West of Everest: An Oklahoma Football Podcast

Ep. 421 - The People* vs. Owen Heinecke

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 12:48:37 -0500

Lee and Grant are back after nearly 2 months off to discuss Owen Heinecke's legal action against the NCAA*. The Benson bros go over the twists and turns in the saga since they last recorded. But first, they go over major storylines in the OU Football universe since the last show. The Sooners have a new RB coach! John Mateer is changing his throwing motion! And oh yeah - Spring practice is nearly over and the Spring Game is randomly back. Come hang out with us for 2 hours. 145 days until UTEP...

Subscribe to the show on YouTube: @WestofEverest | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter/X: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter/X: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 420 - The Kansas City Chiefs Solve Oklahoma's DeMarco Murray Problem

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 10:36:49 -0600

Lee and Grant are back to discuss the goings on in the world of OU Football in the last month. DeMarco Murray is no longer the most overpaid coach in college football, as the Chiefs do Oklahoma a huge solid. Jay Valai has been poached by the Buffalo Bills, and OU has a new Athletic Director. In the second half of the show - Lee and Grant have the most in-depth and honest discussion on the Owen Heinecke eligibility controversy that you will hear on the inter-webs. It is appointment listening if you want to understand the NCAA's decision. 201 days until UTEP...

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Ep. 419 - The 2025 College Football Season is Over

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 21:41:31 -0600

Lee and Grant are back to talk about the end of the 2025 college football season. Indiana has won a National Championship in tackle football, Curt Cignetti is the master of the universe, and Lee & Grant want to talk about DeMarco Murray and his failure in the RB room. But first, we put a wrap on OU's portal season and talk in-depth about Owen Heinecke's situation with the NCAA. 226 days until UTEP...

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Ep. 418 - Has Portal Combat Produced a Sooner Flawless Victory?

Sun, 11 Jan 2026 12:41:28 -0600

Lee and Grant are back after a CFP-exit hiatus to discuss the goings on in the College Football Transfer Portal. OU has received 11 commits in the portal thus far, and Lee and Grant are going to rank their impact from 1 to 11. They also go over each of the 29 portal defections to tell you whether it's a big deal or not. All that, plus thoughts on new TE coach Jason Witten, the offensive coaching staff as a whole, and they give their pick for the National Championship game. Grant really despises Miami.

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Ep. 417 - Sooners' Season Ends in CFP with 2nd Quarter Implosion

Sun, 21 Dec 2025 14:00:19 -0600

Lee and Grant are back to discuss OU's very difficult home loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the first round of the College Football Playoff. Come on in and let's all be miserable together. The sun will (hopefully) come out tomorrow.

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Ep. 416 - Sooners v Bama Part Deux Preview - CFP Mega Pod

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 22:06:22 -0600

The Benson Bros are back after the bowl bye to preview Oklahoma's matchup in the first round of the College Football Playoff against the University of Alabama. Lee and Grant spend the first 90 minutes talking all about the Friday night matchup from every angle. Then, they wrap up the longest show in West of Everest history touching on ND's antics following their CFP snub (justice for the Pop Tarts Bowl!), shake their head at Sherrone Moore, and give their picks of the week. We all want to see John Mateer with a rose in his mouth late Friday night. If you're going to be in Norman, show up early, have some beverages, and cause a ruckus.

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Ep. 415 - Oklahoma v Alabama Pt. 2 in CFP 1st Round - This Time in Norman

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 19:01:16 -0600

Lee and Grant are back to discuss the Oklahoma Sooners officially being in the 2025 College Football Playoff, and they're seeing a familiar foe - the Alabama Crimson Tide - fresh off their drubbing in the SEC Championship Game. Initial reactions from the WoE crew lie within. Please lend us thy ears.

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Ep. 414 - Sooners Relax in the Clubhouse Awaiting Playoff Opponent

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 21:04:19 -0600

The Benson Bros are back and in good spirits as they bask in the glory of being idle during Championship Week while having a College Football Playoff spot all but wrapped up. We go over your Three Word Reviews from the LSU game, discuss who the Sooners might play in the First Round of the CFP, and then throw our hat in the ring of the Miami/Notre Dame debate. All that, and our Picks of the Week. Knibb High Football rules.

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Ep. 413 - Sooners Survive LSU, All but Wrapping Up a Playoff Spot

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 12:42:06 -0600

The Benson Bros were in the stadium to see Oklahoma punch their ticket to the Playoff in a grimy win against stupid LSU. Lee and Grant go over their likes and dislikes from OU's win against the Tigers, have a heated argument over how a defender is supposed to tackle a quarterback, and give a slight lookahead to the College Football Playoff field. LSU is bad and everyone who likes them should feel bad. Peyton Bowen for Heisman.

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Ep. 412 - Can Sooners Punch Their Playoff Ticket Against LSU?

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 23:21:02 -0600

Here at West of Everest, we're thankful for a win-and-in scenario heading into the season's final week. Lee and Grant are back to preview LSU's first ever trip to Norman. But first, Grant rants about knuckleheads, Brent Venables goes into detail about the running back room, then Lee and Grant talk about what they've been thankful for this football season. It's already Week 14 and time doesn't exist.

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Ep. 411 - Sooners Grind Their Way Closer to a CFP Bid, Defense Dominates Mizzou

Sun, 23 Nov 2025 12:30:04 -0600

Grant and Lee are back following Oklahoma's ugly 17-6 victory over the Missouri Tigers. Brent Venables' defense is absolutely terrific. The offense...not so much. However, Lee and Grant are learning to accept this OU team for what it is as they give their likes and dislikes after OU's 9th win of the season. Plus, your Three Word Reviews. Jacobe Johnson for Heisman.

Subscribe to the show on YouTube: @WestofEverest | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter/X: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter/X: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 410 - Can Oklahoma Take One Step Closer to a Playoff Berth vs. Missouri?

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 21:58:51 -0600

Lee and Grant Benson are back to preview the Missouri Tigers visiting Norman this weekend. Should OU be on upset alert off the emotional high of beating Alabama? Are there any healthy bodies in the RB room they can turn to? Is John Mateer capable of playing better? But first, we read your Three Word Reviews following last weekend's banger vs The Tide.

