Podcast appearances and mentions of Yogi Roth

It was 2005 and my first season coaching. Fresno State was playing USC and that night I learned that the phrase ‘Anybody, Anytime, Anywhere' was real.And today, with Fresno State entering the new look Pac-12, that phrase is at the heart of my conversation with head coach Matt Entz.Welcome to today's episode of THE DAWN, a collaboration between Y-Option and the Pac-12.Matt Entz first fell for Fresno State on a Saturday night in the Midwest, a young assistant watching the late ESPN game, checkerboard end zones on the screen, Pat Hill pacing the sideline. He'd GA'd for Coach Hill's old line coach, so he had a rooting interest built in, and it stuck. Now he leads this proud program and seventeen months into the job, he calls it Midwest California, blue collar mentality echoing the small Iowa town he grew up in. It didn't take long to see the same thing in his own roster, blue collar young men who grew up dreaming about playing for the Bulldogs.That dream now comes with a new league, the re-imagined Pac 12, and Coach Entz can feel the excitement building as September closes in. There's pride in it and pressure too, elevating a program and an athletic department that's now in Pac-12.Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.THE DAWN debuted July 1 across the Pac-12's YouTube and Pac-12 Insider, the league's 24/7 FAST channel. The series culminates with a finale featuring never-before-seen behind-the-scenes content from the building of this new league. It drops in August, right before the season kicks off. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

Six in the morning, and the sand is cold. That is the part nobody posts.The highlight reels from Sean Lewis's program show Snapdragon Stadium under the lights and the Warrior Shield held high. What they don't show is a defensive back on his back in wet sand before sunrise, being reminded that paradise has a price when you play at San Diego State.That's the core of SDSU, and it's led by Sean Lewis.He joined today's episode of THE DAWN, a limited series highlighting the re-imagined Pac-12, a collaboration between Y-Option and the league.I've known Coach Lewis since his days at Kent State when he was a 31 year old head coach, and it was clear then, just like it is now, that his philosophy is clear and his leadership style is one that will continue to thrive.Two and a half years ago the giant was asleep. Now it's a 9 win team, a 1st round NFL pick out the door, and a program that was in the CFP discussion last November. Coach Lewis co-signs the idea without blinking that the champion of this new Pac-12 should be playing in the postseason in December.What's underneath it all is the story behind Coach Lewis's path to wearing a whistle. He grew up on the south side of Chicago, went to Wisconsin to play quarterback and ended up at tight end. He was the head coach at Kent State by 2018, took a stop in Boulder to work with Deion Sanders, and two years ago this Midwest QB found himself leading the Aztecs out West. He didn't draw this up. Nobody could have.Life's too short to huddle, he likes to say. One might argue life's too short to plan out one's path too. We just have to be present, enjoy the ride, and compete to impact people along the way.Safe to say Sean Lewis is doing that, and much more, as San Diego State enters the new look Pac-12.Much love and stay steady, YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube page.THE DAWN debuted July 1 across the Pac-12's YouTube and Pac-12 Insider, the league's 24/7 FAST channel. The series culminates with a finale featuring never-before-seen behind-the-scenes content from the building of this new league. It drops in August, right before the season kicks off. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

“Praise and Blame are all the same.” It's one of my favorite quotes from the book, 5-Star QB. And it's so much easier said than done. For Rutgers wideout KJ Duff, that is spot on as he is one of the nations top wideouts and not enough people know about him - until now. I've called KJ Duff's games the last two seasons, the one-handed grabs, the 241-yard afternoon against Purdue, but I'd never sat across from him until this past summer. So I did the only thing you might do if you met this star playmaker: I pulled up a video I knew he'd recognize and asked him to take me through it.And that is where today's Y-Option podcast, fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO, begins.The video is a ten-year-old on a Long Island youth field wearing one blue glove and the ball naturally coming his way. He tipped it to himself, caught it, and the clip ended up in a Colin Kaepernick Nike commercial before he'd ever played a down of high school ball. “Numbers started calling,” he told me. “I didn't really think it was real.” No NIL check was waiting for him back then. We laughed about that. But what stuck with me wasn't the play, it was how careful he's been since not to let it define him. “I never want to come across as the cocky guy,” he said.“Play Big.”That's the phrase his receivers coach, Dave Brock, has drilled into him since a summer camp before Duff's sophomore year of high school, back when most programs looked at a 6-foot-6, 200-pound kid and saw a tight end. One school told him to get to 250. Duff knew better. Coach Brock knew better too, and told him so before there was ever an offer on the table: keep working, we're gonna keep watching. That's the relationship that outlasted every other recruiting pitch he'd get.Because here's what he told me that he hadn't said out loud before: this offseason, he was ready to leave. He called Coach Brock. He called Coach Greg Schiano. Instead of a hard sell, they asked him a question, figure out what actually matters MOST to you, and he did it the way he does everything, with a notebook, pros and cons, still sitting in a drawer at home. “I could go play in front of 105,000 people somewhere else,” he said. “But that atmosphere alone isn't going to get me to the NFL. The people I'm around, that matters.” He didn't dress up how hard the process was. “Some of the most stressful times of my life,” he said. “Back and forth, back and forth.”He announced he was staying at a Rutgers basketball game in front of the AD and the governor. The standing ovation caught him off guard. I think it was the building thanking a young man for choosing to be home. Not just being another name in the portal at a new school for 6 months, but a player who was thinking about bringing his own children back here one day to remind them that Chasing What Matters, with clarity, confidence and discipline is not easy, but it is worth it.I asked him, finally, what his intention is for this season. No pause.“First intention is I want to win,” he said.Praise and blame are all the same. Legacy is the stat that compounds.Go play big KJ, I'll be rooting for you.Much love and stay steady,YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

There's a quote in psychology I keep coming back to: the core of optimism is resilience. I've thought about that quote for years, and this week, sitting across from Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano, I had a hunch that that very quote would resonate with him. So I did the only thing I do in these Y-Option podcasts: ask questions I don't know the answer to.I've known Coach Schiano for over 20 years. First as a wideout at Pitt, then these last couple years covering Big Ten football. This conversation, though, was different because I was embedded within the Scarlet Knights program for the day and what a day it was.I got to sit in on his team meeting, watch Coach Schiano look his players in the eyes and bridge a football lesson to a life lesson in the same breath. And at the end of an epic day with the team, staff and program he and I sat down, and Coach Schiano took me all the way back to where his leadership began: his kitchen table. And that is where today's Y-Option podcast, fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO, begins.Coach Schiano grew up in an Italian household in Paterson, New Jersey, where his parents taught him and his three siblings one thing above all: you get up, you go to work, and some days it isn't pleasant but you keep showing up. The standard, even before it was ever spoken, was simple — no matter what, protect your family.That's not a throwaway line for him. It's the whole building now. “Family is everything to me in this building,” he said. And he means it literally, as he's now recruiting the sons of players he coached at Rutgers when they were in the Big East while currently coaching with his own three sons on this year's staff. Full circle doesn't begin to cover it.This is the line that stuck with me most: “You can have a goal and at the same time have a purpose.” Greg's goal is a national championship at Rutgers. His purpose is different.He is driven to make sure that the young men who walk into the Rutgers program leave as grown men. Husbands. Fathers. People who can figure it out when nobody's telling them what to do next. In this era of players getting paid, transferring and being told things from others that may not be accurate I have to say that watching Coach Schiano teach his players the realities of LIFE and how football can teach all of us how to navigate life was one of the most refreshing parts of my off-season.He didn't plan on coaching, by the way. He got cut playing in the CFL, came home, signed up for the LSAT, and was on his way to law school when his high school coach — practically a second father to him — talked him into helping out on the sideline instead. That coach later “fired” him, on purpose, so Greg would go be a graduate assistant and learn the business the right way. That GA year? 1989. At Rutgers. Where he told me, without blinking, that even back then, he was building his coaching staff for this program in his head.Chop.If you've followed this program at all, you know the word. Here's where it actually comes from: 1999, Miami, a sports psychologist named Dr. Kevin Elko telling the staff a story about a guy in the woods with nothing but an axe. It sat dormant for six years. Then in 2005, Rutgers blew a 28-7 fourth quarter lead at Illinois and lost in overtime. Greg couldn't sleep on the flight home. He remembered the story, upon landing he sent a GA to Home Depot for an axe, had it painted red, and walked it into the team meeting still wet with paint. We're all in the woods. We can lay down, or we pick a tree and chop until it falls. Rutgers went on a run and made a bowl game. The axe, and the word, never left.Finally, Rutgers has both hands free.For most of his 18 years split across two stints as head coach, Coach Schiano described competing “with one arm tied behind his back.” That's changing. He talked about vertical alignment: from president to athletic director to head coach, all pointed at the same goal, for the first time in his tenure. It's showing up in real terms: Rutgers retained all three of their must-keep players this offseason, including a receiver who very nearly left before Greg reminded him who he was and where he was from. “You're a difference maker. You're gonna leave a legacy,” he told him. He stayed. That conversation with KJ Duff is coming up later this week so be sure to subscribe to our YouTube page.We also talked about his three coaching trees and biggest influences: Joe Paterno at Penn State, Dave Wannstedt and Butch Davis out of the Jimmy Johnson lineage at Miami and Chicago, Dick Anderson at Rutgers. We talked about Pete Carroll and impact of our book, Win Forever, and the sabbatical Greg took in 2014 that reshaped how he leads now. Demanding, but flexible enough to let a coach leave for four hours for his daughter's recital. And we talked about his three sons, all working in the building, all grinding it out the long way.He just turned 60. Says he feels 30. And when I asked him about the word “legacy” landing on him after everything he's built here, he wouldn't take it yet. “I'm only comfortable with it because we haven't started yet,” he said. “The best times for Rutgers football are ahead of us.”I believe it.Much love and stay steady,YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

Kirby Moore may be living a real-life Hollywood script.The first-year Washington State head coach grew up two hours away from Pullman, would visit spring practice with his Dad as a child and opens up his head coaching career in the Apple Cup on NBC. Talk about a dream script!He joined today's episode of THE DAWN, a limited series highlighting the re-imagined Pac-12 in a collaboration between Y-Option and the league.What's clear in our conversation is how proud he is to be leading the Cougs, has an incredible understanding of the standard at WSU, and has hit the ground running since taking over this proud program.He shared insights from mentors like Chris Petersen, Kalen DeBoer, Jeff Tedford and others, let alone what it was like growing up in the same home as the current Saints head coach, Kellen Moore.I've visited the Cougs in Pullman since he took over and can attest that his attention to detail, alignment on campus and the players' focus will have the Cougs prepared for the 2026 season that kicks off on NBC. Much love and stay steady, YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel.THE DAWN debuted July 1 across the Pac-12's YouTube and Pac-12 Insider, the league's 24/7 FAST channel. The series culminates with a finale featuring never-before-seen behind-the-scenes content from the building of this new league. It drops in August, right before the season kicks off. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

