Эпизоды
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Late last week news broke that the Pac-12 was taking its next step toward rebuilding by adding four new schools: Boise State, San Diego State, Fresno State and Colorado State. As we spoke to a variety of people involved in the expansion, as well as coaches around college football, one thing was clear – there was excitement about the historic conference's move.
In addition, there was curiosity about the next play call on Commissioner Teresa Gould’s call sheet. Would she add more teams in the immediate future? Would recently departed teams return? Which schools were calling her?!
All fair questions to be answered in due time, but the current reality is that the 4 on their way to what should be the premiere West Coast conference have a chance to create something new, something special, something necessary.
This week we had longtime coach and respected media member, Mike Sanford, on the Y-Option podcast. Mike played at Boise State under Dan Hawkins and coached at a variety of places around the country such as his alma mater, Stanford under Jim Harbaugh and David Shaw, Notre Dame under Brian Kelly and most recently Colorado where he would become the interim head coach before the Buffs hired Deion Sanders. Bottom line, Mike knows the Mountain West, he grew up in the Pac-10 running around the USC facility as his father coached the Trojans and has an affinity for college football on the West Coast that has expertise and experience.
Fueled by our founding partner 76, enjoy today’s conversation as we take a thoughtful look at the restoration of the Pac-12 with a former player, former coach and current media member, Mike Sanford. And yes, we ask him about Coach Prime, Bo Nix’s growth with the Broncos and we even go down memory lane when Stanford beat USC, when both of us were rocking the headsets and coach’s khakis.
Plus a full breakdown of this weekend’s action involving the West Coast schools. Hope you enjoy!
Much love,
Yogi
The episode was executive produced by Jim Thornby and edited by Victor Ren.
This podcast is a Best Coast Media production.
Get full access to Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth at www.y-option.com/subscribe -
While late November of 2021 may seem like decades ago for Jake Dickert, it was one of the most transformational moments in his coaching life and he can recall every moment. Then the interim head coach at Washington State, he led the Cougars into Seattle to face the Washington Huskies in the Apple Cup which the Cougs won 40-13. That next day, he would lose the interim tag and be formally introduced as the Head Coach at WSU.
Simply, his life would be changed forever.
This Saturday, the 116th Apple Cup returns to the gridiron, but nothing about this year's game mirrors its historic past. The Huskies are in the new-look Big Ten, the Cougs are holding it down in the Pac-12 and the game will be played at Lumen Field in Seattle, home of the Seattle Seahawks.
Yet some things do remain the same: the pageantry, the competitive spirit in this rivalry and the opportunity it poses for players to add to their story. Of course surrounding this game is conversation around realignment, media rights and a September rivalry game. For those who may be frustrated or lead with those topics in mind, we urge you to remember that this game is still – at its core – about the players, the fans, and the ball. After all, How Great Is Ball!?
With thanks to our founding partner in 76, Coach Dickert joins the Y-Option podcast to share his insights on his origin story around the Apple Cup, how 2021 changed his life, and how he is talking to his team in advance of this epic rivalry game.
Take a listen, and to all UW and WSU fans, be sure to get a tickets, as I think this has a chance to be the game of the week in all of college football.
Plus we look ahead to the Week 3 slate across the country through the lens of the West Coast including the Ducks & Beavs battling in Corvallis, weekday night road games for Arizona & Arizona State and UCLA’s first ever Big Ten conference game.
Much love,
Yogi
This episode was executive produced by Jim Thornby and edited by Victor Ren.
This podcast is a Best Coast Media production.
Get full access to Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth at www.y-option.com/subscribe -
Пропущенные эпизоды?
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It’s Rivalry Week!
No, that is not a typo and yes, it’s Rivalry Week in the Pacific Northwest and in the Pac-12 Conference. For the first time ever, these 2 games will be played in September.
The Oregon State Beavers host the Oregon Ducks in the 128th meeting of the game formerly known as the Civil War. This is the 7th most played match-up in college football history and tied for 2nd at the FBS level.
The Washington State Cougars and the Washington Huskies meet up at Lumen Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks, in the 116th Apple Cup. This will be the 2nd time this matchup will take place in this stadium as the renovation of Husky Stadium forced the move in 2011.
And with realignment still fresh in all four fan bases minds, there is even more spice added to these epic rivalries. It’s human nature and it’s part of the new world of college football.
I’ve been at both of these games over the years and was on the broadcast for an Oregon State/Oregon game just a few years ago. The energy is different, the passion is through the roof and the distaste for one another is exactly what you’d imagine.
This year, it’s safe to assume that the vitriol from the Cougs and Beavs fan bases will be even higher.
