Big Al and CJ are live from the Boulder Marriott ahead of Colorado’s matchup with Arizona State — and they’re joined by a special guest: Broncos defensive coordinator and former CU QB Vance Joseph. What starts as a pregame breakdown turns into a powerful, hilarious, and revealing conversation about CU history, the evolution of college football, leadership, player development, and the Broncos’ rise to becoming one of the NFL’s best defenses. From old stories about running behind Ralphie, to the inside truth behind Bo Nix’s emergence, to Coach Mac’s lasting impact on their lives — this episode is packed with football insight, nostalgia, and real talk.
Big Al and CJ head back to their CU roots as they host a live pregame show from the Boulder Marriott ahead of Colorado vs. Arizona State. They’re joined by Broncos defensive coordinator and former Buffs quarterback Vance Joseph, who dives into everything from the evolution of his coaching philosophy to the resilience of his Denver defense. The three swap stories about their CU playing days, including running behind Ralphie, special teams battles, national titles, and the unforgettable personalities that shaped the program. They also discuss Coach Bill McCartney’s recent statue unveiling and reflect on his influence as both a coach and mentor. The conversation shifts into current college football — NIL, the transfer portal, redshirting, and how programs evaluate quarterbacks in today’s environment. Vance explains why Bo Nix has Denver positioned as a contender, how situational football separates the best defenses, and why coaching matters more than ever in the modern NFL. It’s a wide-ranging, funny, insightful, and emotional episode that captures the full history and energy of Colorado football.
00;00;00;00 - 00;00;16;13
CJ
Hey, hey, if you're looking at the show and you're checking us out, you probably see a a third member of the team today. And, boy, there's a lot of history at this table, and I can't wait to get into it. But before we do that, I gotta shout out my man, Big Owl. You know, it's been a day for my man.
00;00;16;13 - 00;00;43;25
CJ
It started out he was in Cabo at 8:00. I talked to him at 9:00. He tried to fight me to do the show remote. At 10:00. He got on a plane at 11:00. Flew from Cabo at, got here at 3:00. And here he is at the Border Marriott, our home for every home game. So let's hear from the boy again.
00;00;43;28 - 00;00;46;10
Speaker 2
Thank you. Dan at the tanned and working. The tan is.
00;00;46;10 - 00;00;50;29
CJ
Working I never I love his work. I never quite understood how the hell you get an ovation for just.
00;00;51;06 - 00;00;58;24
Speaker 2
Being at work, but. Well, I mean, work is what work is supposed to be, right? I work is supposed to be done remotely at times as well.
00;00;58;26 - 00;01;20;25
CJ
Well, in this day and age, you make it. You make a logical point. But without further ado, man, we got to introduce a boy here. Man. The, I don't this is not being hyperbolic or, sensational. The absolute best defensive coordinator in a National Football league. The number one defense in the National Football League. Yeah. That's it from a man.
00;01;20;25 - 00;01;22;14
CJ
This Jose B.J..
00;01;22;17 - 00;01;24;19
Speaker 2
Boy. What are you guys doing? Man?
00;01;24;19 - 00;01;26;26
CJ
Man, I always will be. Oh, this.
00;01;26;28 - 00;01;36;02
Speaker 2
Is this is, this is special, man. Because, I talked to, C.J. about this on Tuesday. This game represents so much. I know that's not the season that we know what game.
00;01;36;02 - 00;01;36;13
CJ
You're talking.
00;01;36;13 - 00;01;56;00
Speaker 2
About. This game. The University of Colorado versus Arizona State, right? It represents so much because, this is these guys last game ever running behind Ralphie. And I think we all remember what that was like playing in our last football game. Now, yours was your last game because you you were a senior, C.J., you. Actually.
00;01;56;03 - 00;01;57;04
CJ
I never had a senior day.
00;01;57;05 - 00;02;15;12
Speaker 2
You never had a senior day. So we we finished playing at the University of Colorado the same time we came in together. But you redshirted. That's right. But you left early. I never asked you what was the cause of you not playing, that fifth year bunions? No. I'm just. Yeah, I.
00;02;15;15 - 00;02;33;06
CJ
Know, you know. You know what? You ol man, it was, it it had run its course for me. You know, I came in with the crew that I left out with him. Despite the fact that Greg Thomas and Joel Steed and a couple of others, continued to play that at that following year, it was, you know, run its course.
00;02;33;06 - 00;02;40;03
CJ
We won a national championship. And, that I had accomplished what I come here to do, man. And I was course.
00;02;40;06 - 00;02;45;03
Speaker 2
I guess it couldn't get any better than Orange Bowl MVP and, national championship.
00;02;45;06 - 00;02;50;15
CJ
That was all right. That was all right, man. That was fun, man. But I'll tell you that, and we'll get into it. One day. But different.
00;02;50;15 - 00;03;03;20
Speaker 2
Insane. I mean, I'm B.J., what was your last? What was your last day like? Running behind Ralph. You guys play? Do you remember? I think it was Iowa State. Go here in Boulder. It was the day Rashaan rushed for 2000 yards. Oh, wow. That's right. That was that was a huge.
00;03;03;20 - 00;03;04;07
CJ
90 for.
00;03;04;07 - 00;03;23;29
Speaker 2
Us. Absolutely. So wait a minute. So that's what is that what you remember the most is that's a little bit on ramp 2000 that day in Boulder Colorado in the Heisman that day. That was my biggest memory that day. You know, you know, you're one of those guys that I, I point at and point to you tell people about, you know, life decisions.
00;03;24;01 - 00;03;29;07
Speaker 2
As an athlete, you know, I, I tried to get to asked to play cornerback for a long ass time, which.
00;03;29;08 - 00;03;30;11
CJ
I know.
00;03;30;14 - 00;03;51;19
Speaker 2
I should have flipped over. Right? I mean, here we go. I got to tell you the story, seeds. I don't know if you know this story. So, Vijay, that's a good one. Vijay was, flipped over the corner for the NFL, right? And, he was going. He was going to the Jets as a free agent, and he was, going as a corner.
00;03;51;21 - 00;04;09;25
Speaker 2
And I was home from, my, third or fourth year in the league for a year, fourth year in the league. And, B.J. was playing corner and he, I say, I said, come on, I'm gonna play wide receiver. I say, I want you to cover me. Yep. And, I say, first of all, believable, man.
00;04;09;26 - 00;04;29;03
Speaker 2
Listen, man, this this is a great story. I said, the way that this works is that, first of all, you got to make the team on special teams say you're going to make this team on special teams. So you got to stop me. You got to be the gunner, and you got to stop me. Yeah. So the first fucking play, I push him right in his goddamn face.
00;04;29;05 - 00;04;35;24
Speaker 2
That's true story. I push him right in his face. I said, he said, what you doing, man? I said, welcome to the league. Yeah.
00;04;35;24 - 00;04;36;23
CJ
You play too much. Yeah.
00;04;36;24 - 00;04;48;16
Speaker 2
No, no, no, I just wanted them. I just want to get his head right. I think that mentality may have help. Yeah. Let me tell you something that saved me, C.J.. It's a true story. This true story.
00;04;48;19 - 00;04;49;19
CJ
He. He puts you in the.
00;04;49;23 - 00;04;51;05
Speaker 2
I puts him out to the turf.
00;04;51;05 - 00;04;51;28
CJ
I kicked him, right.
00;04;51;28 - 00;04;54;19
Speaker 2
There's no one's out there but Alfred, I. Right? You went.
00;04;54;19 - 00;04;55;01
CJ
Where.
00;04;55;06 - 00;05;15;14
Speaker 2
We went. I'm right here. And I'm on a turf on the field, on the turf. It's him and I. No one's out there right? He's a four year first round defensive in an NFL, right? I'm a quarterback at the time that's moving the play corner right. His advice was was was brilliant right. You're making the team on special teams.
00;05;15;14 - 00;05;29;24
Speaker 2
So this is how you make the team as a gunner and the jammer. Right I'm gonna be a Columbia jammer. So he goes I'm gonna be the gunner. Right. You're the jammer. Ball's punted 40 yards. Man, that right blocked me for 20 or 30 yards. The first repeat is clubs.
00;05;29;24 - 00;05;32;23
CJ
Me.
00;05;32;25 - 00;05;34;08
Speaker 2
So I look at him and I go.
00;05;34;11 - 00;05;36;12
CJ
Really? Right.
00;05;36;15 - 00;05;39;15
Speaker 2
So it goes from me being his buddy to.
00;05;39;17 - 00;05;39;25
CJ
I want to.
00;05;39;25 - 00;05;44;10
Speaker 2
Kill him. So the second rep, okay, I clubbed.
00;05;44;10 - 00;05;45;26
CJ
Him.
00;05;45;28 - 00;06;01;08
Speaker 2
In third. Right? We're both bleeding, right? He's running full speed. I'm jamming this dude for for 30, 40 yards. Just him and I. No one's out there. It goes on for like, an hour and a half. Wow. Right? Yeah. So we break it up, he goes, that's the league. That's the league. And I'm telling you that was the league, right?
00;06;01;08 - 00;06;02;18
CJ
Right. And the rest is history.
00;06;02;18 - 00;06;04;11
Speaker 2
The I went to the Jets and made the team.
00;06;04;12 - 00;06;04;20
CJ
Yeah.
00;06;04;27 - 00;06;06;23
Speaker 2
As a gunner I remember I.
