#8 - It's Getting to be Football Time

As we gear up for the football season your hosts begin their journey diving into who they like to win it all. This week we start with the nucleus of the team in the quarterbacks. Which ones we like, don't like and which one ones are getting overpaid.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:02

And we are live. I'm Howie. What? And uh much anticipated Future Funds episode here this week. Um it's been it's been a break. It's been a break. It's been a while. And uh, you know, on social, we kind of mentioned like gonna take a little bit of a break. Both went to the beach, got nice tans. Um family time, really.

SPEAKER_02 0:28

I mean, we had a lot of family come in, seeing family. It's it's the easiest time of year for what we do for a living is summer to be able to do these things. So now we're back and we're feeling it, we're getting good, we've got a good schedule down, we think, for the podcast. So we'll be able to get these episodes out to you guys honestly, live pretty much every week. I mean, like we're gonna record no bullshit and just boom. So it I think it's gonna be a really productive year for the podcast.

SPEAKER_00 0:58

For sure, for sure. So uh that being said, today we're gonna dive into expectations for quarterbacks this upcoming season. Um yeah, I mean, we'll get we'll get right into it. We'll also tie in, as you know. Always love to talk money here. Yep, money makes the world go around. So um we'll definitely be kind of like tying in that component because some of these guys get paid a lot of money. Some would say too much. I would agree with that statement of too much money. Um but kick things off with the the Big 12. I wish we could talk about the Pac-12, however.

SPEAKER_02 1:43

RIP. I mean I guess it came back, but it's not like what we've known as the Pac-12, because isn't it like Boise State is in it now, I think.

SPEAKER_00 1:52

It's like Colorado State, Boise State, they basically made the Mountain West.

SPEAKER_02 1:59

Yeah, like all those teams. Washington State and Oregon State, I think.

SPEAKER_00 2:04

Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 2:05

Right? Like they're the two heavy quote unquote hitters.

SPEAKER_00 2:08

Fresno State, Gonzaga? Wait, from the okay, holdovers, Oregon State, Washington State, Mountain West, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Utah State. From the Sun Belt, they're getting Texas State. And then Gonzaga's joining for everything except football, because why would they participate in football?

SPEAKER_02 2:29

The Texas State is an interesting one. Obviously, we're talking QBs today, so I'll just touch on this. But Texas State is an interesting one because they're really growing. Like, they have some serious donors that give a shitload of money. Like, they want them to be very good, they have a good student population in a nice area, too. So, like, that's a name I think to keep an eye on because they truly believe that they can be honestly competing for championships. So, uh, that's an interesting one.

SPEAKER_00 2:55

I feel like Texas is so big, too. Like, and again, we'll talk about it with Texas Tech. Actually, perfect segue because we could talk about them right off the bat. Um, but there's just like so much oil money there. So much, dude. So, like, to your point, like so many donors that didn't necessarily go to tech or UT or um Houston or or SMU, you know.

SPEAKER_02 3:22

We gotta talk coaching. Well, we're gonna talk quarterbacks today, but like I think coaching would be a fun one. Yeah. Because just like we're talking about all these places that have this oil money and oh, they're getting the best players and they're getting this and they're getting yeah, but they aren't winning. Yeah. So like you're seeing schools, I'm not saying Indiana didn't have a dickload of money thrown their way. I'm just saying, like, you're seeing schools that don't have these power, like, even like you know, West Virginia hasn't been good in a while, but even West Virginia has coal money. Like, you have people that will give resource money to you. Yeah. Whereas like Ohio, I don't even know what the fuck their resources are, big women. Like, uh, I I don't know what their resources are. Yeah, so it's interesting.

SPEAKER_00 4:04

You ever seen the uh the Cleveland song? No. Oh my god. It's like it's this song, and this guy pretty much just is like destroying Cleveland. Just like it's like you can buy a house for the price of a VCR, all this horrible stuff. And then at the end, it's just like the seagull, and it's like, it's okay though, at least we're not Detroit. Anyway, we digress. Um, yeah, Big 12, Texas Tech, obviously a lot of question marks here. However, I found it interesting. So we're gonna go off of CBS's spring ranking, correct? And even assuming Brendan Sorsby was starting, yeah, CBS does not have him as the number one uh quarterback in the conference.

SPEAKER_02 4:57

Big twelve. They have Mateer. No, they're in the SEC now, Jesus. That shows you how much I pay attention. Uh that shows you how little respect I have for Oklahoma in general. Who's in their number one quarterback?

SPEAKER_00 5:12

Noah Fafita from Arizona. He's back. He's back. And better than ever. Um I have to double check. I actually didn't check that. Um despite maybe I'm crazy.

SPEAKER_02 5:28

Maybe he's only been four years. Maybe he's a true like freshman kind of kid. I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 5:32

Uh stats going back to 2026. So what would that be? He he only made nine completions in 2022, so like eligibility.

SPEAKER_02 5:47

So pretty normal then. How they probably redshirted him as freshman year.

SPEAKER_00 5:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:51

Fafita has, I mean, you know, then their coach went to Washington. So, but he stayed. Like, yeah, they wanted him to hit the portal, and he didn't. He stayed. So that's it. That's interesting. So they got I don't even know who Tech's quarterback is with Soresby. Gone.

SPEAKER_00 6:10

Will Hammond, who played last season, but uh I think that hurt or something along those lines. Um I don't know. I had on here, he slapped now. I couldn't find what he's making, which I'm sure it's like 500k, maybe. Maybe a little closer to a male. Uh, but he threw for 680 yards, seven touchdowns, and three interceptions. Now I did look up highlights on him. Can definitely move on the ground, is like well-sized, but I think it provides we've brought it up several times, like, what is Texas Tech going to look like going into the season because you've paid a boatload of money for Soresby. We've talked more about the NIL piece, obviously, but you've paid all this money for Soresby. Obviously, you still have your pieces there, but you don't have your your diamond. So, how are they going to play out? How much is Fafita getting paid? Two million. Holy so now that's interesting. That's what I found online, too, as we've prefaced on the podcast. For all we know, it could be closer to seven.

