Next Up with Adam Breneman

Virginia Head Coach Tony Elliott joins Next Up with Adam Breneman to talk culture, NIL, portal strategy, and what it really takes to get UVA to Charlotte. Elliott explains why he chose Virginia—elite academics, true alignment with AD Carla Williams and university leadership, and a faith-driven belief that he could build a program the right way. He details the foundation work most people don’t see: tiny standards (yes, flushing the toilets) that create accountability, consistency, and peer leadership in the locker room. We get into the transfer-portal calculus and how NIL realities changed his roster math from a ~75/25 high school-to-portal split to more of a 50/50–60/40 approach. This offseason alone, UVA welcomed 54 newcomers (32 transfers, 22 high school), while still prioritizing academic and social fit in small classes with no “easy track.” Elliott shares how NIL has been a net positive putting players in the community, relieving pressure at home, and letting them focus on ball and school and why he keeps the program relationship-driven while the front office manages the transactional pieces. Elliott also revisits the road win at North Carolina as a belief shift for the team and lays out the identity for 2025: a mission to “build champion men by serving their heart, not their talent,” core values of humility, effort, accountability, respect, and toughness, and a theme of TLC → CLT (team, leadership, commitment aimed at December in Charlotte). To get there, he says UVA needs full-program belief, better consistency in one-score games, and deeper competitive depth. He closes with his “why”: a faith-led calling to use football to help young people realize their God-given gifts. PRIZEPICKS: Get $50 in lineups when you play $5 with code "NEXTUP": https://prizepicks.onelink.me/ivHR/NextUp For sponsorships or business inquiries reach out to: advertising@frontofficesports.com SUBSCRIBE HERE: https://www.youtube.com/@NextUpWithAdam?sub_confirmation=1 FOLLOW NEXT UP WITH ADAM: INSTAGRAM | https://shorturl.at/d9IdQ X | https://x.com/NextUpWithAdam TIKTOK | https://shorturl.at/qasuc SPOTIFY | https://shorturl.at/5ZdaK APPLE PODCASTS | https://shorturl.at/mW49D CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Intro 1:07 - Support from University 2:09 - First team meeting as Virginia Head Coach 4:20 - First month as Virginia Head Coach 5:45 - Deciding to take the Virginia job 8:46 - Alignment with Virginia Administration 10:49 - Advice to Coach Elliott Day 1 at Virginia 12:35 - Building a new culture as a Head Coach 15:25 - Building a CFB roster in 2025 18:04 - Evaluating players in high school and the transfer portal 20:16 - Being a players coach in a transactional era 22:12 - Positive part of NIL and Corner Media 23:35 - “Ah-ha” moment at Virginia 24:34 - Training camp message in 2025 27:10 - Tackling during fall camp 28:13 - What needs to happen to reach the top of CFB 29:02 - Coach Elliott’s why On Next Up, college football analyst Adam Breneman sits down with the most influential names in college sports and lets them tell their stories unfiltered, direct to the fans. Next Up is a Front Office Sports Network show featuring candid, open, and honest conversations with the most impactful figures in college sports including head coaches, athletes, athletic directors, commissioners, entrepreneurs, media personalities, agents, and executives shaping the business of college sports. Adam is a former All-American, Penn State alum and media personality. Front Office Sports is the leading multi-platform media and news organization covering the intersection of sports, business and culture.

Watch the full episode with Brennan Marion: https://youtu.be/PjQvDIYZtE0 They passed him over. He kept showing up. From coaching at NAIA schools to inventing his own offense… Brennan Marion’s story is what college football is all about — grit, faith, and never skipping a letter on the path to greatness. For sponsorships or business inquiries reach out to: advertising@frontofficesports.com SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@NextUpWithAdam?sub_confirmation=1 FOLLOW NEXT UP WITH ADAM: INSTAGRAM | https://shorturl.at/d9IdQ X | https://x.com/NextUpWithAdam TIKTOK | https://shorturl.at/qasuc SPOTIFY | https://shorturl.at/5ZdaK APPLE PODCASTS | https://shorturl.at/mW49D On Next Up, college football analyst Adam Breneman sits down with the most influential names in college sports and lets them tell their stories unfiltered, direct to the fans. Next Up is a Front Office Sports Network show featuring candid, open, and honest conversations with the most impactful figures in college sports including head coaches, athletes, athletic directors, commissioners, entrepreneurs, media personalities, agents, and executives shaping the business of college sports. Adam is a former All-American, Penn State alum and media personality. Front Office Sports is the leading multi-platform media and news organization covering the intersection of sports, business and culture.

