Napier needs a miracle: On3’s Brett McMurphy & former Ray, Kevin Kiermaier
In sports, if you want to be the best, there are no off days. Welcome in to the No Off Days podcast. I’m Scott Smith. I got Chris Ko alongside. We got BK in the booth. We’ll catch up momentarily. I see that you’re sporting a uh a t-shirt from the great city of Columbia, Missouri today. Yes. You know, Scott, I always try to wear a t-shirt that will allow us to talk about my plans for the future. Well, what do you think I’m I’m leading into? You got a big game this week. Bama’s on the road playing undefeated Missouri. I’m going to the game. One of my best friends. But you’re representing Colombia. I’m representing beer. Okay. Logboat Brewing in Colombia. Great brewery. I’ve been to Colombia a couple of times for football purposes. Great college town. Middle of October. You get the lead. It’s a great college town. It is a great college town. I know they have a great journalism school. They do, which I did not graduate from. Uh but yeah, it’s I’m I’m nervous about this game. I mean, Missouri looks good. Bama’s been susceptible to the run. Missouri’s leading the SEC in rushing right now. I don’t know. All right. take us through your uh your pregame uh ritual there. What do you what’s the tailgate looking like? Well, unfortunately, it’s an 11:00 a.m. Central kick, so the tailgate is going to be paired down quite a bit. Yeah. Bacon and eggs. My friend Jared, who’s hosting, does an amazing smoked butt and so get get the ribs and the butt going the night before. Jared has an amazing smoked butt. He does. It’s dectable. Uh juicy and Yeah. No, he starts all this prep, you know, the day before so that it’s ready to go for the spread Saturday morning. But that’s going to be awake and you know get some food in you, get some liquid courage and go into the city. He’s a tiger, right? He’s a tiger. Yeah. Okay. So, are you going to be sitting amongst other Tigers or you section? I’m going to show them how polite and kind Alabama fans are. Some Southeastern hospitality in the Midwest. Oh. Have you been to any other college football games this season? Not this season. No. This is number one. All right. Yeah. Uh we have a game scheduled that we’re going to go out to Oregon and catch the Oregon Minnesota game that’s coming up next month. So, I’m surprising my kids who don’t listen to this podcast, but I’m going to take them out there with me. Oh, they get to experience Austin Stadium. I wanted to pick a game that I thought the Ducks would would definitely have a chance to win. Now, the goal is can they go into that game undefeated. So, we’ll find out this week because they got Indiana coming to Eugene. That’ll be a big one. Uh, let’s bring BK in. BK, I I know that you are fresh off a big college football game that you were in attendance up in Gainesville last night. Went up to Gainesville. Gainesville watched uh the Gator beat Texas. Holy moly. Did you see that coming? I kind of did actually. I kind of did. It’s that whole the I mean I know Texas had a by-week, but Florida you I mean if they didn’t show up or if they didn’t change things heading into this week then man you’d really have to let go of the the staff then. But they made some changes and you know and in Dallas Wilson, holy cow, he’s got a they got a deep threat now. They sure do. And let’s all remember our bold preseason predictions. I told you guys Florida would beat Texas. Did you do? I did. I did. Okay. We’ll have to go back soon. I hear you. I don’t know. But I also didn’t see Florida looking like they did going into that game in the preseason. But yeah, for the Gator. Speaking of butt, did you get any smoked pork butt in Gainesville? I did not. That was strictly a work trip there. Okay. That’s right. You went with our very own Mark Skull Junior. Mark Skull Jr. went up there, too. Yeah. So, yeah, it was a great atmosphere, man. Mark’s a Texas fan. Yeah, he was. He had He was struggling. Our our own Paul Degato was at that game. He said it was one of the loudest games that he’s ever seen. It was uh it was insane. So, that place gets loud. It does. Yeah, it was rocking. I don’t know. Hopefully that means Florida’s turning the corner. Maybe we’ll get into that momentarily. BK, what do we have on today’s big show? Oh, we got a great show tonight and two repeat guests. How about that? I don’t think we’ve ever done that before. Um in the same show. Same show. First up, Kevin Kier, the outlaw is joining us. He’s a coach. Coach Kier to you. World Series champion, too. How about that? man. Yeah, he’s got a he’s got a ring with he might he might be in line for another one. I don’t know. You know, he’s he’s on staff with the Blue Jays uh or has been helping out this year a little bit here and there. So, I I do wonder if he could get a Blue Jays ring if they end up winning the whole thing. How about that? Two time World Series champion. Oh, yeah. He got Dodgers. Yeah. Wow. From last year. And then we’ll talk a little college football with our friend Brett Mcmurphy. All right. going on bring his he’s with on three sports and he’s our insider. Yeah. We’ll find out if uh if Tai Simpson has turned it around and if he’s ready to to hold the Heisman Trophy by season’s end. I hope so. I hope so. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I thought you guys would say that in unison. All right. Thank you, BK. Oh, and the and end end of the show. End of the show, a new game. Hope you guys like it. U so quiz you on football helmets. I’ll just say that. Okay. Do we have a name for this game? It’s called flipping your lid. I like it. He came prepared. Yeah. Flipping your lid. I thought he was going to say no, but by the end of the show, I’ll have a name for it. But no, he’s he’s ready. There you go. It may work out. I don’t know. All right, BK. Thanks, guys. Sounds good. All right. If you’re listening and you want to watch, go to fox13news.com/nodpot. If you’re watching and want to listen or subscribe, you can take out your phone, zap that QR code on the screen, and head to our show page. Feel free to leave a comment on our YouTube channel as well and a fivestar on iTunes. Please subscribe at fox13news.com/nodpod. All right, so we’re going to do a little uh buy or sell. Are you ready for this? No, you had told me to prepare for something else. Yeah. Well, unprepared is how we like to go about these shows. All right, let’s go. How does it work? We’re going to stick uh in the football world, but we’ll do a little NFL and college. Um do you want me to to intermix them or would you like to go NFL together and then go college? Just randomize me. Just randomly throw them out. Yeah, we’ll randomize it. All right. Buy or sell? These are definitive statements that I’m making and and and you can either buy or sell them. Baker Mayfield has the inside track on the NFL MVP award