SPEAKER_02 7:29

It's very interesting. Like, just we're talking about quarterbacks and like their NIL evaluations today, but God, two million dollars for a guy in Arizona. Like, what's your bar? Obviously, I know as a coach you want to win. Like, I'm not saying they don't want to win, but I'm saying just like what's your bar? What's your bar to pay this guy just because he stayed? Like, I do respect the loyalty. He could have left. Yeah. He probably could have warranted to hire NIL somewhere else. But when you're at a program that's probably only paying you, you're probably making more than two million.

SPEAKER_00 8:02

I I it's kind of like what you see in the NFL, too, where you know, you can go out and get any running back. You go out and replace wide receivers, or they'll have good years, or they could get hurt, and next thing you know, their giant contract is eaten up. It's why those players, up until recently, haven't really historically gotten paid. Yeah. Quarterbacks are more valued because it's the nucleus of everything. And so that translates to college. Do I agree with it? Absolutely not. I think Noah Fafiva threw for over 3,000 yards, which is nice. 29 touchdowns, six interceptions. Um, however, watching the highlights, he's undersized. He's a Kyler Murray-esque. They could definitely run with him, and I think it brings a question that we'll touch base on a lot in this episode of how much value does he add because he's coming back.

SPEAKER_02 9:08

I'm actually kind of shocked that he had that good of a year because McMillan, Tutorial McMillan, was this guy.

SPEAKER_03 9:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:14

They didn't have him. Right? Or was he a rookie this year? No, he was a rookie last year, wasn't he? McMillan. Played for the Panthers.

SPEAKER_00 9:23

Let's see.

SPEAKER_02 9:24

Maybe he did get drafted this this past draft class.

SPEAKER_00 9:28

Carolina Panthers.

SPEAKER_02 9:30

No, he was in the the league last year. So it's interesting to see because that was his dude. So who else is on the big the Big 12 docket that's worth a shit?

SPEAKER_00 9:42

Uh number three is actually definitely worth a shit. Uh Drew Mestermaker. Oklahoma State.

SPEAKER_02 9:51

You high on him? Um I think what he did at North Texas was incredible. I'm not discrediting what he did. I just there's a lot of guys like that that just don't pick the speed up when they go. Now I think maybe conference will save him because Big 12 is I would say down. It's been traditionally the past couple seasons, but like maybe that saves him and gives him that chance to kind of step in and be the guy. I I think a rare case, and I know we're going to talk about the best conference in the country, E SEC, is Trinidad.

SPEAKER_00 10:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 10:28

Like he came from Buckhole Fair State and did wonders at Old Miss. So like I think he's an exception. Yeah. You know?

SPEAKER_00 10:38

It's nice to see too. I'm I'm looking at the uh Oklahoma state schedule. It's nice to see that despite getting a new coach and all this excitement, ticket prices are still pretty reasonable. But uh I dig I digress a little. Um I so yes, I think out of the transplant teams, Oklahoma State, Penn State, Auburn, um, Virginia Tech, out of those four, I'm sure there's a few more that I'm I'm kind of missing here. Michigan, maybe, um, I think Oklahoma State will see the most success immediately this season. Yeah. However, watching his highlights, I watched more of like film video on him. Someone like did a review. I think he might run into some issues with decision making, which is pretty common for a college quarterback. There were a lot of times in his highlights and videos where he checks down to like the fourth option or the flat very quickly, or uses his legs very quickly because he is over, he's a great like six whatever, um, when you've got like a man deep downfield. So I think decision making it comes down to and that that's important too because it's like okay, the the game speeds up. Yeah. Like, how is your decision making but how much is he getting? Three and a half. So, like that's interesting too, because we talk about, oh, where does this money come from? What is there in our Oklahoma? Oil. Really? Yeah, dickload of it.

SPEAKER_02 12:27

Okay. Yeah, they got a ton. All I can think about is And you're you're you're one of two schools.

SPEAKER_00 12:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:34

Like in reality, you're not competing like Texas schools are. You really Oklahoma, Oklahoma State. I'm not saying like maybe Tulsa has like a decent fan base, but for the most part, I don't even know another fucking school in Oklahoma outside of those three.

SPEAKER_00 12:54

Yeah. Yeah, so I guess you're not really competing. Like that's crazy. But I don't. But yeah, I I think they'll be good. Their uh their head coach and their OC do a really good job. That's where he'll be able to kind of like flourish. Um, but on that note, there are, let's see, four more that I want to talk about in the Big 12. We're at them.

SPEAKER_02 13:21

What do we got?

SPEAKER_00 13:22

We've got De Bear in BYU. Um, true freshman last year. Yep. Guess how much he's getting paid, though? 1.5. No. Lower.

SPEAKER_02 13:35

Really? 500?

SPEAKER_00 13:37

Uh 476. Wow. So I think this brings up a good point of like how much longer is BYU going to be able to hang on? Because I mean, basketball, great team this past year. Uh, have some guys returning, which is huge. Football, um, you know, is what it is. But their culture does not really condone spending money on these players. Unless your name is AJ Debata. True. True. But that but I think a lot of their fans are annoyed about them paying NIL.

SPEAKER_02 14:19

Which is kind of funny because a lot of those people have a fuckload of money. Yeah. Like, you know who one of their biggest donors is? BYU Alone. I have no clue. Trumble Cookies.

