Split Zone Duo: College Football Podcast

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com Yahoo Sports’ Nate Tice joins Richard in this new episode of “Scheme School,” focused on one very famous QB. Arch Manning finally takes the reins of the Texas Longhorns this weekend at Ohio State. For a quarterback who’s been talked about more than any other QB prospect in maybe the whole history of the sport, we haven’t talked much about the specifics of Manning’s game.* What we’ve seen in limited reps so far* What, specifically, Manning is good at. “Eyes” and “balance” come up a lot.* The things he hasn’t done well in a small sample. You can’t go broke taking a profit, but Manning hasn’t always taken it* How Steve Sarkisian’s offense makes Manning easier to project as an NFL quarterback, and how that might affect his future plansProducer: Anthony Vito

Transcribed - Published: 25 August 2025

Richard and Alex preview the SEC for the 2025 season: * Texas has everything it needs to make a deep playoff run * Georgia has a few more questions, especially at QB, but (this will shock you) looks like a frontline contender once again * Alabama is back, per Richard * LSU has championship upside, but will the defense be good or great? * South Carolina has a huge star at QB and another at EDGE. The rest of the roster is more open to interpretation, but one of us is optimistic * Florida has DJ Lagway, and that counts for a lot * Ole Miss faces a QB transition, but there’s reason to be optimistic. Will the defense keep chugging after a bunch of losses? * Texas A&M will run over you and play solid defense. How serious will Marcel Reed and the wide receivers be? * Tennessee’s best side of the ball probably isn’t offense * Oklahoma has some elite talent and some splashy portal additions, and Richard thinks this might work out * Auburn might have the best receivers in the conference and has a bunch of young players that flashed last year. What about the weird QB situation? * Mizzou is building its roster effectively but has some substantial losses to contend with, and it doesn’t sound like a great QB room* Vanderbilt will probably move backward, but the ‘Dores have made progress* Arkansas faces another year of coaching carousel questions * Kentucky appears to be a bad situation * Mississippi State is a bit more interesting but faces a long slog After going through each team, the group awards preseason honors: The Split Zone Duo Dude of the Year, the Low-Key Cool Game of the Year, and the Coach Who’s Not Gonna Be Here Next Year Award. Producer: Anthony Vito.That wraps up our conference previews * Big Ten * American* Mountain West* ACC* Conference USA* Big 12* MAC* Pac-12 and FBS independents* Sun BeltThank you to our subscribers and partnersBecome a paid subscriber today to get a lot more SZD, and check out www.nokiantyres.com/szd and www.homefieldapparel.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Transcribed - Published: 21 August 2025

Alex, Richard, and Rodger Sherman preview the Big Ten for 2025. This nearly two-hour episode runs through all 18 teams, in this order:* Penn State faces “semifinals or bust” season* Ohio State should step back, but how much can a team step back when it has Jeremiah Smith on one side of the ball and Caleb Downs on the other?* Oregon has a few question marks but all the talent in the world* Iowa has Rodger thinking about a darkhorse playoff run* USC beefs up and has a QB that you could look at in one of two ways* Michigan’s season is “found money,” but how much cash is in there?* Wisconsin starts to get back to being Wisconsin* Minnesota has a great running back, an optimistic QB, and … ?* Indiana is poised to avoid a cliff after last year’s breakout* Michigan State has an intriguing passing game. Will it be good?* Illinois, with a light schedule and a heavy defensive front, has a playoff shot* Nebraska figures out offensive line and maybe receiver, leaving a world of possibility in Dylan Raiola’s second season* UCLA has a famous QB and a whole lot of questions (including that QB)* Maryland is still Maryland, but it might have its QB of the future* Washington could be the league’s hardest team to make sense of either way* Northwestern will probably be bad, but it’s a left tackle development hub now* Purdue has a good running back and, well, not much else* Rutgers continues to play Schianoball, and it’s working fineAfter going through each team, the group awards preseason honors: The Split Zone Duo Dude of the Year, the Low-Key Cool Game of the Year, and the Coach Who’s Not Gonna Be Here Next Year Award. Producer: Anthony Vito.Thank you to our subscribers and partnersBecome a paid subscriber today to get a lot more SZD, and check out www.nokiantyres.com/szd and www.homefieldapparel.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Transcribed - Published: 19 August 2025

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com The NCAA’s big decision on Michigan’s sign-stealing operation is here, and it is a nothingburger. To explain what happened and get a Michigan perspective on it (because it is very funny), Alex welcomes Jane Coaston, Crooked Media podcaster and Michigan fan, to discuss it. You can read the full infractions decision here if you would like some light PDF reading on your Friday. Can reasonable people finally agree on topics like whether Jim Harbaugh and Sherrone Moore knew what was up, whether the title was tainted, and whether Michigan really is a model program? Let us debate.Producer: Anthony Vito

Transcribed - Published: 15 August 2025

Richard and Godfrey preview 2025 in the newly renamed American Conference. In a recent episode, we touched on this league’s long-term difficulties. In this one, we talk about the season to come, previewing all 14 teams. The episode wraps with preseason award nominees from the hosts for the SZD Dude of the Year, the Low-Key Cool Game of the Year, the Minority Coach of the Week In an Interesting Schematic Spot (of the Year), and the Coach Who’s Not Gonna Be Here Next Year. Producer: Anthony Vito.Catch up on all of our 2025 previewsIn reverse chronological order:* Mountain West* ACC* Conference USA* Big 12* MAC* Pac-12 and FBS independents* Sun BeltThank you to our subscribers and partnersBecome a paid subscriber today to get a lot more SZD, and check out www.nokiantyres.com/szd and www.homefieldapparel.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Transcribed - Published: 12 August 2025

Our partners at Homefield have seen a lot of you on the road in recent years. They’re getting back on the trail this fall for the Homefield Can't Miss Kickoff Tour, presented by Modelo, and we’re sharing news of the first three stops on the tour in Tallahassee (weekend of 8/30), Philadelphia (weekend of 9/13), and Bloomington (weekend of 9/20). You can get much, much more information on this tour here and get the rest of the reveal from our friends’ shows, the Shutdown Fullcast and Phantom Island. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Transcribed - Published: 9 August 2025