00;06;06;23 - 00;06;09;19
CJ
Remember doing that I couldn't play corner yet.
00;06;09;21 - 00;06;25;12
Speaker 2
Right. Right I mean you you didn't you didn't you, you played corner last when you were how five years old, maybe six years old. And Louis, you out. You are a state cornerback. I mean quarterback, quarterback from high school little league to high school to college. Right. So my first time playing corner was for the Jets. Right. Wow.
00;06;25;13 - 00;06;28;28
Speaker 2
My first time playing jammer was against you.
00;06;29;00 - 00;06;31;15
CJ
And I remember I remember pick six.
00;06;31;17 - 00;06;33;10
Speaker 2
Yes absolutely absolutely.
00;06;33;11 - 00;06;34;27
CJ
Number 43. That's the.
00;06;34;28 - 00;06;35;10
Speaker 2
That's.
00;06;35;13 - 00;06;37;06
CJ
Number 43 I ain't man. You see this.
00;06;37;09 - 00;06;39;10
Speaker 2
I couldn't wear one. So I figured three reason four.
00;06;39;11 - 00;06;41;14
CJ
Was one was right. Right. Yeah.
00;06;41;16 - 00;06;41;29
Speaker 2
What's this.
00;06;41;29 - 00;06;46;14
CJ
All right. Tell us for that pick six was is it preseason or was it early.
00;06;46;15 - 00;07;04;19
Speaker 2
It was my it was my fourth year with the Broncos. The pick six versus versus Buffalo man. My rookie year I was the right corner. And Aaron Glenn who's the Detroit well who's the Jets. The the left yeah was the left corner right. He was a first round pick for man em you know top five pass defense in the league that year.
00;07;04;20 - 00;07;05;14
CJ
That's right man.
00;07;05;14 - 00;07;28;08
Speaker 2
I so but know I want to go back to CJ's story with why he didn't play his first year. Yeah. But I would say this about CJ right. So I'm a freshman I come in I'm a I'm an All-American quarterback. Yeah yeah right I come in I'm the third string quarterback C.J. is second string quarterback. Right. But he was so much more than that, right?
00;07;28;09 - 00;07;45;20
Speaker 2
Yeah. He was he was a coach for us. He was a life advisor for us. Me and Hagan. Right. We both young guys and he was in between us. But when he didn't play his last year in football, I got it because he was so much more than just a quarterback. Right? Right. I mean, right, he was going to be the student president, right?
00;07;45;20 - 00;08;03;17
Speaker 2
I mean, he was going to be a great businessman, be an agent, whatever was going to be in life. But he was so much more than just being the quarterback, you know? And that's how we saw him, you know? So when he walked away that spring, I wasn't surprised because I mean it's Orange Bowl MVP raisin. You know two young quarterbacks and helping Coach Barnett coaches right.
00;08;03;17 - 00;08;22;06
Speaker 2
No. But he was so much more than that. So I wasn't surprised when he moved on to bigger things in life. You know it was it was a natural for him to move on. Right. Right, right. But he's not first class. Not many people know this, but your mom sent your younger brother Chris out here. You were raising kids, and you raised him from what was he, a freshman in high school?
00;08;22;06 - 00;08;23;03
CJ
He was a sophomore in.
00;08;23;03 - 00;08;28;16
Speaker 2
High sophomore in high school. And. And that was extraordinary. So I do have to give you that. For that. I don't have to go.
00;08;28;16 - 00;08;53;22
CJ
You know what? That's that's that's harder. That's hard. Earned that from the big brother. Yeah. Now now we'll get back in so many story. Listen, there's so much history. Yeah. I mean at this table we go from, from national championships D.J. And I got a story to tell about the national championship game itself. When Hagan goes down, I go in BJ the the backup quarterback at this point man I was the classic 797.
00;08;53;22 - 00;08;56;11
CJ
Oh I mean we got so much history.
00;08;56;11 - 00;08;57;29
Speaker 2
There's so much we.
00;08;57;29 - 00;09;19;07
CJ
Don't want history at this table that we got to get to it. But before we get back to that, I got at least set the stage. Right now we're here at the Border Marriott and just ahead of the see you Arizona State football game buffs coming in. That's right. Three and seven Arizona State seven and three. I'm going to just get it out the way right now I'm picking the buffs to win.
00;09;19;07 - 00;09;37;11
CJ
You guys can just chew on that for a minute and we'll get back to it. But I did want to set the stage. And by the way, come on down to the of the Bowden area. We're giving away all kinds of things. We have room giveaways, we have food vouchers. This is the best place to come. Kick it off before football game this evening.
00;09;37;13 - 00;09;40;03
CJ
Deejay fedora and a house. This place was electric.
00;09;40;03 - 00;09;40;29
Speaker 2
Right side.
00;09;41;01 - 00;09;56;15
CJ
3:00 today. You don't want to miss. Has got about another hour to get down and hang out. If you're out there listening now, I got to get back. Back to to bed because I didn't. I set it up. I introduced my man. But I got to give a shout out to this Denver Bronco team. Man.
00;09;56;19 - 00;09;57;09
Speaker 2
Yes.
00;09;57;12 - 00;09;58;28
CJ
Who would have thought right.
00;09;59;01 - 00;09;59;22
Speaker 2
Between us.
00;09;59;22 - 00;10;00;00
CJ
Now?
00;10;00;00 - 00;10;01;05
Speaker 2
Now he did, I would.
00;10;01;09 - 00;10;02;20
CJ
You didn't say it on the show.
00;10;02;22 - 00;10;04;04
Speaker 2
Oh. What did you.
00;10;04;04 - 00;10;07;24
CJ
Didn't say, I don't know. Shit. No, no, that the Broncos would be nine and two with this.
00;10;07;24 - 00;10;29;17
Speaker 2
Oh, well, I can't tell you. I can't tell you that he. That was, I can't tell you that I was a huge believer in Bo Nix. Now, I've always said this. Sean Payton, I believe, is the best red zone coach I've ever seen. And I've seen some really good ones. This guy is creative, almost to a fault, of how creative he is.
00;10;29;17 - 00;10;49;04
Speaker 2
And he's been able to produce points once he gets to the red zone. But it looks like the game is, at least for me. Last two years, one with Russell Wilson and one with Bo Nix in his rookie year that he gets bought in in between the 20s. But once he gets in the in between the 20 or 25, whatever you want to call the red zone.
00;10;49;06 - 00;11;24;24
Speaker 2
He's dynamic. So it's all worked out, but it couldn't have worked this year offensively to to win all these games. It took the defense. The defense has been outstanding. And you've you've maintained a sense of, of professionalism and and really looking at it, your defense with the, with the NFL defensive player of the year out has still been able to produce what's what what's the key and into getting that defense to play consistently like they have.
00;11;24;24 - 00;11;44;10
Speaker 2
Well it's the it's it's the players out. You know it's the it's the group we have. It's a group that likes to practice likes to meet likes to study. You know the prep is everything in this league. We have a bunch of of self-made guys. You know, so, you know, it's a room outside of Patrick and, Barron, who's the first round pick?
00;11;44;10 - 00;12;06;20
Speaker 2
It's a bunch of second third round picks were fourth, fifth round picks, you know, washed out from other places. So they are always trying to prove themselves. And when you have a group that so hungry every single day. Right. I don't have to motivate these guys. Right. But on top of that Matt, it's all team first guys. They are they are playing for their teammates.
00;12;06;22 - 00;12;08;14
Speaker 2
And when you have that in this league.
00;12;08;14 - 00;12;09;07
CJ
That's the question.
00;12;09;07 - 00;12;21;21
Speaker 2
Yeah our our best trade on defense is this this team gets along right. Only gets them on this unit. Cheers for each other. This unit wants their buddies to make plays right. They want their buddy to get paid.
00;12;21;24 - 00;12;23;00
CJ
That's that's huge.
00;12;23;00 - 00;12;40;07
Speaker 2
In this league because because everyone has talent. But the best teams win, right. Not the best group of of of players. Right. The best teams win. Not the most collect not not the best collection of talent. Right. We have the best team. We have a close knit team in that practice preps because they want their teammate to have success.
00;12;40;07 - 00;12;41;24
Speaker 2
And that makes my job easy.
00;12;41;26 - 00;13;09;03
CJ
Well, listen, that was, an example of why this guy is such a great coach. I appreciate the humility. Yeah. You say it's the players. Certainly the players play. Yeah, I say it's the coach. And the reason I say that I'm watching situational football. And you know, coach puts players in position to make plays. And the number of times I've seen this defense out scheme offenses ahead of the game, you know, I was an offensive guy.
00;13;09;03 - 00;13;18;08
CJ
You weren't offensive guys. Probably why it's translated in being such a great defensive coordinator because you understand the mindset of offensive players. We worry about.
00;13;18;08 - 00;13;19;10
Speaker 2
Everything.
00;13;19;16 - 00;13;40;26
CJ
And it's it's a it's a it's a benefit and it's a detraction as well. Right, right, right. Because there's no way you can worry about and do everything well. And the way in situations you're dealing it up, the kind of work you've been doing over the last few years here as the defensive coordinator is, is what a guy like Spagnola gets credit.
00;13;40;26 - 00;13;42;00
Speaker 2
For in.
00;13;42;02 - 00;14;02;23
CJ
I think, the game against Kansas City last week when you guys was, you know, just not that you're playing against his defense, but you could see both defenses on the same stage. I think there's been a shift of that and sort of the mastermind of the defense. And the defense that's a step ahead of the offense is the way Spagnola had been credit.
