McElroy & Todd Blackledge discuss the Big Ten vs. SEC & the future of CFB | Always College Football

Intro anytime there's change no matter how well-intentioned it is there's always some negative consequences that come with it you know and and unfortunately that that's a [Music] problem hello and welcome in it is April Fool's Day April 1st and we appreciate all of you coming to us wherever it is you're coming to us from welcome to always college football I'm Greg mroy if you were here checking out the show last week I apologize all right I just have to apologize but some personal news we welcomed a baby daughter into the world last Monday at about 6:30 a.m. so it was going to be very challenging for us to put forth a quality show that afternoon so I apologize to those of you that came to the channel and ordered the podcast didn't find anything decided to take a week off that's our paternity leave here on always college football you have a baby you get a week uh kubak will probably try to take like a year but either way we took a week and we appreciate your patience with all of that we are happy to be back with you we have a great show in store for you it's going to be awesome we have a great guest in Todd blackl that'll join the show we're going to talk a lot about what it was like playing back in the early 80s what it looks like in the future now as we transition to a new world of college football we're going to talk a lot about what realignment might do for the Big 10 his new job at NBC and just kind of dive into the weeds with where he thinks the sport is going I think he's the best in the business and I'm very grateful to be able to spend some time with him today also it's been a little while but our mailbag has been flooded with questions from you guys so we want to take some time today in today's show to get into the mail bag and to make sure that we kind of address some of the questions that are top of mine for you so without much further Ado let's bring him on he's the lead analyst for NBC he's Todd blackl welcome him in he is nbcc's lead analyst on their incredible broadcast Blackledge talks about year 1 at NBC last year launched it with Noah Eagle I think he's the best in the business I've said that before uh I think there's a lot of people that agree with me so we are proud and excited to welcome in Todd blackl Todd what's going on my friend not too much man again congrat ulations on the new baby and uh enjoying the spring here in Charlotte and uh football season uh really is not that far away so good to be with you it'll be here before we know it um we're not going to dive Too Deep In The Weeds on rosters and projections I want to first start by just talking about your experience with NBC and year number one sounded like you and Noah had been together forever uh Noah's obviously amazing you of course are are no stranger to the spotlight but year one NBC back back into the Big 10 world back into the college football World Beyond Notre Dame how do you feel like the experience went well I think overall it was great Greg I mean I I couldn't have been happier with the way they treated me and and uh you know treated our our game and our production um I really enjoyed the people I worked with you know you know firsthand the crew that I left that that was a hard choice for me to leave because I felt so strongly about the people I worked with at ESPN but this was a great great crew uh Noah is a he's a Wonder kid man he's 26 years old but he's an old soul and he's a he's very well prepared um you know kind of falling in the footsteps of all those Syracuse play-by-play guys like the one we both worked with with Sean just super well prepared uh understands TV and and we hit it off right away and and kathern Tappen our sideline reporter is outstanding you know she had been on noted Dame football for a lot of years and does the NHL and she's a well-rounded broadcaster so so we had a lot of fun I the only thing that was a downer a little bit was we didn't have great games all through the season yeah and part of that was it was it was kind of twofold um you know was NBC's first year in and fox kind of drives the the train with the big 10 you know I mean they're they're the bigger invested partner and I think they you know they kind of finagled their way into getting all the big games last year uh I think this year our guys selecting games will will be better positioned to do that and I just think the fact that we're adding these four teams from the old pack 12 will make it for more good game possibilities for everybody because CBS will be a full partner now with the big 10 starting this year as well so I think those four new teams are going to open things up for everybody yeah the addition of those four and and to be honest with you like SC of course you CLA all right you know I mean I that those two originally but with the Resurgence of Washington with the Steady Is Penn State the 4th best team in the Big Ten now? Hand that's Dan landing and Oregon they're not going anywhere I I feel like the addition of the final two took the new additions to a whole new level so it's just well I agree yeah I agree because I would actually even I would even go so far and and people in myma moer would maybe not be happy to hear this but you know Penn State has for the last several years kind of had that feeling of being the third best team in the Big 10 they haven't been able to find a way to beat Ohio State and Michigan I'm not so sure they're not the fourth best team in the Big 10 right now with with Oregon coming in so uh I I think it bolsters the whole conference and uh you know I I talk about Penn State new offense and defensive coordinators uh coming in so it'll be really interesting to see um you know just how how things shake out this year it'll be fascinating look realignment is one of the topics I wanted to hit with you yeah um and it's it's not it's it's uncomfortable you know I mean it just is I'm not going to try to put lipstick on a pig it's uncomfortable but you're a traditionalist when you were at Penn State you were an independent um you Things will never be the same in College Football played games on a weekly basis that were comparable to that of what Notre Dame plays now where every week you're playing a top tier team and and I'm hopeful that the realignment while uncomfortable and totally getting rid of geographical footprint I do think that it's going to provide better matchups in the long term and ultimately that's going to drive people to our sport so just your overarching thoughts on realignment and what it might mean for how we consume the sport moving forward well I think it's one of a couple things that that are affecting