Rivals

Scott and Jason are shocked to hear that BYU hasn’t had any Top 25 rankings in the past decade. They look back on the last time the school has had such a disappointing decade...it was the 1960s. Jason admits that independence isn’t the only factor...but it is a big one. Utah finished at #16, which is a huge disappointment following the preseason hype and regular season success.

The NFL is ushering in a new era. Guys like Drew Brees and Tom Brady are on their way out. Should they throw in the towel? Or give themselves a few more years. Scott Mitchell is a former NFL quarterback and has great insight into this topic. There is a lot of youth talent in the NFL. Scott Mitchell and Jason Buck offer their predictions on who will be the next legend. 

The NFL Playoffs are in full swing after a wild, wildcard weekend. The Saints and the Patriots lost, shocking the football world. Scott Mitchell and Jason Buck are offering up their predictions for the conference champions and Super Bowl Champions. Both Scott and Jason predict the Ravens making it far. Jason Buck tells listeners what it is really like to play through the NFL Playoffs to the Super Bowl. The guys agree the teams that have to travel will be at a serious disadvantage.

What is the biggest indicator of the strength of a college football program? Recruiting class? Championships? Guys you put in the NFL? Jason says it is the amount of guys who make it to the NFL and more importantly actually make it in the NFL.

Utah landed its highest recruit ever Thursday. Clark Phillips III committed to Utah. He is a cornerback who will start immediately. The guys talk about the beginning of Utah’s recruiting success with Ron McBride the idea he sold. The guys talk about the decisions they made when they were being recruited. From the transfer quarterbacks like Bently and Rising to the depth at defensive end with Carlton and Fillinger, the Utes have had an amazing couple of days.

Unlike Utah, BYU doesn’t have a stellar season to sell recruits but they have been successful on this early signing day with names like Kody Epps, Isaiah Tupou and Bruce Garrett. Overall Jason is pleased that the Cougars went heavier on defensive line. The guys agree it is a good idea to go to the transfer portal for a running back. Something BYU fans have to remember is that a lot of these new recruits will leave for an LDS mission. 

Jordan Love, Utah State’s highly touted quarterback, decided to forgo his final season of eligibility and enter the NFL Draft. Scott thinks this is a horrible decision. He believes you should enter the NFL Draft on a high note. Scott shares his personal experience with a similar situation.

What can we reasonably expect for the Utes and the Cougars next season? Scott and Jason discuss. Jason says the Cougs will be nearly the same as they were this year. There will be some wild wins and bad losses. He predicts 6-6. Jason sticks with his take that independence is killing them. As for the Utes, there will be an interesting battle at quarterback and a lot of new faces on defense. While the team is losing a lot of NFL caliber seniors, Scott and Jason agree they will still be in contention for the Pac-12 South division title.

It seemed like the University of Utah Utes football team just didn’t show up to play in the Pac-12 Championship when they lost to the Oregon Ducks. Scott and Jason agree, the team was not ready to handle the pressure of the situation. The guys talk about learning to thrive on pressure. Every player who gets to the next level learns to thrive under pressure and avoid the tightness the Utah football faced. Scott said the team was just playing too hard, too tense. Jason noticed a lot of technique and fundamental errors on the defensive side of the ball.

The Utah Football team is good. Really good. And the national media is finally starting to recognize this special Utah football team. The cherry on top is that the Utes have a chance at College Football Playoff or Rose Bowl. Scott and Jason talk about the east coast bias and whether or not Utah can overcome it and get to their first ever College Football Playoff.

Kalani Sitake received a contract extension through 2023. Scott and Jason think BYU needs to be honest with themselves about where they are and own independence. Scott also pointed out that part of the reason Sitake was extended is because of recruiting. Right now, things are as good as they can get at BYU but the guys think it needs to be better.