We’ve been saying for months now that the Cougs and Beavs are America’s Teams, and this weekend the nation gets to see them on a grand stage. Washington State is fresh off a dominant win over the Big-12’s Texas Tech, where the legendary coach Mike Leach was inducted into the WSU Hall of Fame. The Beavs also sit at 2-0 and are playing exactly how Trent Bray hopes - controlling the clock, running the rock and winning at the line of scrimmage.
So welcome to Week 3 as we welcome in first year head coach Trent Bray to the show for a thoughtful conversation, presented by our founding partner 76, about his team in advance of the #9 Oregon Ducks.
This Saturday will be his 14th meeting as a member of this rivalry, 4 as a player and 9 as a coach. His expertise in this game is unmatched among anyone associated with it this year and he shared with us exactly how he is talking to his team about this game, what Reser Stadium will feel like at kickoff and how his team has approached the week of preparation.
Also, Jim Thornby and I reflect on what went down in Week 2 on the West Coast and how this side of the country is picking up where it left off last year – winning –as Cal, ASU and others earned key victories over the weekend.
Be sure to check out our weekly Go Go Go Awards, presented by 76 as we will announce those each Monday this fall.
As always, thank you for the support around this new endeavor, it’s been better than we could have imagined and it’s not possible without your support!
This episode is executive produced by Jim Thornby and edited by Victor Ren.
This podcast is a Best Coast Media production.
Get full access to Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth at www.y-option.com/subscribe -
It's Week 2! There are so many games of note that will impact the landscape of college football, the power struggle at the top, and factor into teams’ College Football Playoff arguments.
We were able to talk to Colorado beat writer Brian Howell, from Buffzone and the Daily Camera, who knows the Buffaloes better than anyone in the nation. The Buffs, in their first year back in the Big-12, visit former Big-12 power Nebraska in a rivalry that has always delivered. Just recently, you can go from K.D. Nixon’s 96-yard flea flicker in 2019, to the hype train that was Coach Prime’s team last year that captured the nation, to this Saturday’s meeting in Lincoln.
One thing is for certain, both teams believe in their process, players and QBs. It's a grand stage for Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter on NBC and the first time the nation will get a prime time look at Dylan Raiola.
In my eyes this contest will favor the team that can either protect the passer or get after the QB. Expect high drama and high stakes.
For more college football through the lens of the West Coast, visit y-option.com.
This episode is executive produced by Jim Thornby and edited by Victor Ren.
This podcast is a Best Coast Media production.
Get full access to Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth at www.y-option.com/subscribe -
Week 1 was here and it delivered in a brilliant way. The USC Trojans met the moment, beating ranked LSU behind a Miller Moss performance that had the college football community buzzing, tweeting & reshuffling their Top 25.
The Ducks final score wasn't what most predicted, but the talent in Eugene remains and as expected, America’s Teams won both of their openers.
We also released Y-Option’s first weekly awards of the 2024 season, the Go Go Go Awards, presented by our founding partner, 76.
The storylines are plentiful so we brought on Rhett Lewis to the Y-Option podcast to discuss week 1 and his first broadcast alongside Guy Haberman and myself on the Big Ten Network.
He shares his path to Indiana as a walk-on turned scholarship wideout, his career arc which began covering Mike Leach (and a young Lincoln Riley) at Texas Tech to the NFL Network and BTN, how he met his wife along the way & we even take a deep dive into parenthood while navigating our jobs in broadcasting.
Finally, Rhett shares what he has learned from the First Family of Football, the Manning’s.
Take a listen to today's conversation, presented by our founding partner 76.
We’re so grateful for your continued support of this venture as we examine and give a voice to college football through the lens of the West Coast. For more insights, go to y-option.com.
This episode was executive produced by Jim Thornby and edited by Victor Ren.
This podcast is a Best Coast Media production.
Get full access to Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth at www.y-option.com/subscribe -
Bill Walton would often state that he was the luckiest man in the world. Every time he would say that with his infectious energy I’d smile, and I bet you would too. He looked at life through an incredible lens and one that was optimistic and oftentimes inspiring.
Heading into my 16th year of putting a headset on as a broadcaster, I too feel like Bill often did. Over the course of time, I’ve stood next to Steve Physioc, Kevin Calabro and for the better part of the last decade, Ted Robinson. How lucky have I been to have been given a PhD by those three in the school of broadcasting!? Let alone having Lewis Johnson, Samantha Ponder, Jill Savage, Cindy Brunson, Ashley Adamson and more on the sideline. It’s been an absolute joy and it’s an understatement to share how each of those gifted professionals have impacted millions of sports fans, and myself.
This week brings a new season with a new crew, a new logo, and a new network.
