3 Guys Before the Game - Penn State Game Preview (Episode 570)

[Music] let's do this thing hey everybody Welcome in it is time finally finally to do the last Bastion of rhetoric on West Virginia and Penn State this is three guys before the game the Penn State game preview this is our fourth episode that has Penn State preview in it we've had started in May first one was in May State preview next week we'll probably do two shows like a post game shows rather next opponent well the Penn State recap is coming up on Sunday I will say that well I haven't had those Mitty lines in Morgantown for a while we might as well run with it squeezing the sponge out of them getting everything else here we go let's do this thing thanks for being with us three guys before the game is brought To Us by comac Business Systems keeping West Virginia's business data safe secure and efficient for 25 years by goart get a goart rewards card and save on fuel and food go to gomart.com or download the goart app and you will be in business by Lou wend marine sales in St Albin they they sell Family Fun visit L Wendel marine sales.com by tutor Biscuit World start your day the homemade way tutor Biscuit World and by connley CPA Group providing value Beyond numbers all right we are all together here ladies and gentlemen kind of like the preacher says before the marriage ceremonies we have all come together here today some of us have had more sleep than others Brad just got home six minutes ago from the independence Herbert Hoover High School football game that was game just ended whoa it was delayed by unbelievable uh weather which caused a lot of power cages in Canal County uh but you guys kicked off after 9:00 9:30ish yeah it was about 9:30 9:40 before we finally got underway just a lot of lightning and those storms as you said that went through but ended up being a great game to start the high school football season hoppies right think the last pass came down to a fourth down play last play of the game I think it just got batted down about four minutes ago we're ready to go great start you didn't go to any go March did you on your way I think I hit every go Mar I mean there's a billion of them across the state I think I was in every one I had I hit the gas away goart hit the elk viw goart okay and then swung through World Headquarters at the Flatwoods goart about 1:40 a.m. last night or this morning awesome so got a good goart run somebody the overnight person was there and checked a box okay Brad St Brad Z Brad Z so the excitement as we had anticipated for this game has done exactly what we thought it would do it's ramped up I thought traffic started to get bad yesterday which is a rarity on a Thursday and I came through campus this morning we're recording early Friday morning and I saw the setup for the staging for Pat McAfee show and so it's it is on um I would say this a couple of different things here if you're coming in and you're going to do this thing Ube r u r I think the big four-letter word I mean traffic's ass Su getting to our food court on University Avenue that probably is the best way to do it or just simply walk like Park far away maybe go go to the old mall I don't know maybe go to the old Mall Park a the old M another old Mall reference go to the old mall but I'm just thinking like your feet you think Uber just walk if you can take the three guys shuttle your feet are going to be your best friend if you just it's tough anyway that's my thing we'll talk more about the food court and all of that stuff coming up on this episode we want to get into we we've brought you some analytics over the last couple of episodes keys and things like that but today we do want to focus on the specific keys to the game you never know how these things play out but there are certain things that you can look at as Milestones during a game to say like this is happening this isn't happening and that either means good or bad depending on what side healthwise the Mountaineers are in as Neil Brown said last night we're in good shape and you might think well what's first game of the season seon like why wouldn't you be in good shape well because you just practiced for a month and overall this has been a really good preseason in that regard they're not going to hit today today is fast Friday is what they call it they get their heart rates up um today but there there is no banging no smashing going on uh until the game goes tomorrow afternoon at 12:05 so they've come out of that and they seem to be in a good place to go play the game and now we'll see what happens senator now when did you prepare these keys to the game July over the last couple you know how this comes together you you kind of knew what the what the keys I think are going to be for this West Virginia team but then as we've talked about this game over the last couple of weeks I think it's crystallized into a couple of different buckets so we'll Niche it down I won't go as deep into the the Weeds on some numbers all I'll give you a few coming up here in just a minute but we'll kind of package that together with what what I think are just a couple of keys not gonna go crazy with those but a couple key points hoppy you were down at the Greenbrier for the business Summit uh literally over thousand people are there I think there 1,200 in that big Ballroom did you feel a an unusual amount of Buzz or interest in a game compared to any other regular season opener oh yeah you're feeling it yeah yeah I mean clearly there is um and it just and because of the opponent because of how you finished last year the anticipation is higher and then at the food court last night I mean people are you know what happens is the optimism see how he slid in that he was at the food court like immediately like listen though I don't I don't blame him as much as as much as grief is he gets for leaving our previous events early yeah which he did in fact just slip out yeah when he shows up he's got to he's got to get it a little bit I get it I understand the optimism builds right sure the optimism builds I think that's a situation you have can West Virginia can the team reach that level of optimism because sometimes the optimism gets a little ahead of of the Practical and you hear people yeah you know yeah I think they should if the West Virginia I mean the general comment is if West Virginia shows up they can win this game now that's again that's just a generalization but it reflects the optimism that exists going into the game I don't hear people talking about you got no chance right I don't hear that I hear people saying you know what I think they could win this game so there is this optimism that exists the question is Brad can West Virginia's performance match that optimism yeah you know it's it's wild too guys I was sitting there last night during that delay of the high school game checking scores across the college football landscape and there were some big 12 teams in action but it it struck me again just the imbalance of schedules across the country West Virginia opening against a team that if it this team in Penn State doesn't get to the playoff you outlined this I think in our last show will be a massive disappointment and there will be some heat on James Franken although the contract prevents anything from really happening but this this is a team that thinks it has to be in the playoff this year and rightfully so yeah and yet you that's who West Virginia opens the season with and yet you look around the league Utah who's already won the Big 12 title apparently congratulations to them in their first year winning 12 title playing Southern Utah cam Rising throws for five touchdowns in the first half Colorado now they struggled and it's a very good FCS program in North Dakota State but it's all due respect it's North Dakota State FCS shador Sanders throws for 450 yards Travis Hunter went ban but they they struggle