Michigan vs Washington NC Livestream

Joined by former Michigan TE Keith Mitchell, Brandon Jones & Blackie Chan of Light the Torch Podcast & Tony Altimore to preview tomorrow’s B1G/PAC 12 National Championship

Trojans go LBC pouring Cardinal and gold the next man up is the next high men only bleed USC yes we’ve been built to win catch roses while we ball all across the map too strong fight on us Pro just talk on tap good evening and welcome to a special

Edition of Trojans talk on tap I am your host Rick and IA so glad that you are joining us this evening got a jam-pack show um GNA preview the national championship tomorrow night Washington and University of Michigan and pleased to have on I’m introduce the panel first up we’ve

Got former player with the University of Michigan I want to introduce Keith Mitchell Keith Mitchell played tight end in under Bo shamb Beckler in the late 80s and Keith also is the founder of an nil business called Playbook and Keith welcome to the show thanks Rick thanks

For having me my man cool we’re gonna introduce a couple other guys on the channel on the panel we’ve got Brandon Jones and Blackie Chan from light the torch podcast the USC podcast if you haven’t checked these guys out they’ve been doing it this season fantastic show

Check them out at light the torch podcast thank you great and I’m gonna add right now we got Tony altimore Tony altimore is going to be joining us a little bit later um and he’s going to help me preview the University of Washington versus Michigan

And um Tony will be back in a little bit great to have you as well Tony so gentlemen Keith welcome to the show um you’ve got to be ecstatic I know that you’ve played in a couple of Rose Bowls you actually I think beat USC was it the

89 Rose Bowl yeah yeah it was 80 89 Rodney Pete years Rodney Pete years so tell tell us about how I I I I take it you weren’t at the game but you were watching from home or from another location I was at the game last week I

Was at home okay at home right yeah I was at home with the house full of uh people and uh my son and all his buddies all just staring at that that last play what’s gonna happen you know what’s funny about that game is going into that

Game yeah I had no idea what was gonna I couldn’t have predicted anything I had no guess no idea halime of that game still no idea how this is going to turn out still no clue with a minute to go in the game same thing had no

Idea so and it just worked out in our favor and that’s just the way the ball bounces man we would do how did that feel when the game is over and and and you’ve had that feeling being in the Rose Bowl and coming out the Victor what

Was going through your head well it’s different the back then you know it’s a whole different climate now now they still got another game to play now just winning the rose bow back then that was it was everything yeah I mean hey we won the Rose bow come back there’s people

Waiting in the airport and everything like that uh now it’s just another game unless it’s in the playoff so next year I’m super excited about next year with 12 teams I mean it’s long overdue but it’s you know and ultimately it’s just another game it is the pageantry behind

All these new year’s six bowl games those are fantastic but I got to tell you something’s got to happen with the rest of these Bull games because um you can’t have this Florida State Fiasco that just happened with no it’s it’s a glorified spring game yeah

All it is so and um they’re they’re working on uh legislation to move the transfer portal and there’s nothing you can do about the guys going the league yeah they’re GNA hold out and and no you can’t blame them for that but the transfer portal guys who are picking and

Choosing and Le I mean these other bowl games are just ridiculous and the funny thing about all that too is I I I talked to a gentleman who used to be the president of the Orange Bowl and he’s very he’s a consultant on all these other bowl games he was sharing with me

He goes you know how much money is generated I don’t care what bowl game it is you’re gonna find somebody to cut you a big check to televise it to sponsor it I don’t care how little of a bowl game is there’s always going to be Bull games

Yeah yeah but there is so much happening you look at nil and and Keith we had conversations Keith and I go back um a long time oh yeah yeah and so I remember you discussing how you were working on nil and that this was going to happen and you were totally POS I

Ready for this and when the the news broke in July early July of 2021 you were off and running you you knew that this was happening probably a couple years before that so yeah tell us about your your company what you do and um also share with us there were you

Started up an a specific nil program at the univ University of Michigan I believe it’s called Circle of Champions well that’s not the stadium in Maine is the collective that that licenses our technology at Playbook uh some backstory yeah sorry Rick I’ll just jump right in

Uh so my backstory a little bit is I was a writer I wrote movies for a living that’s I was living in California I’ve written a bunch of sports movies and um sport yeah look at you he was a writer on whoopy whoopy movie Eddie that’s pretty cool yeah I

Wrote that I wrote Mr 3000 with Bernie Ma the last Sandlot movie like Mike all that stuff but anyway the last thing I got paid the right this is before the LA not this most recent writer gu strike this was 10 years ago this producer

Hired me to write a story uh called five star Kings and it and had to do with uh the NCAA uh I did a terrible job on the script never got made he wanted a comedy and I wrote a drama but what it did do and the J the reason why I’m sharing

This with you it’s is how I got to this point I did did a deep dive and learned about a lot about the NCAA this is 12 years ago and uh Mark ammer I learned I just learned how the sausage was made well cut to many years later I

Uh uh I was living in California and I ended up creating the world’s first online film festival and I this how I ended up back in Grand Rapids Michigan the company back here bought it but right before I left the state of California passed legisl and ironically they picked 2024 is the