I’ll be in a familiar setting - overlooking Autzen Stadium in prime time on Saturday night and next to me will be a guy I've known for the last 12 years, Guy Haberman. What’s so special about Guy is that he truly loves sports broadcasting, having recorded himself calling games as a child. On Saturday night, he will also be living a dream, perched a few hundred feet above a majestic field amid a standing-room-only crowd. Additionally, Guy is a selfless friend, loving husband and extremely talented broadcaster.
While the viewer usually only see’s the TV crew on air, what makes a unit special is the time off the airwaves. Guy and I have called a few games together in our careers and we’ve made Week 1 games our speciality in places like Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City and others. But the best part has always been the week leading up to it – the countless calls, the meals while driving to and from the stadium and even the final stop at a FedEx to print out our materials. It’s a dream, all of it. And this fall I’m so thankful to have Guy as the next guy I get to learn from and celebrate the game with.
In advance of our first game together on the Big Ten Network I had to have him on the Y-Option podcast, presented by our founding partner 76, to learn about his origin story and how he explores the craft of play-by-play.
Hope you enjoy our conversation as Guy, Rhett Lewis and myself are so looking forward to bringing you college football this fall.
Enjoy Week 1 and what should be another magical ride alongside the sport we all love.
For more insights around college football through the lens of the West Coast, go to y-option.com
This episode was executive produced by Jim Thornby and edited by Victor Ren.
This podcast is a Best Coast Media production.
Get full access to Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth at www.y-option.com/subscribe -
Pete Carroll changed my life.
I can vividly recall calling a few of my teammates at Pitt during my first week on the job as a member of the USC Football staff in the winter of 2005.
“Guys, I wish you could have been coached by Pete Carroll and this staff. It’s incredible!”
My former teammates would often ask why and while I couldn't nail the answer, I could compete to explain the energy, optimism and education he shared every day.
From the moment I met him at 19-years-old to now, there has not been a greater influence in all aspects of my life. Of course in football, as Coach Carroll offered me a lens into the game that very few have. But he also impacted me as a friend, father and husband. I’ve often said that my parents created the clay that is my life and Pete molded it in my 20s.
A month before I got married, I flew to Seattle as I just had to get some time with Coach. He had been in the NFL for a while and I’d been building my life in Los Angeles. We would speak a few times a year and each time, I felt impacted.
We sat down in his corner office on a random Wednesday at the Seahawks facility and for 60 minutes he just coached me on marriage. “Yogi, you have to compete at this thing. Compete to listen, compete to show up, compete to see her.” I thought we might talk about his team, my career, and maybe my pending wedding but it was all about life off the field.
As I reflected back on my flight home, I came to the conclusion that our conversation was a master class on all things human interaction. And I missed it.
For four years at USC, I would experience those conversations almost daily. I was the young coach sleeping in the office and he was the head coach, at times also sleeping in the office. That was where we would connect and eventually formulate ideas and concepts that at their core, were about impacting people to maximize their potential. Or as he would say, Win Forever.
One of my core memories at USC, that extended beyond the field, was when Coach Carroll invited me on one of his annual Tuesday night visits to South Central Los Angeles. We walked the city, met with locals and even played some hoops in a nearby gym. That night under a light post I was able to get him one-on-one, away from others. I asked him a simple question, “Pete, it’s the middle of September, and tonight is your birthday…why are you pouring so much into others and why are you barely speaking?”
He looked toward the skyline and softly responded, “Because I have to. And they don’t need to hear from me. I don’t need to talk, I need to listen.”
Those words are stitched on my soul as Pete Carroll has always made anyone in his path feel seen, and always heard.
It’s game week in college football and on the bottom of my broadcasting board reads, “listen like your life depends on it.” That’s attributed to the man who took the time to listen to a 19 year old in college, a 22 year old on his staff and in today’s podcast, a man in his early 40s who is still seeking knowledge from a man who has so much to give.
I hope you enjoy our conversation, presented by our founding partner in 76, as it was my most enjoyable in quite some time.
This episode is executive produced by Jim Thornby with cinematography and editing by Blue Ox Films.
This podcast is a Best Coast Media production.
Get full access to Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth at www.y-option.com/subscribe -
There is an on-going conversation around being a multi-sport athlete versus being singularly focused. Being the parent of a 9-year-old, I see these things becoming more and more of a discussion. Sport specific, playing one sport year round, paying thousands of dollars on private coaches or club teams and more. It’s a hard lane to navigate as a parent and even harder as an athlete.
This is a topic we are extremely passionate about at Y-Option.
Go multi-sport or focus on football, perhaps with a private coach? Guess what — it’s not either/or. It’s all about finding the path that’s best for you, and adjusting it along the way.
