Ducks Quacking East? (Hour 2)

And away we go. Second hour of our radio program. It is the Zach Yelp show on CBS Sports Radio. We're coming here, we're coming to you live from the Rockin' Mortgage Studios.

Whether you're looking to purchase a new home or refinance yours, Rockin' Mortgage could help you get there for home loan solutions that fit your life. Rocky Kim, head out to the guest line right now. Welcome in, the former head football coach of Washington, and that of course is Jay Gruden. A chat, a little QB play as we get set for this NFL season.

Jay, appreciate the time. How are you? I'm doing good, Zach. How you doing? Well, I'm doing fantastic.

Appreciate you coming on. You know, I want to start you off with the Pittsburgh Steelers, because when I watch Kenny Pickett, I think he's ready to start week one. As a coach, how do you know, and what do you look for to determine if a young quarterback's ready to start in the NFL? Is he able to protect themselves, understand protections, understand audibles, being able to get in the right run? There's a lot of mental part of the game that we can't see, other than, you know, when you watch a preseason game, you see him complete a 10-yard out route, but is he audible in getting out of bad runs?

Is he protecting himself with the protection schemes? Those are all critical, and only the coaches probably know that right about now. But he does look good. What do you think they'll end up doing? Do you think they start your bisky week one, or do they go with Pickett? I would say, you know, to me, if you're going to start a rookie quarterback, it has to be his job day one, because he has to get all the first-team reps. You know, when I was with Cincinnati my first year, we dropped in Andy Dalton, and the whole practice and everything was scripted for Andy Dalton to be the starter.

And if you have a competition, it's very difficult for a rookie quarterback to get the needed reps to get himself ready for week one. I see Mr. Trubisky starting. If he does well, he'll keep the job if he struggles at all, and I don't think they'll hesitate to put in Kenny. Then what do they do then behind the scenes?

If you're right, it is Mitch Trubisky week one. What do they do behind the scenes to continue to develop Kenny Pickett when he's not playing in the games? Well, that's his job to continue developing.

He's got to make sure he takes as many metal reps as he can. When he does get the reps, he utilizes them and does a good job with those to make sure he shows the coaches that he will be ready when his time is called. Even if it's scout team reps where it's a play that they don't even have in their playbook, he's got to complete the ball and footwork and accuracy is going to continue to be important for him throughout the development stages.

But really, knowledge of the game is the most important thing. Handling protections and running game and all that, what I mentioned earlier. Talking to Jay Gruden right now on the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. When we get to your former football team, they brought in yet another quarterback. This time it's Carson Wentz. Do you have any optimism with Carson Wentz or is he going to be the guy that we've seen Philadelphia say goodbye to and then eventually Indianapolis? Well, you know, it's odd that a quarterback at his age has been on three different teams already.

That's a little concerning. He does have the talent. He does have the skill set. He's an upgrade, I think they believe, down there at Washington. He's got great weapons around him with Terry McLaurin and Dobson and Curtis Samuel. He's got a good tight end, a Logan Thomas. They've got three backs that are big tight backs that can handle the passing game and the running game with Robinson the rookie and McKissick and Antonio Gibson.

So they got their weapons and I think their defense should be okay. So as long as he manages the game, doesn't turn the ball over, can make some big plays every now and then, they should be fine. But he does have a lot to prove because this is his third team, like you mentioned, and he didn't fare too well at Indianapolis.

I know it's crushing for them not to be able to beat Jacksonville in the last game to get to the playoffs. But he's still a young quarterback. He's still developing and how he handles Scott Turner's offense will be how it goes in Washington. Inside the NFC East, a lot of people are predicting this is going to be between Dallas and Philadelphia. Do you give the edge to one team over another? I would always give the edge to the better quarterback and right now I still believe that's Prescott. And I think his ability to move the pocket, Zachary See, I think puts him over the top. He did lose a couple weapons, but I still think the tight end that they have and some of the receivers that they have and obviously the running game that they have and his ability to run with his own reach will make them more dangerous.

I do like Philadelphia's defense a little bit better, which will make them very, very competitive in that division. If he can hold teams and keep games close and Jalen Hurst can hurt you with his legs, as long as the game's close, he'll be effective. But if they get behind, I question the ability for him to bring them back with the passing game.

So if he becomes one-dimensional, they'll struggle. If he can stay close and have a lead in games, then Philadelphia will be very dangerous. I like what Philly did this offseason, though, because a year ago they got him Devante Smith.

