FCS Football Talk
332 episodes - English - Latest episode: 11 days ago - ★★★★★ - 89 ratingsSam Herder shares his FCS analysis, predictions, thoughts, and ramblings on the FCS Football Talk podcast, presented by HERO Sports and BetMGM. He also brings on offseason guests from all around the FCS for in-depth conversations.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Ep. 23: First Round Reactions, Who Did Herd And BMac Vote For With The FCS Legacy Awards? And What's The Big Picture 2nd Round look?
December 03, 2019 05:04 - 1 hour - 62.8 MBB-Mac and Herd discuss how the FCS first round finished up, and who did they vote for in the four FCS legacy awards, which were due Monday (Dec. 2). And why? And what's up next for this weekend? What's the big-picture 2nd-round outlook? That and much more...
Ep. 22: Sam's Bozeman Trip, FCS Playoff Bracket Reactions, 1st Round Score Predictions and Coaching Firings (already?)
November 26, 2019 00:28 - 1 hour - 76.1 MBB-Mac and Herd discuss how Sam's trip to Bozeman for the Brawl of the Wild went, what we thought of the bracket and who did we choose to go deep in the playoffs. Also, what we think the scores of the first-round games will be, and the already-lengthy list of coaching changes since Saturday. That and much more...
FCS COACHES CORNER: Austin Peay's Mark Hudspeth (Nov. 25, 2019)
November 25, 2019 20:44 - 15 minutes - 4.5 MBAustin Peay head coach Mark Hudspeth joins the FCS Coaches Corner podcast with Brian McLaughlin. Hudspeth, in only his first year at the school, has led the Governors to their first OVC title since 1977, the school's first playoff berth and set the record for most wins in a season (9). He talks about the experience, the excitement in Clarksville, Tenn. and his players ... plus what has his coaching journey been like, and what was it like to coach at Navy when 9-11 happened? ... that and much ...
Ep. 21: The Week 13 FCS Game Preview Podcast - All 64 Games
November 20, 2019 23:19 - 1 hour - 78.9 MBB-Mac and Herd discuss every single one of the 64 games involving FCS teams this week, going in-depth on the big ones -- along with checking out the upset potential. Also, which teams are in must win situations for seeds and at-large berths? And how do teams get to host the first round?We discuss it all.
Ep. 20: A Full "Likely Scenario" FCS Playoff Look After 12 Weeks, Should FBS Wins Mean Less, And Much More
November 18, 2019 22:45 - 1 hour - 55.1 MBB-Mac and Herd discuss the full FCS playoff scenario going into the final regular-season weekend -- along with the Ivy League and HBCU titles. Who is already in the playoffs, even in the at-large realm? Also, do we overvalue FBS wins? Maybe so, as it turns out. Also, Sam's headin' to The Brawl of the Wild in Montana ... all of that and much more ...
Ep. 19: The Week 12 FCS Game Preview Podcast - All 65 Games
November 15, 2019 23:44 - 1 hour - 68.7 MBB-Mac and Herd discuss every single one of the 65 games involving FCS teams this Saturday, going in-depth on the big ones -- along with checking out the upset potential. Also, which teams can clinch a playoff berth this weekend, and which teams can basically clinch at-large berths by hitting a certain win-mark? We discuss it all.
FCS COACHES CORNER: Dartmouth's Buddy Teevens (Nov. 13, 2019)
November 13, 2019 21:23 - 22 minutes - 6.64 MBDartmouth head coach Buddy Teevens joins the FCS Coaches Corner podcast with Brian McLaughlin. Teevens has the Big Green at 8-0, aiming for their first outright Ivy League title since going 10-0 in 1996. We talked about his days working with Steve Spurrier at The University of Florida ... what's like to be a "two stint" successful coach at your alma mater, what's it like to recruit to an Ivy League school ... and much more ...