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Ep. 409 - Delightful Dixieland! OU Stems the Tide, Beats Alabama in Tuscaloosa

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 12:53:30 -0600

Lee and Grant are back the morning after Oklahoma earns their biggest win of the Brent Venables era, beating #4 Alabama 23-21 in Tuscaloosa. The Benson Bros go drive-by-drive, breaking down all of the key plays that led the Sooners to victory. Oklahoma likely controls their destiny to host a College Football Playoff game. Tate Sandell, Kip Lewis, Taylor Wein, and Eli Bowen for Heisman.

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Ep. 408 - Alabama is a Wagon and Oklahoma Has No Chance*

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 22:29:11 -0600

We're back off a refreshing bye week to discuss OU's second consecutive CFP elimination game, this time deep in the heart of Dixie: Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Does OU's overmatched defense have any chance of slowing down Alabama's incredibly good—and certainly not fortunate—offense? The Benson Bros have a lively debate. Plus, we read your Three Word Reviews from the Tennessee game, and go over our Picks of the Week.

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Ep. 407 - Sooners Tame Neyland at Night, Beat Tennessee to Keep CFP Hopes Alive

Sun, 02 Nov 2025 20:22:21 -0600

Lee and Grant have just arrived back from Tennessee after watching OU get a massive 33-27 dub over the Vols at Neyland Stadium. The Benson Bros recap the game, as well as their experience in Knoxville. Tate Sandell for Heisman.

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Ep. 406 - OU Travels to Tennessee in Playoff Elimination Game

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 18:03:23 -0500

Grant is back with Lee to discuss OU's daunting road trip to Neyland Stadium this weekend vs. Tennessee. Do John Mateer and the Sooners have what it takes to go into incredibly hostile territory and escape with a dub? One host thinks so, and another...not so much. But first, Grant gives his delayed thoughts on the bitterly disappointing loss to Ole Miss. All that, plus Picks of the Week.

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Ep. 405 - Sooners Begin Late-Season Gauntlet With Home Loss to Ole Miss

Sun, 26 Oct 2025 20:43:47 -0500

Brady Trantham of Through the Keyhole and Sooners on SI joins Lee to recap OU's 34-26 loss to Ole Miss. The Sooners' defense couldn't get off the field in crucial scenarios and allowed the Rebels to possess the ball for way too long. OU's offense hit on a couple of massive touchdowns, but overall struggled to find consistency. The Sooners can still accomplish all of their goals, but this loss stings.

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Ep. 404 - Can Brent Venables Get Over the Hump? Ole Miss Comes to Norman

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 23:02:04 -0500

The Benson Bros are back to discuss OU's massive home matchup with Ole Miss. Will Veny be able to get over the proverbial hump as Lane Kiffin brings his squad into Norman for the first time? Is Kiffin playing mind games with Venables bringing up his propensity for stealing offensive signs? That, plus the picks of the week. Lets get a dub this week, eh?

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Ep. 403 - Sooner Defense Dismantles South Carolina

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 08:56:29 -0500

Before he hops on a plan to hobnob with the glitterati in London, Lee joins Grant to discuss Oklahoma's systematic takedown of the overmatched South Carolina Gamecocks. The Benson Bros are both very impressed with the Sooners' defensive effort, but are there cracks being shown that Ole Miss may exploit next week? Also, is John Mateer's thumb injury radically limiting this offense? Luckily, the OU offense may have found something in the run game at the perfect time in the schedule. On to Ole Miss.

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Ep. 402 - Oklahoma Travels to South Carolina in Must-Win Scenario

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 21:32:48 -0500

Lee is back this week with Grant to talk about Oklahoma's first ever trip to the state of South Carolina to play a tackle football game. Can they continue their impressive knack for winning the week after playing Texas, or will they lose on the road following that game for the first time in 43 years? But first, Lee and Grant re-litigate last weekend's debacle at the Texas State Fair in excruciating detail.

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Ep. 401 - Sooners Thumped by Texas in Dallas

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 17:41:36 -0500

Grant is joined by Brady Trantham to recap OU's dismal performance in the Red River Shootout against Texas. Who's more to blame - John Mateer or the defense? Is there any hope for the rest of season? Grant and Brady try to work through a difficult weekend for OU football fans.

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Ep. 400 - Is John Mateer In or Out? Red River Preview

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 23:09:18 -0500

Texas hasn't played poorly in the Red River Shootout in 13 years. Will this finally be the year that the Longhorns live up to their first 5 games and play a stinker? Will John Mateer defy the odds and return early from his broken thumb to etch his legacy in Red River lore? Lee and Grant are back this week to discuss the best, most competitive rivalry in American sports. Let's roll.

Subscribe to the show on YouTube: @WestofEverest | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter/X: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter/X: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 399 - OU Smokes Kent State and Texas Hate Week is Here

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 13:44:48 -0500

Grant is joined by Brady Trantham of Through the Keyhole and Sooner on SI fame to recap Oklahoma's 44-0 win over overmatched Kent State. Then, Grant and Brady shift their focus to Dallas - there are many thoughts on OU's matchup with the Longhorns, as well as Texas' loss to Florida this weekend.

Ep. 398 - Kent State Can't Be That Bad, Right? Right?!

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 22:01:11 -0500

The Benson Bros are back after a week off to discuss John Mateer's chances of playing in 10 days against Texas. Plus, is this finally the week for Jaydn Ott? What are our expectations for Michael Hawkins against probably the worst opponent OU will play this season? All that, plus Picks of the Week.

Subscribe to the show on YouTube: @WestofEverest | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter/X: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter/X: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 397 - Hello Darkness, My Old Friend - John Mateer Needs Surgery And We're All Bummed

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 21:06:21 -0500

Lee and Grant are back to discuss the truly unfortunate John Mateer injury bombshell that dropped earlier this week. Are OU's hopes of a dream season cooked? Is Michael Hawkins up for the challenge? Then, Grant has more thoughts on Hideout-gate, we read your 3-Word Reviews from Auburn, and special 7-game Pick of the Week segment. Please, lend us your ears.

Subscribe to the show on YouTube: @WestofEverest | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter/X: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter/X: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 396 - Sooners Get a Gutty Win Over Auburn in Jackson Arnold's Return

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 12:44:15 -0500

Lee and Grant are back to talk about OU's hard-fought win over Auburn in Jackson Arnold's return to Owen Field. Things weren't perfect, but the guys are mostly elated with OU's defensive performance and John Mateer's second half performance. A few weeks to rest up now until the schedule turns brutal in October. Meat and potatoes OU talk through and through. Give it a listen.