our sport that you know leave you with the you know the the final an answer of things are never going to be the same you know it's not going to go back to any years or Glory years that we may think when it was really great I mean college football is different going forward from now on you know whether it's the realignment the nil the transfer portal those three things have changed everything about college football so um you know and and to think that it's over I mean is very naive I mean it's not over I mean you've got Clemson and Florida State you know bringing up law suits and and trying to figure a way out of the ACC we saw what happened to the Pack 12 um you know what's going to happen to the Big 12 and to the ACC is is kind of the next big questions because clearly the Big 10 and the SEC are at a different level they're at a different level from a power standpoint from a financial standpoint and um they're not going to slow down anytime soon it certainly doesn't seem like they will I am curious though uh just kind of how you assess the Big 10 versus the SEC rivalry because it I think from the outside it looks as if there's this tug-of warar going on and the SEC is trying to power grab and the Blackledge talks about the Big Ten vs. SEC “rivalry” big 10's responded to the SEC and then countering and maybe uping the Annie by adding Oregon and Washington do you think there is that rivalry that actually exists between the conferences or is that more for us as fans yeah I don't know if I see it as a rivalry I I think there's mutual respect you know and I think that they uh you know Greg sanki and Tony petiti are both really smart guys uh who have made some really shrewd decisions here in the last well you know petiti's just been on the job a little over a year uh inherited it from Kevin Warren and Kevin Warren kind of started the whole big 10 move for uh you know with the with the networks but I think they both realize look we together have have a good thing going and you know it may appear like a rivalry but I think they see they help each other as well I mean I think I think the fact that they are kind of moving in lock step ahead of the pack um you know I I think they're they benefit from each other and you also having played and and and one national championship and and been around Championship caliber teams and now to see us moving into a playoff era uh that involves 12 teams do you anticipate it watering down the regular season that we've become so fond of over the years and uh and ultimately is the expansion good for the sport moving forward I hope I mean I hope it doesn't water down I mean I my first reaction is I don't think that it will um you know I think you'll still have teams that will be you know trying to get that b a buy right you'll still have teams that will want to get a home playoff game at their own stadium which I think is going to be great for the sport which we have not had um and so so I don't think that it will um but you know I guess only time will tell on that as well but I I I still think that our regular season will still be meaningful and Powerful uh the thing that's going to continue to be impacted negatively will be a lot of the other bowl games you know I mean I I think the playoff will be fine whether it's 12 teams 14 teams whatever but those other bowl games are the ones that are going to kind of feel the consequences in a negative way yeah I I think for all intents and purposes they become if you gamble on the sport or you just love the sport then sure like that like you're going to watch and it's going to be hard to make people think oh man this gas barable the the outcome of this one right this this has big implications what these teams could be in the future and I'm not picking on the Blackledge gives his thoughts on NIL in today’s game gas barill Bowl I'm just using that one as an example but it's just I do think the bow games will certainly feel the effect uh the nil world is something that uh is foreign to both you and I even though we played in different Generations um I think about how it would have impacted my experience I would like to think it impact it for the positive but I don't think it would uh I think there was something really really genuine about the guys that walked through the door and no one cared what everyone else we were all kind of pulling in the same direction and doesn't always feel like that's the case so how have you felt about the way nil has been implemented into the sport yeah I I have mixed feelings you know I'm I'm all in favor of guys making something you know because you and I were both around so many guys that we played with that that came from nothing you know I mean and you know they had nothing in their background so and you know these schools and universities and conferences are making millions and millions and millions of dollars uh so I think it's I'm all in favor of it um I I do believe that when they first came out with the idea of nil and the first time that they brought it out it was intended to reward players that were performing and playing and already in school it was not intended to use to collect these coffers of money to go out and get recruits you know and and I mean that's or poach people from other rosters and that's you know there anytime there's change no matter how well-intentioned it is there's always some negative consequences that come with it you know and and unfortunately that that's a problem I think the poaching of rosters is a problem I think you know offering you know million doll six s figure deals to kids that haven't even stepped foot on campus yet is a problem um you know we used to punish people for cheating and recruiting now in a sense it's kind of legal you know um so but I I guess part of me as a traditionalist and an optimist and maybe you're the same I still want to believe that there are a lot of players out there that are still they aren't just looking for the best deal financially they're still looking for the best fit you know where where's the best culture for me where's the best place I can go to be developed as a player as a person you know to maybe have a shot the NFL um and and where can I play for a championship you know where can I go where I can compete on a great team and and and have a legitimate chance to play for a championship and so hopefully there's still enough people that are making decisions based on that I think there I think there's a handful I would like to think it's a majority I I think I'd be naive in thinking it's the majority and frankly if I were 18 and I can put six figures in my pocket I I'd probably do the same thing potentially lifechanging money so I I Blackledge explains why the