Welcome to the party, pal. I'm Jim Rome, and the program is presented by FanDuel. Great to have you here. All right, lots to get done this Thursday. Thursday is a very heavy day, a very busy day, and we have a lot to get to, so let's not waste any time.
If you want to think about your beef, go ahead and do that. We have a beef segment coming up in hour number three. I just kind of want to get that in your head. Never too soon to think about that. The beef segment is coming up in hour number three.
I've got some interviews. I have James Kelly. Let's go ahead and do this. Tell phone number is 1-800-636-8686. You know, find me on X.
Some of you are complaining. What about us on X? We are still looking for you on X. I'm still on X. Get there.
Hit me up at Jim Roam. Email me at Roam, R-M-E at Havitake.com. And if you don't mind, go to our YouTube channel. Once you get there, can you please, can you please hit the subscribe button? Can you please ring the bell?
Can you please get into the chat? Can you do what you do? All right, coming up at 12:40 or 40 minutes from right now, the head football coach at UCLA, Bob Chesney. I do not think the Bruins could have gotten off to any better of a start than they did under Bob Chesney.
Okay. Awesome. Awesome hire. FanDuel. The FanDuel segment with James Kelly coming up at one o'clock straight up.
Christian Fourier. Two-time Super Bowl champ, 13-year NFL vet, won a natty of Colorado, joins me at 1:40. The Beefs segment at 2 o'clock. I always say this on Thursdays. Once we get going, this thing rolls down quickly, rolls downhill quickly.
And the next thing you know, you're in the Beef segment. I'm gonna go back to back, almost to back, into the beef.
So let's go ahead and do it. Pick a platform: the phone, X, email, or chat. And again, Bob Chesney coming up in hour number one.
So, yo, NFL. Let me start right there. Looking at you, Shield. I think I speak for everybody when I say we are pumped to have you back. It is the best feeling ever to be able to say that we are officially in the NFL season.
There is nothing better than an NFL game day.
However, I think I speak for all of us also when I say we're good. We're good on the Pats VC Hawks for a while. Because for the second time in a row, it was not exactly the most enthralling brand of football that those two put on the field. In fact, I was a little confused because for much of the first half, it seemed like the regular season kickoff had actually happened. It seemed like we were still pretty much in the middle of preseason football.
That's how that first half looked. Of course it didn't help that the defending champs had their quarterback pulling Aaron Rodgers on the first drive of the year. Luckily for Sam Darnold and the Seahawks, early indications are they may have dodged a scud, and this hip injury may only take weeks to recover from instead of months. But man, seen that guy go down that early? It's always a roller coaster ride with Sam, isn't it?
It's got some time, it's got some time, got some time. That looks pretty benign. Uh-oh. On Sam's defense, he did make it five plays in. Aaron only made it four plays in.
before he shredded his Achilles with the Jets.
Now, the 12s did get to see their championship flag go up last night before their game, their Super Bowl 60 flag. That win they had over the same Patriots back in February. Unfortunately for one Drake May. Things went about as well for him last night as they didn't go at Levi Stadium seven months ago. Actually, I think they went even worse for him last night.
Look, I don't really want to overreact to only one game, especially not the first game of a brand new season. Wait, yes I do. Of course I do. Drake, my dude. The hell happened to you in the fourth quarter.
I mean, I'm not saying the first three were so great either. But that three INT fourth quarter catastrophe, bro. What were you doing? What were you thinking? The hell was that?
Drake, you said is how you're going to get those guys back for doing you dirty in the Super Bowl. That's how you're going to pick up your coach and your franchise after the offseason from Smut Hell. That is how you show out against their backup QB after Sam went down on the first drive. Seriously, this dude had the entire offseason to think about that ass kicking that he took at the hands of this same Seahawks defense. All off season to think about that.
All off season to get healthy. All off season to get ready. They can talk all they want before the game about how this is not a revenge game. Yeah, all right, whatever. But you had all offseason to get ready for this, and then you go out.