SPEAKER_03 14:30

Really?

SPEAKER_02 14:31

Yeah, he's fucking loaded and gives a shitload back. So, like, he wants like to be the best. He was in the locker room with them, like, for games when they win and stuff, like with AJ Dabond. Like, he was a big reason why they got him in the first place. So I would say the bear, that's probably an undervaluation online. I guarantee more than that. Also, you know, they they had an up and down year, and the kid is tough as shit. He's tough as nails. Bigger sample size. Let's see what he can do this year. That's kind of where I'm at.

SPEAKER_00 15:02

I think he'll continue to grow.

SPEAKER_02 15:03

Because there was that drama surrounding the coach, remember?

SPEAKER_00 15:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 15:06

Like he was gonna leave, but then they paid him a bunch of money to come back, and like he still wasn't sure. So there was some a little bit of drama there.

SPEAKER_00 15:13

They lost their defensive coordinator, I want to say. I think you're right. So, I mean, like, that doesn't really affect him necessarily, but um, still food for thought. Uh, number two, our man, DJ Lagway. Jesus. We can skip him real quick. Uh, yeah, 1.8 overvalued.

SPEAKER_02 15:36

Yep. Um, and I'm not saying that he's not. I think that's one thing, funders. Like, we're not saying that they're dog shoot or people or anything like that. From his what he has done in his college career, that's an over-evaluation of what he's worked. And that's just because, like, it's not like if he he's that good of a football player. He was carrying Florida teams and they still weren't winning games, and he was like on fire, that's one thing. That's one thing. He wasn't doing that though.

SPEAKER_00 16:08

Yeah, so you know. I can't wait to talk about Florida uh later on because they're an interesting project, I think. Some raw. It's another I wouldn't call that a transplant team because I feel like not a lot of two lane people followed him.

unknown 16:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:25

However, started from scratch. However, and kept some big key players. I'm pretty sure they're gonna be ranked in the top 25 to start this season. They're gonna rank so many.

SPEAKER_02 16:34

Uh from what I saw, now I don't know if they've updated it now that we're two weeks out, three weeks out, stuff like that from football starting up, but yeah. There's there's some interesting teams. They got it like damn near almost every SEC school to the top 25.

SPEAKER_00 16:49

Like, it's insane. Why? I don't know. But well, I do know, but it's insane. It just means more. Umber three. This is a name Alonza Barnett III. He is going to be UCF's quarterback. He's a transfer from JMU.

SPEAKER_01 17:14

Now Scott Frost, the coach still.

SPEAKER_02 17:17

Like, didn't he go back to UCF after like they finally rehired him? Let's see. Am I wrong on that? Yeah, Scott Frost went back.

SPEAKER_00 17:31

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 17:32

So signed a five-year deal.

SPEAKER_00 17:35

So, um, the reason I bring him up, I haven't followed little to uh actually, no, not little, none of UCF. The fact that I don't know the head coach just kind of proves. However, this guy's coming from JMU, who just went to the playoff, right? Um and like his stats and like the the highlights I was seeing, like, he's great size. And they played some like pretty legit teams. Obviously, Oregon didn't score, but like he didn't really like make that many awful mistakes. Like, like, let's I'm gonna They just got dude.

SPEAKER_02 18:24

They just like I know it was his first year back and things, but like let's see.

SPEAKER_00 18:30

Oregon lost. Shh uh oh no, that's not they got just Oregon in the conference. Yeah. Oregon, he th threw two TDs and no interceptions. And still threw for 273 yards. So like maybe some of that was junk time, but like that's not awful against Oregon.

SPEAKER_01 18:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:58

Like, I think that definitely can translate to the Big 12. Um, they also played not last season but the season before at Duke and he lit them up. So, like, he he's a guy I would keep stay aware of. Um, just because I I think if UCF starts to go on a little bit of a tear.

SPEAKER_02 19:22

Well, you know, Frost likes those kinds of quarterbacks. You forget, like, he's coached some some studs. Yeah. Mackenzie Milton to throw back a name, some of those guys, like he's he's had some he's had some guys, so he knows what he's doing.

SPEAKER_00 19:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:35

Nebraska just didn't work out.

SPEAKER_00 19:38

Last, but definitely not least, could be uh Trina Chambliss 2.0, Jalen Rayner. Oh, yeah. Going to Iowa State, coming from Arkansas State. Yep. Um people have said like he might be the most slept-on quarterback in this transfer portal. There's a lot of people liked him. Um couldn't get anything on like what he was getting for NIL, but threw for over 3,000 yards last year. But who knows, especially in the Big 12. Yeah, I mean they open the ball up, you know, and throw. Yeah. So uh, and he can move. Okay. On that note.

SPEAKER_02 20:32

Oh, another intriguing one is uh Cutter Bowley, Arizona State.

SPEAKER_00 20:39

Yeah, I actually totally forgot to bring it up.

SPEAKER_02 20:42

Going going starting in the SEC and then going to the Big 12 is interesting. Do you think he translates? I think honestly, and this is just you and I watched SEC football. So like just watching him at Kentucky, the couple games I did. Yeah, because he had to do a lot. Yeah. Like he was the offense at Kentucky. I mean, yeah, they had, you know, they always have quote unquote running back, but their O-line was shot, like receiving core wasn't great, and like he was doing. Let's give the kid a chance. I'm not saying he's gonna come out and be a pro, but now you're in a system that thrives with you in a pocket, but he can also run, like he's under he slept on a little bit there. I love coach's mentality at Arizona State. Yeah, he's gonna put him in a situation where I think he can be good. It'll be interesting. It'll be interesting to see if it's gonna be Sam Levitt's success or not. I'll be curious.