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Ep. 395 - Jackson Arnold Returns to Owen Field - Oklahoma vs. Auburn Preview and Leftover Temple Thoughts

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 23:06:36 -0500

The Benson Bros are back at full strength to talk about Jackson Arnold's return to Oklahoma. But first, Lee goes over his likes and dislikes from Temple after watching the game a day late.

Ep. 394 - Sooners Dominate Temple in Philadelphia

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 12:44:46 -0500

Grant is joined by Brady Trantham of Through the Keyhole to recap Oklahoma's dominant 39-point win over Temple in Philly. How good is this OU defense? Is Jaren Kanak one of the best at his position in college football? Is the Jaydn Ott era at OU already over before its began? How good does it feel that Arch Manning is actually bad? Please, lend us your ears.

Ep. 393 - The Pod of Brotherly Love - Temple Preview

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 21:16:58 -0500

Lee and Grant are back to preview OU's odd road game Saturday against Temple. But first, we read your 3-Word Reviews from the sweet, sweet victory over Michigan, and wax gushingly over John Mateer and Jaren Kanak. Plus, Picks of the Week.

Note: Grant made an error during the Temple preview and referred to Saturday's game in Philadelphia as OU's first ever game in the state of Pennsylvania. That's hilariously wrong. OU has played in Pennsylvania 5 times (4x against Pitt, 1x against Temple), but this will be the first time in 41 years.

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(0:00) Intro - Philadelphia: College Football Town

(2:40) 3 Word Reviews

(21:20) Jaren Kanak and Cooper Mathers Buddy Comedy, Who Says No?

(30:05) John Mateer Is So Hot Right Now

(38:52) Bad Boy Mowers Oklahoma Opponent Superlative Presented by Nissan

(40:40) Temple Preview

(1:07:40) National College Football Landscape

(1:12:45) Picks of the Week

Ep. 392 - OU Beats Michigan and Vibes are High

Sun, 07 Sep 2025 12:40:14 -0500

Lee and Grant discuss Oklahoma's big 24-13 win over the Michigan Wolverines. The guys go over their likes and (few) dislikes following the game. Real meat and potatoes OU talk here The vibes are immaculate.

Subscribe to the show on YouTube: @WestofEverest | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter/X: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter/X: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 391 - WOLVERINES! Oklahoma v Michigan Preview

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 22:35:09 -0500

Fresh off a crazy Labor Day Weekend full of hot college football action, the Benson Bros are back to preview the biggest game of Brent Venables' tenure so far. But first, we talk about leftover thoughts from Illinois State, #FilmTimeWithLee is back, and what on earth is going on with Jaydn Ott and the OU backfield? Friends and countrymen, please lend us your ears.

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(0:00) Intro: Lee Hates College Football History

(7:40) #FilmTimeWithLee Makes Its Triumphant Return

(20:55) Lee's Offensive Line Diatribe

(39:42) Jaydn Ott is in a Great Headspace

(52:00) OU Opponent Superlative

(54:00) Oklahoma vs Michigan

(1:32:00) National Landscape and Picks of the Week

Ep. 390 - Sooners Uneven in Rout of Illinois State

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 23:05:04 -0500

The guys discuss Oklahoma's 35-3 season opening win over Illinois State. John Mateer breaks Baker Mayfield's passing record in an OU debut, Keontez Lewis delights, and the RB room confounds, as the defense keeps the Redbirds at arms length. Plus, we read your "3 -Word Reviews." College Football is back. Let's rejoice.

Subscribe to the show on Youtube: @WestofEverest | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter/X: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter/X: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 389 - A New Era Begins: Illinois State Preview and Depth Chart Talk

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 22:16:28 -0500

We're only 2 days away from the kickoff of the 2025 season and Lee & Grant are back - this time in crystal clear high definition! The guys begin with a football meat sandwich - nearly an hour of depth chart talk, followed by the inaugural voyage of the OU Opponent Superlative (suggestions on rebranding very encouraged), Lee being aggravated by the sheer amount of Illinois State info, and finish up with the Picks of the Week.

We're on YouTube now: @WestofEverest | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter/X: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter/X: @LeeBensonTweets

(0:00) Intro - Showbiz Baby!

(3:40) The Initial Depth Chart of the 2025 Season - 'tsup with the RBs?

(23:29) Pass Catchers - We Hope Jaren Kanak is Good

(36:00) Offensive Line - Lots o' ORs

(45:30) Less Controversy on the Defensive Side of the Ball

(53:20) Arbuckle and Veny Meet the Media

(1:08:00) OU Opponent Superlative - Illinois State: Lee is Not a Fan

(1:11:28) Illinois State Preview - Lee Prefers to Know Nothing About His Kills

(1:22:25) What We Want to See Happen - OU Offense vs Illinois State Defense

(1:27:35) What We Want to See Happen - OU Defense vs Illinois State Offense

(1:29:35) What Will Happen - Game Predictions

(1:32:40) National CFB Talk

(1:39:38) Picks of the Week

Ep. 388 - Cooking With Grease

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 22:31:35 -0500

We're only 9 days away from kickoff and the Benson Bros are back to discuss the end of Fall Camp in Norman. With Illinois State on deck, position coaches Todd Bates, Jay Valai, and Emmett Jones spoke with the media, and Grant has thoughts on how OU players look like with their shirts off. In the second hour, we discuss how the national media is looking at OU as the season begins, and we use Lee's pal Josh Pate for a fun hypothetical.

Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter/X: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter/X: @LeeBensonTweets

(0:00) Intro - Grant Is The New Producer Slash Host; Dow Drops 5,000 Points

(8:45) Todd Bates Speaks to the Media: Meaty D-Line Talk

(14:18) Markus Strong

(19:38) Damonic Williams

(25:02) David Stone: Film Junkie

(30:08) Jayden Jackson & David Stone Are Cooking With Grease

(37:18) - Jay Valai Speaks to the Media: He's Got Nicknames for Everyone

(43:45) - Courtland Guillory and Devon Jordan Are Violent Within the Scheme

(49:00) - Is Eli Bowen Cooked?

