2026-05-14 Big Ten Vibe Check - Mays of May (raw)

00:18 Ty Hildenbrandt: Dan Rubenstein, as people are listening to this, we are about midway through the month of May.

00:24 Dan Rubenstein: This is true. This is normally my favorite month. Maybe not favorite. This is normally a favorite month because you're getting warmer weather, you're throwing away the boots and the jackets and the gloves and the beanies and you're busting out shorts and flip-flops. Not the case.

00:41 Ty Hildenbrandt: Dude, I got the heat on down here. I'm freezing my butt off.

00:44 Dan Rubenstein: Oh, not the case. Either way, we do have more sunshine. And May is when I think I saw, was it Phil Steele teasing out like the silhouettes on the cover of his magazine? I don't think I'm a Phil Steele consumer anymore, but I always appreciate knowing that that time of year is coming. I think Ty is secretly assembling his own preview, which is great for me.

01:09 Ty Hildenbrandt: Oh man, I've got a whole pirate ship going over here, man.

01:10 Dan Rubenstein: I appreciate it. You're deep in the weeds.

01:13 Ty Hildenbrandt: Oh, yeah. Yeah. We're good. We're well ahead of where we normally are for this time of year with regard to previews. So that's good.

01:20 Dan Rubenstein: That's what I love to hear.

01:21 Ty Hildenbrandt: Yeah.

01:21 Dan Rubenstein: So, like, right, this year is rounding into shape. And what I want to do, even though I'm cold, I want to warm the hearts of college football fans. And I want to stir things up a little bit. And I'm going to use the exact name of the month, May, and I'm going to use that in another intended form of saying X may be Y this year.

01:47 Ty Hildenbrandt: I have this down at the ready if you need it.

01:49 Dan Rubenstein: Thank you very much. We're focusing on the Big Ten today, as you probably already know from the title of this episode. This is our Big Ten vibe check. Sometimes we have guests for these, sometimes we don't. Ty and I happen to be Big Ten alumni.

02:03 Ty Hildenbrandt: That's right, that's right.

02:03 Dan Rubenstein: So we feel it's very strange for me to say that.

02:05 Ty Hildenbrandt: Brag much?

02:07 Dan Rubenstein: Very strange for me to say that. But here we are. I live in Big Ten country. I'm a Big Ten alumnus. So we are going to go through the Big Ten. And based on just the vibes that, again, we both live in Big Ten territory, the vibes that we are picking up on our antennae, that's two straight episodes I've used that word. We're going to assess some vibes of what may happen this fall in the Big Ten. Is that cool?

02:36 Ty Hildenbrandt: I love that sound so much.

02:36 Dan Rubenstein: I appreciate that.

02:38 Ty Hildenbrandt: I didn't hear it at all this year. Like when the calendar flipped from April into May, normally you log online. It's all you see. So maybe I am now of a different generation. I don't know. I don't know if something happened. Unbeknownst to me, but I didn't see it.

02:56 Dan Rubenstein: Yeah.

02:56 Ty Hildenbrandt: And it kind of left me a little bit dismayed. So we're going to make up for it, everybody.

02:59 Dan Rubenstein: Hold on, you're dis diss made.

03:00 Ty Hildenbrandt: Don't worry. I am.

03:03 Dan Rubenstein: I like that Ty.

03:03 Ty Hildenbrandt: I was very dismayed. Thank you. That's good.

03:05 Dan Rubenstein: Lean into it.

03:06 Ty Hildenbrandt: That's good.

03:06 Dan Rubenstein: I think you're just not online in the same way you used to be. You're not on Twitter or X the everything happening the way you used to be, or you're not tumbling.

03:12 Ty Hildenbrandt: Everything out, yeah. No.

03:14 Dan Rubenstein: Like perhaps you used to in years gone by. And this is just you growing up. You're outside, you're throwing tennis balls at dogs, you're doing your thing.

03:23 Ty Hildenbrandt: I told you this, but I have spent a non-zero amount of time. Is that even English?

03:29 Dan Rubenstein: Yeah.

03:30 Ty Hildenbrandt: Probably not.

03:30 Dan Rubenstein: Yeah, it is, a little bit.

03:31 Ty Hildenbrandt: I have spent a fair amount of time this offseason trying to put together plans for the fall that minimizes social media as much as humanly possible, as much as is allowable per our contracts and obligations elsewhere.

03:41 Dan Rubenstein: Sure, yeah.

03:46 Ty Hildenbrandt: In the podcasting universe because, yeah, to the point I use it less now than ever. Nonetheless, all that being said, none of it this is not about Anything to do with today's show.

03:56 Dan Rubenstein: Sure.

03:56 Ty Hildenbrandt: We can talk about that on a bonus episode Verballers.com is where you can go if you want to hear more Ty takes and Dan takes, we do that every Thursday for our Patreon Verballerhood. Of course, hit follow, hit subscribe if you have yet to do so. We'd love to have you with us on this journey through the cold, still cold months of the offseason. Eventually, we'll arrive at previews and before long we'll arrive at the season. It's like we're already through four and a half, five months of this thing. So it'll be here before you know it.

04:25 Dan Rubenstein: Yes.

04:27 Ty Hildenbrandt: Hit follow, hit subscribe if you've yet to do so and you like the show, reviews, star ratings, all that stuff. Let's other people know that this is in fact a fun show to listen to where we talk college football and don't take ourselves too seriously. And last but not least, solidverbal@gmail.com. That's where we've been referring people now for Since the very beginning, but much more so as of late. Tell people if you got something to say, just email us. We've been getting a ton of emails here this offseason. We'd love to hear from you. We'll read them all. Can't respond to them all. But again, solidverbal@gmail.com.

04:59 Dan Rubenstein: Right.

05:01 Ty Hildenbrandt: Com, Dan.

05:02 Dan Rubenstein: Yes. Okay. Are you ready to get into my first May item?

05:06 Ty Hildenbrandt: Do you want the sound again or no?

05:09 Dan Rubenstein: I think I'm okay.

05:10 Ty Hildenbrandt: You're okay.

05:10 Dan Rubenstein: I think I'm all right.

05:10 Ty Hildenbrandt: Let me you're you're the conductor of this operation. Let me know when you want the sound, and I happily will spam that button.

05:19 Dan Rubenstein: Oh man, I'm trying to I'm looking around here and see what I have if I can add anything to look this is this is when we're building up hope building up despair. I don't know. We are looking for reasons to feel optimistic or pessimistic, and maybe that reason falls along the lines of I don't know. I don't know. Here we go. Our first May. You ready? Ohio State may miss the playoff. Ohio State may miss the playoff. Okay, here is my reasoning for presenting this as an item.

05:49 Ty Hildenbrandt: Starting out hot. Okay.

05:53 Dan Rubenstein: New offensive coordinator. Perhaps a step back in terms of how explosive this offense was last year, even given that they have the most explosive offensive playmaker in the sport, and Jeremiah Smith. Inconsistent, maybe the first half of the year running the ball. I think Ohio State fans, and I don't intend to speak for them, but this is just the vibe I'm picking up. Felt as if Julian Sayin was not as empowered as previous Ohio State quarterbacks in terms of going the downfield, going downfield early and often. That it was, there were stories about how they were playing with a slower pace and that they were playing to be healthy and at their best come January, and they weren't trying to rush things and show everything every week. They hire a new offensive coordinator, an Arthur Smith, with no real recent experience in college at all. That resume line of thinking has worked out famously for their defense with Matt Patricia, who does not have that recent college experience. Worked out terrific last year, but. replacing beef inside along the defensive line, replacing obviously key edge linebacker types that were drafted very high in the draft, and replacing a generational safety, Caleb Downs. So there are changes along this defense. So now we're going to see for the first time how Matt Patricia adjusts to new personnel. And on offense, it's an Arthur Smith-type season, coupled with. Ohio State playing in what looks to be three and a half exceedingly losable, I'm not confident in this, but losable matchups early on against Texas. Indiana on the road, Oregon at home, and I'm including the half, however you feel about Iowa on the road and USC on the road. Obviously, Ohio State's in a better position coaching and roster wise than those schools. But I wouldn't go full gauntlet, but there is a grip of losable games that could see us looking down a season of Ohio State 9-3, not playing in the Big Ten championship game, almost finding themselves in a similar position as where Texas was last year, that Ohio State fans are saying something like, well, if we had scheduled you know, Eastern Michigan, if we had scheduled San Diego State, if we had scheduled Wazzu instead of Texas, we wouldn't be in this position. So I don't know how you are grading this out, if this is a full May possibility, a half May possibility or a no May possibility, but what do you think of the idea of Ohio State? Maybe missing the playoff because of this schedule and the newness of chunks of this roster.