First year that the state of California athletes be able to monetize their name image likeness and this was in 2014 or 15 this was like eight nine years ago they just picked an arbitrary year far off in the future they just wanted it’s how California roles they

Just signed crap and go with God so I was like wow that’s interesting well once they announced that they didn’t realize other states across the country Michigan being one of the first Texas Florida independently state byst state started signing legislation and moved it up much quicker well cut to both my kids

Are college athlet are are going to be College athletes and um had this background of Technology with the film festival I thought man it’d be kind of fun if I created like this Cameo type just for college athletes well my daughter will be in Wikipedia forever as

She is the very first college athlete to monetize her image likeness wow that’s kind of funny cool she became Tik Tock Famous by building the she shed during the co lockdown millions of followers and she’s a college volleyball player at an Nia school and they passed legislation first and part of my

Marketing strategy was hey let’s get her a brand deal the second they did and it got picked off out all the news outlets so she’s is the very first college athlete to to and she’s my co-founder in my company Playbook and um so Playbook is basically uh it’s a platform for uh

Fans and Brands and we you know we’re we’re an influencer you know marketing platform it it’s grown not just from a cameos doing shoutouts we now do Fortune 500 companies and we built this piece of technology that a bunch of collectives license it so at some point maybe not in

This show I Rick I could share with you because I was trying to get you guys to a baseball Collective I thought you know would be an interesting idea but these collectives are just they’re they’re they’re interesting let’s just say the least there’s some do it right some

Don’t some are a mess and but at the end of the day I’m all about impacting the kids and getting the kids they due hey when I left College I didn’t have no work experience not a single penny in the bank uh I wouldn’t go into the the

League uh I and that terrified me I had I literally had nothing so I did not want my kids to be in the same boat and that was sort of the spirit behind building so everything we do has to do with either the kids are are are

Benefiting or not and it’s been going fantastic too it’s it’s been a good interesting ride so tell us about what is the vibe with with Michigan going into tomorrow’s game you’re undefeated you’ve had an outstanding year that think three years in a row beating Ohio State you take down Nick Sabin the SEC

Alabama it’s almost like there’s a lot of change happening uh you got USC UCLA now Oregon and Washington coming to the Big 10 a lot of change happening what’s the vibe with Michigan going into tomorrow Keith well I will tell you this is what this I’m just throwing this out

There the officiating crew I don’t know if you’ve known this about this crew if you read this anywhere but they are the number one crew in the country for calling pass interference calls by far they have thrown the flag okay exponentially more than any other officiating crew call it right now

Whoever gets the the most P pis will win this game that’s that’s my take on it because these guys they’re just going to Chuck it down I mean that’s just Chuck it and they’re a Washington receivers are athletic enough they’ll either 50 balls they’re gonna catch it

They’re gonna get Pi or they’re going to drop it two of those three things are good so yeah my take and is if they let them play ball not throw the flag you know I I think Michigan’s gonna be fine but I mean Washington’s tough man they

Can throw the ball but they can also you get some pressure on penic I saw that Arizona State game did you guys see that absolutely they didn’t look good in that game 15 to7 game that was uh a very close game in fact I think M I think uh

Washington like the last seven or eight games have been within 10 points they’ve all been close and we had one of those in the Coliseum where Michigan’s been the opposite yeah you guys have have worked through all of your opponents um the closest game I think being

Uh the Ohio State game and Alabama Alabama Maryland too Maryland was a touchdown game I believe on the road uh but it wasn’t as closest actually I mean they’ve been challenged but they never had to play from behind I me the first time they had to play from behind was against

Alabama and they kind of stepped up so that was good it’s all going to come down to who who doesn’t turn the ball over that’s it plain and simple who doesn’t turn the ball over will win this game now Michigan has balance I want to hear it from you um both offensively and

Defensively yeah uh you got JJ McCarthy and you got Blake corm running the ball with with Edwards as well what do you see I mean it’s you they’re very versatile what what do you think is more of the strength of Michigan on offense as it uh passing or running or it

Depends on the opponent I think the strength of the Michigan offense is the diversity I mean they could run the ball 15 times in a row or throw it 15 times in a row you know they’re gonna take what’s given to them yeah plain and simple and they have

Weapons like against Alabama they had this Tyler Morris kid who’s caught three passes all year scores a touchdown or maybe it was like eight passes or something like that there’s a lot of bodies they throw out there and who can you know depth wins too so if I was you

Know def if I had to put together defensive scheme against Michigan I would probably make make us go over the top I think that’s JJ McCarthy’s hardest weakest Point going deep don’t give him anything underneath he’s gonna pick you apart all day long make him go over the

Top and then go go with God but that’s their weakest link is they just can’t go deep they don’t have any deep threat I want to uh read something for you here um and get your take on it Keith this was an article by um in the athletic by Ari werman he’s kind

Of the recruiting Guru for the athletic do you read the athletic at all Keith oh yeah yeah and this was on Wednesday January 3D and he’s all about the star you know the the star quality yeah you have to have blue chip stars in order to even compete in the national

Championship and he he estimates there’s like 15 teams that have a chance every year so he says Georgia and Ohio State will High School recruiting is always going to be the backbone for top-notch programs that expect to win a National Title every year regardless of roster Andor staff attrition but the right year

