Until Saturday: A show about college football

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's Monday so be prepared to hear Ari Wasserman rank things, and, in this case, "things" are the SEC's jobs. All right, I guess I can probably begin this show description by listing off 2-14 because No. 1 is a no-brainer...wait...Alabama isn't the best gig in the conference (1:00)? Alabama isn't in Ari's top-2 (6:30)? Where does Florida check-in (15:30)? Which job is more desirable: Kentucky or Auburn (23:15)? What omen of ill-fortune has befallen College Station (28:15)? Controversy alert in Rocky Top! Tennesee twitter, weight in (34:30)! Could Ole Miss scrape their way out of the bottom five soon (44:30)? After skimming over programs 11-14, Andy and Ari rank their top eats at 2 AM from a list comprised of Taco Bell, gas station hot dogs or pizza, Crystal or White Castle burgers, and three bags of pizza-flavored Combos (51:45). To wrap things up, Andy regales us with the best Cinnabon story ever (59:00).

Follow Andy on Twitter: @Andy_Staples

Follow Ari on Twitter: @AriWasserman

Join The Athletic for just $3.99 a month! Visit: theathletic.com/andystaples

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy welcomes University of Wisconsin-Whitewater offensive lineman and NFL hopeful Quinn Meinerz to the show. Meinerz walks Andy through the process of his upcoming Pro Day. What is the procedure for a Pro Day amidst a pandemic (1:30)? Meinerz reflects on his time at UW-Whitewater and how it shaped him into the player he is today, plus, what was it like participating in the Senior Bowl and never having snapped a football in a live setting until then (2:15)? CANADA WORKOUT Youtube video...that's all I gotta say (7:30). Having trained and practiced alongside one of his peers, Rashawn Slater, an early-round NFL prospect himself, what did Meinerz learn from that experience (9:45)? What were Senior Bowl practices like and who was his favorite player to play against (13:30)? So, Meinerz broke his hand and still wanted to play/start in the Senior Bowl...hardcore. Plus, what's his response to "how much do you love football"? A question routinely posed by scouts and coaches during the interview process (19:00)? Did Meinerz work during college? How has wrestling shaped his football career, and what's with the "Belly of the Beast" (20:15)? Lastly, what has a wider reach on social media done for Meinerz's chance to give back, and did he ever, in his wildest dreams, believe he'd be an NFL player (29:00)?

Follow Andy on Twitter: @Andy_Staples

Follow Quinn Meinerz on Twitter: @QMeinerz

Join The Athletic for just $3.99 a month! Visit: theathletic.com/andystaples

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Indiana University head football coach Tom Allen joins Andy to discuss an array of topics, including recruitment and what traits, characteristics he seeks in a potential Hoosier (1:00). Allen then describes his club's mantra L.E.O. (Love each other), and how his players have embraced this philosophy (3:30). Through all Allen's travels, positions, expectations, etc. how has he remained true to himself (8:30)? What was it like working for Hugh Freeze (12:00)? How will Indiana respond now that there are expectations for them to perform well (19:00)? Plus, what went into the 2-point attempt, and subsequent conversion, against Penn State, and what's next (20:00)?

Follow Andy on Twitter: @Andy_Staples

Follow Tom Allen on Twitter: @CoachAllenIU

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In another rank-filled edition of The Andy Staples Show and Friends, Andy and Ari order the Big Ten's jobs based on a 5-year projection. Sure, number one is obvious (rhymes with Toehio Fate), but what about the guys' second-best job in the conference, and why is it Wisconsin (3:45)? Will Penn or Michigan round out the top-3 (9:00)? Is Lansing an attractive enough location to put Michigan State in the top-5 (16:00)? Which school would win a national title if Nick Saban or Dabo Swinney coached there (22:30)? Who should be ranked 7th; Minnesota or Rutgers (29:30)? OK, let's talk about Nebraska (39:30). Plus, our bottom three (47:45). Andy tasks Ari with ranking Chili's, Applebee's, P.F. Chang's, Outback Steakhouse, and Olive Garden while also considering he has a $50 gift certificate (53:15). Lastly, we further explore the inner workings of Ari's mind as he dispenses life advice, gambling style (1:03:30).

Follow Andy on Twitter: @Andy_Staples

Follow Ari on Twitter: @AriWasserman

Join The Athletic for just $3.99 a month! Visit: theathletic.com/andystaples

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy welcomes on former Florida State and National Championship fullback, Freddie Stevenson, who persevered through poverty, homelessness, a near career-ending injury, and more to achieve his NFL dreams, and, ultimately, finding his true calling in life.

Rundown:

(2:00) Childhood

(4:30) A dollar in mom's pocket

(8:00) Career-threatening injury; Florida State

(14:15) Fullback?!

(16:30) The NFL

(19:00) Out of the league and in trouble

(24:30) Connecting with others and dad's guidance

Follow Andy on Twitter: @Andy_Staples

Follow Freddie Stevenson on Twitter: @strugglemade105

Own your own copy of Freddie's book now!: https://amzn.to/2ZvMmtC

Join The Athletic for just $3.99 a month! Visit: theathletic.com/andystaples

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy welcomes University of Oregon head football coach Mario Cristobal to the show! Cristobal explains his and his staff's process when evaluating offensive linemen (1:00). What traits does he look for in a lineman? And has the current, and presumed future, success of former Duck offensive lineman, Penei Sewell, help in recruiting? What does recruiting the 2022 class look like (5:30)? Will there be an even greater onus on virtual recruitment? How have competitive practices shaped the Ducks (10:15)? How does Oregon's quarterback room look, and what qualities do the coaching staff seek in their signal callers (13:30)? Cristobal discusses his relationship with offensive line coach Alex Mirabal and his mentorship of the Ducks' front five (18:30). Plus, for coaching candidates, how does a typical coaching interview with Cristobal go (20:15), and Cristobal was nearly an agent for the US Secret Service (24:15)?!

Follow Andy on Twitter: @Andy_Staples

Follow Mario Cristobal on Twitter: @coach_cristobal

Join The Athletic for just $3.99 a month! Visit: theathletic.com/andystaples

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There's no better ranking than an 'Ari Ranking', so that's exactly what Andy, and the aforementioned Ari, are doing. Courtesy reader Tom: Assume all the ACC coaches retire all at once, rank the job openings based on a five-year projection (2:15). So, Clemson's pretty good. Why don't we place them first until we sort out the rest of the rankings? Which Florida school holds an advantage over the other (7:15)? Who's fourth best (14:00)? Why does Ari believe NC State is below Virginia Tech? Andy and Ari deliberate Louisville's position (22:30) before looking at Boston College (27:30), Georgia Tech (31:30), and the rest of the field (34:45). Andy then lists the best and dirtiest professions in the country and asks Ari to rank them (40:00). Why would you want to be an orthodontist (aside from the money)? We don't want our fingers chomped off! What's more boring and stressful than a data scientist? Ari will let you know. Is being a horse inseminator better than being a sewer inspector (50:00)?

Follow Andy on Twitter: @Andy_Staples

Follow Ari on Twitter: @AriWasserman

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.