changes have been good AND bad for CFB certainly understand I think you and I are on the same page as it relates to nil where it's necessary evil but there are aspects that are very much evil that that have been brought into our sport when you talk about competing for a championship and the inclusivity of a 12 team playoff Penn State I think is a great example a team that's just been on the outside looking in on multiple occasions it's been to a couple Rose bows has done a lot of good things but just hasn't quite been able to get over the hump now I think Penn State's probably the team that's going to benefit maybe more than anyone else in the entire country with the new format that we have in the playoff but is it ultimately going to lead to championships that's the question I have so when we look at the 12 team the inclusion is great but is it going to change who ultimately brings home the trophy at the end of the season yeah well okay you brought up Penn State so let's just use them for an example let's say they do find a way in Now with an expanded playoff field the bottom line is they still have to beat teams the caliber of Ohio State and Michigan which they have had trouble doing so in order to win a championship you're still going to have to find a way to beat those teams that you either have equal talent to or maybe not quite as good a talent as you've got to find a way to win those games and so um I think it'll be great to be able to have an opportunity to get more teams in um but you still have to you have to play your best footall at that time of year I mean that we see that in the NFL every year and and with an expanded field and more games playoff games uh that's when you need to be playing your best football yeah and I mean NFL has expanded to what 14 teams in the playoff and Pat Mahomes still wins every year or Tom Brady right right it's a pretty safe bet um when you kind of fast forward and we look at the big 10 a couple years from now Ohio state with what they I think what and I think it's funny because it's almost like Ohio state had to see Michigan win it for them to say all right that's enough of this all right we're going all in we're going to get all these players we're gonna still retain all of our coaches we're gonna go get Chip Kelly he's going to be R OC it's hard for me Todd to look at Ohio State and not think to myself they're probably the best team on paper if you want to put Georgia in A League of Their Own fine Ohio state would at worst be one B in my eyes two georgees one a so is everyone still kind of looking up at them right now in the Big 10 well I think so I I especially with Jim Harbaugh leaving and going to San Diego you know I mean what he built there was legit and I mean they you know they found a way to kind of just it was interesting I heard him on an interview the other day saying um you know every position group um depends on an offensive line to be good the offensive line doesn't depend on any other position group to be good but every other quarterback room wide receiver room running back room depends on an offensive line to be good and the reason that Michigan won the Big 10 the last few years and won the national championship last year is because they were the best team in that league in the trenches on the offense and defensive line they were better than Ohio State they maybe didn't have the same caliber of skill players across the board but up front they were a better team they were a tougher team they were a more physical team and so but with him gone uh and even though I think the world is Chiron Moore there there's got to be a little bit of a slip I think you know and Ohio State positions itself with who they brought in and the way their defense has played the last couple years um so yeah I think I think people are are looking up at them again now you know is Will Howard um is he G to be that much better than Kyle McCord yeah um I don't know but we'll we'll find out he's got a lot around him certainly a quarterback friendly system I I know you would have probably liked to have as opposed to just back to the defense play action all the time you might have had a little dropback sprinkled in did they sprinkle in not on we we were still doing ey Blackledge says Ohio State is on top of the Big Ten and who could challenge formation play action on Third and eight so I mean yeah got hold those linebackers on Third and eight you know I mean that's you could run ISO I mean that could easily happen I mean probably gonna get four but uh either way um it was a I I think it's fascinating I I really am looking forward to watching Ohio state with chip being there and just you know he and Ryan Day have such a history together and so much respect for each other and you know chip is a great offensive mind in the running game and the passing game and so I think it's going to be really interesting to see I also think him leaving UCLA while probably not a shock it still is something that to me sends shock waves through college football I mean here's you he's a head coach at UCLA UCLA is going into the Big 10 and to me part of that is him saying you know what uh the people here are not ready to pay to play or pay to be a BigTime football program the way we need to be going into this league and he wants to coach ball I get that too but I think it was a combination of both things that kind of spurred him to make the decision he did yeah man you got to have alignment everyone that's the word you hear yeah across the board now we got to have alignment from top down from president to ad to football coach to the commitment the boosters are going to make alignment is is of the utmost importance if you're going to put forth a competitive product uh speaking of alignment there is alignment starting to What will become of the ACC in the future? happen in the ACC uh however it's not necessarily with the ACC itself it looks like Florida State's try starting to align alongside Clemson and they're starting to kind of rally the troops to get out in the event in which they do what do you think is the next step for Florida State for Clemson or for the Magnificent Seven as we've coined them the teams are really actively looking at the possibility of greener pastures down the road yeah well yeah I mean obviously the the two big dogs the SEC and the Big 10 I mean everybody's going to want to try to land there um you know I think both those leagues will be very choosy and very picky in in which way they go um you could make an argument for you know both of them in in either place and then I think the other wild card which you know may be the sign of of Armageddon for college football when What will Notre Dame’s future hold? it's