This week on THE DAWN, we caught up with Texas State head coach GJ Kinne as the Bobcats enter their first season in the Pac-12.I've been tracking Coach Kinne since his recruiting days as a big-time QB prospect, and he's been on a rocket ship in the coaching profession from the moment he traded his cleats for a whistle. After sitting down with him it's clear he has an ‘It Factor' that's translated straight into coaching, and that comes through during our conversation in the limited series, THE DAWN, presented by the Pac-12 and Y-Option.Coach Kinne inherited a program that had never reached a bowl game, never beaten rival UTSA, and never notched a Power Four win. He got all three done in year one, and he credits it to instilling confidence and an aggressive, swing for the fences mindset from the start.Coaching runs in GJ's blood. His father spent decades as a Texas high school coach, and GJ played and worked under a run of respected names including Todd Graham, Gus Malzahn, Chad Morris, Mike Norvell, Chip Kelly, Ryan Day, Bill Musgrave, and Jeff Stoutland. But it was Super Bowl winning coach Doug Pederson who gave him advice early on that stuck: just be yourself.That philosophy has carried him through head coaching stops at UIW and now Texas State as they enter the reimagined Pac-12.Watching Coach Kinne build this thing from the ground up, I keep coming back to the same thought: the rocket ship isn't slowing down anytime soon.Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more.THE DAWN debuted July 1 across the Pac-12's YouTube and Pac-12 Insider, the league's 24/7 FAST channel. The series culminates with a finale featuring never-before-seen behind-the-scenes content from the building of this new league. It drops in August, right before the season kicks off. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

“I want to be the light for everyone” ~ Pancho LalouluI heard about Pancho Laloulu when he signed at Oregon. And I've interviewed him many times calling his games during his All-American career. But it wasn't until today's Y-Option podcast where I truly felt I got to know him. You will too, as he shares the story of how he lost his baby brother and the lifelong impact that has had on him and his view of the world.Pancho was in fourth grade and woke up to yelling in the middle of the night to find his older brother performing CPR on their 11-month-old sibling, Mai. The light of that house. The one who greeted everyone at the door with a smile after school.Pancho and his family lost him that morning.And after that Pancho didn't get quiet, didn't get resentful. Rather, he got grateful.That word, grateful, kept coming through in our conversation on today's Y-Option podcast, fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.As an All-American in 2025 and projected All-Everything in 2026, he lives with the lens that every day above ground is a gift. Pancho's path to center is one he almost refused to go down as a freshman. He envisioned himself playing guard, mauling people and leading the Ducks O-line. But when it came, he took it. And when it was hard and taken away, he went back to work.Heading into 2026 the Duck's offensive line, once again, is a frontrunner for the Joe Moore Award and Pancho is the centerpiece of it under Coach Dan Lanning. And like Dante Moore, Pancho chose to return for 2026, as this roster is mission minded.I've written about Coach Lanning's DNA traits often: Connection. Growth. Toughness. Sacrifice. And Pancho is living them at every turn, with every block.Hope you enjoy today's conversation. We are also grateful for your support as we continue to grow Y-Option here at Substack and on our YouTube channel.Much love and stay steady, YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube page. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

Bronco Mendenhall stepped away from football for a season and a half. Moved to Montana. Built a ranch. Raised horses.And without meaning to, he started running an experiment on himself. Every time someone reached out, he noted who it was and why. Former players, coaches, administrators, boosters, church, family. He wasn't trying to prove anything. He just wanted to know who showed up.Over ninety percent of it came from former players. And out of all those messages, only one mentioned a game or a score. Every other one was about a moment. Something they overcame. Something that changed them.That's the story underneath everything Coach Mendenhall does, and it's the centerpiece of this episode of THE DAWN, a limited series presented by the Pac-12 and Y-Option. Coach Mendenhall is the fourth winningest active coach in college football, twenty years in, four programs, over a hundred players sent to the NFL, most of them three star recruits or less. And he'll tell you the wins were never the point. He says it constantly. Culture precedes performance. He means it literally, not as a slogan.His first team meeting at every stop starts the same way. He tells the room this will be the highest performing football team in school history academically, and it starts now. They usually think they got the wrong coach. Twice now, it's been true by the end of the semester.There's a theory he leans on, that the brain signals us to quit around sixty percent of our real capacity, purely to protect itself. Coach Mendenhall's entire program lives in the other forty. Not through fear. Through belief, and through asking more of people than they thought they had.Now he's bringing all of that into a brand new conference, in a state that can't get enough football, with a program built on earning everything and given nothing.Much love and stay steady,YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel.THE DAWN debuted July 1 across the Pac-12's YouTube and Pac-12 Insider, the league's 24/7 FAST channel. The series culminates with a finale featuring never-before-seen behind-the-scenes content from the building of this new league. It drops in August, right before the season kicks off. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

At his father's funeral, Brent Brennan asked the room two questions.Who in here did Steve Brennan ever buy an ice cream? Every kid's hand went up.Who in here did Steve Brennan ever buy a beer? Eight hundred hands went up.That's not just a powerful eulogy. That's a blueprint.I sat across from Coach Brennan in Tucson this spring, and it hit me fast. This isn't a coach who learned relationships from a leadership seminar. He learned it at the dinner table. And now, three years into rebuilding Arizona football, that same instinct is the whole operating system.Year one was hard. Year two was a breakthrough. Year three carries a different kind of weight. Brent told me the team still feels unfinished. Not disappointed but rather, hungry.I love asking head coaches what they feel the ‘role of a head coach is' and with Coach Brennan, when asked that he never starts with schemes.He starts with trust and how the core of trust is real relationships, and how real relationships don't exist without time. Time with him, time with his family, time with his staff. Today's conversation is fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat, which feels about right for a coach whose recruiting calendar, staff meetings, and family dinners never really stop overlapping.As Big 12 media days kick off, I also hope that Arizona's QB gets the love he has earned as Noah Fifita's story is rare.Coach Brennan said he's never coached a player as high profile as Noah Fifita who still shakes every hand, signs every autograph, and shows up to coach youth football on Sundays like it's the most important appointment of his week.In an era defined by the transfer portal, Noah stayed. He grew. He bet on Tucson. Add in elite accuracy, real ability to “see the defense,” and a willingness to do whatever it takes to win Fifita has Arizona in position to win the Big 12 this fall.Take a listen to my earlier conversation with Noah to learn about the QB that I think the nation will be rooting for.Coach Brennan and I also dove into expectations and he shared the dangers of looking too far down the road, of chasing a title before you've won today's meeting, today's rep, today's practice. And after being there this past off-season it's clear that his team is stacking the small things, and the big things should take care of themselves this fall. (hello week 2 vs BYU!)And on a personal note, his wife Courtney changed my life, literally.Most importantly, she has been by Coach Brennan's side since he was a high school coach and as a graduate assistant washing cars and babysitting for extra cash. The players love her too as she defines showing up.But years ago, I was visiting the San Jose State program and her and Coach Brennan convinced me to stick around an extra night. It wasn't that hard if you've ever met the Brennan's. So instead of catching my flight home, I stuck around and as the universe would have it, that next day I walked onto a plane and sat next to my future wife! So yea, football gives us a lot of things but for me, it gave me the introduction to my absolute heartmate.Three years in, Brent Brennan isn't chasing hype. He's chasing alignment and he's done it one relationship at a time and that's the legacy this Arizona program is chasing. Not a trophy first, but rather a room full of raised hands.And this week as Big 12 Media Days continue today, the nation gets to see it on full display.Much love and stay steady,YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

Some people talk about the climb.Jim Mora lives it.Every job. Every challenge. Every program down on their luck handed to him with a handshake and a good luck. He doesn't flinch. He leans in. And he loves it.Coach Mora grew up in Seattle with mountains everywhere and vistas saying, can you get there? As you might imagine, he never stopped answering that question in the coaching profession.I've known Coach Mora for almost 15 years and what struck me most in today's podcast was that his essence, at this stage, is about impact and in this conversation, you can feel the intentionality behind that mission.He arrived at Colorado State with nineteen players from UConn and a gut feeling. Not blind optimism. Earned optimism as he's done the reclamation project before and he knows what it feels like when it's working and he knows how to set and maintain a standard. (Hey IU fans, does that remind you of someone?)From the players to the staff to the kid folding towels at six in the morning. It's real. And in the latest episode of THE DAWN, presented by the Pac-12 and Y-Option, Coach Mora's mission will inspire you with relative ease to Chase What Matters in your own life.Much love and stay steady,YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel.THE DAWN debuted on July 1 across the Pac-12's YouTube and Pac-12 Insider, the league's 24/7 FAST channel. The series culminates with a finale featuring never-before-seen behind-the-scenes content from the building of this new league. It drops in August, right before the season kicks off. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

Two years ago, the Pac-12 had two members and a whole lot of doubt.Teresa Gould had something else. She had conviction and a vision.In two short years, Commissioner Gould built back a team of 30 who raised their hands and stayed while navigating a rebuild that nobody had a roadmap for. And she did it while trusting her team and leaning on her 36 years of experience in college athletics. Now the historic league is back. Nine schools. A new logo. A new season on the horizon. And we are celebrating that with a new series titled THE DAWN, presented by the Pac-12 and Y-Option.Ten episodes. Eight head football coaches. One commissioner. And a never-before-seen short film from behind the scenes of the rebuild. All of it candid, all of it in-depth where we cover culture, leadership, expectations, and the vision driving the next chapter of Pac-12 football. For those of you who have been with us at Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth from the jump, this series is for you. We are grateful for your support, the community we've created here at Y-Option and the love for college football that we all share. For those just joining this newsletter, we hope to bring you thoughtful insight into college football and THE DAWN seems like a great place to start. Hope you enjoy Commissioner Teresa Gould as she opens up on resilience, reinvention and what it took to bring the Pac-12 back.After all, who doesn't love a comeback story?Much love and stay steady,YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. Be sure to join our community on YouTube.THE DAWN will debut today across the Pac-12's YouTube and Pac-12 Insider, the league's 24/7 FAST channel. The series culminates with a finale featuring never-before-seen behind-the-scenes content from the building of this new league. It drops in August, right before the season kicks off. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

Some quarterbacks earn their scars. Some have them handed to them. Either way, they're part of the path.This week's episode of Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is with a QB who knows that better than most - Demond Williams Jr of the Washington Huskies. Demond heads into year three at UW with a chance to be one of the most dynamic players in America and in my eyes, is the most challenging quarterback to prepare for in the nation.As always, each episode of Y-Option is fueled by our founding sponsor, 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.Demond and I sat down at the Elite 11 Finals, where he was pouring into the next generation of quarterbacks as a counselor. It was a full circle moment as Demond was a camper there himself. When he showed up in high school I shared the same note with him as we shared with every QB each summer: the only guarantee is that your path will not go as you envision it.'That's the thing about playing QB, the path never goes as planned.This past off-season tested Demond in a way most people will never experience, but all have an opinion on. For the UW star, what came on the other side of a hectic 48 hours wasn't bitterness. Rather, it was growth.He and I talked about leaning on his faith. His family. His support system. About having to go back and rebuild relationships, brick by brick, and how that work shaped the leader he's become. Not a quieter version of himself. A more outspoken one with an edge.And the difference shows up in the small moments. Where he used to stay after practice throwing extra routes, now he's just as likely to be hanging with his teammates. One might say they are building the culture from the inside out. That's not an accident. That's a veteran understanding what actually wins football games.His bond with Jedd Fisch is 4 years deep now. Built on trust. Built on what they call PCP in their offense: play caller purpose. Knowing exactly what's being asked, then making it happen.Washington has a loaded schedule this fall. The Apple Cup to open on NBC. A trip to USC. Penn State at home. Indiana at home. Finish in Eugene. Overall, a real chance to make noise in the Big Ten and push toward the Playoff conversation.And I can't wait to get there to see it in person week 1 as the season is right around the corner.Much love and stay steady, YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter and YouTube page. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

