All right, so into hour number two. I'm Jim Rome in Southern California. The program brought to you by FanDuel. My thanks to FanDuel, and especially because. Not only do they make this possible, but they make this next segment possible.
We do it once a week.
Now, quick reminder: the beef segment is coming up, and it's coming up quicker than you know because I've got a conversation with the head football coach at Northwestern, David Braun, coming up at 1:40, top of hour number three. The beef segment. Start thinking about what you want to beef about, either via the call in or the write in. Right now, though, as part of our Fanduel arrangement, we have a Fanduel segment with the Big Head, James Kelly. His head is large.
His command of the English language is small, but he is a savant and he knows sports. And he will get down. And he's got data and he has a system. And we're going to get paid. I think Big Head James Kelly, what's up, dude?
Not much, man. We got some pretty good games this weekend. Looking forward to it, and on Monday night, yeah, some good, good stuff. All right, before, before, before. I know there is before before we get to tonight, before we get to this weekend, before even we get to Monday.
What's on your mind today, James? I don't know, Sean Payton a little bit, I guess. You know. Yeah, Sean Payton. You are in the region.
You are a Bronco guy. I haven't gotten to my thoughts on this fully. I haven't flushed this out yet. But why don't you give me a little something to think about? Where do you come out?
Well, I just I just want to point out to everybody out there, you know, since Andrew Breeze retired, his offenses of ranked twenty eighth, twenty sixth, nineteenth, tenth, twenty seventh, and yards when he was in New York back in the day with Kerry Collins and all those guys. Fifteenth, twenty-first, and twenty-second points, and then in Dallas before he went to Saints. I'm just saying fifteenth in points.
So you know he's got a way to work it, and and he does a lot of work around there. Are you saying that John Payton is not the genius that he is purported to be, and that he had. Andrew, is that what you called him, Andrew? Andrew Breeze, Andrew. Yes, yes.
I'm saying, yeah, he's not Kyle Shanahan. Let's just put it out that way. But he has a way to go. There we go. Yeah, I knew we'd get.
But he, but he acts like he is. He sure acts like he is, and he's going to fix this entire Bo Nix problem here. Just remind me how many rings Kyle has. You know, rings aren't important. Rings aren't important.
Rings aren't important. They're not. They're not a one man thing. They're not important.
Well, it's not a one man thing. Let's just put it that way. It's not a one man thing. If it was, Kyle to have like you know, fifteen probably by now. But it's it's an organizational thing, and people fail Kyle a lot.
Okay, all right.
So people let Kyle down. Rings are not the thing. But the good news is, at least the old man's in the Hall of Fame. Wow, that is a that's some garbage too. You know, I can I can elaborate on that too.
I can tell you this conspiracy too. Do why? Because every every like everything that I bring up in any sport or in life somehow works its way back to Kyle Shanahan. What is it with you in this or Mike or Mike? Because we have to have a bar, right?
We all have to agree with what we see is who is the smartest people around the game. Remember that time we were in Vegas and we had a meeting and speaking. Bars, you start f bombing the client and demanded a drink. I did ask for a certain brand where I'm from, Golden. Yes, but they said no.
And again, like I always say, they should listen to me. Back to Kyle, I just don't get it. Anyway, well, dude, Sean's frustrating because Sean like plays it like he's this offensive mastermind, and I'm like, when. Without Drew, win like I've never seen it. Like his running game, like he's got the best line in football.
So okay, let's help our you know quarterback out, but he's got no creativity in running the football, and then he's got all these weapons for Bo Nix.
Well, I think Bo Nix is overrated too, and everybody kills me for that one too. James, I mean, think you are overrated. Why you are starting to sound like a clone? I think we know that. Like Kyle, Kyle is incredible, but everybody else sucks.
And if they're not Kyle, they don't. You start to sound like We don't suck. I think that Logan Rogan Loman say they're mid. I don't think they suck. I just don't think they're that guy, right?
I think they're mid. I think they're average. But then I think they can control, you know, perceptions. I would say so. Oh, Al Golden, he sucks.
I will say that again. He's back on the bad list again. He sucks. Yeah, he's the other thing. Was he ever off the bad list, dude?
He was trending all right after two weeks, and I should have trusted my my instincts are really good. I'm just gonna say, you know what, really good. Your love of Joe Burrow clouded your judgment of Golden. I'm like, dude, you have the talent, and Dexter Lawrence. I'm like, you got that guy.
