Offseason Rituals, Dabo's Clemson Culture, and College Football's Strategic Turn w/ Drew Butler

Every offseason carries with it an electric charge of anticipation, and this year, with punter-turned-pundit Drew Butler joining us, that buzz is palpable. We kick things off with a hearty look at the cherished rituals that prelude the return of college football, from the frenzy over kickoff times to the fervor for Phil Steele's preview magazine. Drew and Marler exchange laughs and stories, weaving a narrative of passion that not only fuels our wait for the first whistle but also demands some Twitter accolades for our esteemed guest in Phil’s next release.

Navigating the ever-shifting seas of college football coaching, Dabo Swinney's steadfastness stands like a lighthouse. We break down his reluctance to dip into the transfer portal against the backdrop of an evolving game where such moves are increasingly strategic. Celebrating Swinney’s storied tenure and the culture he’s built at Clemson, we also cast an analytical eye on the challenges this could spell for his team in the face of formidable opponents like Georgia. It's a probing look at how tradition meets innovation on the gridiron.

The conversation then takes a strategic turn, dissecting crucial position units and the development of quarterbacks and receivers. We analyze the potential impact of LSU's defense improvements, the shifting tides in playoff rankings, and Georgia's strategic offensive play. With Drew's insights, we explore everything from Clemson's quarterback conundrums to Georgia's deep receiving corps, all while tipping our hats to Kirby Smart's expertise. Join us for a gripping journey through the inner workings of college football that will undoubtedly amp up your excitement for the coming season.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

What's up guys? We are back for the Wednesday night fourth and wrong daily episode. First and foremost, I threw this out there on Instagram yesterday would be a huge, huge help Like and subscribe all that good stuff. I said on Instagram that I was going to do like a cardio strike instead of a hunger strike. Hunger strike's not my thing and I was going to knock it off.

Speaker 1: 0:24

That's bold of you. I didn't do it, I'll be honest. Yeah, uh, it was just empty promises. I learned that from my dad, so it's good. Um, anyway, uh, we're back with a very special guest, one of our favorite recurring guests, a guy that at some point we're just gonna drop the news like we're gonna have our own show. Um, we just have to work all the we're workshopping some things right now.

Speaker 2: 0:44

Yeah, drew butler man, how are you? I'm great. Chris, how are you, man? Thanks for the invite. Yeah, dude of course.

Speaker 1: 0:50

Um, you know we've been doing the daily show not going great fun to talk. Yeah, it's been a lot of fun. It's also like hasn't been the off season. There's a lot of tough lot to talk about. Lots to talk about, yeah, I mean, like what is so far? What has been your favorite offseason moment? Like whether it be social media or college football in general?

Speaker 2: 1:10

you know, I like the everybody getting really fired up about the kickoff times yesterday. That was great. That was like all right, I was in a meeting and somebody was like you know what are the kickoff times again? And I even got emotional. They were like, damn, you're ready for football to start? I was like, oh yeah, I mean now you start getting the itch of. I just want football to be back. And I'm a football junkie. I mean I love college football, I love the NFL.

Speaker 2: 1:32

You know, my wife hates Friday nights in the fall because, like when we're at home, I've got high school football on the TV. I'm watching football 24-7. So end of End of May and then June rolls around and you just have that itch that needs to be scratched, and that, of course, is football. So yesterday, with the kickoff times being released for week one and everybody freaking out, that made me happy. I was like we're getting there, we're getting there for sure.

Speaker 1: 1:55

Honestly, I didn't think about this, but I used to always gauge it like, okay, we have offseason and back in the day it used to be, you had your your window for February signing, then you had spring practice, then you had a magazine season. We're close to magazine season. Yeah, are you a?

Speaker 2: 2:12

Phil steel guy, obviously, yeah, yeah. So I've been a Phil steel guy for a while and you know. Let me just say, the first thing I do when I get my Phil Steele magazine is I flip right to the who follows Phil Steele pages. Yeah, and I have not yet cracked the at Drew Butler on the Twitter page. It stings a little bit every year. I'm not conceited enough to send him a note and say come on, Phil, throw me a bone, Put me in there. I think you're on it.

Speaker 1: 2:39

I think Vern. No, I'm not.

Speaker 2: 2:40

There's no way I could have sworn you were on it last year.

Speaker 1: 2:43

If I was, that account is not on it anymore. I'll tell you that much.

Speaker 2: 2:48

Which is a bummer. So we need to get a petition going for all of the great listeners of Forth and Wrong at Phil Steele, put at Drew Butler and at Vern Funquist CFB in the magazine. I'm sure there's still time, especially the digital version. Do the right thing, Phil.

Speaker 1: 3:05

He's a good dude, like. He cracks me up for a number of reasons because the phil still thing is like one. He doesn't look like a football guy, right, right, he's, he's very much he. He looks like who I thought tommy manske would be with the name tommy manske, okay, somehow still involved in sports, okay, um, and I'm gonna make sure we get this. I'm trying to see if I have my phil steel magazine here because I want gonna make sure we get this I'm trying to see if I have my phil steel magazine here, because I want to.

Speaker 2: 3:27

I want to find it.

Speaker 1: 3:27

I could have sworn you were in there. That would be the the best thing that's happening quite some time. I will say this the so the two things about phil steel one in 2020, it's beautiful. In 2020. I sent him, I I got like mine in the mail because I think if you're like with like football writers of like association of america, you get one for free. Yeah, it was sent to me and it got stolen out of my mailbox and I like that's just how popular.

