FOX Sports Aaron Torres Discusses The National View Of Noah Fifita And Tetairoa McMillan

Welcome Aaron Torres to the show [Music] [Applause] thanks for listening to the AC Wildcats podcast I'm your host Mike Luke joined by a Arizona fans favorite National host the great Aaron Torres hello Aaron Torres how are you doing so I'm good um first of all I uh it's been a while it's been a while has any I'm I'm nervous I haven't backed the a in a minute is there you know is there new uh hand signals or slow you know I it's just been a while since I backed the a also it's only your camera that my hair always looks my hair is always very presentable but for some reason when I come on your show it looks very sloppy I don't know why that is because we're men of the people around here Aaron Tores we like being down in the Nitty Gritty so it's again it's not for the faint of heart on this show should it be now um how are you bud I missed you how's life miss you as well man thanks uh I now listen to everybody out there I've invited Torres on twice last two times wasn't able to come on that's on I'm give you I'm going to give you the truth you hit me up like a day after the final four you're like hey you want to come on tomorrow and I was like dude I've been on the road for like 10 straight days maybe just give me like a week that's fair then you went like two months and something happened I forget what happened there and then I did have a doctor's appointment one day and it's like one of those like you know if you cancel they give you an attitude and I didn't want attitude for my doctor but you know listen you know I'm like um I'm like Teto McMillan you might not hear from me much in you know June July I'm just working behind the scenes but come week one boom Torres is ready to go and here I am so oh we've got Aaron back in the rotation especially we got a lot of basketball we're going to talk as well first Aaron Torres uh every now and then I get something right if you Mike was right on Fifita remember last year I told you about the fifth G fifth or sixth game of the season there's this kid Noah faf you're going to want to keep a real close eye on and uh so far so good with Noah faf what is he like 11 and one as a starter yeah I'd say that was a pretty a pretty good take on your part no you did say that you said hey you know from a national perspective these two kids have been friends forever uh you know high school teammates like you should get them on your show before they blow up next thing you know I'm doing Fox Sports Radio on a Saturday night they nearly beat USC at the Coliseum um should have beat him by the way by the way was Washington the game before the game after I can't remember was the game before that was his first career start yes and I remember watching that USC game like oh they're they're pretty close and now and by the way that was when USC we thought was still good and then obviously yeah then from there it was just like boom it was like dynamite it was awesome to watch uh it was awesome to see and by the way I think everybody saw last Saturday why everybody was trying so hard to get uh uh McMillan and faf in the portal after obviously we know what happened you know last January so credit to Arizona for retaining those guys and you guys got a fun team man to watch I'll tell you that we're going to talk a lot about that and like I said get to some basketball as well yes Aaron Torres is greater than Jeff Goodman we would very much agree on this but Jeff Goodman's an Arizona guy you gotta support him RS the Arizona fan base the entire time all right but now let me ask you this this is a very because at Arizona football it's something that we know we don't generally have a uh we don't have an What is the nation's opinion on T-Mac assembly line of Top Flight talent that generally comes here through here I don't care what anybody says tedar Roa McMillan is the best wide receiver in the country I don't even believe that it's close um you look at his I know a lot of people like Luther buron but Luther buron when he plays against good teams catches for 16 yards uh taroa McMillan last year, 1400 yards 12 touchdowns off to a 300 uh or 300 plus yard game what is the uh what is the national perception of T-Mac and how much does it uh is the lack of hype maybe because he's at Arizona well I think the national perception maybe changed last weekend because you know it's really it was a pseudo Standalone game now there was some game going on in the Big 10 Network in Seattle I forget who was even playing in that one yeah it was rainy smell it's I think it smelled too you could see the stink lines on the TV screen but anyway it was a national uh you know game there was no other game that I'm aware of really on in that time slot and you know even our our update Guy on Fox Sports Radio is not a huge college football guy you know he know he knows the name but it's like oh this McMillan kid another touchdown you know keeping you updated in Tucson you know he just went for his third touchdown you know 72 yards blah blah blah whatever and so listen I I don't know how you can't how you can't be a colle I don't know I'm use a triple negative here if you're a college football fan and you didn't know the name before Saturday you probably should have but I don't think there's any way that you didn't Standalone game it was a fun game they by the way they needed him to make plays the defense obviously you know I know you and sheer and everybody have been talking about all week but the defense didn't live up to its end of the bargain so it's not like um he won 63 to7 and he was out middle of the second quarter I mean that was a game where you needed him late he got the national claim you know I saw Pat McAfee shouting him out all that stuff and so again if people weren't familiar I do believe that uh that probably changed pretty significantly on Saturday night I think you're definitely going to see that change now let me ask you this then um just looking around oh by the way you want to hear something crazy you know Mason Graham probably the best defensive player in all of college football for the name yes yeah all right for Michigan yeah he is he was teammates with T-Mac and Noah faf at survi high