Guys love the show, long time listener. But you boys have definitely gone BigTen. I understand Tom has waterboarded you all into this love. I don’t remember SEC Tuesday’s back when CBS had the SEC. With Danny Boy, I understand the hate him being a southern boy, but Chip Mr UNC to Big Ten’er is strange. Love the SEC hate even though I bleed SEC it keeps me warm at night. . Tommy Boy has won and made the show Big Tenner. I understand the jealousy of our greatness and still love the show. Hang tough and but change the show name to Tommy’s Big Ten’ers. Keep up the great work SEC SEC.

365/24/7 the only and “go to” college football pod for me. I picked Houston for my hoops pool but would gladly “blow it up” for Duke vs SEC matchup with DK sitting with Sankey for a watch along stream sitting at a bar “trash talking” each other. Thanks guys!!!

Hey fellas, I posted this on one of the FSU message boards and got some mixed feedback, so I figured I’d pose it here to get some inside and outside perspectives. After 2024, I’m starting to think that FSU is the most embarrassing division 1 college football program of the last 10 seasons (taking general talent level, reputation and expectations into consideration). Or at least they have had the most publicly embarrassing moments happen TO them in the last decade. 2014- talented but underperforming team coming off of a national championship and an offseason of embarrassing antics gets absolutely steamrolled by Oregon with a goofy drop back fumble that still gets replayed to this day 2015- decent season, but embarrassing loss to GT on field goal block return 2016- one of the worst ranked on ranked losses you’ll ever see in Louisville. Truly the start of an era of achieving so little with so much talent 2017- broken by Alabama and an awful season culminating in being abandoned by Jimbo for the cult in College Station 2018- Taggart. Swag surfing. VA Tech. Need I say more? 2019- Taggart. Boise meltdown. Hydrategate. Need I say more? 2020- Mike’s first year, didn’t stand much of a chance but the trend of being one of the worst power conference teams you’ll ever lay your eyes on continues for the third straight year. 2021- Jacksonville State and the SINGLE most embarrassing recruiting flip in the history of any collegiate sport ever with He Who Must Not Be Named. 2022- signs of life!!! Andddddd more last minute, high-profile recruiting flops. 2023- one of the most impactful injuries to a player of a team who legitimately had a shot at winning it all (in recent memory) followed by the Great Snubbening. 2024- biggest win percentage drop off in the history of any college football season anybody outside of a retirement home can remember Just want to see if you all can challenge this narrative with another team in the same relative pecking order as FSU in the last decade or so where on the field performance is the main defining factor (not situations like Penn State, Baylor, etc.) I also acknowledge UF could be in the running (Jim McElshark, Will “Do Steroids” Grier, blocking your own teammate, etc.) and, well, nobody ever expects anything out of Miami so…. Who else? Am I too close to the program as a fan or am I onto something?

I enjoy the show! If you guys were given full scheduling power over your team like in a video game, how would you build it? Assume you need 3 out of conference games and 9 in conference games. Also include the spots you would put 2 bye weeks in. Assume you have this year’s upcoming roster and want a good balance between fan experience and team performance.

FSU question: Is Mike Norvell just Dan Mullen 2.0? Decent coach, good guy, not a great recruiter…

Best podcast there is! I listen to cover 3 on all my runs and it helps grind out the miles. Mailbag question, what is the best year for high school recruiting? 2013 comes to my mind with studs like Chris Jones, Larmey Tunsil, Jonathan Allen, Derick Henry, Laquon Treadwell and others. Any thoughts?

Hey guys love the show, love it so much I’m on my wife’s phone to give another 5 star review. I also don’t know how to get another questioned answer since I’ve already left a review on my own phone, but If anyone needs a good listed to what’s going in the college football world. These guys should be your go to! My question for the mail bag. A couple of weeks ago I heard you say that there wasn’t a big difference between Kyle McCord and Will Howard. Which on the surface you’d be correct stats wise. However I’ll never forget the look of indifference on McCord’s face before the final drive to win the game up in Ann Arbor. That told me everything I needed to know about him. On the contrast Will Howard is an absolute gamer/ leader of men. I think that is so overlooked when assessing how good a QB is. I don’t believe OSU wins the title with McCord at the helm because of this very thing. Howard while not an elite talent in tangibles has that factor that can’t be measured in stats. I don’t see why Howard can’t be another Dak Pressott. A+ intangibles, with B- skills.