all said and done of you know no more NCA whatever is um you know Notre Dame is still the one that's in play to me you know they they have adamantly maintain their independent status and a lot of that is the old school people at Notre Dame that want to maintain that but I just don't know if they can continue to do that all the way long term you know and um so I think ultimately Notre Dame is still going to be the most cherished one to add to the league and it makes the most sense I think big 10 just geographically and the way they align from a university standpoint um but Clemson and and Florida State both are former National Champion winning football programs good athletic programs um North Carolina is a very attractive school as well um you know that they'll have they'll find a place to go if they do find a way out uh they'll be somebody that'll take them I think there's no doubt about that now if you were Tony petiti uh look you ought to understand probably at the same time like what are the finances like are they coming in with an equal share or are they gonna do like Washington Oregon and maybe take a reduction and come in on sale if you were Tony petiti how aggressive would you be in pursuing teams that might get out of their grant of rights elsewhere I don't know man he's had a busy year asn't he I mean you know you think about what he stepped into and some of the decisions he's made I think everybody in their in that league is happy right now with where they are uh when you start talking about expanding now again you're you're you're recalculating the math right that that each school is expecting so um I think he will have an eye towards everything um but I think they have to feel pretty good about where they are right now they're certainly in a position of strength and uh ultimately Notre Dame sure you can come in and we'll give you whatever you want come on but I do think they'll be a little bit more picky uh as it relates to some of the other teams finally to we'll get you out here just have a little fun you got to give me a good story from back in the day you guys Blackledge talks about his favorite memory from playing at Penn State won a lot of games national championships there's got to be a game in your career in the college game that really stands out to you is there one that just kind of above all else is one that you always reflect back positively on um yeah you know I have a couple I mean there's three games that stand out to me I mean one obviously was the national championship game when we beat Georgia in the Sugar Bowl uh another one was um my junior year we beat the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh on the final weekend of the regular season with Dan Marino and they were ranked number one and undefeated and we were down what year was that 1981 81 yeah we were down we were down 14 to nothing and came back and won 48 to4 at their place and that was that was you know a very memorable game but the one that probably stands out more than anything my senior year uh it was I think it was game five we played Nebraska who was in the top five as well uh at our place was the first night game ever played at Penn State and it was uh they were a great team in fact they can competed for a national championship the next year in 3 and lost to Miami in the Orange Bowl when Tom Osborn tried to go for two but anyway they were a great team and um we played them and you know we was back and forth the whole game and we had a tight end uh who was our third string tight end named Kirk Bowman who actually caught two touchdown passes in that game and the last the first one was in the first quarter the last one was with four seconds left in the game it was the same route and and I didn't even make a good throw on the last one I I was surprised he was so open I kind of short armed it and he went down and scooped it and caught it and we won the game four seconds are you sure he no that one he did that one for sure the the play that was in question the play that was in doubt and I still hear about it every time like I did game at Nebraska this year I mean they still Hammer me about that game yeah but there was a play on the sideline to our other tight end Mike mclusky that if there was instant replay it certainly would been ruled an incompletion but it was not a touchdown play it just got us down around the 5 yd line so uh but the touchdown was a catch but uh but the funny thing and I tell this story all the time is Kirk Bowman when the season was done and we became that year the first team to ever win a National Championship that gained more yards passing than rushing it was only maybe a hundred yards different know but now everybody does that uh and in that season Kirk Bowman when it was all said and done had two catches the entire season and they were both in the Nebraska game and both touchdowns and you know if we don't win that game we we probably don't have a chance to play for a national championship so I always remember that game and and then you know to bring It full circle uh Kirk Bowman is Allan Bowman's dad who is a quarterback I think he's still playing he's like year seven yeah yeah so he's still playing at oi State and uh pretty cool to see and what was Kur Bowman's nickname ston hands Stone yeah yeah he was ston hands yeah I love stone hands it's never a good if you're a tight end or a wide receiver ston not what you want to be that just says you're a blocking tight end you were a goal line short yardage blocking specialist is what you are specialist the term used with great love and admiration that's right before we get you out of here I do want to ask you one thing because I was thinking back about dra draft season approaching and you were a part of that famous uh 1983 uh quarter back draft class it's just absurd when you think about you Jim Kelly John Elway Marino obrien Tony een Blackledge talks about the 1983 Draft class I believe there were six six or five in the first round there were six of us yeah six six in the first round so when you went to the combine I'm assuming they had the combine back then correct well uh they might have I did not go I didn't go to any no I didn't go to any of that stuff because I still had another year I could have gone back and played and it was a little bit different then but uh so I didn't play in the Senior Bowl I didn't go to you the combine wasn't nearly what it is now but I didn't go to it um and then once I made a decision I had a lot of teams come and I or I had to I didn't have a pro day either at Penn State I had to go to different places and work out at different places so um so yeah I got I was a little bit later in the in the process in terms of making