Richard and Alex preview the Mountain West in 2025, starting with the same team that’s favored every year and then going in no particular order: * Boise State still looks like the class of the league * San Jose State has leveled up, but now Ken Niumatalolo confronts life without an All-American receiver* UNLV is the apple of Richard’s eye with Dan Mullen in charge * Colorado State made strides last year, but were they real, or were they just the result of a lousy schedule? Does it matter? * Fresno State wipes the slate clean, but we’re optimistic * Hawaii looks a lot better than we both thought they would * Air Force should get back to business the way it used to be done * San Diego State was shockingly bad on offense in Sean Lewis’ first year. How much does that change our feeling on them? * Utah State made a great hire, but it’ll take some time * Wyoming is still searching for an identity * New Mexico is a blank canvas, and a new coach from FCS is trying something different* Nevada is a hard job that continues to be hard The episode wraps with preseason award nominees from the hosts for the SZD Dude of the Year, the Low-Key Cool Game of the Year, the Minority Coach of the Week In an Interesting Schematic Spot (of the Year), and the Coach Who’s Not Gonna Be Here Next Year. Producer: Anthony Vito. Catch up on all of our 2025 previewsIn reverse chronological order: * ACC* Conference USA* Big 12 * MAC* Pac-12 and FBS independents* Sun BeltThank you to our subscribers and partnersBecome a paid subscriber today to get a lot more SZD, and check out www.nokiantyres.com/szd and www.homefieldapparel.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Transcribed - Published: 6 August 2025

Richard and Alex preview 2025 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, discussing the league in the following order: * Clemson, now with a light sprinkling of transfers, has every ingredient * Miami’s defense should finally arrive, but will Mario Cristobal come through on the margins? * Louisville has both of us excited * SMU is graded on a different curve now, and on that curve, it has work to do* Georgia Tech is in its best spot since we started podcasting * Duke might be a better team … with a worse record * Florida State (coming off a 2-10 season with one FBS win over Cal by five points) * North Carolina is one of the ACC’s more interesting teams even before you get to the Belichick of it all * Pitt has offensive firepower, elite linebackers, and a lot to figure out anyway after sputtering to end 2024* Virginia Tech isn’t out of reasons for optimism, but it’s getting there* NC State shows worrying signs of a program in decline, but does have a QB of the future * Syracuse gets a bad schedule draw and will decline in Fran Brown’s second year* Boston College shows good and bad signs under Bill O’Brien * Virginia has certainty at QB and uncertainty at a lot of other places * Cal appears to be heading toward the end with Justin Wilcox * Wake Forest straps in for a rebuild * Stanford is interesting for the long term, but check back after 2025Then we share our nominees for preseason awards: the SZD Dude of the Year, the Low-Key Cool Game of the Year, the Minority Coach of the Week In an Interesting Schematic Spot (of the Year), and the Coach Who’s Not Gonna Be Here Next Year. Producer: Anthony Vito. Catch up on all of our 2025 previewsWe already have previews available for the following conferences: * Conference USA* Big 12 * MAC* Pac-12 and FBS independents* Sun BeltThank you to our subscribers and partnersBecome a paid subscriber today to get a lot more SZD, and check out www.nokiantyres.com/szd and www.homefieldapparel.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Transcribed - Published: 4 August 2025

Why do you love college football? It's a simple question with a not so simple answer, but we asked it of you, our listeners, as well as some special guests. And you delivered. Sit back and enjoy an audio love letter to the game that fills us with delight, disappointment, thrills, and frustrations.Producer: Anthony Vito.Thanks to everyone who contributed, including our partners: www.nokiantyres.com/szdwww.homefieldapparel.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Transcribed - Published: 1 August 2025

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com The American Athletic Conference was by far the best non-power conference of the early College Football Playoff era. Its best teams were nationally relevant. Many programs were on the rise, and so were the league’s coaches, who went on to Power Five jobs and then got replaced by coaches who often did the same.Lately, things have not gone as well. The American lost its best teams to the Big 12, and the programs that backfilled those spots have yet to show anything. The hiring train of AAC coaches has slowed down, and the conference has moved backward while several non-power programs outside the league have ascended. The best program in the league, Memphis, is trying hard to get out.The league literally renamed itself last week, going away from “AAC” and opting to just be called “the American.” As the league literally redefines itself, Godfrey joins Alex and Richard for a discussion of how the American got here and where it might be going over the next few years.Producer: Anthony Vito

Transcribed - Published: 31 July 2025

Richard and Alex preview Conference USA, as the league adds Delaware and Missouri State. In this episode:* Liberty remains the favorite, even with a downgrade at QB* Sam Houston is primed for regression after 10 wins and a coaching change* WKU goes back to a strategy that has worked time and again: portaling an entire offense from a lower-level program* UTEP might have a bit of juice under Scotty Walden* Jacksonville State slams the reset button after winning the league and seeing Rich Rodriguez return to West Virginia* FIU has … reason for optimism?* Missouri State is making an ambitious play by jumping to FBS, and we aren’t sure it will work out well—at least not in the win column* Delaware looks poised for a smoother transition* Kennesaw State will be much more interesting, but still not good* Middle Tennessee is hunting for reasons for optimism* Louisiana Tech’s coach looks to forestall what might be inevitable* New Mexico State makes changes after a turbulent offseasonProducer: Anthony Vito This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Transcribed - Published: 30 July 2025

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com Dan Casey, coach and founder of the Play Caller’s Club, joins Richard to discuss the Xs and Os trends that are percolating across college football ahead of the 2025 season. Weird alignments, formations into the boundary, running backs out of the backfield, and the use of two-QB systems so that teams don’t have to leave NIL dollars sitting on the bench. Plus, a defensive response led by the Michigan-Ravens tree and a comeback of a Tampa Buccaneers classic.This episode is for paid subscribers, with a free preview available to all. This is a great time to become a paid subscriber.Producer: Anthony Vito

Transcribed - Published: 29 July 2025

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com Listen to Alex’s extended-cut interview with Miami University play-by-play announcer Steve Baker, for Split Zone Duo subscribers. Listen to the full “Dead Letters” episode about Miami and the Cradle of Coaches here.

Transcribed - Published: 28 July 2025

Miami University went on an unprecedented run of hiring coaches: Woody Hayes, Ara Parseghian, Bo Schembechler, and many more: . By 2003, with Ben Roethlisberger behind center, the RedHawks were the best program outside the power conference. Then trouble hit, both for Miami and the MAC. Split Zone Duo’s paid subscribers can listen to an extended cut of our interview with Steve Baker, the longtime voice of the RedHawks. Subscribe now.Listen to all 10 episodes of Dead Letters There’s now a standalone podcast feed on Apple, Spotify, and the other major podcasting apps. It’s got a handful of free episodes, and subscribers can set up their personal feeds in their publication settings. It’s very easy from here. Set up your premium episode feed the same way you set up your regular SZD feed: Dead Letters is a Split Zone Duo series about when bad things happen to great college football programs. In the series’ first 10 episodes, we’ve covered the rise and fall of teams like Tulane, Nebraska, Florida A&M, Ole Miss, and the entire Southern Conference. These episodes are all in the Split Zone Duo podcast feed, and we have made a handful of them (including this one) free. To listen to the full catalog of Dead Letters, become a paid subscriber. Want all of the Dead Letters episodes in one tidy podcast feed on your preferred listening app? Good news: You can now do that on all major podcasting apps. Welcome to Split Zone Duo RELAUNCH WEEKWe’ll have new episodes every single day this week. Relaunch Week is our unofficial season kickoff, and it’s an excellent time to become a paid subscriber and roughly double the number of podcasts you’ll get from us during the season.Paid subscribers can listen to the extended-cut interview I did with Miami play-by-play announcer Steve Baker about the history of the RedHawks. More college football history This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Transcribed - Published: 28 July 2025

