The Kate Thomas Show - LSU Football Memories and the Future of College Athletics with Colin Jeter

Colin Jeter, former LSU Tiger tight end, joins us to recount his unforgettable moments in Tiger Stadium, from his first touchdown to Leonard Fournette's iconic game against Auburn. Feel the pulse of the stadium come alive as Colin revisits Nick Saban’s glowing remarks about the electric atmosphere and the unity it brings to fans and players. He also takes us back to the exhilaration of being a fan during LSU's overtime victory against Alabama and the thrill of rushing the field with fellow Tiger enthusiasts.

We then dive into the ever-changing dynamics of college football with the addition of Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC. Reflect with us on the nostalgia of old conference alignments and speculate on future moves by powerhouse teams like Florida State and Michigan. As the sport evolves, so does the college football playoff system. We discuss the implications of a 12-team playoff and predict which SEC giants—Georgia, Ole Miss, Texas, and LSU—might make the cut.

The episode concludes with a critical look at the modern era of college athletics, focusing on the challenges of extensive travel schedules and the advent of online classes. We examine the impact of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals on recruitment and athlete compensation, highlighting the need for federal regulation. With Coach Brian Kelly at the helm, LSU football is poised for a promising future. Hear our takes on Kelly’s strategic leadership, contrasted with the colorful legacies of Les Miles and Ed Orgeron, and gear up for insights on the upcoming SEC Media Days. Don’t miss out on our expert predictions and riveting discussions on The Kate Thomas Show!

Transcript

Kate Thomas: 0:00

All right, welcome into the Kate Thomas Show Today we have a very special guest with us. We have Colin Jeter, former LSU Tiger tight end. Also had a stint in the XFL with the Sea Dragons. That's right, colin, correct?

Colin Jeter: 0:15

That is right. Yeah, seattle, seattle Sea Dragons.

Kate Thomas: 0:18

Seattle Sea Dragons and Tampa Bay Rays and Indianapolis Colts, I believe for a short period of time. You are back in Baton Rouge, colin um. Actually, lsu is celebrating 100 years. They're bringing a lot of updates, newer updates, to Tiger Stadium. I don't know how it could get any better. I have to start this interview off first. Recently there were the SB awards. Nick Sabvin was named the icon award. Where he received the icon award, he brings up lsu and I don't know if you had a chance to watch this or not, but he goes. You know, there's nothing like being in tiger stadium on a saturday night. He said you can smell the bourbon on the 50 yard line, but never had he ever seen people so united in spirit and I couldn't believe that he brought up all his time at lsu after all of his time in alabama. Does that truly speak to that tiger stadium? It's got the best environment in college football yeah, okay, so I'm glad let's.

Colin Jeter: 1:20

Let's get that out of the way. It is the best environment. Tiger state or in college football, I don't care what the NCAA football video game says.

Kate Thomas: 1:28

Right.

Colin Jeter: 1:29

There's nothing like Tiger Stadium. It's kind of cool hearing Nick talk about that. I guess he's at a point, you know, being retired, where he's actually allowed to speak outside of his career, outside of Alabama and you know he knows just as much as anybody. That's the hardest place to play. I mean even I would say, as the home team in Tiger Stadium. It was harder playing as the home team in Tiger Stadium than it is away anywhere else. It's that loud as the fans, especially when you're not playing very well, it's even harder to play as the home team. But those fans, there's just nothing like them.

Colin Jeter: 2:00

I mean the culture down here in Louisiana it's a different type of people. It's very much a family environment and they get fired up for the Tigers I mean we're the only team in the state. It has a lot to do with it and they've built such a culture, especially since when Saban was there, the 2000s and on. I mean you've got three national championships, however many appearances, sec championships. It's just built kind of a monster. Um, it's, it's a blast to play for, like I said I, there's no other stadium that compares so one of the things lsu is actually asking fans or former players like yourself or just anyone.

Kate Thomas: 2:36

They want people to submit their favorite memories in tiger stadium. So since you played for the tigers, and since it is the best stadium in college football, what is your favorite memory? I guess about competing, or do you? Do you have one, maybe back when you competed and then maybe as a fan too?