Byrum Brown carries himself like someone who's been tested and chose to come back better.The Auburn quarterback sat down with us at the Elite 11 Finals in LA, and what you notice first is the presence. Not the stats. Not the ranking. The presence.That presence joined today's episode of Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth, fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.He talked about the injury that stopped everything. The redshirt season that had him flying, then the fracture that brought him all the way back to the most basic question an athlete can ask: Am I going to be the same?He answered it. And the answer is on the field. And this fall it will be at Auburn.But what stayed with me is what he said when I asked what he wants people to know about who he actually is, beyond the arm talent and the production. No hesitation. Just this: a guy who loves his family, loves his teammates, loves soaking everything out of every single day.That's not a recruit pitch. That's a foundation.Byrum Brown is one to watch. Not just because of where he's going. But because of how he's going there.Also, if you missed the first episode of our QB Conversations, be sure to watch Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele.Thanks for the support and if you're not, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel as we continue to compete to bring insightful conversations to college football.Much love and stay steady, YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele grew up on the shores of Ewa Beach, Hawaii.He was a three star recruit who showed up at the Elite 11 and became a legend in the 28 year history of the premiere QB event in football. At every turn JSK took the opportunity he was given and never looked back.He shared many of those in today's conversation, fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.Two years ago at the Elite 11 finals, he went throw for throw with Dillon Gabriel - a counselor that year, as well as a former state record holder in Hawaii and a QB Jaron-Keawe had watched since middle school. They could have gone throw for throw all night. Trust me, I was front and center. In the end, Gabriel graciously stepped aside and Jaron-Keawe won the rail shot challenge. It was clear watching it - something shifted in that moment.Looking back, in that moment a three-star kid from Hawaii had just introduced himself to the country.When I asked Jaron about that moment, he was direct. He came in with the mindset that he was going to win it. No asterisk. No footnote. Just belief, out loud.Last year he started as a true freshman, taking over for Fernando Mendoza, who ended up winning the Heisman Trophy and being drafted #1 overall. We spoke about that journey, and what it was like to have his head coach, Tosh Lupoi sleep outside his home the night he was named Cal's head coach.This conversation will inspire the quarterback who isn't getting the attention he deserves - and nudge the highly recruited ones to keep working, because the craft is never complete.Hope you enjoy it. And be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more conversations at the heart of college football.Much love and stay steadyYogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

It's been a big day in college football with the Brendan Sorsby eligibility conversation so Todd Blackledge and I had to go LIVE on YouTube to have a thoughtful conversation around his case. We also dive into the Big Ten vs. SEC debate — and what the Big Ten gets wrongfully dinged for — Elite 11 takeaways and what stood out most this year during the QB camp. We also analyze Bryce Underwood's development and explore the Big Ten quarterback tiers keeping defensive coordinators up at night.Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is fueled by 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.

Bret Bielema has been in the room 18 times as a head coach in the two biggest conferences in the game.This year, the room was Big Ten spring meetings in Southern California.Head coaches, athletic directors, commissioners, all in the same space, hashing out the future of the game. And what came out of Terranea this year was one the entire sport was anticipating — a playoff expansion debate that isn't slowing down, a new punt rule nobody practiced for, and a conference room full of some of the best coaches in the sport figuring out what comes next.Todd Blackledge and I brought Illinois head coach Bret Bielema on this weeks episode of Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth to break it all down, fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beatHere's what stood out:* Coach Bielema wants 24 teams in the playoff — And he has receipts. He was leading a 12-1 Wisconsin team in the BCS era that got left out and that experience never left him. His argument now, is that the sport has changed too much — NIL, revenue share, roster management — for only 12 teams to have a chance at winning it all. * The punt rule landed wrong — Not because it's necessarily a bad rule, but because it showed up after spring ball, with zero preparation time. In 18 years as a head coach, Coach Bielema has never seen something this consequential arrive so late and so unannounced. * The Big Ten room itself is different — He described it with real affection. P.J. Fleck to his right, Matt Rhule to his left, Dan Lanning and Curt Cignetti in the mix. Coaches who are who they are, every single day. And above all, Tony Petitti — a commissioner who communicates before the meeting, not during it. Nobody walks in cold. Nobody gets defensive. That, Coach Bielema says, is what separates this conference right now.Then we turned to Champaign — and what's being built inside that building.48% of his roster is new and for this program to meet its expectations and recent standards they must develop a true connection with one another and that is the focus of this off-season. The way Coach Bielema guides that is what will stand out. On the field, he's as excited about his wide receiver room as he's ever been, his safeties could be among the best in the conference and quarterback Katin Houser heads into fall camp as the guy.But the line that stuck with me didn't come from the coach. It came from Houser himself, during our spring visit.“Around here, the hallways are warm.”Hope you enjoy today's conversation and we are so appreciative of the support as we continue to grow Y-Option. Please be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you never miss a beat.Much love and stay steady, YogiY-Option: College Football Coast to Coast is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

College football has changed forever.Not just because athletes can now earn money, but because 18, 19 and 20-year-olds are suddenly being asked to make decisions that most adults still struggle to navigate.That's why this conversation hit different.Welcome to the latest episode of Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth, fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.In advance of the Elite 11 Finals, I sat down with Ohio State offensive lineman Luke Montgomery, Georgia quarterback Ryan Montgomery, and Dane Burkholder — a partner at Roseville Wealth, where he and his team manage over 2.1 Billion dollars every year. Dane also coined the phrase and founded the company The Financial Athlete.Today's guests unpack the new reality in college football: The Rise of the Financial Athlete, and the way an All-American offensive lineman in Columbus and his quarterback brother in Athens navigate it all.For those seeking to surround themselves with athletic minds who are succeeding in the Financial Athlete world of college football — look no further than these two, and Dane, for role models.To be blunt: athletes and parents need to listen to this.The Montgomery brothers didn't just talk about contracts or NIL deals — they talked about patience. Discipline. Delayed gratification. Building a trusted circle. Protecting their future. And understanding that money can either become a blessing…or a distraction.In other words, they used football analogies and applied them to their business life. As they should.Luke opened up about what it's really like navigating the NIL era at a powerhouse like Ohio State — and how head coach Ryan Day embraces his responsibility to impact his team off the field when it comes to balancing football, expectations, leadership and real financial accountability at an incredibly young age.Ryan shared why development mattered more than chasing the biggest payday when he chose Kirby Smart's Georgia Bulldogs, and how keeping the bigger picture in focus has shaped every decision he's made since arriving in Athens.What stood out most to me was their perspective.Throughout our conversation, I kept thinking about what all of us who love sports so often preach — that the skills that allow you to find success on the field will always transition into life.And that is exactly where Dane Burkholder and his education around being a Financial Athlete meets the moment. Dane's team and their content continues to impact this generation of athletes, parents and coaches in ways that are helping athletes on countless levels.Join THE HONOR ROLL campaign. Free Newsletter + Fun Gifts.As our conversation wound down, I was struck by how consistently Luke and Ryan kept thinking 20, 30, even 40 years ahead.About setting up their future families.About investing instead of reacting emotionally.About understanding that football won't last forever.And maybe most importantly, they spoke about the power of environment.The right coaches. The right teammates. The right family. The right mentors.Or as my father still tells me: “You are the company you keep.”This episode will resonate with athletes, parents, recruits and honestly anyone navigating pressure, opportunity and long-term decision-making.Because the truth is, The Financial Athlete isn't just a football conversation anymore.It's a life conversation.It's also Elite 11 Finals week — where every quarterback, parent and mentor will have seen this podcast and will get to be part of our powerful curriculum, Beyond the X's and O's, which we've been running for nearly 20 years.The people who taught Luke and Ryan how to navigate life from day one — Mom and Dad — will be special guests in an intimate conversation with Dane and me, going behind the scenes on how they raised their sons to thrive on the field while staying so level-headed off it, as Financial Athletes at two of the most pressure-packed universities in the nation.I can't wait for this one — as a college football analyst and as a parent.Be sure to subscribe to Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth to get it right in your inbox, and on YouTube as we continue to grow our community.Much love and stay steady, YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

There's something refreshing about watching a quarterback bet on loyalty in an era built on movement.That's what stood out most to me after sitting down with Noah Fifita on the latest episode of Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth, fueled by our founding sponsor 76 — keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.Noah has become one of the defining faces of modern college football, not because he chased the spotlight, but because he stayed put long enough for the spotlight to find him.Join THE HONOR ROLL campaign. Free Newsletter + Fun Gifts.In today's game, quarterbacks transfer. Rosters flip overnight. Coaches leave. Expectations shift weekly. Yet here sits Fifita entering his final season at Arizona as one of only 5 senior starting quarterbacks still playing for the same school they originally signed with.And the wild part?That loyalty isn't performative. It's personal.You can feel it when he talks about Tucson, his teammates, his family and especially his grandparents — whose sacrifices created the foundation for the life he's now living. The humility is real. So is the conviction.That combination is what makes him fascinating.While Noah carries himself with gratitude, there's also a very real edge underneath it all. He believes Arizona can do something the program has never done before. He believes this team can compete for a conference title. He believes they belong in the Rose Bowl conversation.And yes — he believes he belongs in the Heisman conversation too.Not in an ego-driven way. In a competitor's way.That distinction matters.The best quarterbacks I've been around often carry two seemingly opposite traits at the same time: humility and unshakable belief. Noah lives in both spaces comfortably. He speaks like someone grounded by family, faith and service, while simultaneously preparing like someone who expects to walk onto the field as the best player every Saturday.That's rare.And honestly, it's part of why this upcoming season feels so compelling for Arizona football.Noah isn't trying to become “the guy who stayed.”He's trying to become the quarterback who won.That mindset changes everything.After talking with him, I walked away thinking less about statistics and more about legacy. About what it means for a player to choose development over escape routes. About what happens when belief inside a locker room becomes stronger than outside noise.Arizona enters this season with expectations, but also with a quarterback whose story feels bigger than wins and losses.He's dynamic enough to put up massive numbers.Tough enough to carry a program.Grounded enough to lead it.And if Arizona takes the leap many believe they're capable of making this fall, don't be surprised if the rest of the country starts talking about Noah Fifita the way Tucson already does.Not simply as a great college quarterback.But as a legitimate Heisman contender.Much love and stay steady,YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.A note on The Honor RollFor the next few weeks, every Y-Option newsletter is free to read in full, no paywall, as a thank-you to this community. Subscribers are automatically entered into The Honor Roll, which includes a Pac-12 helmet from my collection, a Madden family football Sunday experience at Goal Line Studios, and more. Free subscription is open to anyone at y-option.com. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