Yeah, I gotta be extra proud of that too. Alice' team can't tackle. All right, I am sorry I asked you what was on your mind. I should have known you. You just wanted, you just wanted to glaze Kyle some more.
I am sorry I asked you what was on your mind, and and you successfully did. You thank you, sir. That was like thirty six glaze donuts, three dozen glazed donuts. Anyway, Thursday night. Yes, I mean theoretically, not the most watchable game, but if we get paid, it's imminently watchable.
Dallas and Tampa. Break it down. What are we looking at? Yeah. Biggest number of the week here with Dallas being a eight and a half point favorite.
I guess that's what happens when you're facing a team without their starting quarterback. That's playing an undrafted rookie quarterback and a team that's win, winless on the season, and they think they've won two of their last 14 games. And a team that you pointed out has failed to cover the spread in not one, not two, not three, but 13 consecutive freaking games. The longest streak in the Super Bowl era. Uh.
They also draw a team that is in the conversation of having the best offense in football. Dax' offense second in points. T. D. Lamb leads the NFL in receiving yards, and with the Bucks being down two key members in their secondary and a run defense that is second in the NFL in EPA per pat or per run, the Cowboys' running game is not elite either.
C. D. and George should be key tonight. Dax should be key. The question is, can Tampa cover Dallas' defense?
Thirty second and EPA per play, flus like once again. Hey, Christian Parker, you probably mean they didn't fix the defense. They didn't. It wasn't a flus defense. They made it worse.
They made it worse. Christian Parker, that guy right there, dude. He probably wants to dominate. It's Jalen, not Jaden Daniels' team tonight. His offensive line has allowed the most sacks in football.
Biggest worry. Stopping the running game that ran for 141 yards last week for the Bucks and Dallas Christian Parker's defense has allowed the most rushing yards to a quarterback this season. It scares you for a cover for a late game cover, but we're still going to go with the Cowboys because the DAC minus eight and a half. Yeah, I'm worried about that.
Okay, you're right. It's a big number. Everybody's going that way, and I'm like, I'm a moron. Like I should know better. A couple of times.
A year, I break ranks and instead of going with my one unit, you know, once in a while I go two units. But then once in a while I get greedy. I'm like, "Hey, head, I feel like hammering this. I feel like hammering this for all the reasons you mentioned." But then you'll say to me, "I don't know, dude. It feels like a trap." I'm like, "Exactly.
It does feel like a trap, doesn't it?" So it does. It feels like a trap. Could they? Could Tampa really not cover 14 times in a row, even without their starting QB? me.
Dude, I I don't know. Jalen Daniel scares me a little bit. Scares me too. It's going to come down to his feet, making plays, right? He and he's got something about him.
They like him a lot. Baker struggled for a while, so there could be an energy that. Dude, Tampa Bay might show up better than people think.
Well, in Dallas's defense, but it still feels they're a two-score game. Gotta be. I'm gonna stay in my shoes. I'm gonna ride with you. I'm gonna lay the points minus eight and a half, and not double.
Triple this thing.
However, it feels like a trap, but I'm with you. Let's do that.
Okay, beautiful. All right, we got. Eagles, Jags. Jacksonville is favored by seven and a half here in London. It was seven.
It's moved to seven and a half. The Eagles, oh, tied for the most three and outs in the NFL. Jacksonville tied for the fewest. Here, the Eagles' offense will probably not have Saquon Barkley. Jacksonville's defense allows three point three yards per rush, third best in the NFL.
Below, not good for Philly. Also, Devonte Smith looks like he'll be out again, meaning Jalen Hurts won't have his best. On the outside as well, and have an offensive line without Lane Johnson and Cam Jurgens. One that has allowed 12 sacks. Man, interject.
Man, interject. One thing. Thing about Jalen Hurts, though. The good news is he's the kind of guy that can make something out of nothing, and makes everybody around him better, and elevates everybody around him. He doesn't do any of those things.
Thank you. You said it. I didn't say it. I would use a Kyle reference. Though he's overrated, so is freaking Nick Sirianni.
I think we all know that. Howie Roseman built that thing, but again, they don't have the freaking roster that they did two years ago. Jacksonville looks like more of the Super Bowl contender to all of us. Weirdly, M's offense elite. Only the great Kyle Shanahan has a better EPA per play average.