Speaker 1: 3:50

It is, yeah, pretty much. And I posted about. I was like this is unbelievable. My, my, uh, my magazine got stolen out of the what do you call it? He responded almost immediately and then sent me a new one for for free, just like it was like whatever, I'll give him no free shout outs.

Speaker 2: 4:06

But Phil Steele, if you do the digital like bundle, it's actually really solid because you're the first to get the magazine and then you have access online or on your iPad. So if you're traveling or doing work or if you got like multiple screens, you can do it. Here's what I'm talking about for everybody. There's a couple of pages in the Phil Steele magazine where he lists verified accounts. I'm not verified now because I don't pay for Twitter yet.

Speaker 2: 4:27

But he lists all these people and this is like college football personalities. I'm not in there yet. I mean Cole Kubelik's on it. Who's Cole Kubelik? Come on, Jeez.

Speaker 1: 4:38

The other thing I love about Phil Steele is now listen, I love to toot my own horn and remind people of how smart I've been in the past. With certain things, yes, like picks and stuff there's nobody that bangs their own drum louder than Phil Steele, because half the magazine is like I don't know if you guys recall, but in 2013, I said this is going to be one of the top 10 emerging teams of the next decade and they finished number seven. It is amazing the amount of data Like he is. Every girl that I've ever dated in the past. That has just a steel trap of a memory and I don't even use the pun.

Speaker 2: 5:10

That's just women in general. I mean, we can just throw them all in one bucket. I live with four women, considering I have three daughters and a wife. I deal with that every day, so I have to be very, very careful about what I do or say, because it could bring back memories of something that I did in 2011. Right, it's just, it's tough way to live, but we deal with it.

Speaker 1: 5:28

I love my girls well, let's um, let's start with, uh, somebody that has not moved out of 2011, pretty much dude. So, like it's at this point, it's tail's little time. It's not going to change. It's not going to change, and I think it's one of of those things where, if he was having the same type of success he was having before, it wouldn't be a problem. But that's an issue for a number of reasons. One, he's the only one doing it. He's the only one that drew the line in the sand, is not going to be involved in the transfer portal. Blah, blah, blah.

Speaker 1: 5:59

Clemson has taken and this I could be wrong with, the stat, evan, help me out here and check me if I'm wrong I know he didn't take a single player in the portal this year. I believe they've only had one player, and it was Hunter Johnson, who went to Northwestern and then came back to Clemson, so that's the only one they've had. I think the nuance of this whole thing, and the reason why it's a bigger deal than maybe it should be, is the level of success that he's not having right. Yes, he's going up against the everyone else that is in the portal. That's an elite program and he's also going up against his own success like which was an elite level of success. Like I, played in four national championships in five years, beat bama twice, yes, but he's just dug his heels in on this and the quote today is one of the dumbest fucking things I've ever heard.

Speaker 2: 6:50

It's quintessential. Dabo is what it is and it makes you laugh because I will give him credit. Dabo is unapologetically Dabo and there is a lot to be said for that. And I can say that from experience, because when people ask me about playing for coach mark rick, the first thing I always say is that now being out of the game, uh, being a father you know, working like just being a 35 year old with kids and having a job.

Speaker 2: 7:17

I am so much more appreciative looking back and knowing that coach rick was always the same guy, whether it was pre-game post-game, whether it was pregame post game, whether it was during a four game losing streak or during a 10 game winning streak, coach Rick was always the same and like you get perspective and you gain perspective through time and I'm like, wow, because you see other coaches where you can go. That's pretty fake. Or you hear things and you go. I would not want to play for that guy. Right, dabo is unapologetically Dabo and when he says, quote every player is technically a transfer. We just signed a whole class of guys transferring from high school, like that's funny On its face. That's actually funny. Is he intending for it to be funny? Absolutely not. He's being serious. That's what he believes. But to your point, chris, he set the bar so high at clemson I mean he broke through every glass ceiling that was out there.

Speaker 2: 8:07

He slayed the giant that was saban. They were perennial college football playoff and national championship teams. Having won multiple national championships. You have to adopt and adapt to the times. Yeah, he just hasn't done that. There are ways to do it right, like those guys from georgia. Malachi stark said kirby comes in and says if you want to leave, that's fine, we will replace you. Like there's ways to address this new era of college football rather than just throwing the blinders on and being like I, like my guys, I'm not interested in the transfer portal because and here's probably what frustrates most clemson fans clemson's a great place. People would want to there. People would put Clemson top three in their transfer portal destinations and you can pick off guys to immediately make impacts and then not have to worry about losing to Duke, not have to worry about, you know, losing those games where you're looking back now going. We should not have lost that game. We need the talent to fill these holes that we have, and now you can get that talent in the transfer portal.

Speaker 1: 9:08

And he's like thanks, but no, thanks I. And here's. Here's, one of the issues I have with it too is that I saw somebody say this today online and they they compared it. I was a georgia fan. It was like it reminds me a lot of mark rick and yes and no, and I think that it's.

Speaker 1: 9:18

It's great to be so open with your faith and talk about, like you know, this is what I believe, because in this day and age, whether you, you know, this is what I believe. Because in this day and age, whether you believe, you agree with it or not, it is I love the fact you always have red wine on the show. It is. It's in this day and age. It's refreshing to see somebody that is so comfortable in their own skin, absolutely Considering, like, the hate that he's constantly getting and I'm not trying to be a jerk here, I know this was your, your coach but like, the reason why it's not mark ricks is because dabbo did break through and he won two national championships yeah, and he, you know, and he took that whole thing from like clemsoning, where that was the whole identity of that program.