This week on Next Up with Adam Breneman, Mississippi State Head Coach Jeff Lebby joins the show to talk about the journey of rebuilding a program in the heart of the SEC. From taking over a team that had seen four head coaches in five years, to bringing in more than 60 new players and creating instant belief, Lebby opens up on how he’s building stability and momentum in Starkville. He shares what it means to shape the identity of Mississippi State Football around effort, physicality, and execution, and why he leans on tempo and explosiveness to make opponents “defend every blade of grass.” We dive into recruiting battles in the South, the role football plays in growing the Starkville community, and why alignment with the administration has been critical to the program’s rise. Coach Lebby also reflects on the lessons from a 2–10 season, the importance of preparing his players for life beyond football, and his personal “why” that keeps him grounded through it all. It’s a candid look at what it takes to build a program in today’s college football. PRIZEPICKS: Get $50 in lineups when you play $5 with code "NEXTUP": https://prizepicks.onelink.me/ivHR/NextUp For sponsorships or business inquiries reach out to: advertising@frontofficesports.com SUBSCRIBE HERE: https://www.youtube.com/@NextUpWithAdam?sub_confirmation=1 FOLLOW NEXT UP WITH ADAM: INSTAGRAM | https://shorturl.at/d9IdQ X | https://x.com/NextUpWithAdam TIKTOK | https://shorturl.at/qasuc SPOTIFY | https://shorturl.at/5ZdaK APPLE PODCASTS | https://shorturl.at/mW49D CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Intro :50 - Reflections of first years at Mississippi State 2:24 - First adjustments when taking Head Coaching job 3:32 - Why Mississippi State 4:40 - First year at Mississippi State 6:45 - Momentum at Mississippi State 7:54 - Getting buy-in from transfer portal players 10:25 - Reflecting on 2-10 year 11:40 - Identity of Mississippi State Football 12:28 - Investment from University into football program 13:47 - Spring ball 14:40 - Installing Coach Lebby’s Offense 15:47 - Talent acquisition at Mississippi State 17:07 - Tennessee matchup preview 18:00 - Locker room after beating ASU 18:49 - Dealing with outside noise 19:46 - Approach to analytics 20:53 - Day in the life 22:48 - Growth of Starkville 23:37 - Preparing players for life after football 24:47 - Traits Coach Lebby looks for in young coaches 25:53 - Non-negotiables for recruits and portal players 26:45 - Coach Lebby’s Legacy 27:20 - Future of Mississippi State 28:07 - Coach Lebby’s why On Next Up, college football analyst Adam Breneman sits down with the most influential names in college sports and lets them tell their stories unfiltered, direct to the fans. Next Up is a Front Office Sports Network show featuring candid, open, and honest conversations with the most impactful figures in college sports including head coaches, athletes, athletic directors, commissioners, entrepreneurs, media personalities, agents, and executives shaping the business of college sports. Adam is a former All-American, Penn State alum and media personality. Front Office Sports is the leading multi-platform media and news organization covering the intersection of sports, business and culture.

What does it take to secure one of college football's top coaches? Discover how James Franklin snagged Jim Knowles when he became available. Behind the scenes, Pat Kraft's leadership and strategic partnerships played a crucial role. The discussion dives into why players choose to stay, highlighting the importance of culture and relationships over financial incentives. Finally, Franklin outlines the multifaceted approach needed for Penn State to compete for a championship, emphasizing the significance of strong coaching and resources.