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com The House settlement was supposed to create a clear line between “legitimate” NIL deals and so-called “pay for play” from NIL collectives. It took three weeks for the NCAA to make a major concession. Front Office Sports reporter Amanda Christovich joins Alex for a quick subscriber episode explaining how the House settlement lawyers and the NCAA are already changing the way college football’s new economy will work. The big winner? Collectives, who may have prevented their own obsolescence. And the big question: How much different is the outside NIL world now than it was a few months ago? Producer: Anthony Vito

Transcribed - Published: 25 July 2025

Shehan Jeyarajah, college football writer for CBS Sports, returns to the show to join Alex and Richard for a meaty preview of the Big 12. You may enjoy Shehan’s recent report on the details behind Texas Tech’s NIL boom. In this preview:* Arizona State loses Cam Skattebo but still has so much returning from a team that nearly made the playoff semifinals* Iowa State has questions … and probably answers* Cincinnati likely has its best team under Scott Satterfield, which isn’t saying a ton but could still be fun* Colorado probably (famous last words) will be less of a media circus* Baylor has huge upside with a full year of Sawyer Robertson at QB* Kansas State needs a less sloppy season from Avery Johnson* BYU’s linebackers rock, but the QB situation does not* Oklahoma State asks: Does Mike Gundy have one last job in him?* UCF reunites with Scott Frost but may find that the world has changed* Texas Tech spent millions of dollars on the No. 2 transfer portal class. Shehan explains the nuts and bolts of how the Red Raiders are trying to get a bang for their buck, and the group talks about reasonable expectations* WVU has Richard deeply intrigued as Rich Rodriguez comes home* TCU can’t waste a quarterback like Josh Hoover* Kansas has Jalon Daniels back, a solid defense, and medical questions* Houston brings on Conner Weigman, who’s hoping for a better second act* Arizona might no longer be the offense-first dynamo we thought they were* Utah should be much better … but how much better?We then award Big 12 preseason awards such as the Split Zone Duo Dude of the Year, the Low-Key Cool Game of the Year, and the Coach Who’s Most Likely Not to Return. Thanks to Shehan for joining us and to you for listening.Tell us why you love college footballLeave us a voicemail, and we may include it in an upcoming show. You can leave us this voicemail in one of two ways:* Calling our Google Voice number: +1 201-429-5147* Submitting via this link: https://voicecast.app/szdLet us know your favorite team if you’ve got one, and leave your name or don’t. We just want to hear why you enjoy the sport.Cool stuff from Split Zone Duo’s partners* Use SZD20 for 20% off your first order at Homefield.* Enter your favorite CFB road trip at our Nokian Tyres landing page, and you’ll be entered in a drawing to win free tires.Producer: Anthony Vito This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Transcribed - Published: 24 July 2025

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com Leave us a voicemail telling us why you love college football. Details are at www.splitzoneduo.com. In this show, Alex and Richard take a bunch of subscriber questions in the run-up to the season, with an early focus on realignment matters:* The Athletic reported that despite a desperate financial offer, Memphis has not gotten traction in its effort to join the Big 12. Why not?* Why was Louisiana Tech, which isn’t very good, a good backfilling candidate for the Sun Belt after Texas State joined the Pac-12?* What do we make of conferences (the American and Big 12 so far) doing away with preseason media polls?* What do we make of Tulane’s addition of former BYU QB Jake Retzlaff?* Do we have any Week 1 game travel plans? (Richard does.)* Should Maryland fans be worried about the prospect of their school getting left out in future realignment? (This question could apply to lots of Big Ten and SEC schools.)* Why did a story about Catapult video footage access go so quiet?* Which is the deepest P4 conference for QB depth in 2025?* How are our video game dynasty builds going?Producer: Anthony Vito

Transcribed - Published: 23 July 2025

Conference previews continue with the MAC. Alex and Richard break down every team in the league, including new entrant UMass:* Toledo still has the best hand* Miami is poised to contend (again) after getting portal-raided (again)* Buffalo is in a great place after the first year of Pete Lembo* Ohio defends its first MAC championship in decades and enters the season with one of the most fun QBs in college football, Parker Navarro* NIU loses pretty much everything ahead of its last year in the conference* Eastern Michigan has a great returning receiver, and what else?* Bowling Green brings on Eddie George in one of most interesting coach moves of the year* UMass returns to the MAC after a decade away … and we find ourselves more optimistic about the Minutemen than we’ve ever been* Western Michigan might have this year’s Harold Fannin Jr.* Central Michigan is doing something different with new coach Matt Drinkall, and that’s all you can ask* Same for Ball State under new hire Mike Uremovich* Akron appears to be a bleak situation* Kent State undoubtedly isPlus, preseason superlatives for the Mid-American.Catch up on all of our conference previewsSo far, we’ve done these:* Pac-12 and FBS independents* Sun BeltCool stuff from Split Zone Duo’s partners* Use SZD20 for 20% off your first order at Homefield.* Enter your favorite CFB road trip at our Nokian Tyres landing page, and you’ll be entered in a drawing to win free tires.Producer: Anthony Vito This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Transcribed - Published: 22 July 2025

Split Zone Duo’s conference previews for 2025 keep rolling along with a two-parter: the Pac-12 and the FBS independents, whose ranks have thinned.* Oregon State might finally (finally!) be poised for stability and growth* Washington State faces a similar crisis to the one OSU faced last year, although the Cougs have a few reasons for optimism as they prepare to take a big chunk of the best program in FCS and import it to FBS* Jim Mora has the UConn Huskies in just about the best place possible* Why this one feels like a “win the national title or bust” year for Notre Dame—or at least get back to the semifinalsCool stuff from Split Zone Duo’s partners* Use SZD20 for 20% off your first order at Homefield.* Enter your favorite CFB road trip at our Nokian Tyres landing page, and you’ll be entered in a drawing to win free tires. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Transcribed - Published: 14 July 2025