They are balanced, top five in rush and pass EPA for weird Liam. Vic Fangio's defense kept them in the game against the Rams last week, but they've also allowed more than 170 yards rushing in every game this season. Another advantage for the Jags: red zone, dude. Second on offense, second on defense, and adversity is hitting Philly. And I think we know it happens to coach next team.
When that happens, they lose more than they win. I'm gonna say I'm gonna even at seven and a hook we're gonna go Jags and lay the seven. I was just gonna say the hook, man. You know we hate the hook. We hate the hook, and I'm hitting it right now, minus seven and a half.
I'm playing the same way. Beautiful, love it. All right, what else we got? We're two for two. Colts v.
Steelers here. I think last week's game in London v. the Commanders and this game v. Pittsburgh for the Colts are the games that will decide the future of Shane Steichen. One thing is to lose the Ravens.
Chiefs, but these games, when you have more talent or equal talent, it's a must-win game for this guy. That or Carly the Meddler might be interrupting the headphones and calling plays soon.
So here, you better get Aaron and Big Fat. Yeah, is that the number? The number there? Wow. What do you got?
Two and a half right there. Yeah. So I've seen as low as one. Yeah, bounced back up a little bit.
So we like that.
Okay. Lose D numbers look a little better. I mean, yards don't thirty first in the NFL, but points down to twenty second. Both offenses have not gone a game without turning the football over. And the Steelers' defense they average two takeaways per game.
That is second in the NFL. Dimes, dude. He's thrown an interception in every single game. Let's not do that on Sunday, and let's hand it off to Jonathan Taylor. Pittsburgh's defense is missing some meat.
No Derek Harmon. That usually is not good for them. They had trouble stopping the run as is, even with that elite baller. ATS Shane eight and one in October over the last three years. I'm going to take the Colts plus two and a half.
Yeah, eight and one in October. ATS. I heard last three years. Yeah, pretty good number there. Yeah, that's a real good number.
All right, so plus two and a half. Yeah, I'm going Colts here. All right, I'll do that. Three for three. Let me ask you this: Who do you think is a better coach, Kyle or Big Mike?
I mean, just it's debatable. How do you know the answer? All right. Speaking of Kyle, you want to talk about him? No, I don't want to talk about Kyle.
We've we talked quite enough about Kyle. I would love to talk about Kyle. You want to talk about Big Fella? We can talk about the Big Fella. Big fellow, man.
Big fellow, still talking about man. I feel badly. I'm a grandfather. I really shouldn't have f-bombed Aaron the way I did. I'm a grandfather, and kids, kids might have seen that, and I feel badly about that.
And and don't lose this one. But they could, dude. Like Sean Payton is twice the coach. Is big. Fat Mike is right, but Mike's like even better than Sean at working angles himself.
I think I even came back twice. He's like the worst court. He is so terrible. He's so freaking overrated. I'd love to run his numbers off too someday.
About when he doesn't have a good quarterback and they're terrible because he's terrible. Anyways, Big Mike. Like I said, you hate Big Mike that much. I hate Big Mike that much. He is a salesman.
He's not that good. He was freaking great with Aaron. The in my eyes, yeah, you gotta admit, dude, that that's. Up in that barn with all those other coaches and those weekly meetings, it worked, man. It got him that Dallas job.
We got him that Dallas job. We called it. Yes, it did, and it got him this one. His with the Rooney family, his love for Pittsburgh, and how he grew up. A I mean, the guy knows his angles.
He's like Jerry Jr. He got a ring. He's got a ring. He's got a ring, and he's got girth. Man, you got to give it to him.
He should have three with Aaron Rodgers in his prime, anyways.
Okay, there you go. All right, so where we going from here? Shanahan brand, dude. We got to go back to him and the Forty Niners and Seahawks here because we haven't talked about that enough. Yes, I know, right?
Kyle's offense. Just throwing it out there. Fancy metrics first in EPA per play. Old school metrics first in yards per play. That O line.
I'm gonna tell you something right now. Don't act. Don't act like Brock Purdy is not getting better. Don't act like Brock Purdy has nothing to do with this. Don't act like he's not evolving.
Don't act. Like his teammates don't love and respect him. Don't act like he's got nothing to do with their success. Don't James Kelly. I'm I'm going to give you something there.
Okay, he is getting better. He's getting better. He's like a two tier two guy now, maybe or something like that. He's like the MVP of the league right now. That's Kyle.
That's Kyle. That's Kyle. That's Kyle. Mac Jones would be elite in Kyle's offense too. I think we all can agree on that.