00;14;02;24 - 00;14;15;24
CJ
You've been given been given credit for Vance Joseph. Now is that guy. And so I know listen, I'm not asking you to say, hey, you're absolutely right, C.J.. I'm just saying that's my observation, man. I'm just,
00;14;15;26 - 00;14;35;19
Speaker 2
I would, I would I would say this about the league, right? The league is the best players in the entire world, right? So it's always going to be a player's game. But I do think in this league because everyone has great players, right? It's so much parity in this league that coaching is so important. Right. Because you can you can have bad coaching.
00;14;35;19 - 00;14;50;25
Speaker 2
Right. And you have these great players out of position. Yeah. Right. Or they don't want to play for you. Yeah. Oh you can have these great players in position to make plays. And they beat themselves. Yeah. And and to develop players integral players and to see what they can't see you know and it in themselves sometimes that's coaching.
00;14;50;25 - 00;15;07;14
Speaker 2
Yeah. And and I think in this league and in this National Football League coaching is everything. Because we all have the players in college. It's levels to it. Right. You have certain teams that have a bunch of great players. You have certain teams, they have a bunch of seniors this year, certain teams who have 4 or 5 great players.
00;15;07;14 - 00;15;26;08
Speaker 2
Right. So the coaching becomes the better your players become kind of, you know, kind of flighty. But this is this is the greatest form of coaching because everyone has the same players. Yeah. You know, it's a it's an inch off the best receivers and best from team to team. So coaching and strategy and putting players in position is huge you know.
00;15;26;08 - 00;15;40;13
Speaker 2
So it's always going to be a player's game. But it's the it's the best talent in the world. So the coaches do have a big part in it. So so when it's right you know, we should say hands up, it's good. And when there's wrong we should say, hey, he was wrong. I made a mistake. I didn't help my guys.
00;15;40;14 - 00;15;56;08
Speaker 2
Right, right. And that's why to me I can say both because I know it's a player's game, but I do have influence. Yeah, and it's good influence or bad influence. So when it's good. Hey, high five. And that's my job. And when it's bad, it's on me. I'll fix it. And if you live that way in this league, you can survive it.
00;15;56;12 - 00;15;59;00
CJ
Hey, man, I'm tripping. I'm gonna tell you why I'm tripping, big fellow.
00;15;59;03 - 00;16;03;25
Speaker 2
I'm tripping, I'm slipping, I'm dipping, I'm rolling. But I'm a sack lead.
00;16;03;25 - 00;16;06;12
CJ
Oh, you say.
00;16;06;14 - 00;16;06;20
Speaker 2
They.
00;16;06;20 - 00;16;06;27
CJ
Are.
00;16;06;27 - 00;16;09;11
Speaker 2
They're saying.
00;16;09;13 - 00;16;37;13
CJ
Hey, man, let them look. I'm not going to ask you to define that. Here's why I'm tripping. Because as I'm sitting across from PJ and we've been look, man, we've been doing this for over a 35 years. As a matter of fact. And, on one hand, I'm listening to really one of the most mature and well articulated analysis of football.
00;16;37;16 - 00;16;42;04
CJ
And on the other side of my brain, I'm thinking about this 17 year old that came to school, right?
00;16;42;08 - 00;16;42;17
Speaker 2
Right.
00;16;42;17 - 00;16;56;12
CJ
17 year old freshman named in in in Miami. Right. Cause Beau Hagan goes down. He goes from being 3 to 2. V.J. J if you recall.
00;16;56;13 - 00;16;58;16
Speaker 2
Yes, I recall at all early.
00;16;58;16 - 00;17;02;01
CJ
In that I had I had a slightly pulled hamstring to begin with.
00;17;02;03 - 00;17;02;26
Speaker 2
He didn't practice their.
00;17;02;26 - 00;17;03;15
CJ
Entire bowl.
00;17;03;15 - 00;17;06;10
Speaker 2
Week. That's right. Well, we you have practice and practice in.
00;17;06;10 - 00;17;09;12
CJ
Times of slang. I was I was I was not in I was in bad shape.
00;17;09;12 - 00;17;12;09
Speaker 2
He didn't practice the entire time. I didn't know that. No.
00;17;12;13 - 00;17;39;01
CJ
So check it out. We're on the field playing. Hagen goes down, I'm in the game. And every time I came to the sideline, it didn't matter what the situation was. I'm on the field. Come to the sideline. My dog right there, don't you? Okay, I need anything, bro. Let me play. If you need what you need, I got whatever you do, don't come out this damn 17.
00;17;39;01 - 00;18;01;03
CJ
No. Preston 17. Did you tell you one thing that I'm also very proud of? I've watched you, and I got a question for you two. About about the teams you played for because you were the consummate sort of bridge player between great teams. You were a freshman on a national championship team, and you were a senior leader.
00;18;01;09 - 00;18;05;16
CJ
I think 91. Hagan's last year, 92 Hagan Lanes.
00;18;05;17 - 00;18;06;05
Speaker 2
Yeah, I think that.
00;18;06;05 - 00;18;17;17
CJ
Became your team. You were the leader from that point forward. There's a great debate that goes on and no one's better to answer the question than Vance Joe. Right.
00;18;17;19 - 00;18;18;21
Speaker 2
Oh, I know what this is.
00;18;18;28 - 00;18;25;09
CJ
National Championship 94 I talked to Cornell today and he's still talking about I think we would have beat you.
00;18;25;12 - 00;18;26;05
Speaker 2
Right.
00;18;26;08 - 00;18;30;10
CJ
There. Shows no no bias. I know you like sports.
00;18;30;16 - 00;18;31;16
Speaker 2
I was on both teams.
00;18;31;18 - 00;18;35;05
CJ
Who was the best team? Which team was better?
00;18;35;08 - 00;19;05;16
Speaker 2
All right. From from from a coach's perspective I would say I would say the 92 because it was built differently than our team, right? Our team was a skill based team. You know, my senior year because Renfro moved on, right. Woolfolk moved on all of our big bodies that, you know, was in between you and I did they moved on to.
00;19;05;21 - 00;19;06;16
CJ
That how we said big.
00;19;06;16 - 00;19;26;26
Speaker 2
Bodies and big outside back with Big Joe slotted. No. Joe's the no record. Right. But we did have Seneca Valley the young player. Right. And he was up and coming defensive linemen. Our backers were men Ted Johnson and Matt Love Ted. But we didn't have the for the cannabis. We didn't have the Joe Steve. Right. Well, Sam Rogers right.
00;19;26;26 - 00;19;45;19
Speaker 2
We have the Joe Gordon. We had a young we had a young Naomi was the only. Yeah. Right. He was a sophomore. We had a young holy ox man going on. So it was very comparable. But that 90 team teams, just grown men and and if it was, you know, apples to apples, it would be a problem for our team because it wasn't built that way.
00;19;45;21 - 00;19;47;07
CJ
You mean our team? You are on both teams.
00;19;47;07 - 00;20;08;26
Speaker 2
I was on it. Okay, but but the 90 team was just more mature. You know Kramer a bigger in the trenches in my opinion. Not a skill. Was was really close. So, we had we had Charles Johnson and Michael Westbrook scoring. That's right. Yes. It was Westbrook. Key Mitch Kidd.
00;20;08;28 - 00;20;22;11
Speaker 2
Ray Ray Ray Carruth Lamont left the year before. So he went to those three on that team. Yes. He was Rashaan Salaam. Christian for you. Yeah. Right in there. Right. 3839 tackle nasty.
00;20;22;14 - 00;20;24;16
CJ
Oh, Irwin was Irwin.
00;20;24;19 - 00;20;42;21
Speaker 2
Irwin was the left guard. Stoltenberg was the center goalie, maybe the only right. And we had last year there. West with the right tackle. That's right. You know. So it was that was it. Yeah I it sounds like a great very similar. Yeah. What. Yes. Big and grimy on defense. It was different defense. You know I think schematically it was different.
00;20;42;22 - 00;20;56;07
Speaker 2
It was it was. And how we played my senior year was more of a one back NFL oftentimes outside zone and play action pass boot. Right. We wanted with Coach Mack. It was with the eyeballs. So it was it was different right. It was so different right.
00;20;56;10 - 00;20;58;18
CJ
So to answer the question is 92.
00;20;58;19 - 00;21;14;06
Speaker 2
I would say 90. You know you guys we you guys played for twice right. Yeah. No we didn't even play for it. Now we should have you know play for it at Nebraska. We lost at Nebraska. You know we beat Michigan obviously at Michigan. Hail Mary you get Brooke.
00;21;14;06 - 00;21;16;20
CJ
Gregory over it every time you say that Nebraska smile.
00;21;16;20 - 00;21;51;16
Speaker 2
Nebraska. But yeah I mean in 92 I mean come on guys played. You guys played for two national championship. We didn't play for one. Yeah I have to ask you something because, you know, all of this time, you know, I've watched you grow as, as a husband, father and as a coach, but I've never known, who your real influences were from the coaching side, because I see I see this defense for the Broncos right now, and I see shades away.
00;21;51;16 - 00;22;15;16
Speaker 2
Phillips. Yeah, I see I see the intensity and the playmaking of your secondary of that that Super Bowl 50 type team. But I I've never asked you so I'll ask you now who grew up in your coaching influences that have shaped your your your coaching, your current coaching style. Yeah. Like you say, hey, I think I'm more of this guy than that guy.
