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Come on out here and take a test drive, giving away hats and T shirts, a bunch of cool giveaways.

But it is Christmas Eve for college football fans.

Six o'clock tomorrow, Utah BYU.

Our pregame coverage begins at one o'clock and our first guest on a Friday show, the legend himself, one of the best to ever do it, Eric Weddle, Happy Friday.

What how we doing, Buddy?

Feeling fantastic, fantastic.

Thanks for having me on.

It's always a joy to come on with you, and no better time to come on.

Talk talk some shops for rivalry.

Week, no doubt, no doubt.

What is this week like for you?

Even though you're removed from it as a player, and even though you know you've got your own stuff going on now that we'll get to, what is this week like for you?

What sort of memory these emotions does it invoke?

Uh?

You know, it's it's interesting.

It's not as uh, you know, I got so much going on, so I'm not I'm not.

I mean, I watch every game of you Utah, obviously I watch I've watched a good amount of BYU honestly, uh, because they're on TV and you know, gauge and all that stuff going on, so you kind of tap into the teams that in schools that are recruiting and and want to see how they're doing and support the coaches that come through your school and and that and that stuff.

So uh, emotionally not nearly as crazy as it once was.

Uh, you know, I think I'm excited.

I'm I'm obviously been wearing red all week.

We got a lot of a lot of b YU fans down here that I got to see.

So I've been repping the you and letting them know who who really runs the show around here, and and yeah, so I'm excited for the game.

I'm excited hopefully get a win tonight to start off the weekend and then watch my youthes go put a good, good game together and get a win.

You know, I wonder one of the things we've discussed Eric and I talked to Wit about this on Wednesday, and we talked to Aerod about this too.

You know, once upon a time, both of these schools, when you look up and down the roster, the players were very regional, and that's no longer the case.

Both of the footprints, recruiting footprints have spread all across the country.

And so I wonder, as somebody who did come here from a different state, what your understanding was about what Utah BYU means and what you learned about it after you landed here and actually played in the game.

Yeah, like I didn't know much about anything, if I'm being honest.

I knew Utah and their final four moments that they had when I was in middle school.

And you know that you have to learn about the rivalry as an outsider and learn how it affects the fans and the community in the school and what it meant to get a win during that season, right like it was win League and then it was Beach rival and understanding that and the history behind it, all of the runs, you know, the runs of the eighties and early nineties and then how it switched back to Utah mid nineties until now just kind of you know, how the dominance in the Utah in the early days.

So just seeing that and having older guys, the older players come back and explain what the rivalry meant and educating the young guys like myself, and then it's on us to carry that on to the players now.

So it's an amazing rivalry, especially for the people that live there and our grow up in it.

It's like it's nothing like it.

And how close this schools are and how now the players are on both sides.

They played Utah for a couple of years and they transfer over and so it just brings a whole new element to it all to the rivalry.

So I'm excited to watch a really top notch game against really two really good programs, and nationally the attention will beyond both schools, which is great for the state of Utah.

Were you three and one as a player against by you after that?

Okay, baby, there.

You go, that's what I thought.

You do you have any specific memories of the four matchups you played in?

Anything come to mind from the time when you played.

Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah yeah a few true freshman year at Lavelle Edwards and we beat them three zero, stopped their scoring streak of scoring one point.

You know, they had it.

I think it was like twenty something years.

Had a pick and a forse fumble in that game in the snow and boris and kicking the field goal.

I mean, it was just one one for the memories that obviously the fest Bowl year and we blew them out and that team was just on another level and everyone rushing the rush in the field.

And then obviously, honestly, my last memory is us losing and what a crazy game that was.

They were really a really good team that year, and I think they were you know, they are obviously the better team.

But us to go in and compete and fight and really had a chance to win that game and didn't go in our way was something that I'll always always remember.

I wanted to ask you about two thousand and four because, as you know, this game is more or less always close.

There are some exceptions, though, and sometimes the one team is just better than the others.

Sometimes one team just has more talent.

And it felt like everybody knew you guys were going to blow their brakes off in two thousand and four.

Did you guys know it?

Did you feel before the game like they don't have a shot against us.

You know, you never want to You never want to think like that.

You don't want to put the part before the horse.

Uh.

We we knew we were pretty talented, We knew we had a good group, We knew we had a close, uh connected team.

But you still have to go out next, You still have to go do it.

I think, Uh, there was a point in that game where it kind of just felt like we were rolling and then it was going to happen, but you still you still have to got to go do it.

So I never felt that way.

I took that rivalry very seriously and respected our opponent.

And uh, you know, there's just a few times, like you said, like very rarely does this rivalry ever get more than two scores, And I think the last couple of times has been Utah has been on the right side of those blowut wins.

So the line opened, you wat is Utah a three point five point favorite, and it more or less has stayed there.