schoolish decided not to recruit him though so that was that was an interesting one um now just looking at this team yeah for sure look at now looking at this team defensively um I'm very curious because Defense has to get better they got to get better listen I think the offense is one of those things where they're going to score on basically anybody it's a little bit of a Colorado type situation we're going to get to Colorado here in a second but it's a little bit of a Colorado type situation where you're like all right you're going toore on people but are you going to be able to stop people that's going to be the key to this season Torres is if if Arizona can stop people if they can finish about mid you know like I've been saying finish fifth in the Big 12 in defense and everything will take care of itself what's say you eron Torres so basically the defense just has to be good enough like is that was that what was it good enough Bend but don't break have you heard this term before I have no and I think there's probably something to it listen I mean you know again I mean you know you you might have the stats like whatever forget the win loss record just the points per game since ffid was put in as the starting quarterback of this team uh middle of the season last year it you know they're moving the ball on everybody and so you know listen I don't think uh New Mexico is a is a team to take a Victory lap on but the one thing listen it was the most cliche talking point of the college football off season but it was accurate is that the Big 12 is absolutely at least in my opinion we'll see if it plays out this way wide open and I think there's six or seven teams that I don't know if they can win it but think that they can win it going into week two of the season and so I think Arizona should be one of them um I think the the the quarterback wide receiver is as good as anybody in the league you know it's right up there with Colorado and maybe one or two others but I bring it up because yes the the the statement that you made I agree with 100% is the defense doesn't have to be top 20 nationally it just can't be terrible like it was on Saturday by the way that that applies for a lot of teams right I mean Colorado just they're gonna score can you stop people um by the way there's other schools Michigan's the Mike's Nebraska joke opposite they're going to stop people can they score um you know Nebraska you know I think you what are you uh your dad's from Nebraska or something so you follow the green ra Nebraska Creet Nebraska you want to hear a joke sure what's up okay what do you call somebody that moves out of cre Nebraska what an excretion oh wow do you get it I do yeah it's a little uh potty humor yeah you I mean you tweet about your uh your your uh your flatulence a lot so I'm not surprised that that came out of you throw that one in there as well yes exactly excretion okay all right that's good well I will use that if I ever meet anyone from CRE nebras how big is cre Nebraska about 8,000 people um says what's the end stand for Nebraska helmet knowledge I've heard that one before Colorado what's your take on Colorado and Dion Sanders as far as week one big picture Torres' take on CU and Prime 30,000 foot view uh let's let's talk on the field first and then we'll get to you know because obviously he's been a uh he's been a marketing Boom for you know a place that nobody cared about before then what is your take on what you've seen on the field so I felt like I watched a different game than everybody else last week against North Dakota State because I saw as soon as the game went oh it's the exact same thing as last year they're terrible they're gonna win four games this is what I saw I saw a defense that was committing a lot of dumb penalties early yes they got hit on a couple Slants early but basically from the middle of the second quarter until the middle of the fourth quarter North Dakota state did not move the football at all um and by the way most of it was kind of QB runs you know you're not gonna you know you're going to face good quarterbacks like that but Dylan riola is not going to be carrying the ball 15 times this weekend for Nebraska like he's just not and so I thought the defense in my opinion was better uh by the way because I I wanted to make sure I had this accurate but I looked it up they gave up like 449 yards which sounds terrible 88 was on the final possession 49 was on the final play of the game so a tenth of the Yards that they gave up was on that final Hail Mary that fell short so like I just I don't think the defense was as bad as people think and to the point we just made on Arizona you just got to be a little bit better on defense uh because the offense is going to deliver now the concern with the offense which I do think is a concern because this was everyone was talking about the defense I thought the o line did not look better to me um not an oine expert not you know Co play line in the NFL let's be honest here Torres you know I did play o line a little in high school I was very undersized as you can you know you can imagine there's not a lot of 68 uh you know 280 pound kids growing on trees in Central Connecticut so uh you know I I didn't you know whatever but anyway so the point I'm trying to make with with the o line I did not play in the NFL despite what uh may or may not be floating around on the internet um but you know listen there was the the fourth down early in the game couldn't convert it late in the game there was a couple times where they wanted to run the ball keep the clock moving I know there was the shador pass late whatever but there was several times where they wanted to run the football and could not and I think that's a concern I think it's an especially concern against uh against Nebraska this weekend who's really good up front so the 30,000 foot view is I think they're improved do I think there I didn't see enough of an improvement for be me to be like this is a nine and3 team that's competing at the top of the Big 12 um but I think I will say this a last thought and then I'll toss it back to you I know I'm going long this is a weekend cuz I think if if they lose this weekend then they're just a little bit of a sideshow I don't think