This week on Next Up with Adam Breneman, Congressman Russell Fry joins the show to talk about the SCORE Act, his bipartisan proposal to bring stability back to college athletics. Fry explains why the current NIL and transfer portal landscape feels like the Wild West, and how the SCORE Act aims to create a single national standard. We dive into what the bill means for athletes, schools, and fans: protecting student-athletes from predatory agent contracts, ensuring financial education, preserving Olympic and non-revenue sports, and guaranteeing that players can profit from their name, image, and likeness. The conversation also covers why athletes should remain student-athletes rather than employees, the balance between revenue sharing and true NIL deals, and the NCAA’s future role if the legislation passes. Congressman Fry shares his perspective as a lifelong South Carolina sports fan, and why he believes this bill is crucial to saving the future of college sports. PRIZEPICKS: Get $50 in lineups when you play $5 with code "NEXTUP": https://prizepicks.onelink.me/ivHR/NextUp For sponsorships or business inquiries reach out to: advertising@frontofficesports.com SUBSCRIBE HERE:  https://www.youtube.com/@NextUpWithAdam?sub_confirmation=1 FOLLOW NEXT UP WITH ADAM:  INSTAGRAM |  https://shorturl.at/d9IdQ X | https://x.com/NextUpWithAdam TIKTOK | https://shorturl.at/qasuc SPOTIFY | https://shorturl.at/5ZdaK APPLE PODCASTS | https://shorturl.at/mW49D CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Intro 1:34 - South Carolina Football 2:09 - Why College Athletics matter so much 3:28 - Congressman Fry’s journey 4:20 - Breaking down the SCORE Act 6:16 - Pillars of the SCORE Act 8:06 - How the SCORE Act Affects Agents 10:14 - Salary cap vs true NIL 11:51 - President Trump’s support on the SCORE Act 12:56 - Student-Athletes as employees 14:32 - Feedback on the SCORE Act 15:46 - SCORE Act in Congress 16:42 - Most consistent pushback on the SCORE Act 17:27 - Misconceptions about the SCORE Act 18:08 - NCAA’s role in SCORE Act 19:10 - Implementation of SCORE Act 20:30 - Watching college athletics change 21:49 - Giving student-athletes a voice 22:56 - Why the SCORE Act matters 23:53 - Charlie Kirk On Next Up, college football analyst Adam Breneman sits down with the most influential names in college sports and lets them tell their stories unfiltered, direct to the fans.  Next Up is a Front Office Sports Network show featuring candid, open, and honest conversations with the most impactful figures in college sports including head coaches, athletes, athletic directors, commissioners, entrepreneurs, media personalities, agents, and executives shaping the business of college sports.  Adam is a former All-American, Penn State alum and media personality. Front Office Sports is the leading multi-platform media and news organization covering the intersection of sports, business and culture.

The structure. The discipline. The standard — every single day. Manny Diaz saw it up close under James Franklin at Penn State. Not just talk about toughness and culture. A masterclass in how to live it. Diaz broke it down on Next Up. Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/XZQ3WPnFoX4 For sponsorships or business inquiries reach out to: advertising@frontofficesports.com SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@NextUpWithAdam?sub_confirmation=1 FOLLOW NEXT UP WITH ADAM: INSTAGRAM | https://shorturl.at/d9IdQ X | https://x.com/NextUpWithAdam TIKTOK | https://shorturl.at/qasuc SPOTIFY | https://shorturl.at/5ZdaK APPLE PODCASTS | https://shorturl.at/mW49D On Next Up, college football analyst Adam Breneman sits down with the most influential names in college sports and lets them tell their stories unfiltered, direct to the fans. Next Up is a Front Office Sports Network show featuring candid, open, and honest conversations with the most impactful figures in college sports including head coaches, athletes, athletic directors, commissioners, entrepreneurs, media personalities, agents, and executives shaping the business of college sports. Adam is a former All-American, Penn State alum and media personality. Front Office Sports is the leading multi-platform media and news organization covering the intersection of sports, business and culture.

Ohio State Athletic Director Ross Bjork joins Adam Breneman for a candid, wide-ranging conversation on leading one of the biggest brands in college sports. Bjork reflects on his first days in Columbus—pinch-yourself moments in the same department as Woody Hayes and Jesse Owens—while laying out how he’s protecting a strong culture and modernizing the Buckeyes’ athletic department for what’s next. The episode digs into his overlap with Gene Smith and the simple advice that set the tone, the confidential process behind landing the Ohio State job, and first impressions of Ryan Day’s leadership and locker-room culture. Bjork walks through his game-day routine—from Skull Session to the AD suite to the sideline—and why he wants to feel the emotion right alongside fans and players. Bjork explains Ohio State’s approach to revenue sharing and NIL, including how they allocated $18M across sports, why the next arms race is building the NIL infrastructure itself, and how donor strategy and facilities now balance performance, recovery, and revenue generation. He also shares his view on the future of governance in college athletics, the College Sports Commission, potential federal legislation, and what smart playoff expansion could look like. We wrap with his hiring philosophy, the best part of the job, lessons from Western Kentucky, and his “why”: giving young people the chance to reach their full potential through sport. PRIZEPICKS: Get $50 in lineups when you play $5 with code "NEXTUP": https://prizepicks.onelink.me/ivHR/NextUp For sponsorships or business inquiries reach out to: advertising@frontofficesports.com SUBSCRIBE HERE: https://www.youtube.com/@NextUpWithAdam?sub_confirmation=1 FOLLOW NEXT UP WITH ADAM: INSTAGRAM | https://shorturl.at/d9IdQ X | https://x.com/NextUpWithAdam TIKTOK | https://shorturl.at/qasuc SPOTIFY | https://shorturl.at/5ZdaK APPLE PODCASTS | https://shorturl.at/mW49D CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Intro 1:53 - First Days as Ohio State AD 3:40 - First Changes at Ohio State 6:18 - Advice from Gene Smith 7:31 - Process of getting Ohio State AD job 13:18 - First impression of Ryan Day 17:04 - Game Day as Ohio State’s AD 20:35 - Improving the Ohio State Football program 22:35 - NIL and Revenue Sharing 28:30 - Future governance of college sports 31:16 - How many teams in CFP? 33:27 - Hiring coaches as an AD 35:04 - Best part of the job 36:00 - Advice to Ross at Western Kentucky 37:04 - Ross Bjork’s why On Next Up, college football analyst Adam Breneman sits down with the most influential names in college sports and lets them tell their stories unfiltered, direct to the fans. Next Up is a Front Office Sports Network show featuring candid, open, and honest conversations with the most impactful figures in college sports including head coaches, athletes, athletic directors, commissioners, entrepreneurs, media personalities, agents, and executives shaping the business of college sports. Adam is a former All-American, Penn State alum and media personality. Front Office Sports is the leading multi-platform media and news organization covering the intersection of sports, business and culture.