(56:00) - Elijah Thomas is Malik Neighbors - Buy Your Tickets to Miami

(1:03:05) - Danny Okoye - Be Still My Beating Heart

(1:11:10) - The Solid Verbal's 5 Burning Questions for Oklahoma

(1:30:00) - Cover 3 Podcast

(1:36:45) - Josh Pate Has a Cool Take that Doesn't Make Sense

(1:42:35) - Week 0 Picks

Ep. 387 - Moneyline Mateer

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 21:40:58 -0500

Lee and Grant discuss the absurd John Mateer/Venmo incident that was the biggest story in college football for one day in August of 2025. Then, they discuss the latest Fall Camp superlatives and throw a bunch of cold water on hype in the defensive secondary (sorry) before joining in on the hype over the defensive line. 16 days....

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(0:00) Intro - The Theory of Relativity

(8:22) Moneyline Mateer

(30:20) First Fall Scrimmage

(37:00) Follow-up on Injuries/Corner Talk

(53:00) Bill Bedenbaugh and the Offensive Line

(1:06:00) Jim Nagy, the Transfer Portal, and Recruiting

(1:12:37) Cornerback Hype-Train and Lee & Grant Are No Fun

(1:23:00) The D-Line: Hell Yeah

(1:31:55) AP Top 25 and General College Football Talk

Ep. 386 - 2025 Fall Camp Begins and Everyone is Injured (Maybe)

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 22:30:18 -0500

Lee and Grant are back and begin the show talking about the gaggle of minor injuries that have broken out at the beginning of Fall Camp, and somehow, Gentry Williams is not one of the infected. Are we worried about Jaydn Ott's shoulder injury? How concerning is Eli Bowen and Gracen Halton's absence nearly a week into Camp?

Later, the guys discuss the emergence of Taylor Wein and Reggie Powers on the defensive side of the ball, and wonder what it means that Zion Kearney has started to rise to the top of the WR room.

Come for the hot OU Football Talk, stay for the Independence Day references.

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Ep. 385 - SEC Media Days, Joe C’s Retirement, & Summer OU Temperature Check

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 21:51:32 -0500

The guys are back and open the show talking some nonsense before diving into what you're really here for: hot OU Football talk. What's happened since our last episode? We've got you covered. And OU's season win total is set at 6.5 (3:20). SEC Media Days happened. It's over. Not much came out of it. Brent Venables talked for a long time. He mentioned some young players we may get to see play this fall. We couldn't get through much of the players so we're just gonna assume they didn't say anything of note. Plus some guy asked a really weird question about Navy (13:30). How are we feeling about Javonnie Gibson's injury (36:55)? Jackson Arnold made his second SEC Media Days appearance, but this time for a new team (40:45). Where do we think the SEC media will pick the Sooners to finish? Grant is putting a lot of stock in OU-Michigan (50:00). Thoughts on Joe Castiglione's upcoming retirement (1:04:35). The recruiting for 2026 doesn't sound like it's going very well, but a good 2025 season can easily reverse that trend. Are you pumped to tailgate on the North Oval (1:21:30)? Grant thinks this upcoming college football season is going to be pretty interesting. He doesn't see any obvious picks to win the National Championship (1:25:30). We read some comments from the WoE Facebook page and Lee admits he recently suffered a really stupid major injury (1:29:00). Some updates on the future of the podcast and how it may change in the coming weeks and months (1:34:00). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 384 - Sawchuk Exits, a New WR Enters, and OU’s Lack of Drafted Players

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 22:32:51 -0500

After a brief intro the guys jump into talking about Gavin Sawchuk entering the transfer portal (2:15). The Sooners pick up a new wide receiver out of the portal and we have no idea if he will be a relevant player in 2025. Grant wishes OU would have paid a lot of money for the Cal transfer tight end (12:50). The Sooners picked up a new kicker out of the portal and we hope he makes field goals when asked to do so (22:40). We wanted OU to pick up a new corner out of the portal, but that didn't happen. The Sooners also lost a quarterback to the portal. Does this mean Hawkins has improved (31:10)? Danny Stutsman and Billy Bowman got drafted over the weekend plus the guys deal with some technical difficulties. Is it a problem that OU only had 2 players drafted in 2025 (38:30)? A shocking Dillon Gabriel draft position. Grant was bored by Shedeur Sanders taking up all the oxygen over the weekend (51:00). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 383 - What Does the David Stone Story Say About OU & College Football?

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 22:34:01 -0500

The show opens with random NFL Draft and sports time zone talk before jumping into the David Stone situation. The guys had two very different reactions when the news broke last Friday. There's a lot to get into here (5:20). How did David Stone's freshman season compare to some recent other 5-star defensive linemen? Some guys are good right away, some aren't. Grant just wants more information about how these things happen, while Lee feels bad for Stone's situation. Where does the SOUL Mission come in here (26:30)? Breaking down John Mateer and Washington State's late-season 38-35 loss to New Mexico. It was a tale of two halves for Mateer and Ben Arbuckle shoulders some blame for this loss (47:45). Grant does not want OU to accept being a lesser tier program (1:11:10). You get Lee's live reaction to the Bears taking Colston Loveland at No. 10 for some reason. And Taylor Tatum is still on OU's roster (1:15:00). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 382 - OU Upgrades Running Back Room as Spring Portal Opens

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 19:00:00 -0500

OU gets a big-time running back out of the transfer portal. Grant's super excited, while Lee is taking a more cautious approach (1:30). Jim Nagy has done an excellent job so far-- will he be able to bring in a tight end that actually helps (19:10)? Sam Franklin has entered the transfer portal. Grant thinks some other RBs will be out of here this spring (24:20). OU also brought in a solid interior offensive linemen who could challenge Troy Everett for the starting center job. What's the next position Jim Nagy is looking to fill from the portal (27:45)? Not much to take from the Crimson Combine. Is there any way to make a spring event, that's not the spring game, interesting (40:00)? Do you buy that Javonnie Gibson may be back for the start of the season (47:40)? We read some listener comments that are positive, pessimistic, and critical (52:35). The Nico Iamaleava saga (1:06:30). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 381 - Javonnie Gibson’s Injury Harshes the Buzz of the Crimson Combine