Greeting Gentlemen from Thailand ( I don’t live here, just visiting on my honeymoon). On my long my flight over here, I was catching up on the podcast and thinking about the future of the sport. My question is what can programs like Michigan State, that are stuck in the middle, do to remain respectable and not get left out from whatever changes come next. Also any advice for a newlywed?

For the ACC coaches and expectations Vegas style the new chancellor at Cal, the first Cal graduate in almost 100 years, gave an interview to John Wilner in February saying that six and six is no longer acceptable given all the new investment in football. Chancellor Lyons is concerned about a new super league and sees this as a tipping point requiring new investment and better outcomes.

Update to prior reviews: Knew when they added Danny things were going to change towards hating on the SEC, but since the SEC left CBS the level of just hating on the SEC has hit an absurd height. Not one person on there to rep one of the two biggest conferences on the podcast formerly known as a SEC podcast. 🤷‍♂️. Two of you once were pretty high on the SEC when they helped pay the bills. Now comments such as the SEC couldn’t have won without cheating and stacking the cards is all too common. I translate that to you will just push whatever narrative you are directed to. So, coming up on the other side of this review is a drop in your star ranking. 😖 Thank you for not messing this up by changing a good podcast. Leaving my prior review below because still applies: I enjoy this podcast each week; locks podcast is a must listen to episode each week. Very informative and fun. Keep it up (also love they go over an hour if they need to).

Hey All, big fan of the show! I watch live every week on YouTube. When I was growing up, I really wanted to go to Stanford. I thought the combination of education and location was unbeatable. Then I learned that no one really cares about football at Stanford. My question is if you could create a school, combing elements of other schools, to essentially create the greatest recruiting powerhouse in CFB, what elements would you choose from what schools? My idea was non-NIL things used in recruiting pitches, like good education, school/campus location, team history/culture, uniforms, and stadium. This could also be a draft between the four of you. For example, I think a recruiting pitch that included Stanford education, Stanford campus, Alabama’s team history, Michigan’s uniform, and the chance to play in Tiger Stadium would be an impossible offer to turn down.

Not exactly a football question, but if you could go pro in any sport what would it be and what position? I would be a major league centerfielder over anything else. From Steven, go Noles and Geaux Tigahs

There was an instant classic moment from the College Football season that should be recognized and rewarded. On the 12/23/2024 UFR Episode, Chip Patterson had the BIGGEST and most honest feedback for the College Football Media. I got fired up listening to that live and it was an instant classic Cover 3 moment. Can we reward that moment with a sound bite that leads in to a show segment? It must live in jnfamy.

Great show - love tuning in when commuting and working around the house. My question for you all is about the fit of CFB within the domino meme (progressively larger dominoes, small event leads to massive change). It seems we’re heading towards a future where CFB is entirely separated from the NCAA, conferences cease to exist, teams may be affiliated but not a part of their universities, who knows… What do you think is the one seminal event that set us on this path (smallest domino) and where do we end up (largest domino)? A few events that come to mind are SMU getting the death penalty and the Northwestern/Dartmouth athlete unionization efforts.

I listen every day in season

The NCAA hasn’t won many cases brought forward by players when it comes to eligibility and with NIL now in the picture this NFL Draft scenario came to mind. In today’s litigation climate what would stop a player who declared for the NFL Draft to return to college after the draft if they either went unselected or even if they just dropped lower than they expected in the draft. Players taken in later rounds do not get much guaranteed money or even a guaranteed active roster spot (setting aside practice squad as that’s even less money). If a player realized quickly after the draft it wasn’t where they hoped to get drafted they might be able to find a college team (and NIL) for the next year - especially a player at a position with demand (OL anyone). My understanding is NFL teams do not hold a player’s rights indefinitely but only until the next league year - so if a player improved their stock they might get drafted higher. The spin off scenarios get crazy - could a NFL team decide a player they drafted in the 7th round is better off playing another year of college vs being on their practice squad and encourages the player to return to college then immediately after the season sign him (which would be well before the start of the new season and they lost his rights).

Hi fellas, would like to hear your thoughts on this scenario. A group of donors are willing to donate the proceeds of their next tax cut, let’s say $10 million, to their favorite athletic department for the 2025 season. Unfortunately their football team is starting a multi-year rebuild. They decide to spend their money instead to sabotage their rival, who has their best shot at a championship in decades. What would be the best way to spend the money to prevent their rival from winning the national championship? Sprinkle million dollar players on ten opponents? Focus on spending to improve a few top teams? Pay the refs? Thanks

Curious on Bud’s thoughts here. With the addition of Mark Gronowski from South Dakota State, will Iowa finally solve their QB issues, at least for a year, or are Iowa fans in for more of the same? New listener but love the show. Best CFB content by far.

Great show, you guys are the best out there for college football. Do you think with player movement at an all time high, the quality of the average college football has started to go down? With guys not staying in programs long term how much does this affect player development? Will this lead to lower quality teams on the average? Has it already? Thanks!

If every job in the country opened up, how far down would the first Big 12 job be? And where would the top Big 12 job rank in other conferences?

Hey Tom, you mentioned Eric Gordon and Cliff Alexander as the near misses for Illinois basketball. What about Jon Scheyer? His senior year of high school basketball was the year Illinois was #1 for most all season and made it all the way to the title game. His high school was Bruce Weber’s brother. It seemed destined for him to go to Champaign…..but it didn’t happen. If Scheyer goes to Illinois, perhaps Bruce is still the Illini coach today. That one hurts me more than Eric Gordon or Cliff Alexander. Thanks for your time. Tim Anderson Amherst, MA

Dear Cover 3 pod, *excuse the length.* But I am in trouble. I am a life long college football fan. My dad went to the University of Texas, and I remember being 6 years old watching Vince Young score on 4th and 5. Fast forward to my college years and I attend the University of Tennessee (the original UT), and I was in the student section as the ball barely made it over the goalpost for Tennessee to finally beat Alabama. I love college football. However, my fandom is in trouble. Ever since I watched Ohio State win the natty, I have felt dead inside. How can a team lose to their biggest rival on the last week of the year and then be a national champion? Was Tom right? Is the regular season now meaningless? And before DK can say anything, I cannot live in a cfb world where we traded the value of Ohio State-Michigan for the increased value of watching 9-3 SEC teams fight for a playoff spot. Am I being dramatic? Will I continue to love this sport? I have been a loyal listener since 2019 so please any advice and consolation would be appreciative. Go Vols, Jake

If the new CFP format goes through and the only thing that matters is conference record, what is the incentive for teams to schedule any remotely difficult out of conference games? Why would Texas risk injury or showing scheme to play Michigan when it could get its back ups a full half of work against Rice? Thanks.

Hot take time. In this scenario you are going to a party with reasonably well versed college football fans. What is one hot take that you would throw into the conversation which the primary goal is to stir up as much angry/vocal response as possible BUT it must be a take that you can defend to those offended. Note: Danny is not allowed to take the low hanging fruit of the SEC is no longer the most powerful conference in CFB. That has already been proven this past year.

Which schools will benefit the most from revenue sharing? Schools that have high revenue that haven’t quite figured out the NIL era? Or does the proposed revenue sharing cap make it relatively even across schools? Would some schools not even hit the proposed caps?

Hey guys love the show. What are your expectations for the young QB’s Sayin, Lagway, Underwood and CJ Carr? Any other young QB’s on your radar ? Obligatory Arch Manning Arch Manning Arch Manning

Love the pod. Just to ask a question about Bud’s Big 12 slander on the most recent pod, do you think that with rev share the SEC and Big 10 are going to still be so dominant? Obviously if Texas has a $25 million NIL budget and Iowa State has $5 million, Texas is going to be better. But with rev share, if ISU has $25 mil and Texas has 45, Texas will still have the advantage but Iowa State will be competing for at least some kids, and if they hit on QB and Texas does not, I’d take Iowa State to be the better team.

Thanks as always for the tremendous year round content. Question: With the new playoff format being leaked it reminds me most of the Champions league qualification (or even World Cup to a degree). In this sense the leagues would need to find a way to balance schedules. I know for a long time we have floated ideas of relegation in the NCAA, but it’s not realistic. However, at the conference level it could be. For example the SEC has 10 teams in the championship league and 6 in the lower division. The 10 teams play a balanced schedule- 9 games and the top 4 get the bids. The bottom 2 get relegated. The bottom 6 teams play each other and then have to find non league games. They still get there pay cut for SEC money for TV, but leave them out of playoff cut. What are your thoughts? Any other ideas for scheduling for these bigger conferences?

Long time listener, first time caller - you are putting together an ultimate team coaching staff starting at the turn of the century, who do you have at each position? HC, OC, DC, position coaches (time permitting)

Hey guys. Big fan of the podcast. I've left you all countless 5 star reviews already, so I've asked my fiancé to post this review with my question. Sorry for how long this is, but there's some setup. My question has to do with UNC recently increasing their scholarship limit to 105 in anticipation of the house settlement. This has allowed them to take a bunch of fliers on either uncommitted 2025 guys late in the cycle, or guys committed to lower schools that they've flipped (ECU, Navy, etc). I think they are currently hovering around 95 scholarships, and will probably use the spring portal to get to 105. The SEC is still limiting its schools to 85 scholarships. I'm assuming that'll change eventually, but it hasn't yet. I'm not sure what other conferences are doing. Now to the actual question- how does this affect Bud's blue chip ratio? A 50% blue chip ratio with 85 scholarships is 42/43 blue chips. This means that a school with a 105 scholarship limit can hit the same amount of bluechips with only roughly 40% blue chip ratio (43 out of 105). Besides that simple math/change in ratio, there's the added factor of 20 extra players. The whole purpose of the blue chip ratio is that you won't hit on every recruit, but getting enough blue chips (guys that are more likely to hit) gives you a solid chance in the aggregate to have a solid roster. Three stars are less likely to hit- but does getting twenty extra dart throws at 3 stars make it more likely that a 105 scholarship roster with less blue chips can compete with an 85 scholarship roster with 50% blue chips? I hope my line of thinking makes sense. Basically looking for implications of some teams having 105 while others have 85. Thanks guys. Go Heels

How long do you think it will be until defensive co have AI programs to help them call defenses during the game? Down & distance and the opponents tendencies etc. can all be tabulated and served up in micro-seconds

If you’re just looking for some off-season CFB content & don’t mind consistent obtuseness or regionalism than this is a perfectly fine listen. If you’re looking for something with a little depth you’d best look elsewhere, this is kind of a joke.

Do you think teams that played far into the CFP will experience a net benefit or loss on 2025 development? They got a month extra of practice but now may handle winter S&C or spring practice differently

Big fan here! I’m a Sooners guy and since Jim Knowles didn’t pan out they went and grabbed Dreiling and Goodwin and it looks like BV will be calling the plays this year. Should I be excited that one of the best defensive minds in the country is calling our defense or worried that he will be doing too much with Head coaching and Coordinating the defense? Does this situation normally work out?

Best CFB pod in all the land! Mailbag question: If we were to be hyperbolic after just one year of the twelve team playoff, might we conclude that the SEC’s acquisition of Texas directly hurt it’s legacy school’s playoff opportunities, especially Alabama? Reason being that if still in the Big 12, Texas likely would have filled the Big 12’s champion slot, which would move ASU (ranked 12 going into the playoff) out and Bama (ranked 11) in. I enjoyed watching ASU and have no desire to watch more Bama, but I hate what recent conference realignment has done to our sport and believe 10 teams is the ideal conference size, so I’ll tout any argument that helps discourage further conference expansion. Thanks gents, keep up the great work!

First time longtime , big fan of the show. Can you explain to me why Qbs do the clap to snap the ball on offense in college but not in the NFL . What’s the history and advantage of it . Some NFL guys cc Jon Gruden can not stand the clap and don’t know why

First off love the show guys, I couldn’t have found a better college football podcast if I tried! Now my question is, with the Sooners taking a big swing at Jim Knowles and missing on him. What do you see them doing next? Promote from within or is there anyone you’ve heard/think would fit?

First off love you guys, just had to leave the title to get your attention. As an Oregon state fan stating Lanning has no bad losses and even mentioning the civil war game he lost to Oregon state is wild to me. That Oregon state team was starting a QB that is now in MEDICAL SCHOOL. We didn’t throw the ball the whole second HALF. If that is not a bad loss then almost nothing should qualify, that is one of the worst coaching jobs I’ve ever witnessed in a football game. I think Lanning will win a title soon I will say, which is disgusting in its own way. Mainly because I think Oregon is one of the grossest fan bases around. But refusing to state that obvious bad loss as such is why Oregon gets so much media bias and a pass. I know 24/7 guys are close with Lanning and never talk bad about the program, so it’s not surprising. But just so you know it stands out and that was for sure a bad loss. Anyways Sark and Lanning over the field for sure for the next title

Hey guys, love the show and the different perspectives. Question: in years past, your comments on why Clemson wouldn’t compete for a natty was the lack of coaching experience outside of Clemson, then the lack of use of the portal. They now have grabbed coaches with a lot of external experience, and although not a lot, pulled pieces from the portal. Would you say Clemson is back in the national championship race for the 2025 season-onward?

Enjoy the podcast and genuinely enjoy Fornelli’s insights. However, how on earth can you say sec was better than big ten this year? The Big Ten went 6-4 against the SEC. Had more teams in playoff, final four and nat championship. In the bowls (the middle of the conferences), the big ten went 3-1. Sec did not have a player finish top ten in Heisman voting, big ten had 3. Unanimous AAs? Big ten 4, sec 1. Not saying big ten is at sec levels of dominance from years past, however, it is absolutely obvious which conference was better. Seriously, really enjoy the show and appreciate the work y’all do!

Guys love the show. RIP Barton, but Bud Has really rounded out the show. DK’s locks are not the same without Barton but the show’s balance and insight into “locks”, recruiting, analytics, and reality with Bud’s nuggets is second to none! I love the fact that Chip is now the halftime, 3rd quarter line gambler on locks and still think his Georgia Tech wouldn’t it be hilarious was the best play of the last couple years!! Ok it’s time for Sick-O-Mode! Mr. Bud Elliot, I have been a fan of you and the show all the way back with Barton and Bud, and since I returned to the states from an over seas tour(summer 2016) I have not missed a show and after my 2019 deployment I went back and listened to every episode. Now to my question or recommendation: I love summer school, I love your portal shows and recruiting stuff, can we get a spring break - break down post spring games and portal with a recap and possibly the school format with some of the 24/7 team. Ideas are possibly top 10 with a few surprises I would leave this in the tailgate if my work and hours afforded you tube live. I race to the podcast every time it drops on my notifications. Thanks, and because this is not a normal 5 star review, I have left a few in the past with my Michigan fandom which just did not make the show! Thanks from a current active duty Navy veteran in San Diego wishing you all the best!

Just started listening to the Cover 3 Podcast this season to become more tuned into college football. Definitely one of the better places to listen in. I have a NIL-related question: Will conferences like the Big XII or ACC be able to compete even more closely with the Big Ten and SEC conferences in the coming years if they continue to build their NIL fund with big donors?

Paul keels has been the voice of the Buckeyes for my entire life. And I’m not that young. So yes, northern teams appreciate their radio broadcast as much as southern teams.

Whats up guys, I have a question for the mailbag. What do you think about Brennan Marion and my Sac State Hornet recruiting class. They landed a lot of FBS players and I’m curious what you guys think.

Hey guys love the show. I’ve cooked up a couple rule changes I think would improve the game that I personally haven’t seen anywhere else. Curious on your thoughts. Discrete yards - Every yard line is like the goal line. If you make it you’ve earned that yard and if not the ball returns to the previous yard line. - No more nonsense with the umps trying to guess down to the inch where the ball is. College Overtime “Yardage wager” - Each team gets 4 downs to score but they “wager” from what yard line they think they can score from - Whichever teams scores the most points wins (including the extra point or two point conversion) - If the score is tied whichever team scored from the farthest yard line wins - Still have to iron out how they input the “wager” but as long as they aren’t the same there will only be one overtime round Go Gators and Hook ‘Em

Best college football pod by far. There has been a lot of talk about Ohio states $20 million roster. If you guys were the GMs of a college team, how would you budget your roster (can go by position group or whatever else is easiest)? Can break it down by percent of budget since I’m sure 20 million will be nothing by next year if we are paying guys like Carson beck $4 million

What do you think causes A&M to consistently be a 4 loss team? Regardless of good recruiting classes and good transfers that we pay for, why can we not EVER get over the hump?

Absolutely love the show. Been listening for 6 years & you all are the Undisputed Champions of college football podcasts. Notre Dame last won the title in 1988. I was born in 1989 & have seen two Champion Game loses. I am thoroughly convinced Notre Dame will never win a National Championship again (at least in my lifetime). In your opinions, what will it take for Notre Dame to once again be at the top of the mountain?

Been a long-time listener, but after this season, I am officially out on this podcast. As fun as it has been to laugh at their miserably bad picks all season, the anti-SEC bias has gotten way out of hand. I don’t expect nor do I want SEC cheerleaders, but the unabashed glee with which they troll the SEC whenever any opportunity arises, even when it involves serious mental gymnastics has become nauseating and there are too many other options for college football content to subject myself to this drivel any longer. Also, is there anyone on planet Earth who gets paid to talk about college football that actually knows LESS about college football than Danny Kanell?

Didn’t need the toilet words.