a decision well I'm I think the combine I'm not saying that you didn't have a gun and couldn't R it for sure but you go stand next to Marino Elway throwing theim Kelly throwing the football it's like all right I might go back another year like right I mean those guys were absurd throwing the footballs three of probably the most talented quarterbacks of all time I think you'd have a hard time probably push him back on that no I mean well they're all in the Pro Football Hall of Fame too you know so I mean that that kind of legitimizes that right it's an incredible class to be a part of um and and you know it's funny we were never really all in the same place I I think maybe only one time ever and that was when the the Dolphins had a retirement deal for for Dan and they brought all of us in and we like golfed the day before and had a really fun dinner at one of Dan's favorite places the night that night and then they did a thing at Joe Robbie Stadium the next day and and that was super cool just all being together but yeah that was uh you know I mean John Elway I mean his arm was ridiculous I mean just just ridiculous and Dan's release was ridiculous I mean he would never he didn't even step he just he would just kind of hit his last step on a drop his left foot was already in front and the ball just flicked out you know I mean his quick release was unbelievable and you know Jim Kelly was a Western PA guy that you know they they tried to recruit the Pense as a linebacker and he wanted to play quarterback and you know went to Miami and had a great career so yeah yeah those were three of the best for sure insane to think when you guys were all was there any smack talk still being had between the 484 beat down you put on Marino I mean no he's only going in the Hall of Fame so it's watering the bridge he still got that on him though don't you yeah yeah I do yeah and actually our defense did because they picked him off five times in the game too so you know but but it was one of those deals that was just one of those we've all been in games where the Snowball Effect you know it gets rolling down the hill and there's nothing you can do to stop it and that's kind of what what happened to them in that game but they a great team and they actually they actually went to the Sugar Bowl and beat Georgia um you know that year in 81 I think they hit a fourth down pass to the tight end for a touchdown that that won it for them but you know that was that was in the era when Georgia when Hershel you know after his freshman year they win the national championship they thought man we're going to win three in a row you know or four in a row with him and uh they got beat as a sophomore by pit and they got beat when he was a junior by us and uh and then he went to the usfl after that so well it all it all works out for everybody uh that's right and man we can't tell you how much we appreciate the time today I look up to you I admire all the work that you've done I try to I try to mimic my broadcast after you Sean makes me do that I might add but I would do it intentionally as well but uh don't let that little bald guy pick on you man you just you just keep him straight always well I love you I appreciate you I have so much respect for you and we are so grateful for the time today my pleasure man great being with Greg one of our favorite things that we get to do here is to interact with y'all I mean you guys are why we do the show to begin with yeah we love it uh these are the conversations we'd be having sitting around the bar or around the dinner table if we're talking college football these are the conversations that we want to have so this is our opportunity to sit down with you and you can always send in your questions to always college football on always CFB on Twitter SLX you can do it on Instagram as as well you can email the show always Colo gmail.com so if there's something that's at the top of your mind shoot it in we'd love to bang it around and hopefully it'll make the show and we can Mailbag - Miami to the BIG 12? talk about it here on the air so CBS where are we going today all right first we're going to start with the email questions first one came from Chris in Florida he asks I've seen some speculation that if the ACC were to implode that Miami could end up in the Big 12 that feels like a very strange fit and almost a drop down for the Hurricanes if you were Miami what would be your your first choice if they had it well if I were in Miami I'd prefer to be in the Southeastern Conference the footprint is ideal and the Big 10 might ultimately be able to provide them with a bit more money but the overhead that would be required in sports outside of football would I think be a little challenging I mean you think about when you make this move while yeah football that's at the front of your mind at the back of your mind you got to be thinking about well the women's volleyball team the the softball team uh the golf team um and some of the other teams that you also H have a lot of interest in so from an athletic department standpoint the overhead that you might have traveling from Miami to Eugene Oregon or to Seattle Washington would be less than ideal plus knowing Florida okay knowing that area I'd like to avoid weather at all costs okay if I'm a football team and I want to put forth a competitive product and I'm the Florida Gators the UCF Knights the Florida state seminal the Miami Hurricanes the USF Bulls I'm PR FIU F auu you know who I'm talking about if you're in the State of Florida do you don't want to play in snow right how do you think it would go just you know hypothetically speaking if there was a non-conference game for FAU and they had the travel to and play a ma team in maction and they had to go to Buffalo and play play in November how do you think that's going to go for him probably not great well think about some of the places if Miami were to join the the Big 10 think about some of the places they might have to go into and the fact that that weather just can't be simulated in beautiful southern part of the Florida the Florida uh eastern coast so now conversely I do think it could be an advantage at home in November against cold weather teams because they can't simulate an 80 degree game so I think goes both ways but as far as cost and efficiency I think the SEC would be the most logical destination for the Miami Hurricanes in the event in which they were able to realign all right next one comes from Bob in Pennsylvania he asks Riley Mailbag - Can ND fans expect Riley Leonard to play a full season? Leonard had his second surgery while at Notre Dame do you think the Irish can depend on him for a full season and if not is their backup