One conversation in particular has always stuck with me. I was talking with George Whitfield, the first private quarterback coach in the modern social media era. He went on to appear on ESPN’s College GameDay for years, and trained multiple first-round QBs.
He said, “Equate the potential of a young quarterback to that of a young musician. If your child truly aspires to grow and achieve as a pianist, finding a credible piano teacher makes sense. But it must be predicated on the child’s intention about getting better and growing. The same in the QB space. Your child must have the visible or vocal love for the craft of quarterback play. If not, it will feel like assigned work.”
Whitfield’s wisdom came back for me when I was talking to the parents of an 8-year-old. They told me that they felt their child had ‘It’. Their next step was to focus on football, hire a private coach and go all-in on this opportunity. Now, I love calls like these from parents. It’s clear how much they care about their child, how much they are willing to pour into their child’s dreams, and that their son may indeed have a gift.
But as we spoke, it was also clear that there is no real road map for parents in similar shoes. There is no perfect answer and it’s even hard to empathize unless you too have a gifted athlete as a child.
As a parent, I totally get it. It’s hard to see the long game for our own kids, but easier to see it for others. So, to answer the question about ‘what to do next?’ — we just have to look at the facts.
And here they are.
In 2022, all eight starting NFL quarterbacks in the 2nd round of the playoffs played multiple sports in high school. To be exact, these multi-million dollar, face-of-the-franchise QBs played 24 sports combined.
For example: Matt Stafford (football, baseball), Tom Brady (football, basketball, baseball), Josh Allen (football, basketball, baseball), Patrick Mahomes (football, basketball, baseball), Jimmy Garoppolo (football, basketball, baseball), Aaron Rodgers (football, basketball, baseball), Joe Burrow (football, basketball, track & field) and Ryan Tannehill (football, basketball, baseball, track & field).
In addition, in 2015 there were 128 quarterbacks surveyed in an ESPN article, and at least 122 (95%) of them played at least two sports in high school. Nearly 70% played three or more sports.
While all of these young men played Pop Warner in a different era, the results speak for themselves. The more diverse an athlete you are, the chances to be special seemingly only grow. More importantly, the more diverse an athlete you are, the less likely you are to burn out from one particular sport.
Today’s podcast, thanks to our founding partner in 76, is with Duce Robinson, a two-sport athlete for the USC Trojans.
In my eyes, Duce is on the verge of a breakout season for the Trojans on the football field as a wide receiver and he may also have a big year in the spring on the baseball team. Regardless of his statistics, one thing remains true –playing multiple sports has only allowed Duce to be a better version of himself as an athlete, a student and a product of competitive sport.
We sat down this off-season and discussed the benefits of playing multiple sports, as well as how it has impacted how he views the world. I learned a lot from this conversation, especially on how being a dual-sport athlete impacted his joy around both sports.
Various studies have proven that athlete fatigue is real, and that too much specialization can lead to injuries. In 2019, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association proposed that a child’s age should equal the number of hours he or she should spend in sports training each week.
And regarding single-sport specialization, research and evidence has proven that there is actually more room for athleticism to grow if an athlete exposes their body to different sports and different movements. In addition, athlete burnout is a growing concern. The American Academy of Pediatrics found that 70% of kids are completely done with sports by the age of 13, and a great deal of that is attributed to burnout and sport specialization.
All of that is not to say that there is something wrong with hiring a personal QB coach to improve your son’s mechanics, footwork and football acumen. The private QB coaching business is booming, and in every region of America there is someone who can help make your child better.
Based on the research we did when writing the book 5-Star QB and talking to 50 of the best high school quarterbacks in the history of recruiting there are a few things you should evaluate:
* Is this your child’s dream or your dream?
* Is he enthusiastic about the extra practice?
* Is his arm sore? If so, stop immediately to prevent future injuries. There is no reason a 10, 12 or 15-year-old needs to throw a ball downfield 100 times per day, multiple times per week. In 2012, Tony Romo was a guest coach at the Elite 11 in Dallas and shared with the QBs that he would throw in his basement as a child due to bad weather. In the confines of his Wisconsin home, he would compete to hit certain spots on a pillow on his couch. He believed that those repetitions helped his accuracy and had minimal impact on his arm.
* Is that coach recommended by others in the industry?
* Is your child improving?
* How many competitive teams has your kid been on?
The private QB coach discussion is an ever-evolving topic, and we support the private quarterback industry. Bottom line, if you recognize that your son may have the ‘It Factor’, be sure that he also has the desire to put in extra time, and that the sport still feels like a sport, instead of a job.
Finding focus, and fine-tuning it, is key to success. But the truth remains — the more diverse an athlete your son is, the more diverse a competitor he will be. That will serve him well, and far beyond the field.