Yesterday it moved one time towards by U, where Utah for a couple of hours was a three point favorite, and then overnight it's moved back to the utes favored by three and a half, even though it's on the road.

Tell me why you think Utah is favored in this game.

Well, I think the history.

I think the history of true freshman quarterbacks going against a Utah defense doesn't bode well.

And honestly, they're pretty even across the board when you look at it the stats talent.

I think we have an edge on our D line compared to their D line.

I think both offenses want to run the football, they want to take their shots.

I think we have the advantage of quarterback, and I think coachings probably a wash.

I think both Stafts are incredible, great men, great coaches.

So I think it really comes down what people are thinking is we've played really well last two weeks after Texas Tech.

I think byu the last few couple of weeks have won the games close, which is still a sign of a good team.

Good teams find ways to win, and I think that builds chemistry.

I think it builds the team with handling adversity and not giving up and those types of things.

So I think it ultimately comes down to the quarterbacks and going against our defense, and I think if we get in that past happy game where he's got to throw thirty or more times.

I don't think the game will be close.

I think it's got to stan under thirty.

I mean, maybe even twenty five if I'm being honest.

They got to control the clock, run the football, hit his play, hit the plays when when you got him.

But that's the only way that they can win this game is play great defense and run the football and don't don't ask a bear to do too much.

We've talked to a lot of former players this week, and I'm glad that you're kind of the player that's closing us out on a Friday, and I want to ask you a similar question.

I've asked them night games in Provo Lavelle Edwards Stadium.

What is it like?

What's it like to be the opposing player?

What's it like to play in front of those fans?

How hostile does it get?

And then how do you make sure you keep those emotions in check so you're the right amount of motivated but not like the wrong amount of psycho so you make mental errors.

What's this dynamic light coming up?

Man?

I think both times it was midday and then went tonight.

I'm trying to think my you know, the three zero game, and then the my junior year, I know, I'm not sure if if you know, I think we it was like a three or four o'clock game.

So I've never really experienced a true night game.

I've seen I've seen what they've been doing the last couple of years, and I know it's one of the most electric environments the way they're they're you know, all the crazy stuff, the lights and the environment.

I mean, that place gets as a lot as the gets across the country.

So I put it like this for a lot of these guys.

I want our guys just to go, and they're not.

I don't think they're at the age where they can handle their emotions.

So the first series or two, just go and just let it out, like if you get a couple penalties, so what like get it out, hit run to the football, just just go, go, go, go, go right.

And then after the first quarter, everything kind of settles down and then and then it's like it's just like a normal game at that point, but that first quarter is going to be crazy, and just don't don't try to deny those emotions and feelings and excitement.

Just channel it, but just go and let it out.

And then kind of settle yourself in from there.

So you're now on the coaching side of things.

So I wanted to get your thoughts on this.

Obviously, Kilani coached under Kyle for a decade.

Ay Rod, you know, was on the staff up here, and you know there's so much cross pollination.

Jay Hill defensive coordinator down there, of course, and you know all these names, and Jason Beck played it, b Yu, Marchiattauaia and I could keep going.

I mean, so, how do you surprise the other staff when you're so familiar with each other and the way they want to play in the schemes they want to run, Like, how do you get an advantage?

Well, I think it comes down to doing the little things right.

It always comes back to blocking, tackling the fundamentals of football, catching, winding up right, no prestap penalties, having composure, letting the other team make the mistakes.

Usually that's what happens when you get good on good.

One team usually makes the mistakes that loses the game.

It's not always a team that wins the game.

It's usually the team that loses the game.

So when you have such crossover, like you said, it's you don't want to be too cute.

You don't want to all smart yourselves and trying to get too cute and trying to dial up these crazy plays because you want your boys to play fast at the end of the day and you want to have a couple of wrinkles.

I'm not saying that, but be who you are.

Let your boys play fast and confident, and let the chis ballmember where they where they fall.

Like I feel like sometimes in these big games, coaches getting away and usually are the reason why they lose.

And it's not usually the players.

It's the coaches doing dumb things and calling dumb stuff and mismanagement and this and that.

So I think in these type of games, let your players play free, trust your players, involve your players, the ones that you trust and and lean on, and and let them right rite it out.

You know, we had uh we had win on the show on Wednesday, and I UH tried to ask him the question in a very roundabout way, whether or not this will be the final time he coaches against BYU, and he was he was very gracious, and he actually kind of alluded to the potential of he didn't say yes or no, and you know, none of us know when he's going to be done, and we probably won't know and tell the offseason, when in his own words, he will do a complete comprehensive evaluation of where he's at.

He said, I do not want to overstay my welcome people that are more plugged into the dynamic.

Eric.

Do believe this is his last game coaching against BYU.

If it is, how do you think this week is for him?

You know the type of preparation that goes into it.