this year. Mayfield buy by by high. Yeah. I mean over,200 yards passing, 10 touchdowns, one interception using his legs and he’s got that clutch factor. So if the Bucks do become a playoff team, which it looks like they will, it’s all about what the team does. That’s who usually the MVP, how they choose that, right? It’s how successful your team is. And that helps. Yeah. So I’m going to buy. Yeah. Yeah, I mean I I was looking at the other potential candidates and again we’re we’re just you know what about a third of the way through the season so we still have a long way to go. Um but it’s hard to argue with it’s not just the numbers for Baker although those are impressive with 10 touchdowns, one interception. Uh he’s been efficient. It it’s what he’s been doing late in these games. I mean if you can be the guy that drags your team across the finish line each and every week. Um and and it seems I know that he has teammates, but it seems like there’s an element to Baker that just wills his team to victory. And uh that to me is what an MVP is all about. So the most valuable player, yeah, I think at this point, five week five games in, it’s Baker Mayfield. Can he keep it going? I mean, Stafford’s got great numbers this year. Jared Goff’s got great numbers. You know, you have Jonathan Taylor’s having a resurgent year with the Indianapolis Colts, but uh for my money, it’s Baker right now. All right, claim two. Miami. This is college football. Miami is the best team in the country. Miami is the best team in the country. I know the AP might disagree, but uh what do you think right now? Snapshot based on everything we have. Yes. Best resume. I mean, you got quality wins over Notre Dame, Florida, Florida State, and USF. And they won those three over the Florida schools in convincing fashion. You know, beat Notre Dame. So, yes, right now they should be the number one team in the country. Yeah, I I tend to agree. And part of that has to do with I I don’t know that I would have said that last week, but when I saw Carson Beck’s performance against Florida State, I felt like, okay, it seems like he’s taking his game to another level. Defensively, this team is has been locked down. I mean, their pass rush is just that is elite. Um, Ruben Bane and company U and I just think that they’re phenomenal defensively, which is quite the script being flipped from last year where it was the offense is just carrying them. this year it kind of felt like defense was carrying him, but they’re making big plays offensively and uh man, so I I I would tend to agree. I have not watched enough Ohio State. I know they’re kind of like the returning national champs that they’re expected to do this much, but um who has who has Ohio State played this season? Well, the win over Texas to open the season, but that looks less impressive now, right? Um and then they’ve kind of played lower competition. They just beat Minnesota in convincing fashion, but who is Minnesota? I guess we’ll find out more, but yeah, right now, you know, Miami clearly has the better resume. Back to the NFL, the one in4 Ravens are not making the playoffs. Oo. Um, sell. I just It’s just something tells me they’re still going to find a way to get it done in that division. In fact, if you look at a lot of the Vegas oddsmakers still have the Ravens as the favorite to win that division with the Steelers right behind them there. Let me get to my uh standings here. Yeah. Yeah. And so it becomes it’s really comes down, can they get more? They have one win right now. What do you need to get to the playoffs? Well, win your division. What will you need for that? You need nine wins at least, you would think. You would think. Can they get eight more? I look at their schedule here and I think they’re about to lose to the Rams at this time. Lamar’s still uncertain for the game. But I can find one, two, three, four, five. I can find I can find I think you can find eight. can find. It’s going to depend what you do in those two games against the Steelers cuz you, you know, the Bengals awful. Um, Browns shaky and and part of that is can the rest of that division kind of um level out as well, you know, with the the Steelers sitting right now top three three- one. The the Bengals are obviously a team that is flailing. Uh the Browns, no bueno, right? So, I do think that they certainly have a chance to go ahead and win this division. and they still have plenty of within division games where they can, you know, you could get a a nine- win team. It could be the the Didn’t the the Bucks win at 8 and N a couple years ago? They did. You could see something like that, I think, in the AFC North this year. Uh they were listless last week against the the Texans, but they have played a real tough group of teams out of the gates. Once they get Lamar back and that hamstrings feeling good, I think that you have a Ravens team that’s probably going to make the playoffs. Um, all right. Claim number four. The Florida Gator have turned the corner and Billy Napier will not be fired this season. Buy. You’re buying. Yeah, I’m buying. Uh, maybe it’s kind of a There was two claims in there. I don’t know if you want both of them, but it’s a package deal. I don’t They’ve turned the corner. If they turn the corner, he won’t be fired. I agree with that. I think that is a package deal. Okay. And I think they have turned the corner. I just now again Texas maybe they’re not as good as we thought. I I still think Texas’s defense is really good and DJ Lagway finally showed what he can do and having Dallas Wilson there. I think that’s huge and and Florida’s defense can play with anyone in the country. They got So yes, I now are they going to lose more games? Yeah, they’ve got Texas A&M coming up this weekend on the road. Maybe a loss there. Mississippi State, Georgia, I think they could beat Georgia. Kentucky, that’s a win. Old Miss is going to be tough. Tennessee. Those could that could go either way. And then you close with Florida State. But I think they turned a corner. I think just from a confidence standpoint to to beat a team like that and to get the juice from from your home crowd in that game. I I do feel like that’s one of the things that this team was missing was just confidence and for as nebulous as that is, uh I do think they gained some of that this last weekend. So yeah, I do think that they’ve turned the corner and I don’t expect Billy Aper to be fired this season. So we’ll just keep it in college football since you mentioned the team. Uh, the Texas Longhorns, they have two losses through five games. They still have U Vandy. Didn’t think I didn’t utter that sentence a couple years ago. U Vandy, Georgia, and&m on the schedule. The Longhorns will finish with four or more losses this season. Four or more losses. Okay, let me glance at the schedule. I think they’re losing to Oklahoma