If you need an example, look no further than today’s guest on Y-Option, Duce Robinson.
This episode is executive produced by Jim Thornby, edited by Blue Ox Films with cinematography from the folks at Elite 11.
This podcast is a Best Coast Media production.
Get full access to Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth at www.y-option.com/subscribe -
Football can change your life.
I’ve shared this story a few times but it’s worth repeating. Years ago, I was in Northern California visiting San Jose State and Stanford. I was expected to fly home after practice on a Wednesday but was convinced by both Brent Brennan and Mike Bloomgren to stay in NorCal for one more night.
I obliged and had a blast.
The next day I walked onto a Delta flight and met the love of my life, my now-wife Amy.
I often think about that and am reminded how falling in love with football at age 14, walking on to Pitt in college, moving to Los Angeles to coach at USC and persuading the Pac-12 Network to hire me in 2012 literally led me to my heartmate, Amy, who has changed my life.
In a unique way, the same can be said of Khalil Tate.
He was a special athlete in Los Angeles growing up. He had a powerful work ethic, a supportive family and a bright future. From the outside, it seemed like everything came natural to him. I vividly recall him at the Elite 11 QB camp, as he would take a snap at quarterback, then move to wideout, then transition to safety. It was effortless.
When he arrived in Tucson, things stopped coming that easy to him. He had to work, and work he did, as Khalil Tate poured into his craft. The reward did not come quickly, but when it did, it came like a tidal wave.
It was a perfect night in October of 2017 and football also changed his life.
The setting was sparkling Boulder, Colorado and he went off, running for 327 yards, an FBS record for a quarterback and I had a front row seat. Current Los Angeles Rams broadcaster and close friend J.B. Long and I called that game and to this day, it is one of the most memorable games either of us have ever broadcasted.
Few players have games like that, but even less have follow-up performances. For the next month Khalil was the face of college football. He broke records, won games and cleaned up awards. Yes, football changed his life.
The next few years were promising in Tucson but did not meet that pinnacle of the fall of 2017, but it did shape him in a powerful way.
In our conversation brought to you by our founding partner 76, he joined the Y-Option podcast and examined how the game he loved changed his life, what life could have been like for him in the NIL world and opened up like never before about the tweet he famously deleted.
In my life, I’m so grateful to meet young men like Khalil Tate when they are 17 years old, be around their meteoric rise in college football and also continue a relationship beyond the game. While Khalil Tate’s football career may not yet be done, our conversation is a reminder that what is often under the helmet is even more unique than what we get to witness on the field.
I hope you take a listen, learn from Mr. October and discover something new about one of the greats in Arizona football history.
This episode is executive produced by Jim Thornby with cinematography & editing by Blue Ox Films.
This podcast is a Best Coast Media production.
Get full access to Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth at www.y-option.com/subscribe -
“Patiently impatient.”
That’s my new favorite phrase when it comes to being a backup QB, or really anything where you may not be in the position you desire.
This past summer I sat down with former college and NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky. Myself and Elite 11 head coach Jake Heaps had a conversation with the former UConn star around the QB position which centered around the concept of Chasing What Matters.
I’ve spent years seeking the red thread that connects elite leaders to elite organizations to elite performers. I’ve netted out that the best in class truly Chase What Matters with clarity around what matters most, they can state that clarity with a grounded confidence and then attack that notion with a unique discipline. In fact, it’s been my keynote speech over the past year and I've seen it resonate with companies and teams across the country.
When Orlovsky, a current ESPN NFL and college football analyst, stated that phrase “patiently impatient” after being asked how he navigated adversity in his sporting life, it hit me with as much power as a free blitzer in the A gap, unloading on a QB.
Over the past few weeks I’ve been on my Training Camp Tour, visiting campuses from Eugene to Penn State and various stops in between. As I watched 5-star recruit Julian Sayin at Ohio State I kept thinking about the phrase “patiently impatient,” as he will be tested while likely being on the bench to start his career. While watching Ethan Garbers at UCLA and Miller Moss at USC this past week, I kept thinking “thankfully they were patiently impatient” as their time has come to lead two storied programs and it would have been easy for them to have hit the transfer portal to find a starting spot.
After speaking with both of them and sitting down with Miller earlier this summer at the Elite 11 Finals, it was evident that each QB was proud that they had evolved while they sat rather than complained and got worse while they were backups. And now, with experience and resilience as part of their respective tool belts, both Garbers and Moss will lead their dream schools into a new league in a matter of weeks.
I’ll net out that anyone who desires to compete on a premier stage, or simply wants to find success in life, must embrace that phrase and as Dan Orlovsky shared with us and the Elite 11 quarterbacks this summer. Once you do embrace that concept life will present opportunities that you will be ready for, as you will have been preparing for that exact moment.