With the right circumstances Michigan and teams built like it can win the national title in today’s college football I wouldn’t have said that a year ago or even six months ago to today I am because of Michigan and this speaks to how fast college football is changing because of nil the transfer portal

Conference Real Alignment and going to the 12 team playoff Keith I I alluded to it a little bit earlier there is a specific nil at Michigan that is helped retain some players that may have gone to the NFL um and those players are critical in this year’s Michigan’s run

To the championship speak a little bit about that nil program at Michigan well I mean I can speak to nil across the country I think the transfer portal is more of a so look it you have Texas A&M Florida School Auburn these are all schools we’ we do Auburn’s on to Victory

As our client I know the money these guys have raised they ain’t winning crap so n ain’t gonna win you any ball games I tell you that right now I mean look at Texas A&M uh all great programs Great Schools Florida’s doing it right too with their kids with their nil uh

They’re all doing good stuff with it so but that ain’t I I mean in at Michigan it Blake came back because he could make money now and re and come off an injury he wasn’t GNA you know there was some offensive lineman the thing that is change Neil isn’t changing who’s

Going to win or lose I’m just telling you that right now it’s not changing who’s going to win or lose what is changing who’s going to win or lose is how the transfer portal now you that to me I I think is really cool because now these kids are a position

To uh just scratch that itch of hey I will Howard why is he’s going to Ohio State for one year that’s that’s that’s it’s cool for him cool for Ohio State I forget about those schools other smaller schools like Kansas and things like that are able to compete because you got

These kids leaving these big uh blue blood schools and they just want some PT so I’m going to go to you know Kansas I’m going to go to Kansas State uh the transfer portal is the thing that’s really the great equalizer in my opin even Michigan I mean you look at the

Offens lineman these guys have gotten the transfer portal last two years that’s why they’re where they are right now I mean they got some some great offensive Linen in it that Drake nent from Stanford the the kid from Arizona State who came in um and to

Me I think that transfer portal is the big the big equalizer and and Trojan though perfect example is Malachi Nelson five-star uh quarterback jumped in the transfer portal because of uh discussions will Howard coming and visiting USC Miller Moss you know being the incumbent he kind of knew um but

Then he jumps to Boise State so there you go he’s going to go a lesser program presumably for playing time to get out there and actually start playing and he may stay he may stay at Boise State the next year but highly doubt he’ll probably bump bump to another team that

Is going to need a quarterback and that’s where we’re at in college football and everybody’s chasing that chance to get into the 12 team playoff next year well it’s gonna stabilize a little bit now too because that sixth year is done this is the last that Co year jacked everything up

Yeah totally did Jack everything up so that once that is done it’s going to be a little more the the the the interesting thing that if I’m a high school football player it it’s affected some other sports more than football but these coaches aren’t really recruiting out of high school anymore their first

You know food chain is the transfer portal and then let’s go the The High School rout yeah yeah and even then they’re like do I really want to develop this five star why don’t I let him go somewhere else stay in touch with them and then hey hit him up

After sophomore year yay hey Bill come play with us you know so that’s just i’ I’ve had a handful of conversations with these coaches and they’re all like they Some Like It some embrace it it’s just more work for them these poor coaches man it’s just a lot more work that’s my

Biggest fear is but the fact that they’re making so much I’m talking I’m talking to special teams coach who’s making mid six figures now college football in in D1 but they they work their butts off man they really do and that’s that would be a job you couldn’t

Pay me enough to do because it’s seven days a week all year round no breaks recruiting during the season now into you have to recruit in your own locker room now yeah yeah and that’s that’s tough that’s tough sleding you have to convince them to stay with

The nil yeah well there’s one player that we’d like to uh if you guys win the national championship he’s from Orange County Mason Graham number 55 off last game yeah yeah he’s he’s a good kid too he’s on the platform so you guys have you talked to anybody at to Tommy at

Tommy group Rick no I have not I I I have had conversations not specifically but I know a couple guys at the conquest Collective M Hernandez and Jeff McKay who’s JK McKay’s son they head up the conquest Collective but I don’t really know anybody I haven’t had conversations with

Anybody at Tommy group or House of Victory House of Victory is the nil program that seems to be the most active at USC um but uh haven’t had any specific conversations okay yeah um getting speaking of Mason Graham the other strength of Michigan I think it’s

Even more so than their their offense is the defense Total Defense point points allowed Michigan’s number one 10.2 points allowed and Washington at number 53 obviously Washington plays and more of an offensive-minded Pack 12 but give us your take uh Keith on Michigan’s defense this year these guys just Ben don’t break you

Know they they can let teams were March down the field but keep them out of the end zone that’s kind of been the whole Michigan attitude ever since I was there too Ben don’t break and I think their strong suit is being able to get to the quarterback and that’s where against

Penx yeah you if you can get to him you can get in his head and if you just touch him like Max Crosby he just likes to run by and touch a touch him can’t get him just so he’s in his head right panx has has a proclivity for for

Throwing some picks get red and their offensive line is really good though yeah their offensive line is really good but they weren’t better than Alabama the number one pass defense in the country so it just it’s whoever can get to the quarterback the thing that they have