anybody really cares if they win this weekend though I think it does turn into maybe a mini version of what we saw last year until they till they start losing and you start wondering how good they are because here's the thing too with Nebraska Nebraska doesn't have Jeff Sims anymore they're they're much better with Dylan rayola um and uh so we will find that one out uh off the uh let let me ask you this is Dion sustainable off the field then it just seems like every there's always something going on what say you on that one um I I mean he certainly gets a like it's weird because like you know what you're signing up for when you bring him out as the head coach um yeah I don't know I don't know because like I don't know either yeah like because to me it's like if this was Georgia it'd be like it's like Billy Napier Billy Napier saying dumb crap but he's also not winning and if he was winning and he was calling out fans in rural Central Florida nobody would care but he's not winning but I don't even know if Dion has to win like he just makes Colorado so I mean just think about they're playing the 7:30 Eastern NBC Prime Time game NBC has determined that that's the biggest game that they can put in that window by the way next week Prime Time game against Colorado State uh Oklahoma State later in the year we already know is prime time so no pun intended like but you know so he just brings them so much exposure that I I don't know like how much he would actually have to lose for for like the the the the the the scale to tip to where it's not worth dealing with his crap um but I'd be curious because I'd be curious I just I don't have that answer I'll also be curious I know he says all the right things about you know he's committed for the long term it if it goes completely sideways this year both of his sons leave I would be curious if he actually sticks around I know he says he's going to I don't know if I believe him though all right now let's talk a little bit about conference realignment here you know I were talking about this on the phone the other day um let's you lied to me you said to to Arizona Yukon was the Next Great Big 12 rivalry that's what you promised me Mike Lucas what you promised you got to exert your influence there I know you're right it's my fault all right I blame you um all right so we're we're gonna get to Hoops here in just a second because I want to obviously talk about that while we have the great Aon Tores on but here's the thing with the Brett ymark Brett ymark is going to look to poach the uh the rest of the ACC now right now Clemson and Florida State don't look particularly good but they're still named Brands uh first question is is davo Sweeney is this thing done as an is he done as a top five program it it just Is Clemson done? feels like this is not the same thing anymore yeah he's I mean you know and and it's so funny you know and that's one of the fun things about hosting you know you know National Sports Talk you know you get to talk about all these things they're done as a national program and and so what's interesting is you know they were really like the only team I feel like were like that that whole like we have to evaluate college football differently like I don't think that really applies to Clemson like Florida State loses to Georgia Tech you just sit there and say okay it stinks but they can still win the ACC be the four seed whatever but with Clemson three years I mean we're not talking ancient history 2021 they played Georgia in the season opener Georgia has a late pick six to win the game they lose 10 to three so they were every bit Georgia's equal for essentially the entire game fast forward we all saw what happened on Saturday and so Clemson I get it they can still make a run and win the ACC and get into that playoff but they're clearly not at the level of Georgia of whoever else you deem to be at the top of the sport Ohio State Oregon Texas whoever you think are those teams and so I'm just curious like if they were to get that four seed and get a first round buy and win the ACC but they get blown out in round two by whoever is that accept able to that fan base and to that Administration now they're not going to fire Dabo but I just don't know like I don't know what is deemed acceptable for him now obviously if they go seven keep going you know last year they went you know eight and four during the regular Seas they keep going eight and four that's not going to be acceptable but I don't even know like for most teams like if if Kansas state is the three seed wins the Big 12 but gets smoked by Texas in round two nobody's gonna be like well Kansas State I mean what are we doing here it's like no like for them that's the good season but Clemson was just on such an elite level on the Alabama Ohio State uh Georgia tier they're clearly not there anymore and that's why I'd be curious to see what happens uh if things keep going sideways okay now let's get to because Tor is the thing that where he is really made his bones is Arizona basketball with on the being the strided defender of the a we very much appreciate that when Torres comes here he will so you back the a I guess I defend the a you defend the a i back the Arizona basketball in the Big 12 a exactly all right Arizona basketball in the Big 12 let's talk about this I am ecstatic because again in the Big 12 you had an entire group you had basically an entire entity that did not uh you know you had fan bases that just did not care about basketball at all in the Pack 12 you had Oregon State didn't care you had um uh heck even Oregon fans don't care you had uh um USC fans clearly don't care you've got Stanford fans don't care Cal fans don't care Arizona going into the best conference in college basketball where everybody cares is going to be a very interesting adjustment uh Aaron it's going to be and you know listen I'm a I'm a defender of Thea I mean everybody knows that but I'll be curious because what's been interesting about Arizona and I know you know this and I know your audience knows this and uh you know I hate to to say this but like Arizona's problem has been in conference play Under Tommy Lloyd which is weird to think about right is like they have all those great wins in the a