College GameDay at Kyle Field: Stanford Steve, Rece Davis | ALL IN AGGIES

hey everybody how's it going Ben peek here all in Aggies rather eventful day for me let's just say if you know you know but not a full episode a traditional episode sort of a bonus clip today we've caught up with ESPN's Stanford Steve and reys Davis in town for the upcoming Notre Dame Texas A&M game and ESPN's college game day Saturday morning so want to get that up as quickly as you can this is what they had to say about their thoughts on Texas A&M the upcoming matchup the upcoming season for the agies and just all sorts of topics uh relating to that Steve can you talk a little bit about how the procession of A&M has changed like in the four years from perception or procession perception so 2020 knocking on the door to the playoffs everybody feels they they've arrived 21 the or 22 the big class then the Jimbo and Savin kind of mixed up to where they are now with Coach ELO feeling like their upper trajectory again um well when you look in this day and age at nil and you let it out of how much you're spending and who you're getting and how many stars are next to their name there's outside people that are going to be like oh they're going to be good you know so the general perception I think of that many stars in front of that many recruits and that and that minimal of classes I think the expectation ra you know Rises so um and then you go out and it doesn't meet that expectation you know it's it's a in a conference where they haven't been you know able to Win It uh I think a lot of people still that have won it still look down uh on him and KN but I mean you've beaten every big team there is in the conference but you haven't been playing games later than those teams right so I think those people hold that against it but I think the change uh has brought a different um mindset just with the idea of how coach Elco did what he did at Duke and I'm a guy that thinks the world of that know being there knowing being recruited by there way back in the day and knowing how tough it is to win at Duke and I think he did it with hard work and a great staff and he's instilled that here and I do expect it to get back to Big prominence and get back to uh or get to Atlanta for an SEC title game in the very near future have you been to College Station what are how what are you taking in from it's really F uh last time I was here was the return uh Alabama's return after Johnny so it was at 133 mhm um it's got to be 30° cooler than it was that week that weekend we were I was here with van pel and rillo we did a radio show on that side I think get where game day was it was so hot um the I remember Herby having the air conditioned shirts where they pump the ice water through the vest like it's basically a vest that you put on he'll still be sweating tomorrow but uh it was that was this I just remember being on the field I couldn't believe how hot it was uh incredible atmosphere half this stuffff I feel like wasn't even built then um that was after I remember the I remember reading about the I a lot more stuff has come out since then but the white helmet when Johnny was signing those and that was a big fundraiser um but I was blown away at at the it's just the buyin you guys have here everybody's on the same everybody wants the same thing um everything's I went for a swim today over at the swim like everything is brand new it's it's what you want I think it resonates with young kids you know it used to be who has the new Facility Who has the new field and new you guys everything's new so they have that going for I think I think coach Elco being here also previously is a huge Factor because he so much of when you take a job you hear guys I gotta go meet this guy I gotta go meet this booster I got to meet this and I got recruits like he's already cut that in half being here previously so I think he's he's that confident um so 133 yeah it's been a while so like I said half the half the uh like we have six hotels I think with people staying I didn't even think they had six hotels in 2013 here um where everybody was bunched up with each other but fired up for sure uh not a whole lot of film on him but you know when it's all said and done where do you think Connor wigman's going to fall in the the pecking order of SEC quarterbacks um it's really hard because I feel like the scheduling um it's gonna have a lot to do with that uh I'm friends with Jordan roggers and I respect Jordan Rogers and if Jordan Rogers says wigman's going to be the best uh at the end of the day I I believe him uh he said go back and watch the Miami tape from last year I did that Blown Away uh at what he brought to the table but it's you mentioned it the lack of tape I think I think that's a huge problem for NFL teams now I mean Anthony Richardson at Florida right what would 12 games I think he played in his college career that's not that's not what those teams want and when you have a front office who had some stability and ended up taking them because they have stability um you're going to get that but you're not that's going to that's going to overturn even more so I think the biggest thing is Health um I think that's the biggest question mark in this game is the offensive line on both sides because you know you're up for a test on what Notre Dame and A&M bring on the defensive line like those units are serious uh top in the country um so that that's where I think it is but I think he has to grow uh I think having a former quarterback as your offensive coordinator is a huge asset in that regard not saying that he hasn't had but now where you've gone through all this um uh different hiatuses because of injury I think the mindset and and Coach Klein being there is is a huge factor of him progressing the right way but everybody I talked to with quarterback gurus offensive minds they all say he has it and you know when he's healthy and he's right he he does it now it's just a matter of of putting that you know longevity on that instead of having those hiccups with the injuries hopeful hopefully looking ATM's front seven on defense with who they've brought in um I mean what is their potential as far as being one of the the top uh defenses in the leag I think uh in this day and age of rpos and offense and everybody talking about offense I think it's going to be