SPEAKER_00 21:34

Yeah. I think for him to that point, the the one thing he needs to get better at is when he's under pressure, like, where can I safely get it away?

SPEAKER_03 21:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 22:00

With the best the SEC has to offer. Yeah. Um it's almost like you get that maturity of a three-year guy and a one-year guy because he was just thrown to it so quickly.

SPEAKER_00 22:10

Yeah. Yeah. So on that note, we will shift over to the ACC. The one, the only, Darien Mensah. Honestly. Might be the most overpaid quarterback of all time.

SPEAKER_02 22:32

He also had all that shit, don't forget. Yeah. Can he go? Can he transfer? He was duke money. There's a lot of stuff going in and out of that. So, like, I don't know. That's a weird one.

SPEAKER_00 22:43

It's interesting. How much is he getting? 6.5. Yeah, fuck that. I would not. I know Miami probably is rolling in it. I get that bag. Like, I'm good for you.

SPEAKER_02 22:55

But like I wouldn't pay that much for quarterback from Duke.

SPEAKER_00 23:00

Yeah. Did they replace people from like the O-line? Who they they lost a couple big-time players, Miami did, didn't they? I I feel like most of their O-line entered the draft. They were out of their fifth years. I'd be interested more so in that.

SPEAKER_02 23:14

I mean they got that running back and that wide receiver, Tony's brother. Yeah. He is a freak. He's a spot. I really like him. Oh, dude.

SPEAKER_00 23:22

I think too, like. Carson Beck had a weapon with him. I think the big thing I've noticed is having those players because a lot of these highlights that I I've seen is it's not necessarily, oh, I can I can fit it through three people. Yeah. Like, no. It's I make the right decision, I hit the right receiver, and then he makes the play. So yeah, you've got you've got Tony, you've got a running back. Um I think Christopher is a lineman coach. Like, so I think that they'll still have a good line. Is he worth 6.5? Nope.

SPEAKER_03 24:07

Absolutely not.

SPEAKER_00 24:08

Absolutely not. I like there's times I'm like, what are you even looking at? But ACC's intriguing. It's very. Who's next? This is wild. CJ Bailey out of NC State.

SPEAKER_02 24:22

Uh, they love him, though. People think he's like he'll be pretty damn good. He's more of a runner, too. He's he's not like a lot of athletic quarterbacks in the ACC. A lot of athletic quarterbacks in the ACC.

SPEAKER_00 24:38

Now brings us to the another athlete of Kevin Jennings at SMEO.

SPEAKER_02 24:45

Oh.

SPEAKER_00 24:46

They're naming a building after him.

SPEAKER_02 24:48

I mean, he he balled out.

SPEAKER_01 24:51

He did. He did.

SPEAKER_02 24:52

He bought out. Like, I'll give the kid credit. Like, he really, and you know, they got a they signed like a five-star true freshman coming in too. Another school with a shitload of money. Lots. How much is he getting?

SPEAKER_00 25:03

Three.

SPEAKER_02 25:04

Yeah. A shitload of money.

SPEAKER_00 25:05

So he's getting three, CJ Bailey's getting two. Yeah, I mean, no one's really touching that 6.5 anywhere.

SPEAKER_01 25:13

Yeah. Who's Florida State?

SPEAKER_00 25:15

Florida State. Ashton Daniels. Transfer from Auburn.

SPEAKER_02 25:23

That's their guy. Okay. Interesting. Like do you think Morvell's out? I I don't see how he could not be. When you fluked out and beat Bama last year.

SPEAKER_03 25:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 25:38

They weren't ready and straight up give it to Florida State. They they beat our ass. Like I as an Alabama fan, it was straight up, they just beat our ass. End of story. I'm not gonna sit there and discredit that win. Then they fell off hard. Yeah. And now you're getting a Bama team where the Boers had some time to work. You've kept the same coaching core, you've recruited your players. I don't think they replicate that success at Bryant Denny.

SPEAKER_00 26:02

No. Oh no, no.

SPEAKER_02 26:04

Are they playing early again this year? Yes. And I, you know. I don't know. Norvell, I just I really liked him, and then he kind of got that Florida State big head when he had Travis. And like, I d I don't know. It just kinda I don't know. He kind of fell off in my eyes. Who's Clemson going with?

SPEAKER_00 26:29

Clemson is they're going they're sticking with uh the dude behind them. Christopher V Vizina.

SPEAKER_02 26:40

Really?

SPEAKER_00 26:40

They didn't bring anybody in, huh? Nope. Dude, Dabbo's not Dabo's the next one to go. Actually, Scratch Norvell. He's not gonna get I don't think Dabbo will get fired. Nah, it'll be a push-out. It'll be like, I think it's time.

SPEAKER_02 26:54

It'll be a Calip Calipari, Kentucky situation where it's like, appreciate all you've done, now it's time.

SPEAKER_00 27:00

I I I'll say though, I don't think Dabbo wants to be around all that much more, though. He does not like NIL and he's been pretty open about that, and I don't blame him. Like he built a pro a very good program on guys staying four years and developing. It's kind of like why uh Gundy and Oklahoma State died because these guys don't want, or if they do get developed, they're like, okay, where's the next big place?

SPEAKER_02 27:29

They want loyalty, man. So it's now it's a big question that we can talk about a little closer to season, or once we get into season, the good podcast episode that you guys can tune in for is just does the dollar make kids work as hard? That's gonna be the interesting piece. When we get into season, we see some of these high-paid players. If they lose a couple games, things like that don't go their way. Let's see how hard they're playing. Let's see how hard they're working. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:57

So uh definitely ACC fucking sucks.

SPEAKER_02 28:00

That's what I'm gonna say.