I don't think we all agree on that. Mac Jones would not be Brock Birdie in this offense. He just would not be very good. Jimmy Garoppolo, Jimmy Garoppolo without four rings right now. I mean, stop.
I mean, Jimmy, one throw, you idiot. Emmanuel Sanders wide open. You cost Kyler ring. Anyway, anyway, after this, Niners in Seattle. Yeah, problem for them.
They're playing Seattle in Seattle in that elite defense. A defense that can create pressure without blitzing, allowing the back end to clamp down. Third and yards per pass.
Now, can the Forty Niners run the football? Last season, un Shanahan like thirtieth and yards per attempt. Thus far this season, Allen, Q. Forester, they're blowing the rails off team seventh in that same metric. The other problem though for San Francisco right now, the injury bug—the one that we know, right.
It's the one thing to hold off on a Bo Nix led offense. Seattle. Andrew Allen. See, Seattle's a much better offense than what Bo Nix has. They are down running backs.
I do agree, but Emmanuel Wilson is a fantasy name this week that you want to look for. We're gonna go still with the Forty Nineers and take the points. You know what? I'm so sick of you talking about the 49ers. I'm so sick of you talking about the family.
I'm gonna take the points. Dude, I love the way they're playing. I love the way they're playing. I do too. I can be really unlike you.
I'm not dogmatic. I'm not like locked in on a certain point of view. I'm really objective. I love the way the Niners are playing. I love the way Brock looks.
I'll take those three points. I'll do it. Beautiful. I remember the last time you and I got this far into this segment. Without disagreeing, I'm on.
We're on the same page on all these games. I love it. Another guy. That I'm very objective on Josh Allen, Jim. His bills be ran here.
You're not at all objective, otherwise he he would not be known as Josh Allen, Jim. Josh Allen.
Okay, you make a point there. I do love Josh Allen. The interesting game though. If we're talking about a Monday game, then I know it's an interesting game, right? Yeah, it could be the best of the year, or it should be.
I mean, one two Super Bowl odds on Fanduel right now, but neither team looks the part completely. Right now, the Rams are favored by three and a half points. That's quite a bit. Buffalo's offense is high-powered, as we know. First in points, fourth in yards per play, third in pass yards per play, top five rushing game.
But the last two games, seven turnovers. They have not been elite. They will take on your guy, Chris Shula, in that defense. His numbers, not my. His numbers, not my guy.
Not your guy. I have a list now. I never even had a list. And there is one person on that list, and it's him. Lord, we need to create a list for Jim, and we finally got Chris Shula on that list.
Oh, not good. Yeah, sorry about that. Second in yards per game and per play for Chris's defense. They might be legit when Miles Garrett comes back, but after Big Clock Brock let them up in Week One, they've played Jameis, Bo Nix, and Jalen Hurts led offenses.
So the numbers aren't as good as what he's doing right now on offense. The Rams can't move the football. Second in yards, Puka. Is back as we know, but turnovers two in all four games. Only Drake May has more interceptions than Sir Matthew Stafford.
The two dudes who were like first and second MVP voting. Maddie looks thirty eight now, doesn't he? Does he? Does yeah. But funny how that happened.
You know this Jim Leonhard led Bills defense can make some people look really good. Leonard, dummy, Leonard, Leonard. My bad.
Okay. Anyways, uh, Jim. We'll just we'll just agree on Jim, not the last name. Look, Matt struggles against the blitz this season, so you might want to do it. There's a proper pronunciation and an improper one.
What do you mean we will disagree on this, Lauren? You need to throw it up on the screen next week, maybe, because I just don't see it. It it's clearly matter of how it's spelled. It's how I could just make up anything then, dude. Whatever.
You know, I say you never ever get Shanahan's name wrong. You got that one. Oh no, that's good. Yeah, Kyle and Mike. Can I please get a pick on this game?
If it's not, I'm going against. I'm going against Josh Allen, Jim. No, I'm going to lay the points. Josh Allen, Jim. You are.
It's very hard for East Coast teams to go across the country. You are not going against Josh Allen, Jim. And there's a hook, and I'm laying them all. I'm going Rams minus three and a half. Oh wow, that's interesting.
Yeah, you know what though? But those two points that you made, you could have saved us so much time. All you had to say was the travel cross country and the hook. That would have been enough. Yeah.
That wasn't enough, but I love to talk.
So you do love to talk, dude. The only thing you love more than talking is listening. Listening to the sound of your own voice. That's true too. My wife says the same thing, and she see she knows.