Presented by our founding partner 76, I hope you enjoy our conversation and if you are an athlete, coach, executive, lover of the QB position or parent of a high achiever, this conversation will impact you in a powerful way.
The episode was edited and executive produced by Jim Thornby.
This podcast is a Best Coast Media production.
Get full access to Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth at www.y-option.com/subscribe -
There is something special about coming home. For the recently hired Arizona State Athletics Director, Graham Rossini, home has always been the ASU community.
Last training camp I found myself at Camp Tontozona, or as Sun Devil fans called it Camp T. On the sideline was a tall, sharply dressed man in an ASU polo. I’d always known of Graham, but had yet to spend real time with him. Before practice began we spent 20 minutes together and just talked about life, the Pac-12, West Coast football and more. His acumen was easy to notice, much like that of Kenny Dillingham. His passion for ASU stood out like any Dillingham press conference and his calm demeanor had me thinking, ‘this should be the next ASU AD.’
As I drove back toward Phoenix that evening two things resonated above all else: Graham Rossini has an elite competitive temperament and has extremely high levels of emotional intelligence.
To get into the world of college athletics you must know how to compete, and Graham lives with a competitive spirit every day that began as a 4-year-old playing little league baseball in Alabama.
But to lead, I believe you MUST have an elite level of emotional intelligence. Most experts would say that EQ is loosely defined as having the “capacity to deal with the thoughts of yourself and others with empathy.” Graham Rossini does that in spades. Part of that is his family's background in the military, part of that is his father's loyalty to his longtime employer, part of that is life experience in professional sports and part of that is how he views the world.
We sat down during Big-12 Media Days in Las Vegas and dove into all of that as he shared his upbringing as a child, his vision for ASU athletics and his relationship with Kenny Dillingham.
Enjoy our conversation, presented by Y-Option’s Founding Partner, 76.
This episode was executive produced and edited by Jim Thornby
This podcast is a Best Coast Media production
Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Get full access to Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth at www.y-option.com/subscribe -
“The only thing that is guaranteed in college is that your career will NOT go exactly as you imagined.”
A year ago, the legendary coach, Chris Petersen shared that line with the best high school quarterbacks in the nation at the Elite 11 Finals in Los Angeles and I watched it land like a Simone Biles gold medal routine.
As I criss-cross the nation and watch QBs like Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, Penn State’s Drew Allar and today, Will Howard at Ohio State compete in training camp, I keep thinking about that line and as each QB drops back to pass I can’t help but recognize that each of these signal callers have met their fair share of adversity.
Like Coach Petersen said: it’s not IF, but WHEN adversity hits.
We are in a different era in college football, as 46 projected starters in Power 4 football are transfers. Each of those quarterbacks comes with a story of adversity, and how they had to meet it and compete to work through it.
If I'm honest, I think the majority of transfers are leaving their college of choice too soon and robbing themselves of staring those hard times in the eye. If I were to offer advice, I’d urge QBs to make a contract with themselves and to commit to at least 2 years at their initial school, pending a coaching change, and regardless of their place on the depth chart, to compete and lean into the joy of the work. Then take stock of what they learned about themselves on the other side of adversity.
One quarterback who transferred and met that adversity is Jake Heaps, who has seen it in numerous unexpected styles of his quarterback life. He shared his lessons learned in our latest conversation, presented by our founding partner 76.
Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
In my football life, I’ve learned that it’s rare to be able to see life through the lens of a quarterback. It’s even rarer to see it through the lens of a 5-Star QB, Elite 11 MVP, freshman starter, two-time transfer, NFL QB, media personality, NFL QB trainer and entrepreneur. But for those that can, there are lessons to be learned. And for those that can’t, today’s conversation is for you.
Jake left Skyline High School in Seattle, WA as an 18-year-old with huge dreams. In 2009, Jake was the Elite 11 MVP and crowned the top quarterback in high school football. He arrived at BYU as a heralded recruit and backed up the hype, starting as a true freshman and even beating the school’s freshman record for TDs held by Ty Detmer. But after that first year, his path began to meet adversity and Jake began to learn about himself in the most unexpected and powerful way.
He would transfer to Kansas under Charlie Weis, and eventually Miami under Al Golden before starting his professional playing career with the New York Jets, signing as an undrafted free agent.
We met in 2009 during the Elite 11 Finals and over the past decade have worked together with that organization, coaching the next generation of QBs. Jake is a product of his experiences and has chosen to pour into quarterbacks across the globe. We discussed what matters most to be an elite QB, advice to parents of recruits and that to be a special player only one thing can cut through, regardless of craft.