They've had a connection in the past, and then you go get A.J. Brown, and we've seen a lot of teams around the league, whether it was Josh Allen a few years ago getting Safon Diggs, Kyler Murray with DeAndre Hopkins. I love when these teams go get these big wide receivers for the young quarterbacks.

Yeah, I do too. That's important. You've got to have that, have a good, strong running game, and milestone of this has got to produce better. Kevin Gainwell's got to play better. Their blocking has to be better. I do have a big offensive line, which I think will help their running game out a lot, which will help and turn the young quarterback and their defense.

Like I said before, should keep them in games and could actually win games for them early, where the play-action pass and things that Jalen Hurst could do effectively will be effective in the games through four quarters, not just once. Jay Gruden here with us. We talk about a young quarterback getting some help. A year ago, it was Jalen Waddle, now Tyreek Hill with the Dolphins. Jay, are you a believer in Tua Tunga Vailoa? You know what?

The jury's still out. The young quarterback's confident and starts taking major steps in a productive way. In order to do that, you have to surround them with talent, and Miami has done that. They've got two of the most explosive wide receivers in the game, and Cedric Wilson is a good possession receiver to man the slot as well. He has a good speed at running back in Edmonds and in Beaux Arts. And Toni Michell, they've got a good tight end that can catch the ball very effectively.

So he has the weapons. They have no excuses. Their defense is pretty good. They've got two great shutdown corners in Byron Jones and Xavier Howard. They're going to pass us a Melvin Ingram. So, yeah, there's no excuses for Miami without a doubt, and Tua's got to make a big step.

But he is still young. He's going to make a mistake, but he does have the arm talent to get the ball deep to those players. And then that should open up the running lanes for the backs that I mentioned. What are the Dolphins getting in their head football coaching in Mike McDaniel? Well, anybody who's studied off the Kyle Shanahan, when we get the good outside zone running game, the play passes off of that to get them outside the pocket, and a good play pass is out on the field. So I think it starts with the outside zone game. The running game will be effective, which in turn opens up the play passes, which Kyle and Sonic Bay and these guys have done so well over the course of time.

When you get the ball outside the pocket where Tua can see, get a speed set and watch it, that would be very, very dangerous on those play passes. Jay Gruden is my guest. Do you have a thought on Brady missing 11 days? That's not usually what Tom Brady does, but I guess he just wanted some family time.

Tom Brady, I believe, can show up on game day week one and still be effective. That's just the way he is. He's going to be ready. He's going to be in shape.

He's going to put his TV 12 products. He's going to eat right. He's going to be mentally ready to go. He does need to get in there and get some reps with his receivers, which he'll do.

But they'll be ultra dangerous. Their defense is solid. He's the best quarterback in the game and he's got great weapons around him. So Tampa Bay will be just fine, whether he misses a week, two weeks, or a month.

Yeah, I think it's an on story now. He's back at practice after missing 11 days. I feel like, and I usually never predict when Tom Brady's career is going to wrap up because people have been doing that for the last decade and no one's got it right. With the contract being agreed upon, him going to Fox whenever he retires, I just get the feeling that this is going to be the final year for Brady.

We know he already walked away and then came back. Your thoughts on that, Jay? Yeah, I thought his final year was going to be the one he won the Super Bowl the last time. I bet he keeps proving everybody wrong. I think he's just going to read what everybody says. What everybody says, he'll do the opposite.

That's just the way he is. He's very competitive. If he feels like he can play and be effective and he's having fun, I think he'll continue to play. He does have a great job waiting in the wings. That'd be a nice little nest egg to have. Hey, he got $350 million for the mouse football game. That's kind of fun.

Not bad. Actually, it all depends on his health. If he stays healthy, I can see him playing another year. If he has success, if he has fun.

Otherwise, he'll be great on TV. We know how great Devonta Adams has been for Aaron Rodgers and how great Aaron Rodgers was for Devonta Adams, now Devonta Adams with the Raiders. How does Rodgers quickly build that chemistry with these young wide receivers?

It'll take some time. I think that despite how good Aaron is, it'll still take some time. I think he'll rely on his tight end, Tonya, in a little bit. They do have a veteran, Randall Cobb, man on the slot. These young guys don't have to step up. But the good thing is they have two great backs. I mean, A.J. Dillon is proving he's a top back in the league and Aaron Jones.

That's a great one-two punch. It'll take the pressure off the passing game for sure. And I think they have a great defense.

I really do. I think they have one of the best secondaries in the league. They're going to be able to keep games close. And if you keep games close against Aaron Rodgers, keep giving him opportunities with a close score, he will take advantage no matter who his receivers are.