QB good enough to make a playoff push well first and foremost it's going to be very difficult for me to forecast how the playoff's going to look and how the committee is going to treat Notre Dame I think they'll get not preferential treatment but Notre Dame at times has been given uh I would say a slightly longer leash than some other teams right especially against being measured against G5 opponents being measured against a team that didn't win their conference but had one loss or so Notre Dame I think is always going to be view viewed very favorably because they play a challenging schedule they have really demanded road trips that they often take from coast to coast so I think Notre Dame is always going to be in a really strong position to be in the playoff conversation the problem is you lose your starting quarterback I don't care how good your backup is it's going to be very difficult for the committee to wrap their head around that we saw that last year with Florida State we also think about too the tight RPP procedure that's what he had now he had the ankle injury last year remember he got injured I believe it was against Notre Dame if I'm not mistaken but he got hurt against Notre Dame their final drive and in one of those surgeries and I'm not a doctor you know but I'm familiar enough with the tight RPP procedure to know that it's one of those strange surgeries not that dissimilar to Tommy John where the injured body part actually comes back stronger than the naturally occurring ligaments okay so his ankle in theory will be stronger prior to the injury taking place that's the beauty of the tight RPP procedure and the only problem with the tight RPP is that sometimes you can come back in three weeks other times it takes eight weeks like Tu a tonga aloa came back in like 17 days posttop and then last year at Georgia their right tackle under our Marius Mims underwent the tight rope procedure was out eight weeks so that's the only thing that's a bit challenging is just the timeline for you to get back now in the event in which Riley Leonard can't go knock on wood right knock on wood I actually like their prospects behind them now Steve and jelli is not gonna blow you away he's doesn't come in with some ridiculously high ceiling doesn't come in with that festar hype that you're going to have at other places but think about the efficiency okay now his career stats while not mindblowing are pretty dang impressive the guy is a 77% career passer thrown for over 500 yard yard 7 to1 touchdown to interception ratio and while it's a small sample size it either took place in garbage time or in the Sun Belt against a heavily depleted Oregon State team but hey when he's been in there he's been good right now I'm not gonna sit here and and pretend like this is a quarterback competition I fully expect Riley Leonard to be the guy but in the event in which Angeli is thrust into the lineup I think he's better than Drew Pine I think he's better than some of the options that not name has had to go to in the past and then as far as future quarterbacks you look at what they have looking down the line a little bit whether it's Kenny minchie or CJ Carr in the event in which those two guys can get get in front of an jelli and those guys were pretty highly regarded and hopefully by the time they could get thrust in the lineup will have developed enough to be the quarterback of the future more than likely starting in 2025 but I think angelli is not going to go down quietly I think he's a lot better than Irish fans might think and he would be a guy I would absolutely want on the roster because he's a veteran that has played and has played well when given the opportunity all right last mailbag question from the emails comes from Josh Mailbag - Why not a G5 only playoff? and Boise he said one of the pillars of the new playoff system is automatic qualifiers in the highest rated G5 champ if the FCS is able to Crown a national champ why doesn't the G5 do the same thing if the ACC and Big 12 are worried about falling behind the big two how much further will the G5 fall outside of Boise pretty much every G5 that has sustained success for the most part has moved to the power four already UCF Cincinnati Utah TCU Houston to name a few why not just Crown a G5 champ and maybe say if you're ranked in the top 15 you can opt into the big boy tournament I love the idea Josh now the the problem with this idea is that there is still a large section of the G5 that doesn't view themselves as a tier below and if you just look at some of the comments made by soon Tobe retiring commissioner Mike aresco from the American who I have the utmost respect for I think he's a phenomenal commissioner has had bad hand after bad hand after bad hand dealt to him and yet the American has risen up and in some cases has been as Steady As It Gets In the G5 as far as conferences are concerned now they got totally raided again the last time realignment went down with UCF Cincinnati Houston they're going to get that every time it's happened multiple times for them so I look at it and if I'm the G5 if I'm the G5 it's gonna take a couple years Josh the good news is we have two years before we reassess what the postseason format's going to look like so we have 24 and 25 and then everything gets thrown out the window in 26 now there's talks of a 14 team model there's talks of the multiple automatic qualifiers to the power four leagues there's all those talks but nothing's been determined just yet I think what we need to figure out is when we look at the G5 how will they Faire when given the opportunity and the access to play in the 12 team college football playoff because if they go in there let's just be honest if they go in there and they're playing against Championship caliber teams let's just say last year they're playing the five seed they're playing uh let's say they're playing Florida State they playing the six seed in Georgia and they get beat 63 to 177 and then the following year similar outcome are we going to acknowledge that there is a gap that has widened in the era of the portal is there are we going to acknowledge that there's a gap that has widened in the era of nil because I think that Gap is real some people choose to ignore it I personally if I were in the G5 I would like to play against teams that are similar to me playing against a team if you are say Boise State with your budget being what it is to me doesn't feel fair to be playing against a team like Ohio state whose nil is higher than that of your entire football operating budget doesn't feel fair to me so I personally would rather be the group of five Champion the G5 Champion as opposed to going to the playoff of getting