Ep. 18: Sam's Going To Bozeman For The Brawl, Playoff Debate, Big Awards Debate & FCS Turnarounds
November 11, 2019 22:15 - 1 hour - 58.5 MBB-Mac and Herd discuss Sam's upcoming trip to his first "Brawl of the Wild" when Montana travels to Montana State in Bozeman. We also debated the playoff picture as we get down to the final two weeks, we talked about who should win this year's big national awards, and what teams have had the biggest turnarounds ... that and much more ...
Ep. 17: The Week 11 FCS Game Preview Podcast - All 58 Games
November 07, 2019 20:54 - 47 minutes - 43.2 MBB-Mac and Herd discuss every single one of the 58 games involving FCS teams this Saturday, going in-depth on the big ones -- along with checking out the upset potential, the playoff potential of others (now that we're in November) ... and who will be sad after this weekend? Plus, the playoff committee released its initial Top 10 ranking ... and we discuss it.
FCS COACHES CORNER: Weber St.'s Jay Hill (Nov. 6, 2019)
November 07, 2019 01:21 - 20 minutes - 5.82 MBWeber State head coach Jay Hill joins the FCS Coaches Corner podcast with Brian McLaughlin. Hill has his Wildcats in position for a fourth straight playoff berth, and a third straight Big Sky title -- and truly has turned this program into one of the FCS' elite. Along with the strengths of this year's team, we talk about RB Josh Davis and his 7 years of eligibility remaining, coaching under Urban Meyer and Kyle Whittingham at Utah, what's it like to be a Top 25 recruiter in the FBS, and what ...
Ep. 16: Kennesaw State, Weber State, CAA ... Oh My! Game Balls, A Flag, and some FCS/I-AA History Story Time
November 04, 2019 22:40 - 1 hour - 66.8 MBB-Mac and Herd break down the wacky FCS Playoff situation with three games remaining, Poll Bashing - Part 17, "The Quest For More Logic" (it's PG-13 and is on in theaters). We talked about the history of where the FCS/I-AA title game has been played, can Kennesaw still get in to the playoffs ... that, three game balls and a flag and more ...
Ep. 15: The Week 10 FCS Game Preview Podcast - All 57 Games
November 01, 2019 04:05 - 1 hour - 55 MBB-Mac and Herd discuss every single one of the 57 games involving FCS teams this Saturday, going in-depth on the big ones -- along with checking out the upset potential, the playoff potential of others (now that we're in November) ... and who will be sad after this weekend?
FCS COACHES CORNER: Monmouth's Kevin Callahan (Oct. 30, 2019)
October 30, 2019 19:35 - 22 minutes - 6.26 MBMonmouth coach Kevin Callahan joins the FCS Coaches Corner podcast with Brian McLaughlin. Callahan has the Hawks in good position for an FCS Playoff berth, as it controls its own destiny ... and his teams are 21-8 the past three seasons. As he nears 160 career wins at the school, Callahan talked about this weekend's battle at Kennesaw State for Big South Conference supremacy with playoff ramifications, how far the Hawks' program has come since he started it in the early 1990s, are QB Kenji Ba...
Ep. 14: ESPN Gameday, Which Teams Could Be Seeds Outside Of The Power Three, And Walnut Grove? Huh?
October 28, 2019 22:02 - 1 hour - 72.5 MBB-Mac and Herd break down Sam's trip across the prairie to Brookings, S.D. to see ESPN's "College Gameday" and the best FCS game of the year. We talked about this James Madison team that seems to be forgotten (echo), which teams could get seeds in conferences not called Big Sky, CAA or MVFC ... and how about some HBCU/Ivy talk? That, three game balls and a flag and more ...
Ep. 13: The Week 9 Preview Podcast - All 58 Games
October 24, 2019 20:55 - 1 hour - 81.1 MBB-Mac and Herd discuss every single one of the 58 games involving FCS teams this Saturday, going in-depth on the big ones -- with ESPN Gameday talk being a major topic of discussion.