with FCS opponent they're not playing a power five right right Kansas played lindawood Devon Neil goes for 100 yards so it's it was interesting driving back late last night and you listen to the National narrative that's out there and it's oh Utah look oh Kansas is off and running again all due respect but are they you really don't respect you don't you don't know well I don't know that I respect the first one let me give let me versus what West Virginia is going to go have to go out and do now West Virginia wins that we've talked about that they they will enter the the top 20 immediately maybe the top 15 it'll be off and running but it just shows I think one of the great challenges across college football is that the the schedule strengths are so vastly different in the non-conference Brad you mentioned the narratives and I one thing you can pick up on is that what has been one of the dominant narratives leading up to the season who will be the 12 teams right I mean you hear that all who are the 12 teams who are the 12 teams who are the 12 teams and Penn State is in that and everybody's mentioned almost every one of them is in there so if Penn State and look at what happened to Florida State if if Penn State loses West Virginia will get some national love but the national narrative will be oh what does Penn State have to do now to be in the playoffs there's no room for error that story will dominate West Virginia's win the story the national narrative will not be West Virginia 1 watch out for them there'll be some of that but most of it will be wow what a loss what does Penn State need to do to stay in that top 12 because there's such a focus on those 12 teams and that's that's college football as a whole I don't think there's any sport that is more critical and to a degree ruthless in its postgame comments than college football like everything is the overreaction uh I can already tell what the text line is going to say if West Virginia were to lose on uh on Sunday on those text it's going to be I sat in the stands with a guy he called every play he knew every play they're okay cornerbacks are playing too deep okay like it's just like print it out annually it's the same same same thing and okay whatever you get you get your part but my point to all that is like it's a game don't lose your mind one way or the other if you win set you up real nice if you lose get ready for the next one just play on I I was saying in the last episode this this infatuation this compulsion to talk about this college football playoff before you freaking even put the ball into the air just drives me crazy but it is but it is the with the why is it the story let the freaking teams play the month of September and then see who's who then start talking about it instead of making these czy these crazy I tell you I I understand and and I agree with you and Brad and I talk about this all the time like there's going to be great games Saturday that get no national attention but they're great games because that that's the broad that's the broader appeal that's the clicks who's in who's out and now with the expanded playoff it just is a dominant storyline and you can't change that you cannot change that oh I know I can't change it I know and I understand but I but I turn the volume down like all the all the pregame stuff and all that like I don't like I don't listen don't care well we do 4 hours of no no I'm talking about like on TV like it's just ad nauseum it's just that same old same old let the thing happen here's what's going to happen you know what's going to happen in college football this year there are going to be some teams that are picked to do extremely well and you know what they're going to have really bad seasons and there are some teams like West Virginia a year ago that was picked dead last in its league and they're going to finish in the upper portion of their league it's going toen happen so the to me is like let's see who they are let's see how it happens before you lose your mind you're right though Florida State loses to Georgia Tech and like the whole the whole narrative this week is how's Florida State gonna get back what's Florida what Florida State needs to get to thear Florida State needs to get to the ACC Championship game they can still get it's it's not even September tiring I think I think you are right I think that would be the national narrative but but West Virginia will get some pop will get and and quite frankly at that point I I won't give too bleeps about Penn State I think for this fan base you win that game you're really cooking with gas now you're rolling you're rolling and then it will then it will take care of itself but I was just talking about the national perspective no I get it man that's what they have to do and it's just the self-generation of of the interest in the what like Ben kille CBS sports.com they they you related huh are you related to him you know distant cousin you know what they have to do every day every day what did Deion Sanders say you watched Colorado last night shur Sanders is pretty he's pretty good but you know what they struggled they struggled couldn't stop anybody can't but what did Deion Sanders say today and why do they do that why do they do that story Brad cuz it gets listens it gets clicks it gets views whatever it is and that was again last night driving back listening to that they played three four five clips from from that press conference from Dion yeah yeah yep all right did we solve anything there no yeah I think we got I think we got a lot of no here's what we here's here's all that we did I'm gonna make this statement I'm probably gon to say it every week but I'm preaching to the choir with this this fan base and the group that listens to us but but this to me what's going to happen here on Saturday that's really college football the national narrative can be all about the SEC and the Big 10 I get it there are great events happening on college campuses all over the country that you're not going to spend some time talking about a national platform now tomorrow just happens to be a national platform is going to come in and it's going to be a ton of love for West Virginia before the game now you just hope if you're the team you go out and you match that because you're going to have some momentum starting today as this thing really ramps you're going to have an infomercial for West Virginia on Pat show throughout the day with all the West Virginia guests that are coming in now it's about time to hand the baton to the team and say okay you've got all of it behind you now go get it back and what and what is the from an entertainment standpoint for Fox what is the buildup the buildup cannot be the buildup cannot be Penn State's a nine-point favorite you know they're favorite the buildup IS oh you've come to Morgantown and this place is crazy and you better watch out when you come here that will be the storyline for Fox and that's good for West Virginia sure absolutely does it's tremendous a it's true and B it audience builds like oh we better watch this thing see what happens you got to have a story yeah you got to have a story you have to have a story every game has you must have an attraction yeah have the attraction you must have an attraction your favorite opening question yeah what's the attraction the attraction what's the attraction here's the attraction this right here numbers we'll just go right to the numbers here comes a heater let's jump into the uh analytics portion of the show first edition ever of a sleep deprived spreads on stats we don't know how he's doing it he doesn't need it it's unbelievable G grind he's got game day grind coffee cooking we're good spreads on stats brought To Us by the conle CPA Group they do provide value Beyond numbers what are they whether they a complete Service public accounting and consulting firm clients all over the state