Until Saturday: A show about college football

In light of the NCAA investigating allegations about Arizona State hosting recruits during the 15-month non-contact period, Andy and Ari frame just how reprehensible ASU's actions were and how it offended other football programs. What will happen next with the team? The guys then channel their inner Dr. Derek Shepherd and attempt to reprogram college football fans' brains to recognize what is/isn't cheating with NIL rules looming. How real is the concern that above-market deals will be offered to recruits in exchange for their commitment? How will NCAA and schools stonewall this uneasiness? Ari explains the latest college football renaissance. Lastly, Andy teaches Ari how to adult (who bags their grass clippings?).Follow Andy on Twitter: @Andy_StaplesFollow Ari on Twitter: @AriWassermanJoin The Athletic for $3.99 a month! Visit: theathletic.com/andystaples Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy and The Athletic's Texas Longhorns penman Sam Khan Jr. check-in on the crown jewel of Austin. What will it take from Steve Sarkisian to help restore UT to its former luster? Is cultivating and nurturing talent Sarkisian's top task as head coach? How many first-round picks will the program produce in time for next year's draft? Hudson Card was the prohibitive favorite to take Texas' first snap of the year, but Casey Thompson's Alamo Bowl performance places him square in the running for the starting QB job. What criteria will Sarkisian use when choosing his starting signal-caller? The guys consider how Texas will handle its school song "The Eyes of Texas" and how it relates to players, fans, and recruits' reservations. Plus, Andy and Sam perform a temperature check of the Big 12 and weigh where Texas ranks among the conference's best clubs; can Sarkisian, who was in close proximity to Alabama's success, impart what he learned in Tuscaloosa to his program, and why won't Andy give Texas the benefit of the doubt?Follow Andy on Twitter: @Andy_StaplesFollow Sam on Twitter: @skhanjrJoin The Athletic for just $3.99 a month! Visit: theathletic.com/andystaples Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy welcomes Yahoo Sports columnist, Dan Wetzel, to the podcast to conjointly state, "WE WERE RIGHT ALL ALONG! WE. TOLD. YOU. LOL"! Joking aside, the guys engage in a boastful, yet nuanced discussion about everything that's transpired these last two weeks. From SCOTUS ruling against the NCAA in a dispute about athlete compensation rights, to how this decision could impact schools like Boise State when facing the Alabamas of the recruiting world, to Dan's metaphor for all of this, "pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered". Could a 12-team College Football Playoff be implemented as late as 2026? Andy wagers it won't. He and Dan explain why, plus, Notre Dame's Jack Swarbrick is a genius; bowl games just jumped in value, and though NIL won't be official until July 1st, there are already people profiting off of it, none of which are student-athletes.Follow Andy on Twitter: @Andy_StaplesFollow Dan on Twitter: @DanWetzelJoin The Athletic for just $3.99 a month! Visit: theathletic.com/andystaples Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nicole is in Dallas where she is covering College Football Playoff expansion discussions between Commissioners, Athletic Directors and University Presidents. Clemson beat writer Grace Raynor joins the show as this week's co-host! She talks about her story on Clemson's unlikely rise to a college football power. Plus, last call! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy and Ari, college football scriveners turned legal analysts, dissect and inspect the Supreme Court's decision favoring athlete compensation. Why did SCOTUS unanimously voice its rejection of the NCAA's case? Despite ruling favorably in the name of athletes, why did this movement take so long to form? How will college football fans, employees, and athletes view amateurism moving forward? How will this affect the modus operandi of student-athletes? Could we witness holdouts, negotiations, etc. from athletes? What does the future hold in the program-athlete dynamic?Follow Andy on Twitter: @Andy_StaplesFollow Ari on Twitter: @AriWassermanJoin The Athletic for just $3.99 a month! Visit: theathletic.com/andystaples Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy welcomes Hayes Fawcett to the podcast. Now, you may not know Hayes by his name, but you will undoubtedly recognize his work as the paragon of recruit edits on social media. Hayes paints his backstory as a middle-school-aged kid creating stylistic photos for some of the best high school recruits in the country. His craftsmanship and cachet have grown over time, leading him to have access to recruiting information no one else has. Hayes discusses how his audiences differ from platform to platform, and how he's built relationships with some of the biggest-named recruits and coaches in the country. He also shares how new tech and techniques have helped his work, what he's learned about recruiting from his unique perspective, and the most surprising commitment of his young career.Follow Andy on Twitter: @Andy_StaplesFollow Hayes on Twitter: @Hayesfawcett3Join The Athletic for just $3.99 a month! Visit: theathletic.com/andystaples Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy and The Athletic's Notre Dame wizard writer Pete Sampson run the Notre Dame football gamut. What are the College Football Playoff 12-team field's implications on Notre Dame? Would it behoove the Irish to join the ACC now? Did Jack Swarbrick and the College Football Playoff working group mortgage Notre Dame's championship aspirations when implementing a 12-team cage match? The duo motor through the granular details of Notre Dame's 2021 outlook, including who handles quarterbacking duties. Will it be Jack Coan or the young buck, Tyler Buchner? Who could be Notre Dame's breakout star this year?Follow Andy on Twitter: @Andy_StaplesFollow Pete on Twitter: @PeteSampson_Join The Athletic for just $3.99 a month! Visit; theathletic.com/andystaples Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nicole Auerbach and Stadium's Michael Felder discuss how some people love football because it's one of the best reality TV show out there. The way rights holders like ESPN or Stadium present the sport has a massive impact on its popularity. How will networks present an expanded CFB Playoff? Plus, last call! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join The Athletic for just $3.99 a month! Visit: theathletic.com/andystaplesAndy and Ari unite to parse details of a 12-team College Football Playoff. An expanded postseason presents opportunities not only for programs that have been on the sidelines during the four-team era, but also gives CFP incumbents a second chance at a title. Are stakes higher than they've ever been before, or is there less stress in a wider field? Are 12 teams too many? Who is the biggest winner in this decision? Will recruiting change because of an expanded playoff to benefit teams that, in past years, have been on the outside looking in? Which teams have the easiest paths? Plus, Ari's Home Depot anxieties, and which housewarming gift should Andy gift Ari?Follow Andy on Twitter: @Andy_StaplesFollow Ari on Twitter: @AriWasserman Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join The Athletic for just $3.99 a month! Visit; theathletic.com/andystaplesVisit Blue Chew: https://go.bluechew.com/andyAndy and Max Olson weigh the pros and cons of a 12-team playoff. The pair ponder why this potential change took so long to implement, and discuss how a field of 12 will function. Plus, how would previous year's playoffs look in a 12-team format? Follow Andy on Twitter: @Andy_StaplesFollow Max on Twitter: @maxolson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.