West of Everest: An Oklahoma Football Podcast

Ep. 35 - Gut Punch in Pasadena

In the opening take, Lee explains the importance of trusting yourself. Then, Grant joins to tell us all what it was like to be at the Rose Bowl Game. We know you may not want to talk about this game, but we think this podcast can provide clarity and hopefully be a little therapeutic. That was an amazing first half, huh? Who's to blame for the loss? What's up with the squib kick? Didn't we expect the defense to play poorly? How awesome was Steven Parker's scoop 'n score?
What was up with some of those late game play calls on offense? So many questions, so little time.
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Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25
6:50 Grant was at the Rose Bowl and he provides his initial thoughts on the atmosphere which was very pro-Georgia
10:00 who deserves the blame for the OU loss?
14:30 In the 2nd half, Georgia gained the vast majority of their rush yards on just two plays, which is super frustrating to Lee
17:00 this is what OU’s defense has been all year
18:00 Grant describes what the squib kick looked like in person
22:20 Riley clearly called the squib kick because the previous OU kickoff almost was broken for a huge play
26:00 are we beating up on the squib kick so much only because hindsight is 20/20?
27:40 looking back on OU’s dominant first half offensive performance
29:00 Grant explains the satisfaction of seeing all the stunned Georgia fans around him in the crowd
32:00 it was great seeing Georgia’s defense look off balanced and unsure of itself when OU was moving the ball at will
36:00 Grant hasn’t mustered up enough strength to rewatch the 2nd half
37:10 what happened in that horrifying 3rd quarter?
41:00 OU’s tempo offense was mostly nonexistent after halftime
44:00 the Sooners have blown big leads before
46:00 OU went back to tempo on its one offensive TD drive of the 2nd half
48:45 seriously how awesome was that Steven Parker scoop 'n score?
51:00 OU had the football with 5 mins to play with a 7-point lead
56:00 Lee just doesn’t understand the play concept and design of the 3rd-and-3 option play to Rodney Anderson
1:02:00 OU needed 40 yards in :55 seconds in order to give Austin Seibert a chance at a GW FG
1:05:20 Baker Mayfield’s accuracy was just off in the Rose Bowl Game
1:06:35 OU’s defense did a great job forcing a FG in the first OT, which gave the Sooners’ offense another chance to go win the game
1:07:45 we get why OU ran the jet sweep to Jordan Smallwood... but still
1:09:00 we hated to see OU kick the FG on 4th-and-1 in the first OT
1:14:45 Lee once again does not understand the concept and design of OU’s option play using Mayfield and Kyler Murray
1:17:00 reliving this game is starting to frustrate Grant and he was very discouraged by Kenneth Murray’s performance
1:20:30 OU doesn’t help itself by playing super soft coverage when the Sooners dial up nice blitzes
1:24:00 OU’s defensive numbers are completely unacceptable for this program. A Top 25 defense would have allowed this OU team to blow everybody out of the water
1:26:00 Grant tries to make everybody feel better about the Rose Bowl
1:30:00 Lee hated the game. No it was not a great game because of the way it played out for those who like OU
1:33:35 Lee goes on one final rant about why college football’s postseason is trash
1:38:30 the guys were terrible at picking bowl games this season
1:39:10 the guys begrudgingly pick a winner between Alabama and Georgia