confence you know the Indiana game a few years ago at Duke you know I was taking I was taking Victory laps left in right after that Duke game you know everybody was thrilled I was you know you and I were planning to get bunk beds in Phoenix for the final four it was going to be a blast and then pack 12 Play comes and they're losing at Stanford then pack 12 Play comes and they're losing wherever I for I can't remember everywhere that they lost over the last couple years and so that's where it's going to be interesting is you know in the pack or at Oregon State like you know you could obviously get right in the Pack 12 where I don't think you can I don't think you can have a bad four game stretch in the Pack 12 or in the Big 12 and go three and one if you're not playing good basketball I think you're going one and three in that game in that in that stretch you know and so like that's where I would be concerned is that there's just not a lot of easy games in that league and you got to show up every night you can't have these games like you had at Oregon State at wherever we just decide not to show up sorry I'm I know I'm going along on the answer something here no no no you're good here's where I'm at with Tommy Lloyd I think Tommy Lloyd's a really good coach but I have two Tommy Lloyd concerns concerns about Tommy Lloyd and their correctable concerns I think he's a little too easy on his players I don't think that he really holds them accountable per se I think kylin Boswell is a perfect example of that kylin Boswell last year was going to play 20 minutes regardless it didn't matter how bad he was going to be it didn't matter if he was caught a casino tables it didn't matter what he was out Parian and I think that is an issue because when you don't have accountability I think the players just feel like they can essentially do whatever they want the other thing too that we've not that I've noticed in tournament games is Arizona needs I believe under Tommy Lloyd Arizona needs players that can make plays off the bounce and because when the shots don't fall if you don't have guys that can make plays off the bounce that's where Arizona has gotten into trouble in the past you look at the deem a couple years ago the lost to Princeton nobody on that team could make plays off the bounce including aulus tels um then you I have something I want to ask you when after this rant is done sure and then you've got last year you've got with Jaden Brad he was the only one that was keeping Arizona in the game by getting to the free throw line by getting into traffic um you know when pelot went uh he needs guys that can make plays off the bounds and I think this year he's got a little bit better combination of that I think that's going to be good for him but what say you Torres I see you I see you thinking something right there I see I see a big thought bubble coming up there is yeah um so first of all I am curious and I want to ask your perspective for this is that you mentioned kind of holding everybody accountable it felt like early in the year um last year this was a season ago Caleb love played a role on that team but listen kylin Boswell was awesome at Duke kha Johnson was awesome at Duke and it just felt like as the season went on it became more and more we're gonna step back and let Caleb love cook um and I kind of worry about an off season of Caleb love kind of you know feeling himself around campus and he's like you know I'm the captain now you know last year I had to play and I was just part of the team and now it's like you know I feel like he's that uh you know whatever movie GIF where he's like you know he's looking around he's like I'm the captain now and I'm running this ship um are you concerned about that at all because the talent's there KJ you know I love KJ Lewis you we both love KJ Lewis don't know what sheer was seeing with him when he was watching him in high school neither here nor there um Jaden Bradley I obviously love but that is the Tre Townsen I I Keesha Johnson was a great call on your part but I like Trey Townsen as well a totally different player here's I'm out with Caleb love as well and I think this is very simple I Caleb Love need because Caleb love's not like one of these guys like one of the white guys that just runs and can't do anything off the bounce Caleb love can get to the basket and what I need from Caleb love is every single game five to seven free throws now listen he's going to take some bonehead shots I totally get all of that but I need him to be able to attack the hoop as well when he attacks the hoop that's where I think everything kind of plays off of and again he's got the talent physically he can do it and I don't believe he's probably going to play in the NBA but if he wants to play in the NBA he's got to get more efficient now again last year he was more efficient he was about 42% which was obviously up from North Carolina but I need him more in that 45% range and I need him shooting free throws when he's shooting free throws everything goes from there I hate I don't want to see any more more one-legged three-point Runners like we saw against Clemson or anything like that I need him getting to the basket Torres period I don't disagree I'm just curious you know I'm just curious how it all goes by the way I was not making fun of Shear but it's a little I mean you're the one that tells me that he totally misevaluated KJ Lewis as I told you at the Pack 12 tournament I said I've heard your take on Shear on KJ Lewis I have never actually heard Shear's take on KJ Lewis so I still don't know what it is I just know that you were underwhelmed by it that's all yeah no it was a terrible take it was an awful take and we will not uh we will I love Shear let the record show I'm team Shear team Torres team Shear team Mike Luke everybody all right yes you are you back the a you back the a all the way around defend the a sometimes too absolutely like I said our good friend Ben onean White Dan der still talk about it was a great time for them to meet you up there as well very good stuff real quick so let let's just we got to have the conversation what happened with my Huskies I mean it was is they just didn't get the votes I that's the whole thing everybody's like