and outside of the state Outsourcing your accounting is that ever a thought like do we need to do this or can someone just do this stuff for us what they're doing they'll out they they'll take care of your accounting for you Outsource your accounting and also go to the level of your Chief Financial Officer CFO Services they can also Outsource those your entire operation or supplement your in-house process visit Conley CPA Group did they come up with the episode number we're we're effting on that 570 something I don't know talk about that later in the program during textual healing it is have to ask all right keys let just do a couple do a couple cuz I could do 15 I'm going to try and hch this down into just a couple of these with some numbers I think first and foremost the biggest one and this is a season long key but it's especially important coming up on Saturday it's can West Virginia's offensive line move Penn State up front and can West Virginia run it when and where it wants to run and I think specifically that starts as we talked last game inside can you run between the tackles so successful at that last year which then opens up that outside game now the motions and the shifts become really difficult to to to handle if you're able to run inside secondarily for this game because of those great Edge pass rushes if you can have success inside which then allows you to get on the outside maybe that slows those guys down for a beat or two so that when you drop back to throw you have a little extra time so I think this revamped and experienced offensive line for West Virginia what did I say last show they returned 3,000 plus snaps for the start up something like 3,300 snaps come back so very veteran guys they've been in this program they've been in the weit room for four and five years now it's time for jaquay hubard and Nick Malone to step into that starting role and then can the young guys come up behind them and assist so this remade offensive line can it run it when it wants to run it and where it wants to run it last year in this game West Virginia averages 3.7 yards per carry now what's different what we just said I think Garrett Green's a much different quarter qub back I think the Playbook is much more wide open than it was in game one last year you did not have Jem white which turned into your most dynamic rusher by the end of the season so that to me that to me we can debate these or discuss these as we go I think that's first and foremost this team's identity was built last year around running the football they want to do that again that opens up everything else if West Virginia can run it where and wi it once agreed and that's so important because Jem white needs to get a step or two past the line right to do what he does best correct yeah I mean yeah to bust through the line and then he can start yeah that's what you're saying yeah yeah yeah yeah and maybe Donaldson can Bust It Up in there and get you some tough yards here's what's interesting just 3.7 yards per carry for West Virginia last year but this was last year's game against West Virginia was the worst run defense grade for Penn State for the entire season excuse me worst run defense grade per Pro Football Focus for Penn State was West Virginia the run defense grade not just raw numbers but worst grade it was the worst tackling grade for the Penn State defense for the entire season came against West Virginia this was interesting third worst coverage grade for Penn State for the entire season only Michigan and Ohio State game were worse for Penn State so you know it's one of those after you got mid third quarter you could tell Penn State kind of had control of that game as Neil mentioned they made more winning plays West Viria couldn't convert on some key third and fourth down but you look at those and you stay off the raw numbers for a second you say okay now again standard disclaimer I should have done at the beginning all these numbers that I'm giving right now really don't mean anything because it's it's different players or if it's the same players they're back for a year so take those with a grain of salt but West Virginia did show some things last year against Penn State they have to be on the lookout for when you to your Point West Virginia coaches say there were passes there last year on that field there were re receivers that were there they were unable to make the throw at that point couldn't get it to there now what's a year difference make let me throw a story at you I John rabby you know from the Associated Press has been around for for many many years he wrote a a really really super good story that got released earlier this week from the associative press if you want to look this up um the headline is a Penn State Alum took Jem white into her home the West Virginia running back calls her godmother and it's this fascinating story about when he moved from Florida to York Pennsylvania he has this um acquaintance with this teacher who was a sixth grade teacher named Amanda and her last name is p FF Poff okay and she had had to go back to teach because she was a cancer survivor and needed it for medical reasons to get her health insurance anyway long story and I'm not going to do it justice but I do encourage you to read it where she befriends him he's really super quiet and she notices that like he gets on the internet and he's always looking up running backs and so it starts this conversation about football and she says she's a huge Penn State fan and she show she he didn't know who saquan Barkley was and so she starts showing him and he's like blowing him off saying he's good he's like he's no good then he moves back to Florida and then he reappears like I don't know how much longer later and she and he's got a lot of stuff going on familywise so he starts they get him into basketball with their daughter playing a type stuff he starts living with them and um so he says this is my godmother without her you know I wouldn't you know they helped me tremendously here she and her husband took them in added a piece onto their house for him to stay hell of a story that is it's a great story and so I bring all that up not only is it a neat thing but he didn't play in last year's game against Penn State and this will be his last chance to play because this series isn't happening anymore in the foreseeable future so like to him like not that he needs any extra motivation but like what does that do to him CJ Donaldson you were really not yourself all last year and he admits I didn't have a good year even though he put up you know a lot of yards but he just he never felt right yeah gar green he looks at that tape from a year ago at Penn State and says I'm I'm not that guy not close to that guy not I'm not close to that guy and all of that so to me it it uh it's this great Intrigue I think that you're in there you're positioned yourself to Slug It Out with them I think the crowd will have a massive Factor like you can be experienced you can play a lot of football together but when that crowd gets up there are just certain times when you're going to need to communicate you know as Penn State on that field there are certain times you're going to need to communicate where you will have a very difficult time to communicate whether you're even whether you're using silent count or not a l defensively if you're making a call if you're if you're you're yelling out something I mean you there's an electricity there I don't care what you say that makes a difference can it make enough of a difference to to impact negatively them and can it rise West Virginia's level of emotion to a level where they play better than perhaps they really are well you said the word can earlier you said will then you said can and the question is can because those things are symbiotic I mean the crowd can help the team the team can help the crowd sure okay absolutely so it's got