Ep. 34 - Rose Bowl Predictions: Someone’s Gonna Be Wrong

In the opening take, Grant explains why OU football and the Rose Bowl make a perfect pair. Then Lee joins in for one final breakdown of the CFP semifinal matchup between OU and Georgia. The guys go over the best and worst case scenarios for both sides of the football, who are the most important players, plus how much will the coaching matchup factor in to the outcome? Near the end, Grant and Lee finally provide their Rose Bowl predictions. Buckle up.
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4:00 Grant is getting geared up to go to the Rose Bowl
6:00 how should OU’s offense attack UGA’s defense?
14:00 is Mark Andrews the most important OU offensive player (besides Mayfield) in this Rose Bowl?
19:20 Grant wants OU to pound the effing rock against UGA and impose their will
21:35 What is the best case scenario for OU’s offense?
24:20 going over the worst case scenario for the Sooners’ offense against UGA
28:00 how should OU’s defense play against UGA’s offense?
34:40 who’s the most important player for OU’s defense in this game?
38:20 is best case scenario for OU’s defense simply that the Sooners from Columbus shows up?
41:40 what’s the worst case scenario for the Sooners’ defense?
43:40 it certainly looks like UGA has the edge in special teams
48:30 the guys discuss the coaching matchup
51:10 does OU’s success against Kirby Smart’s Alabama defense in 2014 mean anything?
54:00 What kind of gadget plays will Lincoln Riley have prepared for the Rose Bowl?
57:20 does it matter that OU has been in the Playoff before and UGA has not?
1:03:00 What do the guys *want* to see happen in the Rose Bowl?
1:07:00 Grant provides his grim Rose Bowl prediction
1:10:30 Lee provides a super positive Rose Bowl prediction
1:17:45 Bowl Picks
Wake Forest-Texas A&M
NC State-Arizona State
Kentucky-Northwestern
New Mexico State-Utah State
USC-Ohio State
Louisville-Mississippi State
Iowa State-Memphis
Washington-Penn State
Wisconsin-Miami
Michigan-South Carolina
UCF-Auburn
Notre Dame-LSU
Alabama-Clemson

Ep. 33 - Merry Christmas! We’re One Week From OU-Georgia.

In the opening take, Lee outlines the worst possible scenario for the Rose Bowl. Then Grant joins to criticize the early National Signing Day. Lee talked to Dru Samia, Will Johnson, and Emmanuel Beal last week and got their thoughts on Georgia. Plus the guys break down both UGA-Auburn games, "Film Time w/Lee", and bowl picks. What a show.
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**NOTE: At the 1:05:00 mark Grant's audio goes out. He's making a super hot take about how UGA's defensive line is in the middle of the pack. Just skip ahead a few seconds. We apologize for the error.**
4:10 Grant is leaving for Pasadena soon
5:30 OU signed 17 players on early National Signing Day
6:40 Grant didn’t like the early signing day
8:00 what percentage of college football fans are dialed in to recruiting?
12:00 this past week was incredibly boring for college football news
14:00 would you want the NFL Draft to happen the week off between the Conference Championship games and the Super Bowl?
17:40 why is this year’s playoff not getting very much hype?
18:40 Georgia is down a starting linebacker for the Rose Bowl
21:45 Rodney Anderson says he’s good to go for the Rose Bowl
26:00 Lee talks to Sooners OL Dru Samia about Georgia’s defense
30:15 OU safety Will Johnson explains how Georgia’s offense compares to other teams the Sooners have played this year
32:10 Johnson talks about all the Georgia game film he’s watched
34:45 OU linebacker Emmanuel Beal explains what he’s seen from Georgia’s offense
36:50 Beal has watched a lot of the SEC Championship Game
38:40 Will Johnson talks about the team coming together and rallying behind Rodney Anderson
40:40 the guys dissect both Georgia-Auburn games. Why were the scores so different for each contest?
41:45 Lee says the first UGA-Auburn was closer than the score indicated. Grant disagrees.
45:20 UGA’s offense was much more unpredictable in the SEC Championship
48:00 Jake Fromm is the definition of a one-read quarterback. However, it seems to be working well for him.
54:00 Georgia’s coaching staff is not afraid to tweaking the game plan
54:50 Grant hates Auburn’s offense. With a passion.
57:00 Georgia’s defense allowed a similar amount of yards per rush in both Auburn matchups
1:00:10 What did we learn from Georgia’s defense in both games against Auburn?
1:02:10 Grant is still confident OU will be able to run the ball against UGA
1:02:50 the guys discuss running backs and Lee probably upsets the entire SEC
1:04:50 Georgia’s front 7 as a whole is much better as a whole, than separate
**1:05:25 TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES skip to 1:06:00**
1:06:25 “Film Time w/Lee” breaks down Marquise Brown’s TD against TCU in the Big 12 Championship
1:13:30 Bowl Picks
Utah-West Virginia
Northern Illinois-Duke
Kansas State-UCLA
Southern Miss-Florida State
Iowa-Boston College
Arizona-Purdue
Texas-Missouri
Virginia-Navy
Washington State-Michigan State
Stanford-TCU
Oklahoma State-Virginia Tech