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 19:00:00 -0500

We don't waste any time as Grant jumps into the news that Javonnie Gibson has been injured (1:15). Trejan Bridges (13:00)?! Davon Mitchell has entered the transfer portal. Grant is not surprised in the least bit, while Lee finally watched Mitchell's HS senior highlight tape and was not impressed (19:10). So, the Crimson Combine is this weekend (29:45). Grant absolutely hated watching Washington State-Utah State from November 2024. This game showcased perhaps the best Mateer high-level quarterback moment so far, but also included some head-scratching mistakes and decisions. Stay tuned for a cameo from DJ Graham (34:10)! Grant wants to talk about OU men's basketball picking up a terrific guard out of the transfer portal (1:01:50). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 380 - 1-on-1s Reaction & Venables Continues to be Long-Winded

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 19:00:00 -0500

Grant's feeling a bit more hopeful about the 2025 season lately, while Lee talks about having reasonable hope compared to blind hope. Nevertheless the vibes coming out of spring ball have been pretty good, particularly surrounding the WRs. Grant says it's reasonable to be excited about many parts of the roster, but there are 3-4 position groups with serious questions (2:05). We watched practice video of pass catchers taking on DBs in 1-on-1s and we've got a lot of thoughts. Probably the most we've talked about the tight ends in a long time (18:20). We also got 1-on-1s of the O-Line taking on the D-Line. Several practice thoughts commence. It seems reasonable to expect David Stone to make a jump based on the evidence on hand (37:35). It appears Lee's conspiracy theory about Gentry Williams was wrong (50:05). Brent Venables appeared with Josh Pate in a recent interview. Lee has many thoughts-- most of them negative, but we did learn at least a couple of things (53:40). Trae Young is now the assistant GM for men's basketball, but what does that mean? Rants about players transferring all the time (1:10:20). Lamenting the death of the traditional spring game (1:19:30). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 379 - Unnecessary Expectations and Why No Difference Makers at RB?

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 19:00:00 -0500

The show announces a new presenting sponsor, Lee gets bleeped, and then we finally start talking about OU football. The guys are back on the practice field following spring break. Is anybody else getting a clear Dillon Gabriel/Jeff Lebby 2022 feeling with Mateer/Arbuckle? Is the Mayfield/Riley 2015 analogy more fitting? Plus fun nostalgic MTV Spring Break thoughts (2:50)! OU released a mic'd up video of Arbuckle and Mateer. There's a couple of interesting takeaways, mainly regarding two apparently key WRs (14:00). Lee doesn't understand the unnecessary expectations that was thrusted on two promising young offensive linemen. Grant doesn't find it to be that big of a deal (21:00). More reactions to the Oklahoma Breakdown Podcast as they recently talked about OU's running back room. Why does that position group not have any difference makers at the moment (32:40)? Mike Gundy's Bedlam spring proposal (42:40). Breaking down John Mateer's play in Washington State's 29-26 win over SDSU in Week 9. This game showed us something about Mateer that hopefully is a very positive sign for the future (46:00). For basketball fans, we talk about OU's first round exit to UConn in the NCAA Tournament (1:13:55).

Ep. 378 - Javonnie Gibson Might Be Good & Can We Be Positive About the O-Line?

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 19:00:00 -0500

After some brief basketball talk the guys get to talking about the ramifications of Jayden Gibson suffering a small setback in his recovery from his knee injury (1:50). Javonnie Gibson has a lot of people talking early in spring practice. Is this real (16:00)? We're all rooting for Jaren Kanak to be a good tight end (21:20). Who knows what's going to happen with the running back room (28:15)? Grant's excited about what he's heard about Troy Everett. Lee wants to know if it's okay to be positive about the offensive line again (32:50)? Let's talk about David Stone and what the defensive line could look like, but we must remind everybody that OU's secondary is a problem. And Grant wants to talk about Taylor Heim (41:15). Breaking down John Mateer's performance against Hawaii in Week 8 of the 2024 season. The stats were terrific (47:50). We give some love to the OU men's basketball team who looks to be on their way to the NCAA Tournament (57:45). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 377 - Spring Brings a New GM, the ”Crimson Combine”, & Injury Updates

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 18:00:00 -0600

The guys are back and jump right into what Brent Venables said Wednesday at his pre-spring press conference. Venables had another incredibly long opening statement. He also announced players who will not be active during spring practice (2:05). Venables also confirmed that he did not call OU's defense in 2024 (16:30). OU will not have a spring game in 2025. Grant is not happy about college football slowly transitioning to more of a pro football model. Can the "Crimson Combine" be successful (19:10)? Thoughts on Jim Nagy being named OU's GM. What do we hope he's good at? Is the NFL front office model the future? Grant's open to this being a good hire, but the OU football program has not earned the benefit of the doubt the past three years (32:40). Grant takes a look at the preseason SP+ rankings. Let's all nervously laugh at OU's super hard schedule (50:45). Lee goes over some of the things John Mateer said at his first OU press conference. We finish up by breaking down Mateer's performance against Fresno St. during the 2024 season. Mateer did not play well (57:45). Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 376 - Kevin Wilson Returns, Mateer vs. Boise State, & OU’s Win Total

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 22:10:11 -0600

We open the show with some brief talk about the upcoming segment breaking down Washington State's Week 5 game against Boise State. After that they jump into the news that Kevin Wilson has reportedly been added to the staff as an offensive analyst (2:50). The Washington State-Boise State game was a good watch and super interesting. John Mateer played pretty well against the best team he saw all season. He made one horrible mistake, but him and Ben Arbuckle continue to raise Washington State's offense (15:25). We take a look at OU's 2025 schedule and try to predict what OU's Vegas win total will be. What should be the expectation for number of wins in 2025 (50:40)? Grant jinxed the basketball team months ago. Yes, we finish up the show with our half-baked thoughts on the men's team being bad. Lee also has a quick plug for a separate podcast (1:00:55). Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 375 - DeMarco Murray Still on Staff After Interest from Penn State

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 20:37:50 -0600

The guys jump right into the news that DeMarco Murray was a candidate for the Penn State running backs coach job, but will stay at OU after all. Lock in for another DeMarco Murray/OU running backs discussion (1:30). Lee did not quite realize how lowly ranked OU's 2025 signing class is. This takes us on a journey of OU's previous recruiting classes. The 2017 class was incredible (28:05). Over to the John Mateer/Ben Arbuckle 2024 watch as Washington State won a 54-52 2OT shootout against San Jose State. Mateer and Arbuckle continued to show a lot of promise, while Mateer also provided two massive lowlights. Through 4 games we are still very much pleased about what we've seen from both Mateer and Arbuckle (41:20). Jalen Hurts and the Eagles dominated the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, it was a very poor game (1:14:00). The guys inexplicably close the show with thoughts on the OU men's basketball team (1:23:35). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 374 - OU Adds Two New Coaches + Mateer & Arbuckle Looking Good