known that coach Elco is a defensive guy it's got to be something that hang their hat on but you know you talk about like first game you know it's conditioning conditioning conditioning you guys have the elements not a lot of schools have in the country uh as far as weather goes but I think being able to it's going to be the anchor of the team for sure but you can't keep pulling on that anchor week after week because of you know whether it's being on the field longer getting more snaps and that takes its toll uh coach knows that he's a defensive guy and I think always having fresh bodies is a huge deal um but I think it's a strength but you can't let it be too heavy or pull on that anchor too many times because that's when you're you're set up and it's a huge Factor tomorrow night you don't want those guys to be on the field longer than your offensive is so um they know that so uh I I think they're very confident in what they bring to the table um I'm sure they would like if they could actually score a touchdown for them too and that would help things get this place going to that end uh do from what you've seen at Kansas state with Colin Klein do you feel like that is a complimentary offensive scheme to a team that might anchor a defense it's it's funny um I was just talking about uh Penn State right Penn State brings in offensive quarter in cotal Nikki who had a mobile guy at Kansas that's all he's really seen and now he goes to Penn State with Drew all's total stationary quarterback pocket pres these guys are smart enough to realize they play to their strengths so you're not going to have all these quarterback runs and and different funky things with with Connor uh that he had um at Kansas State so I think he's smart enough to know that I think he he knows that you know Connor could sling it and it's putting in the right positions to do that uh I always go back to the old Edge be able to throw when they're expecting you to run and be able to run when they're expecting you to throw right so um I think coach knows that and I I think he'll adapt very very well to what they bring to the table they've had enough time with them uh spring sounds like it was you know they put a foundation in and now they're they're tweaking things to to win football games which is what you want to hear what are you expecting out of you environment tomorrow in colle field uh top whatever you guys want to say what do you guys you guys think you're the top in the country I'd say top five like it's going to be awesome a night game here and now that it's like every since 13 it feel like every picture I saw it was another addition upon another addition uh so I cannot wait to see it I I really can't I was talking to coach yesterday he was like I I don't think he's run out out of the tunnel cuz he was a coordinator and he always took the back way of the Press Box so I know he's super fired up to see this place jumping tomorrow and that that'll be a scene uh his first round that tunnel he's definitely fired up but I expect the best I I think this week this month it's going to be harder to get two better atmospheres than here tomorrow night and tomorrow in the swamp at Florida those those places are going to be as live as a gets it's only week one but just how consequential could this game be down the road with you know the college football playoff expanding to 12 uh well to put it in A&M's terms I think there's no bigger chance for a jump start of a program in a season than what coach ELO has in place for tomorrow I think you guys could take a bigger step than anybody else can with a win week one knowing where you are and knowing what the expectations are but to be able I mean that that's a big jump but if they were able if they could do that that that's that's bigger than anybody else in the country because now you get a total I don't want to put percentages on stuff but your players are going to be like all right it it worked all the stuff you did in Camp all the stuff you didn't want to do all the stuff that was different all the change um that that's a huge Factor so I I think it's a it's it could be a possible monster step uh but coach knows it's a long season like it's just one of of 12 but it's a huge momentum fan base all that stuff narrative that's a huge factor a giant step they could possibly take time for one more have we done too much or made too much of the offensive line is well not issues but lack of experience on the nutter Dame line because it is six combined Stars bunch of freshmen sophomores has too much been made of that no not at all I I always say when you go on the road you're going to find out what you have on the offensive line and what you have on the defense because the great ones traveling and playing in this environment it doesn't matter your signals are all down there's no false starts on the offensive line everybody's communicating there's no hiccup everybody's on the same page when you don't have when it doesn't work all that blows up and that's exactly what you don't want the crowd is involved your the chains are backed up um so and same thing for A&M there's nothing worse than when that Stadium silent and you I hate I I hate to put punters down but nobody wants to see the punter run on the field right and when the punters running on the field it's usually quiet because you got stopped on third down and or it's always when you get stopped on on third down uh so you don't want that but no that's the biggest Factor in the game to me um whoever uh my buddy Cole cuck does a pot I think he said who whatever offensive line survives will win this game and I totally agree with that uh it's it's about attrition and they're going to learn a lot I mean I'm sure both teams script and you're going to want to get those delins running side to side and completing some passes move the chains you know get them tired so I think both teams are are similar I think the styles of attack will be differently knowing that the style of quarterback is is different with what they bring to the table Reese openers you usually don't need a bunch of story lines cuz it's the opener but you've got a bunch of story lines in this one just your thoughts on Elo coming from duke and Riley and all the different story lines I think it's the most compelling factor in the game and oddly it probably won't be the one