even if Matier doesn’t play. Really? Yeah. Yeah. Oklahoma’s defense is really good. Um, Kentucky, they’re going to beat Mississippi State’s going to be tough, but I’ll give them a win there. Maybe they lose to Vandy at Then you got Georgia and and Georgia Kirby always out coaches Sarkc. Uh, yeah, I I will buy that they’re going to lose four games this season. Yeah, I think so, too. Yeah, I might I might tag him. Unless Arch just has some kind of awakening, but it could happen, you know, but uh yeah, there’s some things offensively that need they need squared away. All right, to the NFL. AFC West is going to come down to the Broncos or the Chargers. The team I’m leaving out, of course, would be the Kansas City Chiefs. Is it the Broncos and Chargers division to win this year? Buy. You’re buying. Yeah. And and you know there were I this is something that was talked about preseason was that Chiefs what they had last year and yes they made it all the way to the Super Bowl but had so many one score one possession wins and you kind of felt like it might go the other way this year and so far this has you can never really count Pat Mahomes and Reed out but I think the u both the Broncos and the Chargers are playing at a higher level now so I will buy that Bronc the Chargers sliding the last couple of weeks but um I do like the Broncos and if I could just pat myself on the back. I did pick them to win the division back on episode 134. Uh and I said they would finish with a 12 and5 record. So, um I think I’m going to hold with that. I think I’m going to hold with that. I like what Bon Knicks is doing. All right, back to college football. Texas Tech is your runaway Big 12 champ. Texas Tech, I think currently eighth in the country if if I my memory serves me right. Somewhere in there. They’ve dominated every team that they’ve played, but they really have not played anybody of uh of repute. They are currently ninth in the country. ninth. Haven’t played. Well, did they not beat Utah on the road? I believe they did, which was and that was my preseason pick. And I still think Utah’s going to factor in here. I still think they’ve got a good squad. So, no, I’m not ready to buy that they’re the runaway winner, that Texas Tech is the runaway Big 12 winner because BYU is still out there and they’ve got a really solid team. So even though te I’ll tell you Texas Tech’s defense may be the best in the country but and it looks like they’ve got not one but two quarterbacks that can play but that’s such just such a wild conference. I’m not ready to say that they’re running away with it. Yeah, I I do think that they are going to end up running away with this one and and I did pick Iowa State at the beginning of the season and part of it was it was just such a muddled conference. A lot of teams that could have won it could have stepped out. Um but at this point, man, I think Texas Tech is is clearly the best team in the conference. All right. Uh, back to the NFL. Uh, my another one of my preseason predictions. You can see this segment was handcrafted by yours truly. Uh, that Daniel Jones will be this year’s Sam Darnold. That is a true statement. Yeah, you have already. I mean, I cannot do anything but buy that. I mean, that you were absolutely right about that. Thank you. I just wanted to hear we can move on after that. I just wanted to hear you say that. Um, all right. Final college football buy or sell. USF will be your G5 playoff team. Uh, for the hometown team, I’ll say yes. I’m gonna buy this. They’re And I was so close when we did our preseason predictions to putting USF instead of who was my group of Memphis, I believe. Was it was it Me? I believe it was Memphis. And I think that could be the one obstacle to USF doing this is Memphis is in their division in the in their conference in the America. And Memphis is playing good ball, but USF has a better resume at this point. Yeah, I think so. I mean, I it will be interesting once they get kind of up challenged against some of these better teams within the conference. No. Dang it. I said two lane. Oh, you did. But two lane’s still in the mix, too. But I Okay, I’m going to put USF in here. We’re riding USF. I’m going to buy that as well. My my last buy or sell for the NFL. The Eagles may be 4- one, but they’re not as good as their record may indicate. And their record is 4- one. Uh sell. I will sell only because I saw what they did. The Bucks, the Buccaneers are a really good team and I saw what they did to the Bucks on the road a couple of weeks ago. That Eagles team is good. Yes, they last year Super Bowl run, they had these periods where their offense fell off and looked unproductive and unexplosive and AJ Brown wasn’t getting the ball and other playmakers aren’t getting the ball and they came out of that and they won a Super Bowl. So, no, I’m I’m not buying that one. Okay. Uh I am buying it. Um because I don’t think the Eagles are as good as the record may indicate. I think that there is there are some uh deficiencies in this team. I don’t think they they play a full 60-minute football game. That game against the Bucks. I think the Bucks probably should have won. Honestly, I I thought the the Bucks for a majority of that game were I thought the Bucks had put on their necks and let them up at the end. Okay, but that’s a problem, right? They they lit up clearly way too early. The Bucks gave them the ball how many times? I mean, they they turned it over on downs twice. They had a block punt that was returned for a touchdown and then the Bucks also fumbled and threw. You can’t say the Bucks gave them a block punt. The Eagles took the They took the ball from them on. Sure, they did. But I mean, that’s how football goes. Like you’re you know, some of the best I just feel like some of those turnovers were pretty fluky. Like the throw that Baker Mayfield makes in the end zone is I mean that’s his only interception of the season. It was an awful throw. Shouldn’t have never made it. the Bucky one, the Bucky fumble. Everybody can take issue with that. Was that actually a fumble or not? Um, am I thinking about the right game? Maybe I’m Is that the Jets? I don’t know. Either way, you turn the ball over three times. Your point is you don’t think the Eagles are as good as their record. Correct. All right. Coming up on the other side. It is time to chat with our good friend, now a FOD friend of the show, Kevin K. Coach Kmire is joining us next on the North Days Podcast. Welcome back to the No Off Days podcast. You know, a few weeks back the Toronto Blue Jays were in town visiting your Rays and and I see in the broadcast that who is in the Blue Jays dugout, but Kevin Kirmire sitting there and he was he was a coach. So, you know, and I figured now that those Blue Jays are red hot in the postseason and and they could be in line for the AL pennent, now seems as