my teeth kicked in the first round so let's just see how things go in the next two years we could all be wrong and we could see a G5 team go into a a first round matchup and beat the power five team that would change my thought process but right now with how we're seeing the G5 and how many guys are getting taken from those rosters and being thrust into the power five and becoming immediate diff differenc makers they've almost become kind of like a feeder program for the top dogs that have deep nil War chests so let's just see how things work out but I hope that at some point we acknowledge that that Gap is just a little bit too big the G5 adopts their own playoff model and the power five adopts their own as well all right a couple things on Twitter that we want to get to as well the first question comes from JD 2024 is a season of change with realignment Mailbag - What are we most excited about in the ‘24 season expanded playoffs and of course the transfer portal with familiar faces in new place of all those things what are you most excited to see it's realignment for me the Intrigue of new matchups is something that has had me fired up for years now a lot of people have been very sour on realignment I've been kind of excited about it not not because I want to see historical aspects of the sport just shredded and burned to the ground yeah that disappoints me but there's nothing I can do about that so I'm trying to find the positive but the idea of seeing Texas and oklah with an SEC patch has me really fired up to see Oregon Washington USC and UCLA with a big 10 patch has me really fired up I also think too man you think about SC playing in snow okay the idea of seeing Oklahoma take on Florida think of the matchups that we're going to see that we just don't get very often and now that's the beginning going to become the norm so realignment is by far the thing that I'm most excited about but if I had to give you a number two that's say I'm really interested really interested with the playoffs but more specifically I'm very excited about the home playoff environment in particular I want to see a southern School playing on the snow in a road playoff game I think that would be really really cool so a lot to be excited about here in 24 but those would be two things that are at the top of my list let's go next to Steve who has the best chance to become Mailbag - Who is the next 1st time National Champ? the next firsttime national champion in the newly expanded college football format now I think there's layers to this question now are we talking the first time Champion that has never won a national championship or are we talking a first time college football playoff National Champion I'll go with the first one I'll answer both questions for the first one I'm going to go with the organ Ducks now this might actually be the year that they do it likely a top five team in the preseason so they'll be in great shape the Big 10 has such a heavy emphasis though on the line of scrimmage I'm just really interested to see their athleticism coupled with how good they are along the line of scrips because I do think they're much better in the trenches Than People realize I'm really fascinated to see how Oregon handles what should be I think an upgrade in challenge with the teams they're going to play week in and week out they're in the Big 10 so I'll go with Oregon they've never won a national championship but I think of all the teams that haven't won one they're in the best shape to do so hopefully in the near future under Dan Lanning now the answer to the second question that's a team that has not won a national championship in the college football playoff era so the list is pretty short amongst teams that have won one with that big gold trophy all right Ohio state Alabama Clemson LSU Georgia and Michigan that's it those are the only teams that have won a national championship in the cfp era so for that one I'm going to go with the Texas Longhorns now sarc hasm cooking and you can make a case that they had the most complete team in the sport last year now while it will be a significant Step Up in competition week to week in the SEC I think Texas's resources understanding of Ni an Innovative coach that has been really excellent in the portal and on the recruiting Trail it just feels like for Texas it's only a matter of time before they win a National Championship yet again so Oregon and Texas would be the two teams at the top of my list Oregon having never won a national championship and Texas having won one but not in the current ERA let's go next to Zack Mailbag - Will Colorado live up to the hype? expectations for Dion and the Buffs this year will they make the hype I'm gonna hold out hope until I know for sure that they are improved along both lines of scrimmage now Colorado's offensive line play was as bad as it gets they could not open up consistent Rush Lanes they couldn't keep shador Sanders upright the Run game averaged less than two yards per carry part of that is because of sacks and just so you know their quarterbacks were sacked 56 times now they did Infuse quite a bit of talent along both lines of scrimmage now during the off season Colorado added six offensive linemen including some highly regarded prospects like Tyler Johnson and a class of 2024 five-star Prospect in Jordan seatan add in Tyler Brown and the buffalo have the makings of a talented group will they be cohesive enough to be able to take the next step you also think too and I thought this quote was telling from Dion Sanders last year we were seven points away from seven or eight more wins we just didn't know how to win we got our butts kicked twice several of those games we could have won we could have definitely been a bold team we' made noise but now we're going to make some sounds that's great yes you were very very close in several games the Stanford game comes to mind a few others down the stretch where I thought they played a little bit better on the defensive side but we've heard that before how many times have we said in the last few years well Nebraska hey they've lost a lot of close game that thing's going to flip but close losses don't always flip into wins the following year so while I think Buffs will be better the hype is going to probably have them in the preseason top 25 it'll probably have them is a fringe Darkhorse college football playoff Contender I don't think that's likely I think they'll make some noise I think they'll be an exciting team to watch but I think six seven wins would be a great step in the right direction for Dion here in year number two finally we'll go to Jackson ATL who will be the most surprising team this year similar to Washington and