Colin Jeter: 2:56

There's too many to pick from. I mean as a player, like, okay, I could be as selfishly as an individual. When I scored my first touchdown in Tiger Stadium, I mean that was such an awesome moment. I mean just as a kid you know, growing up dreaming of playing college football and then you catch a touchdown in front of 100,000 people at an SEC game. It was just outstanding. But, honestly, some of my favorite memories are from that same game. We played Auburn at noon my junior year and that was the game that Leonard just had a monster game and was throwing dudes off of him left and right and he had one long touchdown where a guy like basically tried to jump over the top of him and he just shoved him off the top and went in for a touchdown. It was insane. I mean the stadium was that loud.

Kate Thomas: 3:40

I think I was there. I can remember that.

Colin Jeter: 3:43

I mean, it was just just like he was like a god. That was like the ultimate running back I've ever seen. Leonard just went nuts that day. The crowd was in it, especially a noon game, because they're not even all that liquored up yet, it's still early. So Leonard had an outstanding game. I don't know why that game just sticks in my mind as one of the best we played in my sophomore year. We beat Ole Miss at home when they're number three in the nation and the whole stadium rushes down. First time I've been involved in a rush in the field as a college player. Just everybody, everyone's your best friend on there. You can't move it's shoulder to shoulder. It's nuts.

Kate Thomas: 4:27

It is it really is yeah.

Colin Jeter: 4:29

And then as a fan I mean, since I've gotten done playing, probably it's easy to say the Alabama game two or three years ago when we won in overtime. You know, they threw the pass to Mason Taylor to go for two and won the game and again rush the field. That was another electric moment for the stadium. Moments like that are what really brings out the passion of being part of LSU and seeing that fan base and man, I could go on for days for memories, but I would say as a player, playing Auburn in 2015, watching Leonard go nuts, and then as a fan, that Alabama game a couple years years ago, going for two to beat nick savin anytime you can beat nick savin it's good, uh especially, but he's the.

Kate Thomas: 5:13

He is one of the goats. It's so weird. This year we've got sec media days coming up and having, uh, coach devore and not any nick savin's going to be at SEC media days. I've never seen anything like it. It's definitely going to be a different atmosphere. But before we even get to the topic of Alabama football and maybe even talking about what we think we may see from them this season, I want to talk about this with you, because I know you're from Texas and we've got two members of the SEC this year Texas and Oklahoma. What do you think about the Longhorns and them now being members of the SEC?

Colin Jeter: 5:55

Well, I've got two opinions on this. To be nostalgic, I don't really enjoy the new, all the moves that are going around in college football when it comes to confidence. Really enjoy the new, all the moves that are going around college football when it comes to confidence. I mean I just saw a tweet yesterday where they're now they're saying florida state and clemson may move to the big 12. And then my buddy just sent me one literally 20 minutes ago saying, uh, ohio state, michigan, are going to big 12. It's all a mess. Who knows what's real, what's not right um, it's gotten a little ridiculous.

Colin Jeter: 6:21

I mean you, you've got the Atlantic Coastal Conference that now has two Pacific teams. You've got Stanford and Cal flying across the country every away game to go play in their conference. It makes no sense. But as far as you want to talk about two premier brands joining the SEC I mean Oklahoma and Texas that's massive for the conference. I think they add nothing but good. I know, being from Texas and a family of Texas A&M fans, they're not very excited about Texas joining, especially after this baseball debacle.

Kate Thomas: 6:56

Absolutely.

Colin Jeter: 6:57

So it's just I don't know as personal, my personal opinion, as a fan of the conference, I think it's great. Those are two programs that I think it's great. Um, those are two programs that I think are outstanding in multiple sports, academics, everything. They just have a powerful brand and to bring that to SEC, I think it's huge. But, like I said, I'm still nostalgic. I loved the old big 12 with Texas, ou, a&m, tech, all those teams and old school SEC Pac-10, all that. And now the Pac-12 is down to two teams. Did you see that picture? Every team's having their media days. Every conference is having their media days. The Pac-12 was the two Oregon State and Washington's mascot just sitting on a couch. There's nothing left. I don't understand a lot of the moves I get. It's all money and TV times.

Kate Thomas: 7:48

And.