SPEAKER_00 28:02

I mean, you got this kid from Cal. I'm not even gonna He's good. Yeah. He's a good boy. He's he's really good. I think he could probably be one of the more slept on what an interesting one is uh that I was watching today, actually, Lincoln Keenholes. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 28:18

Ohio State transfer. So like Louisville. That's right. Yeah, he he has he has the potential, man, to be like dangerous. He was good. I mean, he was a big-time recruit coming out of high school, Ohio State, who just pumps quarterbacks, you know, didn't I think it was just clear as day Julian Saints gonna get the job.

SPEAKER_00 28:41

So like he's gonna be their guy for a little bit there. Although who was the like true freshman that apparently Aaron Oman. Yeah, that looked good in the spring game.

SPEAKER_02 28:51

And he'll stay because he knows Julian will lead this year.

SPEAKER_00 28:53

Yeah, yeah. Julian, I I mean, is which honestly maybe now with NIO, who knows? I mean, who who who knows exactly? Um on that note, I think it's a great way to transition into the Big Ten. Um Julian saying, obviously, one of the top quarterback, not the top quarterback in the Big Ten, but uh one of the top quarterbacks. Um how much is that dude making? They said 2.5. My ass. So, like, but I said this to you previously. I will I will die on this hill going into the season. How many did I say? Four. There are four quarterbacks that are draft ready. Dante Moore, Julian Saiyan, Arch Manning, Trinidad Chamblis. Yep. Those are the four.

SPEAKER_02 29:51

And you know, you it's a big QB draft class this year, too, because there's a team that I like in the Big Ten with a quarterback that's very good in USC in Mayava.

SPEAKER_00 30:04

Myava.

SPEAKER_02 30:05

He's good.

SPEAKER_00 30:06

They have him at three.

SPEAKER_02 30:08

He slept on. You think they could be good?

SPEAKER_00 30:12

He can like carry it though.

SPEAKER_02 30:14

Like I think Lincoln Riley's the problem. Really? What has he been? Like, and I don't I make no mistake, losing only three games a year is incredible. That's hard to do in general, but he's never really taken them to that next step. And then when they did go to the playoffs when he was at Oklahoma, Alabama absolutely whacked their ass. Yeah. And, you know, the now the Baker year, they almost beat Georgia. They almost knocked him off. But like, he's just not had success, man. He hasn't had success to make me go, yeah, Lincoln Riley's gonna get this team to where it needs to be. But I think my eyes good enough to be like keep them in contention for some big games.

SPEAKER_00 30:51

Yeah. Lights too bright. But yeah, so we got Jaden at three. Um, obviously, Dante Moore at one. They're saying five mil. I don't know about that one. Maybe a little more. Um but Hoover at Indiana? Hoover transfer. Hoover's number four. He's getting paid four million or something.

SPEAKER_02 31:17

Do not think he's going to replicate Mendoza.

SPEAKER_00 31:20

Well, I think that's like something a lot of people have to understand here is is he gonna be good? Yes, he he is a very good quarterback. Let's not.

SPEAKER_02 31:30

He was okay at TCU. But I get it, he's gonna have maybe different talent around and things like that in Indiana. But my thing is, is like you're not Mendoza. Mendoza fit Signetti's style. He didn't have to have a 500-yard game because the defense was good enough to keep them away. The games he struggled in were the games against the best defenses in the Big Ten. You're Iowa, Penn State, those teams, Ohio State, you struggled against them. Yeah. Mendoza struggled, man. And if it's not for that ridiculous toe tap against Penn State, and that was a terrible ball, the receiver made that play, and then Iowa, if they didn't what, didn't they turn it over at like the end of the game or some shit like that? I mean, his defense came up big there. So, I mean, you're talking about in reality Mendoza. I'm not saying he's not good, and obviously I'm a Cardinals fan, but like, you know, he looked okay against the cards in preseason.

SPEAKER_00 32:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 32:25

Did he look like fucking Tom Brady? No. Do I think anybody's gonna be? No. But like, still, I don't know. It's interesting.

SPEAKER_00 32:32

Yeah. I mean, like, to that point, he's not gonna be Mendoza. He just needs to be good enough, let's put it that way. Um, but it will be interesting because I mean they brought in pieces, they lost pieces. Was last year a fluke. I'll I'll say it. Like, I don't know if you can replicate that well up.

SPEAKER_02 32:56

Aren't we kind of in that time period now where I feel like if you I feel like it is almost flukes now because of NIO. Oh yeah. Like the consistency of being the top dog, the top predator and around the league and these things is We talked about it with baseball. Yeah, I just don't see it anymore. I don't, and it kills me because obviously my Crimson Tide, I want to be top dog every year, but I just think yeah, you're gonna have some consistency playoff-wise, like Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, or now Notre Dame. Notre Dame. Like you're gonna have some consistency with the playoffs, but I don't think you're gonna have the same team win it every year. Yeah. It's just gonna be, I mean, look at it's been three different teams.

SPEAKER_00 33:38

You see it with uh with Georgia, too, like all those question marks with with Kirby and uh their defense, Gunnar Stockton.

SPEAKER_02 33:46

Like, can he replicate success?

SPEAKER_00 33:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 33:50

Now you don't have uh little receiver. I can't remember, but he was really good. Oh, Zachariah Branch. Like, you don't have him, he's gone. So, like, you know, you're like, oh, what piece fills the gap there because he was like your bell cow. And like, yeah, the Big Ten is an interesting conference because and again, they want a natty. Hats off to you. Like you beat my Crimson Tides ass. So, like, you guys were a very good football team. Michigan, when they won it, I know sign stealing and all that was a big thing, but like they still won, right? Ohio State won it, beat Tennessee's ass. Like, oh bounce. It they deserved it. Yeah. Now, top to bottom, it is not a strong conference. I don't think anybody will argue that. It is very top heavy. And I do not trust Rocco Beck at Penn State.