I know she knows. We all know what's going on this weekend. Ah, lots of football, little car wash stuff. Um. I think that's it.
I gotta get paint, bro. By the way, I'm coming. I'm coming next weekend, and you're yet to pick me up at the airport once for Parents Weekend. Is this the year? Is that when they're playing Utah or something like that?
Yes, for yes, okay, yes. On Saturday, at least they won't get their asses kicked on Parents Weekend. Dude, I should. Yes, they will have a beer with you. Yeah, we should have at some point.
We should. Yeah, you should pick me up at the airport, but you don't. You should come and have a beer with me, but you don't. I know. One of these times we will.
How many more years? One or two more years. Senior. He's a senior. Oh damn!
There may not be another time. Oh, what are you? He's not gonna take a fifth year. I took six. Hell no, Logan's not taking a fifth year.
I've made that very clear. No, just like when I tried to run that by my old man, it went over about as well with him. Logan, Logan knows better not to bring it up. That's why he's in summer school. My point is, dude.
I I don't know how many runs I'm going to make to Denver. I I don't know. Maybe we live. I will make it up there. I'm going to make it up there one of these times.
We got like two more for the rest of the year, but we're going to get there. We're going to have a beer. Bro, bro. I I'm coming once more this year, and it's next weekend.
So are you going to come and find me, and are we going to have a beer? Let's look at the car wash, and then we'll figure it out. But I I think I might be able to do that. Bro, do I need to come to the fabrication company? You guys have beer at the fabrication company.
I'm not coming to you, dude. You work for me. I don't work for you. Oh yeah, I gotta go to Boulder. I can make it to Boulder.
Find me. I get there. Yeah, get there.
Sounds good. How far are you from Boulder? Twenty minutes. Twenty-five minutes. Yeah, close.
Yeah, Highway 93. Very easy. If I can get on a plane to see them get their doors blown. Yeah, the Utes. You think you can find twenty minutes to have a beer?
I know they're gonna get rocked too. I think. Yeah, I think I can. All right, James Saturday, as always. James, thanks for nothing.
Thanks for you bet, bro. Thanks for nothing. Bet. Let's make some money. All right.
All right. Sounds good. Big Head Bets, James Kelly. That is your FanDuel segment. We do that every single Thursday.
Find him online at Big Head Bets. And if you think that he's talking on his backside and we don't know what we're talking about, fade us. Fade. Us and then talk junk. Or if you're on board and you believe, get down with us and let's celebrate together.
It's all community. Just make sure that you do not play more than you can afford to lose, and let's have some fun with it. All right, there is that segment. When we come back, still ahead, we're talking Northwestern football. Looking forward to that.
Did you see their new stadium? It's shiny as hell, man. It's beautiful. And they put the wood to Penn State. Welcome to your most rewarding season ever.
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Everybody pointed out the obvious Harbaugh connection, and everybody, as it turns out, was right because nine is officially now a New York Giant. You know, you talk about selling low. Even the Niners got a fourth for Trey Lance. He's out of the building. We will take that fifth pick, and we will surely turn it into something more valuable.
Valuable than nine ever was to this organization. The Jim Rome Show podcast. Follow and listen on your favorite platform. I want to get more into this Broncos situation really quickly, and I will in a moment. But this was referenced by a caller earlier, brilliantly.
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So quickly, Adam Schefter had said this: "Like there's some weird stuff going on with the Broncos and their play calling, and who's actually calling the plays and what's happening." So, Shefty first said, "Quote: The Broncos are taking a more collaborative play calling approach this week, with head coach Sean Payton having an increased role in the process, and OC Davis Webb continuing with a." Significant game planning and game day role, per sources. Denver is looking to spark its offense ahead of Sunday's game at Los Angeles versus the Chargers. What? The hell does any of that even mean? That that that's the epitome of, huh?
The hell does that mean? Like I said, there's not enough Thousand Island. Blue cheese vinaigrette, Roquefort, every dressing in the history of the world to cover that word salad. I'm calling bullcrap on that. What is that?
We know why he gave up the play calling. What? Why would? And I disagree with James Kelly. I disagree with James Kelly when he says, "Look at Sean Payton.
Look at all his numbers when he had Drew Brees. Then look at all his numbers without Drew Brees." James, anybody who thinks this, he Sean Payton had them within a play of the Super Bowl last year with Bo Nix. He's not calling plays this year, and all of a sudden they're not right. Is it because Bo Nix is not right physically? No, he looks fine physically, but they're not right.