So, I still think they're going to be very competitive. They will struggle early on in the passing game, I believe. But Aaron will get it right and they will be explosive by the time mid-season rolls around. Jay Gruden here with us for a few more minutes on CBS Sports Radio.

Going to the right spot is so important for Trey Lance. He gets to go to a very fine organization, the 49ers. Really good coaching, Kyle Shanahan. You got Deebo, you got Kittle, you got a really good offensive line.

They love to run the football. He's been in that organization for a year. Now as he gets set to year number two, he's finally going to be the starter. How do you think Kyle will use Trey Lance throughout the season as a starting quarterback?

I have to say, pretty similar to how he used Robert Griffin III when Robert won the rookie of the year. You know, the running game, the zone reads are very effective. And then the play actions off of those are brutal for defenses. You're working on your zone fits and he's got the quarterback, he's got the dive.

Then they pull it out and launch a slander up. But Deebo, Samuels, or Brennan and I, very effective. And then they got Kittle working the third down option routes.

He's just excellent at that. And when in doubt, just run left behind Trent Williams, who's the best at business without a doubt. Elijah Mitchell should be explosive in year two.

I'm excited to see him. And their defense, man. I mean, what do you say about their defense? They're big, they're fast. Nick Bose is coming back. I mean, Armstead's a big, huge man.

Kinlaw is gigantic. So their defense will keep them close as well. So any of these young quarterbacks, if they have a great defense, they don't have to have a lot of pressure on them to score every time they have the ball. They can punt on fourth down. They can run the ball on third and five from time to time to take some pressure off of these guys. And with Trey's ability to make plays with his legs, I think they'll be dangerous.

Very effective. Jay Gruden, what do you look for with Baker Mayfield this year as he's now been named the starting quarterback with the Panthers? Yeah, Baker, you know, it's good that he won the competition supposedly, but he's still going to have that guy looking over his shoulder if he started a little bit. You know, I don't know if they have the skill on offense. You know, they have Robbie Henderson who can run and D.J. Bowe is a good receiver and Terrence Marshall. They do have Chris McCaffrey.

That is the key. If he can stay healthy, his ability to run the ball and catch the ball on that backfield will be a huge, huge relief for Baker. But can their defense play as effectively as they need to to keep games close, which they played pretty well last year. So I think Carolina's probably flying on the radar a little bit. If Baker can manage the game and not turn the ball over, their defense is pretty darn good. And they played pretty darn good last year. And the division, other than Tampa Bay, New Orleans is going to be down a little bit. Atlanta's down a little bit.

So they have a chance to win some games and shock some people. Right now, who do you go with, Jay Gruden, to win the AFC West? That's been the million dollar question this offseason.

That's a tough one. I think I still go Kansas City. You know, I just think that guy's different at quarterback.

That's a great quarterback division, but I still think Kansas City with their quarterback and his ability to make plays and Travis Kelce, the best tight in the league. They have G.G. Schuster, they'll take a step back at receiver and lose it at Tyree Kil, but they still have hard move G.G. Schuster. They dropped this guy. So we'll ask the guys to get the ball through. The running game's okay with Clyde Edwards and Jack McKinnon. You know, that's what this rookie does from Rutgers.

That's Petchko, whatever his name is. And then defensively, I think they did lose a couple guys. They had a Dunlop. They had Frank Clark. They should be pretty good on defense.

They might take a step back, but you just can't bet against Patrick Mahomes. He's just too good. His ability to make plays outside the pocket and buy time. Unscripted plays are second to none in the NFL.

Can't coach it. He's just a great player. On the way out with Jay Gruden, I saw Dana White had a big news item this weekend. He claims your brother blew up the deal that prevented Brady and Gronk from being a Raider. Was that the first time you heard that story?

Oh yeah, that's the first time. When you're out for a year or two, whether it's two or not, I know John had a great relationship with Derek Carr. Derek Carr's a great quarterback.

Whatever the story is, I think John had a lot of loyalty to Derek and Derek had a lot of loyalty to John. They were going to have some success if what happened didn't happen. They have some very good offense now coming back as well. The reason for everything, I think Tom Brady is probably better off going to Tampa Bay. I know Derek Carr is happy still being a Raider. If you were the head coach of the Raiders, would you have made the same decision? Be loyal to Carr and not bring in the GOAT to Tom Brady?

I don't know. Tom Brady is pretty good. He is the GOAT. If you have a chance to get him and a tight end like Gronk, but they already had Darren Waller.

There's only one ball. I think in a contract situation, Derek Carr is still a young quarterback. He's very smart. He handles the offense very well. He's no Tom Brady.