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 20:35:46 -0600

Grant opens the show by reminding everybody that DeMarco Murray and Joe Jon Finley continue to be on staff and presents a new conspiracy theory. We transition smoothly to OU bringing on Nate Dreiling and Wes Goodwin to coach linebackers. Brent Venables also announced that he will be calling plays in 2025 (7:45). Ben Arbuckle is going to make $1.5M per year (25:05). Thoughts on John Mateer and Ben Arbuckle in Washington State's win in Week 3 over Washington. There's a lot of good with this duo through three games (28:10). Brian Hartline is going to be the next OC at Ohio State. Grant really likes this guy (1:04:45). Obligatory thoughts on the upcoming Super Bowl matchup (1:07:05). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 373 - Knowles to Penn State & Mateer’s Elite Running vs. Tech

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 18:00:00 -0600

The guys are back to talk about Jim Knowles leaving Ohio State, but not taking the OU job. Grant's not happy that OU may have lost a head-to-head battle with Penn State. Could OU have matched Penn State's offer and chose not to? Was this all about Knowles getting closer to home? We think the ceiling for 2025 could have been much higher with Jim Knowles on staff. Plus more comparisons to the 90s (1:15). We continue our breakdown of John Mateer's 2024 season at Washington State by providing our thoughts on Wazzu's 37-16 win over Texas Tech in Week 2. Mateer was not very sharp through the air, but was dazzling with his legs running the football. We saw some good from Ben Arbuckle... and some bad (36:45). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 372 - Jim Knowles Rumors & Mateer’s First Collegiate Start

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 20:37:05 -0600

The guys are back to talk about the latest Jim Knowles rumors (2:00). Curtis Lofton stepped down as OU's GM recently (27:10). We begin our season-long watch of John Mateer and Ben Arbuckle at Washington State. First up is Wazzu's Week 1 win over Portland State (36:00). The guys give their thoughts on Ohio State winning the National Championship and Grant is still not enjoying the expanded playoff now that we're through the first year (57:40). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 371 - Great News for the Defense & Discussing a Dream Hypothetical

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 19:16:15 -0600

Grant opens the show with some recent news that required a visit to urgent care. We get past that to get to the great news that R Mason Thomas is coming back and FSU transfer Marvin Jones Jr. will join him on the defensive line (3:20) OSU transfer Kendal Daniels is joining the roster as well. What will be his role? Grant seems to think he could play more linebacker than DB (11:20). Lee saw a tweet that caught his eye that leads to a major hypothetical situation that involves OU's defensive coordinator opening (19:15). Joe Jon Finley and DeMarco Murray continue to be on staff. Is it possible Ben Arbuckle can improve the offensive staff as a whole (27:00)? We answer a listener question about the types of players OU has gotten out of the transfer portal so far. Brent Venables' formula for 2025 is looking more and more clear (34:20). We wrap it up with our final thoughts on the CFP semifinals and how the first year of the 12-team playoff has not been as fun as we had hoped (43:40). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 370 - Zac Alley Leaves & OU Does Get Some Good News for 2025

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 23:07:34 -0600

In the opening take, Lee gives his thoughts on Zac Alley's departure from OU's coaching staff. Then Grant joins to give his take on the matter and what it may mean (7:40). Who's going to be hired as the next defensive coordinator? What will it tell us, if anything (17:00)? OU has gotten some good news lately with some important players announcing their returns in 2025. What's up with that cryptic R Mason Thomas post? Plus we look at what you can hope for if things are going to go well for OU in 2025 (29:25). Lewis Carter entered the portal and OU has not made any staff changes. Plus we go over some other news and notes after OU adds some more random guys from the portal (48:20). Some College Football Playoff talk as Grant laments Texas and their path. Plus it's clear the seeding format needs to be tweaked (56:00). The guys make their picks for the CFP Semifinals (1:03:10). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 369 - Bad Bowl Loss Clinches Another OU Losing Season Under Venables

Sat, 28 Dec 2024 12:20:56 -0600

OU closed out the season with a 21-20 loss to Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl. The Sooners finish 6-7 for the second time in the last three years. Join us as we go over all the ups and downs of another OU loss, read your 3-word reviews, and try to figure out what's going to happen next in the world of OU football. | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 368 - What to Make of the Portal Additions & Armed Forces Bowl Preview

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 21:03:55 -0600

The first 10 minutes is Grant announcing this is now a basketball podcast, Lee asking Grant a pressing question about Colosseum in Rome, and the history of humans consuming combat sports. To OU football and the news that John Mateer received a call from Baker Mayfield. Lee wonders if Brent Venables is trying to recreate the Jeff Lebby/Dillon Gabriel recipe? Looking at OU's transfer portal additions, Grant wants to know what the goal is for next season (9:45)? Lee wonders if OU has a chance to get an offensive tackle from Washington State? Plus we talk about more former OU players finding homes at new places (30:15). We move our attention to the Armed Forces Bowl matchup against Navy. The betting line has moved significantly against OU. We talk about the interesting storylines and what we want to see in this game. Can this one bowl game mean anything for the future (37:00)? Grant did a great job predicting the first round of the CFP games. We have thoughts on people complaining about Indiana and SMU being a part of the tournament (54:10). We make some picks in random bowl games this week (1:08:15). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 367 - Great News as Mateer Commits to OU

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 20:21:33 -0600

Grant is back from Rome. Deion Burks is returning to OU. Grant is hoping OU is not breaking the bank for him. Lee struggles to care about all the money stuff (2:30). BREAKING: John Mateer commits to OU in the middle of the pod. Will/can OU now go get a top tier WR out of the portal? The tight end room looks to be a mess and an unknown (13:10). Is OU bargain shopping in the portal? Will Joe Jon Finley and DeMarco Murray be on staff after the bowl game (33:25)? OU got commitments from a tackle from Stanford and a punter from Kennesaw State. Grant goes over some defensive targets for OU (41:45). What's going to happen with Damonic Williams (46:50)? Jackson Arnold is off to Auburn and LSU is taking two of OU's offensive players. Kalib Hicks will look to get some playing time at OSU and Makari Vickers is off to Colorado (55:15). Alex Grinch is the new DC at UCF and Bill Belichick is going to be a head coach in college football (1:03:30). We make our Playoff picks against the spread and randomly also pick the Hawaii Bowl (1:11:20). Grant predicted almost exactly how the 2024 season would play out (1:26:00). Some parting thoughts about OU-Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl (1:27:00). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 366 - Can We Trust Venables to Reload & Retool OU Through the Portal?