It's it's got to be like that I mean the crowd will the crowd will start the crowd will be jacked up but the team has to do its part right and then the team and then vice versa yeah and that's why I said earlier the taking of the Baton the crowd stuff starts today quite frankly is when that's going to get cranked so entering that stadium and the start of that Stadium it will be Bonkers then it's turned over to the team has to give this crowd enough to get going and so green rips off a big run Jem white gives you a highlight re run Clement or Ray behind the D I mean that's the thing with this West Virginia team it's not like four years ago where you were going well who's going to make the exciting play you know you got guys make this is an offense that has Playmakers and has big Playmakers on it and has the ability for explosive play so you're going to have to do that you do that and get the crowd going now now you're in a fist fight if you're Penn State it was anyone G anyone's game last year at halftime M it needs to be anyone's game at Halftime again right tomorrow right it does you cannot afford getting down two or three scores in the first half because that will take the absolute life out of that crowd because let they like us like the team they all have expectations and if the expect ations don't happen the way that they want them to go then they pull back and Neil Brown talked about that he said look I need you guys to be there even when things get bad that's when I need you to be there like re re-energize refire up like don't sit on your hands if something isn't going away do your part to get us charged back up so that we can make a run so I think that's key now conversely if things do go well for you and you're and you look around like middle of the second quarter and you're having success running the ball and you you got a couple of points on the board you're going like hey guess what not only did we want to win this game like this thing is very doable now let's go then you've got that magic sauce that you need to happen flip over to key number two let's go to the defensive side for West Virginia and this is kind of ho a two-pronged key to the game you know they've got those two talented running backs that I think overall Western a pretty good job against last year but that opened up that passing game Drew all throws for 300 plus yards to three touchdowns so one of the things I'm watching here from the West Virginia perspective and I'll I'll give you a very specific key I think Shawn Martin is massive tomorrow literally and figuratively right we've talked about him before that's your NFL guy up front that's who the Scouts have been coming to watch all fall Camp he's healthy as well talk about a guy that's finally healthy and ready to go in game one if he can look like an NFL player on Saturday and that Penn State offense has to adjust and slide a second guy over to help on him now you're really opening it up now we'll get to see what Ty French can bring or a TJ Jackson or a Trey lean or a Josiah Trotter one of those secondary guys that can get some pressure because isn't that a massive key on Drew Aller make him get off his spot and move westerners didn't do that enough last year so to me it's not only about getting to the quarterback and applying pressure when they pass but it's also Shawn Martin specifically I think because he's got the most upside on that team he's got the physical capabilities he's your NFL guy he's got to go it ties in and we've talked about this before so I won't go too deep new offensive coordinator Andy codal Nikki what's that offense look like do they try do they react to the criticism from all of last year about not being creative and not being explosive enough and try and do some things to show hey we are does that gift them out of their comfort zone how up to speed is this Penn State offense on new terminology in a new offense the explosive play part of it if you look at Drew Aller last year in this Penn State offense his average depth of Target the average throw right what's the average depth of where the target is because you were G to ask why why you were G to ask what the definition was why' you Bobby bowed me on that you said the average depth of throw it's the average depth of the distance of the throw now that is how far he throws it on average now that's not his longest one that's the average throw for the first time in our 500 however many episodes he got a definition yeah and now he gets loud right see he pulls that he actually got one right and he knew he usually doesn't know I'm not saying it's the shortest or the longest I'm saying it's the average of the throws the average dep of Target for Drew hour last year was eight yards wow okay now is that the average eight yards now that would be the average depth of where the target is where the receiver is the target they that would be the targets the receiver I mean the fan the pen State fans grumbled on the checkdowns grumbled now here's what you want to watch grumbled in cotal Nikki's offense last year at Kansas they were third in power five in average depth of Target at 12.3 yards so what changes what CH now he certainly Aller certainly has the capability throw the ball down the field right so how much changes what changes what does that Penn State offense look like and how comfortable are they in it so again much like it's the crowd's job to help the team along team's job it's West fr's defense job to keep them uncomfortable and not quite sure what they're doing rad what about what about this as much grief and and the the grief was oriented around the Ohio State and Michigan losses where they didn't make big plays but if you have a great defense which their defense was Elite last year 13 gave up 13 points a game it's like okay and and LR had two interceptions like okay don't make mistakes no doubt don't make mistakes no doubt so that seemed like it was yeah that's why I think that that I can't wait to see what happens here do you just try and beat West Virginia as straight up as you can and take a quarterback that's obviously very good at avoiding mistakes and try and play it as vanilla as you can and just get the win or do you react to the criticism that you've been getting and say no no that's a we're going to look to do some things we're going to do some different things do you do you try an RPO with Drew Aller that he's not comfortable doing and the ball pops up in the air because you run into the the running back and your timing's off a little bit things like that so I'm I'm really anxious to watch this Penn State offense possessions over under eight and a half yeah that's that's a good one that Florida state Georgia Tech game was seven each correct if you look at what's happened so far very small sample size you wonder if the inh helmet communication is actually slowing the pace of games because coaches want every second they can have to talk into the ear of the quarterback so some of this tempo that you see may not be as fast as it's been in past now generally Andy cut Nikki's offense isn't one of the fastest in the country West Virginia will will step on the gas and pull back off of it but that's probably a pretty good number I I might go under to start because each spe so think if you're anded you're GNA want to talk to Drew as long as you possibly can in a new offense what does Neil do with Garett does he turn him loose and let him go a little bit more because West Virginia's Tempo may be an advantage if you can get it rolling I don't think Penn State wants to have a multi a lot of possessions in this game I wouldn't think they don't they don't want West Virginia out there it'll be limited possessions yeah so everyone will be super important yeah okay that's what I got I got 100 more but those are the two you're leaning one way or the other I'm all over the place I'm I am the the longer we talking about