The Players’ Tribune: Les Is More

The final week of the regular season begins as Les, John and Smacker celebrate new beginnings, sitting down to discuss Les' future as University of Kansas head coach. The trio indulge in the spirit of the holiday sharing the things they are grateful for while Les shares his plans for the future of Kansas football and takes time out to answer fan questions. Later, Les & Smacker share their thoughts on the past week spent in Lawrence as well as the heartwarming reception they received from the the Kansas community. Lastly, the trio bid goodbye to their faithful fans... for now.

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Les Is More is back, with Les, Smacker and John here to prepare you for the final few weeks of the regular season. They begin by explaining why this year’s Heisman Trophy is almost certainly Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s to lose. The three then give their opinions on what the Crimson Tide must do in order to be considered Bama’s greatest team ever. They move on to a recap of LSU’s takedown or Arkansas, Notre Dame’s domination of Florida State, and Oklahoma’s last-second defeat of Oklahoma State in Bedlam. Les and the crew then look forward to the College Football Playoff, debating which team is the most likely to be knocked out of the top four, and Les trying his best to convince Smacker and John that the Fighting Irish won’t make the playoff. After that, they move on to making predictions for next week. They first debate whether UCF can continue the nation’s longest winning streak when it takes on Cincinnati, and then move on to analyzing Syracuse’s visit to South Bend, before finishing by explaining why West Virginia will have no problem with Oklahoma state. Finally, they look at the matchup between Iowa State and Texas — touching on the behind-the-scenes issues plaguing coach Tom Herman’s first season in Austin — and discuss why a Cyclones upset this weekend would be far from shocking. As the season winds down, Les Is More continues to heat up!   

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What could be better than two legendary coaches talking shop about all things college football? This week Les Is More brings you a bonus episode featuring Arizona State head coach Herm Edwards. Known for much more than just his “you play to win the game” rant, Edwards, a coach who has succeeded at every level of the game, drops some serious football knowledge. He and Les touch on topics ranging from how coaching in the NFL compares to college to why bowl games shouldn’t be devalued because of the playoff system to how Edwards has been able to get Arizona State on track in just his first year at the helm. Herm also speaks about the developmental system he installed for the younger players on his team and why he chose to run practices in the morning rather than the afternoon. Les also brings up Herm’s successful NFL career as a player and the two share a laugh about Herm’s role in the creation of the “Victory Formation.” A conversation between two old friends, who also happen to be hall of fame football experts, is the perfect midweek listen to bridge the gap to gameday.

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Well it was quite a disappointing Saturday for LSU fans in Baton Rouge and all around the country, and Les Is More is here to catch you up on everything that happened over the weekend. Smacker, John and Les try to make sense of LSU’s flop against Bama and then pause to ponder whether there’s anyone who will get in Alabama’s way. The crew takes a look at the top four and discusses which teams are most likely to make the playoff. Then it’s recap time: John, who was on hand to see Michigan stuff Penn State at home, considers where Michigan might end up if the Wolverines win out. Then the crew examines Georgia’s handling of Kentucky, as well as West Virginia’s last-second win at Texas. Before looking to next week, Les and John debate Notre Dame’s status and why the Irish have looked so impressive. The predictions segment tackles how LSU can bounce back against Arkansas, what Michigan State needs to do to upset Ohio State, and just how much Alabama will beat Mississippi State by. And someone predicts an upset when Clemson travels to Boston College. As the playoff picture continues to take shape and each game means more than the last, Les Is More is here for the entire ride!

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This week’s edition of Les Is More is a fired-up episode devoted to everything happening in college football. First up: It’s Alabama week in Baton Rouge, and Les, John and Smacker argue passionately about the biggest matchup of the week. The three focus on the key position groups for both teams, as well as on what LSU will have to do to stop the Crimson Tide. They then shift their focus back to the chaos of last Saturday, when 11 teams in the Top 25 went down. They review Mississippi State’s defeat of Texas A&M, Texas’s blunder against Oklahoma State, and Georgia’s cruise-control victory over rival Florida. Predictions are up next, with Les and John looking forward to the important matchup in Ann Arbor between Penn State and Michigan, and the implications that the game has for the Big Ten. Jumping back to the SEC, they also analyze Georgia’s visit to Kentucky. Finally, John and Les vehemently disagree about the upcoming game between Notre Dame and Northwestern. Passion, energy and college football have always gone together, and this week’s episode has a little bit of everything!