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com Godfrey joins Alex and Richard for the third installment in our offseason series, “Why You’re Always Bad.” This episode is about ULM, formerly known as Northeast Louisiana State. The Warhawks are perhaps the most consistently bad team in the top division of college football, which raises the question of why they’re at that level in the first place. It turns out there’s an answer. In this episode, the Split Zone Duo crew discusses:* ULM’s struggle to define its identity, literally* The program’s rise from junior colleague to I-AA to the big time* The fatal error in ULM’s move to FBS, and how a series of predictable (and some unpredictable) events made things worse* The rare good times and why ULM hasn’t been able to capitalize on them* The lesson for others in the Warhawks’ strugglesSCROLL DOWN IN YOUR PODCAST FEED to find our similar subscriber episodes in this series on Rice (published May 12) and Kent State (published February 26).This episode of Split Zone Duo is for our paid subscribers, without whom the podcast wouldn’t exist. We thank you! And if you’re interested in becoming a paid subscriber, now’s a great time. It costs $10 a month and we are currently offering free trials, as well as a free preview snippet of this episode. You can join us at www.splitzoneduo.com

Transcribed - Published: 11 July 2025

Season previews are back! Richard and Alex go alphabetically through the whole Sun Belt, picking out one rose, one bud, and one thorn for all 14 schools, from Appalachian State to Troy. In this episode:* App State hits the reset button* Coastal Carolina should be feeling some urgency* Georgia Southern extended Clay Helton and kept its roster together, so why aren’t we feeling so good about the Eagles?* Georgia State’s recruiting growth under Dell McGee is in bloom* JMU has every chance to contend for the G5 playoff spot* Marshall follows a Sun Belt championship with a whole lot of uncertainty, but at least one thing about the Herd should be cool* ODU gets back its star linebacker after a lost season* Arkansas State has one of the G5’s best receivers … and a date with the Hogs* Louisiana appears most of the way back, three years after Billy Napier left* ULM has immense challenges but a reason or two for belief* South Alabama loses a star running back and its starting QB but gains a Major League ballplayer, among others* Southern Miss, which went 1-11, is sort of the defending champ* Texas State has the opportunity to put it all together* Troy looks at some regression to the mean, but how much more than that?Then we pick some preseason superlatives to close out the first preview of 2025.Cool stuff from Split Zone Duo’s partners:* Use SZD20 for 20% off your first order at Homefield.* Enter your favorite CFB road trip at our Nokian Tyres landing page, and you’ll be entered in a drawing to win free tires.Producer: Anthony Vito This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Transcribed - Published: 9 July 2025

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com For the Fourth of July, we look all the way back to the founding of … college football. Richard and Alex pick and debate the defining teams of each decade of the sport’s history, starting with one year of the 1860s and rolling through the 2010s. Remember that “defining team” is usually complimentary, but not always. Without spoiling any of the discussion, this show features: * Rutgers vs. Princeton for the crown of the 1860s * Yale’s case against everybody for the later 1800s * Why Michigan’s 1900s was even more impressive than you think* Georgia Tech vs. the advent of the forward pass in the 1910s * That classic college football matchup: Alabama vs. Cal, for the ‘20s* Someone likes Pitt for the 1930s, and it’s not Alex* Did the 1940s belong to Army and Navy, or did they belong to the school that best manipulated the rules meant to help people from the army and navy? * Why there will never be another program like 1950s Oklahoma, ever* A curveball for the ‘60s, but definitely not for the ‘70s * Penn State vs. SMU for the ‘80s * A brutal Nebraska vs. Florida State vs. Miami vs. Florida race for the ‘90s* In the 2000s, a chance to go off the beaten path instead of just picking Florida or USC: Will we take it? * No need to complicate the 2010s This is a subscriber episode of Split Zone Duo.Everyone can listen to a free preview of this show, and we offer weeklong free trials if you want to try us out. It’s a great time of year to do it, and you can get a month free with an annual subscription. Thank you for listening, and we hope you have a great holiday weekend. Producer: Anthony Vito

Transcribed - Published: 3 July 2025

Around 20 FBS coaches will retire or get fired by the end of this season, but which ones will they be? Alex and Richard pick out 23 names and rank them from least to most likely to be entering their last season on the job. Then we talk about the context, especially in the handful of cases with big differences in our rankings. Plus, everyone gets buyer’s remorse at least once.This episode is free for all. For the most part, however, we release our discussions of the coach carousel for our SplitZoneDuo.com subscribers. Now’s a great time to sign up for the year and get lots of podcasts during the season:Sports Podcast Festival on August 23, with code SPF25 for a buy one, get one half off deal: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/78691649/the-2nd-annual-sports-podcast-festival-raleigh-the-rialto Cool stuff from Split Zone Duo’s partners* Use SZD20 for 20% off your first order at Homefield.* Enter your favorite CFB road trip at our Nokian Tyres landing page, and you’ll be entered in a drawing to win free tires.Production: Anthony Vito. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Transcribed - Published: 1 July 2025

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com Part 2 of our conversation with EA Sports College Football principal game designer Ben Haumiller. Ben takes a bunch of subscriber questions on the upcoming CFB game and the state of college sports video gaming in general:* How to actually learn to play a football video game* Incorporating the House settlement and NIL* How a new 'gadget” position” embraces the reality of modern depth charts* Improvements to the coach carousel* The process of putting music in the game* The customization options for conferences and teams (or, in other words, why you cannot destroy the SEC and put all the teams back in the SoCon)* Different uses for Team Builder* The potential for a custom stadium builder, one day* Whether kicking and loud road environments are still impossible* Adding scandals to college sports video gamesAnd more. Thanks for Ben for joining us, and thanks to our subscribers for not just supporting the show but providing the inspiration for this one. Join us on a free trial and get lots more episodes as well as question-asking rights.Producer: Anthony Vito

Transcribed - Published: 26 June 2025

Part 1: EA Sports College Football principal game designer Ben Haumiller joins Alex and Richard for a discussion of the upcoming CFB video game, with a focus on Dynasty mode and lessons learned from last year’s long-awaited return.* What EA learned from the best-selling sports game of all time* The easier and more difficult parts of releasing a second game* How the new game will (and, most importantly, won’t) include microtransactions* Real-life coaches and how they’ll change the dynasty experience* Addressing to Alex’s specific complaints about the coach carousel* Balancing the competing desires of having a realistic game, but also a game in which UMass can eventually sign a bunch of five-stars* Getting the transfer portal and recruiting right* The challenges of keeping up with a sport that is endlessly changing, especially the playoff systemPart 2 of our discussion with Ben, coming later this week, is a listener Q&A just for our SplitZoneDuo.com subscribers. We’d love to have you!Come see us live at the Sports Podcast Festival on August 23 in Raleigh. Use code SPF25 for a buy-one, get-one-half-off deal: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/78691649/the-2nd-annual-sports-podcast-festival-raleigh-the-rialto Cool stuff from Split Zone Duo’s partners* Use SZD20 for 20% off your first order at Homefield.* Enter your favorite CFB road trip at our Nokian Tyres landing page, and you’ll be entered in a drawing to win free tires.Production: Anthony Vito. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Transcribed - Published: 25 June 2025