good a time as any to catch up with KK to figure out what he’s been doing and why he’s hanging out with the Blue Jays all of a sudden. Here’s our interview. So, I wanted to kind of get an idea of of what you’re up to these days because we did see you in that the Blue Jays dugout and curious like what you’re doing. Are are you still doing the are you a special assistant with the Blue Jays? What does that entail and require of you? Yeah, that’s that’s like the the title of special assistant and um but outfield specialist. So I I wasn’t like a normal special assistant, but that is like the title. I said I didn’t care. It was pretty much where I said, “Hey, can I can I be around and yet still feel retired in a way where it’s like, please allow me to do what I want to do and and just like view me as a bonus whenever I show up.” So, what came along with that was I had to do three to four days of spring training uh the whole time and just kind of picked my days and we we figured out a schedule. I just I enjoy having a uniform on and um it was uh it was the best thing for me to like ease into retirement my first year just to be around the field still because I would have went crazy if I didn’t have that in my life at all. And uh but it it was perfect man. I heard your your title was outfield whisperer. Is that outfield whisperer? Yeah, that’s I I definitely uh self uh prescribed that to myself. So, outfield whisperer specialist, whatever you want to call it, but um I I learned a lot from it. I feel like I figured I was going to love it and I did and it’s something that I want to do for a long time. Well, my my 12U fall league chim changangas could probably use a defensive specialist, not me, but um so you you’re watching these playoffs take place and you got your your last two teams that look like they they might be meeting in the World Series. I mean, is that kind of your rooting interest to see those two teams clash in the World Series? Yeah, 100%. I uh I I love all the teams that are that are in it. So, it’s it’s a playoffs that I’ve already like been invested before it even it happened. Like all the best teams were were there pretty much. And uh may the best team win, but go Blue Jays. And it’d be it’d be fun to to watch the Dodgers as well. When was the last time you wore your World Series ring? The other day actually I did a podcast with my buddy and I had to show it off. Um, and it’s fun. That thing is beautiful. Not an everyday thing. No, I’m I’m not I’m not that guy. I got to get your thoughts on on Ray’s ownership change. Obviously, this just went down this last week, but it seems like a group that’s committed to keeping it here. Uh, that’s at least baseball has kind of set out there. I guess we’re gonna hear from them from the media side um tomorrow, but uh what do you think about how it all went down and what it means for the future of baseball here in Tampa Bay. Yeah, it’s uh I I think uh you know a change change change is good sometimes and uh you know Stu what what he did along with everyone else you know they gave it they gave it a heck of a run and and I was a part of so many of those teams and it was it was such a blast but with all the things that have happened the last couple years it’s just like man they’re trying to like there’s just so many plans and whatever and and certain things fell through and whatnot but I think everyone around here as long as there’s baseball in the area I I think people are going to be happy and I know, you know, still so many people saying, you know, is it coming to Tampa? Is it staying in St. Pete? Who knows? But as long as like Rays fans and and people around this area, the great baseball fans that are here, can have a team to root for, I think that is, uh, you know, the most important thing, but and all the other things that fall into place after that. Um, you know, there’s a lot of important people that have to make very important decisions and get everything into place. But um you know, Ray’s always de near and dear to my heart. It’s the the team that gave me my life and everything. So I hope uh you know, whatever they choose to do, it’s just to to win games and and put uh you know, the organization on the map where it’s like, hey, this is this is how we’re going to do things from here on out and just get everybody excited. And uh I mean, you’re going to be in the AL, so you’re going to have to compete with some really good teams for for years to come. So, um it’ll be very interesting how they move forward, but uh very exciting as well. Reading between the lines, uh increase the payroll. Is that what if if they came and asked? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, definitely you would once again, I mean, uh we we we contradict that cuz we were top five, lowest payroll my whole career there, but had some of the best teams in baseball. So you you can win with a certain recipe, but certainly to uh you know compete with some of these other teams and and some teams just not really caring what they got to pay guys. It’s like hey like we’re doing this to try to win games, win World Series and and have a lot of wins here and I hope they’re just on the same page with that and yeah, maybe a little little bump in the Well, we’ve seen the other side of that. I mean, you could you could open up the the wallet and, you know, a certain team that will remain nameless still didn’t make the playoffs this year despite spending big. So, you know, you still got to you got to find the right correct. Um, but if if they can uh, you know, have a little bit of room to grow there where they can go get some premier guys every now and then, I think, you know, that’s always exciting as well. So, um, once again, you know, there’s going to be some important people over there in the race that got to make some important decisions and figure out how they want to navigate um, with this, uh, new chapter. But once again, very exciting to see what’s going to come of it. And, uh, I think everybody in this whole region is excited to hear like what what plan will be set in place and hopefully for years to come. All right, before we let you go, I I know your 10-month old daughter is is napping. The boys are going to be home from school here probably soon. What What’s your role then? What What do you do? How How are you going to attack? Is this a zone defense, you and your wife? Yeah, we’re zone we’re zone defense. We’re outnumbered, but uh you know, I tell everybody it’s it’s chaotic. It’s hectic, but it’s nothing we can’t handle. And uh they’re at such a fun age right now where they definitely keep us on our toes and uh keep keep things interesting at the house always. but they’re they’re great kids and do great at school and um you know they mean well. So I’m I’m a proud parent and I’m just going to I got a lot to learn as well. So with uh you know