And you play the worst game of your young career. To open up the new season, you go out and you throw three picks in the fourth quarter, including one on the final drive that essentially gave the game to them. I mean at minimum That game goes to overtime. And it looked like you were going to go in for the win. Maybe the harshest, most damning thing that I could say about Drake May is that he wasn't even the best quarterback on the field last night.
Remember, The guy was the runner-up for the MVP last season, but not even the best quarterback on the field last night, and not even better than Drew Locke.
Now, I'm not saying that Drew Locke set the world on fire. But he did what he had to do. He did enough to get that win. He made enough plays. He didn't hand-deliver the game to the Patriots.
Drake made in do any of that well, except hand the game to the Hawks. And that was the difference in the game. I mean, case in point, that final pick. That ended the game, I pretty much don't have to show you anything else from Drake May. To have you know how much of an atrocity that that actually was last night.
This says everything. This one decision, this one throw, this sums up the entire evening. Here is May. Quick look was closed to run it up to me. They get the feet down.
Job! Yes! A pick! Terrible decision! I don't know what was worse.
The terrible decision or the terrible throw. They were both equally horrendous. I mean, damn, dude Were you the one having an affair with Diana Rossini or your coach? No. I'm this guy's Fading backwards.
chucking it off his back foot, flipping up there, no zip whatsoever. The game is on the line. You're already in field goal range. The two things that you cannot do is throw it right to the opposition or take a sack and get out of field goal range. I mean that was a straight-up gift for Seattle.
He handed the Seahawks the game when all he had to do was protect the ball, take that field goal and then go beat Drew Locke in overtime. The MVP runner up has to know that. The MVP runner up has to do that. It was as bad a performance An even worse fourth quarter, and unfortunately for the Patriots, it's becoming something of a trend, right? He did have an amazing year last year until it didn't end so well.
He didn't have an amazing postseason, even though they got all the way to the Super Bowl. And yes, they ran into some good defenses, but it's not like the guy had such a great postseason. In fact, he had a bad postseason, which is why last night's implosion. From May immediately has all of my chowd half-fam in New England freaking out, melting down, and turning on this dude and Josh McD right about now. And I want to say this to my chowd hafam.
Nobody wants to hear it. Nobody's gonna sympathize with you. Tom Brady spoiled you rotten and terrorized everybody else for two decades.
So, yeah, your quarterback didn't play a perfect game every time and won't. Welcome to NFL Reality. That everybody else has to deal with.
Sorry, chouts. Nobody wants to hear you bitching and moaning about your 24-year-old. Quarterback who was the runner-up for the MVP last year. And just took you to a Super Bowl. No, the guy did not play well at all, but nobody wants to hear that or you crying about that or you complaining.
If anybody should be crying, it's our guy, Mike Vrabel. Who waited through the longest and most hellish offseason ever to finally get to a real game? That guy needed that game worse than anybody. Only to see his team blow a 10-0 lead and absolutely implode in the fourth quarter of that game. That's rough.
This guy desperately needed a good win last night, and he ended up with a horrible loss instead.
Now, the Seahawks did have something to do with that. In fact, a lot to do with that. In fact, there's been a lot of talk about the losers so far. What about what really happened last night? The Super Bowl champs reminded everybody why they're Super Bowl champs.
I'm not saying they played the tightest game. But I am saying this: it turns out the Seahawks defense is still pretty damn good. Turns out Seahawks head coach still pretty damn great. Turns out this team is not totally reliant on a QB to win games. I mean, what a concept, right?
Definitely helps when you have Michael McDonald as your head coach. Did I or did I not warn you all about Michael McDonald? Did I or did I not ask you yesterday? Did you know Michael McDonald? Do you know about Michael McDonald?
Did you do you know about Michael McDonald? Because I sure as hell do. Yep, yep, yep, yep, yep. Yep, yep, yep. This dude's a ball coach A ball coach That's why Seattle has now won 24 of their last 29 games under McDonald.
And none of the losses have been by more than four points. This dude has built a machine. And that defense is all ball. Just ask them. Just ask Josh Job, for instance, what was going through his mind when he made that game-winning INT?
