SEC Predictions: Ole Miss overrated, Texas & Oklahoma, is Brian Kelly on hot seat at LSU? | 3 & Out

Intro what's up everybody Welcome to three and- Out YouTube page I'm John middleof and we are talking football all day every day make sure you subscribe like the video share with your friends let's roll baby okay very very excited to have uh SEC Network's Dari Nowkhah joins the show the lead dog over at the SEC network which is a channel that I I watch a lot I I've watched more SEC baseball than I have major league baseball over last couple years you turn it on there's 25,000 people at these games Dar NOA who's who's Oklahoma Sooners are are joining the big boys and coming to the SEC so uh how's everything going Dari it's great man it's it's great hey you're listen you're right about SEC baseball too it's uh I I I I fell out of love years ago with with Major League Baseball it's just too many games and frankly SEC baseball is so dog on exciting and feel like there's something on the line all the time so I'm glad you're watching man I'm glad you're watching but yeah everything's good it's funny I actually literally we just taped an interview uh with Bren venables and it was the first one we've had with him on SEC now and it'll be on a little bit later but um look he's fired up I'm fired up we just you know finally we're less than two weeks out it feels like it's been a long time coming but that we say that every August you know well obviously it just means more The SEC is in the peak of it's powers and you know from Texas East College college football has always been a really big deal and listen I'm a West Coast guy so I remember when those rumors about Texas and Oklahoma joining the Pack 12 which obviously did not happen the back 12 doesn't exist but what's you know being at SEC media days now that venables has really kind of settled into his job obviously sarc last year does it feel even bigger the 12 team playoff has changed college football but yeah it feels like this conference is in the peak of its powers does it not yeah and I think like where we're gonna see it and maybe feel it the most is every single Saturday especially when you get into conference Play Because with those two teams we just have one more big game you know Mississippi State Texas is a big game that we didn't have before you know I'm using anybody any anybody against anybody in this league it feels like we've got one more you know big game so you know it's not just the Red River game in October that's going to be huge obviously and it's awesome that you know it's an SEC game now but it's just it's just it adds to the depth right we're we're in a sport where depth is important depth in the conference is important and we're going four five six seven deep in in in regular season games that that you don't want to miss so I think every single Saturday we're going to feel it every single Friday night when we do our SEC now show we're gonna feel it because we got one more big game to preview we got one more big game to talk about so um Saturdays are going to be pretty amazing around here you you Nick Saban's impact on the SEC know before we dive into some specific questions about obviously the the high end of the conference I I kind of have a theory with the SEC uh obviously football has always been a really big deal in in that region but Nick sabbin to me made the conference cool nationally and obviously the finances and the success and I listen I'm from the Sacramento area and I can't tell you how many parents of family friends I know that have sent their kids to ol Miss Alabama Tennessee Florida I mean these kids that historically would have gone to San Diego State or Arizona State are now going to the South obviously financially I'm a big golf guy I'm sure you guys have talked about that Alabama golf facility the the the other programs the money they're paying college basketball coaches separate from just Kentucky right and so Sabin the money that he's brought in but the coolness factor of making it like NFL light is kind of not really debatable at this point is it no no and it's not it's just like I think that it's a league that yeah there's a coolness factor for sure I mean and anybody that ever wanted to complain about the amount of money that Alabama played paid him John over the years is out of their mind because what he's brought the University of Alabama and the state in itself is aund hundredfold what they've paid him but it isn't it it's a league that's full of really kind of fun cool characters and it's not just football you know you talk about that influx uh from the West Coast here look at softball look at baseball rosters uh in the SEC especially softball I mean the pack used to be the the the Kings or the queens of of college softball and now not only is the pack gone but that hasn't been applicable for a decade or more it's here now and you look at rosters and you see all of these great players from the state of California and Arizona and so on and so forth that have made their way here one of my best friends Caleb bro is an assistant at Al abama she was an analyst with us on the SEC network for a number of years after she was a three-time All-American at B she's from Eugene Oregon the Shipman sisters Maddie and Ally both ended up one at Tennessee and then one at Tennessee and then Alabama they're they're Southern Californians like it's a cool place to come play sports it is because the coaches are great the characters in this league are great the weather doesn't suck not that it does on the west coast either I understand that but it's there's a level of importance and and and uh I mean they put so much into this like the resources are just it seems infinite even in sports like baseball and softball why wouldn't you come and then oh by the way if I can like