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Les Is More returns with a jam-packed show that has everything you need to know about the 2018 college football season. Les, Smacker and John begin with a discussion of how Ohio State’s upset loss to Purdue affects the outlook for the rest of the Big Ten. After that, John recounts what happened in East Lansing, when the rivalry between Michigan and Michigan State became about much more than just the game itself. In response, Les gives his opinion on how a coach should handle things when his players get out of hand. The trio also talks about LSU’s impressive victory in the rain over Mississippi State, Clemson’s clear path to the College Football Playoff after the Tigers’ demolition of NC State, and how Coach nailed his prediction that Washington State would beat Oregon. Speaking of the Cougars, Les brings the entertaining Mike Leach on the program to talk about how he’s changed the culture in Pullman. The two coaches then go in-depth on their philosophies for different aspects of the college game. Later, Les and the crew preview the action ahead in Week 9, when Clemson visits struggling Florida State, Mississippi State hosts Texas A&M and Iowa looks to topple Penn State. Les, Smacker and John also peek ahead to the game of the week in the SEC — the annual showdown in Jacksonville between Florida and Georgia.

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It was a week of upsets in college football. Four teams in the Top 10 went down in defeat, which led to major changes in the Top 25. Les Is More is back to review all the big upsets, as well as to discuss the greatest disappointments from around the country after seven weeks of football action. To begin, Coach takes a closer look at the benches-clearing brawl between Florida and Vanderbilt, and explains how Coach Bo Schembechler would probably have handled such a scenario. Les and John move on to recap a few of last Saturday’s games, including LSU’s epic takedown of Georgia, West Virginia’s hiccup against Iowa state, Washington’s near miss in Oregon, and Michigan State’s shocking victory in Happy Valley over Penn State. They also dive deep on Michigan’s dismantling of Wisconsin, and discuss where Big Blue stands in its quest to reach the College Football Playoff. Next, the duo preview the action in Week 8, giving their predictions for LSU’s chances for continued success,  and how Washington State will fare when the Cougars host Oregon. Les and John also look forward to the Michigan–Michigan State game, as well as to the ACC battle between Clemson and NC State. Tune in for the podcast that tells you everything you need to know about college football!

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There was another shake-up in the Top 25 last week, and Les Is More is here to make sense of it all. To begin, Smacker relishes Texas’s wild win over Oklahoma in the Red River Showdown. Les then analyzes LSU’s loss to Florida, and talks about paying off his bet on the game with former Gators coach Steve Spurrier. Les, Smacker and John discuss the implications of Auburn losing to Mississippi State, before reviewing the touchdown that John’s son, Jared Wangler, scored for Michigan in the Wolverines’ beatdown of Maryland. Les also tells a story about how he once received false intel on an opponent before a game, and goes over how coaches should deal with getting “secret” information. A story he tells about his favorite player when he was a kid leads to John telling a story about the time he was supposed to go out in Las Vegas with Joe Namath. The crew then looks forward to Week 6, when LSU will face its biggest test yet, against No. 2 Georgia. Other games include Washington visiting Oregon for a game with huge implications in the Pac-12, and Wisconsin traveling to Ann Arbor, where the Badgers will take on Michigan in the Big House.

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Les Is More is back for Week 5 as conference play heats up and the college football season continues to take shape. Les and John look back on Michigan’s furious rally to beat Northwestern, Notre Dame’s dismantling of Stanford and LSU’s victory over Ole Miss — and where the Tigers now stand among the top teams in the country. They also talk in-depth about Penn State’s decision to run the ball instead of throwing it on fourth-and-five in their devastating loss to Ohio State. Former Michigan QB Rich Hewlett joins the discussion to debate the Clemson quarterback situation. Next, Les tells the story of the greatest recruiting meal he’s ever had, and also discusses why he hasn’t yet returned to the sidelines to coach. Finally, the crew looks forward to another exciting weekend, beginning with the Red River Rivalry between Oklahoma and Texas, and including a trio of SEC matchups — undefeated Kentucky vs. Texas A&M, LSU vs. Florida in the Swamp, and Mississippi State vs. Auburn. Get ready for another great Saturday!

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Last weekend was full of upsets and close games, making this a great week to listen to Les Is More. Join Les and John as they analyze a shaky Top 25, discussing Old Dominion’s shocking upset of Virginia Tech, Oklahoma’s scare against Army and Kentucky’s upset of Mississippi State — a victory that kept the Wildcats undefeated. Les’s son, Ben, substitutes for Smacker this week, and the Texas A&M fullback recounts his experiences from games this season against both Clemson and Alabama. Les and John are also joined by former Michigan guard and Super Bowl champion Kurt Becker, who offers his opinion on the importance of football and why the game will survive the critics who want to shut it down. Lastly, Les and John make their picks for the massive Big Ten matchup between Ohio State and Penn State. They’ll also predict what’s going to happen when Stanford travels to South Bend to play Notre Dame. And can BYU take down another ranked opponent on the road when the Cougars travel to Washington? And what will happen when LSU plays host to Ole Miss? Find out all the answers in Episode 4!

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