SPEAKER_00 34:42

That was actually gonna be my next point because he uh he's not they have um the Washington quarterback next. I like him. I mean a lot. The question is, is he gonna be checked out? Like he didn't want to be there, they forced him to kind of come back. Um, but then after that, they have Rocco Beck.

SPEAKER_02 35:03

I think again I think he took advantage, Rocco Beck, of where he was previously in the Big 12. Oh, yeah. Not as good defense. They're uh open the barrel and kind of shoot first type conference, and now you're about to play defenses that are gonna sit and make you work for it.

SPEAKER_00 35:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 35:22

So we'll see. We'll see. I I don't I think James Franklin's a better coach, but we'll see.

SPEAKER_00 35:27

Like, like I said, I don't think Penn State's another one of those transplant teams, not discrediting their coach. However, I mean Iowa State, what, lost three, four games in the Big 12 last, yeah. And now we're expecting them to be front runners in the Big Ten. Like, I I don't think so. I think they can have a strong season. One big thing that uh that clip I sent you about Bama, that guy, Timmy Takes, awesome dude. Um he keeps coming back to these Big Ten teams on why he he'll predict wins, and it always hovers like between eight and ten for them. And a main reason is you look at their schedule and they don't play anyone. No, there's there's three games.

SPEAKER_02 36:16

Dude, Indiana, I think, plays five teams that are just nothing grubs. Yeah. I don't, and I get it, you gotta get the wins, but dude, it's so the SEC switched to that nine-game conference schedule, and then it just completely switched shit up. And I'm not saying they don't play cupcakes, you know. I look I look at Bama and we got ECU on there, and like I'm not saying that that's still not a thing, but then it's just a fucking schedule. Like, look at Kentucky, poor coach Will Stein since we're on the Big Ten, you know, offensive coordinator at Oregon takes the Kentucky job after Stooks has done, you know, arguably for Kentucky football, a lot of good things. And holy shit, you're stepping into the country's second hardest schedule. Yeah, second hardest schedule. You have bam a week two for a first-time head coach, man. And a quarterback, wherever let's just jump to the SEC. Minchie is such an interesting quarterback. We'll start with Kentucky because you didn't get the starting job three years at Notre Dame, man. You got beat out for three years for two different quarterbacks, and now you got the keys to the kingdom in Will Stein's first year. Now, they took arguably one of my favorite offensive linemen in history, big O los of winner, the kid from Finland. He was poised to start at Bama, didn't want him to leave. He did. So I'm rooting for him at Kentucky. They fixed that offensive line, dude. They got them near the Remington winner from Baylor, the center. Like they got some pieces. They got the running back. So Minchie's gonna be an interesting, interesting player because you really kind of made it known he wasn't your first option. Kentucky was in the hunt for Sam Levitt, if you remember. Yeah. So like that's gonna be very interesting. That's gonna be an interesting team. Am I worried about my Crimson tide going to Kentucky? I think I am just because we have not played well early on in the season on the road. Florida State showed us that, but like I'll be curious to see. It'll be a good game, I think.

SPEAKER_00 38:16

I think it's also like what I noticed watching the quarterbacks. It's interesting how a schedule like plays out and and how quarterback plays each game, right? You for Bama, let's look at it. You start off Eastern East Carolina, right? Cupcake can kind of work through some of the stuff in practice that you're like, okay, these are the pain points I want to work on in this game, right? Like, we're expecting to win. Now you go into a Kentucky game, and to your point of like, there's not a break in this schedule. So it's like, okay, now we got to be on. No, you can't. And and that's where a lot of quarterbacks, I think, kind of struggle is you know, maybe an LSU plays Clemson to start out, and like they play a big time matchup to start, and then they play week two cupcake, and now it's like, okay, well, you know, week one, maybe we did win, maybe we didn't. Right. We know what we need to work on, go into the cupcake. And now, after that game, though, you got to shift back into it.

SPEAKER_02 39:18

And everybody is on Bama's quarterback battle right now. Keelon, awesome Mac, Keylon, awesome Mac, where a lot of the SEC has their guys kind of set.

SPEAKER_00 39:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 39:27

And that's there, there's a lot of obviously Levitt. I think he's a big name. Everybody's gonna be keeping their eyes on LSU. Who I'm rooting for is Trinidad. I love him a lot. I think he's a great kid, and I think he's gonna be a very good quarterback. So you got Trinidad, Ole Miss. Arkansas's so interesting because they took the Memphis coach.

SPEAKER_00 39:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 39:52

Florida, like to your point, Florida. I don't even know who the fuck their quarterback is.

SPEAKER_00 39:57

You ready for this one? Uh Aaron Fila from Georgia Tech.

SPEAKER_02 40:03

Really?

SPEAKER_00 40:04

Yeah. I don't know. I couldn't find how much they're paying him, but like they like swipped they would swap him and the other dude all season.

SPEAKER_02 40:14

Haynes King, but the only reason Haynes King wasn't on that field is if he like that dude was taking hit.

SPEAKER_00 40:19

Yeah. Yeah. So like he did get, like, Philo got a decent amount of playing time, I'll be honest. But like. That's where. And I'm just gonna give my two cents here. That's where I don't understand where this Florida ranking is coming from. Defense, yes, it was good last year. But Kentucky put up like 50 on you. At UK, I'll give it to you. And Napier obviously was out the door. Right.

SPEAKER_02 40:50

Um, do we think it's because Jordan Ball came back? Like he was able to keep some big pieces they needed to keep John Summer on his first year.