I'm not saying that at all. He's surrounded Derek Carr with some great players like he is going to have this year. You'll see a different Derek Carr again. He's very effective. It would be hard for me to ever turn down Tom Brady.

He's my favorite all-time quarterback to watch on film. If I would have had a chance to get him, I would have got him, but that's just me. Do you and your brother talk about this when this story comes out? Like he is your brother. Do you call him up and say, hey, is this true? No, I haven't talked to him yet. He's down in Florida playing golf.

I didn't bring it up. He's a little salty right now. He doesn't like all these rumors floating around.

I don't know if it's true or not, but I'll get a hold of him and find the scoop. I think the decision he made to keep Derek, I don't think that was a bad one. I think with Darren Waller and Derek, the development Hunter Ephraim made with him before he left was pretty fantastic. Jay Gruden, appreciate the time. Thanks so much. You got it.

Thank you. There's Jay Gruden joining us on the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. We'll take a time out and come on back with a news brief after these short messages. Time for your daily news brief. We get you caught up on the rumors reports and reconnaissance from the day in sports.

I have made it clear. I have emphatically said that the Pittsburgh Steelers should start Kenny pick at week one. Mike Tomlin. He says the final preseason game up against the Detroit Lions will impact many positional battles. Man, a lot of spots going to come down to this work. This work is weighted differently and appropriately. So the in stadium work is significant and increasingly sold the more stadium exposure you get. And so make no mistake. This is a significant game for a lot of people.

Now, he's speaking ambiguously. He did not say it was directly the quarterback. But Hickey, when I hear that the in stadium experience and he talks about how important that is. I don't think Mitch Trubusky is a very good quarterback, but he has experience.

Isn't that him in a way? Can you frame it as, OK, if Kenny Pickett goes and has another big game, that in stadium experience and that in game experience is very valuable. Maybe that will be enough to go pick it over Trubusky. I would agree.

One hundred percent. You only see if a Mitch he's played on big stages before it's can can Kenny handle the spotlight? And so far he showed that he can. I wonder if he's going to be with the first team or not.

That's fascinating to see, too. It's tough to have a three man competition, let alone now one game is going to decide it. And who's going to be the twos? Who's going to be the threes? And Jay even said it when you have a quarterback competition. Just naturally, the guy that ends up getting the starter isn't going to get the reps that you ideally want him to have anyway, especially with the young quarterback. So he said he thinks it's going to be Trubusky. I think it will and should be Kenny Pickett.

We saw our pal Andrew Filipponi. He said Aaron Wilson said on the fan today, I guess he was on there showing 9-3-7 the fan, that Mitch Trubisky needs to have a good game on Sunday to cement himself as the Steelers starting QB. I would love to see Trubusky just fall flat on his face and Kenny Pickett lights up the joint and boom, Kenny Pickett starts week one. Safe to say, I know what you'll be doing on Saturday. I don't think so. First off, you don't know what I'm doing on Saturday.

Circling the wagons? Game's on Sunday. Oh, okay. There you go. See, I'm locked in. Am I tuning in Sunday at 4.30? Not an awful time. To Lions-Steelers.

Now I'm going to the shore this weekend, so I'll be driving back from Borgata. I have a fantasy draft at night. Maybe I'll catch the highlights. It's preseason.

I'll just see Filipponi just salivate over Kenny Pickett. This is like a playoff game for the Steelers right now. This could be their biggest game of the season. I'd say. Aaron Rodgers, on if the wide receivers would have been further along if Rodgers attended OTAs, what a question. Oh, I guarantee you Rodgers didn't love this one.

Not really. Training camp is a long experience. There's plenty of time for conversations, for practice, for a lot of the things that we expect them to do in the regular season. I rely on the coaching staff to pass on the message as we're learning the offense.

And then, you know, I'm kind of the 202 professor. You know, they got to get to kind of the base concepts. And when I come in, you know, we have the offense outside the paper offense. So I feel like there's been a few guys who've made a jump mentally as we've gotten into the second and third week of camp.

I feel like the offense, especially in the last week or so, has been clicking closer to where I think we should be trending. Yeah, that sounded to me as if Rodgers basically just said it's voluntary. I didn't need to show up to voluntary OTAs. It's on the coaching staff to develop those guys and pass along my messages. And the people that aren't mentally ready to be a wide receiver on this team need to go take a lap. That's how I kind of interpreted that. No accountability there. That's literally insane. But I don't have a problem with Rodgers skipping OTAs. I don't.

They're voluntary. For Rodgers, he knows what it takes to get ready for the season. Last year, everyone killed him with what he skipped and how week one it had a carryover effect. And ultimately it didn't derail their season. I don't think it's going to derail this season.