08:42 Ty Hildenbrandt: I wouldn't bet on it.

08:44 Dan Rubenstein: Okay?

08:45 Ty Hildenbrandt: I absolutely would not bet on it. But in looking over the schedule, it looks very possible. This is not an easy schedule, as you mentioned. By the way, you didn't even mention Michigan. That's another game on there, obviously, to close out the year.

08:57 Dan Rubenstein: Didn't mention Michigan.

09:00 Ty Hildenbrandt: First year coach and Kyle Whittingham, we don't really know what Michigan's going to look like. Maybe we can talk to that a little bit here over the next hour or so. But that's always a hotly contested game, right? So there are many losable games on here.

09:13 Dan Rubenstein: Potentially three Heisman caliber quarterbacks on this schedule in Arch, Jayden Maiava, and Dante Moore.

09:16 Ty Hildenbrandt: That's right. So I am not going to pretend like I realistically expect Ohio State to lose all three of those games, which is kind of what you're describing if you're saying they're going to miss the playoff.

09:29 Dan Rubenstein: Of course. Of course. I'm saying losable.

09:32 Ty Hildenbrandt: They are losable. I could see it. I would not bet on it. So in terms of probability, 25, 30% chance they miss it.

09:47 Dan Rubenstein: Okay. I think this is the likeliest recent season that we could have this conversation. Obviously, we've seen seasons in which The offense or defense takes a step back. I don't believe Ohio State people are quite fond of like the brief Greg Schiano defensive coordinator era. I don't think they're terribly fond of the Kyle McCord year, as good as Kyle McCord was the following season for Syracuse. So there are those dips that, and Ryan Day wins a ton of games during those dips. Let's be clear. He's one of the best handful of coaches in this sport. All I'm saying is, this could be an especially precarious year.

10:26 Ty Hildenbrandt: I think Bill Connelly had Ohio State as a preseason SP+ number one team.

10:32 Dan Rubenstein: Okay, they've earned that.

10:32 Ty Hildenbrandt: Number two on offense. Number one on defense. Much more back on offense than on defense. The Arthur Smith, Arthur Smith, excuse me. Hiring is interesting because one of the Achilles heels for Ohio State last year was the rushing attack. It's going to look different this year. Arthur Smith definitely is someone who's going to lean more into the rushing attack. They'll probably, to some extent, Try to expand Julian Sayin's role. Julian Sayin is going to be a really interesting case to follow this year because one of the knocks on him, if you want to split hairs last year, is that In many cases, they didn't ask him to do a whole lot. He was crazy accurate. He was very good. Didn't really do anything wrong. But naturally, we go to this place where when we're talking enough about a team, we wonder what more is Out there? Is there more meat on the bone with Sayin? And what can you do in a little bit more of an expanded role?

11:25 Dan Rubenstein: Sure.

11:26 Ty Hildenbrandt: So I'm curious to see if they can get that ground game on track. To what end that unlocks Julian Sayin. And furthermore, and I know this is something Bill Landis was talking about: who is going to be wide receiver two next to Jeremiah Smith? Who is going to be that compliment? Ohio State's never really short on wide receiver talent, but I think it's much more of an open question this year, as has been in the past. who is going to be that counterbalance to Jeremiah Smith and how does that affect things in the passing game? I'm not ultimately that worried about the offense. I think the offense will be fine. There is much more of a rebuild happening on defense, especially up front. And so especially early on against a team like a Texas, which I think is going to try to focus a little bit more on getting its ground game on track, that'll be an interesting thing to chart. Once we get into week two, how do they look against the run, especially now against a mobile quarterback and Arch Manning in week two, who can put that defense on skates in a couple of different ways. So I don't think it's a particularly high chance. I still really like this Ohio State team. I think, in all likelihood, they're going 11-1, 12-0. If I had to put money on it right now, but certainly looking at the schedule. It's going to be a pretty loaded like first two months of the year. Like, I know the joke here is we'll know a lot by December. We'll know a lot by November with regard to Ohio State, just the way the schedule sets up.

12:49 Dan Rubenstein: Yeah. Yeah. And by the way, on that schedule, that is it's an Iowa team on the road after Ohio State will have already played Texas on the road and Illinois the week before that. So again, these teams are more fearful. I mean, Indiana and Iowa and Illinois are more fearful of Ohio State than Ohio State is of those teams. But worth noting. The other thing I'm paying attention to. I'm not going to go full pessimistic. I'm just paying attention. Brian Hartline has been there forever. Brian Hartline's no longer there. Okay? We've had nothing short of superb wide receiver recruiting and development and play under Ryan Day at Ohio State. Jeremiah Smith is going to continue to be great, likely. But there are a lot of new faces in that room via transfer, via freshman. It's still, you know, Jeremiah Smith and Brandon Innes. I don't believe LSU fans, by the end of his time in Baton Rouge, were the biggest fans of Cortez Hankton, the new. Receivers coach for Ohio State. They felt a lot of those receivers were coming up short of potential and the drops, and there was a lot going on there, whether it was Nussmeier, whether it was the offensive line issues, the coordinating issues, whatever. But I'm paying attention to that as a new element of an Ohio State program that saw a lot of continuity with how long Brian Hartline was there.

14:16 Ty Hildenbrandt: No, I I think that's fair. Okay.

14:18 Dan Rubenstein: Okay.

14:18 Ty Hildenbrandt: Where we go next?

14:19 Dan Rubenstein: My next May?

14:20 Ty Hildenbrandt: Yeah, next May.

14:21 Dan Rubenstein: Okay, next May. Maryland may win a game after September this season. May Win a game after September.

14:34 Ty Hildenbrandt: You know, Maryland's number two in returning production nationally.

14:37 Dan Rubenstein: I know they are. Do you feel Maryland, who has, I believe after week four, Nebraska on the road, Ohio State on the road, Rutgers at home? I'm circling that. Illinois at home, and that is a week after Illinois has.

14:55 Ty Hildenbrandt: It's a bye. After a bye, they get Illinois at home.

14:58 Dan Rubenstein: Right, right. And I'm saying Illinois has Oregon the week before they travel to Maryland, you know, whatever, body blow, let down, whatever.

15:00 Ty Hildenbrandt: Oh, Illinois got okay, so let down spot for Illinois. Yep.

15:07 Dan Rubenstein: Maryland has Purdue on the road, which I don't hate. And that's a week after Purdue has Penn State. So that could be a very difficult turnaround for the Boilers. They have Wisconsin at home a week after a tough stretch for Wisconsin, tough-ish stretch. And Maryland has SC on the road, and they finish with Penn State, which I think are going to be difficult. So of those They have Rutgers and Purdue and Wisconsin, whatever Wisconsin is this year. I'm saying Maryland may win a game after September.

15:44 Ty Hildenbrandt: After September, I would put that at 100%.

15:45 Dan Rubenstein: After September 100% full May.

15:50 Ty Hildenbrandt: 100% full May.

15:52 Dan Rubenstein: Any other thoughts on Maryland coming into the season? Obviously, they had individual bright spots last year with a lot of youth on both sides of the ball, and they're returning that much production because they were forced into starting that much youth.

16:07 Ty Hildenbrandt: I mean, this is like All the pressure in the world on Mike Locksley because they've gone 4-8 now, twice in a row. New quarterback last year in Malik Washington, who they were able to retain from the state of Maryland, obviously brought a lot of promise. I thought he looked, for the most part, pretty good. Having that continuity. Is, I think, really encouraging, but we do need to keep it in context. We need to keep it in the context of Maryland. We're still waiting for Maryland to sort of break out of this little funk they've been in. And does it and this goes back to something that I know Bill has said time and again, Bill Connelly, just because you have returning production, is that a good thing? It's a number that pops on the chart.