Alex and Richard discuss a handful of offseason stories:* The Pac-12’s expansion efforts are coming to a head, and Texas State—not Sacramento State—appears to be the apple of the league’s eye. Extra Points publisher Matt Brown joins to talk about why Sac State’s extremely public campaign for FBS membership has not paid dividends. Read Matt’s report on the Hornets’ looming move to FCS independence.* The House settlement is now official, and depending on who you talk to, it’s either an ironclad new system to regulate the college football economy or a house of cards just waiting to be toppled. Justin Williams, a college football reporter for The Athletic, explains these competitive views. Read his recent story: “Return of the bag man: NIL clearinghouse could revive paying college athletes under table.” (Of course, also read Godfrey’s old classic.)* Playoff expansion might be stalemated, and there’s a surprising group of people at the heart of the resistance: SEC head coaches. What?* Cal joins Stanford in putting a famous alum in charge of the whole football program, not as head coach but as general manager. What are the ramifications sport-wide, and what is specific to the Bay Area schools? Refer back to our subscriber episode on Cal’s tumultuous offseason.Sports Podcast Festival tickets for 8/23 (use code SPF25 for a buy-one, get-one-half-off deal): https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/78691649/the-2nd-annual-sports-podcast-festival-raleigh-the-rialtoCool stuff from Split Zone Duo’s partners* Use SZD20 for 20% off your first order at Homefield.* Enter your favorite CFB road trip at our Nokian Tyres landing page, and you’ll be entered in a drawing to win free tires.Production: Anthony Vito. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Transcribed - Published: 18 June 2025

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com Richard and Alex take subscriber questions on: * How to assess if a school’s FCS-to-FBS transition is in a good place or not, especially if it takes a little bit to win any games * The big business of college football data distribution * The endless (?) expansion of eligibility for old players * Why the SEC owns the offseason every year and the Big Ten doesn’t * The wisdom of Power 2 schools like Mississippi State throwing House settlement dollars into sports other than football * Richard trading a Florida basketball title for football * Do recent moves at Georgia Tech and UVA say anything about the ACC’s financial shortfall? * If more programs will have general managers in charge soon, a la Andrew Luck and Ron Rivera at Stanford and CalProducer: Anthony Vito. This is a subscriber episode of Split Zone Duo.Everyone can listen to a free preview, and we offer weeklong free trials if you want to try us out. Help us make the show and get a lot more of it!Producer: Anthony Vito

Transcribed - Published: 17 June 2025

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com We believe in an old college football theory: If a coach is going to win at his current job, he’s going to have a good second season. The exceptions, like Bill McCartney and Jim Harbaugh, prove the rule. This year, 28 FBS coaches enter their second season in charge of their programs. Who’s already banked enough goodwill to withstand a down year? Who’s doing fine, with a big year yet to come? And who got off on the wrong foot in 2024 and already needs a major improvement to get his tenure on track? From Curt Cignetti and Jon Sumrall to Sherrone Moore and Sean Lewis, let’s check in with our sophomore class.Some episode highlights:* A discussion of exactly where Mike Elko stands relative to expectations after a really nice debut season at Texas A&M* Why Kalen DeBoer doesn’t fit neatly into any one category of Year 2 coaches* Sherrone Moore looks very good at Michigan, but we’re watching for two things: the QB living up to the hype and the NCAA going away* Yikes, Sean Lewis’ start at San Diego State was barren* Same for Brent Brennan at Arizona* At UCLA, is that a flicker of … hope? It might beProducer: Anthony Vito

Transcribed - Published: 16 June 2025

Fall camp approaches. Let’s talk about the most consequential transfer portal moves of the offseason that weren’t quarterbacks and, in a lot of cases, didn’t even happen in national championship-contending programs. Oklahoma’s new running back and receivers! Dabo’s dip into the portal! Oregon’s new secondary import from Purdue! Notre Dame’s acquisition of an actually-good wideout! Indiana’s second act under Curt Cignetti! And picking out the most interesting players Texas Tech got in its very expensive portal class.Sports Podcast Festival tickets (use code SPF25 to buy one, get one half off): https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/78691649/the-2nd-annual-sports-podcast-festival-raleigh-the-rialtoCool stuff from SZD’s partners* Use SZD20 for 20% off your first order at Homefield.* Enter your favorite CFB road trip at our Nokian Tyres landing page, and you’ll be entered in a drawing to win free tires.Production: Anthony Vito. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Transcribed - Published: 11 June 2025

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com Cody Alexander of MatchQuarters joins Richard to discuss how the football coach at North Carolina will actually, ya know, coach football (a novel concept, we know). His evolution as a defensive mind shaped the way you watch the game in more ways than you can realize, but can he be the same guy in college football? What's instructive about Steve Belichick's time in Washington? And can a guy who is all about the fundamentals thrive in today's college football? Producer: Anthony Vito. This is a subscriber episode! Everyone can hear a free preview or join on a free trial, however. You can do that by clicking this button: Further listening

Transcribed - Published: 9 June 2025

A running back from Boise State helped define the 2024 season. Does CFB have an RB waiting in the wings to make a similar imprint in 2025? Probably not exactly, given Jeanty’s historic season and the difficulty non-power programs have had retaining star running backs this offseason. But if we’re just looking for running backs who can defy difficult circumstances and elevate their offenses to a new level, we can find some candidates to be 2025’s Jeanty.SZD audience survey: https://surveys.getwizer.com/s3/d33771e852f9 Tickets to the Sports Podcast Festival on 8/23 in Raleigh (use code SPF25 for half off a second ticket): https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/78691649/the-2nd-annual-sports-podcast-festival-raleigh-the-rialto Cool stuff from SZD’s partners* Use SZD20 for 20% off your first order at Homefield.* Enter your favorite CFB road trip at our Nokian Tyres landing page, and you’ll be entered in a drawing to win free tires. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Transcribed - Published: 5 June 2025

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com In this week’s CFB Lunch Break, Alex and Richard answer live questions from Split Zone Duo subscribers:* What to make of Luke Fickell’s mediocre first two years at Wisconsin and a challenging situation in Year 3* Ohio State/Texas scheduling fight* Florida’s upside this fall* What Penn State actually needs from Drew Allar* The cloudy landscape of G5 position player talent* What’s behind TNT’s weird College Football Playoff TV arrangement* Nebraska and Clemson offseason vapors* UCLA: Glass half full?* Notre Dame’s reasonable goals* Michigan State hiring Georgia Tech’s athletic director* The air raid is dead. Long live the air raidProducer: Anthony VitoHosts: Alex Kirshner, Richard JohnsonReminder: Split Zone Duo LIVE in Raleigh, August 23 Details here. Tickets here.