That defense is all ball. All ball ball ball ball. Just ask JJ. How did you do it? I just looked for the bar, found the bar, my mind.
My mind was on ball, bar, bar, bar, get bar, get ball, see ball, get ball. Simple enough. Seahawks. I mean Seahawks more like ballhawks. That was the mentality of the entire defense in that fourth quarter.
They were all just ball, ball, ball, ball, ball, sea ball, get ball, sea ball, get ball, ball, ball, ball, ball, ball, ball, ball, sea ball, get ball. Ball ball get ball ball get ball get ball ball ball ball Ball found the ball, my mind. My mind was on the ball, ball, ball, ball. My mind was on the ball, ball, ball, ball, ball. It worked three times, in fact, in the fourth quarter.
If that defense is going to turn teams over like that, the Ballhawks are once again going to be extremely tough to beat this year, no matter who is playing quarterback. But still props to Drew Locke. For coming in and handling his business. Props to him for taking care of the ball, ball, ball, ball, ball. In managing that game.
and putting Seattle in position to win that game. I mean, props to Drew Locke for outplaying Drake May. And Drake Feel free to stop imploding and costing the Patriots games whenever you want. Feel free to stop getting outplayed by backups. Feel free to stop throwing the ball to the other team.
The sooner the better. Signed your head coach who desperately needs a positive headline. In short. Do better dude. Which will not be hard to do because you can't do any worse than you did last night.
And they've got another team on their schedule coming up next. There was a playoff team, they've got the Steelers.
So we're talking about a Patriots team that almost everybody would tell you they're better. They're better. They're better than they were last year. Yes, the schedule's gnarly, but that's a better team. Yeah, that better team may start 0 and 2.
If they don't wake the hell up. Mm-hmm. And A.J. Brown went down. That didn't take long either.
So, if you want to talk about that game, go ahead and do so. 1-800-636-1-6-6-6-6-6- Eight six. Eight six. I don't know what was crazier. Seeing Sam Clemente.
Go down on the fifth snap of the game, or AJ Brown going through all that drama in Philly. Going through all of that to get the hell out of Philly. only to go down in his first game as a Patriot. And of course, Patriot fans, we're all talking about how Drake May got him hurt. As if Drake May wasn't already taking enough of the three picks and costing them that game, he also apparently cost them their WR1 with that throw.
All right, so lots more on that. Hey, good news is we have another game tonight. You know, the one that is in the land down under. Almost as much talk about how the two teams approach that game. as the game itself.
Remember, Frisco left early. LA essentially got off the plane and went right to the stadium. I mean, it's not quite that pronounced, but almost.
So we'll break that down too. And how that matchup might go. And I've got a few other things that I want to get to. But again, a busy Thursday. UCLA head football coach Bob Chesney at twelve forty.
James Kelly with our FanDuel segment at the top of hour number two, one o'clock straight up. Christian Fourier, At 140. What's your beef at 2 o'clock? All of these things still ahead. And your reaction.
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Some policies are as low as $30 a month. Get your free quote at ethos.com/slash Jim, E-T-H-O-S.com/slash Jim. Application times and rates may vary. Right, so really quickly, at the end of the program yesterday, or in hour number three, I spent a lot of time talking about the smack-off and where we were and why we haven't announced it, and why there's no guarantee that we'll have it, and how everything has changed dramatically, and that not nearly as many people call as they used to, and there are a lot of reasons for that. And part of the reason is chat.
But no, the chat did not kill the smack off. Anyway, I don't need to reset all of that, but I just set that up right here to read this. Bruce Dogg, 1977 on chat, quote, Hey, Rome. Was listening yesterday. You said you need more people.
I'm new here. Love your show. First time on stream or ever participating, go Roam I'm in. Dude, that is awesome. I would say, of all the things that I love about our YouTube stream and our YouTube channel and the feed, is that.
that, that we're finding new listeners, we're finding new users. That's actually awesome. I wasn't saying that I needed more people. What I was saying was, I need more energy. I need more energy for the smack off.