16:51 Dan Rubenstein: I agree.

16:53 Ty Hildenbrandt: But if the team wasn't any good and they weren't last year, they were a four-win team. Actually, two years in a row, a four-win team, as I just alluded. Does having 74% returning production or 71% returning production, excuse me, really mean anything if it's coming back from a 4-8 team? I don't know. I don't know.

17:12 Dan Rubenstein: Look, I think it's a certainty. I'm never going to put it at 100%, but if your starting position is experience on offense upside on offense and what could be an absolutely killer pass rush, those are the building blocks.

17:26 Ty Hildenbrandt: I think the pass rush is going to be really good.

17:31 Dan Rubenstein: To be bowl-eligible, which if you're going to be bowl-ish, you got to win after September. And so I'm in on a step forward for Maryland this year. Because if you have something as crucial as a pass rush that you potentially could do in an excellent fashion, that goes a long way. You cover up other elements of your defense that might not be on that level. You get off the field. You let your offense wear down a defense perhaps a little bit more. I love what Maryland should be looking like at the edge. And they add in, I think, either the number one or number two true freshman, edge rusher, five star local in this incoming class. So.

18:08 Ty Hildenbrandt: The other thing that's of note here on offense, okay, so they hired Clint Trickettt now as their offensive coordinator, who comes up from Jacksonville State.

18:12 Dan Rubenstein: Yeah. Yes.

18:17 Ty Hildenbrandt: His philosophy is very much we're going to spread everybody out. We don't want it to be as As tight as it's been, right? We want to try and use space to our advantage. They did so, but they didn't remove like Pep Hamilton from the equation. Who I believe is now like a senior advisor and still working with Malik Washington. So, presumably, I think the theory here is you bring in a play caller who maybe can spread things out a little bit more, reinvigorate the offense. But At the same time, you're not depriving Malik Washington of somebody who helped develop him. Now, what does that look like? Does it mean more than four ways? I have no idea. But I think it's worth mentioning here. So I'm bullish on Maryland to the extent that 100% they're winning a game after September. The pass rush, I like Malik Washington, and I'm curious to see what the Clint Trickettt thing looks like. But I'm not going to go much beyond that because still they're punching up, right? They're fighting an uphill battle against some of these teams that are on the schedule, especially later in the year.

19:23 Dan Rubenstein: Sidebar with the pass rush thing, and we've all cheered for teams. Hopefully, all of us have cheered for teams. There's something very secretly tantalizing about that almost undersized true freshman edge rusher where you're just like, look, he's only playing on third downs, but man. Third and nines are really like pre-snap third and nines. Like, remember when Dylan Stewart was a freshman all the way back in 2024, whatever it was?

19:44 Ty Hildenbrandt: Oh, yeah in the year 2024.

19:48 Dan Rubenstein: There is something, and he played more than just, yes, he played more than just third downs. But having that, like, look, he's raw, he's not super developed in terms of like a bag of pass rush moves. But he just is crazy fast, has crazy bend. And you've had that with Penn State dudes. I've had that with Ort. Like, it's just. It's a terrific silver lining. If a lot else is not going right with your team, they can never take third and 13 away from you and like the potential energy pre-snap that that holds. Okay, next.

20:21 Ty Hildenbrandt: I have one trivia question for you before we move on.

20:23 Dan Rubenstein: Please, please.

20:24 Ty Hildenbrandt: Do you know Pep Hamilton's real first name?

20:29 Dan Rubenstein: Pepsi. No?

20:30 Ty Hildenbrandt: Alfonza.

20:32 Dan Rubenstein: Alfonza?

20:33 Ty Hildenbrandt: Alfonza. Yeah.

20:35 Dan Rubenstein: Where does Pep come from, Ty?

20:37 Ty Hildenbrandt: I have no I have I don't know that, but I know his real name is Alfonza.

20:37 Dan Rubenstein: If you're going to do trivia, okay.

20:41 Ty Hildenbrandt: Anyway, continue.

20:41 Dan Rubenstein: Okay. You ready for the next May?

20:43 Ty Hildenbrandt: I am.

20:45 Dan Rubenstein: It's going to be May.

20:47 Ty Hildenbrandt: You can't give me a chance like that. I'm going to take it every time.

20:50 Dan Rubenstein: Do you want a May downer or a May upper?

20:54 Ty Hildenbrandt: Dude, you're in charge, whatever you want. I don't care.

20:56 Dan Rubenstein: All right. Well, I did a May upper for Maryland, although kind of backhanded upper. Wisconsin may go ahead and save Luke Fickell's job. Now, new AD, I don't believe anything is official yet, but Chris McIntosh announced he's stepping down. Wisconsin finally has an okay schedule.

21:17 Ty Hildenbrandt: It's not bad. So I was looking at this earlier. I'll read it off real quick for people.

21:22 Dan Rubenstein: Yeah.

21:22 Ty Hildenbrandt: They open the year neutral site game at Lambeau Field against Notre Dame. All right, that one will be tough. But then after that,.

21:27 Dan Rubenstein: But honestly, honestly, I don't hate it in terms of week one wildcard.

21:33 Ty Hildenbrandt: No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

21:34 Dan Rubenstein: NFL Stadium.

21:34 Ty Hildenbrandt: And if you're going to play, if you're going to play a game like that, do it right away. Get it out of the way.

21:38 Dan Rubenstein: Yeah. Marcus Freeman loses these types of games, as we know, early on in the season.

21:42 Ty Hildenbrandt: How dare you? How dare you?

21:45 Dan Rubenstein: Continue.

21:46 Ty Hildenbrandt: Unless Wisconsin joined the Mac, Notre Dame's fine. Anyway.

21:49 Dan Rubenstein: Okay.

21:49 Ty Hildenbrandt: Western Illinois at home week two, followed by Eastern Michigan at home, Penn State on the road to close out September.

21:52 Dan Rubenstein: Should be okay. Should be okay.

21:57 Ty Hildenbrandt: In October, they're home against Michigan State, away at UCLA after a bye week, back home against USC, away against Iowa.

22:04 Dan Rubenstein: Yeah.

22:08 Ty Hildenbrandt: So a little snip, snap, snip, snap there with the home road splits. And then in November, it's Rutgers at home, Maryland away, Purdue away, Minnesota at home. That's a really good closing stretch, comparatively speaking. We're used to talking about Wisconsin, I feel like, over the last two or three years now, of just having this murderer's row of a schedule. That You layer injuries on top of it, and it was seemingly impossible for them to get ahead. But the way this thing closes out, this should set up pretty well for them.

22:38 Dan Rubenstein: As far as I can tell, I guess it depends on your opinion of Rocco Becht, but that's Rocco Becht at a new place with some new elements. Wisconsin has two definitely good quarterbacks on this schedule in C. J. Carr and Jayden Maiava. Okay? That's a good starting point.

22:54 Ty Hildenbrandt: What about Nico?

22:55 Dan Rubenstein: I know people are very I'm not I know I think Nate Tys really likes Drake Lindsay as an NFL prospect.

22:55 Ty Hildenbrandt: Not counting Nico in there?

23:01 Dan Rubenstein: Perhaps like to see more, but obviously the physical tools are there. But in terms of definitely good, we don't have a quarterback for Iowa. You know, we'll see. Wisconsin, I think they're making some defensive scheme shifts, it seems like. They're going to need to find playmakers on offense. It's Abu Sama right now who's in the backfield for Wisconsin. We'll see if he has a breakout stretch that he's never really had consistently. But can they coach their way? Can they junk their way to Seven, eight wins, winning close in some of these.

23:36 Ty Hildenbrandt: I think we can.

23:36 Dan Rubenstein: Notre Dame is going to be obviously extremely difficult. But that's the only team. Like, I know USC's championship window is open. That's USC at home. UCLA is after UCLA plays Oregon, I believe, right? And they get USC a week before USC hosts Ohio State. So I'm saying situationally. Wisconsin can paint some corners. And I don't know what that number is. Obviously, whoever the new AD did not hire, whoever that person is, did not hire Luke Fickell. But It feels like Wisconsin's due just for like a boringly plain and moderately successful season. And maybe, maybe it's just not meant to be under Luke Fickell, and I'm open to that possibility, but I don't know. There is something about May optimism and my soft spot for Wisconsin football that has me thinking they may quietly go 8-4.