where my career is going to go post playing and and just being a dad for the rest of forever. Uh I got my hands full, but I just like staying busy and occupied and in a variety of of many different ways. So life is good. You’re in the sweet spot, man. enjoy it and keep us updated on whatever that next uh change is in in career-wise and family-wise and all that, but it’s always great to catch up, KK. Yeah, thanks Scott. Thanks for having me, my man. So, I I did ask about the the Dodgers ring, but I didn’t ask if he was going to be able to get a Blue Jays ring should they win the World Series this year. I I hope that’s coming his way. Feels like he could. I mean, another one for the other hand or one for the pinky. You know what I mean? Anyway, coming up on the other side, it’s time to talk a little college football. We have Brett Mcmurphy from On Three get his take on some of the big storylines going on in college football as we speak. That’s next on the nod. So many college football questions to get to this week, Chris. And we’re we’re getting some prime time matchups, some big ones. We got we got Indiana and Oregon. We got Alabama and and uh Mazou. I mean, we got some big Don’t forget the Red River rivalry. We got Oklahoma and Texas. Is Texas are they actually for real or are are we seeing a team that’s fading fast? For more on that, let’s jump into our interview this week with on 3’s Brett McMury. Well, we are joined by college football insider with on three Brett Mcmurphy with us today. And Brett, you just came out a story that uh on what’s required of Billy Napier in order to keep his job at Florida. And the word miracle is used. So, uh, you got five of their last seven opponents are against teams that are currently in the AP top 25 in light of the win against Texas. Do you see this team as now a team maybe capable of pulling off that miracle? Scott, I think that’s probably what’s most frustrating for Florida fans is they see the potential of these teams, but then they don’t deliver. You know, Billy’s in his fourth year at Florida. He’s he’s 21 and 22 overall. Um he’s never been more than two games over 500 in his career at Florida, which has been pretty frustrating. Um you know, you mentioned the the five ranked opponents down the stretch. There is the opportunity there to stack up some quality wins to basically save his job, but I’m told he needs to win at least eight games. Uh they’re currently two and three. So, uh that’s a six in one finish. Can that happen? Sure. Um is it likely? probably not. Um the biggest issue is, you know, you look at the history of Florida, it’s past 75 years, Napier is the 12th head coach Florida’s had. He’s the only one that has not finished one season in his career ranked in the AP top 25. Um that’s not a good sign. Uh, you know, the people that I’ve talked to um in Gainesville say that, you know, while Billy is basically doing everything right, and I I quoted some somebody in my story today, you know, he does everything right between Sunday and Friday, but Saturdays are just nightmares sometimes. And that’s the inability to have 11 men on the field a lot of the times. Um, last year he was, you know, urged to get a offensive coordinator for this year, something that supposedly he had agreed agreed to. He never did that. Um, you know, he has had some big wins, but they’ve all been in Gainesville, 5-2 in Gainesville against ranked opponents, on the road against ranked opponents, away from Gainesville, 0 and13. They go to number five Texas A&M Saturday. If it’s another blowout loss, I think it’s, you know, whatever whatever good he built up with the Texas win, you know, the analogy I used, it’s like just popping the balloon. All the air comes out again. So, but if they can win at&m, then maybe there is something they’re building. But again, you look at the past four years, pretty much every positive has followed up with the Pratt fall, if you will. And um I’ve been told the big money people are basically they’re they’re over him. They’re done with it. They’re just waiting to to move on. When that happens exactly, who knows? But again, barring a an Al Michaels, do you believe in miracles finish here down the stretch, um, Billy won’t be back in 2026. Wow. Um, all right. Speaking of the team that they just topped in the swamp, um, yeah, I looked at your your latest bowl projections and we got Texas in the Chee It Bowl. Uh, not sure that that was what they thought when they went into this season. Uh the the great Arch hype has kind of drifted back down to lower orbit here. Is ash is Arch a cautionary tale or is he a guy that you think can still regain his luster? Look, I mean it’s un it’s unfair the expectations that were put on him. And I want to I want to be clear Arch did not call Arch was not out promoting himself. He’s not on TikTok. he’s not doing all this stuff saying look at me look at me because of his name because you know he’s at the University of Texas that was put on him by other people. It was unfair. It was unreasonable. That’s why before this season I said um Texas will not win the national title and Arch Manning will not win the Heisman Trophy. It’s not that I didn’t think they couldn’t or they shouldn’t. It’s just there was no way they would ever meet these expectations. And once you have all those expectations, all anyone wants to do is tear tear you down, knock you down. Now, Arch has not played well at all. Texas has not played well at all. They’re not in my top they’re not in my top 25 ballot this week. Uh you mentioned I’ve I’ve got them in the I think in the cheese bowl this this week. Um you know, that’s because of name only, you know, or I or I would drop them drop them lower. Hey, maybe Tampa, maybe they’ll be in the Gasparilla Bowl. Who knows? Um but yeah, I mean, look, they can still get to the SEC title game. They’ve got to run the table. This is a huge game Saturday in Dallas against Oklahoma. Um but yeah, you know, here we are, uh with the loss, Texas, the preseason number one would be three and three after six games. I don’t think even with the overhyped expectations, no one would have believed that. But they are they are um about to join um rare history here. Um, and Lane Keifin will gladly uh move over and let them join him. Keifin is the only coach that started the season ranked number one in the preseason AP poll that finished the year unranked when he was at USC. And certainly Texas could could become the next if if they don’t uh start winning down the stretch. So what what most people are focused in on is uh obviously playoff projections and you also issue your latest update on that. And I noticed just your group of five team, it’s a different team out of the American Conference than many of us here in Tampa think it’s going to be in USF. Why do you have Memphis over USF? Yeah, I just have Memphis. I