Ep. 32 - A Shocking Georgia Stat Provides Hope for OU’s Offense

In the opening take, Grant explains what he's thankful for this time of the year and wishes all the listeners happy holidays. Then Lee joins to talk a little about Early Signing Day. The guys offer thoughts on UGA-Notre Dame and UGA-Mississippi State, plus Grant has an astonishing stat about the Georgia defensive line. Also, "Film Time w/Lee" breaks down an OU play that could present UGA's defense with problems in the Rose Bowl.
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5:15 Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt will be bummed they can’t call the Rose Bowl
6:20 Lee has a follow up tidbit regarding the podcast stats from last week’s episode
8:30 Rodney Anderson’s status for the Rose Bowl is looking better and better
13:35 Wednesday is Early Signing Day (but we record on Tuesday night so we don’t have news on specifics)
14:40 Grant has some thoughts on Early Signing Day
23:10 we shift to OU-Georgia discussion and Grant compares a current SEC QB to a former Big 12 QB
25:00 Grant provides his thoughts on the UGA-Notre Dame game and he begins with a correction
26:55 UGA’s linebackers were incredibly aggressive against Notre Dame. Could OU exploit this tendency in the Rose Bowl?
29:00 UGA’s offense still scares Grant
31:00 Jake Fromm didn’t play great against ND, but it was his very first career start so maybe cut the guy some slack
33:10 Grant is convinced that OU has the advantage over UGA in the trenches and he’s got the numbers to back it up
34:50 based on film so far it’s difficult to imagine UGA getting to Baker Mayfield in this game
39:00 Lee transitions into UGA-Mississippi State discussion
40:20 UGA looked like the best team in the nation in the 1st quarter against MSU
42:40 Lee saw UGA’s offense run a play that he hadn’t previously seen in film study
45:00 Fromm looks to be a one read passer. Could that be useful info for the OU DBs?
47:10 UGA’s “Wild Dawg” is terrifying and Lee breaks down an easy TD run by Nick Chubb
49:45 taking a look at UGA’s defense against Mississippi State. UGA did not respect the idea of MSU throwing the ball down the field
51:05 UGA CB Deandre Baker looked really good against MSU
52:15 Lee brings up a play ran by Mississippi State’s offense that has him worried because UGA’s defense played it so well
54:20 No offense can compare to OU’s offense this season.
57:40 how do you quantify the long layoff between games? Does it matter that OU has been in the playoff previously and UGA has not?
59:30 “Film Time w/Lee” breaks down Mayfield to Brown 84-yard TD from Bedlam. It’s a play that could have success against UGA’s defense.
1:01:25 Lee messes up Roquan Smith’s name and Grant is not happy about it
1:06:10 it’s funny how watching UGA film results in uneasiness, but then popping in OU alleviates that feeling because of the reminder of how good the Sooners’ offense has been
1:08:50 Bowl Picks
La Tech-SMU
Temple-FIU
UAB-Ohio
Central Michigan-Wyoming
Texas Tech-USF
SDSU-Army
App State-Toledo
Fresno State-Houston