Transcribed - Published: 3 June 2025

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com For live show tickets in Raleigh on 8/23: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/78691649/the-2nd-annual-sports-podcast-festival-raleigh-the-rialto Godfrey, Richard, and Alex present the second episode in our “Anatomy of a Coaching Carousel” series. This show covers the new college football head coaches for the 2010 season. This was the year that Florida State finally pushed out Bobby Bowden, Notre Dame fired Charlie Weis, and USC watched Pete Carroll walk out the door to the Seahawks. What happened after that?* A messy “coach-in-waiting” situation in Tallahassee, as Bobby Bowden is finally pushed away and Jimbo Fisher steps up* Notre Dame goes for Brian Kelly after squandering a "decided schematic advantage” and firing Charlie Weis* Charlie Strong gets a new job at Louisville* Vanderbilt lives through one of the stranger mid-offseason changes in a while* Lane Kiffin arrives in Southern California, and Derek Dooley replaces him in Knoxville in a search that sure could have gone differently* A future senator heads to Siberia, err, Lubbock* Butch Jones takes on one of the hardest jobs in college football: living up to a high bar set by a string of his predecessorsThen it’s CLASS SUPERLATIVES time, with the boys each naming their pick for the Ellis Johnson/Southern Miss Award, the Coaching Carousel Global Impact Award, and Hire of the Year.Scroll down in your feed to February 18, 2025 for the first episode in this series. Producer: Anthony Vito

Transcribed - Published: 28 May 2025

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com Split Zone Duo State is the newest startup FBS program. We've got our coach, but now we need a staff. Blueprint Sports head of analytics Parker Fleming joins the show to help Richard break down who to hire, and the roles that need filling, to build SZD State into a title contender. For additional (free) listening on this topic, see our March 2024 episode: “The NFL-ification of college recruiting.” This is a special episode for Split Zone Duo’s paid subscribers. Get started with a free trial.Plus, everyone can hear a free preview.Also this week for SZD subscribers:

Transcribed - Published: 23 May 2025

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com Richard and Alex take live questions from our Split Zone Duo subscribers. Topics covered in this episode include:* The slightly messy ending between Jim Knowles and Ohio State* What we’re most excited about in the 2025 season* More developments in Bill Belichick/Jordon Hudson* Rapid scheme turnover, like Washington State will see this year* Playoff expansion’s effect on SEC expansion* Lincoln Riley and USC say they want to preserve their Notre Dame rivalry game, but Riley’s old words and current actions say different* Duke as an ACC dark horse* How cooked is Virginia Tech?* New athletic director at Michigan State: Why?* Maryland’s business-ish approach to filling the AD chair* Likelier to get fired or win their conference? Mike Gundy, Brian Kelly, Lincoln Riley, and Mike NorvellCollege Football Lunch Break is a recurring live call that we have at 12 p.m. ET on many Tuesdays in the Substack app. Subscribers get a recording afterward.Producer: Anthony Vito

Transcribed - Published: 21 May 2025

College football history is loaded with BS national championship claims, as well as some non-consensus claims that AREN’T ridiculous. How do we tell the difference? What patterns emerge when we look at decades of disputed titles? What is the most ridiculous national title claim of all time? (Spoiler: It’s one of Alabama’s claims. But why don’t the Tide claim other titles that would be a lot less outrageous?) No other sport has a feature quite like this one, and we’ve got an expert to talk through it with us: Keith Gaddie, TCU professor and author of a new book, “Bragging Rites,” on the history of arguing over national championships. (The book comes out May 24.)More from Split Zone Duo’s partners:* Use SZD20 for 20% off your first order at Homefield. There’s fresh college sports apparel dropping at Homefield all the time. Find your school’s collection. Also: auto racing gear. It’s Indy 500 month.* Visit NokianTyres.com/RoadTrips and share your road-tripping plans for the summer, and you’ll be entered to win a set of tires. This contest runs through May 30. Enjoy the same tires that get us where we need to go.Producer: Anthony Vito This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Transcribed - Published: 19 May 2025

Sports Podcast Festival tickets: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/78691649/the-2nd-annual-sports-podcast-festival-raleigh-the-rialto Extra Points publisher Matt Brown joins Alex to break down a handful of big offseason stories in the business of college football.* 1:25: Donald Trump’s presidential commission on college sports, co-chaired by Nick Saban: What will it do? How will it interact with the NCAA’s efforts to get Congress to write it a bill? Are Ted Cruz and Tommy Tuberville going to fight? And how seriously should you take the whole thing?* 36:10: Negotiations over a potential 16-team playoff format* 39:46: The drip, drip, drip of news about Bill Belichick’s relationship: Will UNC ever know a moment of peace as long as he’s coaching?* 40:51: Notre Dame and Clemson make a scheduling deal* 44:06: Akron, the first academically ineligible bowl team in a decade* 46:34: Jim Tressel’s new career in Ohio* 47:56: Arkansas’ state law and a House settlement race to the bottom* 56:03: Brett Yormark’s extension as Big 12 commissioner* 59:49: Private equity in college football: Have our views changed at all since this became a big story in early 2024?Read Matt’s newsletter at www.extrapointsmb.comMore from SZD’s partners* Use SZD20 at www.homefieldapparel.com.* Follow Nokian Tyres on Instagram @NokianTyresNA, and learn more about Nokian’s commitment to sustainability at nokiantyres.com/sustainabilityProducer: Antony Vito This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Transcribed - Published: 14 May 2025

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com The Rice Owls have had 36 winning seasons since 1914. They once lost 18 games in a row. They have wandered from conference to conference since the death of the SWC, and despite being in a huge city that loves football, they have precious few fans. They are the only college football program to struggle so much that when JFK used them to justify going to the moon, everyone understood the reference. For decades, this picture has barely changed.Why is football so hard at Rice? To get to the bottom of it, Alex and Richard interview two experts: Matthew Bartlett and Carter Spires of The Roost, the internet’s top destination for Rice sports news and commentary. Among other things, the group discusses:* How a Rice game day looks* The program’s many downs and occasional ups, like its record-setting 2008 team that won 10 games* JFK’s famous speech that doubled as a minor dig at the team* How Rice fits into, or sets itself apart from, the city of Houston* Why a school that figured out baseball has never cracked football* The difficulties of recruiting to a school that cares about school* The school’s decision to get a bit more serious about football latey* The best possible case for Rice football in the next 10 years* VERDICT TIME: Stay in the AAC, drop to FCS, or stop playing football?This is the second episode in an SZD series, “Why You’re Always Bad." For the first subscriber episode, on Kent State, scroll down in this podcast feed.Everyone can hear a free preview of this episode. To hear the whole thing and get a bunch more subscriber-only episodes, join us on a free trial.Thanks to the crew from The Roost for joining our show.Producer: Anthony Vito