I need more participation for the smack off. In order to run that thing back again, but we have done it 30 years in a row, 30. But Bruce Dogg. Welcome to the party, pal. Good to meet you, dude.
Good to have you here. Welcome to the party. Pow I love it. Like, like somebody yesterday was gifted a membership. to our YouTube stream.
And that person said, I've never even heard of Rome. which also pumped me up. All because of YouTube. Chris from Boston talk about being in market on topic. Quote.
What an embarrassment For the Patriots. And May isn't that guy. See what I mean? The Chowds. Yikes, chowds What do you mean he's not that guy?
Before the game, he was Tom Brady. What do you mean? We're already there on September 10th? We're already there after one game. Don't get it twisted.
It was a bad game. A really, really bad game. He cost you that game. Normally, I would say there's no way you could ever hang a loss on one guy, but I think I'm going to go ahead and hang that loss on that guy. Three picks in the fourth quarter.
But I'm just hanging the loss on that guy. Here's a Patriot fan who's flat out saying he's not the guy. He was the runner-up to the MVP last year. But, but You have every right to be frustrated. I'm just saying, I wouldn't give up on that guy yet.
I wouldn't say he's not that guy yet. But no, he did not play well in the postseason. When they finally did, and you can talk all you want about, they don't need to apologize for their schedule. They can only beat who's put in front of them. Fine.
That's fine. Except when they started to run into much better defenses in the postseason. He didn't play nearly as well. They didn't play nearly as well. They played well enough to get to the Super Bowl to get their asses kicked.
So this is why this is a concern.
So, what do you do? You start the year off against the defending champs. You start the year off against another really good defense. And you start the year off by imploding completely. And he did play the worst game of his career.
I wouldn't expect that. I know AJA Brown went down, but coming into this season, we're looking at a guy that's just 24 that was the runner-up to the MVP last year that has another year in Josh McDaniels' system. They add two really good wide receivers, or arguably one very good wide receiver and another good wide receiver. I mean, they got this guy help. And then he goes out and he plays the worst game of his life.
Kinda hard to explain, right? And that's quote He isn't that guy. Childs are tough now. Already turning on your young stud quarterback. Dude from Cheers, 07.
Seattle. Can you hear me? Can you hear me, Juice? Can you hear me, Seattle? Yes, I can hear you, buddy.
Did you kill Drake May? Look, did you kill Bill Walsh? Are we at all surprised that? Michael McDonald! Do you know Michael Darling?
Do you know that? Are we at all surprised that his defense? Turn Drake Mae inside out again? They did in the Super Bowl. You know They're coming for you defensively.
Now, offensively, we could talk about where they'll be without Sam Darnold as soon as we find out how long they'll be without Sam Darnold. Defensively, that ain't broke. Childs might say that Drake may maybe though. Yep, yep, yep. Yep, yep, yep.
Jack and NC, Rome, to be fair, show Romeo Dobbs missing a Drake May pass in the fourth quarter. Game changing drop. Oh no, he was terrible too. That was a horrible drop. I'll show it to you.
Uh uh hit him in a bad spot, right in his hands. Uh-oh. Terrible drop. Terrible drop. Because it led to a pick right after.
So that hurt.
However, However, as much as that hurt, that did not hurt nearly as much as Drake May throwing a game ceiling pick when they were marching down the field for the win and at the very least a field goal. Like I said, very obviously, who doesn't know this? Drake May, of all guys, has to know this. Whatever you do in that position. If you want to be aggressive and you want to go for the kill, if you want to be aggressive and you want to go for the win, do it.
I'm all for it. But don't be reckless. Don't make a decision like that Don't make a throw like that That is absolutely the one thing you can't do. That and take a sack. Like, what is this dude thinking?
That guy can't make that mistake. That guy can't make that decision. That guy can't make that throw. He put that game on a silver platter for them. They had no business winning that game.
Or at least make them beat you in overtime. Hey, MVP runner-up. Put your team in position to at least get to overtime, then beat their backup in overtime. Yeah. Whatever you do, don't do what you did.