Colin Jeter: 7:48

I think some of that has to do with Florida state. You know, the ACC getting left out of the final four last year. There's a lot I like to say. I'm not a fan of it, but when it comes to SEC and big brands I'm all for it.

Kate Thomas: 7:59

Well, the game of college football just kind of outline it right there, I guess is it's changed? It's changed since it was the BCS I remember that Then going to the FBS and this year we've got a 12-team college football playoff for the first time ever. Do you feel like, with this playoff scenario, that this is going to be better for the game of football, and then do you have a prediction of how many SEC teams will be in that college football play?

Colin Jeter: 8:28

Oh, okay, all right. So as far as do, I think it's better for college football. Yes, I love the playoff system. To me it's it makes a whole lot more sense. I mean, the bowl system was great and it was always fun as a fan, as a kid growing up, watching all these matchups that you didn't get to see throughout the year. I mean because you're matching up teams from different conferences. Now, does that prove who the best team in college football is? No, I mean, we had years where you'd have multiple undefeated teams that end up winning their bowl games and you're like who's the champion? Anybody has a case. I mean, you know you have your top two that play for the national championship, but you may have three or four teams that go undefeated. So even last year with Florida State, you know they're undefeated, they get left out. So you know, I think the more teams we can add to the playoffs the better. Obviously, that needs to reach a cap. I don't think just because you play college football you should get into the playoff game.

Colin Jeter: 9:26

But, um, I think it's good. You know, at the lhsa yeah, yeah, you know like where I'm from like in high school, you know, high school, you play a full playoff bracket that has, who knows, probably 30, probably 64 teams. Um, in the nfl, they do a full playoff bracket. Uh, fcs, they do a full playoff bracket. College the divisional college football, is kind of last to get into that and I think a lot of it has to do with you know, they're set up as a bowl system and all the money that goes into sponsorships and everything with the different bowls. But I think it's great. I think it's nice to finally get something going. I wouldn't want to see it expand outside of. Maybe they get it up to 20, 24 teams, I think. Beyond that you're getting a little crazy.

Kate Thomas: 10:05

That'd get wild even at the 24 mark.

Colin Jeter: 10:08

Yeah, I mean it's just there's 120 teams in college football. I mean you're talking about your top 20% getting to the playoff. At that point I wouldn't have a problem with that. I think it's more football for the fans to watch. It is they can complain about the players saying, oh well, now we're just adding games onto the season, but at the NFL level you're going to play. Now they're talking about playing 18 games just in the regular season. So it's kind of something you have to get used to. I think it's more football and I personally love the idea of home and away playoff games in college football. That is so to be able to go to Death Valley down the road and watch Ohio State come to Death Valley, that would be insane.

Kate Thomas: 10:50

I would love that. That would be crazy.

Colin Jeter: 10:52

Yeah, I hope it happens. That's what I'm excited about with the expanded playoff. Now my prediction for SEC I think obviously Georgia gets in. I think Ole Miss gets in Texas LSU I got to throw them in there At that point. You just can't You're getting crazy. You get into four teams in one conference in the top 12. I would say probably four would be the most. Beyond that. I just think you have so much inter-conference play and beating each other up that the records wouldn't hold up. But I think there's four. I think four teams could get in.

Kate Thomas: 11:29

Well, right now the SEC, with the addition of Texas and Oklahoma, they are at 16 teams within the SEC. So it's definitely a conference that has expanded. You kind of touched on how all the other conferences are expanding. It doesn't really matter what area of the nation you are, or if you're in Pacific or Atlantic or just wherever you are. You can, I guess, choose your own conference. These days.

Colin Jeter: 11:53

Can I touch on that? One more piece on that too.

Kate Thomas: 11:56

Yeah, please do.

Colin Jeter: 11:57

Like it's one thing, for, like I talked about, the ACC has two Pacific schools. It's one thing to fly there on a Friday once a week as a football team Right. But what is your baseball team? What is your basketball team, women's volleyball that play multiple games a week? Like are they going to fly across the country on a Tuesday and come back on Wednesday and then do it again on the weekend? Like it just doesn't to me make any sense and I hate that it's gotten to that point with money. But they're going to have to take college athletes are going to have to start taking online classes strictly, I would imagine, to make that work, because I couldn't imagine going playing a midweek game on a Tuesday night and then coming back and taking a test on Wednesday and then going back. It's just, it's a mess. I don't know what they're going to do.