this the more I'm I'm a Winding Road here I can absolutely sit here and EAS build you a case for West Virginia walking out of that Stadium a winner I don't think this is something where you're just looking to cover the spread I my my gut tells me this is going to be a a game one last number I'll give you couldn't help yourself I can't I I can't help myself because it ties into this because you can we can easily build our case for West Virginia here I think that's reasonable to say that West Virginia could walk out of that stadium with a win but you're facing a really talented terrific Penn State team and Penn State program James Franklin this is not my number this is from Ralph Michaels wager talk this is absolutely this is from Ralph Michaels wager talk I heard it when Chris felica from Fox will be here tomorrow brought this up this this is this is a startling number and I'm not ending on a high note if you're West Virginia wait a second one hang on a second get all right go ahead this plays into last year's game when James Franklin there with 6 seconds left thought they needed that one last touchdown that may have affected some people's enjoyment of that game a little bit more change the spread change the over under too since 2000 James Franklin as a head coach when favored by seven to 24 points that window 7 to 24 which we're sitting in that window now as we record 7 to 24 points Franklin's teams are 160 and one against the spread cool that's you talk about a wow now again you can say what's that have to do with this year's team has absolutely nothing to do right but that that tells you a couple things part leads into the mindset of why he wanted to cover that game last year you can you will not convince me that he didn't know the score of the game doesn't know the spread that that matters that number's been out there all week but that's if you're West Virginia that's where you that's where you gota you got to take note let me I'll give you two numbers excuse me two well one comes from Christian Miller well let people know who Christian is I mean you just can't say Christian Miller Christian Miller is the manager of our stations in Morgantown big Mountaineer fan and he said Neil Brown is 0 and N in season openers against FBS opponents he's beaten a couple of FCS schools and openers but has has Then followed up with losses to the first FBS opponent of the year so this goes back to Troy so 0 and N against FBS opponents in season openers or when they played their first FBS teams so in at West Virginia that's losses to Missouri Oak State Maryland p in Penn State now on the other side Penn State has under James Franklin has had a couple season opening losses 2015 Temple the Raging owls beat them 27 to1 in 2015 in 2020 Brad Indiana beat Penn State in a season opener 3635 in overtime what does that mean like Brad likes to say I don't know nothing just a stat to keep in mind yeah Neil had some victories too when he was at Troy during the day oh yeah I mean he little Nebraska in there he got a little he made his name LSU in there you know and beating teams that he wasn't supposed to beat yeah I don't know let's play see what happens play the game so Chris is this the same this is the same Christian Miller he he if there was a fourth guy on four guys be before the game he would want to be the fourth guy no question yeah we've invited him on our pregame show no I have to get to the game and make a difference which is good I mean he's a super fan yeah he is super fan yeah he is hey just I'm not sure he could work the hours we work though sales guys yeah he wouldn't be able to handle that he wouldn't be able to handle that well first when you'd have to explain them Saturday and Sunday that Sal sales people go excuse me Saturday Sunday are those the day what I don't understand what those days are I can't say anything I'm off every other week work every other work every other week guess what what weekends just got better with go Mar's triple Point Saturday you following me now triple point every Saturday which would include tomorrow and game Saturday every Saturday this fall goart reward members will earn triple points on every purchase so stock up on your favorite game day snacks and drinks rack up those points then use those points to save on gas and other stuff become a registered goart Rewards member to start earning points visit the goart app or gomart.com to learn more three guys is also brought To Us by super fine folks at Comax Business Systems any kind of office equipment you name it they got it from the simple stuff like printers and things like that I got a Comax printer do you Brad's got a Comax printer Hoppy's got a blackboard at home with a big eraser digital phone services are what Comax does as well from one line to 1,000 lines all ready to go digital and the the abilities and the services now that business phone systems can provide are absolutely like whoa it's gone a long way we've gone a long way since excuse me I'm going to put you on hold and then go get a pink slip Brad's not in the office right now but I'll leave this for him when he gets back in I have an oky da printer you you can you can you could get communication at a high level comx business systems visit them Comax wv.com and as far as those phone systems go rent it buy it lease it whatever you want to do they can work with you competitively priced Comax wv.com we've had a lot of fun over the last uh couple of nights really have it's been it's been a been a challenge because we've been bouncing all over different places but we have opened up food court on University Avenue next to Daniel's men store and we've had a heck of a time meeting greeting chatting with three guys fans three guys before the game textual healing is brought To Us by episode 800.com you can get our merch shirts golf shirts Polo tuxedos coffee and kind of stuff visit episode 800.com all right so let's let's jump in we we start off with this picture receive this one good morning great morning there it is oh my you are looking at the barbecue trailer and the food court at night while it slept if we were going to tape this in the dark I you looking live at the uh so anyway so yeah there it is uh congratulations to Parkersburg Brewing Company says Kathy in Washington West Virginia favorite spot for me and my husband and three guys for bringing a new beer to the market I'll finally have access to a three guys beer also hats off Travis Jones remember he delivered the beer to us on our last episode yeah my three kids are all parkerburg Catholic alums and my high school chemistry teacher is in Hoppy's Home Place Jefferson C their daughter now teaches there in Jefferson County lots of connection always a connection yeah hoppy got kicked out of chemistry at Jefferson High School did very very poorly a couple of beers together that weren't supposed to go together was bad all of a sudden there was a strong strong smell and they had to ask Cy to leave yeah Jeremy from Cooper toown New York it's that time of the year again boys I'm sitting in the Detroit airport waiting on my connection to Pittsburgh I'm picking up my brother in South Point this evening who flew in from Houston and we're driving to Clarksburg to meet our sister who flew in from Arizona to have dinner with our dad and cousin tomorrow my brother and I are going to play Pikewood National oh my hey with more cousins One Flew in from Clear Water another drives from Charleston we will all be in the blue lot by 9:00 a.m. Saturday win or lose I love how the Mountaineers brings us home in the fall let's go oh and I do like us to win this thing 2720 outright Good Guys Garrick goes off to announce his presence with authority that's pretty wild so coming from Detroit Houston Arizona got all of Big 12 country covered there Detroit in the big Michigan in the Big 12 that the only one Central Michigan wait a second he failed to put in he