Ep. 31 - How Good is Georgia’s Offense? Depends on Who You Ask

In the opening take, Lee congratulates Baker Mayfield before reminding us all what truly matters this time of the year -- a National Championship. Then Grant joins to argue with Lee about Georgia's offensive effectiveness, Lee breaks down what he saw in the UGA-Missouri game from October, the guys answer a "Listener Question" and then pick some of the early bowl games.
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4:50 What is the most listened to episode of “West of Everest?”
7:15 which cities listen to the podcast the most? Only one city in the Top 5 is outside of Oklahoma
9:30 outside of the USA, what countries listen to “West of Everest?”
12:20 Grant’s thoughts on Mayfield finally winning the Heisman
13:45 Grant cares about the All-American teams and Lee does not
15:00 Lee’s thoughts on Mayfield winning the Heisman and his speech
17:10 nobody watched the Heisman presentation (except for Sooners fans most likely)
19:20 the speech made it abundantly clear that Mayfield loves OU and it’s been great to get a chance to watch him play
19:45 Rodney Anderson passed a polygraph test last week
21:05 shifting to OU-Georgia, Grant provides his latest thoughts on the matchup
23:10 Grant thinks UGA’s offense is very good and is the 2nd best offense in the Playoff
24:15 Lee explains what he saw in the UGA-Missouri game from earlier this year starting with Jake Fromm’s great performance
26:40 Missouri’s offense was probably the closest to OU’s scheme-wise that Georgia’s defense faces all season
27:30 three other teams held Missouri’s offense to fewer yards per play in a game than Georgia
28:40 Grant points out that UGA hasn’t really faced any high powered throwing offenses so far this season
29:35 Missouri and OU have similar defenses per S&P rankings
30:30 Grant cautions us to take Georgia’s full body of work into account before making any decisions on how the Rose Bowl will play out
31:45 Lee points out that OU has played well in all of its big games this season. As for UGA, the Dogs got blown out in one of their big games
32:55 Lee counteracts his earlier yards per play argument in the UGA-Missouri
33:40 Grant questions Lee wanting to take the emotion out of his feelings for this game right now
34:20 Lee thinks there is a better chance of OU’s defense slowing UGA’s offense as opposed to UGA’s defense slowing OU’s offense
35:00 Grant reminds us that OU’s defense is not good
36:45 Jake Fromm is the second best QB OU will face this year
37:20 the guys argue over the effectiveness of UGA’s offense
41:00 Grant has already talked himself into feeling bad about this game
42:00 back to the UGA-Missouri game and Lee breaks down two failed 3rd down plays by the Tiger’s offense that shows Mizz was truly not very good on that side of the ball in that game
45:35 Grant thought UGA looked vulnerable over the field against Missouri
46:40 Georgia looks like a defense that does not make a lot of mistakes
47:40 Lee was surprised by UGA’s defensive scheme against Missouri
49:40 Lee’s final takeaways from that UGA-Missouri game
51:30 “Film Time with Lee” breaks down a play from the OU-Ohio State game that shows Lincoln Riley’s ability to create big plays against tight, man-to-man coverage
59:30 “Listener Question” segment tackles Lee’s rant last week against the 4-team Playoff
1:06:40 the guys pick six of the 39 bowl games
North Texas-Troy
Western Kentucky-Georgia State
Boise State-Oregon
Marshall-Colorado State
Middle Tennessee-Arkansas State
Akron-Florida Atlantic