Is there an extra added layer with the potential of maybe this being it for him?

No one coach.

He's going to stay with his routine.

He's going to do what he always does and trust the process.

So and he's not.

I don't think he's a guy that really wants the attention or wants this about him.

He's always been and who I try to be as a coach, that it's always about the players, and you win because of the good players.

If you lose, it's because it's bad coaching.

And it's always a good reminder that you got pour into these kids and it's about them.

It's not about an individual or a coach.

So I don't I don't think I think he wants to win obviously.

I think it's a very pivotal game for both schools to get back and you know, to stay in the chance of the league chase and try to get in that playoff run.

So I think all that stuff after the fact of Wall unfold and he's just going to try to do his best, I think, to help lead the team to a victory, not really worried about if it's his last.

Or not, away from the dynamic of it potentially being his last game.

Just generally speaking, what makes this week different?

And I asked him the same thing because I had used the adjective, man, this is such a fun week, and he interrupted me and he said, did you say fun?

And I said, what's the wit adjective for this week?

And he said intense.

So I know you referenced, you know, the routine, and it's important to be process orientated.

But you hear a lot of things about the way Kyle coaches this week, like juxtaposed to the way Bronco used to approach it, where Bronco was more of like a John Wooden nameless, faceless type approach, where the Kyle approach seems to be we don't lose to them.

What's this week like when you're preparing under coach with.

Oh, for sure, this isn't like any other week, Like, let's not get it twisted.

And I don't really like when coaches try to try to devalue your rivalry game or saying like, yes, your process and how you prepare and work like that is true, But the emphasis in an ownership of what this game entails and what this means is not the same.

This loss for us is not the same if we lose to somebody else.

Okay, So that needs to be talked about.

That needs to be said in express so everyone understands what we're getting ourselves into and what is expected, so then it doesn't come as a surprise of the emotions and what this game actually is for a lot of guys that haven't played in it, so intense, passionate, excited, detailed, all those words ratcheted up for this week because of who we're playing.

I mean, that's just reality.

If you're you're you're naive to say that you're not gonna try to do more and study more and give it more me and who we're playing, because this is not the case.

Tell me what this week is like for Morgan, you know, because you hear and you know he's a pretty intense dude no matter what.

And you hear certain things about the way Morgan Scalley approaches this week.

And I don't know how long it will be he went until he moves over one seat, but it is coming at some point.

How does Morgan Scalley approach byu Utah week?

I think with the same approach that he did as a player and has done ever every time playing playing them.

I think he's a very you guys see him on the sideline, He's got great meaner.

Uh, he's very composed on the sideline during the week.

It's the complete opposite and it and and that's why I love him, because it's a and on game days, you want your players to be free and loose and concentrate on the game.

During the week, there is a standard and if that standard is not being met, then there are consequences for that, you know.

So, Uh, there's no one that will have his team readier better than him and play at a high level and being able to shuffle those guys around with injuries on the back end and still be able to be a top tier defense.

Uh, it's been outstanding.

And listen with our standard is the standard.

We've been one of the best defenses year in the year out for decade plus, even back when I was playing.

So that is what we are, That's who we are, and everyone knows that.

We just got to go out and show it week in and week out.

I want to continue the coaching team for a moment because we had doctor Hill in studio on Monday, and we talked a lot about the way Urban changed the approach to the rivalry game and how the fan bases kind of took the cues from Urban, things like team down South, you know, changing the language, changing the way you fans kind of I would think viewed themselves because I think what you guys did under Urban is you made Utah football cool.

You didn't just win, you made it cool.

And Urban, you know, creates kind of the muss atmosphere.

And even though he was only here for a few years, Eric, as you know, he changed the course of Utah football so much so there are a lot of BYU fans that still view Urban Meyer as like public Enemy number one because of how cool he made Utah football and how he changed the dynamic of the rivalry.

Take us behind the scenes a little bit.

How did Urban approach this week?

Man, he went out of it.

I mean he was a master motiv motivator, team builder, inspirational like that was.

I think one of his gifts as a coach should bring people along, bring people together to for a common goal.

And I mean, shoot, I mean we had it everywhere.

Uh in our facility team down south.

Uh timer to when we played them.

Uh if we were if we said BUYU, then we get in trouble for it.

So it was like a full fledged mental change and really believing it and and understanding that this is what it's going to take right.

So I loved it.

I mean, that's that's what makes the rivalry so good.

And Uh, as I'm older now, it's you know, I don't really get into that type of stuff.

I've grown up a little bit, not a lot.

I'm still a kid at heart.

But you know, by U is BUYU.

They're not the team down south.

I've graduated from that name.

But uh, it's cool and and like you said, they he did bring Utah football to make it cool and relevant and I definitely put us on the.

It feels like since Kilanie took over.