I mean, that was some Will Levish stuff right there. Guillaume Valencia Man. Get off Drake May. It was pretty windy out there. Signed Zach Wilson.
Be as hell out there, too, guys, you know. I don't know. I don't know. It looked like pretty much a perfect night to me. Drew Locke, of all guys, did not seem to have any issues.
Kevin W 9252 Drake thinking that last pass was going to be completed is. what a fool believes Sign the other Michael MacDonald. Good one, Kevin. Nope, nope, nope. Yep, yep, yep.
And one more, the MP Charles twenty five. More like Drake meh. Am I right? I guess, Chuck. I guess you're right.
That was pretty meh. Pretty mid, pretty meh, pretty horrible. Made a few plays with his legs and then gave it all back with his arm. Let's get a phone call in here. We go to Denver.
Will in Denver. Good to see you, Will. What's going on? How are you? Romy, what is good, brothers?
Everything, dude. It's all good. How about you? Doing excellent, man. It's a beautiful day in Mile High.
I just want to take a minute here and address that idiot down in Florida or wherever the hell that hick was yesterday, calling in and talking smack about the people in the chat about how we just like to hide behind their keyboards and we make break takes to the basement of mom and dad's house.
Something along those lines, right? Look, man, we can't all be Vic and NoCow, okay? But seriously, I could have picked out about 20 takes in the chat about your call as it was happening that would have gapped your whack ass take in a boat race. Granted, Vic does populate that chat from time to time. And from time to time, dudes mediocre.
And I'm talking the epitome of mediocre takes, make it to a break take. And sometimes, if you're lucky, he'll even quote Marshall Mathers correctly. A Vic, you dumbass. It's they won't let me be me. But Rome, I really wanted to get down to the brass tacks where my call is going to be here today.
I wanted to give you that push, Romy, that energy, that smack off 2026 motivation. We had some football last night. I woke up, nice crispy air this morning. Let's get that smack off smoke up in the air, bro. I wanted to address what Vic's going to bring to you for his smack off call.
SmackOff 31, Victor. This is it, Rome. As you know. And as many other clones know, dude loves his 90s movies references. I recall him talking about Shawnee being in the Goodfellas.
Well, this year, man, his call is going to be something similar. It's going to be called The Scent of a Clone. And his entire call is going to revolve around the life of a loser-ass clone played by Vic, also based on Vic, who spends the majority of his time for two decades calling a radio show only to get sat in the corner every time except for that one win. I emailed you a month ago and I called him washed up. I'll repeat it again.
Dude is as washed as they get. You can body him. He is whack and he's getting bodied right now. And they're getting bodied in the chat for months now and he's silent. That's a legend.
Letting some nobody body you? Are you kidding me? Mike and Indi thinks that's ridiculous, dude. back off. You don't have a chance this year, man.
Your take, the scent of a clone, is going to be based on the entire time of his mom's basement. Spam. Man, I got you, Will. You don't like this. I just ended it because it was going too long, but dude, I like that energy.
I like that energy. That is some smack off energy. This is exactly what I was talking about yesterday when I said I'm not feeling the energy. I'm not feeling any of that momentum. I'm not feeling like anybody even cares about the smack off this year.
I need to see more. Before I lay it out and pick a date and say we're doing this, I need that smack off energy. And I like the response so far. I still am not I haven't seen enough yet.
Well, I mean, I only brought it up yesterday. But there was a good reaction to what I brought up yesterday, and then it jumped the day. And Will in Denver, with that guy right there, that guy is a long time chatter, first-time caller. That guy's never called before. Wait a minute.
C dots nemesis? Will is that you?
Okay, dude. He has been participating. Anyway, I think that he was looking. To OG Vic and didn't really land any significant shots per se. Other than to reiterate what he said previously, the guy's washed.
But I like that energy, CDOT's nemesis. Way to come off the chat and get on the phones. Keep it up. If you want the smack off, you're going to have to earn the smack off this year. It is not a given.
It has to be earned right now. Keep it up. When we come back, Bob Chesney, head football coach at UCLA, joins us. Top of the hour. James Kelly and our fan duel segment.