Ep. 30 - Awards Season Gets Serious

In the opening take, Grant touches on the long layoff between the Big 12 Championship and the Rose Bowl. Then Lee joins to discuss the Rodney Anderson situation, awards season, and updated early thoughts on the matchup with Georgia. Plus, Grant calls Lee a homer.
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1:00 Rodney Anderson has been accused of rape, and Anderson has publicly defended himself.
7:00 Baker Mayfield is going to win the Heisman this Saturday
13:25 Lee isn’t an awards guy, he’s more interested in winning the National Championship
15:50 Mark Andrews is the first OU player to ever win the Mackie Award (we get off topic for a bit, but then jump back on the Andrews train)
18:45 Bill Bedenbaugh not winning the Broyles Award will just add more chips to the Sooners’ offensive line’s shoulders
21:30 Grant has thought about the Rose Bowl non stop since Sunday. He’s even watched some UGA film and the Sooners may have success running the ball against the Bulldogs.
22:45 Grant is going to the Rose Bowl and ticket prices seem reasonable
23:50 Lee likes that Lincoln Riley acknowledges he doesn’t enjoy the long break between games.
25:50 Grant accuses Lee of being a huge homer
27:40 Lee once again provides his initial thoughts on the Rose Bowl and explains that the Sooners should be able to beat UGA rather convincingly
29:10 Grant is nowhere near as confident in OU’s chances
30:30 Lee thinks OU holds a strong advantage in the head coaching matchup
31:55 discussing the show schedule for the next 3 weeks

Ep. 29 - After Another Big Win, the Sooners Come Up Roses

In the opening take, Lee hones in on the Sooners' defensive efforts in their biggest games of the season -- and why that's useful now. Then Grant joins to talk about OU's dominating Big 12 Championship win. After that Grant disagrees with the Playoff Committee, Lee yells at everybody who's in charge of the Playoff in general, and we answer a listener question.
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2:00 Grant’s Big 12 Championship prediction was pretty much spot on
4:15 Caleb Kelly and the Sooners “D” set the tone from the very beginning
6:10 Lee liked what Mike Stoops said after the win over TCU
9:20 OU’s defense pitched a shut out in the 2nd half even after TCU took a lot of momentum into the locker room
10:45 we are starting to see the Sooners defense string together some stops
13:10 Grant was impressed with OU’s ability to step on TCU’s throat after the Frogs had gotten back in the game
14:40 why didn’t TCU run any Wildcat?
17:00 Lee thought it was a weird offensive game for the Sooners
21:40 a defense can scheme the Sooners perfectly - and still it still might not matter.
22:40 Lincoln Riley is an amazing play caller
25:30 OU and Georgia have some bizarre recent history together
27:30 TCU rushed 3 and dropped 8 once in the game — and it didn’t work.
29:50 Saturday was further proof that OU’s offense can beat you in so many different ways
***32:20 the Playoff is set and Grant doesn’t think the committee got it right.
35:25 do you put more weight in quality wins, or number of losses?
37:15 Lee thinks Ohio State would have gotten into the Playoff if the Buckeyes would have smoked Wisconsin
43:00 Lee is super annoyed by “the Playoff is perfect at 4 teams” guy
47:00 the FCS Playoffs is off and running and we’ve already seen multiple upsets
48:20 Lee is pissed with those who are in charge of the Playoff because they’re more interested in keeping things the same as opposed to making college football better
52:15 the guys answer a listener question about a hypothetical Playoff scenario involving OU and Alabama
55:30 the guys provide their initial thoughts on the OU-UGA Rose Bowl
1:00 Grant thinks Clemson is the worst team in the Playoff

Ep. 28 - The Committee Continues to Cook the Books

Awards season is right around the corner and Grant has already found the most egregious snub you'll see all year in the opening take. Then Lee joins to explain if it's reasonable to assume OU's offense will have success against TCU in the Big 12 Championship. Plus Grant is disgusted with the Playoff rankings, and we provide the true Top 10.
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9:00 Thoughts on OU-TCU Part 2
13:25 Gary Patterson is not happy about Baker Mayfield throwing a ball at one of his players
19:40 Is it reasonable to expect OU’s offense to have more success against TCU?
28:50 What will TCU’s defense do to slow down OU’s offense?
31:20 Is TCU going to destroy the Sooners’ defense with the Wildcat?
34:30 can OU hold TCU to 20 points again?
35:55 the guys make their Big 12 Championship predictions
38:45 Rodney Anderson is all that is man. He’s the best running back in the nation for the past 6 weeks.
41:10 discussing the garbage CFP Rankings
49:40 the guys share their latest Top 10
1:14:00 Making our Championship Week picks
Stanford-USC
Memphis-UCF
Clemson-Miami
Auburn-Georgia
Wisconsin-Ohio State