SPEAKER_00 40:58

Maybe, but like Maybe they're just riding the fact that like it's Florida.

SPEAKER_01 41:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 41:04

You're anticipated to be successful. But like maybe uh that's where I'm just tr struggling to understand. Like, Florida was not a top 25 team last year with DJ at quarterback. No. What makes them top 25 team now? It is the same exact position. True.

SPEAKER_02 41:20

And I think we all know the elephant in the room. The fucking dickhole newcomers, Arch Manning and John Mateir. Gonna be very interesting to watch those guys play because now you got, again, I'm being a bitter jackass with this one, but Isaiah Horton leaves Alabama and goes to Texas. Cam Coleman leaves Auburn. Yeah. Goes to Texas. And I look, I'm not saying it was one throw I saw. Do not come after me for this take, I'm about to say. Is Arch as good as he's getting paid? I don't really know. Cam Coleman in practice the other day. Wow, what a one-handed catch. And I look at that and I don't go, what a one-handed catch. I look at that and go, what an ass of a throw. It was five yards behind a guy. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 42:05

And now I don't even know if Arch threw it, so I'm not going to sit there and ask. I was going to say, I went back and found the clip. I think it was tapped because it's like spinning sideways. Okay. So maybe give him a little bit of. But I I still agree because when I went back and looked, I saw some of their practice posts, and I'm like, something's good athlete, man.

SPEAKER_02 42:24

Arch is a hell at an athlete. Arch is a got a great arm, and I'm not saying he's not going to do well. And I'm not rooting against him shit.

SPEAKER_01 42:30

I'm just saying, like, did the name get him paid?

SPEAKER_02 42:35

Because now his cousin, Peyton's kid, is like being this talked about the same way. Maybe better than Arch. And I'm like, is it the name? Or are they really that good? Because like that's where I'm kind of struggling to figure out. Are they that good or is it the name? Like Arch grew to be 6'5 or whatever the fuck he ended up growing into being and like has a cannon. Yeah. But then there were plays where he was like, damn, this kid is average. Yeah. Like, and then he made a couple miraculous plays with his feet that everybody went, Wow. And I'm like, you know what I mean? Quarterbacks can do that shit. So like Mateer is another one. He's a scrambler. He has an unorthodox motion. Like when his thumb got hurt, he never really came back the same way. They're paying a shitload of money for him.

SPEAKER_00 43:26

I was gonna say a lot of people at the Manning Passing Academy this summer said that he is like their guy. Mateer? Like they a lot of people are very, very high on him. Really? And I will say this quarterback. I think I think the ability's there. He put I don't know if you've seen pictures of him. I think he put on some muscle too.

SPEAKER_02 43:47

Did he? Yeah. I mean, I knew he he was already, in my opinion, a pretty pretty good looking body. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 43:54

Like, you know, so that's no, he he definitely is in great. Great shape.

SPEAKER_02 44:00

Ooh, here's a quarterback battle for you, too. Two more schools in the same state. Tennessee and Vandy.

SPEAKER_03 44:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 44:06

Nobody's really apparently sold that Jared Curtis is going to get the starting job, even though he was number one quarterback in the country. Really? Apparently he's battling out with the other kid, and I can't remember his name. And uh Tennessee is Faison Brandon? Or is Brandon Faison? Faison Brandon. Fais on Brandon, who's a big-time recruit. But man, Tennessee, fuck them, first and foremost. Just because naturally. And but I never loved to see injury, and they've been plagued this offseason, man. They've lost some big easy.

SPEAKER_00 44:37

Injury, uh, eligibility, like you name it, like it it's they just lost their starting safety.

SPEAKER_02 44:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 44:44

I that is a team.

SPEAKER_02 44:46

It sucks, man. I hate to see that for kids, especially when you're like, you know, yeah, it sucks. I hate injuries. Yeah. It's a part of it.

SPEAKER_00 44:54

Obviously.

SPEAKER_02 44:54

As a Bama fan, you know, AK Deer's out for six weeks, so like that sucks. But like, you know.

SPEAKER_00 44:59

That's definitely a team, too. Like, is Hypal on the hot seat?

SPEAKER_02 45:04

Yeah. Unfortunately, I think he has to be. I think you go from the playoffs with I'm gonna leave ya.

SPEAKER_00 45:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 45:10

And get dicked. Just straight. And I'm not saying he's had good quarterbacks. He has. He's been like almost like you could argue QBU and turning guys into like Joey Aguilar turned into being a pretty damn good quarterback. So, like you know, he's had some good players. I just are they ever gonna get over the hump of their defense, has been their biggest problem. Every big game that's mattered, they've put up a ton of points, but that's how they have they've had to win with points, not stops. And the SEC and the Big Ten are still about defense. So like, yeah, it's interesting.

SPEAKER_00 45:49

I mean, looking down the the list, I think there's three names in the middle of the pack that definitely is interested to see how it plays out. Obviously, we kind of touched on Sam Levitt. Yep. Not sold on him, don't think he's NFL ready. Honestly, maturity-wise, he is not there. I agree. Not even remotely. Uh, do I think him and Lane make a great fit in that song?

SPEAKER_02 46:15

I also don't think he'll grow maturity.

SPEAKER_00 46:16

Yeah, yeah. So uh do I think him and Lane are matchmade in heaven? Heck yeah. Yeah, yeah. Um, do I think that LSU could be a playoff team? Absolutely. When you spend 40 plus million dollars, yeah. Your team should should be in the playoffs. Um, but we'll see. I think he makes a lot of like stupid mistakes. Uh something similar to like Cutterbully that we talked about earlier, where it's like, okay, I'm I need to get out of the pocket or throw it away or whatever. Let me not try and make the hero play. Yeah. I think honestly, it'll be escalated at LSU. He's gonna want to step up and be like, oh yeah, I gotta make this play. Yep. Umero Dos, Byron Brown at Auburn.