Speaker 1: 9:53

They couldn't win the big one and they get to one of the you know the. They get to the mountaintop. The thing that's also weird to me about this is that, like I think I remember saying this about, about Mark Richt in 2008. And I and I caught a lot of flack for it, but I firmly believe it and I remember saying the reason I'm glad that Bama has Nick Saban is going into that weekend, the blackout game is because I know that on some, mark Richt's going to be in church. Mark Richt was, I think, is his main focus in life, was like wasn't necessarily football, it was like molding young men and developing kids and, like he, he loved that aspect of it, he's great.

Speaker 1: 10:28

I think that Davo is stuck in this mindset of like 1980s type of coaching where it's like you don't have to winnings, not everything, like come to Clemson, we're going to, we're going to. Sometimes we might have a down year, we're going to win 10 games every year. Sometimes we might have a down year, we're going to win 10 games every year. We're going to be contention, we're going to have a great time doing it. Like you know, people might not get it, but we're like, we are Clemson, this is what we're going to do, and if you don't like it, you don't have to be a part of it. But this is just what we're doing. And I think that he obviously wants to win, but it feels and I don't know if there's room for that in this day and age of college football.

Speaker 2: 11:03

It's like, through their own doing, they have put themselves back to when they were Clemsoning and when they had to break through and it's through the things that they haven't done, which is crazy to say.

Speaker 2: 11:16

And now you look at the ACC and there's this influx of new teams and Florida State has this new life. It'll be really interesting to see what happens this upcoming season, especially with such a tough opening game against Georgia in Atlanta. What is Cade Klubnick going to be like? If you ask me right now, I would sit here comfortably May 15th and go. I think Kirby Smart's defense is going to be pretty ready to go to throw the book at Cade Klubnick and have some success in Atlantaanta.

Speaker 2: 11:43

So they're gonna have to figure out a way, with the talent that they have, because they're not going elsewhere to say we can go toe-to-toe with georgia. Georgia, obviously, is going to have to replace a lot of people. There's gonna be a lot of new faces on the defensive side of the ball as well, but it's it's just. It's crazy that in 2024, with this kind of hands-up era of college football, anything goes. They're almost playing by the rules still, when you don't necessarily have to.

Speaker 1: 12:11

Yeah, and I think you brought up a really good point too that gets lost in this conversation, which is Dude. He's built everything there. I remember going to Clemson. It's always been a great place. People have always enjoyed going to Clemson. It's so close to Atlanta but it's so almost secluded too. You're near lakes. It's a great place to go.

Speaker 2: 12:35

It's a good school, all that the mean thing to say is that Clemson is just Auburn with a lake. I mean, that's the most classic thing ever, isn't that? Yeah, it kind of is.

Speaker 1: 12:49

But I mean, but the main thing is, it's like he got that place to a point where, in this age of football dude, all he has to do is say the word and the keys from the boosters and the money and everything are handed to him. They have the best facilities, no doubt I don't know why he wouldn't want to do that.

Speaker 2: 13:09

I'm looking at the schedule right now and they have just an awesome conference home game September 28th. I mean, this one is sick. Stanford at Clemson September 28th in. I mean this one is sick. Stanford at Clemson September 28th in Death Valley Welcome in the Cardinal, new ACC Stanford Cardinal. I mean, that's just crazy to me.

Speaker 2: 13:28

But Florida State at Florida State and then they don't play Notre Dame this year. So no Notre Dame this year. I mean their schedule is pretty light Open with Georgia at Florida State, at virginia tech. Some people are thinking virginia tech might have a little resurgence this year and then you know home to close it out for south carolina. Listen to these opponents georgia app state, nc state, stanford, florida state, wake forest, virginia, louisville, vatec pit, citadel, south carolina. That's pretty favorable for the clemson Tigers.

Speaker 1: 14:01

A thousand percent and like, and here's the thing too, I, they, they're in a situation where they have. I'm trying to pull up another one here too. That just shows you where we are in this day and age of, uh, football that I kind of hate, um, but because I'm pretty sure SMU and Stanford is like the final game of the regular season or something stupid. Um, in the ACC, I know, know that Utah closes rivalry weekend. Utah closes with Big 12 foe UCF on the road and that is the most depressing thing. Sick dude. Hell, yeah, bro, I mean I just Well, they're going to be lit.

Speaker 2: 14:34

I'll tell everybody I don't know if you've been following Ross Dellinger's excellent reporting at Yahoo Sports. Ross is an awesome, awesome college football writer and he's just on top of what industry leaders are calling the most consequential two weeks in the history of college athletics, with really what's going to happen with NIL and revenue sharing and XYZ. I am very confident in that. We're moving towards two super conferences. We're moving towards the big 10 and the sec. You're hearing rumblings of the ACC schools wanting to get out. You're hearing rumblings about the sec possibly talking to the likes of Kansas.

Speaker 1: 15:11

And what is?

Speaker 2: 15:11

that up to. I'm just saying follow the money, follow the money. You think the sec wouldn't, you know, bear crawl through the desert to get KU basketball on the fold. I mean, that would be unbelievable. And if you want to talk about a true rivalry it's KU versus Georgia basketball let's go.

Speaker 1: 15:27

Okay, I thought you were going to actually make a good point, because Kansas Missouri is one of the more underrated rivalries. I've been to one of those games.

Speaker 2: 15:34

I've been to one of those games in Columbia Missouri, my former roommate Logan gray, who is a backup quarterback, and then he was. He made his bones as a great punt returner at Georgia as well. From Columbia Missouri we went back one week and this is when Mizzou was still on the big 12.

Speaker 1: 15:50

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 15:51

And we went to a KU versus Mizzou basketball game and it was sick. Dude, missouri's basketball arena, it's like an NBA arena. It is insane how nice it is Holds like 16,000.

Speaker 1: 16:00

See, people forget like I always say this, like people treat Mizzou like they are Vanderbilt with a fake ID, but they are a really, because they're a really good school, but they are also like they've had some good history with athletics and all that kind of stuff. All right, moving on from Clemson. I think that's. I think that it'll be very interesting. The last thing I'll say we can talk about the schedule. I wonder if, for when they play Georgia, I think they're going to get stopped. I think that because Georgia, clemson.

Speaker 1: 16:33

Yeah, and you could make the case that 2021, that 10-3 game or whatever it was I get that. That's not that long ago. 10-3 game or whatever it was, I get that that's not that long ago. But Georgia with a chip on their shoulder coming off of last year with all the returning firepower, and you get both coordinators back. There's so much continuity in that coaching set. I just think that's going to be a tough one to elect an uphill battle. After that It'll be interesting to see if they can keep it close enough. If they get embarrassed like Oregon did, like 49-3, that's going to be tough to sit there and say if you have 10 wins, why would they make the playoff? Yeah.

Speaker 2: 17:09

Did you make the? You sent the tweet out about the last time they played, where the programs were as far as Clemson. Was that your tweet? No, somebody tweeted it out and I want to give them a shout-out. Somebody tweeted it out and I want to give him a shout out. It might have been our buddy John Tweetsports. He's a great follower as well. He's great and he tweeted out just where the programs were at that 2021 kickoff game Georgia had not broken through.

Speaker 2: 17:30

Georgia did not have a national championship, clemson was coming off all their success, more recent national champions and, like two years later, it is a totally, totally different ball game when it comes to the trajectory of both Georgia and Clemson. So it'll be a lot of talking points leading into that game for sure.

Speaker 1: 17:47

Yeah, man for sure. All right, something else I want to talk about. This is something I saw, this today and like I think that you could add some some context. By the way, you have time, I know it's already 20 minutes.

Speaker 1: 18:00

Ok, so somebody brought this today in a specific to alabama, but it got me thinking about, like some of the, the position, units and people, teams, whatever that have the most to prove going into 2024. So I'll let you think on on on yours. I think the like, the few that popped up right off the bat lsu defensive backs, right that the secondary and then lsu defensive line. For two reasons lsu historic, statistically, had the worst defense they've had in program history, which is saying something because 2020 um was also historically bad. 2021 was not great either, but like that secondary that you know it's very a proud, proud tradition. Program dbu, all that kind of stuff. I they need to make a major step forward, they bring back Corey Johnson, all that kind of stuff.

Speaker 1: 18:45

I will say the other part with the defensive line. The reason I would even include that on there is because they were also bad last year. I mean, they weren't as bad, they were probably the best unit on that defense. But they had three guys go to the NFL and Brian Kelly said flat out we. But they had three guys go to the NFL and Brian Kelly said flat out like if we're only going to target one position in the portal, it's going to be defensive line, and they didn't get anybody, so they better have you know their shit together, come fall, because that's it's not like games are one of the trenches, it's just a fact of life and there's no other way to think about it or or look at it.

Speaker 2: 19:19

If you look at how Georgiaorgia has built their dominance, it is through the offensive and defensive lines and when georgia's defense is not.

Speaker 2: 19:27

When georgia was, you know, one of the most historically, statistically speaking defenses in all of college football, they were led by their defensive line and it wasn't just one or two players, it was, it was 10 guys. They were just rotating guys, four and stars and they're developing through the season and they're staying fresh. And now even more so with how many games these guys are going to be playing, with the national championship being in late January now, it is a true battle of attrition. So it's not about just having great talent, it's about having real depth and being able to keep these guys fresh all season long. It's no different than the nfl, I mean the nfl.

Speaker 2: 20:03

It's like when the calendar turns to november, you start to see teams break away and then when it turns to december, it's like all right, we've got to catch stride. Playoffs are coming up. That's just how it works. It's not going to be that much different in college football and we talked about this last time I was on the pod there's 12, 12 playoff teams. Now, I mean, you're going to have a pretty good idea of which teams are going to be in the hunt to make it to the playoffs and you'll start to see teams jockeying later on in the season to position themselves in the rankings. I mean, I firmly believe that to be happening. And it's in contrast to how we've looked at college football in the past, where that last week of the season conference championship weekend like that's it either you win or you're out. Like george last year, they lose a three-point game to alabama on a neutral site in the conference championship and they are crumpled up and thrown into the trash.

Speaker 1: 20:57

Crazy that will not be happening this year. I I dude I to this day because you know my entire feelings on on those two teams. It didn't hit me until after they even made the announcement on sunday. I was like, oh my god, georgia got fucked. Yeah, I mean, I was.

Speaker 2: 21:13

I was dumping I was thumping on social media going this is what's going to happen. It's going to be a travesty. They will not even consider the Georgia Bulldogs, which is just a joke, and that's what happened. And, of course, georgia had a chip on their shoulder going up against Florida. State in the Orange Bowl, god bless Keon Coleman saying if they played their guys they would have beat Georgia. I mean, that's a conversation for another day.

Speaker 1: 21:37

Yeah, or you know what, drew, but yeah, or you know what. You know what? True, it's not, it's not. Maybe it's time we all let it go, because every time I get on twitter it's it's like those two fan bases, fsu man, I I've, I've gladly and luckily not had to be a part of anything florida or florida state or miami related, because that is just. I mean, it embodies the state so well. It is just a lawless swamp of people I don't want to be around. It's terrible. Anyway, back to the topic at hand.

Speaker 2: 22:03

Yes, please Position units that need to prove themselves Right.

Speaker 1: 22:07

So we talked about LSU D-line right, keeping in the same vein with what you talked about with the trenches and how cliche it is, but how very true it is Texas and OU coming into the SEC. I think that'll be very interesting. O, texas and OU coming into the SEC. I think that'll be very interesting. Ou's done a really good job of being able to like honestly, they've always done a good job of being able to recruit good offensive linemen and defensive linemen. Texas in the past couple years has put a really really good couple classes together on the offensive line, bringing two five-stars a couple years ago. So that'll be interesting, especially because Texas loses, you know, two D linemen to the NFL draft and one of them was the Lombardi Award, the team, I think, in the conference that has the most to prove from a trench standpoint is Alabama and I brought this up.

Speaker 2: 22:50

Yeah, I liked your tweet. I thought it was solid, a lot of good statistical backing on that tweet.

Speaker 1: 22:55

You know that's where I like to live and I know that not everyone's going to agree that the offensive line is completely to blame for some of the sacks all the sacks that were made a year ago. But I want to go over some stats that I threw up here on a deep dive I did earlier this year. Let me pull this up real quick. But last season in the 14 games that I've been playing, they gave up 49 total sacks. 49 total sacks that ranks 129th in the country. It's the most they allowed in program history. Right, by the way 129 out of 133 teams.

Speaker 2: 23:34

Now let me just let me ask one thing. Do you think it has anything to do in relation to Jalen Milrow being a running quarterback? He escapes the pocket, things break down, he takes, takes the sack I don't know 129th out of 133. There's no excuses for that, but I'm sure some of those sacks were were those types of situations.

Speaker 1: 23:50

If I could play devil's advocate, so and I appreciate you doing that. Um, but I think so. No, but like so, here's. I'll push back on that in a second, but like so, 129th of 133 teams, it's the most of any team in the SEC in the last 15 years, that's insane.

Speaker 2: 24:11

For that to be Alabama and then making the college football playoff and winning the SEC, that's wild.

Speaker 1: 24:16

To put that in perspective, right, 49 total in 14 games. That's more than Oregon, washington, georgia and Michigan all had combined. That's crazy. Last season they had 48. 49 total is also 11 more 11 more sacks than Georgia allowed. Yeah, in three seasons combined, from 2021 to 2023.

Speaker 1: 24:43

So the Milrow thing and I already see the whole thing about Jalen Mildew and all that kind of stuff. Listen, I know that like I can think of like off the top of my head. There's multiple times where I saw him early in the season, especially roll out to his right, hold on to the ball for too long, it like inexcusably take like a sack for a loss of like five to eight yards. When, like inexcusably take like a sack for a loss of like five to eight yards. When you're a yard or two from the sideline, like either throw it away or get out of bounds, you're faster than everybody on the field every time you step on the field.

Speaker 1: 25:09

I will also say, like you saw it firsthand in the rose bowl, 32 of the 65 snaps in that game were off target from the center and that was something that plagued them all year long, which is is I've never heard of that before and the only other thing I'll say, and somebody walked into this trap that I said for them on Twitter earlier and they were like, yeah, but like compared to somebody with, like Bryce Young, who's like a better quarterback, getting rid of the blah, blah blah Two years ago, or three years ago now, in 2021,acks, which was the second most in the conference and ranked 120th, so two times in the last three years, this Bama offensive line has allowed the most sacks in program history so, is that scheme or is that lack of talent?

Speaker 2: 25:53

because I have a hard time believing it's lack of talent. Is it coaching and scheme? I mean because, uh, whatever that is cannot continue moving forward. I would have to argue that, however Kalen DeBoer runs that offense, they will be addressing that issue. There is absolutely no doubt about it. I got a position group that I think needs to prove it big time.

Speaker 2: 26:15

It's the quarterbacks for the Tennessee Volunteers. Oh okay, I think that's a good one, because everybody knows Josh Heupel is a great game planner, he's a great play caller and it all revolves around the success of the quarterback. I mean, hendon Hooker got absolutely, just absolutely shafted by not getting invited to the Heisman Trophy ceremony, albeit he did tear up his knee. He had an unbelievable season and Tennessee was so good that year because Hendon Hooker was so effective. I think everybody probably had a couple of question marks around Joe Milton, you knew it was going to be a step down. Everybody knows he's got an absolute cannon for an arm Right, but Nico, yes.

Speaker 1: 26:51

Is.

Speaker 2: 26:51

Nico going to be the guy. I mean, there is a lot of expectation for Nico Yamaleva. I need to get that name right.

Speaker 1: 26:58

At some point we have to lock that down, Amale.

Speaker 2: 27:00

I knew at some point we have to lock that down. I'm a Leva, I have no idea. Yeah, but that is a big time. Prove it position unit, because the Tennessee quarterback room is subpar, they will not win nine games. That is just a matter of fact.

Speaker 1: 27:15

I I don't disagree with you because it's not like they got one of, like the the benefits of the easy scheduling. Also, if you're just joining us I know a few people in the chat Dude really appreciate you staying on here. This is big, like we always do. This has somehow turned into the 15 to 20 minutes, to turn into the 30. And I really appreciate it.

Speaker 2: 27:30

But no.

Speaker 1: 27:31

I think you're right. I will say this. It's an interesting situation because you look at Hypo and you think about, like I did a deep dive on this, this of course, like not that long ago, and put together way too busy of a graphic with every single first year stat uh, or like a stat line for his starting quarterback, since he's been at mizzou with drew lock and he's had in that time he's had drew lock, dylan, gabriel mckenzie, milton, hidden hooker and then joe milton, and milton brought those numbers down a decent amount. But the average numbers aren't anything crazy you would think for like the type of offense they seem to run.

Speaker 1: 28:06

But I think that people going into last year, especially you had hendon hooker 58 touchdowns and five interceptions in two years. Statistically that he was the best quarterback they've had, including peyton manning, like since I've been alive. And to go from a quarterback that's that precise with like the deep ball, especially that I mean I, the writing, was on the wall with God. Joe Milton, I will say with Nico, I think he's going to be really good because I'm I'm buying into the hype. He has had a year to sit, learn the offense. That receiver room is also the probably the deepest and most talented they've had in well over a decade.

Speaker 2: 28:44

Yeah, Another guy. This is not exactly a unit, but more so a player. We talked about him last time as well. Luther Burden, show me something. Everybody's saying he's this legendary wide receiver. All right, go take over a football game. Win a football game because of your talent. I want to see that because Cody Schrader was a total stud a year ago. I was a huge fan of him, but Luther Burden's a guy. I would want to say prove it. If people are saying you're a top five draft pick, you have to be a true baller, like a Marvin Harrison Jr type baller, to be a top five NFL wide receiver draft pick.

Speaker 2: 29:20

Going back to Tennessee one more time, this is just a funny story from last year. Georgia played Tennessee late. It was in Neyland. Georgia's defense was going through this weird rut where teams would just score first. It was almost like they were just walking on air. First 15 script they'd go downfield, they'd score. One of my very close friends, Tony Morelli, huge Tennessee fan. We were texting all morning and I'm like Tennessee fan. Yeah, we're texting all morning and I'm like you know what Tennessee's going to score first? Who's the first player that's going to score? Let me get on into my app. Let me make a little wager. George is going to win. They'll score first, though, Don't worry about it. He's like Jalen, right? I'm like perfect Love it.

Speaker 2: 29:54

Going to my app. I got a cold beer. I'm ready for this game. Punch in Jalen Wright. Pretty juicy odds. I mean first touchdown odds, it's like plus five-fifty. Yeah, you're taking a shot. It was more than that. I can tell you that right now, First play of the game Jalen Wright 75 yards. I am in my basement. Woo Woo, Georgia's down seven-nothing.

Speaker 1: 30:25

I go to my app. I forgot to put the bed in. No my stomach.

Speaker 2: 30:27

I was like maybe see that maybe that's the the whole show that we end up doing because that ended. I like it literally like I was on my couch, like this, you know, like it's the uh, it's the uh meme of the guy from the show narcos where he's just sitting on the sitting on the bench, like looking out like that was me, my wife was like are you okay? I was like no, don't talk, dude that is.

Speaker 1: 30:44

I will say I remember doing this, another deep dive and I got another one on deck to talk about with luther burton, um, but tennessee to score first in. In going into last year's at the start of the season they had scored first in 27 of 32 games under josh highball and that's great game planning.

Speaker 2: 30:59

I mean, give him credit. That's exactly what that is. The dude can dial up plays and when you look historically the past five, three seasons these quarterbacks are chucking bombs to wide open receivers he sees something on film, he schemes up these routes. He's like we're gonna trick this safety, we're gonna get this linebacker to look off. You will be running downfield, just throw it within 15 yards of him, and that's what they do. I mean, he is a very good play caller, no doubt.

Speaker 1: 31:28

I mean Pete Golden could not fucking figure it out to take a safety off of Jalen Hyatt who had five touchdowns. That one game. I will also say and TriStar in the comments here, brew McCoy, I think coming back from a leadership standpoint is going to be great. Mike Matthews, the five-star from Parkview, my old stomping grounds, I think they're going to be good. Fun fact for you that I can just remember this off the top of my head. These last three years at Georgia are the best three years in a row in program history. Probably no, it would have to be including 80 through 82. Tennessee has scored first in every game they played against Georgia. The last three years, twice they scored a touchdown.

Speaker 2: 32:06

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 32:08

Let's keep betting on it. Going back to Luther Burden thing, and we'll, we'll, we'll try to wrap this up here soon. You brought it up, you said take over a game and I know he was hampered by injuries a little bit in in the in the second half of the season. But here are the numbers on Luther Burden through his first six games versus his second half of seven games. Okay, he had 54 receptions in the first half. He had 32 in the last seven right Touchdown receptions in the first six games he had five. He had four in the second half. So not a lot of drop-off there.