Ep. 27 - The Most Dominating Offensive Performance in OU History

After seeing Baker Mayfield's last home game in person, Lee provides his biggest takeaway from OU's win in the opening take. Then Grant joins in to discuss the best offensive performance in Sooners history. OU's defense still isn't great, plus the guys talk a little about what happened around college football this past weekend.
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3:00 OU’s offense was magnificent against West Virginia
4:00 Kyler Murray’s long opening run
6:10 The Sooners scored on their first 9 offensive possessions
6:40 a patented Baker Mayfield performance that led WVU’s defensive coordinator to say he should be fired
9:10 OU’s offensive line really stood out on film
10:40 Rodney Anderson has another huge game
13:10 CeeDee Lamb has some veteran awareness
14:30 Grant is hoping that OU makes the playoff so the national stage can see how good the Sooners’ running game is and Lee lays out his OU dream scenario
18:40 Dru Samia was not a happy man in the 2nd quarter of that game. Was the ejection warranted?
24:00 Austin Seibert kicks a long FG and the Sooners bench acted like the game was just won
27:00 OU’s defense still needs to improve. Not breaking any news here.
30:00 it sure looked a lot like WVU tried to mimic what K-State did to OU’s defense earlier in the year
33:40 “Film Study w/Lee” as he breaks down OU’s glaring mistakes on a 3rd and 11 play in the 1st half
40:45 it’s bizarre that sometimes on 3rd and long the Sooners drop Obo into coverage as opposed to rushing the passer
43:00 will OU fans outnumber TCU fans at the Big 12 Championship?
44:00 does OU look like a team poised to win a National Championship?
47:40 it was crazy week in college football
49:10 Pitt beats Miami and it wasn’t all that surprising
50:45 is Alabama a lock for the Playoff? If so, shouldn’t OU be a lock because each team has the same record the only difference is that Bama doesn’t have a chance to lose a second game this weekend.
55:30 this upcoming weekend would be just as exciting and meaningful if more teams could make the playoff. Don’t let anybody tell you something different
59:10 Grant predicts the committee’s upcoming Tuesday playoff rankings

Ep. 26 - Still a Captain In My Book

Where do you fall in the "Baker Mayfield punishment" discussion? Grant breaks down all the different angles in the opening take. Then Lee joins to try and figure out why stripping someone of captain status is a huge punishment? Plus is Will Grier's replacement any good? And Lee totally amends his Top 10, while Grant stays pretty much the same.
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5:00 Baker Mayfield gets punished
7:20 Is being stripped of captain status more of a punishment than not starting?
9:15 Lee doesn’t think Mayfield losing captain status should change much of anything this week because everybody knows Mayfield is still a captain
13:30 is it surprising that Mayfield’s antics haven’t cost the Sooners more in the past?
15:35 Mayfield’s pregame toss at a TCU player
20:00 Grant thinks the Johnny Manziel comparisons are unfair
23:00 How long will Mayfield sit out against West Virginia?
23:55 Lee is ready for Kyler Murray’s first start at OU
28:40 West Virginia’s defense does not play as aggressive as usual and expect the Mountaineers to scheme a lot like Iowa State and/or TCU
34:00 is West Virginia backup quarterback Chris Chugunov good?
39:20 the Mountaineers have one of the best wide receiver groups in the country
41:00 How should OU attack this West Virginia offense?
44:00 OU is coming off it’s best defensive performance of the year and it would be great if the Sooners started taking the ball away against a backup QB
45:35 Predicting what will happen Saturday
Big 12 Games
48:00 Baylor-TCU, Iowa State-Kansas State
48:50 Kansas and the Jayhawks’ loser mentality
50:20 Top 10
1:08:50 Week 13 Picks
Ohio State-Michigan
Notre Dame-Stanford
Washington State-Washington
Clemson-South Carolina
Alabama-Auburn