Though is I I believe that this pennx could probably scramble better than mil I don’t gosh I’m not sure about that well maybe scramble in the back field but when it comes to running down field and taking the accurate Milo oh e more arm strength than milro and

Accuracy mil is not a down downfield threat yeah so better decision making yeah just yeah he has better better decision Mak and he’s a lefty quite frankly it’s it’s just different you’re going up against a different look Lefty is a different and it kind of can you

Know kind of je I don’t know different side right may be a little confused a little bit so here here’s here’s where it’s going to be interesting because Michigan defense has never faced this year hasn’t faced a quarterback like Michael penck and the wide receivers and Washington’s offense offensive line

Michigan’s faced Kyle McCord who’s no longer at Ohio State now uh Talia tag ala Drew Jaylen milro and Hudson Carr at Purdue uh transfer from Texas if you look at at Washington’s defense they’re a little bit more seasoned facing Caleb Williams B knck two times Cameron Ward Quinn uers

Dju and Noah ffid at Arizona so Michigan I think is going to be in for a surprise uh they’re going to have to uh adjust to a quarterback that can throw it down field uh really three NFL caliber wide receivers I don’t think Michigan’s faed that but at the same

Time Washington’s offensive line is hasn’t faced a defensive line I don’t believe like Michigan so that’s what there’s so many interesting story lines Keith and you brought an interesting one as well with the officiating crew so um this is GNA be a fantastic game hey I know it’s late there Keith I really

Appreciate you coming on but let’s um let’s get a a score prediction before we let you go I ain’t going to give a score prediction I’m going to say bet the over bet the over okay the over where it lands bet the over there’s gonna be a

Lot of storing back and forth I feel like this is gonna come down to whoever has the ball last wins this is what I for whatever reason it just feels like that that type of game and uh and you know and I don’t know what their special

Teams is like and um what their kicking game is like but I know Michigan’s kicking game uh hasn’t won us anything yet so they’re doe it’s either win win at something or lose at something I don’t know it’s gonna be fun though man it’s just gonna

Be great hey guys great meeting you and uh Rick good job on this this is awesome and just FYI I am a DEA facto troan fan too Rick and share with you yeah I went to when I moved to California the first people met were a bunch of USC Meads and

They took me to a football game so I went to every USC game through the 9s when they were terrible that’s that’s true but we had a and I know Keith Mitchell through friend of the show Jamie Davenport um good friends and Keith I really appreciate coming on those out there that are

Watching live or watching a little bit later you can find Keith Mitchell at Playbook again that’s the name of his nil company and former screenwriter Keith does it all and really appreciate you Keith love to have you back on the show sometimes the offseason to talk a little bit about Michigan and USC

Getting to the Big 10 uh that would be great would be unbelievable spending a little bit more time appreciate you coming on on such short notice enjoy the game and go blue thank you guys hopefully yeah hopefully you guys can be talking some USC basketball come March m we’ll talk do that too

See wow I don’t know too much about the mens going to March Madness but yeah I mean like you said hopefully but uh not looking good so far let’s bring on our next panelist Tony altimore Tony altimore appreciate you coming on everybody knows Tony from the voice of college football fight on

Guys the USC post game show the fight on bow down and go Blue live show and um great great to have you Tony um we just had Keith Mitchell I think you you probably heard him offline but a lot of great information about how college football is changing a little bit

Information about Michigan and um why they are who they are today um I know that you are fans of both Michigan and Washington like to have you on and now guys want to go ahead and let’s preview this game and give me your thoughts Blacky Chan let’s start with you what’s

Going to be what are some of the interesting things you’re looking at um from this game just off the top of your head then we’ll go to to Brandon and we’ll we’ll go to Tony uh the DB’s versus uh for Michigan versus the wide receivers that that has to be the number

One thing that just kind of stands out because who have they gone against really when it comes to to the wide receiver rooms like they’ve gone against Marvin Harrison Jr but they also had KY McCord as their quarterback so it’s not like they had Michael penck Jr thrown to

Marvin Harrison Jr because if they did then that could be a different game at that point but can can like he said the bend don’t break can they not Bend enough to with Washington’s high-powered offense what they were the number one passing offense in all of the nation

Like they’re they’re going to get their they’re going to get their yards they’re going to get their points but can they stop them enough that’s the key Brandon yeah just picky back all right up uh right with Blackie champ saying um that wide receiver DB match up I’ll be a

Little more specific Roman D and will Johnson I definitely want to see that way I mean I’m U fan of both you know got some little ties to to will Johnson a friend of mine actually trained him so um that’s gonna be interesting to see especially with uh what Keith just told

Us about the the officiator so that’s keep your eye on man it’s gonna be a nice battle to see two you know future NFL guys going hit to hit that’s it’s gonna be a big one for me Tony I I think this game is gonna be fascinating because Michigan is so good

But Washington has enough weapons to make it happen so I honestly don’t know what we’re going to see because the other thing about Washington is that they have had a very enchanting run you know I joke about their magical pixie dust that has just saved them Time After

Time After Time and I mean when you’re on a run like this the most wonderful thing you can have is magical pixie dust where you find a way to win and these guys find a way to win you know the question is do they have enough for one more game

Worth and I mean TC you had that last year uh when when I I was on a Michigan show the other day we were talking about Michigan Michigan last year just had you know they were they were cursed it was like the Greek gods like you know Zeus