While no one is practicing this week in major college football Todd Blackledge and I sat down to reflect on our Road Trip this past spring in the Big Ten.In today's Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth podcast we explore the conference that has crowned the last three National Champions and this past December, welcomed four new head coaches. And for the first time on this podcast we went LIVE on YouTube and X. If you haven't subscribed, please do so you never miss a conversation around college football, Coast to Coast.Todd and I share our lessons learned and intel gathered from Penn State, UCLA, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern and Illinois.As always, every podcast is fueled by our founding sponsor, 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.As always, much love and stay steady,YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

I've known Jedd Fisch for a long time.So long that when I walked into his building this spring, I didn't just see a head coach in year three — I saw the same guy from 2019 sitting outside his home in Hermosa Beach, pulling out notes and asking, what do you think of this?Back then, it wasn't a job.It was a vision.I remember him walking me through it — how he'd structure a program, how he'd communicate, how he'd build it for players, his PRO mantra and more. It was detailed. Thoughtful. Almost like he was already living in a future that hadn't arrived yet.Fast forward to today, and you can feel it the second you walk in the Washington facility.The building looks different. The roster looks different. The energy feels…settled.Not comfortable. Just clear. There is a steadiness to it.But every head coach has a starting point, and for Washington head coach Jedd Fisch, it all started with his curiosity to learn about the game of football.And that is where we started on today's Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth podcast, fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.Not the buzzword version. The real kind.The kind that shows up when you're five years old asking questions during the entire drive from New Jersey to Florida. The kind that never really turns off.That curiosity didn't just make him a better coach.It made him a collector — of ideas, experiences and people.And when you sit with him now, you realize his program isn't built off one philosophy. It's built on years of filtering what fits, what lasts and what actually connects with players.Personally, this conversation was a fun one for me.Coach Fisch and I first crossed paths in 2009 when we were both interviewing with the Seattle Seahawks. He got the job. I transitioned into media. But we stayed connected, and over the years we've had countless conversations around football, leadership and quarterback play.Which is why this episode felt different, as I only asked questions I didn't know the answers to.And honestly, those are usually the best conversations.Topics Covered* Demond Williams and why scars are unavoidable for quarterbacks* His relationship with QB1* A deep dive into Jedd Fisch's mind as a play-caller* His kitchen table as a child — something we ask every Elite 11 quarterback* Why Year 3 feels different in Seattle* What discipline looks like with this Washington roster* The potential of the 2026 Huskies* Why joy isn't a tactic — it's a byproduct of trustHope you enjoy this week's Y-Option conversation.And if you're just joining us, thank you. Take a look back at some of our recent episodes and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, where we pride ourselves on bringing thoughtful and insightful conversations around college football every week.Appreciate you being here and following along this spring.More coming soon.Much love and stay steady,YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner chats about the latest in Illinois football recruiting, including three-star OL Mason Halliman's commitment. Then Yogi Roth, analyst for NBC Sports and Big Ten Network, joins Werner to give his thoughts on the growth of Illinois football and the Big Ten and what Bret Bielema and Barry Lunney Jr. do so well. He then breaks down new QB Katin Houser's game and the upside and downside of Bobby Hauck's new 3-3-5 defense. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS Visit OmahaSteaks.com right now for 50% off sitewide during their Memorial Day Sale. And for an extra $35 off, use Promo Code ILLINI at checkout. Factor: Head to ⁠factormeals.com/illini50off⁠ and use code illini50off to get 50% off your first Factor box PLUS free breakfast for 1 year. Follow the Illini Inquirer Podcast on: Apple: https://apple.co/3oMt0NP Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Xan2L8  Other: https://bit.ly/36gn7Ct   Go VIP for just 50% OFF: https://tinyurl.com/2fkhmjdz  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I've known Dan Lanning for 15 years.We've had a lot of conversations over that time. So going into this one, I didn't want to hit the same notes, didn't want to discuss the topics we've covered before and hoped to stick to my lone rule during interviews: "ask questions I don't know the answers to.”That wasn't easy, but it was a blast to prepare for and it started with something I was almost embarrassed I hadn't asked:“Why do you coach?”And honestly, everything flowed from there.If you've read this newsletter you know how much I respect Dan Lanning's DNA Traits: Connection, Growth, Toughness and Sacrifice. But not just because they offer clarity to anyone walking into their facility but because they offer a standard for those who join his program.Standards are easy to create but after completing my spring tour across the country, it is clear that they are not as easy to uphold. After talking with Coach Lanning on the latest Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth podcast, fueled by our founding sponsor 76—keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat, my mind was racing in route to my favorite cafe on the West Coast, Meraki, and onto my laptop while boarding a flight up north to Seattle to see UW.Many people think that the Ducks win and retain players because they have resources, and yes they do. But they also have a group of returning players who love to learn from and follow their head coach. They know if they are willing to, as he says, “take the medicine” they will find tremendous growth.From journaling post game to training this off-season, the entire 360 degree process in Eugene is a blueprint for success. And now, the Oregon football process is player-owned and that is a reason why I think the Ducks can take the next step this fall and win the whole thing.My Key Takeaways* Coaching at its highest level is when you impact someone in a profound way.* Standards matter more when players own them.* Accountability has to be modeled, not just demanded.* Growth comes from self-awareness and reflection.* Obsession with improvement > obsession with praise. (personal favorite)* Relationships still drive everything inside the Ducks program.Hope you enjoy and thanks for the support along the way this spring. Am excited to share with you feature conversation's over the next month with head coaches and elite players across the nation. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter here at Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth and our YouTube page.Much love and stay steady,YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

In the summer of 1999 my Dad and I drove from Pennsylvania to Indiana, stopping at almost every college along the way. The goal we spoke of on those highways: find a place to play college football.The goal we never spoke of but was the underlying dream: earn a scholarship to Notre Dame.While that never happened, I did play and coach against the Irish. But the truth looking back was that driving with my Dad allowed both of us to listen, learn and discover. Me about him as a father and him about my passion for college football.Fast forward to the spring of 2026 and I found myself, along with Todd Blackledge, pulling into South Bend, walking the campus and reminiscing about our childhoods, drives with our fathers and both getting lost in the wonderment of the ND campus.I also got to hear what led Todd to Penn State and what it was like growing up as a premiere player in the midwest. The stories were endless, the laughter hearty and the connection meaningful. Reminiscent of that drive back in 1999 in many ways.When the sun rose the following morning Todd and I found ourselves in the 2026 Irish team meeting, analyzing practice, meeting with coaches, sitting down with a Heisman candidate and Elite 11 alum CJ Carr and learning from a powerful conversation with head coach Marcus Freeman.Afterwards, Todd and I reflected on lessons learned in South Bend and shared what we think about Notre Dame on the latest episode of Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth, fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.A few high level takeaways: * The nostalgia during a walk around Notre Dame's Stadium as the sun rises will give you the chills.* CJ Carr is elite — full ownership of the offense, deep understanding beyond just the pass game.* Clarity at quarterback = growth everywhere else.* Receiver room feels upgraded — deeper, more competitive, more dynamic.* Defense remains the backbone — experienced, physical, with added interior presence via the portal. * Charlie Partridge is a huge addition to the coaching staff. And he was on the Pitt staff back in the day so it was a full circle moment on many levels for me.* Culture is intentional — last season's CFP decision has been used as fuel.* A key to 2026: start fast — urgency around opening the season strong is realFinally, this leg of our Spring Tour also served as a reminder that life goes even faster than a college football season. Watching Irish wideout Devin Fitzgerald compete in practice put a smile on my face as his Dad, Larry, was one of my college roommates over 20 years ago.I can recall the day he was born and watching him run routes had Todd and I sharing stories about our kids and our childhoods. It served as a simple reminder that sports are a catalyst for conversation, change and inspiration. We hope today's conversation allows you to learn about Notre Dame in 2026 and maybe, just maybe reflect on a car ride with a loved one.Thanks for the support on this Spring Coast to Coast Tour and if you've missed any of our past episodes at Indiana, Ohio State, Oregon and others be sure to subscribe to our YouTube page, as Todd and I are just warming up this off-season.Much love and stay steady,YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

Draft week always carries a certain energy.You feel it in conversations, in locker rooms, in the quiet moments between reps. It's the anticipation of what's next. For some, it's the culmination of a lifelong dream. For others, it's a reminder that time keeps moving.When walking into the Woody Hayes Athletic Center with Todd Blackledge, that energy was there.Welcome to this weeks Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth podcast, fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.From Columbus, Todd and I talk about his Draft Day, as well as dive into the 2026 Ohio State Buckeyes.It's expected that 4 players will be drafted in the top 10 this week from Ohio State but let's make one thing clear — this program doesn't reset — it reloads.And yet, by every modern measure, this years roster feels different.Over 50 new players have entered the program since the end of last season and in today's game, that kind of turnover can challenge a teams identity.Not in the great state of O-H-I-O.If anything, it felt tighter.Many of the players who arrived didn't need to be convinced of the standard. They already knew it. Some had relationships with coaches. Others had studied the program long before they stepped into the building.So instead of adapting to a culture they stepped into one they were ready for. Hope you enjoy this week's podcast and if if you haven't, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel. Quick Takeaways from Ohio State* Ohio State doesn't rebuild — it evolves with intention* 50+ new players, yet zero drop in identity or expectation* The portal is being used to reinforce culture, not replace it* “Tough love” shows up in daily standards, not messaging* The best players are also the hardest workers — and it's contagious* The receiver room sets a tone that elevates the entire roster* Year two at quarterback brings ownership, not just experienceY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

Omar Khan doesn't want to show his hand before the NFL Draft, which begins Thursday. Oh, by the way, we are still waiting on Aaron Rodgers. The Steelers are yet again paying it coy for a 42-year-old QB. The guys don't understand why the organization is laying down for him again. The front office also had rave reviews for Makai Lemon, a WR prospect that could end up in Pittsburgh as of Thursday night. Is it a foregone conclusion that Vega Ioane is bound for Baltimore? Former Pitt WR and current CFB analyst Yogi Roth joined the show. The best WR Yogi watched in 2025 isn't draft eligible, but Ohio State has built a factory for that position. Yogi thinks Carnell Tate will be the first WR off the board. Yogi called Omar Cooper Jr. a ‘fun guy to watch,' as he has risen up draft boards everywhere. Yogi had nothing but good things to say about Makai Lemon and raved about his growth as a player. Yogi pointed out some key plays he watched from Denzel Boston in 2025. Who is the best route runner of this group? Yogi had some praise for Rod Rutherford before the guys let him go. HOCKEY TALK! We heard from Dan Muse before Game 2 between the Penguins and Flyers.

Former Pitt WR and current CFB analyst Yogi Roth joined the show. The best WR Yogi watched in 2025 isn't draft eligible, but Ohio State has built a factory for that position. Yogi thinks Carnell Tate will be the first WR off the board. Yogi called Omar Cooper Jr. a ‘fun guy to watch,' as he has risen up draft boards everywhere. Yogi had nothing but good things to say about Makai Lemon and raved about his growth as a player. Yogi pointed out some key plays he watched from Denzel Boston in 2025. Who is the best route runner of this group? Yogi had some praise for Rod Rutherford before the guys let him go.