SPEAKER_02 47:11

Yeah, we can skip that one. That's not even coming as an Alabama fan. And he played incredible against Alabama and did some really good things at USF, and I'm not knocking the kid at all, but when you watch him practice and you watch him play, I hope he proves me wrong, but I don't see him as an SEC quarterback, man, at all. Like slow release, yeah, throws, or they what you're about to play weekend. See, you're not getting Bama once, where you can give it your all. Now you're getting an SEC team every freaking week, and I think that's gonna be the difference.

SPEAKER_00 47:42

Yeah. And then this is I could talk about this dude for hours. Lenore Sellers.

SPEAKER_02 47:54

Yeah, I mean, now I'm gonna give him some credit. The O-line was so bad. So bad last year. They fired their O-line coach and restructured a little bit, got some pieces, they got Jacari's Peak, the North Carolina State guy who was a stud, and everybody was like, wow, this guy's gonna be really good. So I know they're paying him a lot. I we'll see. We'll see. This is a loaded draft class.

SPEAKER_00 48:26

I mean, if he has a good year, he's gone to the draft. I even think if he has half a season of what he had last year, he's gone. Yeah, I agree.

SPEAKER_02 48:37

So they would have to draft him high just because of his build.

SPEAKER_00 48:40

They will have to throw a boatload of money at him to kind of figure out how to keep him if they want.

SPEAKER_02 48:46

Now I think he's gotta be on the hot seat too.

SPEAKER_00 48:48

Oh, absolutely. I think Beamer has been on the hot seat.

SPEAKER_02 48:52

I think they love him there, but but they're getting all this new premium space, they're doing all these things to try to increase NIL dollars, and like if you don't perform, you just gotta go. You can't keep up with the times, you gotta get out of there.

SPEAKER_00 49:05

Yeah, so uh I mean, we'll see. I I don't think he performs though.

SPEAKER_02 49:13

I don't think it yeah, I yeah, it'll be interesting to see. It'll be interesting. New old, like I said, new coaching staff, new aligned, things like that. Like it's interesting. I mean, this was a good topic in general. There's a lot of QBs to keep an eye on this year, and a lot of things for NIL that are very pertinent in what make these decisions for these people. So, like, we're gonna see a lot. And then I don't know, maybe because you got all these high-end transfers and you got all these people, like maybe that shifts. Maybe that shifts the market next year, and guys don't want to pay as much. They're like, I don't give a shit. If you want to come here, you'll take this much. Yeah, maybe it does. Hopefully, it does. I think that would be awesome.

SPEAKER_00 49:56

But yeah, that would definitely be awesome. But on that note, uh, one last question to leave it off. Being a Bama fan, who do you think it ends up being?

SPEAKER_02 50:11

I really don't know. I think Keelon, in terms of talent level issues, there's a reason he was the number one quarterback in the country when he came out of high school and worked to get that done. Like a lot of people forget, like, when he signed with SMU or committed to SMU, he was only like a three-star. And then he just started going to camps and lighting that shit up, and people are like, whoa. So, like, I think the talent, if you watch a little bit of his film, is undeniable. But then, like, Austin Mack, 6'6, gunslinger, like, you know, can move, can get outside the pocket when he came in last year against Indiana, moved the ball right down the field, and like he can do it too. Also, Jet Tamalo is a five-star, don't forget, coming out of high school, too. They got three of them sitting on their roster. Well, Austin Mack wasn't, but two of them were, and like then next year you got you sign, you go out and you sign Elijah Haven. Yeah. I think you know, maybe they dabble with Austin Mack to start ECU first game of the season. He's been there, he came with you from Washington. Like, maybe they start him, and then you know, they get Keelon in pretty quick, and I think they're gonna look at that real game time speed and go, this guy's starting from here on out. Yeah, that's what I think. I could be completely wrong because maybe it is just I think Bama fans are like the new age Bama fans. Come at me, you guys fucking suck. You think you know, like you're just saying Keelon because there's a fucking five-star beside his name. But Austin Mack is a good quarterback. Like, you can't just shit on a guy because he's yeah, not a five-star guy. So, like, neither was Michael Penix, and look what he did. Facts.

SPEAKER_00 51:44

He got the board, the Bama chance.

SPEAKER_02 51:47

John Simpson was uh lit it up last night for the Rams or the day before whatever day it was. He looked great, but he was not even a thought at Alabama in your guys' mind until the Boer started him, and you were like, he's so fucking good, and then he plays himself into the 15th pick. De Boer helped him get there. Yeah, you're out of your mind. De Boer helped Milrow get drafted. Like, he's clearly doing well with quarterbacks, so why not give Austin Mack a chance?

SPEAKER_00 52:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 52:10

That's where I'm at. Fuck him.

SPEAKER_00 52:12

The new age ones can suck me, but on that note, uh it's been another episode of Future Funds. Like we said, gonna shift it a little bit more with the season coming up into ball. We'll always tie back in with the NIL, but uh definitely a lot of excitement around a lot of transfers and and different teams. So looking forward to diving into that. And we got some fun ones, some fun ones coming up.

SPEAKER_02 52:38

We've already got a schedule, we've got it down now that we're back from vacation, we're back from this stuff. So we actually have a really good game plan moving forward to get episodes to you guys every week. So keep an eye out. Send it to your friends, send it to your family who want to talk ball, who want to listen to NIL, so forth like that. Yeah. If you got any questions, hit us up on Instagram. Yeah. And uh, yeah, it's been a good one.

SPEAKER_00 53:00

Absolutely. As always, I'm Howie. Walt, and see you next time.