He's calling plays last year, and they're a Super Bowl team. He's not calling plays this year, and they're anything but. And then all of a sudden, this word salad.
So why did Davis Webb get that job? Because everybody was coming for Davis Webb. They were going to hire Davis Webb. If not as a head coach, then certainly somebody was going to throw a lot of money at him to be an O coordinator. Peyton didn't want to lose him, so he took a step back and said, "All right." Let the genius call the plays.
I'm good with that. I'm fine with that. I don't want to lose this guy. He's tight with Bo Nix. They have a relationship.
Fine, I won't call the plays. Oh wait, they're not as good as they were.
So now we have this this nonsense, this word salad. Like, okay, so you're tweaking things. Why do we know this? Why do we have to know this? Why is this news?
I have a theory. Because they're not tweaking things. It's Sean Payton reasserting himself and his authority and taking back the play calling. I think that's what's that's what this is all about, and that's what's going to happen. Oh wait, this just in, also from the aforementioned Adam Schefter, Sean Payton to reporters today will make a change offensively.
All call the plays. No way. I guess we don't need any salad dressing at all. What was the salad for? What was the salad bar for?
What was the world's biggest salad for? Why was there an all-you-can-eat salad bar in the first place? What was the whole point of all that nonsense? Because of course you were going to call the place.
So why all the salad? I hate it when somebody drags me to the world's longest salad bar when they're not even going to let me eat the salad. Come on, man! Of course he's calling the plays. Of course that's what that was all about, for obvious reasons.
All right. So now, now the next point is: Is it the play calling or is it the quarterback? You know what? We're about to find out. We're about to find out.
I'm just saying, don't waste my time with the salad when you have no intention of serving me the salad. All right, just bring me a lot, bring me another bowl of bread, bring me another basket of bread because I know the salad was never going to be a part of the factor anyway. All right, if it sounds like I'm aggravated, it's because I am aggravated. What was the whole point of that? Get ready with your beefs, but before we do that, David Braun.
The head football coach at Northwestern is going to join us. We are talking Northwestern ball on the program, and excited to do so. That's coming up next. Do not go anywhere. You're listening to the Jim Rome Show.
Jim Rome takes on sports. Everybody pointed out the obvious Harbaugh connection, and everybody, as it turns out, was right because nine is officially now a New York Giant. You know, you talk about selling low. Even the Niners got a fourth for Trey Lance. He's out of the building.
We will take that fifth pick, and we will surely turn it into something more valuable than nine ever was to this organization. The Jim Rome Show podcast. Following. Listen on your favorite platform. Two things.
Two things. I want to be very clear about. Number one, top of the hour is the beef segment, so start dialing right now one eight hundred six three six eight six eight six or hit me up on social. Second thing, I want to be very clear about. We are talking Northwestern football right now, and I am fired up by that.
We are joined by the head coach of the Wildcats. He is in his fourth year with the Wildcats. He has led them to two bowl wins. He was the twenty twenty three Big Ten Coach of the Year. Northwestern is coming off a thirty four to thirteen win over Penn State.
The Wildcats are three and one overall. They're one and one in conference play. They host Ball State on Saturday. We are joined by David Braun. David, great to have you on the show.
How are you doing? I'm doing well, Jim. Thanks for having me on. It's great to have you on, Coach.
So let me ask you: How is your week gone? Coming off a dominant win over Penn State in that brand new stadium, and then how would you describe the energy around the program and on campus? Yeah, the the energy is. I mean, words words don't do it justice. You know, Friday night was such a special night.
Obviously, the win is what we set out to do as a football team. But to see our student section, to see our community come together, it's a special time at Northwestern. Special time to be a part of Northwestern football, and for us to show up and accomplish our job for the evening, coming away with a Big Ten win was was huge and. You know the the difficult challenge in front of us that we addressed immediately first time with our staff and our team on Sunday was you know we have to commit to the controllables you know and what we control is the way that we prepare our habits and and just taking it one day at a time and but that's no easy task. Friday night was one of those nights that you'll remember for for the rest of your life and we had to come down off of that, get back to work and and prepare for Ball State the right way.
You know what I was going to get there. You beat me to it. Was going to say that night like that, David. It's so. I mean, for those who don't know, we're talking about a stadium that's God.
I mean, it's beautiful. It's beautiful. Eight hundred seventy-five million dollars invested. It's state of the art. It is a beautiful facility.