Transcribed - Published: 12 May 2025

Richard Johnson and Alex Kirshner close out SZD’s Offseason Vibe Check series with the Mountain West. How has everything gone for this conference and its teams between the end of the regular season and now? Let’s discuss:* The state of the Mountain West’s squabbling with the Pac-12* New Mexico’s new head coach, Jason Eck, has been an FCS lifer* Utah State’s Bronco Mendenhall hire could be one of the best moves any team made all offseason* Fresno State gets Matt Entz, formerly of NDSU, and tries to find talent in unconventional places* Boise State loses Ashton Jeanty but has so much coming back* Colorado State has an intriguing group of freshmen and an ex-Ohio State WR* San Jose State tries to build on an encouraging first year under Ken Niumatalolo but has to move forward without an all-time receiver, Nick Nash* UNLV got Dan Mullen … and then some shaky headlines about its finances* Nevada looks to a familiar face, Chubba Purdy, to turn around a 3-10 team* Air Force is a candidate to be one of the most improved teams in FBS, but it’s not clear who will play QB* Wyoming has holes to fill at positions where it’s produced elite players recently* San Diego State tries to get back to basics after an ugly first year for Sean Lewis* Hawaii has athletic director turmoil on an epic scaleGet cool stuff from SZD’s partners* Use SZD20 at www.homefieldapparel.com.* Follow Nokian Tyres on Instagram @NokianTyresNA, and learn more about Nokian’s commitment to sustainability at nokiantyres.com/sustainabilityProducer: Anthony VitoHosts: Alex Kirshner, Ricard Johnson This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Transcribed - Published: 8 May 2025

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com Bill Belichick’s relationship with Jordon Hudson is the stuff of sports gossip legend, but we are most interested in what it says about Belichick’s ability to run an ACC football team. Alex and Richard discuss in this subscriber episode:* How Jordon filled a vacuum in UNC football communications* Why Alex thinks UNC should look for a way out of this marriage* Why Richard thinks that could be a substantial overreaction* What Urban Meyer’s Jaguars season tells us about the situation* What UNC is losing already and why The Athletic’s report about the program losing “Hard Knocks” is one of the biggest red flags* The idea of Belichick as a coaching hire vs. the reality in his current form* Where Belichick is already, however, providing some value to UNC* Finding common groundFurther listening: Our Belichick “emergency show” when he was hired in MarchProducer: Anthony VitoHosts: Alex Kirshner, Richard Johnson

Transcribed - Published: 6 May 2025

Part 1 of this week’s episode is the continuation of SZD’s “Offseason Vibe Checks” series, checking in on the Pac-12 and the FBS independents. You may be thinking, “Nice, but that’s probably going to be a really short episode, because there are just two Pac-12 teams and three independents at the moment.” Fear not! Part 2 is an interview with author Victoria Zeller, who joins Alex to discuss her new book One of the Boys and the deep research she did into the state of modern special teams development. #CollegeKickers are getting better despite lacking training at most high schools. How? Well, there’s a story there.* In the Pac-12, Washington State had the kind of offseason that Oregon State had last year, and now the Cougars have to pick up the pieces* Among the FBS independents: UConn’s doing well, UMass is at least trying something sensible as it prepares to move to the MAC this summer, and Notre Dame has lots of backfilling and an intriguing QB battle on the agenda* Victoria Zeller talks about “One of the Boys,” the privatization of special teams development, and much more.The book comes out May 13 and is available for preorder here: https://victoria.monster/#bookdriveLiked this show? Get bonus episodes at www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribeProducer: Anthony VitoGet cool stuff from SZD’s partnersUse SZD20 at www.homefieldapparel.com and get 20% off your first order.Follow Nokian Tyres on Instagram @NokianTyresNA, and learn more about Nokian’s commitment to sustainability at nokiantyres.com/sustainability This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Transcribed - Published: 1 May 2025

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com In this live recording, Alex and Richard answer a handful of subscriber questions and take the time to talk about the factors behind Shedeur Sanders’ plummet to the fifth round of the NFL Draft. In this episode:* An announcement: Alex, Richard, and Godfrey will do a live taping at the Sports Podcast Festival in Raleigh on August 23. Tickets out May 9* Off-the-dome dark horses for every conference in 2025* Pac-12 candidates from the American Athletic* The Week 1 games we’d go to if we could* Could the next Phil Knight/Oregon donor relationship be at … Texas Tech? It’s not a ridiculous question!* Contract disputes in coach poaching* Coaches getting banned from high schools for recruiting sins* Under Armour fading in college sports* The main event: Discussion of Shedeur Sanders plummeting to the fifth round. (Also, Richard’s very excited the Jags got Travis Hunter)* Alex is even less enamored than before with private equity coming to CFBProducer: Anthony Vito

Transcribed - Published: 29 April 2025

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com Steven Godfrey, Richard Johnson, and Alex Kirshner check in on how things are going three-plus years after a blockbuster few days in the coach carousel. Over a few days in late 2021, USC, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, LSU, Oregon, and Miami played a high-stakes game of musical chairs. Nowadays, only a few of these teams probably feel content, and they aren’t the ones we expected. What can we learn, and what does all of this have to do with Southern Miss and Marshall?Producer: Anthony Vito