The work, or as Jake says, “You can’t cheat the grind.”
Hope you enjoy our conversation and be sure to give Y-Option a follow on Twitter and Instagram for today’s report from Columbus, as we get to see one of the most talented teams in recent college football history as part of our Big Ten Network Training Camp Tour.
Much love,
Yogi
This episode is produced by Jim Thornby and edited by Jessica Altman.
This podcast is a Best Coast Media production.
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From 2011 to 2016 I would often find myself in Corvallis, Oregon. I’d fall in love with the fall foliage, the beautiful dimes from Sean Mannion, the crisp routes by Brandin Cooks and the production meetings with Mike Riley. But above all of that, what I enjoyed the most were Friday afternoons.
Post meetings and post practice I would find myself alongside one of the most positive, optimistic and talented coaches in the nation and for an hour we would run the campus while talking about life, coaching philosophy and his family.
If you haven’t figured it out yet, that man was Brent Brennan.
Back in the day it was clear that he had a vision for what he felt coaching was and while the X’s and O’s were a major part of that – Brent’s voice always took a different tone when he spoke about culture, team building and leadership. Not a surprise when you learn about his late father, Steve, who played WR at San Jose State. Not a shocker when you learn how the great Dick Tomey poured into him. And definitely not a surprise when you meet his wife, Courtney, who is a total rock star and went pseudo viral with her recruiting of Noah Fifita.
When he was named the head coach at San Jose State in 2017, I would visit with him once or twice per year and have him on my podcast, and each time his passion for culture only grew. After winning the Mountain West Championship, he wasn’t looking for the next best job, he was competing to be the absolute best version of himself as the leader of young men. He spent his off-season learning from the likes of Phil Jackson, among many others.
Since Brent Brennan has arrived at Arizona he has continued to place dramatic emphasis on culture, team building and grounded principles that have led his past teams to success. He’s on the razor's edge of high performance when it comes to bringing people together to truly tap into who they are, and what sports can do for them.
And in an era when most conversations are, at times, are filled with NIL, transfer portal and media rights dialogue – Brent Brennan is leading his new program into discussions around commitment, connection and ‘ohana.
Presented by our founding partner 76, I hope you enjoy our conversion from Big-12 Media Days and learn a little bit more about what makes Brent Brennan the man that he is.
And I’d bet he would recommend that you listen on a run. I would.
This episode is produced by Jim Thornby and edited by Jessica Altman.
This podcast is a Best Coast Media production.
Get full access to Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth at www.y-option.com/subscribe -
Jerrod Johnson and I met in 2009. I was working for Fox College Sports and broadcasting Big-12 games each week. He was the starting quarterback at Texas A&M. To make you smirk, that season the Big-12 had two divisions, the North and South. The respective champion of each division was Nebraska and Texas. Missouri and Colorado were in the league and that conference only had 12 teams, how about that!?
And if you forgot, future SEC team Texas won the 2009 Big-12 title 13-12 over future B1G squad Nebraska ahead of Colt McCoy leading the Longhorns to the BCS Championship Game.
I was in my first true year as an analyst calling games and I always talked to each team's signal caller before the contest. Jerrod, or JJ, was thoughtful, competitive and focused. It was crystal clear that he had a love for the game that was different from most players.
Post playing career, JJ explored many arenas: from broadcasting, high school coaching, fashion and more. Yet like most who love what the game of football can do for others, he found himself coming back to the thing that impacted him so much –teaching.
While many things have changed since 2009, what has remained is that everything Jerrod Johnson touches, finds success. Currently, the Houston Texans quarterbacks coach is guiding C.J. Stroud, the reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. His impact on C.J. is boundless and endless but it began years ago, on the field at the Elite 11 Finals.
JJ spoke to me during the 2024 Elite 11 Finals, and we shared parts of our conversation with the top 20 high school QBs in the nation. From “What Matters Most” at the position, advice for parents and powerful insight into his quarterback room with the Texans that features Stroud, Stanford’s Davis Mills, and Case Keenum.
Podcast produced by Jim Thornby and edited by Jessica Altman.
This podcast is a Best Coast Media Production.
Get full access to Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth at www.y-option.com/subscribe -
Mark Harlan is impacting college sports at an elite level. As the athletics director at Utah, he has also served in the Football Oversight Committee and has been in the room during CFP deliberations. To say he ‘gets it’ is a true understatement.
Often times, college sports are seen as a business and I get it, it is HUGE business.
But more often than not, the ones who are leading athletic departments and serving the sports and athletes we love began on that career path because they too, loved ball.
Mark Harlan is exactly that. Growing up in Southern California, he fell in love with college football at the Coliseum and his path to Utah has been one full of mentorship, perspective, and necessary leadership.