00;22;15;18 - 00;22;35;05
Speaker 2
Well, obviously way, you know, was my biggest influence on defense. You know, it's just it's it's weights three four. And when you're talking 3 or 4 defenses, it's two different forms of three four defense. Right. It's, it's what we played in college. Just the two gap. Right. You know, big outside backers. Not really droppers no more cover two old school three four.
00;22;35;07 - 00;23;00;02
Speaker 2
And it's Wade Phillips three four defense which is really a single gap. Three four defense. So it's really four three defenses right wide nine defensive single guy football right. And it's played with smaller people up front you know so that's that's my front influence with strictly Wade right. Coverage influence early on obviously Wade. But I had the pleasure of leaving Wade in Houston and working with Marvin Lewis.
00;23;00;07 - 00;23;14;18
Speaker 2
Oh see so I was with Marv. I was with Cincinnati, Cincinnati for two years. And Zimmer just left there and went to Minnesota. So I got a little bit of Zimmer. Also, you know, and a little bit of Marv could be more was more of a quarter court, a half half court of water guy and a fire zone guy.
00;23;14;18 - 00;23;33;26
Speaker 2
So I stole my car my fire zone sliver of. And Zimmer was the king of the, you know, get blitz right from from Jim Johnson who I played for an Indy you know. So between them and those guys environment and Wade did just combine in all three systems. You know kind of you know evolved to what what we're doing right now.
00;23;34;02 - 00;24;00;09
Speaker 2
Let me I'm sorry about that. So go ahead jump ahead. There was a time, in your first year back here as a defensive coordinator. Yeah. When it felt like, the entire Denver, Bronco community wanted you gone after that. Miami? Yeah. How did you and your family handle, what was possibly one of your worst days as, as a coach?
00;24;00;11 - 00;24;19;27
Speaker 2
How did how did you guys handle that? I would say this, you know, about my job and the family, right? I think we've done a great job. My wife and I are off keeping this football in perspective. And, you know, I always tell coaches and players alike like, man, look, we're not carrying cancer, right? It's football is entertainment.
00;24;19;29 - 00;24;36;23
Speaker 2
And if you keep it there, it won't burn your feelings a little bit. Yeah. That Miami game was a a terrible performance. And and again I talk about when it's good the coaches high five and eight. They smile. And when it's bad no one wants to take it. I'll take it right I'll take it and talk openly about it.
00;24;36;25 - 00;25;01;28
Speaker 2
But that game obviously was was was really embarrassing for all parties involved. But my name's on it and I'm okay with that. Right. Ultimately as one game it could have been ten and not this one game, but it did allow us in Denver to make the changes we need to talk to people with where we are now. Because we first got back here, it was more of keep it the same kind of, you know, keep it, what thing was doing.
00;25;01;28 - 00;25;20;25
Speaker 2
And those things and the players were used to kind of big system, but it forced us to change how we played the game, and it forced us to move on from some personnel pieces that wasn't working for us, you know, so we wouldn't be where we are now without that game. Yeah, right. Because that was that was more of a been don't break.
00;25;20;27 - 00;25;39;22
Speaker 2
Hope we win. Did you did you coach under those same philosophies. That first year the Duke did you did you input your entire defense that first year or did you just say, hey, let's ease into it? Well, we were trying to do what's best for the players, right? Right. This defense was top 15, top 13, whatever. They were really good in the red zone.
00;25;39;25 - 00;25;59;14
Speaker 2
So we're trying to hit the ground running and win it immediately and trying to keep some things intact. The players knew, right. So I came and kind of learned some of their stuff and kind of put my spin on it. But it wasn't it wasn't totally mine until after that game, to be honest. Okay. And I, you know, I appreciate that game because it allowed me to make the right changes and so on.
00;25;59;14 - 00;26;14;05
Speaker 2
And I had a great talk after that game. And I told him, I said, coach, you let me be me. And I promise you I'll help you win. Look, just let me be me and I'll make you play an offense a lot easier. I'll take the ball away. I'm hit with quarterback, right? I'm gonna give you short fields.
00;26;14;05 - 00;26;35;16
Speaker 2
So once him and I had that meeting, it came out of that meeting. And it's been good ever since. But again, you never stop learning as a coach, right. That that taught me one more lesson about coaching. Right. You have to do you because you have to call it in your image right through the players. And if you don't, if you don't own it or you don't know it, you can't even fix it.
00;26;35;19 - 00;26;50;04
Speaker 2
And you surely can't convince the players it's the right thing to do when you don't own it. That's right. Right. No, not that half of game plan and half of getting players to play. It's walking in on Wednesday and selling the game, playing like it's the best they've ever heard. Right. And when it's yours it is. It's right.
00;26;50;04 - 00;27;07;13
Speaker 2
You know when you've worked the 40 hours to get to that Wednesday it is the best. But when it's someone else and you try to just melt it and, and hope they like it and hope it was good to them. But players don't care. Players just want to play fast on their terms. So again, as a as an experience coach, you've been the league's 18 years.
00;27;07;16 - 00;27;12;29
Speaker 2
I learned a little lesson there. Right. You got to do it your way. You know in your image. If not don't take the job.
00;27;13;05 - 00;27;28;00
CJ
That's good. That's good. And I know I haven't said that. I know there was at least one person you want to slap the shit out of talking smack, but I'm not going to be that one person, was it? I don't know who it was, but I know there had to be. At least I know it was me. It would have been at least one.
00;27;28;00 - 00;27;29;21
CJ
And I just, you know what? If I can't see?
00;27;29;26 - 00;27;30;16
Speaker 2
Well, I just don't.
00;27;30;16 - 00;27;31;13
CJ
I just thought I may.
00;27;31;13 - 00;27;35;08
Speaker 2
Not have vitriol. Hey, man, you mean the Cam Walker? The Cam Jones.
00;27;35;08 - 00;27;53;29
CJ
Award? The Cam Jones award was to tell everybody what the candle was when we had it. We had it. We had a teammate named Cam Jones. And on at the senior banquet, Cam Jones got up because seniors were able to get up and, you know, give a little speech. By the way, this was the last time that was the case.
00;27;54;01 - 00;28;18;28
CJ
After Cam Jones gave out his awards, seniors never had a chance to speak again. So that was a card. It was the Ali Award. We had a coach on defense that cam wasn't very fond of, whose name will remain. And I said, he said, I'm going to give the Cam Jones Ali Award to this particular coach, and you get the Ali Award, because one day I'm going to see you walk it down.
00;28;18;28 - 00;28;28;02
CJ
I'm gonna I'm gonna see walking down the street, and I'm gonna see you through the alley, and I'm gonna walk down the alley and commence to whippin your ass. He said.
00;28;28;05 - 00;28;34;04
Speaker 2
If I ever see your ass in the alley, I'm going to whip your ass. And that was basically the banquet was over.
00;28;34;04 - 00;28;55;29
CJ
It was over. I was like, breakfast scratch, party over. Now, guys, listen, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention last night. Speaking of great coaches and great coach, we have the benefit of being under the tutelage. One of the greatest to ever do it. I gotta tell you, man, there was an, an unveiling of a statue.
00;28;55;29 - 00;29;12;23
CJ
You guys gotta see it. I know you were both. You guys were on the road. Didn't get a chance to see it. It is magnificent. Bill McCartney was honored last night with the unveiling of a statue of himself on campus. Looks just like Leno should have been a little bit more. But beyond that, they nailed it.
00;29;12;23 - 00;29;14;12
Speaker 2
Yeah. You know,
00;29;14;15 - 00;29;35;04
CJ
Talk about just the influence of Bill McCartney on. And it's almost cheapening his impact if we just talk about him in the context of football, that's cool. But who was he to you guys as it relates to football, but just being men as well?
00;29;35;07 - 00;30;08;24
Speaker 2
Well, first of all, I'd like to say that I played for the two greatest coaches in this state. I played for Bill McCartney and I played for Mike Shanahan. And having those having those influences on you are just absolutely special. You know, Coach Mac, you know, this is something that, like many people may not know, but Coach Mac, on Sundays we played on Saturdays and on Sundays we never came in for for for meetings.
00;30;08;27 - 00;30;31;16
Speaker 2
Right. Oh, he thought Sundays should be a day of worship and a day, that people can get together with their families and and have that private time. Yep. You know what? I've been I've been waiting and listening to all these coaches all these years. I've never heard anybody else do that.
00;30;31;18 - 00;30;31;29
CJ
Really.
00;30;32;05 - 00;31;02;10
Speaker 2
I never heard any. It's not normal. It's not. It's not normal. But this kind of puts things in perspective. He just made sure that football was football. Family is family and you should be able to meld both. And when it becomes, when it becomes a choice between football and family, choose family. Yeah. Choose family. And that's, that that's my that's my take away, from from being around Bill McCarthy, big.
00;31;02;10 - 00;31;03;10
CJ
Mac, that's your Mac?
00;31;03;10 - 00;31;29;09
Speaker 2
Yep. Choose the family, man. He's he's the family. You know, I'll I'll I'll take that. You know, some people may say, you know that. You know, they professionally. You have to work in it, man. I'm telling you, I saw this man at work. I saw him move. I saw him love the game. I mean, when he stopped, when he stopped coaching the Q bus, he still was around the program every week.
