The Andy Staples Show & Friends: A show about college football

Andy and the latest candidate for "Dad of the Year" (who are we kidding, he's a shoo-in), Max Olson, discuss 2020 FBS stop rate standings. Which units topped college football in stopped drives percentage and why wasn't it Alabama (3:45)? Oklahoma is gradually building its defense into a top-tier clamp-down squadron (7:45). The Sooners weren't the only Big 12 school to frustrate offenses (13:30). What factors contributed to Iowa being the nation's best stop rate team (18:00)? Can LSU right...

The Athletic's Nicole Auerbach welcomes Fox Sports' Adam Amin to the show! The two Chicagoans have survived the winter & are looking forward to the NCAA Tournament later this month. A college basketball season without fans has been...weird. Luckily, the tournament will have 25% capacity. Michigan, Gonzaga, Baylor & Illinois all have the pieces to potentially win a title. Plus, what has the transition from calling CFB to NFL games been like? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

It's Monday so be prepared to hear Ari Wasserman rank things, and, in this case, "things" are the SEC's jobs. All right, I guess I can probably begin this show description by listing off 2-14 because No. 1 is a no-brainer...wait...Alabama isn't the best gig in the conference (1:00)? Alabama isn't in Ari's top-2 (6:30)? Where does Florida check-in (15:30)? Which job is more desirable: Kentucky or Auburn (23:15)? What omen of ill-fortune has befallen College Station (28:15)? Controversy alert...

Andy welcomes University of Wisconsin-Whitewater offensive lineman and NFL hopeful Quinn Meinerz to the show. Meinerz walks Andy through the process of his upcoming Pro Day. What is the procedure for a Pro Day amidst a pandemic (1:30)? Meinerz reflects on his time at UW-Whitewater and how it shaped him into the player he is today, plus, what was it like participating in the Senior Bowl and never having snapped a football in a live setting until then (2:15)? CANADA WORKOUT Youtube...

Indiana University head football coach Tom Allen joins Andy to discuss an array of topics, including recruitment and what traits, characteristics he seeks in a potential Hoosier (1:00). Allen then describes his club's mantra L.E.O. (Love each other), and how his players have embraced this philosophy (3:30). Through all Allen's travels, positions, expectations, etc. how has he remained true to himself (8:30)? What was it like working for Hugh Freeze (12:00)? How will Indiana respond now that...

If you thought a global pandemic meant college football's drunken sailors (ADs) would stop spending absurd amounts of money on football coaches you were wrong. Nicole & The Athletic's Chris Vannini unpack the Tennessee situation as well as others across the country where money seems to be growing on trees. Plus, Deion Sanders' Jackson State career starts with drama & 'Selection Sunday' is less than three weeks away. Last call! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In another rank-filled edition of The Andy Staples Show and Friends, Andy and Ari order the Big Ten's jobs based on a 5-year projection. Sure, number one is obvious (rhymes with Toehio Fate), but what about the guys' second-best job in the conference, and why is it Wisconsin (3:45)? Will Penn or Michigan round out the top-3 (9:00)? Is Lansing an attractive enough location to put Michigan State in the top-5 (16:00)? Which school would win a national title if Nick Saban or Dabo Swinney coached...

Andy welcomes on former Florida State and National Championship fullback, Freddie Stevenson, who persevered through poverty, homelessness, a near career-ending injury, and more to achieve his NFL dreams, and, ultimately, finding his true calling in life. Rundown: (2:00) Childhood (4:30) A dollar in mom's pocket (8:00) Career-threatening injury; Florida State (14:15) Fullback?! (16:30) The NFL (19:00) Out of the league and in trouble (24:30) Connecting with others and dad's guidance Follow...

Andy welcomes University of Oregon head football coach Mario Cristobal to the show! Cristobal explains his and his staff's process when evaluating offensive linemen (1:00). What traits does he look for in a lineman? And has the current, and presumed future, success of former Duck offensive lineman, Penei Sewell, help in recruiting? What does recruiting the 2022 class look like (5:30)? Will there be an even greater onus on virtual recruitment? How have competitive practices shaped the Ducks...

The Athletic's Jayson Jenks joins Nicole to discuss amateurism & college football. Why do people believe that amateurism is what makes the sport great? Jayson looks back at the history of amateur sports & projects what will change in the future compared to the past. The upcoming Supreme Court decision will have a massive impact on what college football looks like in 2021 and beyond. Will the players get (gasp), paid to play? Get used to this discussion, because it's not going anywhere in a...