Kate Thomas: 12:43

I don't know what they are going to do with that either. It is really interesting. I actually feel like it's sort of starting to trend where a lot more student athletes really are taking online classes, one just with as big as some of these different athletes are growing as far as their influence on, I guess, their digital platforms, whether it be social media. I mean, you look at Livvy Dunn with LSU. I don't think she's taking any in-person classes right here. You just got like, and different athletes you know, just spread across um.

Kate Thomas: 13:16

I don't know how you would be able to go to a class and then travel across the country, especially if it was a place in a different time zone get your rest and then go take a test. I don't even know what you're doing at that point, um. And then you add the addition of nil and handling your own finances, which I think nIL can do a lot of good. But it's also changed the sport completely again and now they're looking at adding it to the high school level. For instance, they just approved it in the state of Florida. It's been improved in the state of Georgia. I'm not sure about Louisiana, but I'd love to kind of dive in and just see what you think about the NIL and the impact it has had on the game, just even like recruiting wise and that sort of thing.

Kate Thomas: 14:01

Yeah, um golly NIL high school who'd have thought that that would ever be a question?

Colin Jeter: 14:06

No, but it's, it's just so. I just don't know, like I'm trying to think what high school kid get would get a whole lot, I guess, if you're a top recruit. I mean I don't, I wasn't a top recruit so I wouldn't know anything about that but um, to me that almost kind of feels like early tampering. Um feels like that opens a lot of doors for that. I mean, I think of, like you know, college basketball got into some of that when these high school kids go into these tournaments and and agents are jumping on them early and getting them to sign shoot contracts and basically pushing them to schools and that kind of became a mess. I don't even know how that's affected with the new rules, but it's just you know it's going to keep getting earlier. Like we're going to have middle school and little league kids getting NIL deals. You know, like how long is this going to go?

Colin Jeter: 14:54

I think NIL is great for college athletes. I think it's something that you know as a player, as, let's say, joe Burrow, or let's talk Johnny Manziel when he was at A&M, just because he was a great example of like he made that university so much money selling two jerseys, selling tickets, all that kind of stuff. I don't think he should get like a salary which is kind of what NIL has become, you know, it's kind of just become a money pool to get the biggest roster. But if I'm selling number two jerseys with my name on the back, give me something, give me. I don't need the whole thing, but like it's, it's my name you're selling. So I think universities got used to taking advantage of that for a long time and just like him signing uh, signing autographs, and he got in trouble for back in the day. That kind of stuff to me is just common sense. If someone wants to pay me 30 grand to go sign my name for an hour.

Colin Jeter: 15:47

I'm doing it right yeah, well, we're gonna find a way to get done. But yeah, when it comes to what the sport's going to become, which there's no regular or there may be some, but there's not a whole lot of regulation in it, so it's a lot of, like I said before, just who's got the most money to pull the best roster. It's like playing the NFL with no contracts, you know, it's just no salary caps. Who can do the most? That's what you know. Oregon's done a good job with it. Take advantage of the rules. I think Phil Knight said, you know, he's 80 something years old, he wants to see a national championship at Oregon and he's going to pay whatever it takes with Nike. So they they've kind of acquired quite the roster and doing quite a good job recruiting. So that's where it's turning into is just, uh, the biggest money pool, which I'm not a fan of. But as far as players making money off their name, I've got no problem with that yeah, I think you should.

Kate Thomas: 16:37

If anyone's using your name, image or likeness, right, you should definitely receive a cut of that, because you are part of the reason those jerseys are getting sold or said team is doing well. What I think I would like to see is I just wish, because we can't even figure it right out right now, even at the collegiate level. So in my eyes I'm just like, if we can't, even we don't even have all the rules, because I think at some point probably the federal government will have to get involved. It's crazy because each state differs, right, and I think that's a big reason. Nick Saban's pretty vocal about it, one of the reasons he doesn't want to coach, you know, in in the game of college football, so his age and several other things, right, but it's crazy. The game has changed.