every I said on my show I was like if it got out I don't think it's I don't think it's nothing but I I said on my show I UConn to Big 12? used I used a football analogy I did the radio thing I said I think it's across the 50 yard line I don't think it's in the Red Zone because I just never believed that they would get enough votes from the school presidents so go I I still yeah you want to hear something I still I still believe that they're going to end up in the Big 12 I still believe it what what time frame are we talking about here I think uh I still think by this time next year um they they will be uh there will be something in writing that they will be joining the Big 12 yes I can I quote you on that like is that I mean he did just put it out there on on the stream so yeah nobody's listening so it doesn't matter 2335 yes exactly Kevin Thomas put this in there our esteemed producer what happened to Jacob Franklin see this is the problem when I don't I only come on like once every six months what happened with Jacob Franklin Jacob Franklin got another job and he moved guess where guess where he's moving up to as well for this new tech job he got SRS smelly rainy Seattle no oh are you serious yeah yeah well it's it's around there it's like in like Tacoma or something but same same spot yeah well I miss Jacob Frankin though uh but Kevin Thomas much Kevin Thomas from St Louis by the way can you name the other U OFA can you name the last two U OFA players from St Louis Torres well Caleb love is one right you get all time man you get you get the free drinks the entire night at the Big 12 tournament which I which you will go to I don't know if I'm going back to Kansas City I'm not going to lie this this is why we need Yukon in the Big 12 so that ymar can just bring the Big 12 tournament to Brooklyn or wherever great did they already announce Vegas a big 10 announced Vegas we got to get it back to Vegas yeah I agree I totally agree well either way next time I see you Courtney Ry also from St Louis Courtney Ry fun fact on Courtney Ry the last player to ever commit to Rick patino at Louisville got fired like an hour later for wow Brian Bowen yeah he never played at Louisville because you know whatever hair yeah yeah okay let's look around the Big 12 then I believe and I take a little bit of a uh I take a little bit of a uh you have Alabama as your preseason number one correct yeah in basketball yes yes Preseason basketball rankings uh why do you have them over Kansas I hate the Big 12 obviously is what it comes down to um no I mean listen they made a final four last year not bashing you gu what's that you can definitely make the case for uh you can definitely make the case for Alabama but make the case for Alabama yeah I mean listen they made a final four last year came out of the west region it was there for the taking for Arizona but we don't have to talk about that um bring back most of their key players Nate oats is I think maybe the third best coach in college basketball right now I don't know you could put him ahead of Bill self but but you know listen Dan Hurley's at the top of the pyramid right now I think self and Nate oats are right there my only concern and this is sounds corny but it's the truth I do wonder if they have too many good players like they have 13 legitimately awesome players and I I don't you know you can't keep 13 guys happy and in when you're recruiting them in April and May everybody can say all the right things about I know I'm going to be a backup maybe your red shirt me I get it I want to be part of this we know what it's like behind the scenes kids especially in this era they want to play they want to play now they don't want to sit they don't want to wait and that is something that I do think concerns me a little bit so Kansas has kind of that more defined top seven top eight top nine uh but Alabama I mean they're just they're so I mean they have everything they have shooting they have size you know listen you guys saw them in in in La I mean you know Grant Nelson is gonna be playing the four he's 611 uh you know jiren Stevenson's gonna be playing the three he's 610 it's like but they're athletic that you know they can shoot they can pass they can dribble so they have everything it's just I do worry about finding playing time for everybody all right now with Arizona in the Big 12 I do think that this is a this is a better this is a tougher team and that's another thing too that I yes I yeah I mean it's got to be yeah um I think one Will Arizona be tougher this year? thing with Tommy Lloyd again and I think Tommy Lloyd's done a very good job but he's got to have I think guys that are instinctively tough how about that and I think when you've got Jaden Bradley KJ Lewis and Caleb love that is toughness I that to me is a team that is more equipped to be able to go against the Kansas's the bayor who we're going to get to in a second Iowa States Etc your Houstons Etc Etc that is why I'm a little bit more uh I'm more bullish on this Arizona team although I was bullish on last year's team are you making any road trips this year there's a lot of great as you found out there's a lot of great venues in the Big 12 oh I am making uh yes I am I'm going to have to look at my schedule but I'm going to make a couple of them you should uh you should hey you know what you know what you should do taures you should come down here for Duke's coming to M you know what's crazy so Duke what are they is that a Friday night or Thursday night to come you're gonna come up with an excuse not to come I can see it right now no no no what is that a Friday night or Thursday night uh yeah I think it's Friday night I'd have to look but yeah so Duke plays Kansas in Vegas the following Tuesday so it's a West Coast Swing um I will be in Vegas because I actually have family in Vegas we do Thanksgiving in Vegas so I usually go out on Tuesday anyway so I'll just probably leave at you know 6:00 AM instead of 6 pm on that Tuesday of Thanksgiving week so it'd be a lot of jet setting I don't know you know you know Torres is a simple man I can't just you know I don't have the the private jet to just fly from game to game to game so we'll see um we take that as a hard pass no I but I want to know