mean, right, you know, I hate when people say honestly because that means okay, you’re not being honest the rest of the time. But honestly, if I could, I would just put American Conference champ for that for that spot. Uh, it’s not that I like Memphis over USF. It’s not that I like USF over two lane. It’s not that I like Twain over Navy. It’s just I I Memphis has the most recent quality win. They won um you know, they beat Arkansas. Uh they are undefeated still. So I I just have them there. It it’s it’s take it with a grain of salt. I’m sure USF people want to see the USF name up there. It’s it doesn’t matter. It really doesn’t. Boise State is basically out of the running. really the only other group of five conference that has a chance is um Old Dominion has quietly put together a really good season. Um if they’re currently 4- one, if they go 12-1, uh they have a win over Virginia Tech. They only lost at Indiana by 13. They could get up into the mix, but they would have to run the table. Um I don’t think that’s likely. I think basically it’s going to be the American champion whether it’s USF, Memphis, Twain, Navy, heck, North Texas, Friday night, North Texas is undefeated. Nobody’s talking about them. So, um, that’s not necessarily that I believe Memphis is the team. It’s just because my editors won’t let me put American Conference champ in that spot. Well, I I know somebody that will probably agree with you that these early projections probably don’t matter. Um, and that would be Alex Skolish himself, head coach of the Bulls. Um, I I want to get your thoughts on the the second iteration of Scott Frost at UCF. Uh, do you feel like it’s going in the right direction? I know they’ve kind of struggled with keeping quarterbacks and keeping him healthy and kind of rotating those guys through. What do you think of his his second run so far? Yeah. Well, he’s he’s lost more games, right? He’s not undefeated. Um, the the loss against Kansas Saturday was a tough loss. they, you know, got down to the goal line to tie it, potentially send it into overtime and couldn’t punch it in. I mean, I, you know, really I I don’t know yet because, you know, they’re they’re three and two in their wins, Jacksonville State, North Carolina ENT, and North Carolina. You know, that North Carolina win was dominating, but, you know, who hasn’t dominated North Carolina this year? They they’ve looked awful under Bill Bich. So, now they’re getting into the teeth of the Big 12 schedule. Um, you know, they go from Kansas State, who’s very good, but has been disappointing. They played Kansas, which has one of the best offenses in the Big 12. Now they go with Cincinnati, which is probably the the hottest team in the Big 12. They are coming off a win against Iowa State. Um, I I think it’s going to take some time. I don’t think year one it’s you’re going to see a magical uh double-digit win season at UCF. I think a more realistic goal is um to get to six wins, get to a bowl game. um and then build from there. But I it’s going to take some time. But you can see you can see, you know, some similarities from what Frost um did offensively his first uh time in Orlando compared with now. I I just think it it’s going to take a little bit for for UCF to um to get up where they can contend uh in the Big 12. I’d like to ask you about your alma mater. Uh some news this year. I have been on record on this podcast of being a Mike Gundy defender. Um, but you know, two years ago they won 10 games and I realized the last season and a half have been dreadful in Stillwater. But, um, is is this this is the narrative has been he he’s been a coach that’s been unwilling or unable to adapt to the the new state of college football. Is that your read on this or do you think that there’s something else involved here? Uh, I don’t know if unable to adapt. I think maybe slow to adapt. Um, you know, and and another thing is, you know, look, he got blasted when before they played Oregon and then the Cowboys got blasted as well, but he got blasted in the media because he said, you know, look, we don’t have the money that Oregon has. They’ve got more money. Um, so sure, they should be better than us, paraphrasing him, which you know what, that’s accurate, you know, whether people like it or not. Um, and so in today’s, you know, in college football environment, I if you don’t have the money, yeah, you can pull off an upset on Saturday, but the other 364 days a year, you’re at a huge disadvantage trying to compete against those programs. So, you know, like a lot of schools, Oklahoma State had to take a lot of transfers. Um, and when you can’t, you don’t pay as much as other schools, you know, the quality isn’t as great as some of these other schools. um you’re not going to sign the same kids uh you know that are going to Ohio State, that are going to Oregon, um that are going to Texas, etc. And so, you know, when you’re taking in transfers from the from the from the Mid-American when you’re adding division two guys, I mean, you may find a you know, diamond in the rough, if you will, but you know, for the most part, you’re going to end up looking like Oklahoma State looks like. And certainly, they have fallen off a cliff. Um, you know, whether they it was the right time to to fire Mike or not, you know, people can debate that. I think it was pretty obvious that that this would be the final season. Whether they should have done that in season or not, you know, who knows? You appease the fan base, I guess. But, um, you know, I hated I hated to see it happen. I mean, the the guy’s been, you know, alive for 58 years, and 33 of his 58 years, he’s been either a player, an assistant coach, or head coach at Oklahoma State. So, he is Oklahoma State. One day, they’ll name the field after him, probably throw a statue up uh several years down the road. But, um, yeah, it’s just it’s unfortunate. It’s it’s just the way college football is. What have you done for me lately? And um you know Oklahoma State had some tremendous teams the past few years uh under Gundy but but the past couple years yeah it just man they just they they sunk to the bottom really really fast. Um SEC currently have nine teams in the AP top 20 uh and four undefeated. I’m not sure that it’s a it doesn’t come down to a strength of schedule here in the first part of the season but you got miss&m Missou and Oklahoma are your undefeated teams. Maybe some schedule is tougher than others, but what do you think, regardless of whatever their their record is to this point, is the most balanced or dangerous team coming out of the SEC? Let me get a hat and I’ll I’ll draw a name. I’ll draw a name out. You know, I think it’s funny. If you would asked me this question, say back uh the first week of September, I would have had seven guesses and not picked this team. But I think it may be Alabama. um you know