00;31;29;12 - 00;31;59;04
Speaker 2
He never stopped loving it, but he loved his family more. I'll take that as as his, fingerprint on me. Yeah, well, that's well said, al, about the person that you know, I will go back to the coach. You know, I'm coaching now, and I use so many of his, his, his, his, his little coaching statements, you know, back in the day, you know, camaraderie had to be you know, it was physical was one to morale being ten.
00;31;59;06 - 00;32;15;29
Speaker 2
That's so true about football is so simple. And he would always say it to us. But as an 18 year old you kind of hear they got them, you know you hear. But you saw right about that. Like football is a morale game, right? It's the physical traits are obviously what they are, but it's a morale game and the best teams win.
00;32;15;29 - 00;32;27;19
Speaker 2
Right. And he would always say rightly position and fully engage. I still use those those terms today. You know, all the time what our guys meant about being rightly positioned and fully engaged. You know.
00;32;27;19 - 00;32;29;13
CJ
That was that was Coach Mack, you know.
00;32;29;16 - 00;32;32;03
Speaker 2
Around sort of physical. I still use those with these.
00;32;32;03 - 00;32;35;21
CJ
AFL players and they love them. Yes, they love them. Yes I.
00;32;35;23 - 00;32;51;01
Speaker 2
I credit coach with that on the bottom of that quote. You know it's it's my college coach. You know we didn't lose a lot with Coach Mack. That's right. That's all we knew right. Right. All we knew was go to practice. It was going to be physical. We're wearing pads. That's right. We had inside when we had rod aside.
00;32;51;01 - 00;32;52;16
Speaker 2
Right. That was going to be physical.
00;32;52;23 - 00;32;54;07
CJ
As all we knew.
00;32;54;09 - 00;33;03;16
Speaker 2
And Saturdays were easy. Like like we didn't think about playing Texas and those team like it was a big hurdle. Right. It was the next opponent we're going to kick their ass, right? Right, right. So that's.
00;33;03;16 - 00;33;05;12
CJ
How he coaches and that's that's what we.
00;33;05;12 - 00;33;11;16
Speaker 2
Knew. And looking back on it, what we did and what you guys did was hard. But we didn't think it was that hard.
00;33;11;17 - 00;33;12;01
CJ
That's right.
00;33;12;04 - 00;33;28;05
Speaker 2
You know we had one read game and I was Nebraska. You know the rest of those games were we had a way we played Washington. It didn't matter. Didn't matter where we played them. They didn't matter. Texas, no matter what we play them when we played them. Right. We don't beat this team. That's all we knew was physical and do it right.
00;33;28;07 - 00;33;49;22
Speaker 2
And in the end, his ruler for the team. Exact alignment. Right. Exact eye placement, exact tackling drills. All we knew was how to play football and win. And we had so many good players that that he recruited to Boulder. You know how that happened. I don't know how that happened, I don't know. And then New Orleans and LA, Houston.
00;33;49;24 - 00;34;08;01
Speaker 2
That being said, he can hold you accountable as a man also because he knew behind you was a do a real talent. So if you didn't do it right, man, you were out, you know, and he saved so many lives, in my opinion, outside of football because, he helped us grow as young men. You go from LA, a new Orleans, Detroit, Houston to Boulder.
00;34;08;01 - 00;34;08;23
CJ
It was different for me.
00;34;08;24 - 00;34;29;29
Speaker 2
That's right. You know. But he protected us. He defended us. He educated us on where we're living. You know how to navigate it. You know. And he held accountable for our actions and everyone around us also. So, you know, I'll never forget how he treated these young black dudes from these cities, right? Because Boulder was foreign to us.
00;34;29;29 - 00;34;34;01
Speaker 2
But he defended us to the end. Man, we were wrong. We're wrong. And that's right, us. He held.
00;34;34;01 - 00;34;34;17
CJ
You accountable.
00;34;34;18 - 00;34;44;14
Speaker 2
Father would. And you look back on a lot of lives he saved, man, just by holding guys accountable. You know, we're all, you know, good men and fathers. And that's because of coach man.
00;34;44;16 - 00;35;04;16
CJ
No, no doubt about that. Let's talk a little bit about kids. I want you to to break a tie in a big fella. Been going out a little bit. He's been I know what happened in early in the season. He was nice. You know he'd make good points. He didn't cuss as much. Right. You know he didn't get that shot change.
00;35;04;18 - 00;35;29;12
CJ
You didn't get that conversation. You know, like an adult. Then we started talking about this kid. You, Joe Louis. Yeah. Who I think is going to be outstanding. Man, I think this kid is really showing some promise. But the question came up about redshirting, because if he plays in the last two games, he'll start tonight. And if he plays next week against Kansas State he burns his redshirt.
00;35;29;13 - 00;35;30;13
Speaker 2
Right.
00;35;30;16 - 00;35;42;27
CJ
That's my position was in this. In today's college football, the redshirt isn't as valued as much because you're on the move I mean who knows how long you know and if the kid is.
00;35;42;27 - 00;35;48;25
Speaker 2
But you're also trading one game if possible 14 or 15 if you make it to the playoffs.
00;35;48;25 - 00;36;15;02
CJ
Yeah that's true. You know, I'm just saying you can't really plan for four years or five years out, given today's college football the way you could back then. House position is solid. I articulate it better than he does, so I'll just tell you what it is he actually just articulated. Listen, you can't if it's just one game, don't trade the one game in for a potential of having another 12 games.
00;36;15;04 - 00;36;16;29
CJ
In a what could be a redshirt year.
00;36;16;29 - 00;36;17;27
Speaker 2
Yeah.
00;36;17;29 - 00;36;20;29
CJ
Any particular. And again, as an NFL coach.
00;36;20;29 - 00;36;28;12
Speaker 2
Well, I'm in a college. Yeah. Well hold on now. Hold on now. You coached in college for how many years? For four. For four years in college. So you've seen but.
00;36;28;12 - 00;36;30;02
CJ
Not in this but not in this environment.
00;36;30;07 - 00;36;50;19
Speaker 2
I think I think we're college football is right now. It's bizarre to me, a kid like this, that's that's obviously Hollywood from the he's a he's a five star. I watched a kid plays a quarterback and he's got savvy. He's got pocket presence. Yes ma'am. You got a quick release. Tough. Yep. He's competitive.
00;36;50;19 - 00;36;54;05
CJ
So I love him. Three snaps now you can tell I processes dissect.
00;36;54;05 - 00;37;09;09
Speaker 2
And that man he is right. He's a quarterback I love watching him play. I think the toughest thing for these these coaches is when they do have a prospect like this, they want to get him on the field as soon as possible because they know in their heart if the evaluation is right, he's only going to play three years anyway.
00;37;09;11 - 00;37;21;01
Speaker 2
So to me, I think for quarterbacks especially, I think the more they can play, the more games they can play, man. You figure out the time later, but if you want to win games next year, I'm playing at these last two games.
00;37;21;03 - 00;37;21;26
CJ
As a quarterback.
00;37;21;27 - 00;37;38;06
Speaker 2
I want him to grow as a player and the more he can grow, us like going to bowl games for the for for the average teams are so important, right? You get a month more practice. You get a month more of live bullets. Right? So the more this kid plays, man, watching and play last week in his West Virginia, he's special in my opinion.
00;37;38;06 - 00;37;54;01
Speaker 2
Right. So the more he plays right, those those those those immature decisions are going to go away. And now this time next year you're talking about going play for something real, you know. So to me I played a kid. I've already played him. I would have played him all year. I would have two and let him go see this right there and to let him go.
00;37;54;06 - 00;38;17;11
Speaker 2
But it's also tough guys, because, you know, to me it's so foreign to me because it's like free agency without contracts, right? It's free agency without evidence. Was free agency on both sides. Finally, for the players and the coaches, at least a parole free agent, I've watched him play for 4 to 5 years versus NFL players. So I have a clear evaluation.
00;38;17;11 - 00;38;23;12
Speaker 2
If the person's right with the player is right, a college initial free agent.
00;38;23;14 - 00;38;25;03
CJ
What do you.
00;38;25;06 - 00;38;27;12
Speaker 2
What is he. Well.
00;38;27;15 - 00;38;28;10
CJ
I mean as well said.
00;38;28;10 - 00;38;47;16
Speaker 2
He's never seen it that play against maybe high school kids. He obviously hadn't play at this place. He's left because he's leaving. So you have no evidence. So what tells you he's going to be the short shot for your system? The shortstop person for your your school? Because in free agency, you have to make sure the vision for the player is right.
00;38;47;18 - 00;39;04;25
Speaker 2
And I don't sign it. He could be a great player for someone else's scheme, but for yours, you got to be right about that. So how did he know it? Know if he's the right fit? You have no evidence. So to me, it's it's an impossible test to win with a bunch of NFL players because it's so tough, man.
00;39;04;25 - 00;39;09;24
Speaker 2
Because you have no idea what you acquired. Now this is, this is what I.
00;39;09;29 - 00;39;15;14
CJ
Guess Arizona State. You got some bears on the state. The on the. Yeah.
00;39;15;15 - 00;39;16;18
Speaker 2
Yeah.
00;39;16;20 - 00;39;17;26
CJ
They're going to take this hell tonight.