So you are right. It's so exciting, and it's such a big win. It's like all right, but okay, that's great. Enjoy that. Take that all in.
But we do have another game coming up, and we've seen some other teams come off some highs, then come out pretty flat.
So I think I know where you are going with that. But can you take me back for one minute? Like, what was the environment like for you inside? That building, and when the players hit the grass, how much juice did they feel?
So much juice. I mean, Jim. the only The only way that I can describe it is it. It felt like a dream. I mean, like truly coming out on that field, the energy, all the thought that went into to everything that went on around the game, the support from our community, the support from our students.
It's everything that you dream of in college football, and and you know to to have that. I think there was this conscious understanding of. We needed to use that energy for our benefit, but not not be over energized. We still needed to have a level of focus that you know our job as the football team was to show up and play good football and win a football game. And it's it's a credit to our leadership on this team from Aiden Childs to Brandon Bruss, Rob Fitzgerald, Joe Hyman, their ability just to permeate throughout that locker room that our job is to focus on us and focus on football, and we were able to execute on Friday night and you know bring.
Bring home a win for the entire crowd. David Braun joining us. All right, so I could talk to you about a number of these things, but you mentioned Aiden Jarrett, your quarterback. Let me ask about him. He comes to Evanston after making twenty starts at Michigan State.
We know his mobility is going to bolster your rushing attack, and you guys really ran it against Penn State. How critical, though, is his efficiency in your offensive system and to your success offensively? It's it's so critical, you know. I just I'm so happy for Aiden. I'm so happy for us.
The partnership between Aiden, Chip, and Jerry Neuheisel, like that that partnership is just something that's that's really special. And and I think uh you know a testament to Aiden's maturity is he just wants to win. You know, it required against Indiana the week previously to try and put us in situations to play winning football. That that we threw it more, and and his stat line was pretty impressive. Throwing the football, and and his stat line against Penn State, you know, isn't isn't eye catching.
But the the run game was working, and never once is he over there saying we need to throw it more. He he just wants to win. But when you guys opportunities to throw the ball, we were staying efficient. His level of maturity and understanding of what it's what's required out of a starting quarterback in the Big Ten to play winning football is something that has really impressed me. And you know, you just talk about a guy.
That exudes a level of humility, confidence, and a belief in what we're doing as a program. Could not be more grateful to have Aidan Childs as our quarterback. Northwestern head football coach David Braun joining us because you mentioned Chip Kelly. Let me follow you there for a minute. Chip's been coming on the show, David, for forever since he was head coach at Oregon.
He's been coming on this show.
So you hired him as your offensive coordinator, and at the time you said you were looking for a quote transformative change. He certainly has delivered on that so far. How did you and Originally, connect, and then what were you looking for from him specifically? Yeah, you know, it was one of those things that I think too often, and and I've been guilty of this before as well. That you know, sometimes in college football, you know, you make a change because it's you just have to make a change.
Well, if you're making a change, why are you making a change? And you know, for us, we we did need a transformative change if we wanted to boldly say that that we're here to compete at the compete at the highest levels of college football. Our our offense needed a makeover and. Chip and I didn't have a previous relationship, but was was fortunate to at least get get on the phone with him and just gauge his interest. And I just asked him, I said, you know, Coach, what are you looking for?
And as he listed the three things that he was looking for, it was very clear that we needed to talk further. and You know what? What I was looking for is someone that was going to come in and just really redefine, you know, how we approach offense at Northwestern. And that the the icing on the cake that's been so valuable to me and the program is is Chip's head coaching experience, both at the highest levels of college football and in the NFL. And you know, there's times that you know he chuckles when I come in and say, "Hey, Chip, you know, I need to put you you to put your head coaching hat on." You know, he's.
I don't know if he necessarily wants to do that, but he has brought so much perspective, so much value, and someone that I just really trust to bounce a lot of ideas off of. He's made our offense; he's transformed our offense for sure, and he's made me a better head coach. I think that says a lot about both of you, David. Can you share the three things that were important to him, or do you prefer to keep that confidential? You know, in summation, he said, "Dave, you know, I." I want to coach football.
You know, there's so much going on in college football right now that can take you away from actually coaching young men and pouring into young people and developing football players. Is I want to coach football. I want to coach high character, intelligent, you know, football driven guys, and and I want to do it with great people. I was like Chip. I know you don't know us yet, but like we got that here, and and then an opportunity just to really get to know him and find this this level of like.