the the whatever happened at Florida State happened. And look, Florida State’s better than than a lot of people thought they would be going into the season. Um but since that since that Florida State game, Alabama has has been very dominating. They’ve looked like the team a lot of people thought they would look like. Tai Simpson has looked really good at quarterback. Um you know, they’ve they’ve got the athletes. They’ve always had the athletes. They’ve done great job recruiting. And for their schedule, their schedule sets up nicely, which I think is a will dictate, you know, potentially who can win the SEC. They get Tennessee at home, LSU, Oklahoma at home, and their toughest road games at Missouri this week, at South Carolina. That’s basically nothing. Then at Auburn in the in the finale, uh, the Iron Bowl. So, um, I would probably say Alabama Scott. But the big thing that I’ve had to get used to with the new expanded playoff than say you know way way back in the old days like uh oh say two years ago is you don’t have to win the conference title to to one get to the college football playoff or win the college football playoff. And so right now you mentioned my bold projections. I’ve got five SEC teams projected as making the playoff. Now, some of these guys are going to beat up on each other. But I think if you’re an SEC team and you get the 10 wins and you reeled off the list of undefeated teams, there’s another handful that are only have one loss right behind them. If you get the 10 and two in the SEC, it’s going to be impossible, but nearly impossible to keep keep them out of the college football playoff. So, I think Alabama’s built the best offensively and defensively, but there’s half a dozen teams that could get there and then once they’re there, kind of like Ohio State last year, whoever gets hot, you know, pretty much it’s up for grabs for anybody. Well, that is music to the ears of my co-host and my producer of this podcast, both Bama guys. All right. Um, so I got some games against the spread this week. Got some huge games this week. So, you don’t you can just we can rapid fire it, but let me lay them out for you. So Bama obviously 2 and 1/2 point favorite at Missou. Wow. This this line opened up five or six and it’s down to two and a half. It’s too low. I’m going to take Alabama. I know everyone likes Missouri because Alabama’s playing sandwich spot off Vanderbilt off Georgia and they’ve got Tennessee next week, but I think Bama’s too strong. Missouri hasn’t played anybody yet. They’re undefeated. Ohio State 14 and a half point favorites in Champagne at Illinois. It’s never smart to lay double digits on the road, but nobody’s ever accused me of being smart. I like Ohio State. I think Illinois is um overrated is the wrong word, but I think Indiana exposed them. Ohio State quietly as one of the best defenses in the country. All right, big one out west. Oregon seven and a half point favorites as they host Indiana. Indiana when they’re not playing a top five or top 10 team is, you know, can be charged for assault for how bad they beat some of these teams. Oregon, however, is one of those teams in the top five. Indiana has not won or covered against teams ranked in the top 10 under Signetti. I think the streak continues. I think Oregon pulls away from the Hooers. Texas one and a half point favorites in the Red River against Oklahoma. Yeah, no idea if John Matir is going to play. Uh, you know, for people trying to figure out, don’t worry about watching the pregame warm-ups. I guarantee you he will be dressed out. I guarantee you he will take pregame snaps, but no one will know until kickoff if if he’s playing or not. Um, this is a desperate spot for Texas. The the history of this series is take the underdog. Um I I think though how desperate Texas is. Um I’m going to go with Texas even though they are the slight favorite&m seven and a half point favorites hosting Florida. Yeah. Well, I talked about Florida and their struggles on the road. Ow and 13 on the road against ranked opponents. Uh you’re up one week. Seesaw, you’re down the next. I’m going to lay seven and a half with Texas A&M who, you know, we talked about teams that can win the SEC. I totally blanked on them. Uh Marcel Marcel Reed at quarterback. Uh they certainly are a contender. I think Texas A&M wins this game by double digits. And that’s the air out of the balloon that you were referencing earlier, right? So uh USC two and a half point favorites hosting Michigan. This is like this is one of the sneaky good games of the of the weekend. Um you know, Michigan’s talking trash that the only reason the Coliseum sold out is because USC is playing Michigan. Uh Lincoln Riley, they have one of the best offenses, if not the best offense in the country. Um with Lincoln Riley, uh I’m going to take the the Trojans uh is the slight favorite to somehow get it done uh on the left coast. All right, my last one. I know we’ve gone the gauntlet here. Uh Georgia, three and a half point favorites at Auburn. Yeah, this it’s like this is you this is one of those like, okay, why is the line so low? They’re they’re begging you to take Georgia. Um I’m not going to fall for it. I’m going to take Auburn, the home dog. Desperate situation. Uh they need it badly. Uh look, you need every game badly in the SEC, but um I think Hugh Fes gets a huge win at home against the Dogs. Great stuff. He is brett_mcmurphy on X. Uh and you can read his fabulous work over at onree.com. Brett, I appreciate your time. Thanks, Scott. Always nice to catch up with Brett. Coming up on the other side, it’s time to test your knowledge in football helmets. I think he said football helmets. Yeah, flip your lid. We’re about to flip our lid. BK joins us with our fun block coming up next. Welcome back to the No Off Days podcast. It is time for our fun block. So, with that, let’s bring in Brian King. He puts the AI in Brian. And I’m assuming that this game is a AI infused game. Is it? Uh, well, just the intro. Okay. Just the intro. I mean, I game. All right. Our favorite thing with your new graphics package that you installed is are these great intros that you made. This one is topnotch. This one is Well, wait till you see it. It’s going to blow you away. You ready to see it now? I kind of want to build it up a little bit more. Let’s build it up some more. How many hours a day do you spend playing with AI tools? Really not that much because I can only do it for three tries and then I’m done. So free sample. Yeah. And so this one you’ll see the third try. Hey, you get what you get. All right. Drum roll, please. Without further ado, intro your segment. It is flipping your lid. Nice. How’s that? Oh man, I love it. Yeah, it was nice. Would have been better if Scott and my head collided. I should have done that. I was trying to Those helmets are interlocked