Drake Lindsey wasn’t supposed to be here. An underrated recruit from Arkansas with no SEC offers - now he’s the starting quarterback at Minnesota, leading a Big Ten offense at just 19 years old. We talked about his rise, the mindset shift that changed everything back in January and what it really takes to walk into a locker room and earn the respect to lead it. Watch the full interview here: https://youtu.be/jSyuZFPP_SQ For sponsorships or business inquiries reach out to: advertising@frontofficesports.com SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@NextUpWithAdam?sub_confirmation=1 FOLLOW NEXT UP WITH ADAM: INSTAGRAM | https://shorturl.at/d9IdQ X | https://x.com/NextUpWithAdam TIKTOK | https://shorturl.at/qasuc SPOTIFY | https://shorturl.at/5ZdaK APPLE PODCASTS | https://shorturl.at/mW49D On Next Up, college football analyst Adam Breneman sits down with the most influential names in college sports and lets them tell their stories unfiltered, direct to the fans. Next Up is a Front Office Sports Network show featuring candid, open, and honest conversations with the most impactful figures in college sports including head coaches, athletes, athletic directors, commissioners, entrepreneurs, media personalities, agents, and executives shaping the business of college sports. Adam is a former All-American, Penn State alum and media personality. Front Office Sports is the leading multi-platform media and news organization covering the intersection of sports, business and culture.

Brent Richard, CEO of IMG Academy, and Drew Weatherford, co-founder of Weatherford Capital and former FSU quarterback, dive deep into the evolving landscape of college sports. They propose a bold solution: adding more athletes instead of cutting teams. The discussion covers the financial potential of non-revenue sports, the implications of NIL rights, and the future of college athletics by 2035. They emphasize the importance of mentorship and empowerment through sports, aiming to create a more inclusive and developmental environment for all student-athletes.

“Row The Boat” isn’t a slogan. It’s the heartbeat of Minnesota football. P.J. Fleck opens up on how it was born from tragedy, why it resonates so deeply, and how it’s transformed the culture of Gopher football. Full episode with P.J. Fleck: https://youtu.be/B2dB6RcETKs For sponsorships or business inquiries reach out to: advertising@frontofficesports.com SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@NextUpWithAdam?sub_confirmation=1 FOLLOW NEXT UP WITH ADAM: INSTAGRAM | https://shorturl.at/d9IdQ X | https://x.com/NextUpWithAdam TIKTOK | https://shorturl.at/qasuc SPOTIFY | https://shorturl.at/5ZdaK APPLE PODCASTS | https://shorturl.at/mW49D On Next Up, college football analyst Adam Breneman sits down with the most influential names in college sports and lets them tell their stories unfiltered, direct to the fans. Next Up is a Front Office Sports Network show featuring candid, open, and honest conversations with the most impactful figures in college sports including head coaches, athletes, athletic directors, commissioners, entrepreneurs, media personalities, agents, and executives shaping the business of college sports. Adam is a former All-American, Penn State alum and media personality. Front Office Sports is the leading multi-platform media and news organization covering the intersection of sports, business and culture.