Transcribed - Published: 28 April 2025

Alex and Richard break down offseason happenings in the Mid-American Conference, which saw lots of coach carousel turnover. * Ohio: Tim Albin to Charlotte, OC Brian Smith replacing him * Ball State: An off-the-beaten-path coach hire, bringing on a guy who most recently coached non-scholarship football in the Pioneer League * Miami: It’s a Return to the MAC for QB Dequan Finn* Buffalo: Pete Lembo tries to follow up a surprisingly good opening act* Bowling Green: Has an offseason loss of a coach ever looked better than the Falcons winding up with Eddie George? * Western Michigan: Major staff turnover as Lance Taylor tries to fix it * Toledo: Jason Candle has a good roster (as usual) and spicy spring game commentary * NIU: Losing basically everything from last year’s team that beat Notre Dame, and also preparing for a conference switch * Akron: A portal exodus * EMU: Ditto, but Chris Creighton is a hard man to count out * Central Michigan: Trying something different with Army’s Matt Drinkall as head coach. We applaud the spirit of the hire* Kent State: Well, it’s really, really badThe MAC also has some realignment coming for this season, with UMass joining back up. They’re not officially Midwesterners again until July, though, so we’ll discuss the Minutemen when we check in with the independents. (Ed. note! We recorded most of this episode shortly before the spring transfer portal window opened, but we made a few updates before publication on 4/23, mostly to cover the late-spring firing of Kent State’s head coach.) Elsewhere in Offseason Vibe Checks* Big Ten* SEC* ACC* Big 12* Sun Belt* Conference USA* AACSubscriber exclusives all offseason longTwo of them just this week! * What on Earth is going on at Cal? * The NFL Draft QB Tiers Special, with Ben Solak and Derrik KlassenAnd much more from SZDPaid subscribers help us make these episodes and get lots more of them. Get a weeklong free trial to see how you like them.Get cool stuff from SZD’s partnersSUPPORT OUR PARTNERS AND GET COOL STUFF* Shop Diamond Classics and much more at www.homefieldapparel.com. * Follow Nokian Tyres on Instagram @NokianTyresNA This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Transcribed - Published: 23 April 2025

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com Renewing our annual NFL Draft week tradition, Richard is joined by ESPN’s Ben Solak and The Athletic Football Show’s Derrik Klassen for a rollicking good time discussing the 2025 QB class. You'll be surprised at a QB the gang surprisingly can tolerate in a class that is a down year overall.Producer: Anthony Vito

Transcribed - Published: 21 April 2025

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com Alex and Richard take a bunch of questions from Split Zone Duo subscribers, recorded at lunch on April 15. The topics covered here include: * Is this the most wide-open track to the national title that CFB has seen in a long time? And what does it even mean for Ohio State to be “down”? * The Group of 5 schools with the biggest NIL war chests * Could Notre Dame be better than last year? (We’re skeptical.) * How does Cal replace an entire portaled running back room? * Would Texas reset the market for Dan Lanning? * UAB has a new wordmark * Is Mike Norvell’s hire of Gus Malzahn a last stand? * Why is institutional malpractice in the MAC not a bigger story? * Thoughts on Colorado retiring Shedeur Sanders’ number? * City schools’ difficulty getting people to care about CFB* Story time: Richard’s trip to Augusta National Golf Club * Alex’s running gear recommendationProducer: Anthony VitoAlso this week for SZD subscribersOur subscriber episode on Nico Iamaleava leaving Tennessee:

Transcribed - Published: 17 April 2025

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com Alex and Richard react to Nico Iamaleava’s split from Tennessee. We’re less interested in where he plays next (UNC? UCLA? Elsewhere?) and more interested in talking through his last few months as a Volunteer:* The job done by Tennessee’s football staff* The way Iamaleava is doing business* How the state of Tennessee helped bring about this moment* Freedom to move around and live with the consequences* The idea of Iamaleava’s representatives driving the boat* How much you can blame “the NCAA” for the state of things* Do star quarterbacks really have so much power?* Why we think Tennessee is likely to come out ahead of its old QBHosts: Alex Kirshner, Richard JohnsonProduction: Anthony Vito

Transcribed - Published: 16 April 2025

Rodger Sherman returns for our offseason check in with the American Athletic Conference, along with Alex and Richard. The group discusses how things have been going since the end of the 2024 season for each team in the AAC:* UTSA finds reason for optimism* Rice gets a bit creative in the coach carousel* FAU makes a hire that Alex is pretty happy about* Tulsa hires a millennial from the FCS ranks* North Texas attempts to finally play a bit of defense, and also returns to the Cam Ward Quarterback Tree* Temple lands a proper ball coach to try a rebuild* ECU sticks with the interim coach after a solid finish* Charlotte also has a new head coach, but success at Charlotte might not hinge on who the 49ers hire* Tulane 2.0 under Jon Sumrall* UAB tries to patch a major wound with small bandages* Army loses its entire offense* Navy doesn’t* USF may actually, finally, at long last, be building a new stadiumSUPPORT OUR PARTNERS AND GET COOL STUFF* Use code SZD20 for 20% off your first order from Homefield, at www.homefieldapparel.com.* Follow Nokian Tyres on Instagram @NokianTyresNAProducer: Anthony Vito This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Transcribed - Published: 14 April 2025

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com Matt Brown, publisher of the Extra Points college sports business newsletter, joins Alex to discuss a handful of big business stories that are all coming to a head around the same time. In this show: * The status of the not-quite-finished House settlement * Do we believe in the NCAA’s attempt to make sure that future “NIL” deals are really about the use of a player’s name, image, or likeness? * How power conference schools might divide up the $20 million per year that they will share directly with their athletes * Why Group of 5 and FCS payments will not be what they seem * Is the settlement going to provide a big leg up for basketball schools? * Nebraska’s AD will have the most interesting job in college sports * How might tariffs and a bad stock market affect athletic departments? * What about federal attacks on higher education? * Sacramento State is trying to move to FBS. It’s questionable. Also, here’s a cool offer for Split Zone Duo subscribers: 25 percent off a monthly or annual subscription to Extra Points by clicking this link. Matt’s newsletter is an essential read for keeping up with the off-field developments that shape college football, and we’re excited to have him stopping by. Host: Alex KirshnerGuest: Matt BrownProducer: Anthony Vito

Transcribed - Published: 10 April 2025

Alex interviews Dowell Loggains, the recently hired Appalachian State head coach who was most recently at South Carolina after a long run as an NFL assistant and coordinator. After Alex and Richard talk a bit about App State’s last 20 years, Loggains joins (17:10) to discuss:* Why he moved from the NFL to college football at a time when coaches are getting a lot of attention for doing the opposite* Why he isn’t worried about spring games turning into roster poaching showcases for rival schools* The concept of “fit” at a distinct school like App State* Recruiting as a Group of 5 program in a crowded region* Recruiting to a Sun Belt school vs. recruiting in the SEC* The specific type of prospect who comes to Boone* If he’s thinking about the House settlement and whether he’ll need to fight for resources with other sports* The time management element of becoming a head coach* How much he would delegate to a general manager* Coaching Chris Johnson during his 2,000-yard season and whether that has value in the eyes of 2020s college football playersApp State Flutie Effect study mentioned on the show: https://econ.appstate.edu/RePEc/pdf/wp1905.pdfSUPPORT OUR PARTNERS AND GET COOL STUFF* Use code SZD20 for 20% off your first order from Homefield, at www.homefieldapparel.com* Follow Nokian Tyres on Instagram @NokianTyresNAHosts: Alex Kirshner, Richard JohnsonProducer: Anthony Vito This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Transcribed - Published: 7 April 2025