West of Everest: An Oklahoma Football Podcast

Ep. 339 - Time for OU-Temple on a Football Friday

Hey Friday Night Lights are almost upon us! The guys begin the show talking about the NCAA suspending DeMarco Murray for one game. Lee rants about how much he doesn't like documentaries (2:00). OU is a 42.5 point favorite over Temple. The Owls' QB situation is a mess, they've got a bunch of new players on their team, their defense is going to atrocious, and if OU struggles at all during this game, that would be a letdown (8:50). We answer one quick message from the WoE Facebook page before looking at some of the Week 1 SEC matchups that are outside of the mainstream (24:00). We make our weekly picks against the spread. Games include Clemson-Georgia/Penn St.-WVU/Miami-Florida/Notre Dame-Texas A&M/USC-LSU (36:00). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 338 - It’s the 2024 Big Season Preview Special!

After a bit of a preamble to set the table, the guys begin to talk about what Brent Venables said at his Monday presser. It sounds like the super fast, high up tempo Jeff Lebby speed offense may be a thing of the past (02:15). Tyler Keltner is going to get the first crack at kicking FGs and Lee was not thrilled with Venables explaining why Billy Bowman will be the one returning kicks (08:10). It sounds like Jayden Jackson is the real deal, but Grant continues to be concerned about this development. Venables also explained why Michael Hawkins is the backup quarterback instead of Casey Thompson (13:20). Finally, Venables had an intriguing comment about one of the true freshman players on offense (21:50). On to the Big Season Preview as we tell you all the questions about OU that we are most interested to get answered once real football is being played (25:00). We go over things that we are sure of about OU, that we hope to be proven wrong about in 2024 (42:20). We predict OU's final regular season record and explain how e got there (47:55). Random thoughts about the rest of the interesting teams in the SEC (57:00). The guys predict the 12-team playoff teams and National Championship Game (1:11:00). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 337 - Depth Chart Reaction & Delivering Piping Hot Takes

OU's Week 1 depth chart came out just before we started recording the show. There's actually a lot of stuff to talk about. We go position by position beginning with the offense (1:40). We switch over to the defense where Grant is quite worried by Jayden Jackson being listed as a starter by himself at DT. And I guess they're going for it with Billy Bowman taking kickoff return duties (15:40). Now it's time to throw out hot takes about OU. Lee had a difficult time thinking of hot takes, while Grant brings quite a few to the table (28:00). Grant has some fire SEC-themed hot takes (51:30). We get to the rest of college football. Lee is coming around on USC for 2024, while Grant is absolutely not. Plus Grant has some more Big Ten hot takes and Lee comes up with a Penn State hot take off the top of his head. Grant finishes up with an interesting hot take about Oklahoma State (53:30). We go to the WoE Facebook page to read off your hot takes to end the show (1:06:30). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 336 - Game Week is Here. Let’s Celebrate!

Lee previews what to expect from the show over the next four days. We will release new episodes each day through Wednesday to celebrate the first full week of the college football season (0:00). What will we be looking for in the upcoming depth chart release this week (3:40)? We learned this week that Dasan McCullough is still not practicing (9:00). Andrel Anthony has no limitations right now in practice. We'll have to monitor his role as the season begins (16:20). Who do you want to see returning kicks and punts this season? Brent Venables gave us some names this week and the guys are not all that excited (18:20). If Zach Schmit is OU's kicker this season, perhaps history tells us that having Tyler Keltner as his backup is a good sign (26:35). A rare dive into recruiting for this show to talk about OU getting the commitment from a 5-star OT this week (32:30). A couple of former OU quarterbacks got some positive news this past week (37:40). Ga Tech upset FSU in Ireland and the guys have thoughts about it (40:00). It appears SMU may not be very good, and we field a question from the WoE Facebook page asking if we'd like to see OU play a game in Ireland at some point (52:35). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 335 - Fall Camp Silly Season Has Arrived

After some brief talk about the incredibly hot weather in Oklahoma, the guys talk about the recent anxiety surrounding Jackson Arnold's play at fall camp (6:30). After listening to other OU podcasts, it certainly seems like the team is dealing with a lot of minor injuries that are keeping players out of practice. Is this a problem, or just a way to keep the guys fresh for the season (23:40)? Lee rants about something that is annoying him that always seems to happen this time of year (32:00). Seems as if J.J. Hester will get his shot this season. Is R Mason Thomas finally healthy (42:00)? We check the WoE Facebook page and read comments and questions. What is the one road game you'd go to this season and next (45:15)? Is there a concern that multiple WRs have injury history (50:30)? We do a brief preview of Week Zero. FSU-Georgia Tech might be somewhat competitive. Grant has been practicing pronunciation ahead of the season (53:50). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 334 - A Bummer Camp Injury & the Barnes Vibes Get Stronger