Kate Thomas: 17:18

But I think I want to get back to our LSU Tigers for a second, because do you feel like this is a year? Brian Kelly has now been with the Tigers for two years. He's entering his third season as head coach. You actually had the chance to be under the leadership of two different head coaches. I don't know if that's a chance or an opportunity, but and Les Miles and, uh, coach Ed Ogeron as well. Um, what have you seen, I guess, from Brian Kelly and his coaching style, as I, I guess, an observer, just being what you know from being a former LSU athlete and do you think that people in Louisiana are really starting to get on board in what Coach Brian Kelly is kind of bringing to the table for LSU and the Tigers?

Colin Jeter: 18:05

Yeah, I've seen a lot of great things from Coach Kelly. I remember I went to his opening like it wasn't a press conference but it was kind of like a meet and greet for a lot of the just athletic foundation, everything else. I got an invite so I went and I remember he got up and spoke and when he got off the podium I was kind of like standing I was like man, that is so bizarre, like it was bizarre that we had he wasn't a character Like you know. We went Les Miles, who ate the grass, did all his crazy stuff, and then he went to Coach O, who was the ultimate raging Cajun, and just two incredible brand personalities that we went back-to-back, had two wild personalities, each different, each great in their own way, brought us national championships. But when Coach Kelly came in it was almost like listening to a CEO talk.

Colin Jeter: 18:54

You know it was very, very professional, very to the point, and I think that's how he's handled his program and that's why he's been so successful at different places. You know he knows how to run. You know college football is a business. He knows how to run it from the top. He's done a great job of putting great coaches in the right positions. He's done a great job building up a roster. I mean, you're talking about he's. He's been the coach for three years and and he's what we've played in two SEC championship games, I mean, and we have a Heisman winner. Um, he maybe, I don't maybe just want.

Colin Jeter: 19:24

Anyways, we've done a pretty outstanding job to be to come from where we were. You know, when coach O left, we were down to felt like 50 kids on the roster. We had no scholarship players. We had to completely rebuild that through recruiting, through the transfer portal, all that. He's done an outstanding job with it. They've done a great job locking up recruits in the state of Louisiana, which is one of the biggest hotbeds in the country. I think Louisiana, per capita, has the most NFL athletes.

Kate Thomas: 19:55

So just a fun fact. It's a great state.

Colin Jeter: 19:56

You want to lock up, but he's done. I've been to their practices, I've seen some of their meetings. It's just very efficient, professional and I think that's been a great job for us. I think we're set up to succeed.

Colin Jeter: 20:11

Whenever you're able to keep a guy like Garrett Nussmeyer on the roster for three years as a backup, when he could have gone anywhere in the country and played and now he's at a point where he's got threes of experience he's watched a guy in front of him not only play well, but play enough to be the best player in the country I think we're set up for success. So I'm excited to see where the Tigers are at and I think we'll only improve. I mean we got not only that you got Nussmeyer playing this year, but then you got this kid Underwood coming up. He's a high school recruit. He's the best player in the country. I mean we're continuing to stack assets and I think that's only going to blossom as we go. We're laying the foundation now to continue to improve as a program and I think we really are set up for success.

Kate Thomas: 20:48

Yeah, it's really happening across athletics as a whole. I feel like at LSU, scott Ward Woodward has done a really good job as the athletic director since he's got there and, you're right, brian Kelly has taken much more of a business approach to it. And then you mentioned we talked about it. Goodness, you talk about characters. You played under probably the two biggest characters that, oh yeah. Yeah, oh yeah. Which one has a bigger personality, Coach O or Les Miles? Or are they just so both of them have such big personalities?

Colin Jeter: 21:22

That's a hard. They really do. They both do. I would guess I would say Coach O probably has the bigger one, because he was more like fiery and out there about it, know, like he had. He had like multiple catchphrases by the time he left.

Colin Jeter: 21:35

Less was like, was like in his mind. It was like cool, calm and collected and and like it was weird. But it was weird in his own cool way I guess it's tough to describe like he just kind of had a swagger to him oh was just like up and out there about it. You know, in your face, you know let's get in a fist fight type of deal. That was his kind of aura and he's still got. He's just that guy. You know.