24:33 Ty Hildenbrandt: I could see it. I could see it. The defense should be really good. I think the defense will be really good. You talk about some of the.

24:40 Dan Rubenstein: It's a rebuilt secondary, yeah.

24:42 Ty Hildenbrandt: Yeah, the schematics on the back end in particular of that defense, whether they want to play a little bit more man coverage, that type of thing. We can get into that when we talk about previews, but that seems to be one of the talking points here. In the early going. Look, it's got to be this year for Luke Fickell. It's just got to be like it doesn't got to be May. It's got to be September, October, November if he wants to keep his job beyond this year. Um They have placed, I think, a pretty big bet on Colton Joseph, who I really like, the transfer from Old Dominion. Threw for a bunch of yards, ran for a bunch of yards, a true dual threat. And combining him in a Jeff Grimes offense, I think makes this really, really interesting to follow. They need to be just workable on offense. I feel like whenever we talk about transfers, and we'll probably get to this whenever we do ACC vibes and when we do like a Miami preview. But there's like a real question about Darian Mensah. Darian Mensah. He's been described as somewhere in between Cam Ward, who provided all the fireworks, and Carson Beck, who definitely was much more of a game manager. Mensah's somewhere in the middle. But there will be a conversation of fireworks. What does this mean for the Miami offense? I mention all this just to say that I have no idea what kind of fireworks are going to get out of Colton Joseph. He just needs to stay healthy. Okay. They need quarterback health. Just get somebody to stay healthy back there. Screw the fireworks, man. Just get somebody who's healthy, somebody who can run a functional offense. And I think that's half the battle. And furthermore, if the offensive line can kind of come together against the schedule that they've got in front of them, I feel pretty good about about what was your question here, ultimately? What were you asking? Can they win eight games?

26:44 Dan Rubenstein: Eight and four, quiet 8-4, which by the way, that also means likely, just playing the numbers, they're only losing three in the Big Ten if we're saying they're going to lose to Notre Dame to open the season.

26:55 Ty Hildenbrandt: If the line can come together, because it's got a bunch of transfers along that line. And provided the quarterback stays healthy, I feel pretty good about 8-4, at least as a possibility. If I'm putting a number on it, looking at the schedule: one, two, three, let's say four, five, six. Sixty percent, better than half, I would say.

27:18 Dan Rubenstein: Wow. Just over average May. Okay. You ready for the next one?

27:24 Ty Hildenbrandt: I'm ready.

27:25 Dan Rubenstein: This one's going to be a little bit of a downer. Oregon may regret two internal coordinator hires.

27:34 Ty Hildenbrandt: Oh. Well, look, you can speak to this more than I can. But I think there's a real possibility of that. That this is a team that is absolutely loaded for bear. A lot of returning production. Dante Moore came back, obviously, because he wants to develop his skills before going to the NFL, but also because he wants to win a championship. The championship window, to quote Lincoln Riley, is very much open for Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks, especially with what Oregon's got coming back on defense. So, um Will Stein leaving for Kentucky, I think, is what I am most interested in, and how Drew Mehringer steps in previously. was co offensive coordinator, was tight end coach, clearly has familiarity with the system. It seems based on what I have read, and you would know better than me, that it's going to be more of an iteration as opposed to like a full rebuild. That's mainly the reason why you promote from within because you like the way things were going, or you like the talent of another coach on staff, and you don't want to upset the apple cart too much, especially when you've got the likes of Dante Moore. What we don't know at time of recording is what those wrinkles are going to look like. You know, like what everybody tries to put their own stamp on things. What will Mehringers look like? That I don't know.

29:01 Dan Rubenstein: I think it's Ger.

29:01 Ty Hildenbrandt: How do you feel about this?

29:02 Dan Rubenstein: I think it's Mehringer, but I okay.

29:04 Ty Hildenbrandt: Mehringer, whatever.

29:07 Dan Rubenstein: I'm not positive. I'm about 83% there.

29:09 Ty Hildenbrandt: We'll say it both ways so that we're not wrong.

29:11 Dan Rubenstein: Right. What do I think? I think Mehringer is probably the bigger liability just because of the expectations that this offense is one of the best five in the country. And that he was involved with this offense, and I think he was in the booth and had his own stamp on the offense. But because of what they return at skill position, even down, you know, a couple key receivers. Key running backs and obviously Kenyon Sadiq going in the first round of the NFL draft. They'll return a ton of experience at the skilled positions. Obviously, the best of Dante Moore is excellent. New offensive line, new tackles, a new guard in there at least. And so now it's not a question of will Oregon's offense be really good. It will be really good. It's now when compared or when asked to prepare for take your pick, Georgia, Indiana, Ohio State, whatever is in season, whatever is potentially in the playoff. Does he have enough new wrinkles? Is the offense more prepared to both excel and adjust on January 17th, on January 11th? And he's called plays before, I think, at Texas, or was part of the you know, the he was a co-OC at Texas. He has experience in that role. But is this internal hire something new to take this offense over the top in terms of production? Adjustments, right, that Dante Moore looks lost against the Indiana pass rush or the Indiana secondary, obviously throwing that pick six on the first play. That's the concern that, like, when Ohio State has that issue, they go get Chip Kelly and win a national championship, right? There is that familiarity last year with Indiana and their offensive brain trust as they march to an offense or a national championship. So I think it can be spun both ways. I'm less worried about the defense because of what they bring back up front, because of how good the secondary looked last year, and because of Chris Hampton being that co-defensive coordinator, eye in the sky, I think behind the scenes he was credited with. And even though Tosh Lupoi, I think, did a great job as defensive coordinator. I think once Chris Hampton was brought in from Tulane, there were new wrinkles that looked like to this defense, and they were superb last year and just are not going through as much change. And Fernando Mendoza is not on the schedule this year.

31:47 Ty Hildenbrandt: Right, right.

31:49 Dan Rubenstein: So less worried about that. But I think there is like a 35% chance. that there is some regret that Dan Lanning did not go out and say, who is the absolute killer that can take us from really, really good to national champion?

32:06 Ty Hildenbrandt: Look, whenever your starting point is like, hey, is Carl Williams IV going to be our starting nickel, the transfer from Baylor? You're in a pretty good spot.

32:16 Dan Rubenstein: Right, right.

32:17 Ty Hildenbrandt: Like you'll take most teams would take that.

32:19 Dan Rubenstein: Or a five star freshman, or a guy a five star red shirt freshman.

32:21 Ty Hildenbrandt: Yeah. Like when you're arguing over nickel.

32:23 Dan Rubenstein: Yeah.

32:26 Ty Hildenbrandt: On the podcast.

32:26 Dan Rubenstein: Yep.

32:27 Ty Hildenbrandt: Like, you're in a pretty good spot.

32:29 Dan Rubenstein: Yep.

32:30 Ty Hildenbrandt: But I think it's fair. I think I'm with you in terms of Much more a concern on offense than defense. The defense, to an extent, has hit critical mass, but on offense, with Dante Moore With some of what he was trying to develop this offseason, which again, we'll talk about a lot of the stuff I'm sure when we get to previews back next in July.

32:49 Dan Rubenstein: Yeah.

32:51 Ty Hildenbrandt: But Especially knowing that there is at least a couple of questions along that offensive line and knowing that you've got a new guy calling plays on that side of the ball. I would say that's probably where the concern is. You're not going to regret it if you end up at the playoff.

33:14 Dan Rubenstein: Well, if the same result happens where they lose to a national champion by three to four touchdowns, right?

33:17 Ty Hildenbrandt: If the same result happens, yes.

33:21 Dan Rubenstein: Because it's This is the guy who is trusted with turning Dante Moore from a graduate to a master's PhD type quarterback. And that's performing to his best possible capability in the biggest possible games.

33:34 Ty Hildenbrandt: What would you say, thirty-five percent, thirty percent?