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 22:52:40 -0600

In the opening take, Lee tries to figure out what OU's going to do to address their need for wide receivers in the transfer portal. Then Lee continues this solo show by talking about why he's struggling to find interest in all the recent OU news. He goes over some of the non-wide receivers who are departing through the transfer portal before taking a first look at the Sooners Armed Forces Bowl matchup with Navy. Lee has an issue with the way the Playoff teams are ranked, but he thinks the First Round matchups mostly have a lot of promise. He finishes up by taking a quick look at how OU's 2025 schedule sets up. | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 365 - Sooners Hire Intriguing Up-and-Comer Arbuckle to Fix Offense

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 22:00:40 -0600

The guys open the show briefly talking a little bit about Grant's upcoming trip to Europe, before getting into more important topics like Ben Arbuckle being hired as OU's offensive coordinator. We give our initial thoughts and go over some positive numbers. We also compare some of Arbuckle's numbers to Lincoln Riley and Seth Littrell (2:40). Venables announced that he will retain the offensive staff. Will that actually hold into 2025 (29:30)? Jackson Arnold is going to enter the transfer portal. Will Wazzu's John Mateer come to OU (42:50)? OU's going to need a lot of help on offense in 2025. Nic Anderson is entering the transfer portal as well. OU's injuries plus running back talk (53:30). Where do you stand on Deion Burks (1:02:50)? OU held on to Michael Fasusi, but the 2025 recruiting class is the lowest ranked for the Sooners in more than a decade (1:06:00). We read some comments from the WoE Facebook page (1:12:45). Discussing the College Football Playoff rankings. Grant's okay with Alabama being in line to get in. Lee thinks Miami is being under ranked. Grant was way out ahead of one very obvious problem with the current playoff system and Lee apologizes for going over the odds on who will win the National Championship (1:23:30). We finish up with our picks for Conference Championship Weekend (1:36:40). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 364 - OU Fails to Build Off Stunning Win as Sooners Lose at LSU

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 13:07:36 -0600

The guys discuss OU's 37-17 loss at LSU to close the regular season at 6-6 (2-6). It does appear the Alabama game was indeed an outlier outcome as the Sooners reverted back to what they've been for most of 2024. Grant has some historical analytical stats that show where the program is now compared to the 90s. After much big picture discussion, the guys jump into the actual game and go through all the big moments (and bad moments) that led to OU losing at LSU. At least one listener disagrees with our thoughts on Brent Venables and Lee brings up one coach who may be the best case scenario comp to Venables if he's going to succeed at OU. Plus we read your "3-Word Reviews". | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 363 - OU’s Latest Win Adds Extra Juice to Upcoming LSU Game

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 20:20:07 -0600

Brent Venables opens the show with his story of late night Taco Bell following the win over Alabama. The guys are incredibly excited about this development and go into detail about why (00:00). Venables admitted he failed on the Seth Littrell hire. Does this do anything for you? Did the Alabama game show us what OU could have been this season with a competent offense (10:10)? Venables joked about DeMarco Murray finally letting Xavier Robinson play more. We don't think this is a laughing matter (20:35). We look at the improvement in OU's rush offense in the four games since Joe Jon Finley has been calling plays (27:00). Doesn't sound like Deion Burks or Jalil Farooq will be available this week (33:05). We preview the LSU game with all of the most interesting aspects of this matchup. LSU's pass offense is elite. Can OU's DBs cover? LSU's defense is not good. Can OU's offense replicate the success they had against Alabama? Venables has a chance to prove the Bama game was not a fluke (36:45). Brief thoughts on the SEC slate, followed by our weekly picks. Games include Memphis-Tulane/South Carolina-Clemson/Notre Dame-USC/Miami-Syracuse/Texas-Texas A&M (59:10). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 362 - OU Does Indeed Stun Everybody & Beats Bama Comfortably

Sun, 24 Nov 2024 13:44:27 -0600

The Sooners proved us wrong in all the best ways by beating No. 7 Alabama 24-3 Saturday in Norman. The offensive gameplan was terrific and included a lot of creative designs in the run game. Xavier Robinson continued to look like the best running back on the team. Joe Jon Finley deserves a ton of credit for his gameplan and execution. OU's defense was fantastic against a great Alabama offense. That was the best defensive performance since when?? And we read your 3-Word Reviews. | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 361 - Let’s See if OU Can Stun Everybody and Beat Bama

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 20:44:50 -0600

The guys start out with some positive news about Xavier Robinson being available this week against Alabama. However, it slowly transitions into the negative because we have no interest in sugar coating this stuff (2:30). Do you want to see other QBs play the rest of the season? We revisit the Dillon Gabriel/Jackson Arnold discussion and Lee has came around closer to where Grant was months ago (11:40). Jackson Arnold just recently began getting some QB coaching (24:30). Why is Jacobe Johnson still repping at wide receiver? No matter how you spin it, much of this season looks very bad for Brent Venables (30:00). We read some comments about OU's offensive coordinator search from the WoE FB page. Lee is having a tough time getting into this because he doesn't think it really matters. What would Dan Mullen, Ben Arbuckle, or Joe Craddock do for you (35:50)? What would it take for you to take Lincoln Riley back at OC for OU (45:50)? Grant can't find many reasons to be compelled by this OU-Alabama matchup. We talk about it for a little bit, anyways (48:20). Grant does not like the super conferences and he is not enjoying this college football season. Lee is the exact opposite and says this season has been great. I guess it comes down to what you want out of college football (53:30). We make our picks against the spread in Indiana-Ohio State/Ole Miss-Florida/Penn State-Minnesota/Colorado-Kansas/Army-Notre Dame (1:03:10).