00;39;17;26 - 00;39;43;11
Speaker 2
But but here's, here's here's something interesting. Speaking of Arizona State, their quarterback, their very talented quarterback, Sam Leavitt, who was about to be a first round draft pick in 2026. This kid and his brother who works for CAA, which is a, agency. An agency? Yes. They've already put it out there and they're shopping him right now.
00;39;43;15 - 00;40;09;26
Speaker 2
They're shopping him right now. This is, you know, Jeff Sims right now is the starting quarterback for Arizona State. But Sam Leavitt was the guy that led that team to the playoffs last year. Yeah. What's got us, scatter bowl. And that guy is now looking for the highest dollar. Yeah. And he's not going to go into the NFL draft, right.
00;40;09;29 - 00;40;28;04
Speaker 2
He's going to stay in college one more year and he's looking for the highest dollar, but rightfully so in my opinion. Yes, it's the right thing because here's what I'll say about that decision. Now we just talked about a young NRL player coming to your team. You have no idea what that player is. This kid is played right.
00;40;28;06 - 00;40;47;01
Speaker 2
We've watched. He's a proven come on through this. Like, it's like when Kirk Cousins became a free agent at his age in the league was the first guaranteed contract because we never saw it before. Right. You know, a player of Kirk Cousins abilities would never available in free agency right? His age, his health and how well he was playing this kid.
00;40;47;04 - 00;40;48;21
Speaker 2
Rightfully so. Because you do.
00;40;48;21 - 00;40;49;11
CJ
Have evidence.
00;40;49;11 - 00;41;00;18
Speaker 2
Of what he is healthy. Right. So it's a it's a better decision to go sign this kid and sign a high school kid because you you've watched in your favor. Are you are you in favor of the way that this is going to work?
00;41;00;20 - 00;41;24;25
CJ
It's it's it's the rules of the game. Now, here's here's here's the only thing I'd say, because I'm with BJ, you can't really plan for 3 or 4 years, because if there's too many possibilities of things that can distract the that can happen between today and 3 or 4 years from now. Now, the one point, the one counterpoint I'd make to make to our argument is related to what you just said.
00;41;24;28 - 00;41;34;27
CJ
If I'm if I'm a young quarterback, let's say I come in, I'm a hot shot five star and I get $2 million my freshman year.
00;41;34;28 - 00;41;37;16
Speaker 2
Right?
00;41;37;18 - 00;41;45;03
CJ
The only argument I would have is that fifth year is a potentially nothing guaranteed.
00;41;45;06 - 00;41;47;25
Speaker 2
To make money. Maybe know.
00;41;47;27 - 00;41;49;14
CJ
It could be 5 million.
00;41;49;14 - 00;41;50;20
Speaker 2
Assets, right?
00;41;50;23 - 00;42;10;10
CJ
More than what your rookie contract could do. I think that would be the argument for the player to want five years, because unlike when we play, you get paid for five years, right? I mean, you can pay a pretty big buck, but that's not the prerogative of the team or the coach. So if I'm a player, I hear what you're saying.
00;42;10;10 - 00;42;23;29
CJ
I can I can make that argument that I want to be eligible just in case. I want the choice to be mine. Right. Do I go to the league and make 5 million or do I stand? I mean, think about the conversation we're having to do what's needed.
00;42;23;29 - 00;42;29;27
Speaker 2
Not what's the kid's name from Georgia that is playing Miami and Miami right now?
00;42;29;29 - 00;42;31;14
CJ
Carson Bay, Carson back.
00;42;31;14 - 00;42;39;19
Speaker 2
I mean, that guy, that guy was probably going to be a second or third round draft pick this past year, and he chose to stay in college and go to Miami.
00;42;39;20 - 00;42;41;16
CJ
Think Miami, get the money back.
00;42;41;19 - 00;42;59;15
Speaker 2
They there's something to mix. I think they're still in the mix. Right. Yeah. Yeah, they're still in the, Virginia Tech. But I do think it's about the quarterback. You know, I think for the player, if he can go earn, a decent salary, right. More than he's going to make as a rookie quarterback. You mean in college?
00;42;59;18 - 00;43;00;20
Speaker 2
In college.
00;43;00;23 - 00;43;02;05
CJ
And play more teams.
00;43;02;07 - 00;43;17;28
Speaker 2
Right? It's so much more fun to me, right? The more games these guys play, man, the better they translate to the league, right? Just just the more reps and the more time, more task, man. You know, so if you can play more games in college and get paid for it, why wouldn't you? Yeah, that's what I say, that you have.
00;43;17;28 - 00;43;24;02
CJ
A kid at the quarterback who's first round pick a couple of years ago in Indy, didn't play a lot of college, but Richardson.
00;43;24;06 - 00;43;25;09
Speaker 2
Or Richardson and you can.
00;43;25;10 - 00;43;30;22
CJ
You can see conversely, a kid like Bo Nix, who probably isn't as physically.
00;43;30;22 - 00;43;39;09
Speaker 2
Talented, maybe he's playing his best as he's getting. He can play. Maybe he's, you know, because he's he's a second year guy, but he's also 26, 30, 20th September.
00;43;39;13 - 00;43;39;19
CJ
Bo.
00;43;39;19 - 00;43;42;21
Speaker 2
Nix bo bo nix. Yeah. Yeah I mean so.
00;43;42;24 - 00;43;52;05
CJ
But but but but the point is this clearly he was more ready to play at the next. Louder. Well he got it. Well that's I guess that's part of the point you've played a lot of.
00;43;52;09 - 00;44;10;17
Speaker 2
And listen listen listen I, I love Bo Nix. I think what makes it special and I'll say this about Bo Nix and my wife, we were flying back this morning. She said, just say why everyone so hard on Bo isn't I don't know why isn't he a second year player? I said, yeah, you're only a second year player.
00;44;10;17 - 00;44;29;20
Speaker 2
I said it, but both play a lot of football, so both seems like AA7 year. And so make sure you handle himself so well you know. But he's a second year player and and he has every every trait you want in a quarterback. He has the physical traits to arm talent the movement. He don't take sacks right. He's tough right.
00;44;29;22 - 00;44;52;13
Speaker 2
The bears love playing for him. He can run feisty. He he wins in the fourth quarter. He's missing nothing. Just time. Yeah I believe that the guy is special. You know I told C.J. special last Tuesday that last Monday that I believe that he's a, the Broncos are in, the driver's seat in that Broncos are Super Bowl contender this year.
00;44;52;16 - 00;44;53;21
Speaker 2
I don't know how it's going to end.
00;44;53;23 - 00;44;55;07
CJ
He got the best record in the league.
00;44;55;07 - 00;45;15;03
Speaker 2
Well, I'm just saying. But it's different now. I'm just saying. But why would you? You know, there's some teams out there. There are some teams out there that you just can't really put your finger on who they are, why they're playing like this and what their record is and what it really represents. And say two things about, well, okay, I think Bo Nix is the Broncos future John Elway.
00;45;15;06 - 00;45;32;06
Speaker 2
He's going to be here for a long time because he's built for it. He's built for it. I promise you that. And number two about Bo Nix. We know on game day he going make a play right. Because we watch it in practice all summer. All spring. He's going to make a play. His skill set man. He's going to make a play eventually.
00;45;32;08 - 00;45;49;01
Speaker 2
You know so defensively offensively you know we just play as a team. We talk about how we can win each game and sometimes the strategic of of how we win in these games. But we know in the day he going to make a play with he it's tough and competitive and he's smart and he wants to win every game he plays.
00;45;49;03 - 00;45;50;18
CJ
And you make timely plays too.
00;45;50;18 - 00;46;11;17
Speaker 2
And the boys love him right. That's why his teammates love of the boys love. Hey look, I gotta ask I gotta ask you this. Now that we are starting to talk about the, you know, college football and, the Denver Broncos and some of these, some of these situations I got to ask you about, two part question here.
00;46;11;20 - 00;46;36;21
Speaker 2
What's happening with Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss is pretty, well, it's pretty unique. We've never we've never actually seen this where, he's given an ultimatum, you know, and it was reported this morning that LSU's put together a $90 million package. And my my brain was it was, excuse me, 98. I thought it was 90 is 98 million.
00;46;36;21 - 00;46;38;05
CJ
Man at eight makes a difference.
00;46;38;05 - 00;46;54;01
Speaker 2
That makes a difference. One of my question I'll let you chew on it for a minute. Can you see yourself going back and taking a position in college football? I know Mike Tomlin despises the question. I'll ask you this. Yeah, late, late later down the line. But in the second.
00;46;54;01 - 00;46;59;18
CJ
Day they just made I think he he's probably like, I.
00;46;59;20 - 00;47;21;17
Speaker 2
Well, let's start with that. When you start with that one then that's what I would say about that. I would never say never. Right. But I think the environment that, you know, college football is in right now, it's tough man, if you don't have experience and and dealing with that stuff now no one has experience now. But you know I would say never you know I would say never never because it's a it's a really good jobs of college, you know.
00;47;21;17 - 00;47;37;24
Speaker 2
But I don't I don't, I don't think about that right now. Right. It's, it's seasons where everything right now I'm in the midst of a season where the Broncos, we got six games to go and push and improve. But I would never say never. It's a brilliant college jobs. And obviously coaching the kids is what we do for a living.
00;47;37;24 - 00;47;58;21
Speaker 2
And that's the that's the joy of coaching. So I would never say never. Okay, so in the second part of this question, is that eventually you got to have to make a decision and maybe the decision is based on, the family goals. Right? You know, sometime it's, you know, this is my first big contract. I need to take the deal.