Years ago my Dad and I walked the Camino de Santiago, one of the worlds most spiritual pilgrimages stretching across Portugal and Spain. Somewhere along that journey, he shared a line that has stayed with me ever since:“Humans are made to move…and we move through things.”I found myself coming back to that thought last week, driving along Midwest highways with Todd Blackledge. And after watching the reigning national champion Indiana Hoosiers in spring practice, it hit me even deeper.It's time we move through the idea that Indiana is just a great story.They're not.They're a legitimate national title contender. Again.Welcome to today's Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth podcast, fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.Todd and I spent time at Hoosiers spring practice, and one thing was undeniable — this program is taking its next natural step.What does that look like after an undefeated season?* Competitive depth across the roster* More imposing, developed bodies along the defensive line* Big portal additions at key spots* Staff continuity + a key familiar face returns* A standard that hasn't flinched, even after reaching the mountaintopThat last part matters most. The standard hasn't changed. And that's why this isn't a two-year flash.If you want to revisit it, tap back into my conversation with Curt Cignetti and Rhett Kleinschmidt earlier this offseason. The blueprint has been there.Today's episode also marks the first installment of our new series:Y-Option: Coast to CoastA journey across the country with Todd and I, diving into spring football, sitting in meeting rooms, watching practice, and then stepping back to share what it all means.Because if you're willing to move…you might start to see things a little differently.As always — much love and stay steady.YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

Talking to quarterbacks and those that help build them is one of my passions. And today's conversation on Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a deep dive into that position with Seth Wickersham. Seth wrote the best-selling book, American Kings, A Biography of the Quarterback. In a sentence: it's the best QB book I've ever read. He combined years of interviews, insights and experiences and takes his readers on a ride that had me taking notes, pondering the position and juiced up to talk to coaches this spring about my takeaways.After co-authoring 5-Star QB and then reading American Kings and sitting with Seth Wickersham, I kept coming back to this: the best quarterbacks aren't defined by success, but by how they evolve when their identity gets challenged.As always, every conversation is fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.I walked away from this conversation with Seth Wickersham thinking less about quarterback play and more about what the position does to you. Not the throws, not the scheme, but the identity. The role asks you to become something bigger than yourself early, and then at some point in your journey, it asks you to let that version of yourself go. And that tension feels heavier today than ever. Quarterbacks are arriving with attention, expectations, and a version of themselves already defined before they've truly been developed. And even though every player knows their path won't be perfect, there's still a belief that it will be. What this conversation reinforced for me is that the ones who last aren't the ones who avoid the hard moments — they're the ones who can rebuild when everything they thought they were gets challenged.In this powerful and insightful conversation, Seth Wickersham discusses the complexities of the quarterback position, exploring the mental, emotional, and cultural aspects that define elite players. From leadership and humility to the pressures of fame and the journey of development, this conversation offers valuable lessons for aspiring and current quarterbacks, coaches, and fans.Some high level thoughts this book will force you to have:* The psychological traits of successful quarterbacks* The impact of fame and social media on players* The importance of humility and self-awareness* The transition from college to professional football* The influence of family and coaching on player developmentAlso, if you missed my conversation with Dr. Michael Gervais, this is a bookmark for you if you love QB play, leadership and development of the world's best.As always, thank you for the time and community.I'm off to the mid-west for a spring tour with Todd Blackledge as we hit Illinois, Indiana, Notre Dame and others. Be sure to subscribe to Y-Option's YouTube page as the content will continue to come all off-season long.Much love and stay steady,YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

There are a handful of conversations each year that stay with me.Today's conversation with Dr. Michael Gervais is one of them.I'm excited to share it with you while we're on spring break in Japan as a family. And to those who sent recommendations on where to go and what to do, thank you. We've been loving it.Dr. Michael Gervais is one of the leading high-performance psychologists in the world, host of the Finding Mastery podcast, and fresh off a Super Bowl run with the Seattle Seahawks. He's also a dear friend who makes time each year to join this show.As always, every conversation on Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat. And this one is worth slowing down for.Dr. Mike and I rarely stay in one lane. We start with football and quickly get to something deeper. This time it was about performance, pressure, parenting, and what it really takes to build people in today's game.We talked about championship environments and the tension every team lives in. Every individual wants to feel like they matter while also being part of something bigger. The best teams don't fight that tension, they coach it.That led us into college football right now. NIL, the portal, new rosters every season. It's easy to chase what it used to be. The reminder was simple. Great coaches make contact with reality. They coach what is, not what they wish it was.And more importantly, they coach the human, not just the athlete.Because underneath performance is something deeper. Pressure. Identity. Fear. The need to belong. If you only coach the surface, pressure builds. If you understand the person, you give them a chance to play free.We also spent time on something that doesn't get talked about enough. Emotions. Not as a weakness, but as a skill. If you want consistency in the biggest moments, you have to be able to name what you feel, understand it, and work through it. As a father, coach, husband, and teammate, that part landed for me.Since 2011, Dr. Mike has been a staple at Elite 11, so we had to talk quarterbacks. With a front row seat to Sam Darnold this past season, we explored a simple question that parents should explore. Is the biggest stage always the best place to grow?Then we went to something every parent and coach is navigating right now.Technology. AI. The future.It's never been easier to remove struggle. But growth has always lived in it. The word that kept coming up was discernment. Knowing what actually matters.We closed on youth sports, and it hit home. Most coaches care deeply, but without the right tools, the experience can miss.One simple idea stuck with me. Give kids goals that are completely within their control, then let them reflect on them. It builds ownership. It builds confidence. It builds humans.That's what this conversation was really about.Not just high performance, but how we show up for the people in front of us.If you're a coach, a parent, or just someone chasing growth, this one is worth your time.Much love and stay steady,YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

Last week a clip of USC practicing in 2008 went viral and a few friends sent it to me. Watching it brought me right back. Every rep felt like your position was on the line. Every drill had juice. And what stood out most was that everyone welcomed it. It was competitive, it was fun, and players thrived in it.Today's Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth podcast, fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat, focuses on this year's Trojans.And I'll admit this. Being around this freshman class at the Navy All-American Game, speaking to the team last month, and now watching spring ball, I finally sense that this roster has the type of competitive depth that can make it feel like that again. Daily.I've been around USC for a long time. As a camp counselor in 2002 and 2003 while playing at Pitt, on the coaching staff from 2005 to 2009, and now broadcasting their games for nearly two decades. I've seen a lot of cardinal and gold.One of the biggest takeaways from my time with Pete Carroll, and from learning alongside him since, is his definition of competition.Most people think of it as striving against one another. He always went back to the Latin root. To strive together.That's what the best teams do. They compete every day knowing their job is on the line, but their focus is on the present moment and getting better through it. That's not easy anywhere, and in Los Angeles, it might be the hardest place in college football to truly live that out.What helps is talent. Real talent. At every position.And this year's Trojans might have that.The freshman class has elevated every room. The portal additions have done the same. But the reason I'm leaning toward USC making a run at the CFP isn't just the talent. It's how the returners are responding to it. The offensive line, the quarterback room, the running backs, the defensive front, the linebackers. They're welcoming the competition. They're leaning into the idea of striving together, not against.After being at practice, I don't think talent alone is driving this. It's their disposition.This team feels blue collar.That might sound odd in Los Angeles, but if you've been around this program, you understand. There has always been a tension between internal reality and external expectations. The hype can get loud, and at times, it can get in the way.This group feels different.The young players aren't arriving expecting anything. They're arriving ready to work. And the veterans are responding to that, not resisting it. There's a shared understanding that competition is the path.Up front, the offensive line looks like one of the better units in the country with real experience and depth. At quarterback, Jayden Maiava has a calm confidence that comes with ownership of the role at USC. Along the defensive line, there are multiple players who can impact a game and look like future pros.And maybe most importantly, when you watch this team walk onto the field, there's no drop off. It looks like a complete roster. Head coach Lincoln Riley and GM Chad Bowden deserve a ton of credit for that. Now let's be real. It's March. Spring ball creates optimism everywhere. And USC's path is not an easy one. Hosting Oregon, Washington, and Ohio State. Traveling to Rutgers, Penn State, Wisconsin, and defending national champion Indiana. That's a B1G schedule.But this team feels like it knows exactly what it has. And more importantly, what it's building toward.So yeah, I'm leaning into the hype.Because I've seen what it looks like when it gets rolling here. And once it does, it's hard to stop.Thanks for all the support of Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth and our YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe, share, and let me know what you're seeing as our spring tour continues and if you've missed the last two episodes, be sure to run it back to learn from Curt Cignetti and my takeaways from Nebraska.Much love and stay steady,YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

Spring football always tells you something if you're willing to listen.I found myself in Lincoln, Nebraska for a quick trip to learn about this years team. I flew in at 5am, got a great cup of coffee at The Mill Coffee shop, walked to the stadium, spent a few hours around the program, and headed back home to hang with our sons. And the 24 hour down and back to a true blue-blood program was insightful on many levels.Upon landing back in LA I was able to reflect on my time in Lincoln and wanted share my thoughts around the 2026 Nebraska program, which is the focus of today's Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth podcast, fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.When I go to a practice, I try to organize my mind first. I build out a depth chart, jot down what I'm most curious about and track position groups. Overall, I'm just trying to understand who's who so I can focus on how they move, how they compete, and how they communicate. Because in mid-March, that's what you're really evaluating —growth.And right away, Nebraska felt intentional.There was no wasted movement. Warmups had purpose. Guys were talking, moving, transitioning with clarity. It felt organized, but more than that, it felt player-led vs coach-fed. In a sentence: this team felt mission-minded.Then practice started, and the energy jumped. Bag drills, bodies moving, juice from the start. It took me back to my days around Pete Carroll where practice wasn't something you eased into, you attacked it. And knowing how much Matt Rhule believes in that philosophy, it made sense. This wasn't just a practice, it felt like a standard.What really stood out though was the competition. Every drill mattered. Not just team periods, everything. Routes, blocking, individual work. And when that's real, you stop focusing on Saturday's and you start obsessing over winning a Tuesday practice in the spring. This team felt like it was living there.At quarterback, Anthony Colandrea has real presence. You can feel it. He's dynamic, decisive, and there's an energy to him that lifts people around him. That “It Factor” is hard to define, but I've always felt it's defined as someone whose presence is felt when they walk into a room…AND they make everyone better. Behind him, there's growth and depth. TJ Lateef looks like a different player, and Danny Kaelin coming back home looks like he's ready to compete in a real way. That room feels strong with three Power 4 starters.The receiver group is deeper than I expected, and in an offense that's built on mindset as much as scheme, that matters. The offense, led by Dana Holgorsen isn't just concepts, it's conviction, and in the Air Raid offense you need guys who can play that way. I think this group is best suited for that approach.Defensively, new DC in Rob Aurich brings in a new system from San Diego State, but the same theme showed up. Intentional coaching, clear teaching, real physicality. Take a look at who he has been around and it's easy to be impressed on many levels. Additionally, watching coaches like Roy Manning work, you could hear it and feel it in every drill.After practice, I spent some time with Coach Rhule, and I walked away thinking this isn't a reset in Lincoln, it's a build. A program taking its next step with clear standards.It's early, way too early to make any bold claims, especially in the hyper-talented Big Ten, but I left feeling something that's hard to fake — competitive depth, clear identity, and a team that looks like it's having a blast doing hard things.If you want the full breakdown, take a listen to the Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth podcast and as always, thanks for the support.Much love and stay steady,YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

