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Podcast: Cover 3 College Football Episode: Spring Game Takeaways: Ohio State’s next star WR, grading Bryce Underwood, Darian Mensah shines! Segment: Miami podcast segment **Actionable Picks / Plays Mentioned** - I don't I don't know if We'll see how the games play out, right? - [laughter] Jameis Winston over there. - I I just think it I don't know what the Heisman odds are. - again, just tough scene for Duke seeing their their star quarterback and leading receiver catching passes for my for the favorite to win the ACC. **Top Team-Specific Takeaways** - Tom, the Darian Mensah being able to take grab hold of Shannon Dawson's offense and look totally comfortable moving this group. - Is this Is this an overreaction to just think that this is maybe going to work out about as well as the last two transfer quarterbacks for Miami? - I mean, don't base it off the spring game, but I don't think it's overstating it to think that this kid's going to have a fantastic season for the Hurricanes. - I So, the hot takes episode last year, where I was down on Miami saying they could miss a bowl, that was in large part cuz I was worried about Carson Beck missing spring, not picking up Shannon Dawson's offense fast enough, you know, questi - Defense wasn't great at that point. - You could argue Darian Mensah was the best quarterback in the ACC last season, if you wanted to. - when you spend that much on your starter, it's hard to have good backups. **Transcript Context** - Three on the day, and these were like not just short little slants that were taken all the rest of the way. - We're talking deep passes, outside the numbers, and and and doing it again with a lot of backups along the way. - Tom, the Darian Mensah being able to take grab hold of Shannon Dawson's offense and look totally comfortable moving this group. Transcript excerpt: Three on the day, and these were like not just short little slants that were taken all the rest of the way. We're talking deep passes, outside the numbers, and and and doing it again with a lot of backups along the way. Tom, the Darian Mensah being able to take grab hold of Shannon Dawson's offense and look totally comfortable moving this group. Is this Is this an overreaction to just think that this is maybe going to work out about as well as the last two transfer quarterbacks for Miami? Yeah, this could be Cam Ward-ish more than Carson Beck-ish. I mean, and that's not a knock on Beck. Beck played very well for Miami, but I think as far as numbers and stats, this could be more of a Cam Ward kind of season for Darian Mensah, where it's like you look at what he did last year at Duke, and obviously Duke went 7-5, they won the ACC, but not a knock to anybody on that team, but when you look at the skill positions around him at Duke, not quite what he's going to have at Miami. So, I just look at the talent that he has and some of the guys he's going to have available to him both in the run game to help take pressure off of him, and also like a Malachi Tony and receivers he's going to have. I just feel like Mensah is poised to have a huge season for the Hurricanes. And then you look at the like just the rest of the ACC and the fact that there's really no other team in that league that you look at and say is a serious threat. So, I don't think it's overstated. I mean, don't base it off the spring game, but I don't think it's overstating it to think that this kid's going to have a fantastic season for the Hurricanes. Yeah, I So, the hot takes episode last year, where I was down on Miami saying they could miss a bowl, that was in large part cuz I was worried about Carson Beck missing spring, not picking up Shannon Dawson's offense fast enough, you know, questions about his leadership. And I feel like the complete opposite with this one. Like I'm kind of trying to dial back expectations on Miami cuz I like I'm buying into the What are they? Minus 135 to win the ACC? Like yeah, go ahead and take it for the first ACC title in school history. I mean, I I And I told a buddy of mine, I think he I think he could put up better numbers than Cam Ward and Carson Beck. I mean, he's you know, I think he could have a phenomenal year. Especially with the guys around him. Ward had a very productive season. Defense wasn't great at that point. But I don't I don't know if We'll see how the games play out, right? In terms of you know, what he would be able to do in terms of matching Cam Ward statistically, but I look I mean, I'm a the Danny, I think I think he could join you in the ACC player of the year lounge, you know? I think that we need >> this Delta Sky Club. Just Who Let's see, who else would be in the ACC player of the year? Just Drake Maye and Danny Cannell holding court. You know, [laughter] Jameis Winston over there. Just uh Making getting things going. It's like the five timers club, you know, but ACC player of the year club. He could become the first player to win uh the ACC championship 2 years in a row with two different teams. >> [laughter] >> I didn't think about that, yeah. I I just I was I was ready for him to not Not because of any discounting of Darian Williamson. It just seemed like such a circus even getting him to Miami. And he just showed up locked in. I mean, that's a problem for the rest of the ACC. I'm I'm with you, Danny. I'm I'm I'm on the other I'm worried about that I'm going too hard on this because they might not win because a team beats them in Charlotte. On the whole of the season, I don't think there's going to be a team that's better than Miami this year in the ACC. They are capable of losing, right? I don't think that on the whole anybody's going to be able to beat them. Big day for uh for Darian Mensah. At Duke, he came close to pushing Cam Ward's numbers. If you compare Cam Ward's last season at Miami. Like so I The expectation, I think, is he should be right around there. And I I just think it I don't know what the Heisman odds are. I'm sure he's up there at the top or closer to the top five. Yeah, he was second-team all-ACC last season behind Haynes King. And Haynes King has a lot of moxie, you know, the the the voters are always going to be attracted to that. You could argue Darian Mensah was the best quarterback in the ACC last season, if you wanted to. And now he's joined the most talented team. So, great great sign for Darian Mensah. And again, just tough scene for Duke seeing their their star quarterback and leading receiver catching passes for my for the favorite to win the ACC. Another one to see, Upshaw, young receiver who got a little bit more work with a lot of players missing. He had a couple of big catches on the receiving end from Mensah. Last part, uh but we got to go cold shower on this one. I'm sorry, Miami fans. If something does happen, the depth isn't great. Backup quarterbacks, maybe It's pretty much been the last story the last couple years. Yeah, when you spend that much on your starter, it's hard to have good backups. Unless you're like, you know, a team with a $50 million payroll. But even Ole Miss, like they spent 700 on Trannell Chambliss and worked out okay. I I would not want to get Darian Mensah hurt, but you never know. There's uh up in Blacksburg, I think the headline and the highlight was a little bit more from the pre-game um pre-game festivities. Got a few notes here, but I guess everybody caught the the parachuter. Happy he's okay because I I I fired out a joke while the situation was still tenuous.