FCS COACHES CORNER: NDSU's Matt Entz (Oct. 24, 2019)
October 24, 2019 20:24 - 18 minutes - 5.22 MBNorth Dakota State coach Matt Entz joins the FCS Coaches Corner podcast with Brian McLaughlin, and of course we talked about ESPN Gameday coming to Brookings, S.D. for the SDSU-NDSU matchup. We talked about Entz being an asst coach at Winona State 10 years ago today, mapping out his long term career plan to be the head coach of the No. 1 team in the nation and attracting the ESPN Gameday crew (just kidding, he admittedly couldn't have dreamed this up, he says). What has this show done for the...
FCS COACHES CORNER: SDSU's John Stiegelmeier (Oct. 22, 2019)
October 22, 2019 20:49 - 18 minutes - 5.09 MBSouth Dakota State coach John Stiegelmeier joins the FCS Coaches Corner podcast with Brian McLaughlin, and of course we talked about the elephant in the room -- ESPN Gameday coming to Brookings, S.D. for the first time and the FCS for only the 9th time in show history. Also, how about the opponent? You know, that NDSU team that has won a few national titles this decade? Also, what does Coach Stig's Twitter handle "Holy Nutmeg" mean? That and more ...
Ep. 12: The FCS Gets ESPN Gameday; FCS Parity or Parody?, Big Sky Craziness, Plus 3 Game Balls ... And a Flag
October 21, 2019 21:47 - 1 hour - 64.2 MBB-Mac and Herd break down the massive ESPN Gameday announcement to be in Brookings, S.D., is the FCS mired in parity or parody (and of what?), great college coaches who once were head coaches at current FCS schools, and how crazy is the Big Sky and who knew Sac. State would be such a player? All that and more ...
Ep. 11: Midseason National Honors, Weird Bowl Games FCS Programs Once Played in, Plus 3 Game Balls ... And a Flag ...
October 16, 2019 22:19 - 1 hour - 63.1 MBB-Mac and Herd make a big Podcast announcement, break down last week's "3 Game Balls and 1 Flag", talked about a trip to Harrisonburg, Va. to see James Madison play host to Villanova in a slobber knocker ... and which FCS programs once went to New Years Day Bowl games, and other odd bowls like the Barcardi, Raisin and Salad Bowls? All that plus much more.
FCS COACHES CORNER: Villanova Coach Mark Ferrante (Oct. 8, 2019)
October 08, 2019 19:34 - 19 minutes - 5.61 MBVillanova coach Mark Ferrante comes on the FCS Coaches Corner podcast with Brian McLaughlin, and we talked about what it's like to be 6-0, this weekend's massive matchup with James Madison, the "Blue V" brand at 'Nova, playing QB for and coaching with the legendary Andy Talley ... and something called the Barcardi Bowl in Cuba.
Ep. 10: Talking FCS Trophy Games, FCS "Statements" and what are they? Plus 3 Game Balls ... And a Flag ...
October 08, 2019 15:52 - 1 hour - 60.3 MBB-Mac and Herd discuss this week's hot topics: What are the best FCS "Trophy Games" ... what defines a "Statement Win", "Statement Game" or "Statement Statistic" in our opinion? Who gets this week's Game Balls and where do we throw the Flag? And what's happening this weekend?
Ep. 9: Talking ESPN Gameday, Big Takeaways From Last week, The "Big Three" FCS Conferences ... and more
October 02, 2019 22:27 - 53 minutes - 48.9 MBB-Mac and Herd discuss this week's hot topics: Should ESPN Gameday have an FCS segment (Answer?: Yes), who should get game balls for last week's showing, but who should get flagged? Why are three conferences looking so dominant and "at large berth" hungry? And what's happening this weekend? This and more ...
FCS COACHES CORNER: Houston Baptist coach Vic Shealy (Oct. 1, 2019)
October 02, 2019 22:20 - 22 minutes - 6.32 MBHouston Baptist coach Vic Shealy comes on the FCS Coaches Corner podcast with Brian McLaughlin, and we talked about what it's like to lead the nation in offense through five games after going 1-10 last year. We talked about the 4-1 start for the Huskies (best in school history), coaching mentors, a QB named Bailey Zappe who is on fire, and a unique story about Andre Walker and his practice regimen.