33:36 Dan Rubenstein: Yeah, yeah.

33:38 Ty Hildenbrandt: I think that sounds about right, honestly. I wouldn't want to go much higher than that, but I'm with you and.

33:43 Dan Rubenstein: Okay. You.

33:48 Ty Hildenbrandt: Evan Stewart's not 100% yet, but it seems like he is should be ready to go for the fall.

33:55 Dan Rubenstein: Sure.

33:56 Ty Hildenbrandt: This is like a make or break year for him, so he needs to show out.

33:57 Dan Rubenstein: But it's Decorian Moore and Jeremiah McClellan and Jamari Johnson, and they're just the Iverson Hooks, the UAB transfer. There are so many different and then a couple of blue chip receivers coming in as freshmen this year. It's kind of an embarrassment that even if Evan Stewart is not the best of Evan Stewart, they'll be able to move the ball pretty cleanly.

34:17 Ty Hildenbrandt: Okay.

34:19 Dan Rubenstein: All right, you ready for an upper?

34:21 Ty Hildenbrandt: Yeah, let's do it.

34:23 Dan Rubenstein: Thank you.

34:23 Ty Hildenbrandt: How to do it.

34:25 Dan Rubenstein: Iowa may mess around and go 10 and 2 and make the playoff.

34:32 Ty Hildenbrandt: Don't we have this conversation every year?

34:35 Dan Rubenstein: Okay, Iowa with a bowl win got to nine wins last year with once again a full inability to consistently throw the ball down the field.

34:45 Ty Hildenbrandt: That's good.

34:47 Dan Rubenstein: Now, their offense isn't the biohazard it was three or four years ago.

34:52 Ty Hildenbrandt: Good terminology, biohazard.

34:53 Dan Rubenstein: Thank you. But It seems like the vibes out of Iowa City seem to be pretty decent in terms of offensive skill. You still have to have a quarterback, whether that's Hank Brown or Hecklinski, is that his name? We'll see on the offensive line with Joe Moore a winning line last year, lost, I believe, at least a couple pieces along the offensive line. I know the defensive line is new. But if there's anything you can trust, it's you start Iowa at eight wins. And then you say okay. Is this going to be a year in which that two-point loss turns into a one-point win? Because they lost, what, four games by a combined three points or something? That's not mathematically possible, but that's what it felt like last year. So if you're talking about the universe evening itself out a little bit with Iowa this year, and the idea that maybe they're better than a null set at throwing the ball down the field. That it's a good year to get Michigan on the road because of the newness and novelty of Michigan football this year. And then the back half road slate: Minnesota, Northwestern, Illinois. They get the Nebraska game at home.

36:10 Ty Hildenbrandt: It's a beautiful schedule.

36:11 Dan Rubenstein: I just year one Iowa State coach in the Cy-Hawk game.

36:12 Ty Hildenbrandt: I think the schedule works out really well for Iowa.

36:18 Dan Rubenstein: I'm just saying, if you're starting Iowa out at eight wins and you're saying that mathematically they're probably not going to lose eight straight games by two to four points last year and this year. I think they could find themselves in that weird possibility of going 10-2, having a good defense, having an okay offense, and just eking out games they couldn't last year.

36:42 Ty Hildenbrandt: Well, so here's the thing, okay. We're going to pay a lot of attention to the quarterback at Iowa, just because that's the popular thing to do. But I would say on offense, beyond the quarterback, this is a really good supporting cast. They've got a lot of experience.

37:00 Dan Rubenstein: Sure.

37:00 Ty Hildenbrandt: And I think guys that are true difference makers on the offensive side of the ball, but quarterback, quarterback is the open question. It depends who you read and when you read it between the two guys competing for the job. I don't believe they have named a guy. Hank Brown was a little bit more aggressive pushing the ball downfield. But again, it's a matter of preference at this point. I suppose we'll find out more the closer we get to the season. I like the way the schedule sets up for Iowa. We have seen them do more with less or more with worse, I'll say on the schedule. And so I don't think there's any chance in the world we should look at this and say to ourselves like six months down the line Seven months down the line, a ten win Iowa is any kind of surprise. Like we've just, I feel like we have seen this before.

37:53 Dan Rubenstein: I'm 10-2 with at least one well scheduled non-conference game in Iowa State, an annual Cy-Hawk tradition.

38:05 Ty Hildenbrandt: Which, who knows, by the way, who knows what we're getting out of Iowa State.

38:06 Dan Rubenstein: Playing in the Big Ten. Who knows? I have a feeling it's going to be a tough first year.

38:13 Ty Hildenbrandt: I have a feeling I was going to pick off Jalen Raynor like eight times in the Cy-Hawk game.

38:13 Dan Rubenstein: But right, exactly. They finished last year a top forty offensive team in terms of points per drive and something like one hundred and fifth in terms of like air yards per completion. 97th in passing success rate. I'm not going to sit here and read numbers over and over again. This is not a team that could win in multiple ways on offense. So if they're merely below average, if they're merely okay throwing the ball with the returning production that they have and the tradition of offensive line excellence or pretty goodness. I don't know. That sort of raises the ceiling to me with this schedule.

38:57 Ty Hildenbrandt: I think Iowa again is going to be the Iowa that we're used to.

39:00 Dan Rubenstein: Sure.

39:02 Ty Hildenbrandt: They are again going to be this team that is flying under the radar. They're probably not going to get spectacular quarterback play. The offense will not be pyrotechnic, but they will be good in ways that don't necessarily make the highlights, and they'll be really sound on defense against. I think a favorable schedule. So I what are the odds of them getting 10 wins? I got it at like 50-50. I'm pretty high on Iowa this year.

39:28 Dan Rubenstein: Let's continue the upper conversation.

39:29 Ty Hildenbrandt: Yeah, let's here, I gotta play it again. Continue.

39:33 Dan Rubenstein: UCLA may win eight games.

39:38 Ty Hildenbrandt: Dude, I'm all in on UCLA this year.

39:42 Dan Rubenstein: I think that first video that UCLA put out.

39:42 Ty Hildenbrandt: I'm all in. I'm all in.

39:46 Dan Rubenstein: Of Bob Chesney talking to the team and telling everybody that they should memorize the names of everybody in the facility and this is who we are. We're like, everybody's pulling towards the same thing. I think that was the moment you were like, why didn't Penn State hire this dude?

39:59 Ty Hildenbrandt: I felt that way almost immediately upon hearing that upon hearing kind of through the grapevine that like.

40:01 Dan Rubenstein: And now they have a top five recruiting class? Yeah.

40:08 Ty Hildenbrandt: Sometimes I call him Kenny Chesney. I don't know why, but Bob Chesney, Bob Chesney, born in central Pennsylvania, apparently wanted the job and had a conversation, but. Penn State apparently wanted somebody with more big time college coaching experience. I don't know. I can't put myself in the head of Pat Craft. I think the better question, honestly, after seeing this tear that UCLA has been on this offseason. And the way that Bob Chesney has really embraced the opportunity and won people over, the better question is: if you were to power rank, and this is a very weird thing, I admit it.

40:44 Dan Rubenstein: Please.

40:45 Ty Hildenbrandt: If you were to power rank your crushes on existing head football coaches, where does Bob Chesney rank?

40:52 Dan Rubenstein: Oh, it's a great question.

40:53 Ty Hildenbrandt: You know, because I presume for me, it's probably like Freeman, for you, it's Landing, but.

40:53 Dan Rubenstein: I mean, look.

40:59 Ty Hildenbrandt: Bob Chesney's in the top five, top three. I love the guy.

41:04 Dan Rubenstein: Yeah, he hasn't coached a single game at a power conference place.

41:06 Ty Hildenbrandt: I love him. He has. Yes, he has. Not at UCLA, but at JMU.

41:10 Dan Rubenstein: Right. No, a power conference is what I said. JMU, all due respect to the Sun Belt.

41:16 Ty Hildenbrandt: Wasn't he on like a cowboy reality show or something?

41:19 Dan Rubenstein: That I don't know. That I'll have to do some independent research on.

41:22 Ty Hildenbrandt: Oh, yeah.

41:24 Dan Rubenstein: You're talking about Dallas Cowboys or like on the range?