I see you, Will. Nice job, even though you got run. You just went on too long. Stay tuned. You're listening to the Jim Rome Show.
Well, that is true. And let me remind you: not only are we on Westwood One, we're on SiriusXM, we are also on our YouTube channel, we are also on the Rome TV channel, which has eight of its own platforms.
So just find a platform, whatever works best for you, as promised. We are joined right now by the head football coach at UCLA. He is in his first season. He coached at James Madison the last two years. He led the Dukes to the College Football Playoff last year.
He was the 2025 Sunbelt Conference Coach of the Year in 2025. That's redundant. And UCLA Smashed Up Cal 4524 Saturday and is going to host San Diego State this Saturday. We are joined by Bob Chesney. Bob, it is so good to have you back.
How are you doing, Bob? I'm doing great, man. Thanks for having us on, as always. Good win this past weekend, but huge, huge test in the Rose Bowl this weekend. Excited to play our first game there of the new era.
I was going to say, I'm sorry to interrupt you. I'm about all those things, about both those things. Great win, great way to start your tenure. I know you well enough to know you're already looking into the next game, but let me ask you: you go to Cal, pretty hostile environment. What was your message to your team once that game was over?
Yeah, it was that they believed the entire time. And I think we went into that game and we said, we don't want to leave any doubt. We want to believe in this process the whole way, be 100% positive that we could win this game, not 99%, 100%. And there's a big difference between those two numbers right there. And I think our guys understood that.
They never wavered. It got challenging at some moment when it was tied in the fourth quarter. And ultimately, they just stayed loose. They stayed, you know, confident, and they just never stopped believing. They knew they were going to win that game.
And that was really it. I was proud of their belief and their resolve. And I think for the first time playing together as this new team with 60-some new guys, they came together as a brotherhood and stuck with it throughout the full 60. UCLA football coach Bob Chesney is joining us. Bob, I know you're going to push back on this, but let me just say: I'm an LA native, so I've seen a whole lot of things in this town.
It looks to me like you've already flipped the culture completely one game in.
Now, you might push back on that, but that's no small task given what you inherited and what the morale was like when you first got there. I'm going to stand by that take. How did you do it? Mm-hmm. Well, just think about it for a second.
Like you're in a program that has such rich history, just not a recent rich history. And I think that these alums remember those days. These alums remember what it's like to pack that Rose Bowl. They remember what it's like to win and to watch their team walk on the field confident, full of swagger, and know that that's a team that nobody really wants to play. That's what they're used to.
So when you bring in energy, and I brought that initially thinking, all right, who's going to meet me here? And I've been just met one alum after another, one fan after another, one member in this town after another that just believe and want this place back. And I think that that's ultimately what we've been charged with is to be able to do that.
So it was just about dump a lot of energy into it and everybody reciprocated. And everywhere I turned, you know, there's more energy being thrown at it from them and more energy thrown at it by us.
So I just think we're at the right moment in time where it's starting to spin at a high rate of speed. But we played one game, Jim.
So there's a whole lot more work, obviously, to be done. Bob Chesney joining us. I think all of that's fair, all of that's accurate. It is only one game, so obviously you watch the film, you'll find some things. You want to work on what were you looking to clean up this week in preparation for San Diego State?
Yeah, well, I think there's, you know, we were penalized for 110 yards in there. We gave up some third-down pass interferences that, you know, kept the chains moving. We got into a third and one and had a substitution issue. It's just some of these things that happen in the first game. They just happen at terrible moments.
So we got to clean that part up ultimately. I like the way we ran the ball. I like the way that we attacked the quarterback. We just got to make sure we keep our pass rush lanes because ultimately, you know, there's a safety in there. There's a couple other sacks that could have occurred, and we just fell a little short.
So those are all the things that we really got to clean up. Bob Shesney joining us. Bob, you didn't just run the ball, you pounded the ball. 277 yards, six rushing touchdowns overall. Going into that game, were you looking to impose your will on the ground, or essentially, did you react to what they were doing?