Do you? I mean, in a Super Bowl or bust year, I think you should be doing everything possible to put yourself in the best position to succeed. I don't think in this specific season, with this specific group of receivers, it benefits you by not going. I don't see how you can just sit there and say it's like, if he's blaming himself or just saying collectively, we all need to do better. One thing, to call out a group of receivers for not being ready to go. And then also say at the same time, well, I don't need to be there.

They got to catch up to me while not doing anything to help them along. I think just to me, you're sending the wrong message. I think we're 19 days away from the start of the Packers season. Now, at the tail end of that clip, he did say that he thinks guys are moving to where they need to be. They'll figure this out in the next 15 to 19 days.

I hope so. You're really that down on the Packers and Rogers. I don't say you can buy in.

I know people can't see Hickey right now, but every word I just said, your face was facing towards the board, which is you're looking down and you're just shaking your head. I mean, tell me how you tell me, tell me, how are you buying into the Packers? How are you optimistic this year on this Green Bay team winning the Super Bowl? The NFC stinks. You have three teams that could get to the Super Bowl out of the NFC, the Rams, the Bucks, and then the Packers.

They have a shot. They have a one in three chance, in my opinion, of getting to the Super Bowl out of the NFC. Those are the only three teams that could get to the Super Bowl out of the NFC.

Give me another one. I would agree, but at the same time, well, I don't think there are two, but even with the Packers, it's not like they've lost like the last year, the 49ers. They make the Super Bowl, they lost to them. It's not even just like the teams that are better than them they're losing to. They've lost to, in the past, lesser teams. Yeah, they shouldn't have lost to the 49ers. They got embarrassed a few years ago, and then this past year, Rodgers has to hit Lazard and he goes for Devonta Adams, and it cost them and they only have one touchdown in that game.

I'm not saying you're wrong on that. That could be their kryptonite. And we've seen through history in sports, you have a kryptonite, and eventually the kryptonite falls down and it reaches an expiration date. Maybe this is their year, maybe. Aaron Rodgers says he's not being unrealistic in terms of what to expect from the wide receivers this season. You have to be real about the expectations with all those guys, and then at the same time hold them to a standard of what they're capable of at this time based on those expectations that are realistic. So the whole key is the consistency with what's being talked, you know, the consistency with seeing improvement each day and maybe just a reminder that every single one of those plays we're watching, whether it's ones, twos, or threes, split group, one group.

And I just think there's a way of practicing that they just need to understand. Who hates talking to the media more, Hickey? Belichick or Rodgers? I'm Belichick. At least Rodgers is the McAfee hit. At least Rodgers gives you something.

That was just 40 seconds. Belichick would give you one thing. You hear, though, the disgust in Rodgers' voice when speaking to the media. He definitely enjoys, though, talking about the good stuff. I don't think there is anything more that he would like in that spot to then not have to be in that spot, which is crazy because he's making $50 million a year. He dreads talking to the media. I think he's a front-runner. When things are good, I think he likes talking to the media. He's funny. He goes back and forth.

But when things are tough questions, that's when he gets very defensive and short. Baker Mayfield and his reaction to being named the starting quarterback for the Carolina Panthers. Honestly, Sam and I knew this day was going to eventually come, but we weren't counting down the days.

We didn't know when it was going to happen or anything like that. So just this morning, I was made aware that I was going to be starting and saw Sam shortly after. He made it very clear that anything I needed in support or in terms of that aspect, he was going to be there. That just shows what kind of team guy he is. Honestly, just an unfortunate circumstance that we're both here in the same year fighting for a job, but that's the kind of guy he is. He said whatever you need in support, he's just trying to win games, and that's the mentality we've had the whole time.

So I truly, truly appreciate that, and he's a great guy. Yeah, it's an unfortunate circumstance that Sam stunk in New York and then stunk this past year with the Panthers. I had my injury, and then for some reason the Browns just didn't care about what happened off the field. They elected to still trade for Deshaun Watson, and it's just so unfortunate that we're competing up against one another. Who would have thought the first and third pick in the draft that year, I think it was what, 2018, would end up being in the same locker room entering their fifth year in the league. That's wild.

Absolutely wild. And at the quarterback competition, I say competition in air quotes because we knew as long as you had Baker Mayfield being healthy, he was going to be the starter week one. Let's hear from Sam Darnold. Baker Mayfield said it. Now let's hear it from Sam. Sam says he'll do everything possible to support Baker. Yeah, I think me and Baker viewed it. Every day was our game day out there during camp, and especially as we got into these last couple weeks.