now. Well, they’re flipped. Oh, I see. flipping. My my big plan was to have like helmets flipping on your your heads back and forth, you know, flipping your lids. Like my helmet jumps onto his head, something like that. But then Scott’s head helmet would never fit on my giant head. He looked like the Space Balls guy, you know. Dark helmet. Yes. So I said, “We can’t do that.” So you went over my helmet. Here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to show you pictures of helmets. Okay. And these are football helmets. be college, pro, but there’s nothing really obscure, but it could be like a throwback helmet. Okay. Okay. And just from the pictures alone, you’re going to try to tell me what this team is. Okay. So, we get I gave you an easy one to start off with. Okay. Just so you can get your feet wet and everything with this. So, let’s see the first one. Look at that. Do you have any idea what that helmet is? I have I mean I have Oh, um, you just showed us a little bit more. It looks like it’s a Buccaneers helmet. That is it. Simple. So, that is Well, it said I don’t know if you caught that, but it said Buccaneers on the chin strap there. Yeah. Did it really? That’s why it was a test one. I’m going to guess Buccaneers. Okay, that was a test one. So, good job. So, that’s all this is. Okay. So, simple enough. Let’s roll the second one there, Chris. Boom. Okay. So, it I mean it looks like maybe a a Raiders cub. No, that’s not Raiders. Oh, I know the Bengals. Um, it’s their alternates. Oh, good call, man.Ro, good job, man. That’s a cool helmet. It’s a cool helmet. Yeah, it’s one of my favorite helmet. You don’t like it? No. I like that helmet, man. Too distracting. Oh, I like that helmet. Stormtrooper helmet. That’s what that is. Let’s try number three. Joe Flacco is going to be wearing that helmet. That’s Boom. Oh, I mean, it looks Browns. It looks like the Browns, but that would be too simple. I’m going to say Arizona State. Syracuse. Arizona State. Or who? What? You sure? Syracuse. Well, it’s orange, right? No, it is Arizona State. Well, let’s see it. Arizona State. Once again, foiled by my lack of being able to tell colors. My rods and cones. Rods and cones. Yeah, that’s a cool helmet. I mean, they use that other one with the what, the trident or whatever the fork. No, that’s more of their old school tradition. I know, but that’s the one they should be using. I mean, that’s the I think that’s the best one of the whole bunch. Running with the pitchfork. Cool color. Mhm. I like it. Those are the Pat Telman era. All right, here we go. Third one. They may get a little tougher. Uh, it’s got a pony on it. Yeah. Uh, Ohio State. I guess that looks like No, but it had a horse galloping on the side. Oh. Oh, the the Birmingham Stallions. No, the No, the Mu Riders. No, the It’s the Tampa team. Memphis Show. The Tampa Bandits. The Bandits. The Orlando Storm. Okay. Tampa Bay Bandits. There we go. Man, what a what a franchise they had. That was They were just rocking here. Then that’s another cool helmet. That and the Stallions I I think were the two best helmets of the USFL. Anything with a horse usually. Good. Good. How about another one? Yes. Let’s roll it. Oh boy. Okay. This looks like a maybe an arena football league. No football. Uh college football. Let’s go. Cincinnati. No. Bearcats. Uh bowling greens. Who? The Beavers. There you go. Bees. That’s close enough. So, there you go. Oregon State. I like airs, too. Leave it to bees. Yeah, man. That beaver’s got some furious mers. I feel like it’s progressing too quickly. We’re We’re giving it away. I think we need to be able to deliberate. I think we need to pause on that second frame would be ideal. Well, really? Yeah. See, I did it and it was too It’s already It’s okay. It’s okay. All right. Next time. Next flipping your lids. How about the last one? Yeah. Okay. Uh, I’m gonna go New York Giants or SMU. Maybe that’s the American Conference. No, that’s AF AFC. So, Denver Broncos. Yeah, Denver. Good job. Got have the big D. There it is. It does. It really The coloring. I mean, that that did that looked like it was red to me. But it’s But our monitors out here, right? Yeah. Yeah. My rods and cones. Is that contagious? Oh, I hope not. Or else you’re going to be blind by the end of the show. But see, another good horse logo. You got to have the horse. It makes a helmet. I that I love that that version of the That’s the one they should wear all the time. I think they really should. And I think the Dolphins should go back to their old logo, too. Yeah. I I agree. It’s kind of sif font there. Is it? I don’t I was going to go Times New Roman. Oh, okay. Of course. It looks kind of like our our D here. Not Not far away from that. We just can we put a horse in there? A real We got a live one. Hey, get I eye on that. I will. I will next time. Flipping your lid, ladies and gentlemen. Flipping your lid. I like tweak it. Don’t flip through the screen so fast. Is there a way we could just see the uh animation again? Just watch that one more time. Here we go. In the machine. Oh yeah. Oh, there we go. Our lid. This has been flipping your lid right here on the no off days with your host Scott and Chris. I love it. Yeah. I I want this segment even if it’s a totally different game. I just want to see this animation run again. Very good. All right. Thanks. Appreciate it. Fun game. And if you guys have ideas for games, uh, feel free to, uh, Brian does not accept email. You have to, uh, handwrite a letter to his home address. And I will provide that link at the bottom of the show. Uh, much thanks to our guest this week, Kevin Kier, and, uh, Brett McMury from On3 Sports. Uh, good stuff this week talking a little bit of baseball, college football, NFL, and much thanks to our Nod Pod crew. We got Rochelle over there on the jib. We got Chris on the ones and twos for BK in the booth and KO. I’m Scott. Until next time we’re on. There are no off days. Hey, have a safe trip to I can’t wait for that smoked butt. Make sure it’s Columbia, Missouri. Missouri and not here. There are 20 Colombia in the United States.
College Football Insider Brett McMurphy shares the latest rumblings from Florida Football and Billy Napier’s need for a miracle finish. Plus, former Ray Kevin Kiermaier talking MLB Playoffs this week on the NODPOD.
Welcome to the full video episodes of the “No Off Days with Scott Smith” podcast! FOX 13 News Tampa Bay’s Sports Director Scott Smith is joined by news anchor and part time funny man Chris Cato, plus producer Brian King, to talk about the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Tampa Bay Rays, and Tampa Bay Rowdies. The guys interview sports legends and major players from FOX Sports, plus discuss the state of play in everything from golf to goalies. #nodpod #nooffdays #sports
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