no relatives in Spokane we need a Spoke hand relative and they to hit the league wait till Gonzaga gets in Charlie from Midlothian writes in hoppy referenced Matt mohler's football career Tuesday did Matt start at Lehi and end at Lafayette or did hoppy misspeak oh did yeah you did say both of those did I yeah you remember which one it was Lehi or lafette Lehi the engineers yeah Lehi they were then now they had to change because they offended right they changed didn't they didn't someone changed they were the engineers they offended the engineers look that up lehi's not the engineers anymore Lehi it was it was Lehi I'm sorry sorry Matt geez my bad my bag uh this guy wanted to know Charlie also wanted to know if you were up at Michaels to buy thread to monogram your hankies apparently not texter effting fellas great beard cheers do a great weekend in a West Virginia win against the Invaders KY there's Kyle and Morgan you ever met him yeah we know Kyle well Kyle's a good dude there he is he you got snootful great dude that three guys cup too yeah yeah they're out there uh Eric and Sheet Lake thank you K writes delicious can the can take that is a sweet can right look at that's a nice good job on the picture right there Davey writes in brought in the I brought the entire town of in Branch with me it was great to see old hoppy being such a social butterfly the connection 304 beer is fantastic and very drinkable now let's go be Penn State yeah there that was late at the night and there he is with Hoy earlier in the evening yeah looking good I had a real I had a great time talk to everybody there there's Steve and Davey their brothers uh they're celebrating their sixpack that they were able to Commander and they have um his brother is married to a young lady from jumping Branch yes correct I met her parents did you yeah the jumping bran jumping Branch was well represented I banged them too I I I overwhelmed them with information like they got like jumping branches said uh Summers County used to be hinting lady Bobcats one about 2,000 games in a row blew them away they used to be the engineers at Lehigh but there was a student-based movement to come up with a quote unquote suitable mascot thank you now they're the mountain Hawks that that works well I mean what Engineers not nah you don't want to offend them great episode three guys good luck with the beer I was in West Virginia for my high school reunion I stopped off to see fine looking Phil and picked up a few of the Peter malar shirts as I flew back to Texas I wore one of them halfway between Austin in my hometown in Horseshoe Bay I decided I needed a snack so I pulled into a local eery in bave Texas yes it has bees that live in caves and I'm walking out I hear hey you don't see many flying w V's in these parts turns out the guy was from Maryland graduated from West Virginia a few years before me always a West Virginia connection fin look and Phil was there last night he stopped by yeah and he and he he beat everyone in a dress off didn't he yeah he was Best Dressed he best best dressed guy out there because before he goes home he's still dressed for work dressed for Success again if you're going to head over to the food court strongly encourage you to walk in don't try to Park it's just it ain't worth it um texter says I'll be back this weekend hopefully watch another win over Penn State we don't have many but I was there in 84 and again in 88 great year to be a WVU student hey real quick Austin can you put up that picture I sent you this morning speaking of 84 if you want a little Omen shout out to Sam bosio here in Morgantown saved the class Sam gets a lot of criticism for maybe holding on to items too long wow look what he pulled out here a cup from 84 it's got a the Dominion Post headlines and article on the cup from when West Virginia won that game back in ' 84 just discovered it here in the last 24 to 48 hours so it reappeared Unearthed it right was it was it in like the cabinet and Pam was saying why is that still in the cabinet well I don't necessarily know that but it's credit to Sam who takes a lot of grief Tak a lot of grief brings it out might be a potential moment Omen as you head into the weekend yeah anything just latch on to anything you can it's kind of wild it is Ben and ronoke writes in I'm I'm looking forward to Saturday what will be an incredible atmosphere I get the privilege of taking my buddy from Norway to his first ever American sporting event we debate all the time on which football is superior and I'm efforting to win him over I believe he will fall in love with Mountaineer nation which will be awesome because we both live in hokey country I believe that we will get to sing Country Roads and at a member to the Mountaineer family let's go Mountaineers so bringing someone in from Norway for the game have fun hey three guys it's Ali in Clarksburg always love listening when I'm on the road we never have time you guys know I'm a big basketball guy but mountainer football is my first love I've watched great Mountaineer teams over the years but I believe this team can do it great things are in their spot in the Big 12 all aboard the Garrett green Heisman campaign thank you Olly um our next texter Randy from State College oh we're coming in on Friday just so I can gorge myself on rev kev's barbecue again his food is amazing I was also excited for the new beer until Brad talked about it on the last episode he spent most of his time talking about the can design and not the beer feels like I'm being set up for a blind date and everyone is talking about her personality either way I'm all in I tell you everybody I talked to every hold on now Randy check back with us then check back with us what do you mean oh Randy out there taking a shot saying we didn't talk about the actual beer go have the beer and then get back to us see if he likes it I asked everybody last night and and maybe because you know what are they going to say like it sucks I mean they no but everybody said they really liked it and and enjoyed it and gave their own description of the beer and Jim was there from Parkersburg brewing and it was just good I mean I the sense I got Wednesday when I was over there now again those those uh polles we did live they're certainly not scientific what are they anecdotal I had one in a third beers mhm didn't drive mhm made Chuck Drive tasty I think it's fantastic I really did awes dude good he's fantastic you're a big fan huge fan yeah we're happy with that hoppy is Happy texter I don't recall anyone confirming your number of episodes completed but I do recall hoppy poking fun at it again on the last episode of in to Apple podcast there it is your channel has 572 episodes as of 28 August yeah but there's a couple in there that really don't constitute episodes like I think the Mike ganzy special that we did that wasn't an interview with Mike but was that kind of an an audio documentary I think that pick a number let's just pick a number and that's then the number he says I'm also to get your uh you get a koozie this guys want that Koozie yeah there you go uh hello three guys John from Alabama well done hey Tony no pressure here as you're the best at setting the scene but I think WV Nation might have to set a game day tradition tradition of drinking an ice cold connection 304 while listening to your scene Setter what do you say side note given the opposing fans this Saturday Sweet Caroline could be the loudest ever can't wait love the show let's go Mountaineers and in Burlington doesn't say if that's Virginia or West Virginia because there is a Burlington West Virginia in midle Vermont in there Burlington Vermont Burlington North carolinaeast Burlington could be the Burlington code Factor Dakota hey Fellers New Mexico I know I'm late getting this up but hopefully not too late going back a couple of episodes Tony's talking about Romney peaches dang dles