Yeah, obviously it didn't go my way. Coach named Baker the starter, and my mindset is it is what it is. And for me right now, I'm going to do everything I can to support Baker, and when the regular season comes around, I'm going to do everything I can to support him and be ready for when my time comes.

Yes or no, Hickey? Will Sam Darnold be all bought in this year as the backup quarterback? No, I think it's an easy no. Now, he could get an opportunity if Baker gets hurt or Baker just craps the bed the first six, seven games of the season and jobs are on the line. When you, though, have the background of being a number three overall pick and being touted as the guy, then you're asked not to be the guy.

Mentally, I just don't think it's physically possible. Like, even if you're a good teammate, I don't think you're fully invested. Even if it's not half-assing, maybe it's like 75, 80 percent, I don't think you're getting the best of Sam Darnold. But for the Panthers, you hope you never even see them this year on a football field, unless if it's in the fourth quarter, if they're up, like, two touchdowns and you just throw them in because you don't want Baker Mayfield to get hurt. Let's hear from Matt Ruhl and why he named the starting quarterback right now, going with Baker. At the end of the day, we felt like, you know, Baker's made a lot of progress in a short amount of time, kind of in the things I've talked to you guys about, and so we felt like it was right to make that move for this team, you know, right now. You know, I said, hey, well, we know, we know. We felt like we knew, and there's time now with the second preseason game done to sort of start to move forward and say, hey, Baker's the quarterback.

Sam, you get ready, and kind of go from there. You know, I think it's similar. I compare this to the commanders, where they've had bad quarterback play for so long. Anything than the guy that was there from a year ago looks better. Look at the way that Ron Rivera talks up Carson Wentz, which is like a joke to me, and I think a similar thing can be with the Panthers. Hey, it's not Sam, it's not P.J. Walker, it's not Teddy Bridgewater, and Baker won a playoff game two years ago in this league. Let's go back to Baker Mayfield. He says week one will be extra special to play up against his old team in the Cleveland Browns.

Obviously there's a lot of attachment there. I'm not going to, like I told you guys, Wofford, I'm not going to sit here and be a robot and say that it doesn't mean anything. It will, but right now all that matters is me continuing to improve until this regular season starts. I don't know what the line is, Hickey, but I'll be hammering the Panthers week one. Baker Mayfield sounds pissed off. He can't stand the Browns organization right now. The game means something to him like he just said, and you have Jacoby Bressett starting for the Browns. The only thing that scares me about that game is Miles Garrett plays for the other team, and Miles Garrett could go have four, five, six, seven sacks in a game at any time.

But other than that Miles Garrett fella, I had a lot of confidence in the Panthers beating the Brownies week one. Remember when Baker Mayfield was at Oklahoma and he was against Kansas, and they didn't shake their hands at the coin toss, and he's grabbing his junk and he's yelling at them. The Panthers win that game. He's pointed up to the press box. I would love to see the post-game reaction from Baker there. Panthers, though, are in Oklahoma. True, but if you win that game, that is your Super Bowl. Andrew Berry, I would hide. Let's go to Mr. Mumble's Bill Belichick and why he isn't freaking out about the offensive coordinating titles.

This is courtesy of WEI. I'm really not too concerned about that. There have been many years where we haven't had titles.

I don't even know what titles we've had or not had. It doesn't really make any difference. That's not the point of it. We have jobs to do, and our staff works well together. Again, there are a lot of people that are involved in all three phases of the game.

Ultimately, I'm responsible for all of it, so if you want to ask who's in charge, then it would be me, because I have the final say in every area. That's the way it's been, and I don't really see that changing. But Bill, you don't always have titles. When, though, have you ever made a defensive coordinator basically your offensive coordinator? I couldn't get Bill O'Brien back. I don't know if I even wanted Bill O'Brien back. I have a lot of trust and faith in Mack, because everyone thinks he's a clown with what happened in Detroit.

I'm just going to do something that is bizarre and unusual and go with the two big bozos that were in the NFL recently, his failed head coaches, Joe Judge. He played quarterback like 20 years ago. He has kneel downs when his team's not even winning inside their five-yard line, back-to-back plays. So that's a brilliant football mind. Basically, whatever I ask of him, he does, and the same is for Matt Patricia. They suck on the teet that is Bill Belichick, and that's why those guys are the offensive coordinators.

We're going to put a lot of confidence in them, and we're going to see what happens to Mack this year. Finally, thanks, Bill. Fernando Tatis Jr. apologizes to everyone for cheating.