FCS COACHES CORNER: Tennessee Tech's Dewayne Alexander (Oct. 1)
October 02, 2019 22:16 - 30 minutes - 8.69 MBTennessee Tech coach Dewayne Alexander comes on the FCS Coaches Corner podcast with Brian McLaughlin, and we talked about taking a 1-10 team from 2018 and getting it off to a 4-1 start in 2019. We also talked about 30+ years coaching in the state of Tennessee, what's special about Cookeville, Tenn., and what can a sophomore player named Bailey Fisher do to help a team.
Ep. 8: Who is No. 1? A shout out to a President, HBCUs & Ivys and the usual recap/look ahead ... all this week.
September 25, 2019 16:20 - 1 hour - 60.7 MBB-Mac and Herd discuss this week's hot topic: Who is No. 1 - JMU or NDSU? They disagree. Who stunned us last week, who could impress this week and how far off were we with our preseason poll now that we're four weeks in. Plus a shout out to a President and we hit HBCUs and Ivys.
FCS COACHES CORNER: Princeton's Bob Surace (Sept. 19)
September 19, 2019 20:04 - 25 minutes - 7.02 MBPrinceton coach Bob Surace comes on the FCS Coaches Corner podcast with Brian McLaughlin, and we talked about what his 10-0 team in 2018 might have done in the FCS Playoffs last year, beat P5 schools for recruits, what it was like to work under NFL Hall of Famer Forrest Gregg and to coach in the NFL. Oh, and how much he loves the Jersey Shore. That and much more ...
Ep. 7: NDSU & JMU Have Tough Slates Ahead, Which Last Place Teams Are Winning Now, And Much More ...
September 18, 2019 18:35 - 50 minutes - 46.7 MBNDSU and JMU have looked pretty darned good through three weeks, but what lies ahead of the only two teams to win a national title since 2011? Also, what's it like to go from being 1-10 last year to 2-1 already this year? And which games this weekend could wreck the polls? We discuss all of it.
FCS COACHES CORNER: James Madison's Curt Cignetti (Sept. 10)
September 10, 2019 17:30 - 21 minutes - 6.22 MBJames Madison coach Curt Cignetti comes on the FCS Coaches Corner podcast with HERO Sports' Brian McLaughlin, and we talk about his legendary father, the coaches he's worked with, the Dawg Walk and a star JMU RB named VanHorse ... and much more ... Listen in!
Ep. 6: More FCS Ranting. Are Montana and Montana State for real? How big is this weekend (answer: big)?
September 09, 2019 23:19 - 53 minutes - 48.6 MBThis week's B-Mac & Herd's podcast features a ton of ranting (as usual, mostly by B-Mac, who has a problem with ranting). Also, Griz-Cats (gotcha Cats' fans, I reversed it to see how it goes over). Is Montana's sked too tough, is MSU's not loaded enough? Plus, don't tell us what to do! And we talk about this week's top FCS games and last week's standouts.
FCS COACHES CORNER: Montana State's Jeff Choate (Sept. 9)
September 09, 2019 20:22 - 18 minutes - 5.01 MBMontana State head coach Jeff Choate joins the FCS Coaches Corner with HERO Sports' Brian McLaughlin, and we talked whether 'Cats star Troy Andersen is from another decade when two-platoon football was the norm, the just released STATS poll, what the heck happened in the 3rd quarter with SEMO, and what's it like to coach your son in college football? And much more ...
FCS COACHES CORNER: Central Arkansas' Nathan Brown (Sept. 4)
September 04, 2019 20:45 - 21 minutes - 6.07 MBCentral Arkansas head football coach Nathan Brown joins HERO Sports National Coordinator Brian McLaughlin just a few days removed from UCA beating an FBS opponent, Western Kentucky. Coach and B-Mac discuss the big win, how strong this UCA team can be, his cool, calm and collected Soph. QB Breylin Smith ... plus, Brown's days as a QB himself, and who really runs practice? The head coach, or his two young kids? (Hint: Don't ask his kids). That and more.