Speaker 1: 32:39

100-yard games, 100-yard receiving games okay, he had six in his first six games. He had one in the last seven. Seven receptions or more in a game he had five in his first six games. He had one in his last seven when the competition picked up. You know the first six games. They played two ranked opponents. They played four at the back half of the season and his receiving yards per game went from one, 32 to 59.9 in the second half. So that is like I understand he was injured man, but like that is a that is. I think you're right, I think that doesn't. That's a position that they're, and they're deep there, but he's the guy that has to be the guy sticking with wide receivers.

Speaker 2: 33:19

We do have to mention Georgia's wide receiver room. I think it's the most versatile with talent in in a long time, and the reason I say that's because you have guys returning. I'm looking at the roster right now, of course, led by dylan bell. I think dylan's a great, great player. He's, he's versatile. I you know I call him debo bell. He reminds me so much of debo samuel. But then guys returning dominic love it. The transfer rara thomas is still there. The transfer now you have arian smith, one of the fastest guys in college football. He can take the top off of defense london humphries to transfer from vanderbilt who gashed georgia for a big touchdown man no doubt.

Speaker 2: 33:53

And then you have colby young, the tall, lanky kid who transferred him from miami. So you look around and you're like, wow, you've got the slot receivers, you've got the reliable, you've got the guys who can go across the middle, you've got the guys who can take off the top of a defense, and then you pair them with the unicorn of Carson Beck and when, I say he's a unicorn.

Speaker 2: 34:13

he is a fifth year senior. He's been at the same school he started a year ago. He's got his same offensive coordinator and play caller coming back.

Speaker 2: 34:23

This is the last time this might happen in the next 15 years of college football I'm just telling you that right now it's crazy and, to his credit, he probably looked at the draft class that was coming out and was like you know what I can better my situation a year from now. He made the right decision, I think, and now he has this embarrassment of riches of talent at his disposal. Pair that with Trevor Etienne, who is a baller, who is a certified and proven SEC star. That offensive line has tons of talent. Like Georgia's, offense is going to be something serious this year, for sure.

Speaker 1: 34:56

The only thing I think of in Georgia's offense every year, every single year, like from an issue standpoint, when somebody asks me what are the flaws going to be for Georgia? I'm not saying this to be funny or cute or, as idiots on social media would say, glaze, kirby Smart and UGA. But, like, the issue every year is how do you disperse the ball enough to all of your talent so you keep everyone happy? And it just so happens, just like with so many Our listeners Willie Gray, andrew C, jeff Williams, evan Grimes they've heard me talk about this ad nauseum and I will continue to do so until it stops happening.

Speaker 1: 35:36

But, just like with almost everything else that this guy does as a head coach, kirby Smart is also the best at and his program is the best at distributing the football to multiple players. The amount of times they have eight different guys with at least one to two receptions in a game, it's astounding. And you're still able to put out guys like Brockck bowers and lad mcconkey and all that kind of stuff. It's, it's really, it's really been impressive.

Speaker 2: 36:05

so I think the way that they combat that from like that locker room standpoint of keeping guys happy, of like setting. The expectation of here's how we're going to disperse the football is that they can directly point to previous success and saying this is how we're going to do things. You know, we are a pro style offense. We are going to establish the run game so that we can throw the ball and then when?

Speaker 2: 36:27

we throw the ball effectively, we'll go back to the run because it's going to be available to us and then, when we are chucking it deep, we're going to work the short to intermediate and get the tight ends involved, like they have the system, yeah, to their benefit. They have very successful previous results to say this is what we're going to do. If you don't like it, don't come here. Hey, if you're a five-star running back and you don't want to carry the ball 30 times a game and you want to stay fresh and still develop and go to the NFL, come here. You know like that's just what they do, and in this day and age of college football, it's helpful because you get that immediate buy-in and people are like, hey, I'm going here because I know what the next three to four years are going to look like.

Speaker 1: 37:06

Right, no, I think it's a great point, man, it's a great point, I think. The only other thing, too, I'll say from that and and everything that he's been able to build from the opposite standpoint has almost been surprising. Because it's like he's defensive minded guy like, like, because basically I feel like kirby goes into a game, it's like can you get me, can you get me 17 points? Because, like, the defense can do it, but but there's no better example what you just said about like, the way they can game plan. I will never forget this in 2021 when they're playing Kentucky. It was the home game against Kentucky, chris Rodriguez, I think Kentucky was right. I love.

Speaker 1: 37:43

I love Kentucky you this I just, I just love it because you hate them.

Speaker 2: 37:49

I just I love their false sense of reality. I love their 4-0 starts. I love when they say Benny Snell is better than Herschel Walker. I mean I love it because they are so delusional and every single year when Georgia throttles them in football, it is that next Sunday it's basketball season in Lexington.

Speaker 1: 38:08

It is like clockwork.

Speaker 2: 38:09

It happens every year. I look forward to it. Hey, Brock Vandegrift great guy I know, by all accounts, from what I've heard Georgia was so supportive of him. They wanted him to stay. They wanted to make sure he got put into the best situation. It happens to be at Kentucky. I think they play in week three. I think that game is in Lexington.

Speaker 1: 38:29

It is yeah.

Speaker 2: 38:31

That will be a fun game. I will be ready for that game. It will be awesome and I do this. All those guys, matt Jones, all those guys Kentucky is going to be so good this year. Those guys, matt jones, all those guys kentucky's gonna be so good this year. Mark stoops god bless him. I mean, I love mark stoops. I have a picture of mark stoops me and mark stoops um, I'm like dude, you're the man.