And Hera were like going after them when they played TCU well they should have wiped off the field and somehow TCU won so you know if Washington has that magic Washington can get it done and it’s gonna be heck of a game yeah the um this game is right man um speaking of

That I got a little Great Notion for those who looking to upgrade their tailgate beer that’s what we do on this show as well it’s called Rip hazy IPA this game is Rip because one of these teams is going to win their first national championship since the 90s Washington last winning in

91 Michigan and 97 and these are two great programs from the Pack 12 and the Big 10 soon to be both in the Big 10 but as Tony mentioned and we kind of talked about earlier it’s been 10 games in a row that Washington

Has found a way to win the close game by 10 points or less which is is pretty phenomenal so a lot of people think this game is going to come to to to be a close game Keith had alluded to their special teams has not won a game yet

Maybe this is going to be it but um this game is going to be a three or four point game it’s gonna be a one possession game and you gotta favor Washington um you would think in a close game but what something about Michigan they’re good they’re yeah

They’re amazing and on both sides of the ball offensively defensively and as as Keith mentioned they’ve got versatility so they they can run it down to your throat 10 times in a row you know can Washington really do that with their running game we we don’t know you know

They really haven’t had to do that this is a different style of football so um yeah it’s it’s going to be interesting in terms of what’s going to happen with uh with this game who do you got guys give um a nod to or what what are your thoughts

On the The Trenches because that’s what’s going to be key here who’s got the advantage let’s start with you uh Blacky Chan we’ll go we’ll go around I don’t know too much about like the players itself but michigans uh their their defensive line is just they’re beefy like they they were getting after

Jaylen like they like they’re the number one uh they’re the what is it I forgot what uh they’re the number one defense in the nation so it’s kind of hard not to give them the the notd for that because you can score on Washington’s defense you can run on them as well like

We we ran on them uh so it it it’s going to be Michigan for me what do you think Brandon in terms of who has the advantage in the trenches yeah I would have to agree I mean Washington o line is good but I would

Have to get it not to to Michigan on that one they’re a little deeper in the trenches and though uh yeah I don’t know if Washington has the depth to really compete with uh with Michigan on that on that offensive line because they’re they’re coming all day they’re coming

All you saw in that Bama game they’re just over and over and over next group over and over and over they’re just all in Middle world’s face all game so um you know I mean you can’t compare Alabama to Washington I mean Alabama’s had their struggles on the offensive line all year but

Um yeah we uh Washington still hasn’t seen you know that type of pass rush all year so we’ll see it’s going to be interesting one for sure though Tony I mean I think it’s Michigan certainly they you know what they’ve had to do in the Big 10 season with due

Respect to our fellow conference Mates is a lot harder than what they had to do in the in the trenches against the Pack 12 season but you know if you can throw the ball over the trench it’ll be all right and they have a quarterback who can do it

At the same time the question for Washington I really think in the trenches is not are they better because they’re not it’s are they good enough are they gonna be good enough to have enough time to throw the ball and watch ad dun or any of those many guys who are

Gonna spend a long time playing on Sundays uh catch the ball and if if they can you know it gets real hard for Michigan and they gota I mean you know defense 101 they got to pull guys back to cover the pass that opens up more

Space for the run that gives you some breathing room in the trenches so I think it’s it’s going to be really incumbent on Washington to be good enough this is going to be interesting because you look at Alabama and and I believe Alabama was probably the better the best

Team that that uh Michigan has faced all year at that time of the season but if you remember the beginning of the year a lot of critics were saying what’s wrong with Alabama’s offensive line and they just they weren’t the same as previous years and then you you wonder what

Happened with quarterback now granted they put it together but jayen milro is not he’s not a a Pack 12 quarterback he’s he’s he can run the ball he can throw the check down or the screen pass but you let him go ahead and throw a 20 yards down the field because you know

What two-thirds of the time you’ll probably knock down the pass or get an interception even more so than that so you take a look at what happened with um Michigan versus um Alabama’s offensive line and there’s a a guy that you have to contain and that’s number 55 Mason Graham because if

You look at the first part of that game that first drive they sacked the quarterback two they sacked Miller row two times and the first time they sacked him they were double teaming Mason Graham and they were able to get number 17 got loose I think McGregor and sacked

Milro and then Stewart came on another one um and was able to get him on third down so he was a former wrestler and this guy is a problem because he was in that Center’s head all game and um he stood that guy up on the last play fourth and

Goal in overtime and there was no push by the offensive line for Alabama and so they have to figure out Mason Grant because if they don’t I think penx is going to be scrambling and um so I I give the advantage to Michigan’s defensive line I understand uh Washington has you know

The Joe Moore award-winning uh offensive line but they haven’t faced pressure like they’re going to see and they’re going to dial it up um speaking of Alabama that that leads me to my next question do you guys think Nick Sabin has lost a little bit off of his fast ball do you think

Everything that’s kind of happening all these changes that maybe he doesn’t have much time left no I’m never counting out Nick sain I mean he was just in the National semifinal he’s not like falling off I think there is some regression there there’s always regression to the