I think it's a little bit of both. You know, at some point in time, you know, we saw some things just schematically, and then we saw some matchups on the, you know, personnel-wise. Wayne Knight, you know, and, you know, Jet, you know, Anthony Woods, all those, those three are just tough, tough runners. They're hard to bring down with one person. And I think that when you get them up on a safety or a corner, they have the ability to do something.
You know, Anthony Woods broke a big one early. Wayne broke another one, you know, very soon after. And then Nico had one himself. Those were all things that obviously we started to realize that was the path to victory. But if anytime you could run the ball, you want to do that.
We hadn't had a lot of success running the ball a year ago here. I think at the end of the year, maybe eight or 10 touchdowns on the ground, we had six in one game.
So it's a good start. You mentioned Nico. You look at the numbers from a passing standpoint. He didn't put up huge numbers, but you didn't need him to. You didn't need him to.
My question would be, how does he look to you in your system? And what can you say about his composure and the way he handled himself and got into plays? Yeah, so we ask him to do a lot at the lioness scrimmage, a lot that normal people just won't notice. You know, the communication he has to have, the changing of plays, the changing of protections, and then reading the coverages and then understanding what side to work, then the conversions that go with those coverages. Those are all things that are new to him.
They're not new to, you know, everyone, a lot of other college quarterbacks, but they are new to him based on the two systems he played in previously.
So he's been doing a phenomenal job of it, getting us into the right plays. A lot of that run game has to do with him getting the right, the more right of the two calls that happened in the huddle.
So, you know, he's done a phenomenal job. He's a great leader, and obviously, you're going to see the moments where he gets to unleash his arm, but then also his legs. And that's a tough combination to stop. Hey, Bob, we talked about the running back room. Let me ask you about Wayne Knight.
He picked up right where he left off last season. He had three touchdowns, including a pair in the fourth quarter at 5-7 and a second-team All-American last season, James Madison. What makes this kid so special, so different?
Well, just first of all, he's 5'7, but he's not 5'7, 175 pounds. He's 200 pounds.
So he's just a rocked-up kid that it's hard to get a good, clean shot on him. He has a good, low center of gravity. His body balance is phenomenal. His strike timing when he goes to hit you is phenomenal. He can catch the ball out of the backfield.
He can protect in the pass game. And then when he sees something, he gets to full speed in probably two or three steps.
So I just think he's a guy that, as these scouts keep coming around, they're all very, very intrigued. And understand that a lot of people passed on him from high school. A lot of people passed on him in college. A lot of people said he can't play at this level here. And ultimately, I think he's going to prove a lot of people wrong.
Let's see, another challenge coming up on Saturday. San Diego State comes to town. They won nine games last year, as you know. In fact, Bob, Sean Lewis came on the program in July. He straight up said that he views this game as a benchmark for his program facing a Big Ten team on the road.
What are you expecting from the Aztecs in two days at the Rose Bowl? I'm expecting everything. I'm expecting them to come in here and just try to enforce their will. I'm expecting them to have a ton of ways to try to steal possessions from trick kicks, the fake punts, their muddle huddle package, their flea flickers, their reverses, their double passes. All those things are things that are going to show up out here.
And I think our guys have done a really good job all week of preparing for those things. But it's going to be everything, right? They're going to give everything they got. There's not, I don't think they really respect us a whole lot. I think they feel pretty strongly that they're the better team.
And, you know, we're excited to roll the ball out there on Saturday and test each other out. Bob Chesney joins me for another moment or so.
So, Saturday, Bob, like this has got nothing to do with you per se, but there was so much made of USC's sparse turnouts in the Rose Bowl, in part because of the heat. I don't need to tell you, it's hot as hell this week. Once again, it's really hot and so, Gal. What kind of a turnout are you expecting from the Bruin Faithful on Saturday? Yeah, so, you know, again, I said it before, but the energy we brought through to this program and been reciprocated up to this point in time.
We promise that this time around it'll be a little bit different, right?