00;47;58;23 - 00;48;23;03
Speaker 2
But watching this deal with Ole Miss as, outsider. And you're not in the college game, right? And you don't understand and know, the situation there, do you look at it like, this is this is the wildest time in college, and in college athletics and college sports that you've ever seen. Or you say this is just we, you know, this is what it was supposed to be 20 years ago.
00;48;23;03 - 00;48;44;15
Speaker 2
I think it's I think it's wild because it's the it's the next. It's the next year. You know, in five years it's going to be even louder. You know, and it's no different than when we played in college. It wasn't Indiana. Oh, man. It was programs, right? You know, that's how we survive. And we survive. Fine. Right now, kids are getting paid 4 or 500 grand to play college football.
00;48;44;15 - 00;48;53;13
Speaker 2
And some of these kids, it's going to be the last money they're making football. That's right, that's right. Play Pro Bowl. That's right. That's just fact. Right. But what about the coaches who are making these huge money.
00;48;53;13 - 00;48;55;23
CJ
But I think it's entertainment.
00;48;55;26 - 00;49;16;24
Speaker 2
It's like business right. So so as the sport becomes more popular TV deals become larger. Obviously, you know the money goes up for everyone. It's no different in our league. Right? I mean, your, your max salary now maybe, you know middle of the road for edge rusher. You know how many kids now are making 3040, 50 million a year.
00;49;16;27 - 00;49;35;17
Speaker 2
You know quarterbacks make almost 60 million a year now is entertainment and no different in college and pro ball as the as the as the contracts become larger and the TV deals become larger, right. And the sport grows, the money goes up for everybody. So, you know, in 20 years it's going to be it's going to be different.
00;49;35;21 - 00;49;36;25
Speaker 2
It works in this probably.
00;49;36;28 - 00;49;38;09
CJ
And I would say I will say I'm not.
00;49;38;09 - 00;49;54;20
Speaker 2
Going to get smaller. Right. But but I'll ask you I mean, you saw that situation with Ole Miss and Lane Kiffin. Yeah. What the what what did you take from it? I mean if you put in that situation like, look man, you're going to take our terms of our deal or you're not going to play it. You're not going to coach in a playoff game.
00;49;54;20 - 00;49;56;01
Speaker 2
I mean, he has his team right now.
00;49;56;01 - 00;50;02;18
CJ
And what a great problem to have man I wish someone would say, hey man, you going to take this 98.
00;50;02;21 - 00;50;05;03
Speaker 2
No no no that's that's that's what LSU is offering.
00;50;05;09 - 00;50;17;03
CJ
So Ole Miss is saying look you gotta you gotta make a decision right now. And I wish somebody would I'd be like, you know what? I'm a little man. I'm a holler. It seems like.
00;50;17;03 - 00;50;21;12
Speaker 2
It's a selfish play, a ploy from from Ole Miss.
00;50;21;14 - 00;50;22;16
CJ
I mean, listen.
00;50;22;18 - 00;50;29;27
Speaker 2
I mean to say that you have a chance to win a national championship and you wouldn't allow your coach to coach because he's in contract negotiations.
00;50;29;28 - 00;50;44;25
CJ
Listen, man, this is this is you're talking about 90 plus million dollars. Great. I mean, Ole Miss wants they want what's absolutely best for their program. Jupiter. How how is that good in a playoff run. How is that good.
00;50;44;25 - 00;50;50;03
Speaker 2
Well in a if you can if you do make it to the playoffs I tell you what. You know who's your play caller and your head coach.
00;50;50;03 - 00;51;07;18
CJ
I tell you oh is that good I can I tell you what's not good having your head coach in play call it thinking about his next job while he's coaching your team. Because I guarantee you Lane Kiffin by the way, Lane Kiffin is taking the LSU job.
00;51;07;20 - 00;51;08;10
Speaker 2
You think he is.
00;51;08;11 - 00;51;21;00
CJ
I mean listen he has to he has to no different than if Texas coming out of high school offered you 20 million an Oklahoma state offer you three. Where you go I'm.
00;51;21;00 - 00;51;27;04
Speaker 2
Going to Colorado.
00;51;27;06 - 00;51;45;18
CJ
Hey, we're down here at the border, Mary. At the home of the Big Island. C.J. so this is where we hang. This is our home. And I gotta give my man Davis. I gotta shout out that he does a terrible job every time sitting out our folks, we got friends and family and alumni here. Amen. We talk about us going way back.
00;51;45;18 - 00;52;19;16
CJ
Maybe. And oftentimes when we talk about national championship, it's just the fellas. How about the rain? Roundtree Brooke Gregory oh, man. And they're in the house today. Right. And it just brings it all full circle. You talk about the family of that we had. It extends beyond the guys who are in the huddle, because our extended huddle was just as special when we went to school at a time where, our experience was unique in part because in large part because of that extended family that we had.
00;52;19;16 - 00;52;33;02
CJ
So I just want to shout out those who came out, our extended family, to be a part of this great and cold, Norm, be in the house, of course. What an all time great baby. No doubt about it, man. So, Yeah. Yeah. Give me shout out.
00;52;33;03 - 00;52;51;05
Speaker 2
Yeah, this is great, man. Once again, senior day I know we got to get moving here soon to get up there. And you know I'm not. But I mean there's a very there's a very special kid on this team that we all for for him. We've known since he was a baby. And it's Arden Walker. Walker. Yes. And wears number 53.
00;52;51;05 - 00;52;56;17
Speaker 2
And he is, he has been, he's been a fantastic key. Yes. No, I'm not.
00;52;56;17 - 00;52;57;01
CJ
I'm not going.
00;52;57;01 - 00;52;59;15
Speaker 2
To cry telling you. I'm just telling you I'm.
00;52;59;15 - 00;53;03;21
CJ
Not about to cry out. So right now I'm just saying this, all right?
00;53;03;21 - 00;53;08;15
Speaker 2
I'm just saying it's it's, it's incredibly powerful. It is powerful. You know, I talked to Candace.
00;53;08;15 - 00;53;09;13
CJ
I don't want you to hold it.
00;53;09;16 - 00;53;15;14
Speaker 2
I talked to Candace's mom, this morning. And that's.
00;53;15;17 - 00;53;16;20
CJ
That, man.
00;53;16;23 - 00;53;36;16
Speaker 2
And just to just to understand, the plight. Yeah, that that that all of these guys go through all of these workouts, all of these, different levels of competency, whether it's academic or athletics, that they have to get through to get to this day. And it's an unbelievable. Unbelievable. Yeah.
00;53;36;16 - 00;53;37;13
CJ
You make me cry.
00;53;37;19 - 00;53;59;20
Speaker 2
Yeah, but it's, it's it's it's a celebration of their, of their athletic tenure. Yeah. And also a celebration of, you know, an accomplishment that very few can say that they had a part in. So I'm I'm looking forward to that today. And, I wish him all luck. You know, all the kids that have, given some time, I don't know.
00;53;59;20 - 00;54;06;04
Speaker 2
And I don't know how many four year seniors we have. I don't think very many, but, five year seniors with transfer portal.
00;54;06;04 - 00;54;07;05
CJ
Who. Exactly.
00;54;07;07 - 00;54;20;27
Speaker 2
Exactly. But I say, I'll say this to each one of them. Thank you for your time and and, and your effort. You know, we we cheer on, we cheer you on. On Saturdays, we have one more Saturday to go, and, let's go out with a bang, man.
00;54;20;28 - 00;54;24;22
CJ
Let's go out with a bang. Arizona State that kick off is the by.
00;54;24;22 - 00;54;48;08
Speaker 2
By the way. That's what he that's an explosive football team. That's an explosive football team. And this kid Jeff Sims is six four 220. And he's a poor man Vince Young. Wow. He's a poor man's best young now he's not going to have he's not going to have the same impact as Vince Young did on his team, because this team wasn't his team to start the year.
00;54;48;11 - 00;55;16;06
Speaker 2
But he's come in and he's played well. You want to see a crazy game. If you got time, go back and watch Arizona State and and and West Virginia last week. It is the wildest football game. Are more explosive plays in that football game than I've seen in a long time. I'm talking about it was a third down and 27, and a kid caught a screen pass and went 90.
00;55;16;08 - 00;55;17;04
CJ
I'm like.
00;55;17;07 - 00;55;37;02
Speaker 2
Hey, I'm like, man, you know? Yeah. So I I'll ask you this. What is it? Explosive plays. Do you hate them more than anything? You can't stand. You can't stand them like you say, I don't want to get exposed for 30 or 40 yards. If they're happening you're losing games. Yeah. If you're not making them you can't win.
00;55;37;02 - 00;55;44;10
Speaker 2
If you're giving them up you can't win. So explosive plays I mean that's, that's the key to games on Sundays.
00;55;44;12 - 00;55;52;05
CJ
Okay Vijay man you got a, got a question for the big. Tell me anything you want to ask you. I got one for him. But go ahead either.
00;55;52;08 - 00;55;53;14
Speaker 2
You know I would, I would say this. Why are you.
00;55;53;14 - 00;55;54;11
CJ
Looking at me like that.
00;55;54;12 - 00;55;56;00
Speaker 2
I was like this about our.
00;55;56;02 - 00;55;56;21
CJ
Oh stop.
00;55;56;25 - 00;56;03;29
Speaker 2
My, my first day on campus, my freshman year, summer. I live with.