Alignment in his book, it speaks volumes of Mark Jackson. What we're building with with new Ryan Field, the support around the program that you know Chip chose us. You know, and I think that that shows a lot about the direction of this football program. And we still got a lot of work to do. We're far from a finished product, but there there is tangible momentum right now that we're we're excited to keep building.
You know, David, it kind of makes. Sense me in the sense that he's a football guy and doesn't want to do all that other stuff. He just wants to coach ball and help young guys. But he's also a part of that what I call the big brain club, right? Like everybody's smart at that level.
But Chip's kind of a different dude like that. He's definitely big brain club. Like, what did you think when he broke that broke out that wing tee on Friday night? Yeah, you know, it's it's it's one of those things that, as a head coach, you you want to make sure you are doing a great job of leading and managing your program, and you can fall into this trap of, as you start to see some of these creative juices going, there is this temptation to like, hold on, you know, like really, we're going to try this, and and and you know, the clarity that I've received and all that is, you don't hire. One of the most creative offensive minds in the history of college football, and try and box him in.
You know the the conversations that he and I get to have, the collaboration that's going on between him and Tim McGarvey, our defensive coordinator. It's really special. And at Northwestern, we should pride ourselves on differentiating ourselves and making ourselves really difficult to defend on offense. And my goodness, has Chip delivered on that? Dear Brian, joining me for another moment or so, David, because you mentioned Northwestern.
Look, to me, it seems like you're in a select company, like schools like Stanford and Vanderbilt, in terms of high academic standards. And you want it, but but at the same time, you want to excel in athletics very clearly. And they've made a commitment eight hundred and seventy-five million dollars for that stadium.
So, how do you narrow the pool of potential recruits that you have? Like, how would you describe what you're looking for in a Northwestern? Student athlete. We're looking for a young man that is very football driven and values what a Northwestern degree and Northwestern network can do for the rest of their life. They understand the long term play on that, and very directly, you know, any recruit that we're in serious conversations with, I ask them directly, "Do you believe you're the right person to help us win Big Ten championships?" And if they get excited about that question, they believe that they're the right person to help us do that, and they believe it can be done here at Northwestern, which.
Not not everyone does, and that's okay. But they believe that can be done here.
Well, that that that could be a pretty special partnership. But we're looking for guys that truly believe that they're the right person to help us achieve that. All right. So when you look at the film of Ball State, you got to get guys focused again. Are they back to earth?
Did they get quickly get back where their feet were? And how does Ball State look to you? I'll tell you what you know. I've known Coach Jurmovich for a long time. He's a he's a Chicago land guy, great football coach.
You know, played Toledo really, really tough. And he'll he'll have his guys ready to go. They have our attention. They have our respect. And you know, we've all year long.
You know, we've been on this mission to be focused on us and focused on our football team. And and that doesn't change this week. The the focus needs to be on us. And the mission that I challenge The group with is, you know, this week we commit to the controllables. You know, there there there might be excitement, hype, all the all this noise that you know, great that that's happening outside our facility, but in our facility and between our ears.
We just need to be focused on the things that we can control, and the preparation, the practice, our habits shows me that we got a team that's that's mature enough to truly commit to that, and and being focused on the things that we can control, and what needs to happen Saturday morning is we need to show up as the best versions of ourselves. The controllables: ape, a p e, attitude, preparation, and effort. David Braun is head football coach at Northwestern. David, really good to have you on the show. Great to talk some Wildcat ball.
Good luck this. Weekend. Hope we can do it again soon. Thanks, Jim. Appreciate you having me on.
Appreciate you, Coach David Braun. Great job. Good to talk some Northwestern football. I like it. I like what I heard.
I like what I see. They're three and one. They're one and one. As I mentioned, the stadium's beautiful, and they're coming off that win over Penn State. And he just said, "It look if you don't think that you can win a Big Ten championship here, maybe this is not the right place for you." Also, they're looking for some respect now.
They're still not in the AP top twenty-five. But that's a different conversation. When we come back, what's beef? What do you want to beef about? Hit me up on the phones right now one eight hundred six three six eight six eight six.
If you want to write your beef in, do that too. Get to the X. Find me at Jim Rome. Get to the email. Find me at RomanHaveATake dot com.
Get to the chat. Go to our YouTube channel, and we do take your chats in beef form. All of that is still ahead. Don't go anywhere. Hour number three next.
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