where you're going I went to fog Allen for the first time last year it was unbelievable so to fog Allen actually I went to fog Allen in 2003 when Arizona played Kansas when Arizona was ranked one and Kansas was six wow yep yep yep I have uh let's see Torres a lot of people are saying make it to Tucson here a lot of people in the comments saying this so I mean you might want to you might want to do it you gotta do it people saying I would never come to Tucson I was in Tucson two years ago I was there for you're being called out you're being called out you you are the king you are the residing National king of Tucson you have to be able to make it down here at some point Houston talk I was there when they beat UCLA I was there for the famous Mac ettien game the game that that refuses the the game that Mick Cronin refuses to ever return to Tucson for I was there right yeah thank goodness he's such a gas bag what do you think now about uh let's talk about some of these other teams in the Big 12 what do you think about Houston then I am not quite as bullish on Houston as other people and here's why um listen I know you returned 7 eight guys but you saw also last year when Jamal shed was not in the game they really struggled offensively they've got some of the obviously some of the same players back you bring in Milo zon who's definitely not Jamal shed I don't know that they properly replaced him what's say you on Houston yeah I just I've seen it year-over-year so I just I can't you know I mean there was a time how do you replace Marcus Sasser how do you replace Rob gray how do you know you go on and on down the list remember Rob gray I think he had one one guy had a ponytail I forget I think it was Rob great um so they've just done it year-over-year so no I I'm actually not worried listen I think I I understand what you're saying as somebody who did have uh Houston advancing far in my NCA tournament bracket because I know everyone cares about my 2024 bracket but um like yeah by the way I was just on in Indianapolis I had Purdue in the championship game let the record show losing to Yukon Purdue fans hate me but that's okay it's no big deal um so you lo you could say oh how do you replace him but there's a difference between having to replace him in the middle of a game that you're winning in the middle of a season where he's an All-American as opposed to having nine months to figure it out now I will say I don't yeah well thank you I make a few of them here and there um Milo suzan I I don't buy but I Samson's just so free d i mean just think about this just think about this time last year and I don't know where they were ranked in all the preseason polls but they came into the Big 12 the Big 12 is the toughest conference in college basketball even with pre Arizona entering in and they just beat the crap out of everybody like like there was a stretch they lost their first two big 12 games and then they won like they they lost Arizona Duke is not on Saturday the 14th by the way let the record show um but uh is it I don't know but so it is Andy Andy Bryant is a Chron Andy Bryant is an oracle of knowledge so go ahead okay all right I thought it was like November I I see November 22nd on espn.com but that's neither here nor there um too yeah um so what was I saying with the big 12 oh dude so Houston they come into the Big 12 they lose their first two games and then they literally went I forget I think they went what is there 18 games in the Big 12 last year I think they went what would that be 15 and one the rest of the way and the only loss was at Kansas like are you freaking kid so like the like they just came in and beat the crap out of everybody last year and so if they beat the crap out of everybody last year I find it very hard to believe that they're just going to take this dramatic step back now what I will say about the Big 12 so many good teams man like so many good teams good it's wild how good there are now also Baylor let's talk about Baylor for a second Baylor is Baylor talk very interesting you got goad sorry go ahead no no no iist I see you I see you you had something that was bubbling at the tip of your tongue what do you got I I don't think they've really figured out the post Championship thing but I will say I do like their personnel this year Jeremy roach who I completely cut you off on I apologize former Duke point guard is good nor Chad oir is good and it I'll say this like VJ edcom like everybody's like Cooper Flags going number one and it's like there are people that are like VJ edcom was the best player in that class so when I look at VJ edcom and again I could be wrong I know that Cooper Flags got all the hype I get it but just watching him this Summer that looks like a player that's totally different like there's just some dudes that just look totally different than everybody else that's that one of those guys that's going to be an interesting one to follow now also Iowa state is another team that another top 10 team you could realistically have five teams in the top 10 at some point this season in the big uh in the Big 12 and I don't think anybody would bat and ey Iowa state with T.J olberg done a very good job as well they return everybody where do you say where do you stand on them Torres no and I I I like Year over year experience matters them because you know to me I think listen we talk about all the different you know what does it take to win in college basketball it's like really to win in March you got to have NBA dudes that's number one but exper like year-over-year experience does matter and I do think as we get deeper into this portal era like I hear all these stats of like no team who's ever replaced more than nine players has ever done this and it's like well now if you have a new coach you're replacing the entire roster like that's just a given it you know muscleman replaced everybody at USC uh calip Perry replaced everybody at Arkansas Pope replaced everybody at Kentucky I'm sorry you're all those teams are not missing the NCA tournament okay so but I bring it up because I do think having year-over-year continuity matters Yukon uh brought back three starters two years ago last year they really only added cam Spencer in terms of a difference making