that decides it it'll probably be the A&M offense you know how they can function against a Notre Dame defense that has really stars at every level but I do think it's the most fascinating in fact Nick and I just did a new element we're going to do every week where he kind of goes in the film room we talking about some of the third down packages that that rile is likely to see how much of that is he familiar with will they tweak them to disguise him so he won't recognize things all of that kind of stuff so I think it's going to be a defensive game I think the connections between the two and Mike coming back here and you know Riley going up there and you know it was this weekend last year where the two of them together pulled off the biggest upset of the weekend when Duke be Clemson so it'll uh they'll they'll be front and center right in the middle of the white hot Spotlight for opening weekend again but on different sides in your time covering him at Kansas State what sticks out to you about Colin Klein as a player or as a coach or both okay well I mean first he was one of the great players of that era for sure memory serves I think what he finished third behind Johnny and the Heisman that year um just a tough guy super smart rising star in the coaching uh profession and certainly you know he was is on that staff that that won the Big 12 Championship beating a TCU team that went to the playoff and you know they always found a way to maximize their talent and you know he certainly he certainly got a very talented quarterback to work with this year that hopefully can keep healthy and we'll be able to see the full extent of Conor's skills oh well just what uh speaking of working with Nick Sabin I know I know yall have obviously communicated a lot in the past but getting to work with him on a daily basis now what's something he's kind of really uh giv you a lot of incitement uh Insight too in terms of just where the game's going and everything else well you know he just first of all he's so smart he's a brilliant Communicator he can take very complex ideas and make them understandable for people and does that in football context he does it in a leadership context and he's very curious about you know what makes TV work he and he's not I think the thing that I appreciate the most about working with Nick is it would be very easy with his resume to roll in and go Well everybody's going to listen to me I'm Nick Sav and he has not approached that this and that way for one second he's come in he's working his backside off you should have seen the list of Clips he had for the segment that we just did the fact that you know he has done extensive homework through the off season um because he wants to be great at this too and he is by the way he's a natural at it so I I think that the one thing that he's done is he's brought that type of energy and and work ethic which means that he's fit in well with us because we all feel like that we've set a pretty good standard of Excellence for the show that we want to continue on but I think his ability to take the schematics of the game and explain them in an understandable fashion and that's why we've created the vehicle I referenced a little bit earlier for him which which to be fair and give credit where credit is due the idea had his Genesis in his coaching show at Alabama which I don't know if you guys saw it but they would take one play from a game and he would go and explain what happened in the play we're kind of taking it and using him at a screen as they did but instead here's what to look for in a game tonight instead of you know something that had that's already happened or here is something they will have to deal with tonight and he's great at it and I don't think the show has really we've had a lot of great ex and old guys and we still do but someone who has that recently come from the sidelines at that level to come into our show it gives it a different fi can you talk about your experience bringing the show here to col station in the past then what it's like to be back here for the first time in six years well the the energy here of the 12th man the dedication to Traditions uh the total Buy in of all of the aies to it I think make it uh an environment that you really don't find anywhere else in college sports and you know the one thing I will say is that I hope the crowd's a little bit bigger than it was the last couple of times I've been you know the Aggie show up from mid night yell and then sometimes they don't roll out of bed early enough to come you know make game day quite that big but I think you will tomorrow and I'm looking forward to it because I think there's a a ton of excitement around Mike's arrival and what's possible because look I'm not trying to put any heat on Mike in his first year but I don't know that you'll ever get a better SEC schedule you miss some of the big boys and the ones you play come here and your big nonconference game comes here you know so it's really set up for A&M to have uh they have a terrific season they've got a talented team and you know if things fit together early I I think the schedule sets up nicely too what are you expecting from the environment in the stadium tomorrow it'll it'll be swaying you'll be thinking that all the new construction they've done is about to come tumbling down because it's going to be rocking back and forth just seeing those gold helmets on the other side uh tends to light a little fire in opposing fan bases so um I I think it'll be I think it'll be a great way to get the season started you mentioned the schedule just how how consequential could this game be for A&M in particular if they were able to win it looking down the road especially with the expanded playoff coming it it helps you're at large case I mean that's the thing about the new playoff field with the 12 teams you know with the exception of Notre Dame not being in a conference but you you can still win your conference but what a win like this would do is really enhance the potential at large resume should you need that so you know we're not going to have the same be all end all feel to regular season games that we've had on occasion in the past but that doesn't mean they're there won't be great significance to games I think there's a great significance to this game for that not only to get off to a good