Colin Jeter: 21:58

He's one of those guys I wouldn't want to mess with, whether it's as a football coach or outside of sports, everything. He's the real deal, he's authentic, he is who he is and I think that's why he had so much success and I think that's why he had so much success. I mean, he comes in. He went to the national championship as a head coach at LSU. That's not very easy to do and for both of those guys to do that, I think says a lot about them, but they were both very much characters. That's why I'm telling you it was so bizarre to listen to Kelly get up there and speak.

Kate Thomas: 22:34

I was like, wow, I just feel like I got out of a business meeting not a head coach conference.

Colin Jeter: 22:36

You know he eat grass. I think he ate grass. Who less? No, coach Kelly, I, I swear there was some. Maybe I must have missed that. He maybe, maybe. Maybe he did it as a joke or something. I don't think that's his normal thing, but I obviously less did it yes, less definitely did it.

Kate Thomas: 22:45

Well, the grass at Tiger Stadium is magical.

Colin Jeter: 22:47

Okay, let's just, let's get that okay, maybe magical, I wouldn't.

Kate Thomas: 22:51

I don't know if it's tasty though I don't know if it's tasty though I don't know if it's tasty, I want to talk about this, cause you brought it up Garrett Nussmeyer he's actually going to be going to sec media day. So is Mason Taylor a tight end and Harold Perkins I don't know where to start with these three, three guys, garrett has?

Colin Jeter: 23:16

you know he has sat on the bench. Can he be the quarterback LSU needs him to be this season? Yeah, oh, absolutely, he's a guy he's got. I just think, every opportunity he's gotten to play coming up, you know he comes in the second half of the SEC championship game against Georgia and starts lighting them up in the air. Last year he gets to play start and play in that bowl game against wisconsin again lights him up. I think he's set up for success.

Colin Jeter: 23:36

Um, I think he's got a lot of experience under his belt. Um, he's got a head coach. Uh, as a father or nfl coach father background. Um, he's been in the game a long time. He understands the game, he understands the system. You know he's been here with coach kelly for three years now. Um, I think he's set up to have a lot of success. I mean, if he's, if he's drafted in the first round this year in the nfl draft, I wouldn't be surprised. So, um, he's got a lot of weapons around him.

Colin Jeter: 24:01

Mason taylor is a guy that I've loved since he's been a freshman. Um, he's a guy, I mean, to come in at lsu and start at the tight end position, especially in coach kelly's offense. That requires a lot from the tight end as a freshman. It says a lot about him, about his character, about his abilities. I think last year he was a little banged up, I think he had a bad shoulder and I think this year he's healed up and he's set up for a real successful season as a junior. And you know another guy with the NFL category in his stats, jason Taylor. That always helps.

Colin Jeter: 24:29

And then you know, you got Kyron Lacey, a receiver outside that you know kind of sat in the shadows of two other outstanding receivers we had last year. That, I think, set up for success. We've got two outstanding tackles on the offensive side so we're set to protect the quarterback. I think offensively we're going to be pretty excited. And then on the defensive side, Harold Perkins is a guy that's been a freak since he stepped on campus. I mean his freshman year he basically single-handedly beat Arkansas. He had like six sacks and a fumble recovery and all sorts of crazy stuff.

Colin Jeter: 24:57

But he's a freak man, yeah yeah, he can roll and you know he can Pass rush, he can play middle linebacker, he can do a lot of things and he's very versatile. And again, another guy I expect to be getting his name called early in the draft and I think I'm excited for this year, like I said last year, you know, obviously defense was, they were atrocious, they were hard to watch, you know. But I think this year we've got some coaches in there new defensive line coach, we've got Coach Raymond back on defensive backs of coaches in there new defensive line coach, we got coach Raymond back on defensive backs. I think we'll continue to build that defense up, get our roster back, get some depth and we'll be fine. I mean last year, if we have a mediocre defense at all, we're in. In my mind we're in the top five of college football.