toot our own horn just a wee little bit you can leave Mom and Dad in Orange County they'll still see every damn one of your games because of ESPN the SEC network SEC network Plus or ESPN plus they're not going to miss you they won't be here in person all the time but you're going to get to see Mom and Dad are going to get to see you play whatever sport it is nine times out of every 10 games you play because they can find it so there's a lot of reasons I think people are coming this way well obviously you know Will Kalen DeBoer be a good fit for Alabama? the elephant in the room in this conference of Sabin retires uh dubor his resume speaks for itself I mean the guy is like less than 15 career losses but he's not from the south uh you know that I I've known Jim M for a long time he was a non-southern guy went to Florida was winning and got run out of town you never want to be the guy following the legend they say but dubor just wins everywhere he goes you've talked to him obviously follow that program closely at the SEC network what's the vi I saw a picture of the two offices sabin's office he completely remodeled it did you see that or's new office it's you know sain had this kind of Regal old school just like mob looking office dubor is like modern it it just looks completely different and it's just clearly a different vibe he's a different person yeah but he can coach so that's at the end of the day what matters most down there right can you win yeah oh yeah and if he wins he'll be fine I don't yeah I don't necessarily I think you know we thought the fit was weird look Dan Mullen had Mississippi State number one in the country at one point and the dudes from New Hampshire Brian Kelly but he had coached at Florida for a while with he that's true no he did did he did uh you know I don't think anybody in Baton Rouge is is running Brian Kelly out because he's a North easterner you know from Massachusetts or whatever like I understand to some degree the idea of fit but Nick Sabin West Virginia by way of Kent State Ohio and so on and so forth and so he wasn't necessarily from this neck of the woods I I get why people would say that but ultimately if you win you win I I don't think that'll be an issue and and look dor I think became a fan Alabama became a fan of kayin dor the second Jaylen milro stayed the second he kind of slammed the brakes on the departures he got a whole bunch of people to to decide to stay and when you look you like you said 12 losses in 10 years it's just I don't care where you are you're still beating your own peers at whatever level you are um it's no the record is accomplishment speak for itself he'll be just fine as long as he wins and I don't have any reason to think he won't I mean I don't know about you like were you surprised at all that Alabama sitting in the top five in the AP poll that they were what third in the in the preseason SEC standing like expectations haven't really diminished at all with and they shouldn't I mean they're just hiring a guy that you know beat Texas in a final four game has beat Dan Lanning three straight times I think the question from a football standpoint is at Fresno State as last year he had uh Jake Kanner who's an NFL guy throws the ball you go obviously penck prototypical pocket passer jaylen's not really that so the question is how he's run his offense Ryan grub who was a huge part obviously gets stolen away from Seattle now he had a guy that was also with him that kind of took that spot I think but that to me is the question mark at least on this specific season I think big picture he'll be fine what are Will Jalen Milroe and Kalen DeBoer work on the field there some question marks with him and Jaylen milroe from a just a on the field standpoint I don't think so uh I I think I mean it's you know it's crazy when milroe came out of high school he was considered a quote unquote pocket passer if you look at the ratings you know it's it's PP it's I I didn't which surprised me a little bit when I looked at that obviously what he does with his legs is what makes him Jaylen milro but I do think milro can be a very good passer he's a very accurate long ball passer uh you know the question is going to be a lack of experience in some ways at receiver with Isaiah Bond obviously at Texas but the there is Talent Galore in that receiver room offensive line I don't necessarily get overly concerned about I think I I think Alabama's going I think defensively they're probably going to be a little bit ahead of the offense for you know the in the early part of the season but I think they can win games with Jaylen milro and I think they win games because of Jaylen milro and and you know Jaylen had the opportunity to leave uh Jaylen could have very well gone somewhere else but he met kin he liked kin uh he had made the determination like I I've told my my mom I'm going to get a degree from Alabama um obviously that fluctuated a little bit with Sabin retiring but the second he met kayin dor he said I'm going to give this guy a chance and and they're really really tight now and um no I I think he'll thrive in his system Georgia Bulldogs predictions you know with Sabin gone with dbo hitting a little bit of a lull it's clear Kirby's kind of the king of college football and it was crazy I was looking Carson backck in this modern-day football you know sat behind sets and benett for a couple years guys it doesn't really happen as much anymore and a lot of people think he can be the number one quarterback Georgia it's weird obviously they were they two national title teams the NFL players speak for themselves but the schedule sometimes wasn't great this year open with Clemson at B at Texas at Old Miss uh I mean there there's a decent chance they're damn good still could lose a couple games right what's your what's