There's no better ranking than an 'Ari Ranking', so that's exactly what Andy, and the aforementioned Ari, are doing. Courtesy reader Tom: Assume all the ACC coaches retire all at once, rank the job openings based on a five-year projection (2:15). So, Clemson's pretty good. Why don't we place them first until we sort out the rest of the rankings? Which Florida school holds an advantage over the other (7:15)? Who's fourth best (14:00)? Why does Ari believe NC State is below Virginia Tech? Andy...

The Athletic's Dane Brugler joins Andy to discuss his Mock Draft 3.0. Now that the draft order is set, Dane projects where college football's top prospects will get drafted. Trevor Lawrence leads a group of potential 1st round QBs & his pro day is on Friday. Dane also accounts for some potential trades that might take place on draft day based on need. Will the Panthers move up for Justin Fields? Where is the value outside of the big-name-can't-miss players? With the Super Bowl in the books,...

Andy welcomes new South Carolina head football coach Shane Beamer to the program. Beamer starts by providing insight into virtual visits, and what's it's like to recruit over Zoom (:30). Beamer discusses his history at South Carolina and what it was like being a part those late-2000, early-2010 teams that featured players like Stephon Gilmore and Alshon Jeffery (3:00). Also, is there an advantage to having coached in Columbia before, and being able to relay those experiences to recruits?...

Nicole is joined by The Athletic's Andy Bitter to discuss his story on Super Bowl Champion Head Coach Bruce Arians & his roots at Virginia Tech. Arians' successful career on the field can be attributed to his philosophy on life off the field. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your annual post-Super Bowl reminder: those guys on the field are genetic and physical freaks. Andy and Ari react to the Tom Brady Buccaneers' Super Bowl win over Kansas City. The two take time to zero in on each teams' roster composition, and how players' star rankings factored into the outcome (6:30). There are few discussions with your child more important than that of star rankings, ambitions and odds. Andy recalls his conversation with his kids about pursuing their dreams, but to...

The Earth is healing. EA Sports' college football video game will one day be in our hands, that is now a fact. Andy and The Athletic's Oklahoma Sooners scribe Jason Kersey have longed for the days of Dynasty Mode (2:00). With everyone caught up in the moment, it's important to revisit how we arrived here (4:00). Assuming we snag a PS5, which player during the game's hiatus do we want to play as the most (12:15)? The guys swap their favorite football video game stories (14:15) before chatting...

Executive Director of the Reese's Senior Bowl Jim Nagy joins Andy as the two discuss Senior Bowl practices and Saturday's game (1:15). Nagy shares how he and his team managed the number of Covid-19 cases during the week. He also discusses the importance of players being seen in front of scouts and talent evaluators. Who was Nagy's favorite player at the Senior Bowl? *cough* Quinn Meinerz *cough* (4:45). How did Mac Jones fair during the week, and which of his skills stood out to coaches...

The Athletic's Nicole Auerbach & Stadium's Michael Felder ask the important question: was it worth it for Tennessee? Since Jeremy Pruitt's firing and Josh Heupel's appointment there has been a mass exodus of players from Rocky Top. Why has the February National Signing Day lost all of its luster? Last call! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You ask it, Andy and Ari (might) answer it! In this edition of 'Dear Andy', the guys discuss if program-building experience is a requisite for being a head coach and if Josh Heupel can pull Tennessee up from the depths of the SEC (1:15). Also, where do the Volunteers rank among SEC football programs (15:30)? Can we please stop photoshopping recently hired coaches in their new school's drip before they even step a foot on campus (24:15)? What's the probability Steve Sarkisian flips Quinn...

Sound the siren! There's a new head coach in Knoxville! It's, it's...Josh Heupel? Andy reacts to Rocky Top-bound Heupel and what lead to the former UCF head coach's hiring (:15). Andy then welcomes David Ubben, The Athletic's Tennessee Volunteers chronicler, to analyze the Vols' newest coach (4:00). Was Heupel Tennessee's realistic first choice (6:30)? Will Knoxville's newest resident win in the SEC (8:15)? Andy and David list coordinators that could fill Heupel's staff, including a name...