are they good impossible to eat one without a paper towel or a handkerchief anyway Tony had gotten a peack everyone was wondering what a PEC is a PEC is a quarter bushel 12 to 14 lb a bushel is around 48 to 52 lb there's there's some ucational content for the show I absolutely love you guys makes my day when I see a new episode pop up Andy from Burlington Burlington's in Mineral County yeah I know that I've been there oh you have yes when were you there there is a uh the Burlington oldfashioned Apple Festival nope there's a there's a kids home there oh oh oh let me check there's a kids home there and we did a video there uh received word yesterday we got a delivery of peaches what arrived we had a situation there so I went to go get them because they were deposited over at Daniels here we go Peaches listener dropped off some wow nice and then by the time I got back over to the food court where they were put was locked up so I couldn't get them so I thought you were going to say you ate them all so that's that's an acceptable excuse on your part we'll work on that they're there thank you for they're there yeah whomever do you know do we know who it is I don't there's a note inside with the peaches that we were going to read on the show kudos to the team for an amazing marketing and products my son-in-law and I intend to partake in the Baylor game if Tony's around I'm going to give him some of the good pungent Italian bra alone which I doubt he gets in Morgantown great shows always are ready for great SE rich in Satellite Beach Florida there's nothing better than super strong provolone um sitting at an airport Frankie writes in in Charlotte heading home for Penn State West Virginia guy sitting next to me apologizes for talking so loud on the phone I said no worries we both found out we're heading to Pittsburgh for the game to wvs game we were disappointed we couldn't snag a 304 connection or kurel at the bar come on guys let the effort in be harder get our beers Nationwide hop get on there effting Frankie just got rolling it just I mean the 304 roll out is I mean it takes a little while yeah it does it will it'll be out there it will be at the goart in Flatwoods it is right now how long it lasts yes you saw it last night Brad well I did not see I didn't I didn't see it last night at 1:22 a.m. when I was there but we did get a text with a picture this morning they saw it in the store at Flatwoods Flatwoods G Mar if you head it up that's World Headquarters world so yeah again it's just coming out now they're making more there there literally is New Batch in development right now it's fermenting so get it while you can but we'll be back with it don't worry this is going to this is not going to be a short run we're we're running this bad boy you know from won to Welch Martinsburg to mwan and all points in between here's here's one of the great things about connection 304 like you um you have beers or have a drink in in celebration usually an event and you're with friends and you know Brad like if you're at our event here at the food court where you meet people and you make the connection because West Virginia what there's always a connection so I I think it's a conversation starter You Know It just fits with everything that we do as West Virginia great Point yeah you talk to the jumping Branch people about jumping Branch right that kind of they say you know what they say jumping Branch you say where is it and they say it's 45 minutes from it's always like 45 minutes from someplace yeah well that last text from Frankie was to your point you guys didn't know each other sitting by on a plane they're coming back to West Virginia they just made it made the connection always a connection hey guys after listening to the last episode intrigued by the question about what's more likely a national championship or a president from West Virginia hoppy announced his candidacy however with him not being born in West Virginia would he still be eligible to run as a true West Virginia Fair Point hey speaking West Virginia so I'm at the business Summit and I interviewed the head of the Federal Reserve in Richmond who was there wow and but his PR guy like set it up so I'm talking to him and I he said well you know I'm Pittsburgh and I live in Richmond I said he said but all of my grandparents are from West Virginia why would they I said of course they are why wouldn't they be hey guys this is Greg from monilia County my wife and I just got back from rev kev's food truck that was the best brisket we've ever had we went back and bought two more pounds for Saturday to snack on while we listening to the World Champ Mountaineers beat Penn State oops had to grab my handkerchief to clean up a little sauce another handkerchief guy douin Sutton writes for what that's worth which unfortunately for you is 0 three guys is currently the only podcast I would pay money to listen to signed by Doug and Sutton yeah homeless Dave was there last night working hard it's unbelievable unbelievable truly unbelievable yeah Professor Vinnie writes I just realized that you guys rarely if ever curse during the podcast and I'm talking about the granddaddy of curse words the mighty FW is this done on purpose do you want to keep it familyfriendly are you not allowed like it's FCC regulation I actually have an F-word policy in my classes that I teach where in myself and my students are allowed one per class the f-words don't transfer either meaning you can't wait till the end of the semester and unleash a torrent of f-bombs students seem to like the freedom and I don't mind peppering in there on occasion it does grab the students attention but if I don't want to overuse it you guys should have a similar policy Tony I I've been known off air sometimes to talk like a sailor I've I've tried to tone that down frankly but when when we're I mean I think we're all concerned as broadcasters and we just weren't we weren't brought up that way you know and I've never been when I do my show or this podcast I I rarely rarely inject a curse word I just don't think it's necessary yeah darn it well I I mean I I don't I have never sworn so I just I don't feel comfortable doing it um in front the mic what were we taught about microphones yeah it's always on and I just don't feel comfortable doing it it just based on what I do I just can't do that you know my favorite curse is Jeff jenkins's and by that I mean and I'm I'm going to Define this because Jeff Jenkins is a wonderful man devout Christian and when I get really frustrated I give him a Jeff Jenkins my goodness which I feel so good when I say it you know I feel like I have cursed and I but but I still have expressed some level of frustration yeah my goodness yeah V we just don't we don't um on here uh three guys while I'm still waiting on a proper review of how game day Grime went over in Chapel Hill it sounds as of the trip went well another note I'm curious about a tradition from the past I was talking with one of my young co-workers who mentioned they had just watched the 88 pen State game for the first time in its entirety he brought up the balloon release that happened in the pregame surely one of you gentlemen know when or why this tradition ended Brad statute of limitations say passed I can talk about that okay because I mean Joan was working in the athletics department back then so yeah that not when it ended yeah that balloon that balloon launch was fantastic it was absolutely fantastic for those that don't know you would buy balloons on your way in helium filled make a small donation where did the money go Brad cancer uh Hospital can't remember hospital I think hospital and then everyone would hold the balloon and then at a specific designated time in pregame like everyone let go and these balloons it was the it was a spectacular sight now Brad you can correct me but I understand those the balloons the balloons headed