your thoughts on the program and their their Vibes headed in as the preseason number one yeah I mean I I I totally get them being number one um you know and that goes into what Cur obviously when you have a quarterback that could be the number one pick in the draft and he's he looks the part of a of an NFL of of a really successful NFL quarterback and he's got the demeanor of a successful NFL quarterback and he proved himself a year ago I I have no doubt that they're that they're capable of of winning a national championship again but it's not going to be easy like if they if if if Georgia runs the table that's the best season in the history of college football I mean you know they got to go to Old Miss and I think they're going to see Old Miss twice like I got Old Miss in Atlanta this year year I mean could you imagine like if if Georgia has to play them twice and Texas on the road and Alabama on the road it's almost unfair so but they're really really good and again 12 team playoff if they go 10 and two do you keep them out I I don't think anybody would keep them out and once they're in look out right I mean they could get in as a ten seed that lost two games and and you know and and and run the table so yeah I would expect I don't I don't think they run the table this year I I think they lose a game or two but I still think in the end they're one of the last two standing what I you guys How many SEC teams will make the playoff? talk about this a lot I mean over under between the Big 10 and the SEC to me is like eight teams but specifically on the SEC do you if you had the preseason G are you going four you think five is inconceivable seems four is more likely than three right I I Fe I feel four is the right number to guess at this point I mean it's hard boy five one I think the committee would have a hell of a hard time putting five in um because I don't think they want to hear it from everybody else that that seems you know tough but I think four is a good number it also depends like does the Big 12 just eat each other alive like a lot of people think they would right I mean how many how many Big 12 teams with three losses could you put in well to me the big 12 preseason getting one I have been chucked for one okay so then you got ACC what are you looking at there best case two two so now you've got nine spots open you give a group of five one now you've got eight spots between those two leagues I'd have a hard time not thinking it would be four and four but if that's the case like if there are eight spots between those two leagues then five becomes very conceivable I don't think want it but it becomes conceivable yeah the four right now obviously Georgio everyone would put in Old Miss very sexy team to put in B LSU kind of that group tenness potential Missouri like if you're picking your four oh yeah Texas yeah I say Georgia and Texas most people would put in and then it's kind of the group of that three or four teams right I kind of like Georgia Texas Old Miss Missouri Missouri's got this incredibly manageable schedule but one that they'll they'll be highly punished if they lose more than two ball games yeah because it's a schedule that they should absolutely be able to make their way through with 10 or 11 wins so I I think Georgia Texas Old Miss and Missouri would be the if I had to pick four now those would be the four and Alabama on the on that cusp LSU I don't know how much I buy them yet I'd like to see them play defense first and I think Blake Baker was a great hire and we know they've got Personnel over there um Tennessee let's see I I kind of think they get popped in Norman in their first conference game and we'll we'll see we'll see I I know people love Nico I'd like to see a little bit more Nico before I start anointing them a playoff team won't BK take a little if he's Is Brian Kelly on the hot seat if LSU misses the playoff? not in this 12 I mean this is what going into year three they're paying him $95 million he they hired him to and he said to win national championships he can't make a 12 team playoff at LSU that how how big is that game in Vegas on that Sunday night I don't think it's that big because I think they're gonna kill him okay all right they should they better kill him or kill him I mean Win It win it by 15 20 you know I don't care if they win it by one yeah in a big big way I think a win there I I mean neither team has shown us that they're going to play defense I I like LSU's Personnel better um but you got two unproven quarterbacks you know and Miller moss on one side and nus on the other who's been waiting his turn like Carson Beck did a lot of people in this league like G nus Meer a lot I I think they're mirror images of one another with maybe a little bit more depth on the LSU side but I I I think it could I think it could go either way like I I mean I'd like to think like you do that LSU kind of goes in and wins by two three touchdowns but I don't know if they can't stop anybody and they've got this scoring pressure with Garrett NM having to produce on every Drive I don't know if I'm ready to say that yet well I was texting with a scouting buddy today he likes nus I mean he's been at practice I think there's a lot of positive vibes I mean Lincoln begged out of that game and Brian said no yeah which I I think is I mean is that a substantiated story with it sounds that sounds about in Lane I I I was texting Is there too much hype behind Ole Miss? when I was texting The Scouting buddy about the SEC knowing you were coming on I said the most talented team in the SEC or you beside Georgia and Texas and he said Old Miss is right up there you know Jackson Dart a lot of people like him obviously the transfer portal King pretty sure the stat right first time in Old Miss history back-to-back double digit win Seasons