Colin Jeter: 25:40

That offense very much will get forgotten down in history because of how bad our defense was and our record was 9-3. But I think statistically it may have been the best offense we've ever had at LSU. And you lose a game. But I went to Oxford. I went to that game where we lost 55-50 or whatever the score was that we should have won. We had some other opportunities to win games that we didn't. I think. I really think, if we can build off what we did last year offensively I know we've got some new names in there, but it's a similar system that we're going to be pretty exciting this year in college football.

Kate Thomas: 26:12

It was exciting last year for the tigers having Jaden Daniels as the Heisman trophy winner and everything he really I loved watching Jaden really come into his own and to see the way he was really able to make it into his own team. And I hope to see the way he was really able to make it into his own team and I hope to see the same from Garrett Nussmeier. Do you have any predictions for this season? We open up against USC and then, of course, we go through our rugged SEC schedule as we normally do. Lsu Tigers never want to take the cupcake schedule. I'll tell you that, at least in my eyes. What do you kind of? You've kind of alluded to a few different predictions. You said a powerful offense. You got to at least be mediocre on defense. Other than those two things. Do you have a season prediction or any other things, just as we look ahead and move forward to football season?

Colin Jeter: 27:05

Yeah, well, like I said in my mind, our two big question marks are going to be defensive, back and defensive line. I'm a little nervous about our defensive line because we don't have much depth. I think we've got a great coach coming in to coach them up and we've got some guys in there, but we're going to have to make sure we have to stay healthy up front on the defensive side, or else we're going to have issues. I think we're set up to win a lot of games this year. If we went 10-2, I think that to me, 10-2 should be the floor for us.

Colin Jeter: 27:37

I think you know we'll have our two toughest games are going to be probably Alabama and Ole Miss, and luckily we have both of those teams at home this year, so we'll have the advantage there, having that home field advantage, um that those to me, are going to be the two most important games. The rest obviously don't go wrong. The whole schedule is important, but I think usc is a game we can get in there and win early. Start our season on a hot note. It'd be nice to finally win a season opener. We haven't won the first game of the season since 2019, just a fun fact fsu two years in a row, oh yeah and and mississippi state in 2020 that was, I mean, that was to go from 2019 and that team.

Colin Jeter: 28:17

And then you start 2020 and and covid and all that stuff's happened, but you, freaking, we get our doors blown off by mississippi state of all schools.

Kate Thomas: 28:25

Um golly, that was real and my dad graduated from there, so he made sure to rub that on. Oh, I bet he did.

Colin Jeter: 28:31

I bet he did. But yeah, I think USC is a team we can beat. They've got to replace a lot of weapons, which you know we do too, but I think that's a game. If we can win that game to start the year, to start 1-0, I think that's going to be a big difference maker. And then, like I said, the two big games in my mind are old miss, which has old miss will be one of the best teams in the country this year, there's no doubt in my mind. And then alabama we'll see.

Colin Jeter: 28:57

You know that alabama is always alabama, but they've got a new coaching staff. Um, they've got to replace some guys. Obviously they have their quarterback back, who's phenomenal, but uh, we'll, we'll see how kind of how that transition is, uh, but to me, if we get old miss alabama, that'll be the biggest difference maker. But going 10 and 2 this year, I think would be outstanding. I think that gets us in the playoffs, um, and obviously I hope we we do better than that. But so we'll see. That's my prediction at least. For now we're going at least 10 and 2.

Kate Thomas: 29:23

I like that, I like the 10 and 2. And I think Alabama and Ole Miss are always, you know, two that we're kind of circling on that schedule, especially ever since Lane Kiffin has become the head coach of Ole Miss. He's done an incredible job. Even you know Texas with Steve Sarkeesian. These are all former coach saving assistants. Look, I am excited for the Tigers this season. On Monday, coach Brian Kelly and Garrett Nussmeyer, Harold Perkins Jr and Mason Taylor, all to speak for LSU and the Tigers at SEC Media Days. Colin, I appreciate your time so much and always your input. It's been incredible to have you on today. Thank you so much.

Colin Jeter: 30:05

Yeah, thanks for having me, Kate. I look forward to it Really enjoyed being on the show you all right guys.

Kate Thomas: 30:10

well, that's what our predictions are for the sec. Make sure to stay tuned in for all the information right here on the kate thomas show.