So we need them to be a little bit different than what it might have been in the past. And I just, you know, the more I hear about it, the more I see the ticket sales, the more those things happen, I don't think a little bit of heat is going to keep that thing empty. I think people are going to show up. They're excited about it.
Now, we don't have our schools not in session.
So that's obviously something we got to deal with. But ultimately, I believe in the faithful fans and alums of this, you know, great university, and we expect to see a showing on Saturday. UCLA football coach Bob Chesney joining us. Bob, before you go, one last thought. You and I talked previously about how much it means to you to be a coach's son.
Your father, Bob Sr., spent much of the summer with the Browens. How awesome was it to celebrate your first UCLA win with your dad and other family members Saturday at Memorial Stadium? Yeah, it's special. I mean, they all sacrifice a lot. And I'm the son of a coach, so we sacrificed a lot as kids.
My mother sacrificed a lot. And now, you know, my wife and my kids sacrifice a lot.
So when you have a chance to go out there and win a game, we usually find him when the game's certainly, you know, it's over. I'll find him and my son and my brother that are usually on the sideline with me and make sure we share a quick little embrace. But just know that the time and the sacrifice and the commitment we put into it, not just this year, but for the past however many years, really my whole life. And I think those are, those are that 30 seconds is pretty special. Tell you what, Bob, I can feel the energy.
I think that the energy is prevalent. You can feel it around town. You can feel it around the program. It just feels different.
So I know you're only one game in, but let me just say that. It just feels and looks different. Appreciate you, Bob. Great to have you on the show. Thank you very much.
Good luck Saturday against San Diego State. Yeah, thanks so much. We'll see you at the game here really soon. You know it, Bob. You know it.
Can't wait. Bob Chesney, I'm telling you this dude. This dude's a rock star. I mean, straight up, rock star, great coach. I mean, all about ball.
Don't get me wrong. All about ball and a ball coach first and foremost. But he's got all of the other things that make a great coach. He's the son of a coach. He's got that it.
He's got the acumen. He's got the energy. He's got the belief. He's got the look. I mean, did you see the Bruins?
Have you seen that much electricity from that team? Like, that dude took the paddles to that program. I really feel like he's already flipped the culture. One game in, he's already flipped the culture. And not just based on the one game, but from the second he got here and the energy that he brought to it, it's been a totally different feeling altogether.
I think Bruin fans will show up. He made the point that school is not in session right now, so maybe you don't get that student. turn out for it, but they they look and they feel differently. And believe me, San Diego State, I mentioned Sean Lewis. He knows.
He knows what an opportunity that is for him and his program. I love that game.
So Saturday, you've got UCLA and San Diego State at the Rose Bowl. UCLA coming off that big win over Cal 45-24. That game was actually tied. We had nine minutes left. Before they scored 21 unanswered on them to finish and win going away.
U C L A in my mind, I know it's one game. They could not have hired better than they did. Like they are so lucky to have this guy and He's in a good spot. He's in a good place. He's happy to be where he is right now.
So I think that was an absolute. Grand slam higher. An amazing hire by UCLA. And I'm glad to see him embracing that challenge, as you knew he would. But that he feels as strongly about them as they should feel about him.
Great hire. In fact, Bruin fan, I don't need to speak for you. You tell me, how does it feel? You saw that first game under Bob Chesney, you saw them go to Cal. And Cal is on the come up.
Cal is not what they're going to see in conference. Surely. But still, they made a statement. If you're a long time UCLA Bruin fan, I would love to hear from you. What did you make of that debut?
What do you make of your coach? What do you make of what you just heard from him? Because I'm here to tell you, they could not have gotten a better coach. They could not have made a better hire. He is like the right guy at the right time.
Incredible energy. Great acumen. Like, he's the full package. 1-800-636-8686. When we come back.
When we come back, let's make some picks. James Kelly and the FanDuel segment. We've got ball tonight. We have ball this weekend. James Kelly's going to break it down, and we'll have some picks for you.
My thanks to Bob Chesney. All right, hour number two, straight ahead. Think about your beef. The beef segment coming up in hour number three. All of this.
Coming up. Don't go anywhere. Mm-hmm.