41:26 Ty Hildenbrandt: No, on the range.

41:28 Dan Rubenstein: Okay. UCLA is recruiting well, obviously, because there's juice behind the scenes and he's galvanized the money behind the scenes. And when recruits visit and they visit campus and spring game and facility, they're like, oh, something's happening here. I enjoy being here and I enjoy what I am seeing. And that doesn't mean UCLA is going to win a bunch of games this year, but. They are doing the like diet Cignetti thing and bringing in a bunch of JMU coordinators and transfers, including what, Wayne Knight, Newman himself, is going to be starting a running back for UCLA. It's a great start, very good for JMU last season. I don't hate UCLA's schedule. That Cal week one is going to be very tough.

42:06 Ty Hildenbrandt: Mm-hmm. Yeah.

42:07 Dan Rubenstein: That's going to be very tough.

42:08 Ty Hildenbrandt: And a lot on the line, two new coaches.

42:11 Dan Rubenstein: And there's just a lot of pop on this Cal offense that wasn't there last season. And I don't know. That's going to be very tough. But the back half of their schedule. I don't hate. They get Oregon on the road, but that's after a bye game. They have Purdue and Maryland. That is Maryland in September. So that's going to be tough, and that's flying across the country. But otherwise, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Nevada, Minnesota on the road. And that's a Minnesota team that gets UCLA after traveling to Indiana and playing Iowa the week before that, getting Penn State the week after that. After the UCLA game, UCLA has a nice situational play in terms of their opponents.

42:54 Ty Hildenbrandt: I would say this, okay, and I hope I'm not speaking out of turn.

42:56 Dan Rubenstein: Please. Okay.

42:59 Ty Hildenbrandt: I look at the schedule and I see Oregon, I see Michigan, and I see USC. And I say in all three of those cases, those teams seem pretty obviously better than UCLA this year.

43:14 Dan Rubenstein: Yes.

43:16 Ty Hildenbrandt: Of the remaining nine teams on this schedule, I want you to stop me if I mention one that you hear and you say, oh, that you're definitely better than UCLA. Definitely. No ifs, ands, or buts. Cal. San Diego State Purdue Maryland Wisconsin.

43:31 Dan Rubenstein: Yes. Actually, I'm not going to say Cal is definitely better. Okay, San Diego State, no, not definitely better. Not definitely better. Not definitely better. Not definitely better.

43:42 Ty Hildenbrandt: Michigan State, Nevada, Minnesota.

43:43 Dan Rubenstein: Not definitely better. Not definitely better. It's Minnesota on the road. I'm going to say definitely better.

43:50 Ty Hildenbrandt: Illinois at home.

43:52 Dan Rubenstein: Def definitely better.

43:54 Ty Hildenbrandt: Okay. That's seven teams on this schedule that, in theory,.

44:01 Dan Rubenstein: Sure, the best of UCLA.

44:02 Ty Hildenbrandt: UCLA can hang with. If you pick one of those off, one of those other five off that we discussed, which is not beyond the realm of possibilities, that gets you to eight wins. So I like what he's doing. I don't know if this is going to be the year, but I think the vibes around UCLA are really strong right now with this guy. And I just go back to when he was hired. What I know the conversation was around college football. There are a lot of people that are really excited to see what Bob Chesney can do in this situation. Granted, he's not. Too familiar with that part of the country, but I don't know if that means as much as it used to. He brought most of his team or a bunch of his guys from his team with him and some of his coaches. So he's hit the recruiting trail really hard. Obviously, whatever he's putting down, some recruits are picking up.

44:48 Dan Rubenstein: Yeah.

44:48 Ty Hildenbrandt: So I'm really encouraged by what we have seen in the early going here. And I like the fact that they have a nice little runway to start this season. Throughout the month of September, I'm with you that the Cal game's going to be weird, but San Diego State, Cal, San Diego State, Purdue, Maryland, like.

45:02 Dan Rubenstein: I think Cal game's tough. Yeah.

45:08 Ty Hildenbrandt: Those are four winnable games to start the year. You could start this thing off 4-0. It makes 8-4 much more believable.

45:14 Dan Rubenstein: Well, I mean, if we're going to bring the conversation somewhat full circle UCLA's offensive line better be all right before that Maryland game.

45:22 Ty Hildenbrandt: Well, yeah, yeah, yeah.

45:23 Dan Rubenstein: If we're going to talk about those Maryland edge rushers and traveling across the country Or Nico's going to end up somebody who has the reputation for not throwing the ball quickly enough.

45:28 Ty Hildenbrandt: This is a.

45:32 Dan Rubenstein: Nico's going to get some grass stains.

45:34 Ty Hildenbrandt: Nico was sacked twenty seven times last year, so clearly.

45:38 Dan Rubenstein: Yeah.

45:40 Ty Hildenbrandt: The need to repair that offensive line is foremost as part of the plan.

45:43 Dan Rubenstein: Yes.

45:46 Ty Hildenbrandt: I believe their roster currently lists 21 offensive linemen.

45:50 Dan Rubenstein: Okay, find five, guys.

45:52 Ty Hildenbrandt: So this is quality and bulk, hopefully.

45:52 Dan Rubenstein: Find five. Okay.

45:55 Ty Hildenbrandt: They're doing whatever they can. They brought in guys from whatever they got here: Boise State, Eastern Michigan, South Alabama, Arizona State, Harvard. You name it, a bunch of other places. So they're trying.

46:06 Dan Rubenstein: Just about their penultimate, a great solid verbal word, their penultimate matchup, UCLA's.

46:09 Ty Hildenbrandt: Our favorite word, yeah.

46:14 Dan Rubenstein: Is Michigan. Michigan leading up to that UCLA game in the back half of their schedule. First of all, UCLA is in the ultimate sandwich spot of the season. This is the Bay Cities spot. That's a famous sandwich spot in Santa Monica. What would be a famous one in Michigan? Zingerman's. They're in a Zingerman spot here. Okay? Not a sponsor, could be. Michigan has Penn State, Indiana, road Rutgers, Emotional Spot Michigan State, road Oregon before UCLA and road Ohio State.

46:48 Ty Hildenbrandt: Whoa, that is that's a Zingerman special right there, man.

46:51 Dan Rubenstein: road Oregon before UCLA, road Ohio State after.

46:57 Ty Hildenbrandt: What was the breakfast sandwich place we went to?

47:00 Dan Rubenstein: Oh, and Ann Arbor?

47:01 Ty Hildenbrandt: Yeah.

47:01 Dan Rubenstein: Oh, breakfast sandwich, great. Iggy's.

47:02 Ty Hildenbrandt: Iggy. This is an Iggy special.

47:04 Dan Rubenstein: The Iggy's special.

47:04 Ty Hildenbrandt: Not a sponsor, could be.

47:06 Dan Rubenstein: Very nice. So I'm just saying UCLA could be in, could find themselves in fortuitous spots this season. Again, the giant left-guard-sized asterisk of got to find that line to protect Nico.

47:20 Ty Hildenbrandt: That's right.

47:22 Dan Rubenstein: All right. Next one.

47:23 Ty Hildenbrandt: Next one.

47:23 Dan Rubenstein: How many more you want?

47:24 Ty Hildenbrandt: I don't know how many more you got.

47:26 Dan Rubenstein: I've got a Michigan one. I've got an Illinois one. Actually, I think I just have Michigan and Illinois.

47:33 Ty Hildenbrandt: All right, let's do let's see if we can get through them.

47:33 Dan Rubenstein: Oh, no, I have USC as well. Okay.

47:38 Ty Hildenbrandt: We'll give people the abridged version.

47:40 Dan Rubenstein: All right, here's let's let's use continuity in our favor here, to our favor. Michigan may be kind of a mess in year one of Kyle Whittingham. Okay, this is why I say this.

47:54 Ty Hildenbrandt: This is very difficult for me. This is very difficult.

47:56 Dan Rubenstein: In the first month of the Kyle Whittingham era, they get the Iowa defense and the Oklahoma defense. Okay? That's month one. They have Oregon on the road, Indiana, whatever new-look Penn State is, and Ohio State and God's team, UCLA, on the back half of this schedule.

