TCU wide receiver Jordyn Bailey gives his mother, Casaundra, all the credit for shaping him into the man he is today—alongside his faith in God. So, Big Stories host Cleon Wall set out to discover what makes Casaundra so special. How did she raise not just one, but two standout football players—one thriving in the Big 12 and the other chasing his NFL dream?

The Big Stories podcast brings you the top 5 stories from week zero of college football, and the majority of the talk centered around Iowa State and Kansas State playing in Ireland in the Farmageddon rivalry game. We also discuss Kansas' return to Booth Memorial Stadium and Oklahoma State's biggest storylines of the season.

Podcasters featured in this episode:

Derek Johnson - Locked on Jayhawks

Tyler Carter - BLEAV in Iowa State podcast

Drew Galloway - KSO Show

Cody Stovall - Locked on Oklahoma State

Almost a year before Kansas State stepped on the field against rival Iowa State in Ireland, Wildcat quarterback Avery Johnson dedicated the 2024 season to his former high school principal, Chris Botts. The Maize High School boss has a rare form of cancer, and Johnson was hoping to raise money for Botts every time he scored a touchdown. The plan worked better than expected. In this podcast episode, we get a medical update from Chris and discover why Avery and other Maize High students have such affection for their principal.

BYUradio’s Big Stories podcast is getting even bigger. Host Cleon Wall and the Big Stories team will continue telling the inspirational tales from across the Big 12—but now, they’re also diving into the biggest moments on the field and court.

Since it’s Week Zero and three Big 12 teams are kicking off the season—including Kansas State and Iowa State in the legendary “Farmageddon” rivalry—we’re spotlighting the biggest narrative surrounding each team heading into the 2025 season.

Podcasters:

Damon Fairall - PHNX Arizona Wildcats Podcast

Anthony Totri – PHNX Arizona State Sun Devils Podcast

Ashley Hodge – Sic’m365.com

Ryan Koenigsberg – DNVR Colorado Buffs Podcast

Charlie Walter – Chatterbox Bearcats Podcast

John Walters – Voice of the Iowa State Cyclones/Cy Cast Podcast

Brian Hanni – Voice of the Kansas Jayhawks

John Kurtz – 3Maw Podcast and Open for Business Big 12 Newsletter

Melissa Triebwasser – Frogs Insider Podcast

RC Maxfield – The Red and Black Report Podcast

Adam Eaton – Sons of UCF

Josh Furlong – ksl.com and The Utah Checkdown Podcast

We've wrapped up another amazing season of the Big Stories podcast! ????️ Join producer/host Cleon Wall and producer Whitney Sheffield as they share their favorite moments from Season 2. We invite you to listen to this special episode and catch up on all our Seasons 1 and 2 episodes. Don't forget to leave us a rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts. Your feedback means the world to us. We can't wait to bring you Season 3!

Season 2 of Big Stories will wrap up next week. In the meantime, the team wanted to share with you one of our other great podcasts from BYU SportsNation and BYUradio. It's Deep Blue and hosted by Jason Shepherd. In this episode, we feature former BYU Football quarterback Max Hall. He shares his powerful journey—from battling drug addiction to rebuilding his life and founding a recovery center to help others do the same. Hall also recounts some of the biggest decisions in his life, sharing life lessons he's learned along the way.

Eric Weddle, former University of Utah and NFL safety, built his career on hard work, resilience, and his personal mantra, "Let's be great today." After 14 seasons with the San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, and Los Angeles Rams—capped by a stunning Super Bowl LVI victory—Weddle now leads as the head football coach at Rancho Bernardo High School in California. Off the field, he’s a devoted husband, proud father of four, and a mentor who inspires his family and young athletes to pursue greatness with passion and purpose!

Guests:

Eric Weddle- Head Football Coach at Rancho Bernardo High School, former Utah Utes and NFL safety

Chanel Weddle- Eric's wife

Gaige Weddle- Eric's son

Brooklyn Weddle - Eric's daughter

Silver Weddle - Eric's daughter

Kamri Weddle - Eric's daughter

Steve Weddle- Eric's dad

Debbie Weddle- Eric's mom

Sean McVay- Los Angeles Rams Head Coach

Tristan McCoy- Assistant Football Coach at Rancho Bernardo High School

Tony Achille has loved hockey since he started playing at age 3. Even after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma at 15, he never stopped playing. In this podcast episode, we share Tony's story of resilience and determination. With the unwavering support of his family, friends, and coaches, Tony achieved his dream of playing college hockey at Arizona State University. Now cancer-free, Tony gives back through his Mission 16 fundraiser, inspiring others with his determination and positivity.

Guests:

Tony Achille- ASU Hockey player

Kelly Achille- Tony’s mom

Bob Achille- Tony’s dad

Ryan Achille- Tony’s brother

Greg Powers- ASU Hockey Coach

Matt Pinchevsky- Jr. Hockey Coach

Tim Lovell- Youth Hockey Coach

Robert Golden lost his passion for playing football after his father's death. So, what would he do next? Teach kids to "Be Golden." This podcast episode highlights how the former Arizona Wildcat started the Golden Charter Academy near his old neighborhood in Fresno, CA. This innovative school, in partnership with the Fresno Chaffee Zoo, focuses on environmental stewardship. Through hands-on learning, Golden empowers students to dream beyond sports and break cycles of poverty.

Guests:

Robert Golden- Founder, President, and CEO of Golden Charter Academy, former Arizona Wildcat Football safety and NFL player

Lechet Golden- Robert’s wife

Rolinda Golden- Robert’s mom

CJ Jones- Founder of Golden Charter Academy

Liana Pellegrino- Principle at Golden Charter Academy

John Dohlin- Zoo Director at Golden Charter Academy

Ed Gonzalez- Senior Consultant, Board Chair for Golden Charter Academy

Most young athletes dream of playing college and professional sports, and Wayne Simien was no exception. He not only played basketball for the Kansas Jayhawks but also achieved the pinnacle of success by winning an NBA championship with the Miami Heat. However, Wayne chose to leave it all behind. In this podcast episode, he shares his journey of faith in Jesus Christ and explains why he decided to give up basketball to spread his beliefs on college campuses across Kansas.

Guests:

Wayne Simien - KU Associate Athletic Director, former KU and NBA basketball player

Ryan Hickman - Pastor at Community Church in Topeka, Kansas

John McDermott - Senior Pastor at Morningstar Church in Lawrence, Kansas

AJ Steward - UCLA Football Coach, former KU running back