I have not heard this yet. Hickey, did he use any excuses here? His ringworm and the substances, or was this a genuine apology? I'm going to be disappointed. I guess you'll find out.

Aye, aye, aye, here we go. I'm truly sorry. I am. I have let so many people down. I have fell to the front office of the San Diego Padres, of the Peter Sizer, H.A.

Taylor. I have fell to every family this day. I have fell to my country. I have fell to my family, parents. I'm really sorry for my mistakes. I've seen how my dreams have turned into my worst nightmares.

A couple days, a couple months. But there's no other one to blame than myself. Yeah, I thought that was genuine from what you could hear. That was terrible audio quality, Hickey. I mean, what was he doing, that press conference on the ocean?

A locker room scrum at the stadium. Okay. When you think of National Network, you get some better audio, but from what I heard, I thought that was a genuine apology, but all this other stuff. I don't get why you couldn't just get right to the chase, and then you had to have all these blaming game with your team, and then your father, and all that.

It never made any sense to me. Test is the test. You failed the test.

Say you were wrong from the start. Don't wait a week, week and a half. That's a news brief, Zach Gelb Show, CBS Sports Radio. When we come on back, Oregon, maybe to the Big Ten, we'll discuss... You're listening to the Zach Gelb Show. It is the Zach Gelb Show on CBS Sports Radio.

Hot take hickey. I don't know why. Every time I have to say the name Brett McMurphy, I want to call him Brent. I don't know why that is, but in my brain, it just registers as Brett McMurphy, and his name is Brett McMurphy.

Well, whether I call him Brent or Brett, it doesn't matter. His report the other day was Oregon has initiated preliminary discussions in Chicago with the Big Ten to determine if the Ducks, quack, quack, quack, are compatible in the Big Ten, sources told the Action Network. Big Ten not done expanded.

That's what other sources told the Action Network HQ last week. Now, we know it's inevitable that even though USC and UCLA are joining the Big Ten, that eventually, with the way the TV contract just worked out in the landscape, that's going to be moving once again in college football to maybe no more power five, and it goes to the power three, and you just have three big super conferences, or maybe it just goes to two big super conferences, or one just big super duper conference, that there is going to be expansion to the Big Ten before we fully see what the end product is. Oregon, you're Mr. Big Ten. Would you want to see the Ducks join Oregon big brand? Has done a really good job last 10 years with football.

No more Mario Crystal Ball. Chip Kelly really built up that program. Now, Dan Lanning is there. You have the Phil Knight connection. I would think it would make sense that if it takes two to tango, I could see the Big Ten wanting Oregon and Oregon clearly wanting the Big Ten. Oh, it's a match made in heaven in terms of schools out there remaining that would still move the needle without kind of just oversaturating the conference. Obviously, Notre Dame is by far the biggest brand and the biggest fish out there, but beyond Notre Dame, Washington, Oregon, those are some big schools right there that are desperate to get out of the Pac-12. You already have, if you're the Big Ten, USC and UCLA, so you have a West Coast presence, now you go to the Northwest, makes total sense, absolutely.

Here's my question, though. How long is the Big Ten going to wait on Notre Dame before they start to go acquire more assets and more universities? Because Notre Dame is the big domino to fall. If Notre Dame stops this alliance with the ACC and then just becomes a full-time member of their partnership, whatever you want to call it, and they become a full-time member, then that enhances the brand that is the ACC, and then maybe you see some more ACC schools stay. But if you are the Big Ten, I think maybe you become proactive instead of just reactive and waiting to see what Notre Dame does.

I get it. Notre Dame is priority number one. They're the most attractive team to go at. Of all these teams that are available that aren't in the Big Ten and the SEC, so if you're looking to add someone, yeah, you want to live and die by Notre Dame, but I don't think it should prevent them from adding another school or two in the meantime if it is a perfect fit like we're talking about. I don't think they'll wait. I mean, you had Kevin Warren say in HBO, I think it was either this week or last week, that they are shooting for 20 schools.

So just the math right there, they're at 16. It's not like they're saying, we want one more school to join. Well, then obviously it's going to be a Notre Dame waiting game, but if you're going to add, let's say, four more schools, well, you can still pursue Notre Dame also on the side, talk to Oregon, talk to Washington, and see what other schools you can pull in. Now, I am reading an article right now in SI that Kevin Warren said, when I say add value, value is important, but I just look at the fit. A fit has to be there academically, has to be there athletically. All those things are really important.

There are a handful of schools that potentially could add value to us, but I'm focused right now that we welcome USC and UCLA to our conference in 2024 with open arms. So a lot of wah wah wah wah wah wah. You know what I did not hear in that answer? Yeah, financially, who makes sense to? Because that's what it comes down to.