48:17 Ty Hildenbrandt: Well, me, Kenny Chesney.

48:19 Dan Rubenstein: Yeah, yeah, Kenny Chesney. I'm saying the circumstances of this coaching change. The uncertainty around Michigan's offense having pop in the passing game with Bryce Underwood, even though I like who they've surrounded Bryce Underwood with. I like the returning offensive linemen, some. I definitely like where they're going to be at at running back. But just in terms of the structure, architecture, whatever of this offense and Kyle Whittingham not having that success, traditionally speaking, with quarterbacks going downfield and stressing safeties out 30 yards downfield. And some of the newness up front for this Michigan defense. I think Michigan is going to have good players on this roster, top to bottom. I think they hit the portal really smartly. I just think situationally, getting those two defenses in September And basically getting no time off after that. like Minnesota on the road a week after that Iowa game. Not nothing. Now, Michigan is more talented than most of the teams on their schedule. But man, there's just there's no Purdue on there. There's I don't know, man. There's no like if Nebraska has a weak weird season, if Northwestern has a weak weird season, if Wisconsin has a weak weird season. That's not on this schedule. Those teams are not on this Michigan schedule.

49:56 Ty Hildenbrandt: All right, so here's my thing. And this is a broader point in the Big Ten.

49:58 Dan Rubenstein: Yeah.

50:00 Ty Hildenbrandt: It's not just a Michigan thing. We talked about UCLA and sort of like the transplant model.

50:01 Dan Rubenstein: I'm ready. Yeah.

50:05 Ty Hildenbrandt: We're going to see it at Penn State as well. A bunch of Iowa State guys come with. Michigan also in something of a transplant model as well, both with the coach, with some transfers that came in.

50:14 Dan Rubenstein: Of course.

50:16 Ty Hildenbrandt: This is a really tough schedule. This is a really tough schedule. By my count, they play the three best teams in the Big Ten. They've got Indiana, they've got Ohio State, and they've got Oregon on this thing.

50:29 Dan Rubenstein: Oregon. Yeah, with Oregon and Ohio State on the road.

50:32 Ty Hildenbrandt: Yeah, both of those on the road. So this is not an easy schedule. What I like for them is, I like that they start off with four straight home games. I don't like that that includes Oklahoma and Iowa, both of whom I think are probably good enough to beat Michigan. I don't know what this offense is going to look like. And I think that's my main point of hesitation. Because you've got the star quarterback and Bryce Underwood.

51:03 Dan Rubenstein: Well, hold on. You've got this potentially star quarterback in Bryce Underwood.

51:08 Ty Hildenbrandt: You've got this blue chip prospect in Bryce Underwood.

51:11 Dan Rubenstein: Yes. A physical marvel. Yeah.

51:14 Ty Hildenbrandt: And you've got a coach who historically has very much been run heavy.

51:21 Dan Rubenstein: We're tight end heavy in terms of the receiving game. Developed some great tight ends.

51:26 Ty Hildenbrandt: Just hasn't developed a whole lot at the quarterback position. And so I guess my concern is, and this may be unfounded. My concern is that they try to run back the Utah offense, even with Jason Beck. They try to run back the Utah offense. That was a lot of bully ball. And for sure, they'll have some success with it because the roster is uber-talented. But against the better teams on this schedule, they won't be able to move the needle the way they could against the likes of like Rutgers or Michigan State. And that's where I think we see some conflicts brewing. That's where the conversation bubbles up around like, is Bryce Underwood going to want to stay here for another year because maybe they're not throwing as much? This is me speculating. I really like what the system looks like for Jordan Marshall, the lead back. I think he'll have a really good year. I love that they were able to retain Andrew Marsh. I still love that they were able to retain Bryce Underwood, but this to me is just so much of an open question. Michigan is not going to be a bad team, but if Michigan ends up going 7-5, it's because of the schedule. The schedule is really, really difficult. What was the original question again? Remind me.

52:40 Dan Rubenstein: Oh, the original May? Michigan May be kind of a mess in year one of Kyle Whittingham. Now, I think it would be fair on a certain level for a Michigan fan to say, hey, we won a dang national championship without stretching the field vertically with an offense.

52:55 Ty Hildenbrandt: No, that's but that was that was Jim Harbaugh, you know, and Jim Harbaugh.

52:58 Dan Rubenstein: One, it's Jim Harbaugh. Two, it was an offense filled with guys recruited for a very specific role and very specific goal in mind, which is just punishing teams on the ground, first-round tight end and Colston Loveland. The defense was chock full of first-round dudes. I think It was run by two NFL head coaches in Mike Macdonald.

53:19 Ty Hildenbrandt: Right.

53:20 Dan Rubenstein: Jesse Minter is the new head coach of the Ravens, right?

53:22 Ty Hildenbrandt: That's correct.

53:24 Dan Rubenstein: So, not saying these guys aren't that, but man, that was a team that was. built over time to win a national championship slowly and developed internally. So yes, it's true that Michigan won a national championship, not running the air raid or the Joe Brady bombing it downfield NFL receivers type offense. But this is year one. So I know I'm making a straw man argument here. I just think you got to give them time because this year may look kind of rough.

53:50 Ty Hildenbrandt: I have a couple disorganized thoughts on this, and then we'll move on.

53:54 Dan Rubenstein: Okay.

53:54 Ty Hildenbrandt: The first is I don't read anything into Bryce Underwood going like three for nine at the spring game.

54:00 Dan Rubenstein: But were there stories I'm sorry to cut you off, were there stories of like Bryce Underwood is looking like a different man this spring?

54:00 Ty Hildenbrandt: I just No, no.

54:07 Dan Rubenstein: I don't feel like I saw those, but I, you know, they could have flown under my radar.

54:11 Ty Hildenbrandt: No, no, I didn't see anything like that. But there was a question around optics with that. And for me, that didn't really move the needle.

54:17 Dan Rubenstein: Mm-hmm.

54:19 Ty Hildenbrandt: Spring games or whatever. I am really curious to see. We know this is going to be an offense that wants to lean into the run. I'm curious to see how they lean into the run with Bryce Underwood. Because from what I've seen this spring, that seems to be something that Jason Beck might try to develop because he is a mobile guy. So what does the quarterback run game look like? Is that a feature? Is that just sort of a wrinkle? To what end do they use that to their advantage? I think it will be really interesting. And the other thing that I would add here, because it popped up on some of the reports that you and I saw, there's been a lot of talk about like strength and conditioning. How this is going to be a more physical team.

55:07 Dan Rubenstein: Well, of course.

55:08 Ty Hildenbrandt: They're adding to their bench press. Like we see these stories every year.

55:11 Dan Rubenstein: Yeah.

55:12 Ty Hildenbrandt: But I think.

55:12 Dan Rubenstein: I don't know what these guys were doing here before.

55:14 Ty Hildenbrandt: Right. You see it all the time.

55:15 Dan Rubenstein: Yeah.

55:16 Ty Hildenbrandt: But this is especially true when a new coaching staff takes over.

55:19 Dan Rubenstein: Has to be, yeah.

55:20 Ty Hildenbrandt: And so whether or not that bears any fruit will be interesting to see, especially if they're trying to be a little bit more of a bully ball team now with Kyle Whittingham.

55:29 Dan Rubenstein: Yeah.

55:30 Ty Hildenbrandt: You would need that. Presumably, you would need that.

55:32 Dan Rubenstein: Agree.

55:32 Ty Hildenbrandt: So I don't know. I think they'll be. predictably a mess to a degree, but the level of mess you're referring to is like going 7-5, and I don't think they're going to go 7-5. I can see 8-4, realistically 8-4 against a tough schedule, but I don't see 7-5 here.

55:52 Dan Rubenstein: You ready for the next?

55:54 Ty Hildenbrandt: Yeah.

55:54 Dan Rubenstein: This is my final one. I'm not doing the Illinois one. My Illinois one was like they'd be in the same boat as Iowa, they might mess around, but I'm just not as high. on what Illinois has coming back.

56:03 Ty Hildenbrandt: Okay, final final one. Who do we got here? USC?