the balloons headed east and there was some involvement with animals like ducks or fowl that would eat the balloons and the Rubber and had a a bit of a situation true maybe around it maybe right around it so who called you like the ottobon society or who who got involved in this I don't remember long time ago I forgot that until he mentioned that was an awesome site got in Wales one of the many reasons I'm sitting over here now got in the trunk of an elephant what's that coming out of the elephant's trunk just a balloon from the Mountaineer game um anyway a walkie-talkie action to see where the helium was and if the helium had R need the helium over anybody got on the helium tanks need two got two uh Greg Stewart Virginia since football's here what football movies are your guys favorites if any Rudy I mean Rudy's alltime classic Rudy's alltime classic uh All the Right Moves I think is mine yeah West virgin reference on that one yeah what the um probably the movie maybe the Ernie Davis movie really you like that yeah I like that I know they I know West Virginia disrespected it was inaccurately depicted correct but uh I don't know I'm not sure there have been great football movies have they well yeah Remember the Titans was good Remember the Titans was fantastic I'd put that right up there too you didn't like All the Right Moves cool Tom Cruz I don't think I saw it Oh You Haven't Seen All the Right Moves as many movies as you've watched I don't think so stunned they're better baseball movies than there are football movies sure yeah pull up All the Right Moves on your next vacation OK from Okie from jumping Branch big and jumping Branch I want to thank you for your 40 Years of effort at West Virginia my dad used to wonder what was going through through your mind when you were getting ready to take over for the legend Jack Fleming well you did it well thank you for all the sights and sounds of West Virginia sports I still today turned the TV play byplay down and listen to you also hoppy thank you for 50 years of efforting I once tried to earn life experience college credits because I told the board i' listen to you every day I lost that vote six votes to four Brad you're awesome too thanks to three guys for my life keeping my life exciting thank you very much appreciate that guys despite the outcome on Saturday it's refreshing to see all the excitement this preseason I truly think Neil has the program moving in the right direction as players give back to the community some without even playing a snap for a shat Garnett Hollis fundraiser we have so many West Virginia High School players on the roster making an impact Neil ensures all those guys understand what it means to play with the logo on their helmet I think that gives West Virginia an edge historically having players from a state gives the players other players on the team perspective and how much it means to everyone my only hope is we continue the upward trajectory and finally silence the fans who have sucked the life out of enjoying the game made it out to the food court Wednesday night grabbed a couple of BBQ boxes a draft and a six-pack a connection 304 glad I did the guys from parkerburg were starting to sweat on the supply and demand all due respect to my usual Coors Light I know what I'm talking taken to the tailgate Saturday morning phenomenal beer and food thank you Dean from Parsons now in Fair Vermont and there's the eting sign thank you Dane thank you D saw some eting shirts last night yeah they're out there Brent from accident Marilyn are you guys efforting to record a three guys episode from the food court this season I would love to do that I'm just afraid noise would make it an unenjoyable listening experience not just the folks on the food court but University Avenue busy right there it be it'd be a blast to do that it would be it would yeah I don't know how we would do it because we open four o'clock on Friday yeah and right I I think this if we were to ever do it it would have to be after I don't think you record it I think you just do it for the people there and I think you do it like 7:30 8:00 and you just open up mics and you just you riff would be good aren't we aren't we doing this live I thought it was life it's it you know we could do it we could do it and I don't I'm Not Gon to do it Tony Brad and say we're doing it next Friday but the everybody's kind of busy and it sort of adds one more thing and it's just like now if there may be an honorarium involved I think we might be able to make it over plus we're there I mean we're not all there all the time with different schedules but we have good one-on ones with people that's true good point texter three guys tailgate review from day one first of all Dave is not homeless and he's an incredible guy he's the secret ingredient that no one can replicate in the family recipe he makes this tailgate awesome a little rain didn't prevent the brisket pulled pork mac and cheese to sell out to rave reviews the chicken was a great consolation I love supporting rev kevs the source Samuel James played an incredible music set and I laughed when he sipped a connection 30 304 connection between songs and enthusiastically stated this beer is nice he was good the other night a great time was had with old and new friends miraculously a six-pack of beautiful beer cans are now plotting a Saturday upset in my refrigerator I don't know if H Wayne knows how accurate that first sentence is yeah Dave Dave he's a secret ingredient no one can replicate yeah none of this would be getting done no he's absolutely the um yeah there'd be nothing we would have nothing we have no I mean we wouldn't we I mean all the things you talk about Tony and and throw out there I mean Dave don't don't pin it on me no I'm absolutely pinning it on you you're right hey Austin let's roll through some of those pictures that uh that Dave sent to us if we could um here's just some shots for those of you that is a little bit of a wetness that was from I'm assuming that's day one right we didn't have rain last night so that was day one that what was going on there and then there is kille front and center got got a ball cap on Chad I met those guys too those guys yeah those were good dudes yeah there's Saab again sa again Sab hasn't been around in in 72 episodes now all a owns the show owns the show um some nice folks there got three guys old school shirt right they do met them one of they've been to an event and uh from one of the events so there we go I had the meatballs last night they were good they're good from from the wine bar yeah du yeah so there we all go and uh thank you very much posted on Big 12 Facebook week one schedule all times are Eastern look at that was that on what I don't know I don't platform I don't know who put it up but all the times are Eastern on that you let me which is kind of nice that's how you do that yeah that's kind of nice that's how you do that all right guys we beat this freaking donkey to death let's do this thing do another one tomorrow morning at 600 previewing the game I will tell you this we will be in studio Sunday morning and we will release yeah we will release before noon on Sunday it will be available to you is around noon yeah is yeah around noon somewhere in that range if you are coming in be safe again strongly man just walk Park far away and just traffic's going to be Uber in the traffic stupid traffic with that a noon kick with a sellout game Brad I mean yeah have fun be responsible make a difference if you're here and if you come across any Penn State fans treat them the way that you would like to be treated if you were at their place absolutely just be cool be chill have fun act like you've been there act like you've been there before exactly all right thanks to producer Austin for the boys back at you episode something something or something three guys before the game over and out see y'all