Lane beat Brian Kelly last year and I thought one of the more entertaining games of the year it almost feels like is there too much hype behind the squad you like me like most people like Old Miss playoffs I love them I love them I love them I love them I love them in the playoff I love them getting to Atlanta for the very first time I love them I I I love both they win the SEC I think they could I absolutely think they could let's see look when Georgia plays him in the regular season that's going to tell us everything we need to know I think um I think I think Old Miss is I love like I love darts demeanor his relationship with Lane uh like you know Trey Harris is a St on the outside I I I I know it hurts losing his stud tail back to Columbus but I think Bentley is more than capable of being the lead guy there on that side I like the offensive line defensively you talked about the portal and the additions that he's made all over the defensive front that front seven I think they're really really really good and and this isn't like you know I I would they're more talented than Missouri they've got a tougher schedule than Missouri I put them both in the play play off the difference is Old Miss to me has been tested and Lane has been tested for years now and understands what it's like to go week in and week out and have a level of success in this league drink hasn't yet last year they kind of came out of nowhere so for that reason I like Old Miss a little bit more if I'm kind of comparing two schools with high expectations that they've never really had before but it's also why I think Old Miss is a conference and frankly National Championship Contender because Lane understands that grind Lane has been there he's lived it he gets it I think Dart has lived it and gets it and it's a team that isn't backing down from anybody they're not nobody's going to walk in there just because you know you have that g on your helmet they don't they couldn't care less if you got a number on your helmet they they don't really care like they know they're they're good and I I I Feel Like Old Miss is that team that I wouldn't be shocked at the end of the year if if they're raising a trophy you know me and If Lane Kiffin wins, will Ole Miss potentially lose him as head coach? coward were talking about it he's kind of a establish himself as a top five coach and he has a lot of success to me he wins 10 plus games and they're in the playoffs it won't even be you can't even argue it and then the question starts weirdness already going on in Florida there's just you know who knows how that thing plays out the Arkansas situation clearly they got a lot of money do they get to a position or now all these schools have so much money that if he feels comfortable there he can stay or is just going to be start being a conversation cuz feels like schools not scared off but you know clearly not been super aggressive based on his resume does that change if he just hammers an 11- win season he's in the playoffs and it's just he's gonna fend people Old Miss have to fend people off to keep him I think they're always gonna have to I mean I think they're always gonna have to right I mean his his track record says he's kind of always kind of looking maybe for that next thing I hope not man like I you know Old Miss what's that it's fun at all Miss with him it's fun man he's got he's got everything he could ever want there he's got clearly they've got resources they clearly are better positioned in nil than maybe people assumed that they were I don't know the numbers I don't know where they rank in the SEC but they've got more than enough to get the job done clearly right um that's a special place like it really is that that has never experienced what they could potentially experience now I I hope he never goes anywhere like I hope he never goes anywhere it's hard to un it's hard to really know like the level of interest of other players when Auburn was looking right they ended up with freeze and there was all this talk about laye this and laye that I don't know like I talked to a lot of like people in that Auburn program and decision makers and they were never really as interested in laye as the as we were made to believe so you know are people scared about a lack of loyalty are people just kind of being told look I'm not going anywhere I don't know what the answer is but I'd love to see Lane stay there for 10 years and and get them to six more six playoff to births and make them nationally relevant every year cuz he's a lot of fun in that place he'd be fun anywhere but that's a pretty cool place to have Lane kein I think I would Texas Longhorns predictions agree okay get you out of here on this Texas and Oklahoma we'll start with Texas you know obviously with the money they have supporting that program and sarc they've been recruited I mean their roster is loaded but they come into this conference kind of with a bullseye on their back of like okay let's let's see guys and they're going to get everyone it's like almost I mean obviously they were right there to win an national championship last year right till the end in the final four how do you think that's going to go because there's a ton of hype that the roster loaded but they are going to get even the random teams they play on their schedule in the sec's best shot and the the the atmosphere is on the road for them is going to be bananas right while I think they they probably should be a playoff team I'm real careful to to have some national championship expectations for them I they are really talented but man oh man John like this grind in this league they've never seen it same with ou they've just never ever experienced what they're going to get week in and week out and yeah the game in an arbor in week two Michigan might have the best