Welcome back or welcome to THE PROCESS, a limited series within Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth, hosted by myself and Rhett Kleinschmidt. This series exists for one reason: to study how high performers actually live. Not what they post. Not what they say at a podium. What they do when nobody's clapping. The first 5 conversations delivered in powerful ways: Mark Jackson, Peyton Manning, Chris Fowler, Jared Goff, Dan Lanning and today, the final episide airs within this limited run.This conversation, fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat, takes us to Bloomington, Indiana. We go inside the head coaches office. Inside the mind of the man who built one of the most relentless, standards-driven programs in America.Curt Cignetti. Indiana and Coach Cignetti are coming off a season that ended with hardware and history. Awards. Trophies. Headlines. The whole thing.And the first thing he made clear was also the most revealing.Inside the building, it is already time to start over.While the outside world is still celebrating, he is in development mode. New faces, teaching standards, sharpening the details, preparing for spring ball. The tone is not nostalgic. It is not sentimental. It is focused and the message is simple: what happened is real, and it is over.What Rhett and I loved most is that our conversation was not a performance from Coach Cignetti. It is who he is.The deeper we went, the more the through-line showed itself. His approach does not change because the circumstances do. Big game, small game, championship, rebuilding year—it's all the same. The Process stays steady, but the improvement never stops. Coach Cignetti is always refining how his staff teaches, how they spend time, how they build schematically, how they communicate. That mindset shows up in how he evaluates players too. We have all heard his phrase production over potential and this conversation gave it real teeth.Yes, the portal makes evaluation easier in some ways—you have a body of work. You can see consistency. You can see how a player performed against real competition over multiple seasons. But he talked about something that matters more than highlight tape.Fit.When you sit across from a player, you learn a lot fast. How they carry themselves. How they talk. How they listen. First impressions are not perfect, but they are meaningful. Then comes the research. The calls. The trusted recommendations. The quiet intel. The stuff that never gets posted.He also got specific about what he looks for physically too, beyond the high school combine stats. * Flexibility in the lower half. The ability to stop, start, redirect, generate power. It is detailed. It is intentional. And it is consistent.* But toughness is still number one.Not the cartoon version. Real toughness. Day-to-day accountability. The willingness to work. The ability to be coached. The resilience to keep growing when it is hard, when it's boring. What stood out most: even with more doors opening after a historic season, the standard does not bend.Most of us would imagine that there is a temptation after winning to widen the net, to take a few more chances, to rationalize why a guy might be worth it. Coach Cignetti made it clear that is how you quietly change the standard without admitting it. If you start accepting players below it, that becomes the new standard.And that is a reminder that goes well beyond football.Everything is earned. There are no promises. There are no guarantees. There are no shortcuts.We also spoke about pressure and how he manages it for his players and his staff.Coach Cignetti shared a story from early in his head coaching career that has become one of his quiet tools. In the tensest moments, when the game is tight and everything feels heavy, he will drop a simple line that changes the temperature. It is a reminder that the players are alive in the moment, not trapped by it. It is pressure relief and recalibration in one breath.With his staff, he is big on consistent messaging. He will step into a staff meeting and deliver one short, specific message. One or two things he believes the team must embody right now. Then he trusts his coaches to carry it. He trusts the message to trickle down and become action.He does not need to touch everything to control everything.That trust, built over time, is part of why the standard holds. And if something is off, he will step in and rattle chains. Not because he is emotional. Because he is protective of the level.The conversation closed where so many great ones do: family.I asked about his father, about adversity, about the moments that shape leaders before they ever wear the headset. He talked about his dad as a fighter. Competitive. Disciplined. Tough. A man with a relentless work ethic who never met a challenge he did not believe he could overcome.Those traits did not just stay in the family. They got handed down into the program.That might be the real story of why Indiana has been able to rise and sustain. Not just scheme. Not just recruiting. Not just facilities. Its identity. Its standard. The daily choice to do it the right way, even when nobody is watching.Coach Cignetti said he is proud of the team they had. Proud of the leaders. Proud of the closeness. And he made the point that matters most—whether you are building a program, a company, or a family:* You can win games, but you do not win big or win consistently if you are not doing it the right way. If you are helping people become the best they can be, football will carry them now, and it will carry them later when football ends.Then Rhett and I stayed in The Afterglow for a few minutes, because these conversations always leak into real life.We talked about standards at home. Non-negotiables. The idea that if you want your kids to live with discipline, you have to model it. If you want a standard, you have to set one, and then you have to live it. Nobody keeps you more honest than your kids.That might be the best accountability system on earth.So here is the takeaway I am sitting with today:Dig into your philosophy, your values, what matters most to you and your circle. And compete to keep the standard. Then attack the details, but do not attach to the outcome. Rather, and maybe even ironic, stay connected to The Process…Thanks for coming along for this ride with Rhett and me, as it's been a blast.Much love and stay steady,YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

One of my college roommates is heading to Canton.That sentence still feels surreal.When I first met Larry Fitzgerald on his visit to the University of Pittsburgh, I had no idea I was meeting a future Hall of Famer. I just knew he had presence. Not hype. Not ego. Presence.When he arrived at training camp, the coaches quietly pulled me aside and asked me to help him learn the offense. What I didn't fully grasp at the time was what they already knew: he wasn't just there to compete. He was there to take over.And it took about two weeks.But here's what most people miss about Larry's story. Yes, he could high-point a football like nobody I've seen in 25 years around major college football. Yes, he tracked the deep ball with the instincts of a center fielder tracking a line drive into the gap. Yes, he could manipulate defensive backs, adjust stride length mid-route, and finish through contact with late, violent hands.But that's not what made him an All American at Pitt.It was how he saw the game — and his life — from the beginning.So in the latest Y-Option podcast, fueled by our founding partner 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat it's just me, celebrating him.My 1st lesson from him.During the first game of his freshman year he, like the rest of us at Pitt, wore a suit and tie to the game. That was the rule our head coach, Walt Harris, mandated. I think we all liked it as it felt like a business trip. But postgame everyone was changing into warm-ups to leave the stadium.I noticed that Larry started to put his suit back on.I quickly told him that he doesn't have to. He looked at me and said, at least this is how I remember it, “Yogi, they're going to know what I'm about from the jump.”That wasn't bravado. It was clarity.He came to college with a vision. Not just to be great at Pitt. Not just to make the league. But to be a pro — in habits, discipline, preparation, relationships. Small things, All things as the phrase goes.Larry grew up around it. His father, Larry Fitzgerald Sr., covered sports in Minnesota. As a kid, Larry was a ball boy around legends and he saw how pros moved, trained and most importantly how they treated everyone around them. By the time he arrived on campus, Larry Fitzgerald wasn't dreaming. He was executing.Talent Is Everywhere. Discipline Is Rare.I've been around Elite 11 quarterbacks for nearly two decades. I've been a broadcaster for 19 years and a coach for 4. Point being — I've seen first-round talent up close. Natural ability is not rare at that level.What's rare is clarity.Larry didn't drink. Didn't party. Had a tight circle. Was early to bed. Lived in the film room. Lived in the weight room. And that playlist was on repeat daily.I remember visiting him during the season when he was with the Arizona Cardinals. It was 8:00 PM and he said, “You can hang out, I'm going to bed.”Why?“I'm trying to be my best.”That's it. No drama. No speech. Just alignment between what he dreamt of and how he lived.When he decided to leave Pitt early for the NFL, I asked him if he'd considered coming back. He reframed it in a way that's stayed with me forever: if a surgeon is offered his dream job early, he goes. If a musician gets the gig of a lifetime, she goes. He was a wide receiver being offered his dream.He wasn't chasing status. He was honoring preparation.Playing Through LossDuring spring practice after his freshman season practice stopped and Larry left. News spread that his mom had passed away.I didn't know then what that kind of loss felt like. I do now.What I remember most wasn't just the grief — it was how he channeled it. He played for her. He carried her smile. He allowed the pain to sharpen his focus, not shrink his world. Or so it seemed. I know there was a lot of pain and I imagine that playing with his teammates allowed him to navigate through it. At least all of us hoped that we helped him out in the smallest of ways. After all, that's what teammates do. And our roster was extremely close.Looking back he taught me a powerful lesson that season: that there's a difference between playing for applause and playing with purpose. After he lost his Mom, it felt like Larry was playing for something deeper that just touchdowns and wins.And it showed.The Infinite GameRecently, I watched him receive his Hall of Fame invitation and greet Randy Moss — another all-time great. There was a knowing smile between them. A shared understanding of what it takes to get there.But when I think of Larry, I don't first think of Pro Bowl's or a Super Bowl run. I think of the freshman who chose the suit. The teammate who made everyone feel seen. The competitor who handed, or threw, the ball to officials after touchdowns like it was part of his joy.He played an infinite game.Not just to win on Saturdays.Not just to dominate on Sundays.But to become.He became one of the greatest wide receivers of all time.He became the greatest teammate I ever had.He became a father whose eldest son is now headed to University of Notre Dame to chase his own dream.And in a few months he officially becomes a Hall of Famer.I've never been to Canton before.This summer, I'll go.Not just to celebrate a gold jacket.But to honor the habits.The discipline.The clarity.The compassion.Larry Fitzgerald didn't just achieve greatness.He decided on it — early — and then lived accordingly.And if there's one lesson in his story for any young athlete, entrepreneur, artist, or dreamer reading this, it's simple:* Be clear about what you're about. * Be truly confident around what Matters Most* Then let your daily discipline make it undeniable.Much love and stay steady,YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

The offseason is when football gets quiet enough to actually see it.In my recent Substack collaboration with Cody Alexander of Match Quarters, we didn't just talk trends — we talked about the hidden language of defense, and why it's still the hardest side of the ball for most people to truly understand. Offense has a few common dialects. Defense is a thousand little ones. The same concept can be taught five different ways, named five different things, and argued over like it's personal. That's part of why Cody's work matters: he's built a space that translates complexity into clarity without dumbing it down.As always, every conversation here at Y-Option is fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.Cody's story is also a reminder of how quickly the game can redirect a life and one I have deep regard for. A former college coach who left to chase his passion is a lane I can get down with on so many levels.Coaching gave Cody the foundation, but instability — and the desire to protect time with his family — pushed him to create something sustainable. What began as writing on the internet turned into a full-time platform that now serves everyone from curious fans to coaches at the highest levels. He's not just analyzing defense; he's teaching it. And it didn't happen overnight.So for the young coaches out there who are often whispering to me about life away from the office, this conversation may inspire you.Also, as former coaches, we zoomed out to the sport itself and trends that are coming to college football.The biggest takeaway: the NFL and college football are closer than they've ever been. As pro football fully embraced space, spread structures, and two-high solutions, defensive ideas that once felt “college” now live on Sundays — and NFL approaches are flowing back down into Saturdays. We spent time on what teams like Indiana, Oklahoma, Oregon and Ohio State represent: defenses that win with multiplicity, movement, and disguise without asking players to memorize a novel. It's less about having one perfect call and more about building a system that can adjust at a premium level week to week. We closed with something I loved — an idea bigger than scheme. When you know the game deeply, it's easy to turn into a critic. But Cody still watches with joy. He studies hard, teaches relentlessly, and still loves the sport for what it is.That's the point of the offseason, too.To learn. To see. And to come back to the game with more appreciation than noise.Much love and so grateful for our community. Let's stay steady folks, spring ball is right around the corner.YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