start but sort of enhancing those at large resumes which by the way Notre Dame needs too because they don't have a conference to win yall put into your request for the hotel block for the last week of the Season here too uh that that game seems to be pretty pretty prime time uh uh and and coming back I'm disappointed that it's coming back because um for the LA what was the last year 11 was that the last year yeah last year they played so for 13 years uh David poot and Jesse Palmer and I have been the answer to a trivia question who called the less Texas Texas A&M game we did on on a Thursday night so I'm disappointed I guess I've got a few more months to be the answer to that trivia question but no I that'll be a great environment if both teams you know live up to expectation there's probably a a decent chance that we might be here I hear the basketball team's not going to be around though they're going to be playing in something else so yeah in Vegas that nil tournament yeah buz it's beenin around you you have a favorite place to eat when you come here um where did we eat last night um that was really good last night uh is it Porters is that right Porters that was that was excellent let me tell you what I did yesterday I didn't eat before I left and flew in and we're driving here and I don't know where it is probably about 25 miles out of college station before you turn on I don't know the roads but whatever the last road is you turn in before the one that brings you right into college station there's a Shell station there and let me tell you about the burritos that they have at this Shell station this was phenomenal I mean the lady made it right there in front of me hand it to me I thought I saw a lot of people eating I thought well gas station burrito but you know there are places Texas you can eat gas station barbecue in Mississippi you can eat gas station Fried Chicken it's delicious so I'm thinking okay maybe a fresh gas station burrito would be a good thing it was a great thing it wasn't a good thing it was a great thing it was one of the best burritos I've ever had in my life so see you can go to the nice places like Porters and have a great meal is that Christopher's place still open here man we had Thanksgiving dinner there one time that's an amazing place to eat that's great but I also if you want something a little more lowkey or you want to eat in your car or you know carry it home drive out out that road and stop at that shell and have the nice lady make you a burrito it's delicious where did you fly into Houston so Bush or I was trying to think of where that was in avota maybe I don't know that might be right that might be right I was actually um um one of our production assistant Rachel was driving I was actually working on the things I didn't pay I've driven it myself a number of times but I wasn't paying attention this time I was I was doing a little work on the way over so sounds like Navasota sounds like Navasota there there were like there was a counter in the window and I actually just went in for a bottle of water and a soda and uh then I saw all these people eating well maybe that turned out to be a good decision what do you think opening the season on this biggest stage does for A&M with game day here the prime time match up what does that do for their prospects if you win it gives you a big boost and everybody's paying attention it'll help recruiting either way not that they really need that much help they've done quite well in recruiting for a number of years but I think you know getting out on that on that stage everybody's aware they'll see what Elco uh you know is bringing to the table they'll see what they need they'll see the attention they'll see the atmosphere and pageantry you know win or lose it's a it's a great way to start for both for both teams I me are you guys just predicting Victory you guys just roll past the Irish is that the way we feel about it how many times did you say howdy while you're recording the uh video game a few times several times I think I don't know is it is it triggering a lot no just curious curious how many you know times you have to run through uh doing some of those lines no well here's how that works we did um my part of it was spent over it's about two years like 250 hours total in more than 30,000 samples and unlike the game in 2014 where they would say and it was amazing when they did it then but they would say things like when you're recording okay need you to say this need you to say this time and you need a certain Cadence so we can stitch it together well it's so Advanced now that they basically just give you give me three opens for a game in Kyle Field conference game non-conference game day night maybe five opens whatever and you just go and do it the way you would do it if you were calling the game and they make it work we had a you know they do these things called patches if you guys are Gamers or whatever so a couple of just a couple of weeks ago and we've already started on 26 by the way just started work on next year's game but they did some patches and they are so detailed that they told me before we start 26 we need you to do some patches for 25 because we found that running play that a guy with a running play it's not a huge running play probably you know five to nine yard gain but getting pushed Out of Bounds at the one two or three yard line we don't have enough variation in things that are triggering so so give me a half dozen of those and then you just do it and so those guys at EA sport SPS what they've created and the detail and getting howdy in and gigum and good Bull and I don't know what all the hand signs me I'm just going to tell you that in all these years that I've followed but the one thing I can't stand about coming here I mean I I don't mean to be critical but for about the next three weeks maybe four I'm going to be randomly walking through the hallway in my house no reason I'm I'm thinking about taking out the garbage I'm petting the dog and I'm going to do something just I'm going to start going hella blue connect connect and then I'm going to start sa horns off and the eggie warham is going to be playing in my head for about a month that's about the only thing that I don't I do love the I do love the agie warh him but I mean it gets in your brain and you cannot get it out