Ep. 5: FCS Poll Beefs We Have, Hurricane Dorian Effects On FCS, Top Matchups This Weekend, UCA's FBS Win
September 03, 2019 20:33 - 50 minutes - 45.9 MBSam and Brian chirp even more about the FCS Poll, as they were tweeting about it over the weekend (ahem). Hurricane Dorian is nasty and already has cancelled one FCS game. Which games nationally could be long-term factors ... and Central Arkansas had the FCS's first FBS win of 2019.
COACHES CORNER: Eastern Kentucky's Mark Elder (Aug. 26)
August 27, 2019 14:01 - 23 minutes - 6.8 MBEastern Kentucky coach Mark Elder has taken his program from 8th to 5th to 3rd in the OVC in his three years, and most of his 7-4 team from 2018 is back at EKU. They were nationally ranked in the HERO Sports FCS preseason poll, and open Thursday with Valparaiso at home. HERO Sports' Brian McLaughlin caught up with Coach Elder this week ahead of the season opener.
Ep. 4: State Of The FCS Nation -- What Is It? Plus, What Happens In Week One? Recap Of Week Zero
August 26, 2019 23:19 - 45 minutes - 41.7 MBB-Mac and Herd talk about the "State of the FCS Nation" ... a look back at last year and a look forward to 2019. What do we think should change? And how's Week One looking, and how did Week Zero turn out? Plus ... Herd rolls his eyes at B-Mac from six states away because of constant goofy "Dad jokes", which B-Mac is actually proud of.
Ep. 3: FCS Week Zero? Does that mean no calories, no energy? Hardly. We discuss it and QB battles
August 21, 2019 21:20 - 55 minutes - 50.4 MBB-Mac And Herd break down Week Zero (don't worry, sugar and caffeine haven't been eliminated from this week's matchups). Samford-Youngstown in the Guardian Kickoff Classic at 3 ET on ESPN, and Colgate-Villanova at Noon ET on CBSS. We also talked about some big-time QB battles that just were resolved. Tune in!
Ep. 2: FCS Conference Frontrunners - And Why Are they?
August 12, 2019 22:46 - 1 hour - 67.7 MBB-Mac and Herd break down all 13 FCS conferences (since they'll be previewed Conf-by-Conf this week) and gave a regular season pick for each one, and explained why. Plus ... Sam's buying a house right now and B-Mac watched Dolphins fishing in the Atlantic Ocean from seven floors up last week ... what more can you ask?
Ep. 1: FCS Preview Craziness, Media Day Quips, And A Heart Warming Story
August 01, 2019 22:30 - 1 hour - 64.4 MBBMac and Herd break down the media days they hit in July, what it's like to write 126 diehard and detailed previews in about 45 days (and what "biting off more than you can chew" truly means), and the story of Tennessee State's Christion Abercrombie being back with his teammates at OVC Media Day. That and more ...
Episode33: FCS-Podcast-Discussing the Top 25 - June 4, 2019
June 04, 2019 16:04 - 1 hour - 55.9 MBSam Herder and Brian McLaughlin break down how they came up with the 2019 FCS Preseason Top 25, and defend their choices. Who are the surprises? Who isn't a surprise? We discuss it ... with mustard.
Episode 32 - FCS-Podcast- NFL Draft Recap (Apr. 30)
April 30, 2019 22:19 - 51 minutes - 47.3 MBSam Herder and Brian McLaughlin discuss the NFL Draft from the past weekend, the 150+ FCS products who will get rookie opportunities at camps in May, and who were the big surprises? And how does this whole undrafted free agent/tryout thing work? We explain.
Episode 31 FCS Podcast: Big Pro Day Winners
April 03, 2019 20:48 - 48 minutes - 44.3 MBSam and Brian break down the FCS Pro Day winners and what is next heading into the NFL Draft, which is slated for the end of April. Plus ... Pro Day failures and the AAF collapse. What gives?