guy so I guess Steph Castle too I guess I guess he was pretty good A Difference Maker yeah I guess he was the fourth pick in the draft but they brought back you know three or four five guys that played significant roles on the previous year's championship team so I do like Iowa State but by the way that's one I I that's one I've never been to if I was on the Mike Luke uh uh uh uh tour this year that would be one that I would consider is Arizona going there this year I don't think let me look at Arizona I I don't know about that one I should know this though I don't know this I know Kansas does not come to Tucson right which was a big uh that's bummer Arizona goes to fog but that's not yeah I'm not happy Arizona fans I'm telling you right now Torres to to you know listen I'm a defender of the a I'm a backer of the a even though I kind of forgot how to back the a but it's coming back to me right now um never tell anybody how to spend their money it's a Will Torres watch Arizona in person this year? tight economy we don't have to get into all this right now it's election season whatever if you can afford to go to fog Allen Fieldhouse just do it it was a bucket list thing for me my alma mater played there last year Yukon one of their only three losses it is it is as good as advertised it's loud it's hot it's so like you couldn't obviously you could never build that building in 2024 but it's such a home court advantage the students are crazy I I I said when I was there I said this is what Duke claims their student section to be but actually this is what this it's the best yeah best student section I've ever seen in person so I I'm not telling anybody how to spend their money like I said no things are tight right now but if you can afford it just go all right now let me ask you this I'm Gonna Get You On record right now right now will you watch one Arizona game in person this coming season you have you're going to have 38 opportunities one arizota game in person that is all we ask and we get you to commit right now well I'll tell you what no pressure I'll be at the final four I know that so oh so I mean now it's on you I mean Mike you got to back the a a little bit harder maybe they can get the I like it it's very no you're laying down the gauntlet I very much do like that um all right now let's talk about your Yukon Huskies they stink UConn / Hurley talk obviously um so I believe I still believe that they are going to end up in the Big 12 and I feel very very comfortable in saying that now uh Danny Hurley may this is also a situation too where sometimes money can't buy happiness first of all the Lakers deal was a fake deal that everybody so it was so it was Faker than the girls that you see on Instagram I'm sorry no offense to the to the young ladies listening but like dude I was all over that I got criticized by the way the first day I said this is a bogus report from WJ and people were like people I like in the media were like you think WJ is making this up to help uh to help Dan Hurley I'm like yeah that's exactly what I and by the way gets to break the story that Dan Hurley's not going to he he gets to break the story that Dan Hurley's going to to take the interview he gets to break this the story that Dan Hurley's coming back then he gets to break the story that JJ reick uh you know is gonna take the job it was so obvious the entire time and uh you you and I listen I'm not trying to be like the well we're in the media so we but it's like you know dude like you know when a story is not only planted but the behindth scenes chest pieces that are moving to make certain things things look good and look bad and whatever and so I mean I talked about it that entire week I said I never believed he was leaving I I I probably somebody's probably heard me say this story there was only one time that entire weekend that I believe that he was leaving and You're gonna laugh when it was it was the last 10 minutes when his wife showed up at the facility with him and everybody was like well I mean the wife's not going to show up at the facility if he's leaving she would never and I'm like I actually think it's the opposite does she show up the facility on a Monday in June otherwise so that was the last 10 minutes was the only time that I thought he was leaving thought it was a total sham anyway enough enough of Torres you know taking Victory about it either is that with Yukon you first of all he's an East Coast guy he's a seems like a fairly simple guy the Lakers is a the this isn't the Lakers situation of like when Jerry West was running things that thing is a total train wreck uh no why would you want to go there especially too when you've got a formula where you're running a college basketball right now and that's always been his this dude could run off four or five championships by the time he's done here I mean with the way that they the way that he's able to construct his roster and Coach that one it just never made sense to me and Mike shashy said the same thing a while back and keep in mind that's when you had a prime Kobe he said you know sometimes money just can't buy happiness and comfortab comfortability um comfort comfortability comfortability yes exactly that's the way it is though good job I say good on Danny Hurley no and you know listen and that was so first of all you said like the Lakers they're not who they were so I was on my last day of vacation most relaxing vacation I ever took I woke up to the news that he's leaving and people were like Torres you don't turn down the Lakers if you and I said do I was like so so I was in Cabo San Lucas Mexico and I said did I I go did I go to sleep in Cabo and wake up in 1984 because what are you talking about you don't turn down the Lakers literally every everybody turns down the Lakers dude like Darvin ham firsttime head coach JJ reck firsttime head coach and then the other thing if you just read the wo report it was like one thing that could be appealing to Dan Hurley is the ability to develop uh bronny James and I'm like we're doing this right now we're pretending that bronny James is at all a factor in this and like it's easy now to forget all these stupid details but I talked about it every day for like eight straight days on you