@1QLeadership Question: What matters most in how we develop student-athletes? College football analyst Yogi Roth challenges administrators to see athletes not as transactions or brands, but as **human** stories whose mental skills and identity must be developed as intentionally as their physical talent. He argues that in today's NIL and transfer-portal era, alignment on "what matters most" from the president to the graduate assistant is the only sustainable way to support coaches, protect athletes' mental health, and keep sport rooted in purpose rather than purely in revenue.  - Mental performance is framed as a competitive advantage: Roth emphasizes visualization, self-talk, body language, and "competing in the absence of fear," urging programs to front-load mental skills support with licensed professionals just as aggressively as they invest in strength and conditioning.  - Athlete identity and NIL: The discussion warns that a hyper-transactional environment and NIL money amplify "athlete identity syndrome," and calls on coaches and departments to help athletes know their story, voice, and purpose beyond their sport and logo so the college experience sets up the next 40–60 years, not just the next season.  - Alignment and culture as AD work: Roth stresses that presidents, ADs, coaches, and staff must be able to answer the same "what matters most here?" question, and that administrators should structure resources, policies, and daily operations to mirror those priorities to create a sustainable alignment. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

There's a certain kind of coach you can spot from a mile away.Not because of the headset or the scheme or the postgame soundbite. But because of the energy — the tone in the building, the way his players talk about the work, the way the staff carries itself on a Monday, the way the program feels when the season is done and the scoreboard is no longer speaking.Tim Plough is that kind of coach.Welcome to our Coaches Series, where this off season we will bring you in depth analysis, insight and conversations with coaches and GM's in college football.Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To learn what Makes Coaches Great be sure to subscribe to our newsletter, podcast and YouTube channelRight now, leading UC Davis football, Tim Plough is building something that doesn't fit neatly into the modern college football algorithm. It's one that has almost nothing to do with chasing the next rung and everything to do with owning the one right in front of you. And for every head coach or aspiring head coach, this conversation will cut you deeply. (And if you're a fan of Ted Lasso, Tim Plough will tee you up for this season) As always, every conversation here at Y-Option is fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.Coach Plough's first two seasons as a head coach have been the kind that earn attention: postseason football, national visibility, and a growing sense that UC Davis isn't just “a good program” — it's a program moving toward something bigger.But what stood out most in our conversation wasn't the resume line. It was the way he described his head coaching experience: the learning curve, the mistakes, the emotional toll of falling short late, and the obsession with getting better without letting the business turn him into someone he doesn't recognize.In a profession that often equates “growth” with leaving, Plough has had to define the word differently.Because he's lived the push-pull that every ambitious coach knows: succeed where you are, and the world starts telling you the only rational next step is to get out.“The two-box filter”This part of our conversation will be cut and pasted into my life and may impact yours. Coach Plough shared a simple framework he's used to make career decisions — one that applies just as cleanly to players in the transfer portal as it does to coaches staring at the next offer.He evaluates opportunities through two essential questions:* Who will I be around every day?* Will this make me better—on and off the field? Essentially, will I grow holistically?If he can't check both boxes, he stays.That's it.No elaborate speech. No posturing. Just a disciplined refusal to trade daily environment and development for a temporary dopamine hit — whether that dopamine comes from money, visibility, or the illusion that “this leads to that.”It's a filter built for a chaotic era. And it might be the most practical tool I've heard from anyone navigating modern football. And it hit me square in the face as I almost changed my life path last year due to a temporary dopamine hit.Joy isn't soft. It's the edge.If you've watched UC Davis this season, you've probably seen it: the “JOY” hat, the postgame interviews with his kids, the steady presence even when the stakes are real. That isn't branding. It's philosophy.Plough's relationship with joy started years ago — through the influence of Jim Sochor, the architect of what so many still call the “Davis coaching tree.” Sochor didn't offer him a playbook first. He offered a question: Have you found joy?Over time, that question turned into a guiding principle:* Happiness is outcome-driven (and fragile).* Joy is process-driven (and stable).Tim Plough's point is simple: if your emotional state is tied to outcomes, you'll live on a roller coaster — high after a win, hollow after a loss, never anchored long enough to actually develop.But if you can build a “neutral mindset,” where gratitude and daily craft define the work, you gain something most teams spend all year chasing: consistency under pressure.Joy, in this framing, isn't softness. It's durability.Quarterbacks, development, and the modern trapTim Plough is a quarterback coach at heart, even with the head coach title. And I had to present to him my philosophy on the QB position right now: * QB development in high school is as advanced as it's ever been.* QB development in college—especially at the highest levels—is often the thinnest it's ever been.He agreed and took it a step further. After all, he said the development of the quarterback postion is “Quest of my life right now.” His reasoning is not because coaches don't care. It's because the incentives have changed, at every level in college.When teams can buy experience through the portal, many stop investing time in the slow, messy, essential process of developing someone. Instead, they recruit ready-made résumés: starts, reps, game film.The problem? Most of the quarterbacks who ultimately thrive — at any level — aren't always the ones who arrive as finished products. They're the ones who get shaped somewhere, then explode when opportunity finally arrives.In other words: development still matters. But fewer people are willing to pay for it with patience.Plough's counter is clear: if a player chooses a place where he can actually be developed, he can still end up on the biggest stages later — only now he'll be ready for them.He pointed to the rare modern decision that reflects this mindset: a young quarterback willing to be a backup, to learn, to be built, instead of chasing instant stardom.That choice feels almost rebellious in 2026. Which probably tells you why it's so valuable.Why players stay at UC DavisThis stat blew my mind. Since 2018, only 11 players transferred out of UC Davis compared to broader Division I trends where the number is over 200 per school. Think about that for a moment — only 11!In an age where movement is the default, Davis has become a place where continuity still exists.Plough's explanation isn't complicated:* Players feel coached.* Players feel developed.* Players feel valued.* The environment makes sense.* And the program's identity is strong enough to hold people in place.It's also worth noting: UC Davis operates without the financial weapons many programs now rely on. Which, paradoxically, helps clarify motives. If a player chooses Davis, it isn't because the check is the loudest voice in the room.It's because the work is. And now, it's because they see the transparency with Tim Plough.Family as culture, not accessoryOne of the most telling parts of the conversation had nothing to do with third-down calls. We touched up on the latest news around the coaching profession with new Bills head coach Joe Brady sharing that he missed the birth of a child due to a game and reportedly the GM of the Vikings is being criticized for taking two weeks of paternity leave. Two things that made most of the sports world cringe.Plough talked about building a staff culture where being a dad and a husband isn't something you squeeze in after the job — it's part of the job. A program where kids are around, where life isn't kept outside the facility doors, where coaches are expected to show up for their families with the same intensity they show up for game planning.He's not naïve about the grind. He's just clear about the cost.And he's making a decision — publicly, structurally — that time is more valuable than a bigger number on paper.That's rare. And if you've spent any time around football, you know how rare it is.Getting over the humpFor Oregon, Penn State, USC, Washington, Iowa, Nebraska fans — this one will resonate. Coach Plough opened up about the hardest part of building: getting over the hump and how to maximize a teams ability. That space between “we're close” and “we did it” is where programs either fracture or evolve. And for him, the answer isn't a magical speech. It's a renewed commitment to the smallest details:* Situational mastery* Ball security* Incremental improvements across offense, defense, and special teams* And, maybe most importantly, playing your best football when your best is required. (Hello Indiana fans)He's chasing the final step the same way he's built everything else: by refusing to let the moment become bigger than the craft while still seeking joy.The essence of our conversationCollege football is louder than it's ever been. More movement. More money. More urgency. More pressure to be “first” instead of thoughtful.And that's why a coach like Tim Plough matters.Because he's building something rooted in a different scoreboard.One that measures joy. Daily growth. Development. Family. Process. Environment. Identity.The Davis Way isn't a throwback. It's a counterpunch.And in this era, it might be the competitive advantage hiding in plain sight.Hope you enjoyed today's conversation and hope you enjoy our Coaches Series this off-season as more are on the way here at Y-Option.Much love and stay steady,YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

College football doesn't really end anymore.The clock hits :00. The trophy gets handed out. And almost immediately, the sport gets loud again. Portal moves, litigation, coaching changes, CFP debates and more. Oh, and by the way, we've also got a Super Bowl coming up with Seattle vs. New England. (Hello Elite 11 finalists Sam Darnold and Drake Maye)With everything seemingly happening all at once in football, there's a race to be first instead of thoughtful.It's the same in the content world. Instant reaction shows. Social posts fired off before the dust settles. Takes delivered as fast as possible.That's not how we do it at Y-Option.Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.After the Hoosiers hoisted their hardware, we took a pause. And today, we took a detailed look back at the season that was in 2025.Today's episode of Y-Option, fueled by our founding sponsor 76® — keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat, is with Jim Thornby. For nearly two hours, we just talked. No timer. No rush. Multiple cups of coffee. Dozens of teams. Real perspective.One hundred and five minutes later, the result was less of a “podcast” and more of a conversation. And as we talked, one thing became clear:* The biggest change in college football isn't happening at the top. It's happening in the middle.The 12-team Playoff didn't just give more teams access, it changed the psychology of the sport. Suddenly, programs sitting fourth, fifth or sixth in their conference are making million-dollar decisions with almost no margin for error.Quarterbacks cost more. Mistakes cost more. One Saturday can swing an entire donor base's belief.We talk about why that reality is both exciting and dangerous and why the sport still hasn't figured out how to handle what comes after the final whistle.We went league by league—not to rank them, but to understand them.The Big Ten's rise isn't accidental, it's legit and not going anywhere but up. The SEC isn't broken, but it's no longer bulletproof. The ACC looked chaotic… until Miami made a run that forced everyone to re-think the narrative. And the Big 12? Still searching for the moment that changes how the country sees it.Context matters. And it's usually the first thing lost online.We also spent time on the Pac-12, a place that impacted both of us deeply, as it steps into a new reality.Looking back was a reminder that Oregon State and Washington State found ways to survive, even when the odds were stacked against them. And now, under the leadership of Commissioner Teresa Gould, they're building something with substance: proven head coaches, programs with real momentum, and a league that still has a path to the CFP.That's why we made this episode. To celebrate the game and coach the viewer.We know it's “too long” according to the experts and the algorithms. But Y-Option wasn't created to win an algorithm. It was built to serve the thoughtful college football fan, coach, and player.So before we sprint forward into the Super Bowl, Signing Day, and Spring Ball, let's take one last look back at where we've been as a sport.As always, thank you for being here. This doesn't happen without your support.Much love, and stay steady,YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