Episode 30 FCS-Podcast: The Combine Is Done, Pro Day is Next (March 5)
March 06, 2019 04:31 - 58 minutes - 53.9 MBSam Herder and Brian McLaughlin discuss who "won" the NFL Combine from an FCS perspective, and what's on tap for Pro Days this week on March 7 and 8. Also, how's that NDSU trip to the White House go, Mr. Easton Stick?
Episode 29 FCS Podcast: NFL Combine (Feb. 25)
February 26, 2019 00:23 - 48 minutes - 44 MBSam Herder and Brian McLaughlin talk about the FCS products who will be at the NFL Combine starting this weekend, and break down each one -- and explain the details of the event.
Episode 28 FCS Podcast - NFL Prospect Talk (Feb. 20)
February 21, 2019 00:38 - 45 minutes - 41.8 MBSam and Brian talk about the upcoming 2019 NFL Draft, the NFL Combine, FCS Pro Days and who may make NFL rosters from the FCS ranks this year.
Episode 27: It's FCS Title Week And We Break It All Down
January 01, 2019 02:26 - 1 hour - 98.9 MBSam and Brian break down the FCS National Title Game in Frisco, TX, which will be on Saturday, Jan. 5 at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN2. We discuss how these two got here, how they've both dominated the decade, and how in the heck schools in Fargo and Cheney have created these monster FCS programs.
COACHES CORNER: EWU's Aaron Best (Dec. 27)
December 27, 2018 19:54 - 22 minutes - 5.92 MBEastern Washington head football coach Aaron Best sits down in the FCS Coaches Corner with HERO Sports' Brian McLaughlin, and we talk about the upcoming national title game, what it was like playing center and long snapper at EWU, and how'd the holiday season go with an FCS Title Game looming in the near future?
Episode 26: We Have Our FCS Titans - NDSU and EWU. Frisco here we come.
December 19, 2018 06:35 - 25 minutes - 23.2 MBFirst of all ... thank for listening and Merry Christmas! Second of all? We have a great FCS Title Game Matchup with NDSU and Eastern Washington and we're looking forward to that and also looking forward to being in Frisco, Texas ... but why is Frisco so great?
Episode 25: The FCS Coaching 'Silly Season' Is Here, and the FCS Semis are fast approaching
December 12, 2018 00:51 - 37 minutes - 34.5 MBSam and Brian talk about the 19 head coaching changes currently going on in the FCS, as well as the FCS Semifinals and we also touch on the Celebration Bowl. All a part of the program as we go around the FCS.
COACHES CORNER: Maine's Joe Harasymiak (Dec. 4)
December 05, 2018 19:09 - 20 minutes - 5.55 MBMaine head coach Joe Harasymiak comes on the FCS Coaches Corner with HERO Sports' Brian McLaughlin and talks about a long trip to Ogden, Maine for the Quarterfinals, getting kids to come up to attend school in Maine and getting the live national platform of ESPN2 in primetime on Friday night.
Episode 24: Coaching Changes And Quarterfinals - What A Combo
December 04, 2018 21:22 - 38 minutes - 35.1 MBAnother FCS coach (Austin Peay's Will Healy) departs for the FBS (Mike Houston to East Carolina happened earlier this week) and we have four badass FCS quarterfinal games coming up this weekend to battle over. Which ones are 50/50? Which ones ... we ... aren't? We tell you.
Episode 23: James Madison Coach Mike Houston, is he outta here?
November 29, 2018 01:24 - 26 minutes - 24.2 MBNews broke on Wednesday that James Madison head coach Mike Houston may have accepted the head coaching job at FBS Charlotte, in his home state. He wouldn't confirm that he accepted it, but did say he'd been offered it and was interested. Sam and Brian try to read between the lines, both about the job and how all of this affects Saturday's FCS 2nd Round Playoff game at Colgate.