defense in America so like that's not going to be a walk in the park are they gonna have a a loss on their schedule before they get into conference play they certainly could but it's just it's it's just a grind like I need to see Texas navigate it before I anoint them too much I need to see OU navigate this first first you know and um that's that's the that's the you know look you remember when when Utah was in the Mountain West and they made a transition to the Pack 12 and we know where Utah left the Pack 12 they were obviously the most consistent program over probably the last three or four seasons but it took some time yeah the Mountain West to the Pack 12 then I'm not going to sit here and say that that's not what I see in the Big 12 to the SEC I think it's a similar Type move and uh there's just some I just think it's going to take a little bit of time to navigate it to the point where we say sarc is a na or Texas is going to be a national championship team this year I'm just not ready to go there but they have all the makings and they have all the resources and they have all the talent and I get that it's just something else that it takes to be able to to navigate this I completely Oklahoma Sooners predictions agree with you and that's where I think on the flip side Oklahoma kind of gets to fly in under the radar not everyone's anointing them and they get to of come with a little chip on their shoulder you know Oregon so high right now on Dylan Gabriel but didn't Oklahoma kind of tell him we're going to go to Jackson Arnold so see you later buddy now you know anytime you get a first year quarterback but I think Oklahoma listen you go eight and four but you knock someone off around the way like that's kind of what I expect where everyone's gunning for Texas Oklahoma kind of gets to cruise in like they're Mississippi State or something they're really good like they're really good they they Oklahoma might have a top three group of receivers in the SEC they've got a quarterback that nobody talks about because he's relatively unproven but he's got as much talent as anybody in this league that plays that position uh and defensively like you know this isn't Lincoln Riley Alex Grinch defense the Brent has done a wonderful job through the portal and in just in general High School recruiting but mostly through the portal of building a unit that is going to be I think top half of this SEC and you want chip on the shoulder when was the last time you was picked eighth in a conference I was in college there in the late 90s when they were God aul with John Blake as head coach like they they they have not had at 16th in the country in the AP it's pretty wild to to see that but um they're really talented like they'll Oh They'll beat a couple of teams they're not supposed to beat I don't know if it'll beat in Oxford early in the season I don't know if it'll be in Dallas against Texas but they certainly could they've beaten Texas teams that are better than them on paper dozens of times so yeah and they they ow you I think is going to be better than people think for sure so on that Is Oklahoma's QB Jackson Arnold overhyped? quarterback Carson back obviously Jackson Dart Jaylen milro a lot of hype we've seen Oklahoma Rattler ton of hype didn't live up to it Caleb opposite ton of hype clear he was a star yeah kind of feel somewhat similar of hype machine behind this young guy you follow the program closely I think you were there I I saw some on YouTube you were at the program what are your thoughts on on the hype machine besid behind this Young quarterback well he's I I think one thing is he doesn't buy into the hype that dude's really humble like he's really humble um he will work he he's in early out late he has an incredible relationship with his receivers watch for a guy Deon Burks Purdue transfer that that's at Oklahoma now that guy is he could be an all he could be a first team all SEC guy he and Jackson have a really good relationship um to this particular point you know the question is can he get the protection he's going to need and the offensive line is probably their biggest outstanding question right now but that that that dude himself that he has grown um he's really really smart he works really really hard and he's as accurate as you know I've heard people compare him and his accuracy to Sam Bradford who to me is the most accurate quarterback that ever went through that program one of the most accurate I've ever seen so uh I I think he's got all the tools and all the makings and he's in the right head space so I I I like him a lot yeah I mean I was thinking about going to a big-time college football game this year and the easiest one you know in the SEC can be hard to get to coming from Scottdale but the red Riv rivalry in Dallas I would imagine you'd recommend that game wouldn't you anytime and I would recommend that aund I I you know in this league in the SEC there there's a little bit of arrogance I you know like should be there there's the Iron Bowl there's the Egg Bowl and there's Georgia Florida and and in many ways people don't think there's anything else there's going to be real Awakening I think to people when they get a good up close look at Oklahoma Texas I think it's awesome yes I would say go to OU Texas you know what you want to go experience something in Norman I'm sure you probably have before but the first conference game with Tennessee coming in and Josh hpel coming back to Norman that's going to be special man like that that's one on the schedule I'd put a little circle around too okay Dar I I appreciate your time and exciting times you know in the SEC so enjoy it and watch Oklahoma take down some people along the way I would love to John good talking to you man I appreciate you reaching out oh no problem have a good one see you