We sat down during Big-12 Media Days and discussed his origin story, the state of the game, the decision to name Morgan Scalley the head coach in waiting & some advice for Y-Option as we get rolling.
I think all fans of sport will enjoy our conversation, presented by our founding partner 76.
Todays podcast was executive produced by Jim Thornby and edited by Jessica Altman.
This podcast is a Best Coast Media production.
Get full access to Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth at www.y-option.com/subscribe -
In my time working on the USC staff, one thing became clear – when a quarterback signs his letter of intent at USC he becomes a household name. When he starts, he becomes a Heisman Candidate. Calling games for the past 17 seasons has only proven that theory I learned while on Pete Carroll’s staff.
And for Miller Moss, that’s also true. While many factors go into winning the Heisman, I believe that the future for Miller Moss is extremely bright as he has a brilliant mind, can quickly and efficiently process information, is consistently accurate and is an elite competitor. Those traits will allow him to thrive as the USC QB this fall as the Trojans enter the B1G.
In today’s conversation, presented by our founding partner, 76, we sat down at the Elite 11 Finals in Los Angeles and dove into his story - what backing up Heisman winner Caleb Williams taught him, navigating life in LA as the USC QB, his relationship with Lincoln Riley and why his Dad told him to listen to Kobe Bryant.
Today’s podcast was executive produced by Jim Thornby and edited by Tanner Pierce. A special thank you to Elite 11 for the cinematography.
This podcast is a Best Coast Media production.
Get full access to Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth at www.y-option.com/subscribe -
Meet Dillon Gabriel. A one-time Army commit who would thrive at Central Florida before balling out at Oklahoma and is now in his final collegiate season as the starting quarterback for the Oregon Ducks. We sat down at the Elite 11 finals this summer and discussed his It Factor, why he chose Oregon for his final season, what Marcus Mariota winning the Heisman meant to him and what it’s like playing for Dan Lanning.
Hope you enjoy and for more, be sure to follow @YOptionCFB as we will be covering ALL things college football through the lens of the West Coast all season long at www.y-option.com.
This episode was produced by Jim Thornby, filmed by Blue Ox Films and edited by Tanner Pierce.
This podcast is a Best Coast Media production.
Get full access to Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth at www.y-option.com/subscribe -
In today's Y-Option podcast, you'll hear from head coaches Jake Dickert and Trent Bray, as they share how their respective teams have 'met the moment' all off-season in anticipation of their new schedule in the Pac-12.
Jaden Robinson, Jermaine Terry II, Kyle Williams and Kyle Thornton also joined me on stage and while all four are stars for the Beavs and Cougs on the field, their stories will inspire you in meaningful ways off it. Each were impacted at an early age by adversity and each celebrated the woman in their lives who continues to inspire each of them to this day. If you love football and have any desire to learn about the humans under those helmets, this episode is right up your alley. If you're pessimistic about the future of the game, this episode will offer you some hope.
Enjoy After Hours with the Beavs and Cougs from Las Vegas.
Y-Option is a Best Coast Media Production
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As the founding faces of the Pac-12 Network, Mike Yam and Ashley Adamson carried the reputation of the league for over a decade but in 2020, amid a global pandemic, Mike learned he would not return to the network he helped build.
The three of us never spoke about that day, or the fact that Mike would not return to the place we had such pride in, until now. Mike, Ashley, Jim Thornby and myself listen as Mike shares the brutal impact of that decision on his life and how he has responded to that adversity.
It's a beautiful conversation among friends who became family. If you fell in love with Mike, Ashley and the content at the Pac-12 Network this is a conversation that will resonate on powerful levels.
Today's conversation is brought to you by our Founding Partner, @76.
For more insight on college football through the lens of the West Coast be sure to follow @YOptionFB on Twitter, @YOptionCFB on Instagram and sign up for all updates at www.y-Option.com.
This podcast was Executive Produced by Jim Thornby and edited by Tanner Pierce.
Y-Option is a Best Coast Media production.
Get full access to Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth at www.y-option.com/subscribe -
Mike Yam and Ashley Adamson were the foundation of the Pac-12 Networks and the first two faces to grace the airwaves of that network. In the inaugural episode of Y-Option there was truly no other option--we had to have these two on to go down memory lane with us. And we do just that.
We dive into the origin story of the once promising Network, how we all got there and some of the joys, and struggles of being there.
Enjoy Part 1 of 2 episodes with two people that entered so many people's lives through their televisions and changed mine.
Follow along with Y-Option on Twitter and Instagram as we continue to discuss college football through the lens of the West Coast.
Y-Option is a Best Coast Media Production
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