Mean but they they they just they just beat Georg and won the SEC well I’ll just say this I’m sorry goad go ahead like I I just mentioned this on on on our show right before we came here I told you guys a few years ago there’s

Going to be more parody with nil hits and the teams that you see at the top who have been able to who’ve been secretly doing nil all these years they’re gonna get caught up with and things are going to look a little different in college football or more

Like what it was in this you know in the past so and that’s what we’re seeing look what we’re seeing in the championship who’s you know teams from the 90s now or in the championship teams that we’ve seen dominate in the past so that’s Rick you

Know you know just like I know just follow the money Trail right we know but at the same at the same time that’s the same thing that happened when they went to 85 scholarships and Texas and Nebraska and USC couldn’t have 850 players on the sideline that they were

Just hoarding away the other schools so you know I mean we we sort of always we we’ve been in this sort of movement to parody for the better part of 50 years um I think this is a a big move towards it but with the thing and the same thing

And Rick and I have talked about this with the ASC overall you know you there’s always cyclical regression to the mean so you know the no matter who you are eventually you you come a little bit back back to that mean with with cyclicality and so you know I wouldn’t

Say that Alabama’s out I wouldn’t say the sec’s down but like you have some regression to the mean always yeah I I don’t think that um I’m not saying Alabama’s out not at all no no I know I just I’m not you I think I think and

Here’s why I say or I ask the question has Nick Sabin lost a little bit off his fastball you know he he’s been at Alabama Alabama since 2007 there’s been a lot of Chang and look at this quote after you losing the game we just didn’t finish the last

Four minutes of the game like we’d like to and we’re all very disappointed but one thing I told them in the locker room this is the one of the most amazing seasons in Alabama football history in terms of where the team came from and what they were able to

Accomplish okay does that sound like a Nick Savin quote it’s like go ahead and pass out uh oranges and high seas to everybody you know that that um I told him this is one of the amazing seasons in Alabama football history in terms of what this team came from and what they

Are able to accomplish is is he saying that well gosh maybe we shouldn’t have been there we got lucky you he said that about other he he said that about other teams that didn’t that finish worse uh than this team as well but I just think

That when it comes to Nick sa he has evolved a lot with each like new way of playing college football has come around like he before like he he went to the high powered offense with Tua and Jaylen like he he’s been able to evolve so

Maybe this is just another sign of devel uh evolvement for him like he’s still recruiting at a high level he like I was saying all this year that Nick sav’s going to lose due to quarterback play and I feel like that’s that has happened to him but like

After that first loss of Texas I thought they were going to go on a more of a Down downward spiral but they continued to win and they beat Georgia when I didn’t think they were G to beat Georgia well part of it is Mick Sabin he’s gone through a lot of different

Coaching changes nothing new but I was very surprised that he went with 31-year-old Tommy Reese he hired him as the OC he tried to get Ryan grub from Washington Ryan grub said no uh and then it you know I don’t know he didn’t have a four or five star replacement for

Bryce young so he had a scramble to get uh Buckner the transfer from Notre Dame he had J Jay milro and we saw what happened earlier in the season losing to Texas having their troubles at South Florida but did they really ever solve the quarterback Pro problem I mean you

Look at a lot of criticism that why Florida State couldn’t make it to the national championship game is because a quarterback play only throwing 55 yards with a third string quarterback in the uh ACC Championship game but look at the stats there Jaylen milro passed for 116

Yards in the Rose bowlt really what does that tell you about their quarterback play so that’s why I asked the question is Nick Sabin does he losing a little bit off of his fast ball so because he didn’t have Alabama ready he does have a good quarterback

Coming in in in this uh this recruit class though yeah he has one uh but he also has Julian S S out of carlbad California and Eli Holstein was the other quarterback and he just jumped into the to the transfer portal so it’s it’s kind of showing you’re not you’re

Not GNA be able to get two uh quarterbacks in the same class it’s not not wise but here here’s another quote and Brandon this kind of um Brandon Jones this is what you’re kind of alluding to Nick sa says college football is is heading towards a semi-pro Direction with nil in the

Expanded playoff now when Nick speaks people listen and he said this uh late December of this year we’re moving in the sort of Semi-Pro Direction in terms of there’s pay for play now we call it name image and likeness but that’s play for pay forplay basically and I’m all

For the players sharing in what’s happening you’ve got guys transferring from one team to the next at will with very little guidelines as to how to control any of these things and we’re going to have a playoff very similar to the NFL and I’m not saying any of those

Things are bad I’m just saying there all completely changes from what we had five years ago 10 years ago whatever so and now that everybody can pay the players now Nick is saying hey that’s all good and well but U who is he speaking to here guys donors

Okay you think he’s donor who I think yeah he’s telling them that they need to pay up so he could do this uh pay for play now the teams that are mainly doing that right now is Texas A&M Texas uh Oregon the the other thing by the way is

This is gonna keep getting worse until they finally just accept the answer is collective bargaining yeah because because the problem is that the courts have just nailed them they’ve been clear you know you you can’t just keep making rules that restrict people’s income so the only way you can get this under

Control the way you can control your costs and control the spiraling no rules no this transfer tomorrow if you want is is actually with collective bargaining where the athletes agree to limits in exchange for what what they bargain for because I’ll tell you the other thing