The season may be over, but moments like the one in Miami linger because they tell us something deeper about the game.Fresh off the National Championship, I connected with the Big Ten Network's Howard Griffith on the latest Y-Option podcast, presented by 76 - keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.Howard spent the week in Miami, inside the emotion of the instant classic of Miami vs Indiana. He shared what stood out from the Hoosiers, and it wasn't just how physical the game was, it was how complete Indiana looked. This was football built from the inside out, defined by line play, mental conditioning, and a team prepared to absorb pressure without flinching.Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.As a 2-time Super Bowl Champion, Howard has lived championship moments at every level, and he recognized something familiar (see John Elway) when Indiana's quarterback put everything on the line in the biggest moment of the game. Those plays don't just move the chains, they unify a sideline and reveal belief. What followed the final whistle felt different too. It was the culmination of a two-year build by IU marked by road wins, discipline, and an ability to handle the invisible weight of being undefeated without talking about it.That's the part that can't be copied easily. Indiana didn't win because of recruiting rankings or shortcuts. They won because everyone, from Curt Cignetti to the locker room as this team was aligned in message, intent, and daily habits. Indiana isn't going anywhere in the Big Ten Conference. Neither is the standard they revealed on Monday night. And that may put even more teams in college football on the clock.Thanks for the support and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel as we hope to bring you thoughtful insight into college football.Much love and stay steady,YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

We just witnessed the greatest story in college football history as Indiana goes 16-0 and beats Miami to win the National Title.Welcome to a LIVE and instant reaction to the game and the conclusion of the season with Ryan McGrady of CBS Sports and 24/7 and the man who has helped shape Y-Option: Scouting. Ryan has worked in the NFL, College Football and MLB, let alone working at Pac-12 Network and currently at CBS Sports. Most importantly, he's been a close friend and someone who has expertise in all things college football.Hope you enjoy our short conversation and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more insight and analysis within college football!Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

College football moves fast right now, but real leadership still takes time. This week on Y-Option, we sit down with Oregon State head coach JaMarcus Shephard to talk about the long road, the responsibility that comes with the head coach's chair, and what it means to build something real in a moment defined by change.Every episode of Y-Option is presented by our founding sponsor, 76®, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.This week's conversation features Oregon State Beavers head coach JaMarcus Shephard and a leadership journey defined by patience, purpose, and earned opportunity.Coach Shephard's path to Corvallis wasn't fast or linear. It was built through years of service, curiosity, and taking on responsibility wherever it was available--inside and outside of football. That long-game perspective now shapes how he leads a program in an era dominated by speed, noise, and transaction.We dive into how a wide range of coaching influences helped him find an authentic voice, why consistency matters more than image in the head coach's chair, and how care, discipline, and accountability coexist in his program. At the core is a belief in creating a family environment--one that moves players from serving themselves to serving each other.The conversation also explores the opportunity in front of Oregon State: a re-imagined Pac-12, a locker room with a chip on its shoulder, and a chance to build something lasting by setting a clear standard and living it daily.It's a conversation about culture, belief, and building something real--one rep, one relationship, one day at a time.Enjoy today's conversation, the national title game and by Tuesday morning the start of your off-season. And if you haven't yet, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for insight all off-season long.Much love and stay steady,YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

Catch “The Drive with Spence Checketts” from 2 pm to 6 pm weekdays on ESPN 700 & 92.1 FM. Produced by Porter Larsen. The latest on the Utah Jazz, Real Salt Lake, Utes, BYU + more sports storylines.

One game remains and it's a match up with one of college footballs most notable teams, the Miami Hurricanes, vs college football most beloved teams, the Indiana Hoosiers.It truly has everything a fan of the game could ask for and am sure Hollywood agents are lining up for the life rights to this years college football story. Thus, we welcome back Bruce Feldman, one of college football's best storytellers, to Y-Option to dive into the National Championship game. As always, this podcast is fueled by our founding sponsor, 76® - keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.Bruce is an alum of Miami and an expert in college football with a detailed lens on the quarterback position. We dive into all of that in today's conversation. Some of the details include:* Miami's rise isn't about re-creating the past but built in the trenches under Mario Cristobal.* Indian's run is a brilliant story and if they win, they should be considered among the greatest teams of all time.* The Quarterback position: how should premiere recruits approach which school they attend.Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel as we will have LIVE content later this week. Also, we will have you covered all week long in advance of the title game with another Y-Option Scouting: Indiana vs Miami and more.Much love and stay steady,YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

Whenever I think of the Oregon Ducks my mind often goes to Dan Rubenstein, host of The Solid Verbal podcast and dear friend. So in advance of the the semi-final game with the Ducks vs the Hoosiers we had to bring him back on the Y-Option podcast, fueled by our founding sponsor, 76® - keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.Dan and I dive into Oregon's evolution over the course of the season, why this Ducks team feels different defensively, and how growth, resilience, and situational football have defined their path. We also zoom out on Indiana's historic run—what makes it real, sustainable, and potentially one of the greatest stories college football has ever produced—before expanding the lens to Miami vs. Ole Miss, the chaos of January coaching calendars, and the CEO mindset required to navigate it all. We close with a candid look at the state of the game, quarterback development in the portal era, and why the 60 minutes on Saturdays have never been better—even as the sport itself continues to evolve.It's part playoff preview, part philosophy, part film room, and part late-night conversation with someone who's been watching this sport as long—and as closely—as anyone. Hope you enjoy today's episode with Dan Rubenstein!A DEEP DIVE:If you'd like a deeper dive into the analytics around the game be sure to check out the latest edition of Y-Option Scouting: Indiana vs Oregon.Much love and stay steady,YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

Rhett Lewis (The Big Red Carpet) and Matt Fortuna (The Inside Zone) join me live for a wide-ranging, real-time conversation centered on the College Football Playoff national semifinals — including a detailed breakdown of the Oregon–Indiana rematch and what has changed since their first meeting. We also explore the question: “If Indiana wins out and finish 16-0, are they they best college football team ever?”We dive into matchups, margins for error, and momentum while also expanding the lens to Ole Miss vs. Miami.In a wild week in the College Football transfer portal we also the changes across the nation and in the Big Ten. You get three perspectives in a LIVE episode designed to unpack not just what's happening, but why it matters as the stakes rise.The semi's are almost here!Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

FOX Sports Radio hosts Rob Parker and Kerry Rhodes are in for Colin, and the guys tell us why the Baltimore Ravens absolutely have to start Lamar Jackson on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Plus, Big Ten Network analyst Yogi Roth swings by to discuss all the biggest headlines around the College Football Playoff, and FOX Sports Radio Weekend host and Marquee Sports NFL analyst Carmen Vitali swings by to discuss all the biggest headlines around the NFL heading into Week 18.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

FOX Sports Radio hosts Rob Parker and Kerry Rhodes are in for Colin, and the guys debate whether Miami (FL)’s upset win over Ohio State was actually bad for college football, discuss how college football can take back Saturdays in December from the NFL, and tell us if the Detroit Lions should explore dumping quarterback Jared Goff. Plus, Big Ten Network analyst Yogi Roth swings by to discuss all the biggest headlines around the College Football Playoff.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this hour of Cashing Out, host Dustin Swedelson gives updates of live sporting events and does his Three Point Stance. Also, joining the show is Yogi Roth, CFB Analyst, to discuss the College Football Playoff. Dustin also debates the NFL MVP race.Get instant access to expert picks, public betting splits data, and pro betting tools when you join VSiN pro. Grab your first month for only $9.99 or take over 15% off an annual subscription when you use promo code: POD25. Click Here to get started. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It was an action packed Rose Bowl Media Day in downtown Los Angeles with Indiana and Alabama. Post Media availability Rhett Lewis and I sat down for a LIVE podcast collaboration with Y-Option and Big Red Carpet with our biggest takeaways after interviewing players and coaches from Indiana & Alabama.Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Each team will hit the practice field today as they put the finishing touches on their preparation for the Granddaddy of Them All. Rhett and I lay out what that prep could look like on game-day while assessing the biggest matchups and identifying the pathways to victory for both teams.Our collab also hit on major college football news, including Chip Kelly landing as the new Offensive Coordinator at Northwestern!Thanks for joining the LIVE and stay tuned to Y-Option for more insight and analysis in advance of the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff!If you missed our Y-Option: Scouting deep dive on Miami and Ohio State be sure to check it out for paid subscribers.Much more to come over the next few days!Much love and stay steady,Yogi This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

Kyle Whittingham was named the 22nd Head Coach at Michigan yesterday and all day I spent thinking about how college football continues to deliver storylines that none of us can predict.Here is a detail look at who I believe Kyle Whittingham to be based on covering his teams since the Fiesta Bowl 20 years ago.Hope you enjoy and looking forward to this week as we have a few things coming your way here at Y-Option.* Deep dive into a few quarterfinal games with Y-Option: SCOUTING* Full coverage from the Rose Bowl alongside Rhett Kleinschmidt The Big Red Carpet * And be sure to subscribe to our YouTube page for content as well.Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe

Happy holidays—and I hope you enjoyed the first round of the College Football Playoff.With Christmas approaching and another college football season sliding toward its next chapter, Jim Mora is beginning one of his own.The new head coach at Colorado State joined the Y-Option podcast, fueled by our founding sponsor, 76® - keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat, to share the why behind his decision to lead CSU in the reborn Pac-12.What struck me most in our conversation wasn't the résumé—NFL head coach, UCLA head coach, program rebuilder at Connecticut, mentor to generations—not even our long friendship.It was the choice.The decision to take on something unfinished. To step into uncertainty. To begin again—not because he had to, but because he wanted to.Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Jim Mora has lived inside football his entire life. Not as a job, but as an inheritance. A family calling that shaped him as a coach, a son, a father, a husband, and a leader. From the Pac-8 days of his father's career, to playing in the Pac-10, to coaching in the Pac-12, his journey mirrors the evolution of the sport itself.Which is why this moment matters.Colorado State isn't a nostalgia play.It's a belief play.Jim is stepping into a re-imagined Pac-12. Into a conference finding its footing again. Into a program searching for identity and traction in a version of college football none of us could have fully imagined five years ago.NIL.The portal.Revenue sharing.An expanded College Football Playoff.Realignment.For some, that landscape feels overwhelming.For Jim Mora, it feels familiar.He sees today's college football ecosystem as closer to the NFL than ever before. The portal functions like free agency. Recruiting resembles a draft. Financial realities echo a salary cap. The guardrails may differ, but the principles remain the same: roster construction, culture, alignment, and adaptability.That word—adaptability—came up again and again.You have to have a plan.You have to believe in fundamentals.You have to hold standards.And you also have to be willing to adjust—often daily—without losing your core.Coach Mora learned that from some of the greatest to ever do it: Hall of Fame coaches and executives who shaped how he views leadership, decision-making, and sustained excellence.But none of it works without people.Coach Mora has always been clear about that.Building programs. Scaling mountains. Taking on challenges without guarantees. College football continues to pull him in because of the impact—the opportunity to shape young people during some of the most formative years of their lives. To teach lessons not only through success, but through failure. To help players grow into men, not commodities.That perspective matters now more than ever.The mountain ahead is clear.A new program.A re-imagined conference.A legitimate—though demanding—path toward competing on the sport's biggest stages.And a daily commitment to do the work required to turn ambition into reality.Jim Mora isn't chasing legacy.He isn't chasing comfort.He's chasing alignment with the work.And maybe that's the clearest lesson of all.After all this time, he finally feels like he knows what he's doing—even as he embraces the truth that the climb never ends.I think you'll enjoy this conversation as we all head into the holiday season, hopefully with a little time off, a good hike, or a fun surf.On behalf of all of us at Y-Option, thank you for your love, support, and community.Much love and stay steady,YogiY-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.y-option.com/subscribe