It's been ten years with Kilannie down there now, and of course a Rod is the play caller, Jay Hill's defensive coordinator.

It almost feels now, Eric, that these two programs are really, really similar.

And I'm not just talking about the two teams this year, because there's a lot of similarities between the two teams, but it feels like the programs now are similar.

And we had Klanie on last month and I asked him about this, and he was very effusive with his praise for Kyle, of course, and learning under Kyle and playing under Lavel and basically said he has tried to build BYU up in the way that Lavell had it when he was a player and the way that Kyle has built it up.

Here.

Do you see the similarities not just in the two teams this year, but in the programs overall.

Yeah.

I mean, you learn under your predecessors and you take good bits from them and then add your own little style to it, personality, But the core of who you are is who you learn under and who you spend the most time with.

And you can see how they play football, how they try to connect with each other.

I think b y U is a unique place obviously with the religious that you know, the religious aspect to it, with the LDS faith and how they pour that into their program and and uh uh that side of it, and then coupling it with what you learn from from your different stages of your coaching career.

So I think it's awesome.

I love I love the crossover.

I love uh the dynamics of it, all the different layers and and truly like I do have love for a lot of those guys on both you know, obviously at Utah but at b YU because I was around them and I know the type of men they are and what they're trying to do.

So it's it's I'm always I'm always pulling for guys that that I have an intimate relationship with that I know who they really are and who they're trying to be and trying to change these young men.

It's it's truly very cool to see.

All Right, before I set you loose, let's bottom line this.

Uh.

I know you're going to pick the Utes.

I know you're going to cheer for the Utes, but Utah beats b Yu tomorrow night e wed if they do what.

Man uh I think we win the turnover margin.

I think we if we run the football one hundred and fifty yards or more.

And honestly, I think I think that's it.

It's not allow of very two very similar teams.

I think, talent wise, very similar.

I think it's gonna come down of turnover margin.

Who can run the football and who will make the least amount of mistakes at quarterbacks and that will be the deciding factor in my opinion.

Uh, what are you up to you tonight?

Dude?

Yeah, many plans.

Yeah, I got it.

We got a game tonight, I know you do that.

Are you allowed to be there?

We got Oceanside come in town.

Good, good matchup for a tough team.

So we're trying to keep the winning winning ways alive.

Uh and yeah, so I'm just in here in the office getting my mind right.

I got the ball sheet already, and hopefully stay out of the way and and let the boys play play free tonight.

Before I said, you, Louise, give us an update on your boy, I saw that Ohio State offered him.

I mean, we're we're all we're all very very curious Eric about the path that this young man is taking.

How's it going with them and congratulations on Ohio State offering him.

Yeah, it's it's it's awesome, it's fun.

He's he is a fun, fun kid to coach and even even more proud of of who he's trying to be every day as a as a teammate.

And he works really hard, man, he works really hard.

And all this he is getting is because of him and his teammates and and what he does, uh and how he works.

So it's uh, it's crazy.

I'm just along for the ride and and be a soundboard for him.

It's his journey and then try to give him sound opinions and thoughts and uh, you know, it's the long ways to go, but it's really not.

I mean, once June hits, he could start really talking to the coaches and and then it's gonna get it's gonna get real.

So uh, he's he's got a chance to be special.

Uh.

I believe that, not just on the field, but he's got he's a guy that will that will change the course of a program.

Uh.

I really believe that by who he is and what he can bring on and off the field.

So I just uh I hope he uh continues on that path and we'll see where he goes.

Well, I am a father of a son, Eric, and I know what it's like.

He must be really proud.

Is he already better than you thought he would be on it?

He's still so young, but is he already outshot your expectations?

You must be really proud of him.

Yeah, I mean I put it like this, like he's he's already surpassed me at any point in my high school career right now as a softmore, he's he just he does things that I sit back and say, Holy smokes, how did he do that?

Or I mean, you know, you hit a point as a as a high school player, if you're a D one type kid, you know I related to like you got to be the best player on the field, not just in that game, but like in the San Diego like and I felt like I hit that my senior year, like I felt like the game was slow.

I felt like I was just like better than everybody else.

When I watch him, he's he's doing He's at that point now, which is just crazy to to kind of wrap your head around.

And so we'll see how he continues to work and develop.

But if I know him, which I do.

It's only gonna push him to be the best, and that's what you want.

Well, best of luck with that process, and thank you so much for your time, man great insight, have a great weekend, Good luck tonight, keep the winning ways rolling.

Okay, you got but anytime.

Thanks sat me on.

All Right, the great Eric Weddle.

He is coaching his son, and his son is scary good.

Ohio State is the latest to offer him, and Eric's team is undefeated.

My guess is at some point Eric will be a college coach and maybe beyond appreciate e Web's time today on the eve of the Holy War tomorrow night at six o'clock in Provo.

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