That I think is going to fall very very soon and this it hasn’t haven’t heard much talk about it but if you actually read like the decisions that have been coming down there’s no way that it survives very much longer is the four-year limit or the fiveish year

Limit or this whatever you want to call it because truly again under the the justifications that they’ve used and just smacking the NCA around one way or the other the limitations on people’s earnings like you don’t tell doctors you can only be a doctor for four years

Anymore and that the the status that they’re that’s the standard that they’re using is what happens in the rest of the world so I think very soon that’s going to go away too so again collective bargaining I think is really the only way that this problem gets solved and I

Think when you hear people complaining about it like he is right here just like he did at when did he give a speech like a year ago at the whatever the touchdown Club in Birmingham and he gave essentially the same speech as this right uh he’s talking to his donors he’s

Telling his donors to start writing checks so what I take out of this guys and is how to control things little very little guidelines so I think he’s speaking to Greg sanki who’s probably speaking to Tommy tuberville who is the um senator from the south there Republican senator they’re trying to get

Federal leg legislation to help with some guidelines to the transfer portal and nobody has answers people are looking for control as Keith Mitchell mentioned earlier these coaches are recruiting 247 high school players transfer portal trying to recruit their own locker room so the reason why I bring this all up is

Because we’re going to the 12 team playoff you cannot look at a team from a year or two years ago and say well they have no chance because if you look at 2021 this is a perfect example look at the University of Washington they finished 4 and8 Jimmy Lake was fired

During the year and they actually lost to Michigan that year were blown out I think 31 to1 two years later they’re in the national championship game you take a look at a school like Arizona Arizona was 1 and 11 that year this year they’re 10 and3 and they beat uh Oklahoma who’s

Going to the SEC and then last week that Washington team beat Texas who’s going to the SEC beat him for the second year in a row last year they beat him at the Almo bow this year they beat him for the Sugar Bowl so um you can see examples of

What is happening with nil and it’s even getting more and more sophisticated in terms of keeping players at the universities um and then perfect examples you’re getting Malachi Nelson you’re getting these four and five star players that are transferring looking for an opportunity to play and nowhere

Else schools like Alabama Georgia in the SEC where uh you have schools that it’s not going to take that long to get to become a college football playoff team what are your thoughts guys I mean let’s let’s take a look at USC what does USC have to do in order to be successful

Next year go into the Big 10 what’s going on with USC’s nil that’s a good question too many chiefs yeah outside looking in obviously I’m I’m not in the circle I out I look at in just seems like there’s too many chiefs not enough Indians man everybody

Wants you know their Collective to be the collective and it’s really you see other schools it’s one Collective you know that’s working together towards one goal so I don’t get how we haven’t been able to uh pull ourselves together to to be like uh Florida be like a Miami like

They are like they are trying to make it all one Collective and they’re doing it correctly and we we just like seem to be fumbling it here I I don’t get how when we have all the resources to be able to do it and and I’ll be honest and I know

That there’s debatable limits to how the school can do this I think it needs to flow through the school better the school needs more control um anytime you mentioned with too many chiefs and not enough Indians especially when you know they’re not even from your village it it’s not a

Good thing you need it to be in house um and I mean the NCA has no ground to stand on for anything anyway so you you I think you can you can take a little more liberal inter we are still scarred by 2010 and I think we can take a little

More liberal interpretation to be more like what’s happening uh you know dare I say and Eugene yeah so this is going to be an interesting matchup as I alluded to earlier both teams won a national their last National Championship in the 90s Michigan leads the alltime series 8 to5

They’re both two and two in the Rose Bowl with h Washington beating Michigan 3414 to win the 1991 national championship game uh one of the things to to look at I think um Keith had mentioned is turnovers who is going to make the fewest mistakes you got two outstanding

Quarterbacks in penck and um JJ M McCarthy and you know their stats just to to kind of to show the stats they’ve got um Michael penck close to 4700 yards passing 35 TDS nine interceptions J M JJ McCarthy doesn’t have to pass it as much with a running game like BL corm Blake

Corm uh 2851 yards passing 73.2% completion 22 TDS four interceptions doesn’t make a lot of mistakes because he’s benefited by that running game where you know Washington does have a running game but it’s not as consistent how how healthy is that running game G to be guys your thoughts

On um Washington’s offense and Michigan’s offense in this game start off with you Tony um I mean I I p penx is penx is better but Michigan can run and Michigan has the line to lets some run and so if Michigan can run the ball all day it’s going to be incumbent

On Washington to really do their thing and the question is can they do it and uh GNA be interesting to see Brandon I agree with Tony it’s gonna be interesting to see how Michigan plans on stopping that deep ball but you know they didn’t never dealt with the arm like penic

But Washington has to concentrate on stopping that run and make uh JJ McCarthy beat him with their arm that’s gonna be the key to the game right there Blackie yeah I agree with uh you Brandon um like Dylan Johnson he like I know we kind of harp on him with the the

They have hardly ran the ball all that much but he’s he’s a a thousand yard rushing uh running back so he he can run it and we’ve seen it firsthand but it’s kind of easy to run against us but like it’s just can JJ McCarthy be