It's all about dollars and cents there, hot day cake. When you say add value, that's 100 percent right. Who can we add that's still going to have our revenues on TV go up, right? Like you're not going to add, no disrespect, let's say Vanderbilt. That's the way you're saying add value and then following it up with academics and athletically. You dress it up nice. He did a good job in dressing up what he was trying to say and not just have it be so cutthroat and go, yeah, we're looking for schools that are going to add moolah.

Right. Like, you know, it's a nice way of saying sorry Tulane, like we're not interested. Wow, you went to Tulane.

I thought you were just going to take an easy shot at my alma mater. I have respect. I have respect. Wow. You have respect? No, it was an obvious one too, you know. Wow.

Okay. I'm just saying, I remember there was a game where Temple beat Penn State. I remember it too.

I remember it well. Wasn't a good time for James Franklin. No.

Or yours truly. Now, McMurphy also said that the Big Ten has its eyes, like you were saying on several other programs too. You give me the yes or no, would you like to see these schools join the Big Ten?

Notre Dame, Oregon, we've already discussed. Let me just get you on the record. That's a yes, yes. Yes, yes.

Oh yeah. Washington, who I saw named Michael Penix Jr., their head coach today coming over from Indiana. Remember, he was a part of that controversial play. He was out of bounds. It was a touchdown.

Boom. Indiana, the Hoosiers take down the Nittany Lions. Now, he's going to be the starting quarterback at Washington for first-year head coach Kaitlyn DeBoer coming over from Fresno State. Would you like to see Washington join the Big Ten? Yes, especially with Oregon.

That's a perfect rivalry and a perfect kind of geographic match. Stanford with Mr. David Shaw. Isn't it crazy that he stole the coach at Stanford? I would have thought by now he would be in the NFL. Especially with Stanford having some down years, we'll say.

It's impressive. I will say for right now, no. Stanford won't move the needle for me.

Why not? Competition-wise, it's not a big draw for me personally. Outside of their rivalry in Notre Dame, I don't see a lot of excitement. Oh, here comes Big Bad Stanford in town. Justin Wilcox's program.

Cal? No. That was a quick no. I like Justin Wilcox a lot.

They have not gotten anything going. He should have taken the Oregon job. I'm shocked he didn't. I'm with you.

I was very surprised that he didn't take the Oregon job. Finally, I think this will be a yes. Mario, Cristobal's, Miami Hurricanes. It's all about the U.

It's all about the U. Yeah, absolutely. That would be actually very cool. No more turnover chain, though. So the turnover chain would never happen in the Big Ten. Get that rat Manny Diaz.

One of those ideas gone. Biggest rivalries in college football. Manny Diaz versus Mario Cristobal. Like eight years, and Manny Diaz is probably the head coach of some D3 school. And Florida State. I was at the Seminoles.

That'd be exciting. Big brand. Huge brand. Yeah. Even though they've had some down years recently, yeah, I would definitely take Florida State in the Big Ten. But to go back to it, we just mentioned two ACC schools in Miami and Florida State. They're kind of in a weird spot because you got to operate in the best interest of yourself.

You, though, may want to see what happens first. I don't, you know, Clemson, are they going to be on the move? You got to see what happens with Notre Dame.

This is basically the survival of the fittest. And with the way the TV money is in the Big Ten now, after seeing what those dollars are with now them coming to CBS. If you can get a piece of that pie, if you're in Miami, if you're Florida State, it'd almost be malpractice by your athletic departments. If you're not trying to go join the Big Ten, even though the ACC has clearly been very kind to you. I mean, I hate to say that. It's the Wild West, right? If they find a way to get out of the granite rights and are able to lead the ACC like financially without being in ruins, I think they should make a run for it. I'm with you.

It is the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. Do you have an idea of when we'll find out the next domino to fall? Well, any of this stuff happened in season. Like last year, remember, now is different.

It was different because it's the American schools. There were games last year where you had UCF and Houston already flying the big twelve flags. I forget exactly when that came about, but that had to have been in season towards the end of the season or right before it started. I think it was right before it started.

Maybe like that. But they had the flags in season up. Yeah. On the field. I was offended. Power six American athletic conference. Come on.

Why did anything happen in season? I don't think so. I think Oregon is the next one to go, but I'll say not in season.

Okay. Zach Gelb show, CBS Sports Radio. We'll take a time out. We'll do a little college football fix next. We will talk about the Gamecocks of South Carolina with Shane Beamer.