flourish.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:04

So now amazing. Now, beautifully said, Joel, and and I appreciate you. And uh, before people start going, guys, get a room. Um, I'm gonna say uh it's been amazing having you back uh back on the red zone blitz. We're gonna have you back on very soon to talk all things college football. I know, guys, I know I hadn't talked about Miami. We're gonna talk about Miami, we're gonna talk about the Big 12 um and everything else outside of Brendan Soresby. So we got all sorts of that stuff coming. Uh, once again, ladies and gentlemen, Joel Norris, Pig Skin Frenzy. Go follow him, go subscribe, the prodigy of college football and the official uh college football Whataburger Ambassador in my eyes. I'm gonna make sure we manifest that. Appreciate you, Joel.

SPEAKER_02 1:13:48

Thank you, man. I got to clip it.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:50

Yep, 100%, 100%. All right, ladies and gentlemen. That was Joel Norris from Pig Skin Frenzy.