know my Show podcast YouTube whatever but it's like dude you look at it didn't even make sense by the way Dan Hurley had a famous interview with JJ reck where he said we don't just recruit players we recruit parents as well we don't want your Mom calling us up or your dad calling us up complaining if you if you have a dnp so now he's gonna go coach bronnie and LeBron together it just never made sense I never understood it just don't get it yeah I don't get that one either I do not get that I've never understood that one so um with it when it comes though back to uh let me ask you this when you look at Tommy Lloyd right now what do you through three years he's obviously won the second most games in college Where do we stand on Tommy Lloyd? basketball history through his first three years but um he's been to two suet 16s and a first round exit what um where do you stand with Tommy Lloyd what do you think Tommy Lloyd's upside is and just what do you see going forward for the next five years for owna basketball um I think it's going to be an interesting year like I said because of the Big 12 stuff the out of conference they've been great can you do it consistently because in the Big 12 listen there's just I know I said it a minute ago there are no like four game stretches where you can get right I remember you'll appreciate this story maybe more than anybody remember the year that TCU Eddie lampin almost beat Arizona in the tournament Tommy's first year oh yeah so I remember interviewing Jamie Dixon that offseason and I because T TCU was whatever nobody was talking about there was never a moment where I was like you know who might surprise some people this year it's TCU it just like they were in the tournament you didn't even think about and so I remember asking Jamie Dixon I was like is is there was there a moment that season where you felt like okay maybe we're better than our record says we were and he goes yeah he goes the thing is in the Big 12 what I just said what I Aon Torres just said a minute ago he goes in the Big 12 you're just never going to have that six-game win streak where you go six game uh stretch where you go five in one with three blowouts and you feel really good about yourself it's just too hard of a league and so I think Arizona fans understand that um but I think Tommy Lloyd I just think there needs to be a cons level of consistency if you go to Iowa State and then you play Houston at home and you go 0 and two but you're awesome in both games that's okay well I don't want to speak for Arizona fans maybe you would feel differently whatever but I I do think there's a difference between if um if you go to Iowa State in Houston you play great in both games you just end up on the wrong side of it where you go to Houston you maybe lose you you lose by three in the final seconds and then you come home you come home excuse me and lose to you know whoever uh uh Central Florida the next game like like that's the thing for me is there has to be a level of consistency uh once you get to League Play because there just hasn't been in the early part of the Tommy ly tenure yes exactly to sum that one up yes and you also can't Sleepwalk in games because if you sleep walk in games game that you might have beat Stanford by Four Points you're going to lose by 40 to Iowa State ex the games you can't Sleepwalk you can't do any of that okay now no better time to become a phnx Die Hard check this out you can become all kinds of good stuff merch uh merch uh uh access to all the premium written content enter into the Discord Lounge uh free t-shirts your choice from the locker now Aaron Torres where can they find you doing your stuff yeah um you can find me on Twitter Outro Aon SC Tores we have the Aaron Tores podcast we talk you know college football college basketball 365 days a year much like you by the way you guys did an awesome job coming up with content every single day it's gotta do it you gotta do it gotta pay those bills It Ain't Easy all the time so you shear everybody's been crushing it here um and then yeah Aaron Torres on Twitter we do have our Torres on Arizona account it is run by an intern at Arizona I do not run all those pages uh and I got to say our tourz on Arizona intern doesn't unbel job an amazing job she does she is a student uh she's got like a graphic design background and she just does stuff like with Graphics that I couldn't even imagine uh she was all over the Teto McMillan stuff this weekend um and so yeah Tor is on Arizona if I'm too annoying on my personal page uh that's all Arizona all the time and then obviously Fox Sports Radio every Saturday night national college football recap show 11: to 2 a.m. eastern time so especially when the Wildcats are playing late because obviously you got to go to phnx Wildcats when thing you know when when the Wildcats are having that 10:30 Eastern kickoff but other than that you got to visit Torres at foxsports radio.com all right he's there and Torres he is The Honorable or the uh what is the term the um um the honorary mayor of Tucson for everything that he has done for the University of Arizona we very much appreciate you and like I said Ben and Erica still talk about Las Vegas I had a great time with you as well very good time you are even cooler in person then you are on oh stop you're embarrassing me and you're exactly like I expected you showed up in sweatpants you know you know whatever so that's exactly who I am what you see on air is what you get there is no true but that is an important you know you got to be genuine I first of all I think I'm genuine just because I don't wear sweatpants to the bar but I'm just saying you're as you're as salt of the earth as it gets uh everybody who I know enjoys your show Mike is as good of a guy off air as he appears to be on air little quirky a little different uh but you know what we love them anyway all right for Mr Aaron Torres thank you you almost made me cry I'm very happy right now you made my day we will be back we have him back in the rotation especially with basketball coming on we go I'll be here forer Torres I'm Mike Luke you uh Kevin Thomas behind the scenes TTFN tata for now you've been listening to the A Wildcats [Music] podcast we all sitting like the May