Mailbag - Who are the surprise teams in 2024? Missouri last year and TCU two years ago I'll give you a couple all right right a few and I always kind of like to look at returning production and teams that were close but not quite there just yet and had some ups and downs because if you can find consistency then you have a chance in every game but these teams were drastic they had great performances they had awful performances so I'm going to give you a list of four that I think have a chance to make some serious noise I'm gonna start with Virginia Tech they are returning according to ESPN 86% of their production a year ago they were at seven six they also returned 95% of their production on the offensive side and scored at least 30 points seven times last year so when you think about this you think about the ACC we know the pecking order we know it's going to be some order of Clemson Miami and Florida State however you stack them up I think they'll all be really really good I think two of the three wouldn't be shocked at all if they're within Striking Distance of the playoff but I look at the ACC and I think Beyond those three Virginia Tech becomes extremely dangerous NC State will be good North Carolina I still think will be good I think Virginia will be improved I think Syracuse will be improved I think there'll be a bunch of teams in the league like Georgia Tech that are very very dangerous I think Virginia Tech is absolutely one of those teams and if their offense as good as I think they can be then they have a real chance to make some noise in the conference that feels at times a little bit Gable we'll go go next to Texas A&M now Texas A&M is actually 18th in returning production in 2024 which is surprising too because when I'm thinking about when Jimbo Fisher was fired and they had some turnover man it felt like they lost a lot of guys in the portal didn't it felt like they had so many guys jump into the portal Walter Nolan a few others Evan Stewart I mean a bunch of guys that decided to jump in the portal it's like well man shoot who's going to be on the field for the yaggies well yeah they lost 20 transfers in the portal but a lot of those guys were backups and sure yeah they had some guys down on the roster they did have some impact players de side to go but they still bring back some guys that are legit difference makers I also think too the guys that they added in the portal might be pretty good I think about what Mike Elco did in his first year at Duke and the roster that he's inheriting at Texas A&M is far more talented than the roster he inherited at Duke you think combination of a really really strong schedule last year they were also 0 and four and one score finishes meaning you look at the seven and six record they were probably even a little bit better when you take into account some of the metrics that you would use when considering a jump up the following year so I think Texas A&M has a chance to be very dangerous this year Iowa state would be another one that I think has a chance to be really good think about the Big 12 in general and the other team that I'm going to mention is also a big 12 team the big bad Oklahoma and Texas Longhorns Oklahoma s Texas Lorn they're not there anymore so now how's it all going to stack up I think Iowa State's in a really good position they really only have two offensive starters to replace on a team that rebounded pretty well from 2022 2022 was awful they had to replace a couple pieces on defense but they're actually number two in returning production in 2024 Matt Campbell look he's not going to be a guy that does a lot in the portal that's just not really who he is but he did go to Louisiana Monroe and get a legit Difference Maker off the edge defensively and Canard Snider so this is the most experienced team in the country in 2024 and one that could definitely be a factor in the Big 12 knowing that we're not sure exactly how this new look big 12 is exactly going to shake itself out the other one that I would take into account are the Utah Utes their 16th in returning production this year and you think too about bringing back cam Rising missed all of 23 and he is a guy that's thrown for 3,000 yards in 2022 ton of experience on both lines really good linebacker core plus a couple of differen making transfers in the back end in alakai Gilman and Georgia Tex Keenan Johnson to replace some outgoing starters in the secondary they could be loaded in their first year year there in the Big 12 people thought they were a fringe playoff team last year but that was because they had so much faith in cam rising in the program that Kyle whittingham's built now they move into the Big 12 and I think there might even be a little bit more upward mobility in the Big 12 than there was in the Pack 12 last year thanks so much for being with us we so greatly appreciate you and thanks so Thanks for watching much to all of our listeners man you could continue to like rate and subscribe the podcast numbers have gone up in like a parametric State I've never knew what that word meant by the way until like last week um but parametric I kind of like it it sounds big it sounds robust it sounds exponential so I appreciate all of you for listening and for helping us grow the show here over the last year and a half we have a lot to look forward to Spring games are just a few days away in some cases we have a bunch coming up next weekend we have a ton coming up the week at the 13th and then we have a few that will kind of obviously be a part of it here about the 20th or or Beyond but we know the portal opens up in May so there's a lot to look forward to we also will do a little bit of coverage on draft in the future too not say we're going to dive into the weeds with you know how these teams project and you know what the Raiders need to do at D tackle like no we don't care about that but I know you guys have have a legitimate interest in where you think your players might go so we might have some NFL experts on to help kind of tell tell us what the players that we've enjoyed watching for the last few weeks and last few years excuse me we'll talk to them about where they might end up and how things might work out for them so look forward to that as well but for all of us here at always college football hope you had a tremendous Easter weekend and we are grateful again for you joining us on a Monday April Fool's Day so for all of us here at always college football from Mark Jake Jack the other Jack I'm Greg remember it's always college football hey guys it's Greg maroy thanks for watching Always college football make sure you like rate and subscribe to ESPN's YouTube channel and wherever you listen to your podcast