56:05 Dan Rubenstein: USC may have the unluckiest schedule in the Big Ten.

56:11 Ty Hildenbrandt: A 100%.

56:13 Dan Rubenstein: Now, it's not even just who they play, it's also when they play.

56:17 Ty Hildenbrandt: Fresno State, Louisiana, Rutgers. No big deal first three weeks of the year. Then let's go to Oregon, Washington, at Penn State. Bye. After the bye, at Wisconsin, home against Ohio State, bye. And then the closeout of the year at Indiana, Maryland, and then their rivalry spot against UCLA. That is brutal. That is brutal.

56:42 Dan Rubenstein: Yes.

56:43 Ty Hildenbrandt: A nine in three USC is probably in the playoff conversation because of that schedule. But that's a murderer's row, man. That's crazy tough.

56:55 Dan Rubenstein: Yeah, there's also something about Indiana, excuse me, Indiana was going to say Indiana, but USC schedule, the teams they play, by and large, are not playing anyone significant before them. So you look at like the Oregon and Washington games. There's nobody like specifically dangerous. Oregon has Portland State the week before USC. And Washington has Minnesota at home, all due respect to the Gophers, Ski-U-Mah, before USC. Penn State before USC has that road tilt against Northwestern in the opening night of Ryan Field. Hope to see everybody there. Before Indiana. USC, or Indiana has a bye before they get USC, and that's at home. Ohio State before they get USC has a bye. It's not just that it's difficult, it's that USC's championship window while open.

58:00 Ty Hildenbrandt: It's so open.

58:00 Dan Rubenstein: Is seeing stormy weather outside.

58:02 Ty Hildenbrandt: It's so open.

58:03 Dan Rubenstein: It's so open. So I'm just saying it's bad luck. Like the Big Ten did not do USC any favors. With the manner in which they scheduled the teams around USC, the row of teams that USC has now. USC May also be more dangerous than a lot of these teams. USC might see that the connection between Jayden Maiava and Tanook Hines is electric. or that Boobie Feaster, whoever, the new receiver that steps in, is incredible. That they're pretty deep at running back and hopefully healthier than they were last year. that the experience they have on both lines is in a terrific place. They might see that Gary Patterson is the guy to actually take this defense from occasionally okay to dangerous. So let's not discount that possibility. I don't think I think USC is going to be good this year. I just think it's dumb bad luck that this schedule worked out this season like it has.

59:10 Ty Hildenbrandt: I don't know, man. This is a brutal schedule. This, I mean, it's just so tough.

59:15 Dan Rubenstein: They're at UCLA.

59:16 Ty Hildenbrandt: Look, USC, and you know this, right?

59:17 Dan Rubenstein: I mean, it's home, but it's yeah.

59:19 Ty Hildenbrandt: UCLA is one of those teams, or USC, excuse me, guys. USC is one of those teams that can be fun to poke at. For a whole range of reasons, not the least of which is Lincoln Riley and the overcooked brisket or the championship window or his comments about the Notre Dame rivalry or the way he left Oklahoma. He's a bit of a lightning rod for criticism.

59:42 Dan Rubenstein: Sure.

59:43 Ty Hildenbrandt: Okay. Say what you want about USC. They definitely got the short straw here with the schedule. And I still think it's a really talented roster. I really like Jayden Maiava. We know that they're going to coach up offense. But the question is: how is it going to hold up against a schedule like this? It's just. USC, and we've seen this time and again, offense is not going to be an issue. They'll find a way to score points with Lincoln Riley. But there's a real sustainability question for me playing this type of gauntlet. How do the lines hold up? Can they achieve a level of consistency where they're not putting it all on one guy, which is what we saw time and again at the quarterback position, right?

01:00:18 Dan Rubenstein: Sure.

01:00:25 Ty Hildenbrandt: Where it's just all on the arm of Caleb Williams or whoever. So, we need to see a greater level of consistency from USC for me to feel good about this. But if you're asking the question, if the question here is, did they draw the unluckiest schedule in the Big Ten? Absolutely, they did.

01:00:41 Dan Rubenstein: I think they did.

01:00:42 Ty Hildenbrandt: And it's like not even close.

01:00:42 Dan Rubenstein: Yeah. Yeah. All right. Those are my Mays of May.

01:00:52 Ty Hildenbrandt: Beautiful.

01:00:53 Dan Rubenstein: Hold on. This is going to be all I ask for from this episode, Ty. If we absolutely nail one of these. I'm going to clip it and tweet it out on the hour, every hour, come like November 17th.

01:01:09 Ty Hildenbrandt: Yeah.

01:01:09 Dan Rubenstein: That's all. I promise you this.

01:01:11 Ty Hildenbrandt: I love it.

01:01:12 Dan Rubenstein: Yeah.

01:01:13 Ty Hildenbrandt: Right, solidverbal@gmail.com. If you're a fan of these teams, even if you're not, let us know where we're right, where we're wrong. If you can leave a comment on the YouTube video or out on Spotify. A bunch of apps let you do it now. We'd love to hear from you again. We do read them all, we don't respond to them all, but we'd love to hear from you. Just don't be a dick, you know, the standard rule here on the show. If you did make it this far, if you're new here and have yet to do so, follow or subscribe. That helps Dan and I out immensely. If you are ever so inclined, the reviews and the star ratings help assure other people that we're a good show to listen to. And last but not least, Verballers.com is where you can go if you want to check out our paid offering. You can get these episodes without the ads a little bit early, access to the Discord, playing the games. Still working on the games, by the way. The games are going to be great this year.

01:01:59 Dan Rubenstein: Yes.

01:02:00 Ty Hildenbrandt: Pretty excited. So we got a lot in store for the season ahead. Verballers.com is your direct channel into the Verballerhood.

01:02:07 Dan Rubenstein: We got a couple of suggestions, by the way, to close the loop on elective surgeries that keep you out four to six weeks so that you can stay home What is it, November?

01:02:17 Ty Hildenbrandt: Yeah, yeah.

01:02:17 Dan Rubenstein: Is that I mean, it's October, or excuse me, November, was it week 10, whatever that week is, that had six crazy headline-looking games.

01:02:26 Ty Hildenbrandt: Yeah, week ten. It's week ten.

01:02:28 Dan Rubenstein: It looks like we got an email from a family doctor based in Seattle.

01:02:32 Ty Hildenbrandt: Yeah. Several doctors, by the way, have emailed in.

01:02:34 Dan Rubenstein: We did have doctors reaching out. Are you willing to have A surgical fix of a periumbilical hernia or a ventral hernia surgery in order to sit out. Elective hernia repair seems to be. Have you been sitting around, Ty, thinking to yourself, I'm not happy with the current state of my hernia-related activity?

01:02:58 Ty Hildenbrandt: Yeah. I mean, who among us?

01:03:01 Dan Rubenstein: Who among us?

01:03:01 Ty Hildenbrandt: Who among us hasn't?

01:03:04 Dan Rubenstein: Yeah, elective hernia repair would be the move, apparently. Something abdomen or abdomen-adjacent.

01:03:10 Ty Hildenbrandt: Okay, that'll give you enough runway to just be a couch potato for the month of November.

01:03:14 Dan Rubenstein: Yeah. So if that's what you've been talking about with your loved one, I'm not crazy about the hernia situation I've got going on. Get an appointment around Halloween, and you'll be good to go.

01:03:27 Ty Hildenbrandt: Love it. All right. Well, look, we appreciate everybody stopping by.

01:03:28 Dan Rubenstein: Yeah.

01:03:30 Ty Hildenbrandt: If anyone's going to be down at the PGA Championship, I'm going to wear my solid hat. I'm gonna be down there on Friday. Yeah, I'm gonna wear my solid hat, see if I can get on TV with it or something. Maybe we'll get a few extra hat sales.

01:03:39 Dan Rubenstein: Nice, yeah.

01:03:40 Ty Hildenbrandt: But nonetheless, if you'd be in town, hit me up, solidverbal@gmail.com. Otherwise, again, make sure you hit follow or subscribe so that you do not miss any of these episodes. We will be back next week. Until then, enjoy your weekend. You know the rule. As always, stay solid.

01:03:58 Dan Rubenstein: Peace.