Lee previews what is coming up on the show, followed by us thanking listeners for submitting new ratings/reviews for Apple and Spotify. Then the guys jump into the news that Jayden Gibson suffered a knee injury at practice. It does not sound good. What does this mean for the wide receiver room? Is it possible to replace what Gibson brings to OU's offense (6:20)? The Jovantae Barnes hype train continued into the second week of fall practice. We play some sound from Jackson Arnold and Barnes. We lay out the possible scenarios that could play out surrounding Barnes this season (23:40). We slide over to the OU defense. Lee plays some sound he liked from Gentry Williams. P.J. Adebawore looked bigger in some recent photos, but Grant wants him to gain even more weight (38:00). Kip Lewis is up to 225 and he's not sure which LB position he will play mostly this fall (49:30). OU will wear throwback uniforms Sept. 7 against Houston (51:25). We finish up with some random topics that include an OU bowl projection, the release of the Coaches poll, and Lee thinking Ohio State is boring (55:45). Grant talks briefly about the Olympics, much to Lee's chagrin. But then Lee gets excited talking about Caleb Williams playing in his preseason debut with the Bears (1:04:00). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 333 - Early Fall Camp Takeaways & Watchability Rankings

In the opening take, Lee is excited that it's the time of year to hear about how awesome OU will be in the upcoming season. Then Grant joins as we veer off into a discussion about Colin Cowherd and shows like "First Take" (4:00). Grant has started to talk himself into OU being one of the best teams in college football in 2024. But he's not a fan of other SEC teams being given the benefit of the doubt, while OU is not. We also have a broader conversation about OU entering the SEC and Lee warns that there's a chance we may learn that the Big 12 was actually a big benefit for the Sooners (9:20). Brent Venables provided an injury update on Andrel Anthony this week. Does this change Grant's mind about Anthony in 2024 (22:30)? Jalil Farooq seems to be fine as he recovers from his foot injury. And we learned Dasan McCullough has a minor toe injury (35:55). Jovantae Barnes is apparently looking good. We'll believe it when we see it (40:50). A little offensive line talk leads to talking about Tennessee being given the benefit of the doubt (58:00). Some takeaways from what Damonic Williams, Branson Hickman, and Peyton Bowen said this week (1:06:30). KFORD put out their weekly "watchability rankings" for the 2024 season and this is a pretty cool tool (1:19:15). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 332 - Fall Camp Questions & Teams We Root Against

The guys want to learn a lot of things from OU's fall camp, so they go over a lot of questions that they may or may not get answered in the next month. They begin with many thoughts and questions surrounding OU's offensive line (2:00). Will a trio of Sooners be able to practice in Fall camp (36:00)? We have several questions to ask about OU's running backs (40:15). Are we going to find out for sure that Casey Thompson is OU's backup QB (52:20)? Will Deion Burks and Makari Vickers miss any games (54:45)? Who's going to be OU's kicker (1:00:20)? Grant has many questions about the defensive line (1:06:00). Who's going to be the starting corners (1:13:10)? We spend the rest of the show talking about some teams (and people) we like to root against (1:15:00). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 331 - SEC Media Days Recap & Grant Reviews College Football 25

We talk about everything we learned from OU this week at SEC Media Days beginning with Jackson Arnold's appearance (5:15). Danny Stutsman impressed with his appearance (17:25). Billy Bowman came back to OU to win a championship. Should we start calling him "Bill" Bowman (24:30)? Brent Venables is confident about the depth at offensive and defensive line. Venables also warned that there's no guarantees that OU will have an elite defense this season (30:00). Venables gave us some injury updates on Andrel Anthony, Jalil Farooq, and others. Good news on the Troy Everett front, and can we count on Gentry Williams to play multiple full games in 2024 (54:30)? We take a look at the SEC preseason media poll and the preseason All-SEC teams (1:08:00). Grant gives his review of EA Sports College Football 25. He is not impressed (1:16:00). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 330 - Where is OU in Our SEC Preseason Polls?

The guys open the show briefly talking about Grant's recent trip Yellowstone National Park before jumping into their Preseason SEC Polls. Lee decided to rank his teams based on predicted order of finish, while Grant chose to treat this as a Power Poll of SEC teams. We both begin with Georgia as number 1 and predicted SEC Champion (2:40). Lee goes over his tier 2 teams that he thinks the floor is 9-3. There's also a discussion about Michigan's prospects for 2024 (11:50). Grant runs down his tier 2 teams in his preseason SEC Power Poll (28:00). Lee lists finishes up the top 10 teams in his preseason poll (45:30). Grant lists five more teams that he believes is in Tier 3 of the SEC. Grant's convinced Missouri is very overrated heading into 2024 (53:35). The guys finish up their preseason polls and recap (1:02:45). EA College Football 25 talk. Arch Manning is in the game and is rated higher than Jackson Arnold. Danny Stutsman and Billy Bowman are in the top 100. Isn't Shedeur Sanders slow? Will Jayden Gibson be criminally underrated in this game? And other musings (1:06:00). Brief updated roster talk. We're kind of worried about PJ Adebawore. Dillon Gabriel is now the favorite to win the Heisman on ESPN Bet (1:19:50). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets