Hey, everybody. Welcome on into another episode of Wrl Triangle and two. I'm Luis Fernandez. He's Mark Bergen. And let's just get straight to it. Mark, we want to get started with the news of today, which is Monday October 16th, the Carolina Panthers, we'll have a new play caller, Frank Reich announcing that he will be, uh turning over play calling to Thomas Brown, um, his offensive coordinator, um They said back when this all went down when, when Brown was hired that eventually the play calling would be turned over to him. There was never really much of a timeline and now we know the timeline is an oh and six start. Uh, Mark, what are your early thoughts on this? Lewis first off? It's tremendous to see your face. It's been too many moons since we've been on Wrl Triangle and two Panthers off to an O and six start heading into the bye week. And the question we had the last time we talked is when does that first Panthers win come? And I'm looking at the schedule right now and it's the Texans after the buy against CJ Stroud and Bryce Young. A lot's gonna be made of that game. Colts are gonna be without Anthony Richardson when the two teams play the following week and then a one win Chicago Bears team on Thursday night football if you go to those three games and don't lose it and you don't win a game at some point, we might have to be calling for Frank Reich's job. Like, I don't think that's a hyperbole to say even in year one because I look at this offense that is struggling. It's a unit that ranks 23rd in the NFL in total off offense 22nd in scoring at almost 19 points per game. Hard to win games that way. And then a quarterback in Bryce Young who ranks 32nd in total. QBR 33.1 Panthers are struggling and I'm usually not one to say, hey, fire a co fire coach, but the Panthers haven't done rookie Bryce Young any favors this season and there's a lot of adjustments that need to be made after the bi week in my, my big thing looking at this is switching play calling over to uh Thomas Brown, I think is that's the best option moving forward. Like whether or not it's gonna immediately be better. I mean, who knows? It's Thomas Brown has, you know, been the OC there for the first year. Um He's was with the Rams from I think 2020 on. Um So he, he learned under, you know, Sean mcveigh, great coaching tree to come from, um, great offensive experience to, to kind of learn from and grow from. Um, but yeah, I think from a like in terms of what you can do in the moment to try and make the Carolina Panthers better or at least act as if you're trying to make the Carolina Panthers better. Changing up. The play calling is probably the best move. Um, but it really, I mean, to me all of this like, oh and six star, it just, it just goes back to the roster itself like this roster offensively at least leaves so much to be desired. That's part of the reason why they were as bad as they were last year. Um, you know, part of the reason why even before the trade, they were picking pretty high, um I, I think a lot of people look at what happened to the Panthers at the end of last season and to me that's a little bit of an, an anomaly, um, especially when I look at what this roster is. Um, you know, the, the style of play that they finished with last season, it has a low ceiling, but it also has a very high floor. And so you're able to come in there and win some games at the end, joined a lot of, um, confidence, a lot of people were just, you know, they were playing, um, you know, for the, the coaching staff that was there at the time. Um So, you know, it's just, it's different. Um, but the roster is just, I mean, like when 32 33 year old Adam Fein is the best option, like the best option offensively, that's tough. That's really tough. Bryce Young is showing growth, but like, you can only, you can only do so much within that system. There's two words that I wanna focus on that. You just said right there, Louis last year is last year and then being different, it is a different system. You look at this past Sunday against the Dolphins where it's like, oh my gosh, you take a 14 point lead early and you lose the game 42 to 21. You have a 14 point lead in playing with the lead and controlling the ball and having Bryce Young serve it more of as a game manager just didn't happen against the Dolphins. Now, I know the Dolphins have a ton of studs offensively and Mike mcdaniels innovating all of the NFL and everything, but you have a two score lead in the NFL. You've got to take care of business. I don't care if it's against a team. So it's more talent. I'm gonna, I'm gonna call, I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna speak out on that for a second. Go ahead because like the, the Panthers have no business competing with the Miami Dolphins in any way being up 14 to nothing. I think it's more marginal in the NFL. It's, it's more marginal to an extent, but like the margins with the Panthers and everyone else right now is very big, especially when they're playing the way they're playing. Like, so, you know, it's great being up like 14, nothing on the Dolphins. But like, like I said, I, I've said this, I feel like I say this every single time we talk about the Panthers wins and losses. I don't care about them this year. For the Panthers. Truly, like, just continue to show you're improving and getting better. And that's the issue is, I don't know if, if you can say that I, I think there was some improvement with the offense last, last game. But let, let's compound this though, Lewis, you're the only unbeaten team or the only team that doesn't have a win in the NFL. There are now no undefeated teams either. So that microscope just, it's really honing in on the Panthers even more. So because you don't have the Eagles that are undefeated or the 49er that are undefeated anymore. And you only, you're the only team in the NFL without a win so far this year. Sure. And when I look at, when I look at the rest of their schedule, right? Um I, I like you mentioning the Texans Colts and Bears. So I think the Texans are, I mean, if, if anyone's watched the Texans this year, they are playing some pretty good football. Um, their record doesn't really show it right now, but, you know, CJ Strout obviously has, has played well, um, through his first interception of the entire year in the last game. Um, and their past defense is also very good. So that's a little bit concerning. Um, so my guess would be that ends up being a loss, but we'll see against the Colts without Anthony Richardson. I think, like, if, if they, I think that's the game that you can kind of circle and be like, hey, this could be the one. Um, the Bears who knows what Justin Field status will be at that point with the, the hand slash wrist injury he's got going on. Um, so we'll see about that one as well. I, I think if there was ever a time by week, next three games, if there was ever a time for the Panthers to say, ok, let's start putting our, you know, 1 ft in front of the other and figure this out a little bit now is the time to do it. I'm with you there, but I'm just looking at it stroud, I think most fans would say he might have, should have been the number one pick again. This is just looking at the results and it's not saying infrastructure and coaching, but then Minu mania against the Colts, you're not going against Anthony Richardson, you're going up against the backup and then Chicago Fields us. Now, Tyson Bain, an undrafted rookie is potentially what you're talking about if you lose those three games. Lewis again, I'm looking at, you have an O and six start but I haven't seen signs to say, hey, yeah, this is trending in the right direction. You will lose those three games and you start a oh and nine. No, it'd be bad. It's totally, it's totally different to if, if they had that first round pick, obviously. But III I just, I kind of have a feeling that they will get the win in one of those three games. That's just kind of the vibe that I'm getting. It's got intuition type thing. Um So it's the bi week if you want to keep this rolling. Yeah, let's do it. Let's go ahead and move on from uh the Pros to college. Uh UN C football remains unbeaten winning a, a very sloppy game. Um in a lot of ways against the Miami Hurricanes. Uh The atmosphere was electric. Mark. Uh I was not there, but from my understanding, people who were there said they asked was pretty, pretty electric. You would have absolutely loved it. The fireworks and the pandemonium in the pregame were fantastic. I wanna thank everyone out in Chapel Hill because the hospitality was unbelievable. Lewis had a great time there with my older brother. Uh Yes, you gotta clean up the penalties if you're North Carolina because if you clean that up, I don't even think this game is close. And I'm looking at Drake May this year and I'm looking at the differences between this year and last year and he didn't even play that great of a game. He throws for 2 73 and four touchdowns and it's knowing when to throw the ball away when it's not there. It's not getting flustered after a big sack. It's next play. What do I need to do? And that poison command of the offense is very impressive. But the difference to me and we'll talk some about T Walker too, the three touchdowns. I'm not gonna forget him, but Marian Hampton running the football so you can control, you can control the clock and keep your defense off the field. He absolutely goes off. Do you actually have a defense in Chapel Hill this year? Last year? It was like a Swiss Cheese defense? You actually have a defense that has come to play Lewis. I mean, you gotta be thinking like this North Carolina team, not just potentially winning the AC C, but college football playoff and the tar heels in the top 10 in the A P. They're playing very good football right now. Yeah, they know they are, they are playing very good football. I mean, the, the background today in his press conference, the way he phrased it was with the penalties at least was you don't, you want the team to not play passive? You want them to play aggressive. And so there are certain penalties that you're ok with, like those things happen. Um, it's, it's the aggressive penalties in play that like, hey, you know, it's a line, you know, you, if I'd rather you make those mistakes every now and then than to play passive and have plays made against you, it's, it's the penalties that happen pre snap and post snap that are problematic and, and UN C did have a few of those. Um Yeah, I mean, this, this UN C offense is incredibly balanced, whether it's Ted Walker finally taking the top off of defenses and that's gonna adjust the entire way that, that teams play UN C defensively. So that's gonna be important to watch. Um Marion Hampton is, is look fan, um the way he runs, he very physical. Um, but he also has such burst and speed. Um He, he looks phenomenal. Drake may well, you know, once, like that's the thing with Drake May this season, right? It's like, oh, he didn't play his best game. He still like tosses 2 54 right? And, and he's, and it's, it's the decision making and like you said, um and it's his running ability, like if you're, if you're defense playing against UN C, right, what do you do? You put, if you don't put seven in the box in the box, then Marion Hampton is gonna run all over you. If you put eight in the box, then you got T Walker and, uh, JJ Jones, uh, and Nate mccullum who can make you pay for it on that end? Ok. Well, what do we do now? Let's man up and try and double team some of these guys. Oh, then Drake may not only can he throw, but he also has the opportunity to run the ball. Um, the, the what chip Lindsay is doing in terms of, um, continuing to grow as an offensive coordinator at UN C I think has been really good as well. Um, and the defense is, you know, like all, all they needed, all UN C needed this year was to have an average defense and I think that the defense has been above average. Truly. They've made some phenomenal, um, uh, plays, especially in the second half, barely allowing points in the fourth quarter of games. Um, they've UN C is really taking some steps now, it's, can you avoid the trip up? Can you avoid the trap against a bad U VA team against a, a competitive Georgia tech team? Campbell? And then you got that very difficult ending of the, of the season. So don't look too far ahead with UN C, but if, if you want to, they got a chance. Yeah, I want to go back to the penalties really quickly. There's an old slogan that Mike Tomlin uses. You'd rather say whoa, than sick em. So again, you'd rather say crawl back a little bit than, hey, like I need you to roll right now, uh, in terms of the ability that you're giving. And I mean, if Marian Hampton doesn't have the hot hand British Brooks is pretty good in the backfield too. Tes Walker though. The three touchdowns, you finally saw why preseason? He was a blit nako winner and there was so much made of, why isn't he granted eligibility to me? It was on full display on Saturday night in Chapel Hill. Why he's considered an NFL talent and why he will get selected in the 2024 draft? I don't know where, I don't know how he stacks up against other receivers in the class, but you saw him showcase and demonstrate his ability down the field and getting to see that with me, it was special to see in person, Lewis this coming out party for the tar heels. Exactly his, his route running is solid. The way he bursts in and out of those routes is fantastic. Um, uh, the one of the kind of looks, uh one of the things I look for when it comes to those high end receivers is how do you run a simple hitch? How do you run a comeback? Are you able to get that separation from the, the corner if they're playing man or whatever it might be because they are afraid that you're going to go deep. Him and Drake have, have great connection on that and there was, I think it was 3rd and 20 after a holding penalty, maybe even the crossing. I mean, like he, it's a deep, it's like a dig. He gets it and does not have the angle but is somehow able to run around the defender. So they, yeah, their UN C is looking pretty good. Look. I'm so happy you mentioned that play because in the stadium, Miami and the coaching decisions of Miami could be criticized to the high heavens Lewis after last week's game against Georgia Tech, but they opted against a holding penalty against the tar heels that would have pushed it back to like 2nd and 30 they made it a 3rd and 20 in se instead they declined the penalty but they North Carolina lose the down and I just turned to my brother, I'm like, play Drake make and sling the ball. That's a mistake because you knew at the very least he'd be able to move it enough to get the tar heels into field goal range. He connects with Walker and Walker takes it the distance for the score. Everyone in the stadium was like, all right. 3rd and 20. This isn't impossible. That's the mark of a great college quarterback. You're like 3rd and 20 no big deal. It's like an NFL blitz down a distance and you're cool with it. I think that speaks volumes of Drake May's ability. And then again, Tes Walker with the running catch his, his ability to unfold display there. Yeah. Now don't, don't fall for the trap games, but I, this is the way the UN C team is talked about. I think they're gonna take care of business, man. I mean, I'm not just drinking the Kool Aid, but they should be the amount of times you've heard this UN C team, whether it be the coaches or the players bring up times in the past when they have failed to meet expectations like the uh Georgia Tech game last year when they were 91. That's a prime example. You hear players talk about that all the time. Um You know, Matt Brown has talked a lot about how the team continues to coach as if they've lost and some of that may sound like coach speak, but I, I do think it matters when you're talking about like the way this culture at UN C is changing a little bit. Um You know, she's just talking about, oh yeah, you know, we were, you know, number eight in the preseason back in like 2021. Um and they hadn't earned it and then they go out and get crushed by Virginia Tech, you know what I mean? So it, it feels a lot different for this UN C team compared to other highly hyped UN C teams in the past. Speaking of uh highly hyped and very good football, uh the Duke Blue Devils, they took it to NC State, uh, trust in football in football. Lewis. I mean, 24 to 3 does not sound like, I think that the game was a lot, there was a lot more difference in that game compared to the score. Like if the Henry Henry Buen, um, only completed four passes. Um, but two of them were touchdowns, um, especially that, you know, he was, I think it was like 69 yard pass to Jen Calhoun on an amazing, um, you know, kind of, uh hitch route. Um, double move guy just gets absolutely beat. So Duke didn't need to like to score a bunch of points because their defense was just that good. And Louis, you were there, we could argue that Duke should be undefeated if not for the lone loss to Notre Dame in a very close game. And if a player two goes in the Blue Devils favors, they would be undefeated right now. What did you see? Because like this to me again, I wasn't there. I was at the UN C game, but this to me feels like a changing of the guard in AC C football. Duke beating NC State. I know these teams traditionally haven't played year in and year out. The last time the two teams played was 2020. The last time Duke had previously beaten NC State was 2013. But what did you see because you were physically boots on the ground there? I mean, Duke secondary is phenomenal. Um No separation, constantly knocking the balls down. Um Duke's defense in general is just phenomenal. Um The, the way they play, uh there is constant pressure, a lot of havoc plays, I think I, I looked up the havoc rate recently and I want to say it was around like 22%. Um, havoc rate for those that don't know is, um, a, a combination of uh uh tackles for loss, sacks past broken up interception and forced fumbles, all those that cause havoc uh divided by the total number of plays, um that the defense will face or an offense will face. So their havoc bra right now is like 22% or something like that, which is really solid. Um That the defense is just one of the best units in the country. Like, truly, I think at this point, like it is fair to say that Duke has the best defense in the AC C I, I think I like what, what else do they have to do? You know what I mean? It's not state defense, state's defense is good. They are one of the best players on the defensive side and Payne Wilson, but it's one of the best defenses in the AC C. Um I, I saw, um, and, and a lot of this is gonna depend on Riley Leonard's health, right? Um He was uh update, the update today was his day to day which was the update last week. Um But he was walking around, no crutches uh before the game was even throwing the ball around a little bit, had a little bit of a limp. Um, but he's progressing well from that high ankle sprain. Um Mike Elko said after the game on Saturday that he was close, but last time I checked you and uh Duke was a 14 point underdog at Florida State which feels a little disrespectful. Um If, if Henry Bland just plays better. Um I think that I'm not saying that Duke is gonna go on the road and beat Florida State, but I, I think it's gonna be a very competitive game and the defense is gonna be a big reason why I thought Notre Dame was a great litmus test for Duke, but this is going to be your true, true test of. Have you really turned the corner as a program and you two under Mike Elko? And to hear all this Duke praise from you Lewis. It's unbelievable to hear it in all seriousness is the UN C alum. It's, it's unbelievable to hear. I I'm gonna be honest. I, I don't think this is the litmus test for Duke. I think they've passed that already. I think the question is not the question now is not, hey, is Duke football good enough to compete year in and year out? I think the question now is how high is the ceiling for Duke football. Um Like, I, I think that's where, I think that's where they're at, like Elko and that, that, um you know, that organization, um what they have been able to do in terms of changing the culture there. Um And not to, didn't discredit um uh not, not to discredit David Cutcliffe at all for, because obviously Duke and the success that he had there was great except for those last few years. Um but it's just, I think the Blue Devils are great. Like I, I don't think there's any if ands or buts about it and if Riley Leonard gets healthy for a stretch run that the UN C Duke game is going to be so spicy and I can't wait. That's gonna be really good football. Yeah. Yeah, I here's where I'm at with it too. If Duke upsets Florida State, I know before the start of the season you extended Mike Elko two years and it increases his buy out. I'm watching this like a Hawk Lewis to say, ok, who needs a head coach right now like Michigan State and other teams, Duke needs to give Mike Elko what he wants. Even if this game is competitive. If he knocks off Florida State, there's gonna be other schools coming to say, what do we need to do to buy him out of his Duke contract? Because I think Duke's played that well again in football and I would argue they should have beat Notre Dame, I would make that argument if not for a, a dropped interception on a diving attempt by a Duke defensive back. And that 4th and 16 scramble by Sam Hartman. You're talking about a different outcome in Duke being undefeated to this point in the season, which is incredible coming off a nine and four season. And look, you mentioned Cutcliffe Mike Elko took over a Duke program that had lost 13 consecutive AC C games. So what he's doing, it's remarkable and I tip my cap to him, Lewis. It's as simple as that. Yeah, I mean, it's really gonna come down to, right, like if I look up Duke's schedule here really quick, um because it's, it's super interesting just how the AC C is gonna kind of work out this year. Um Right. So you've got uh Duke um Florida State, like I said, obviously that's very hard. Um Let's, let's say they lose that game. Uh Then the Blue Devils play at Louisville. I, I mean, Pitt just beat, just beat Notre Dame, they just beat Notre Dame, but Pitt crushed Louisville last weekend like it. So, so you're like with Louisville, it's kind of like one of the like shrug emojis. We don't, we don't really know pretty good offense, but team is gonna show up and that Louisville game too. You look at it where uh Notre Dame uh lost a very tight emotional game at home against Ohio State won a very tight emotional game on the road against Duke that just felt like a natural letdown like no matter what you do, that was just gonna be a let down. Um So I, I'm still not sold on Louisville um Wake Forest at Duke should win that one pretty handily. Um And then you're looking at, you know, uh UN Z so I, I'm not, I'm not, listen, it's usually a barn burner on the hardwood. We can make it a heck of a match up on the Gridiron where we have Battle of the Blues football edition. Again, that's why it's like e even just the Super on this video, Lewis is ridiculous. Duke dominates NC state and it's like, oh we're talking about basketball, the number two preseason ranked Blue Devils. No, no, no, no, no, no. We're talking about football and it's October the 16th Lewis. I can't believe it, man. I'm, I'm at the point now where I'm like, listen, if like, like Duke is a like it's the Duke football program being good. Does not surprise me anymore. I'm like, all right. Yeah, they're good. Mike goes, is a fan, a fantastic coach. I'm gonna say, you know, it is what it is. They're, they're phenomenal. Um You know, I, I think it's gonna be really interesting. Like I said, even if, even if Duke were to lose against um Florida State, you're still looking at a situation, I think where you may have like a one loss AC C Duke team versus a undefeated, uh, no losses in the AC C UN C team in Kenan Stadium. I just Riley Leonard if he's not back game like college game day, I mean, right. Like, I don't know, I don't know what else. Like, I think, I guess they've been to one Duke game already, but this one would be at UN C, I don't know. That's also, that's looking way far ahead. But what I'm saying, NC State aside right now is some of the best football you've seen between Duke and UN C at the same time especially. And a quick note on NC State football, I just, I just want to throw us out here before we wrap up. Um, they, they got to figure it out, man. They really do like the defense. You can tell that the defense gets tired from, you know, having to be out on the field so much, having to essentially win the game. Um, MJ Morris, um, and the offense played better against Marshall, but Duke doesn't let you hit these like quick strike, long touchdowns. They just don't like, they're, they, I think the longest pass they've given up so far this year is like maybe 30 something yards. They just don't let you do that. Um, and so just, they were behind the NC State was behind the sticks. They couldn't really get much moving, uh, passes were off or there were a lot of drops. Uh after the game, uh Peyton, Peyton Wilson said essentially he apologized to NC State fans for what they're seeing like we shouldn't be playing like that. Um And I think the way he phrased it was, you know, we, we don't have to, we, we don't need to just get better. We also have to get tougher. Um So, you know, a lot of work for NC State, I looking at the schedule, it only gets more difficult from here. So it may be a bit of a challenge for State to get to that uh six win mark and be bowl eligible. But we got a bi week before Clemson Lewis, but certainly the offense you needed a spark and that's why you turned to MJ Morris. So see what happens with Dave Doran there. But again, it's just, I, I'm looking at this Super Duke dominates NC state. And the fact that we're talking about football is just, it's, it's mind blowing to me. And I hope that at least some of the things we've discussed here on today's episode of Wrl Triangle and two, we're kind of manifesting it, but that UN see Duke game on November the 11th, uh if both teams TCB and that's take care of business. Lewis College game day in Chapel Hill, we had heck of a weekend there this past weekend. I, my brother and I have seen a lot of college campuses Lewis and to show him Chapel Hill this past Saturday and my brother's like, yeah, the team's undefeated but is there any, you know, Miami? It's a big game. It's like, yeah. Yeah. And he's just like, but it was just a game day. It was just a game day in Chapel Hill. We had a wonderful time. So they keep that rolling, they keep that rolling and look, there was a recent preseason, Drake May was getting Heisman consideration, but you've got to beat the teams that you're expected to hear in the coming weeks. So, you know how Duke plays against Florida State though, I mean, that's the game this weekend from an AC C standpoint that I have circled on my calendar because what happens with that? I think preseason, the expectation was ok, if not Clemson, who are your teams? And the flashy pick was Florida State and then even the bigger dark course was North Carolina. And the way it's shaping up right now would be your AC C title game would be what Florida State uh against UN C. But Duke could play spoiler and Dukes hung with the best of the best thus far this season. Uh The fact that they only give up three points to an NC state school that traditionally you would probably consider better in football. Uh It's just been, it's been that kind of year and um to have, listen to have two teams in the triangle in the top 25 and between two can UN C and between the two, they only have one loss. And again, we're recording this October the 16th. Uh I think a lot of fans would take that in the triangle despite a lot of the frustrations with how NC State has performed this year. Get used to it, man. As long as Mike Alko is at Duke, I, I don't think they're going anywhere anytime soon. Um Lewis, this has been awesome, man. Exactly. And that is gonna do it for us, Wrl Triangle and two. Thank you all so much for watching uh listening, wherever you get your podcasts on the 999 the fan youtube page, make sure you like and subscribe, leave a comment, all that good stuff. We appreciate everyone uh paying attention and watching. Um Let's see if we can manifest some more good football uh in uh in, in the Triangle. Mark uh for, for Mark Bergen, I'm Fernandez. Uh We will uh see you all next week so long, everybody.