056: Football Season is Getting Serious - Rankings, Playoffs, & Power Players

• Football-filled weekend:

  • Kicked off on Thursday with high school, middle school, and college football action.
  • Notable college games:
    • Ohio State vs. Oregon – a standout matchup.
    • Florida vs. Tennessee – another thrilling game.
    • Colorado vs. Kansas – intense competition.
    • LSU vs. Ole Miss – went into overtime, played in a massive, electric stadium.

• LSU’s Death Valley stadium:

  • Holds over 100,000 fans.
  • Unique freestanding structure, towering up to 11-12 stories high.
  • Challenging parking and logistics due to its campus location.
  • Fan experience was incredible, with traditions and energy that left a lasting impression.

• Discussion of college football traditions:

  • SEC schools like Alabama, Ole Miss, and Auburn maintain long-standing, intense traditions.
  • Mizzou is building its presence in the SEC but still has work to do to match these legacies.

• Mizzou’s win over UMass:

  • A solid victory, providing opportunities for younger players like Williams Nueneri, who earned his first sack, and Talon Chandler, who saw some playing time.
  • Smart scheduling after the tough Texas A&M game, allowing everyone to contribute.

• Nostalgic memories of past bowl games:

  • Stories from the Holiday Bowl involving Mizzou, including a game against Colorado State, brought back memories.
  • Reflection on how the preparation and scheduling for bowl games have changed over the years.

• NCAA guidelines on athlete associations: Former athletes or coaches often can't stay affiliated with schools due to NCAA rules, but smart programs find ways to get trusted people to provide skill development.

• Skill development:

  • Real, in-depth training that can elevate teams isn’t always happening in school practices due to time constraints.
  • Offseason training sees more participants, but the players who commit to in-season work show noticeable improvements.

• Football IQ gap:

  • Many high school players lack basic football understanding, such as coverage recognition, situational awareness, and how to watch game film.
  • Coaches often struggle to address this due to limited practice time.

• Importance of knowing the rules:

  • Players and even some coaches sometimes fail to thoroughly understand the rulebook.
  • Situational awareness and understanding rules can win games, as seen in the Ohio State-Oregon game where a smart substitution sealed the game.

• High football IQ players:

  • Some players, like Carney’s middle linebacker Theo Grace, stand out for their knowledge of the game. Grace’s intelligence on the field complements his physical skills and will take him far in college football.

• Football is a complex game:

  • It’s much more complicated than many assume, with layers of strategy, skills, and rules, which players need to master to stand out.

• Talent vs. IQ:

  • Elite athletes like Jadavian Clowney might rely more on physical gifts, but combining that talent with a strong football IQ (like Grant Wistrom) makes a player unstoppable.

• Recruiting strategy:

  • Players should leverage social media to attract college attention. Posting visits and updates on recruiting visits can spur interest from other programs.
  • Schools often act as copycats in recruiting—once one program shows interest, others quickly follow.

• Personal branding:

  • It's important for athletes to manage their personal brand by updating game film and maintaining a social media presence to draw attention from recruiters.

• Recruitment stories:

  • Players with no social media can sometimes receive big offers unexpectedly, but consistent visibility is key to growing interest from schools.

• Illinois vs. Purdue game:

  • Discussed how recruiting competition and coaching networks play out in college football, particularly between Illinois and Purdue, whose staffs have strong ties.

• Parkway North vs. Parkway West game:

  • Parkway North’s win was powered by a slow first half but turned into a scoring battle.
  • Standout players: Antoine Gunn and Dakari Hollis, with Gunn catching the attention of Iowa for a game-day visit. Brett Ottensmeyer threw to the ball well, with Jett Johnson had 2 INTs. 

• Advice for young recruits:

  • Promote yourself: Post your game-day visits and film, as recruiters take notice of players who are gaining attention from other schools.