Speaker 1: 38:46

Thank you so much you're the torchbearer and and maybe the only person in the parade that hates on kentucky. Well, and I tell you, we'll close with this, we'll close with this, and we could have we probably could have gone for 30 minutes, but I, you know, you know, I, I will. The first time, the first time we ever did a fourth and wrong. This is this is a true, true story to everybody in the in the chat First time we ever did a fourth and wrong, and I'll. I'll look up the graphic I made on Canva 2021. I was at Rich Shinovsky's basement, my old what do you call it? Home? Shout out Rich, shout out Rich. And I remember doing the show with you about Georgia, kentucky cause, for whatever reason, it's a three 30 game on CBS. I had you on there and it was the. It was the actual debut of the old fourth wrong we had. I had a makeshift uh graphic that I made for it. Had this like you, really, you had so much venom for Kentucky football, I was like what the fuck did Kentucky?

Speaker 2: 39:44

get a Drew who even has that much, you know, emotional capacity to care about yeah football like that and it's me. I don't know why it's been that way it really turned. It was the year they were literally saying Benny Snell is better than Hershel Walker.

Speaker 1: 39:57

I was like okay this is insane and People said that 10-1 or something.

Speaker 2: 40:02

It was 2021. It was 2017.

Speaker 1: 40:04

I think that was 2018. They went 10-3.

Speaker 2: 40:06

That's exactly when it was, and Georgia went up there and just absolutely curb stomped them Like it wasn't even a game. They're just not at the same level of that upper SEC echelon? They're just not, and they're just not.

Speaker 2: 40:17

And I was a big Devin Leary believer a year ago, and like I have to remind myself it's Kentucky. Like Drew, don't do that. Don't let Phil Steele do that to you, drew. Like you know you, just sometimes your gut is right and for me, if I ever get that little inkling of like Kentucky football could be real, I'm like no, they cannot, they just can't. Sorry.

Speaker 1: 40:42

Well, listen, um, hopefully no kentucky fans were watching. I doubt I doubt they were, um, but no, I appreciate you coming on. Tell everyone where they can find you and at some point, like we keep teasing it, but like you know, it'll become a reality. We've been talking about this behind the scenes for a while now, doing a show together like a consistent weekly, bi-weekly, whatever show that will be, um, and we're gonna make, make it happen at some point.

Speaker 2: 41:01

We just have not nailed down all the stuff, so I mean you will be there, it will be the grand convergence of Alabama and Georgia fans, of course, with heavy SEC center, but college football headlines in general. We're workshopping it, we're thinking about it. We want to make it something that's not currently being provided in the podcast landscape of 2024. So give Chris and I a little time on that.

Speaker 1: 41:25

But yeah, man find me online.

Speaker 2: 41:27

I'm at DrewButlerEverywhere. Punt and Pass will be back for the eighth season which is really exciting Coming up this fall, so we'll start dropping podcasts here throughout the summer. I'm on the radio in Atlanta, too, on 92.9. The game was Stakey, my man Stakey. We'm on the radio in Atlanta, too, on 92.9. The game was stanky my man's stanky. We're on the steakhouse 9 to 11, so check us out there. We always have a ton of fun. And, yeah, Instagram Twitter at Drew Butler Holler at me. Love talking football golf. It's PGA Championship weekend, so I'm fired up for that.

Speaker 2: 41:56

I will say this so tomorrow I actually get to play in Austin Riley's golf tournament tomorrow, which will be really cool.

Speaker 1: 42:02

Okay so.

Speaker 2: 42:02

Austin, riley, matt Olsen, all the Braves, it's their off day.

Speaker 2: 42:05

That'll be cool. They do a great job. It's going to be at Hawks Ridge Golf Club, so that will be fun. But then I'm driving to Montgomery, alabama Gross, and I'm going to the Jimmy Rain Foundation charity event. I've been lucky enough to be invited to this event for the last five years. It is a who's who of Alabama and Auburn. It's really cool to see, and they sprinkle in some other sec guys. There's like a contingent of five, seven Georgia guys me and my dad, david green always goes, buck blue always goes, shockley's always there. It's like we're just the Georgia guys off to the side.

Speaker 2: 42:37

There's a couple of other Tennessee, you, there's a couple of other Tennessee, South Carolina they're all mixed in. But tomorrow's keynote speaker is Nick Saban. It will be awesome. I'm really fired up. So all of the former players and coaches, we all get together and we have like an hour and a half cocktail hour with Coach Saban just telling old stories.

Speaker 2: 42:57

I'm really looking forward to that. He seems like he's living his best life. God bless him. I thought he was awesome on the NFL draft. Terry Bradshaw was the keynote speaker A year ago. The banquet is at the Renaissance In Montgomery. They raise a ton of money Jimmy Raines awesome, so I'm honored to be invited to that. I'll give you an update on that next time.

Speaker 1: 43:20

Yeah, I know Saban doesn't drink, but put the screen recording on or the recording on in your phone and put it in your pocket. But yeah, man, I appreciate it, We'll do it again soon. Have a safe trip, obviously, and everybody in the chat, make sure you guys, like I said, like and subscribe. It helps us out All that kind of stuff. We'll be back tomorrow night with Chris Gordy from SEC. You know what? He forgets the name of my show every time I'm on his. I will take this opportunity to forget his. It's locked on SEC. I couldn't do it Until next time. Guys, we appreciate it. Thank you, Chris. See you everybody. That was great dude.