00;56;03;29 - 00;56;05;26
CJ
Alford. Oh, no.
00;56;05;29 - 00;56;11;12
Speaker 2
Coach Bob Simmons. Oh, no, they both of us. So Chris Hudson and I both flew in from Hughes.
00;56;11;12 - 00;56;12;03
CJ
This was before.
00;56;12;03 - 00;56;23;06
Speaker 2
Camp. This before camp. I live with Big Fella and and big fella was 11 with Lena. I mean they were they were dating almost like they're. You don't know you were married, but we weren't married yet. You made us.
00;56;23;12 - 00;56;24;23
CJ
Oh, they were married yet, I tell you.
00;56;24;23 - 00;56;43;13
Speaker 2
But they made us bread. You better not eat lunch and dinner. I'm like, man, it's through the scenery in college, making this breakfast, lunch and dinner every night. Wow, wow. Yeah. Wow. I stay with Big Al for three weeks and all the summer, I tell you, this is what the dorms open. And you know what? Somebody Rodney Rogers dated for me.
00;56;43;15 - 00;57;04;05
Speaker 2
There you go. Rodney Rogers did it for me. So, I mean, it's just, it's just a. Yeah, my my part, my part at the University of Colorado was was so easy. And you know, that senior day for me that last game, you know, our last game was here my my senior year was against Kansas State. What was it Kansas State.
00;57;04;05 - 00;57;08;15
Speaker 2
Yes. And you know what happened that day I got a pass I got a pass.
00;57;08;15 - 00;57;10;21
CJ
That day.
00;57;10;24 - 00;57;12;27
Speaker 2
I got a pass that day.
00;57;12;29 - 00;57;15;18
CJ
You know what happens? I'm going to tell this.
00;57;15;18 - 00;57;21;02
Speaker 2
Story because I, I want to tell this story. This this is the best story. The best. It's the best story because I have both.
00;57;21;02 - 00;57;22;17
CJ
You hear stories not that great.
00;57;22;17 - 00;57;23;13
Speaker 2
Yeah.
00;57;23;15 - 00;57;25;02
CJ
So story is not that great.
00;57;25;02 - 00;57;46;06
Speaker 2
I have both of you guys here. And, Coach Mack said, hey, listen, we're going to play you guys a tight end with me and coach Mcdavid's and grinded on Coach Mack for three, four weeks. Amen. You say we going to play offense. You have put us in an offense. Say we're going to play off okay. We're going to put in one play when Ty tidy cross.
00;57;46;08 - 00;58;13;28
Speaker 2
Yeah. And I'm like C.J. is the quarterback. Hagan's not in the game. And I'm thinking myself he's got his lime brother my roommate cannabis on one side and me on the other. I know who this damn pass going to. C.J. throws a perfect spiral, hits McGee between the nine and the second. Can't. Okay. And the ball bounces too.
00;58;13;28 - 00;58;16;07
Speaker 2
Big O comes right off.
00;58;16;07 - 00;58;19;15
CJ
The bottom is bounced back to me.
00;58;19;18 - 00;58;24;06
Speaker 2
I had no chance getting up, arms in the air. The referee tweeted down and said hey.
00;58;24;06 - 00;58;27;14
CJ
And then the look out gave me was I felt so okay.
00;58;27;14 - 00;58;32;23
Speaker 2
That's that's okay. I say, coach man, you got to give me a chance to get the pass. I remember the play was waggle action.
00;58;32;26 - 00;58;34;08
CJ
Yep, yep that's right.
00;58;34;11 - 00;58;52;15
Speaker 2
That's right across. And I was like, did they say what you're going to do? I say I'm going to run straight and I'm gonna run a corner route, okay. The dude was out there, I ran straight, dude was at the corner. I turned into a post.
00;58;52;17 - 00;58;53;10
Speaker 2
Outside, it just.
00;58;53;11 - 00;58;56;08
CJ
It is excited. Just excited. Just.
00;58;56;14 - 00;58;58;29
Speaker 2
Hey, listen, we're in a corner post. You know.
00;58;58;29 - 00;58;59;10
CJ
Like.
00;58;59;11 - 00;59;13;23
Speaker 2
That. He threw it up. He threw it up. And, I mean, when I went up and got it, I went up and got got that big man got hit. Wait for the corner. You got it. And he turns to the post.
00;59;13;25 - 00;59;15;15
CJ
It looks like I went up. Got it.
00;59;15;15 - 00;59;22;29
Speaker 2
Man. I went up and got it back. Is that what I was? So that was great, man. That was that was my last. That was my senior. That was fun tape of that I got.
00;59;22;29 - 00;59;23;29
CJ
Oh I just have oh yeah.
00;59;23;29 - 00;59;25;28
Speaker 2
It's out there. But I mean my senior day.
00;59;25;29 - 00;59;39;08
CJ
Fellas, look, I'm gonna tell you guys this has been special for me because three of us and we've been connected again since, going back to 1990 through the years. And, so many great memories, so many great times.
00;59;39;13 - 00;59;40;13
Speaker 2
35 years.
00;59;40;14 - 00;59;55;24
CJ
45 years, man. And that's with from BJ because you got there in 90. We were almost that 40. But this is special, man. The kids get an opportunity to come back in to do this in this environment. Just on the foothills of this campus right here is.
00;59;55;26 - 01;00;02;05
Speaker 2
Walk up to the game. Yeah. So this was the rest of the Boulder faithful. And the Colorado faithful is,
01;00;02;07 - 01;00;10;22
CJ
Especially here's what it is, what I'll say about the movie before we let you get out of here, man, I know you gotta get ready for the. You had a bye week this week. You guys come back against next week.
01;00;10;22 - 01;00;11;10
Speaker 2
Washington.
01;00;11;10 - 01;00;13;12
CJ
Got the got the watch next week.
01;00;13;14 - 01;00;19;21
Speaker 2
At watch. Yeah. Are you guys going to have Thanksgiving dinner in Washington or not okay. Friday. Okay. And you.
01;00;19;21 - 01;00;20;16
CJ
Play Sunday. Right.
01;00;20;16 - 01;00;21;09
Speaker 2
Sunday night.
01;00;21;09 - 01;00;46;07
CJ
Sunday night. Yeah. Right. This is what I say. I mean, it's interesting when we talk about the all time great buffs, I'm say this and I'm. And I mean this because there are those who flash in an obvious way, right? All Americans are big 12. This guy right here, Butkus Award winner, arguably the greatest player to ever play at senior.
01;00;46;10 - 01;00;55;20
CJ
And then you got guys like Vijay who was who just handled the business behind the scenes glue. The glue.
01;00;55;23 - 01;00;56;11
Speaker 2
And talent.
01;00;56;11 - 01;01;24;27
CJ
And it's interesting because even after all the years and having played with the great players you played with from the 90 team all the way through the 94 team, Vijay is the guy who who everyone looks to even to this day. And I've it's been a it's been a pleasure for me to observe that guys like Kordell and Westbrook and, and, you know, Lamont Vaughn and some of the all time greats, they look up to this guy.
01;01;24;27 - 01;01;38;18
CJ
He was the coach before he was a coach. And I think there's a special place for a guy like B.J. to be honored. And I'm going to I'm on the I'm going to start with this. This guy should be a part of that. Q Hall of Fame for his contribution.
01;01;38;20 - 01;01;38;27
Speaker 2
Yes.
01;01;38;28 - 01;01;43;24
CJ
Over the course of five years, it's, I'm unparalleled, I would say I.
01;01;43;24 - 01;01;44;09
Speaker 2
Appreciate you.
01;01;44;13 - 01;01;45;21
CJ
I would say unparalleled.
01;01;45;22 - 01;02;07;15
Speaker 2
I would say the same. And, I don't know how this is all going to work out. And, hopefully you guys are in, San Francisco playing for Super Bowl to go. But if, if there are an organization out that is looking for a quality man, quality husband, quality father, that's fantastic. What do you mean by that?
01;02;07;17 - 01;02;09;18
Speaker 2
I mean quality quality husband.
01;02;09;21 - 01;02;10;11
CJ
You want to get away?
01;02;10;14 - 01;02;26;24
Speaker 2
I'm just saying they're looking for a quality, husband and quality father and, and and, quality football coach. This guy's going to be on the sideline somewhere next year. Hopefully, coaching in the NFC.
01;02;26;27 - 01;02;37;13
CJ
Hey, that does it for us. And we appreciate you all tuning in. I gotta give a shout out to our folks here once again at the Bowden Marriott for being such gracious hosts of our show, my man, DJ fedora.
01;02;37;19 - 01;02;38;06
Speaker 2
Yes, sir.
01;02;38;08 - 01;03;03;22
CJ
What I'm tell you. And stay tuned because we'll be doing this more the Big Out and C.J. show with a guy a DJ fedora. It's magic. Yeah, this place is electric today. Ahead of the season. Football game out here for the show. Our guys Blake and DC, with, Gorilla Sports making it happen for us. We appreciate you guys and the great work that you do for my boy, big beagle.
01;03;03;24 - 01;03;10;01
CJ
C.J. and of course, the defense of the best offensive coordinator, National Football League Vance Joseph. Right.
01;03;10;01 - 01;03;12;05
Speaker 2
Oh, man. Love y'all, bro. Appreciate it.
01;03;12;07 - 01;03;16;15
CJ
Enjoy that game today. See you over Arizona State. Let's go buffs.