The reason why they win the game because you know that uh Washington’s gonna try to just stop Lake Corum and the other running back I can’t remember his name but they’re gonna they’re gonna try to do everything they can do to stop their running game because that’s what they

Know their bread and butter is and we all know that Michigan’s going to try to stop their their passing attack can Dylan Johnson be the reason for that but just the I don’t know I can’t I don’t have faith that if JJ McCarthy had to uh

Go into a shootout with Michael penx if he can keep up yeah I I think um Michigan would be wise I think they’re going to run the ball they’re going to make Washington stop them I don’t know if Washington can stop the run and give them a heavy dose of Corum and

Edwards and then you throw in passes by um JJ McCarthy to keep them honest but I think Michigan wants to control time of possession limit the ball in Pen’s hands and Washington’s hands because they know they can score fast the other thing that they got to worry about is how do they

Cover three NFL type of receivers and den um poke and um McMillan McMillan that’s that’s gonna be problematic and that’s where their strength is I think if Michigan runs the ball and just makes JJ McCarthy a secondary part of their offense and sure JJ McCarthy can beat

You um but if you just run the ball on them and and keep the ball away from Washington I think that’s their strength and then Michigan will take their chances on defense covering that offense when they have limited opportunities so that’s that’s for Michigan to be successful I think that’s what’s going to

Happen y it’s I will say it’s going to be pretty hard for uh penis to get the ball downfield that pass rush is you know all in his face all game so that’s gonna be pretty interesting man so U probably see a lot of Slants a lot of

Quick outs you know him getting the ball out early before they can take a shot down field but yep so that’s that’s GNA be pretty interesting to watch too see if uh pennx can navigate that pressure I think we might see a lot of screen game because they’re going to be all out

Blitzing pennic so why not just dink it over the top of the lineman so or I mean the defensive line Y Sergeant pickle says if Michigan tries to take away the Deep ball penck will heat will hit the tight ends so we gota keep on did he utilize the tight ends all that

Much well he’s gonna have to this game I’m pretty sure they’re take away the Deep ball you I’m pretty sure they’re going to want to keep everything underneath while getting you have three receivers to be able to try to do that too though yeah I mean it’s not gonna be an easy task

But Sergeant pickles also says I see one outstanding quarterback and a slightly worse bonix a slightly worse we like we have our opinions on Bon X but let I’m not GNA disagree with that Sergeant pickles I’m I’m not the biggest fan of JJ McCarthy I think he’s slightly above

Average in my opinion but but uh yeah I mean I hear you Ser toles I hear you all right well hey we’re gonna wrap this up we got to get some score predictions here guys I appreciate you being here on a uh Sunday evening the night before the national championship

And um great discussion it’s good to have all you in here let’s start off with Blackie Chan tell us uh wrap it up here with what you see tomorrow happening national championship game and give us your prediction don’t necessarily have to give us a score but

Let us know who you think’s gonna win I’ll give you a score uh since we gave it in our in our podcast here I’m going to say 38 to 28 Washington I just think that uh I don’t think the the BBs for uh Michigan has seen this caliber of wide receivers and

I I I trust that Washington’s offensive line will do enough to give him at least enough time to stand back there and at least pick them apart if not he’ll dink it and then they’ll come close to the off to the line and then he’ll toss it over top Brandon

Um I’m going to say 3427 Washington um I believe that penx is going to figure it out he’s going to show everybody that he is a pro he’s gonna show everybody that uh he was definitely snubbed in that Heisman so um yeah I believe he’s gonna figure it out

And be ready eager to show the RO man I think he’s got a little chip on his shoulder so think he’s gonna show out Tony so Washington can win they may very well win would not surprise me in the slight but if I had to bet I think Michigan finds a way they’re

Good yeah I I um Washington’s a dynamic team enjoyed seeing him all year I think Michigan is the more balanced team defensively and offensively and I don’t think they have an answer for Mason Graham he’s gonna be a Difference Maker he’s going to put pressure on um Washington and give the other play

Makers on defense their chance to stunt Blitz the quarterback they might have sack panic but they’re going to be in his head they’re gonna cause him problems all day I think Michigan has the better running game at the end of the day it’s it’s gonna be a close game I see Michigan

Winning this game I’m I’m gonna call it 282 24 oh but um it’s gonna be a one heck of a game guys I really appreciate you um joining the show tell us where people can find you Blackie Chan Brandon as we wrap up and

Tony uh a lot of places here uh I stream on Twitch uh blackiechan gaming and then U same thing for uh for Twitter as well or X whatever you want to call it and you also find me on the light torch podcast with uh the guy below me B

Jones if you haven’t followed life the torch podcast these guys are doing a great job I believe you guys started out earlier the beginning of the season and they’ve got a lot of great content on there they’re now up adding videos on um transfer portal guys that um USC’s

Recruiting always get great content on Instagram follow them on Instagram Brandon where can they find you like you said Instagram it’s all right there in front of you _ light the torch on X or Twitter whatever you’re calling it these days I’m always uh I’m always there responsive

So I’m always looking to interact with the uh fellow Troon so hit us up guys and Tony uh you just find me you can Twitter at TJ altimore so right on there and I I gotta run but thank you guys all right thank you Tony fight on guys fight

On thank you Brandon thank you Blacky Chan thanks for having us