Ep. 360 - Venables Gets the Dreaded ”Vote of Confidence”

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 21:25:46 -0600

Lee tells us what's coming up on the show today before the guys briefly talk about OU's upcoming primetime kickoff against Alabama (0:00). Joe Harroz and Joe Castiglione gave Brent Venables a vote of confidence this week. For some reason the discussion leads Lee to think of former Tennessee HC Butch Jones (7:40). Joe Castiglione stopped short of committing to Brent Venables for next season (17:45). Turns out that OU giving Venables a new contract in June increased the Venables buy-out. This move looks horrible in hindsight and it's another reason why Grant is concerned about the future of OU (21:30). Lee found a former head coach that may end up being a very close comp to Brent Venables' time at OU (30:40). We look back at all the other notable head coaching hires from the 2022 cycle. It's pretty easy to tell if each team has found their guy, or not (38:00). Some brief CFP rankings talk. Grant's not loving the way this season is playing out (54:00). Taking a look at the SEC slate as well as a brief look back at the 2020 OU defense (56:30) before making our picks against the spread. Games include LSU-Florida/Nebraska-USC/Arizona St.-KSU/Tennessee-Georgia/Kansas-BYU (1:02:10). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 359 - It’s Over. We Just Don’t Know When it Will Be Made Official.

Sun, 10 Nov 2024 12:42:19 -0600

OU's loss to Missouri was more of the same as the Brent Venables era looks to be coming to a close. The only question is, "When?" | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 358 - Elevated Expectations for Night Game at Missouri

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 20:51:50 -0600

In the opening take, Lee talks about something very serious that impacts everybody who listens to this show. Please listen to this critical message. Then Grant joins to talk about getting after it a little too much bending the elbow and how to combat a hangover (4:30). Grant gives his thoughts on the OU-Maine game. Jovantae Barnes and Xavier Robinson are discussed. Jackson Arnold's play and the defense as a whole (7:30). Will Jalil Farooq and/or Deion Burks play against Missouri? Grant's got the SEC Availability report hot off the press. Jovantae Barnes is questionable. The O-Line is back to being injured (20:15). What's the most intriguing storyline for OU-Missouri? Missouri may start a backup QB in the game, which should be a chance for OU's defense to have a good time. Are both fanbases not expecting their team to win (32:10)? Is it a problem that people are asking if this is the most important game for Brent Venables since he's been at OU (44:10)? The CFP Rankings are out. Let's assess the projected matchups (53:15). Looking at the SEC slate. If Florida's QB was healthy, it may be interesting vs. Texas. SC-Vandy is a tough handicap, and would Josh Heupel run it up on Jeff Lebby (59:00)? We make our picks coming off a good week for Grant. The games are Georgia-Ole Miss/ISU-Kansas/Michigan-Indiana/Colorado-Texas Tech/Alabama-LSU (1:05:30). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 357 - Barnes Continues Hot Play as OU Gets Back in Win Column

Sun, 03 Nov 2024 11:22:58 -0600

Oklahoma picked up its 5th win of the season beating Maine 59-14 Saturday. Lee talks about the offensive explosion, this new version of Jovantae Barnes, Jackson Arnold continued his solid play, and a big picture look at OU's defense that doesn't bode well for Brent Venables. Plus we read your "3-Word Reviews". | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 356 - Let’s Play the O-Line Blame Game

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 21:08:25 -0500

In the opening take, Lee tries to find out the correct degrees of blame for OU's offensive line being terrible. Then Grant joins to give his thoughts on the offensive line and push back on some of the points Lee made. As much as we didn't want to do this, we do a long segment on the offensive line, previous recruiting classes, Bill Bedenbaugh's coaching ability, and how much blame Lincoln Riley deserves (8:00). Grant says OU being bad is boring. Brent Venables had a long press conference this week that didn't amount to much. We got some injury updates at least, Lee brings up his injury conspiracy theory again, and Grant takes another victory lap over his Jacobe Johnson take from weeks ago (37:15). We do a thought exercise involving OU losing to Maine. No, we don't want OU to lose to Maine. I'm sorry but we really like Curt Cignetti (46:00). What's the most boring result in the OU-Maine game? Grant tells us what he wants to see in this game and he goes all the way in on DeMarco Murray so get your popcorn (55:10). We thank listeners for their 5-star podcast reviews (59:00). SEC talk focuses on Grant laying out why Hugh Freeze should be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame (1:03:50). We make our picks against the spread. Games include Ohio State-Penn State/Ole Miss-Arkansas/Minnesota-Illinois/Oregon-Michigan/Texas A&M-South Carolina (1:10:00). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 355 - OU Shows Surprising Life, but Comes Back to Earth in Loss

Sun, 27 Oct 2024 12:12:31 -0500

Definitely a tale of two halves in Oxford this weekend. OU went into halftime enjoying a 14-10 lead over one of the better teams in college football, but the Sooners came back down to earth in the final 30 minutes. What went right? What went wrong? Jovantae Barnes had his best game as a Sooner. Jackson Arnold played solid and does seem to have a lot of potential. This OU's best game running the ball this season. The offensive line can't pass block, but somehow they were able to run block pretty well. As always we read your "3-Word Reviews". | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 354 - Sooners Face Daunting Task Following OC Shake-Up

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 20:09:56 -0500

Lee strikes a negative tone to start the show, which Grant calls him on. Early thoughts on what to expect when OU plays Ole Miss this Saturday (0:00). Brent Venables talked for the first time about firing Seth Littrell. How is OU going to deal with recruiting offensive players during this time (8:00)? What will Venables be looking for in his next OC? Lee has a bit of a problem with what Venables said. We look back to what we were thinking when Seth Littrell was hired (19:50). Early look at who could be candidates for OU's OC job (30:20). Venables wanted a new voice, new perspective, new strategy and game planning when it comes to offense. Will we notice? What can Kevin Johns bring to the table now that he's an assistant coach (36:00)? We found out Gavin Sawchuk is injured. Why can't OU just totally change their offense moving forward? It can't get any worse right? The running back room is still not good (43:10). Grant's got a lot of good stuff on Ole Miss. The Rebels are a damn good team (49:40). What's the blueprint for an improbable OU victory (1:00:30)? Thanking listeners for their 5-star reviews (1:08:10). A brief look at the SEC slate (1:11:40) followed by our picks against the spread. We pick Boise State-UNLV/Notre Dame-Navy/BYU-UCF/Missouri-Alabama/LSU-Texas A&M (1:13:40). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 353 - Seth Littrell is Gone. Should Venables be Next?

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 20:59:09 -0500

Lot to talk about today. Grant wants people to stop saying "is this rock bottom?" (0:00). What does it mean for the future of the program now that Seth Littrell has been fired? Do you have any confidence that Brent Venables can find the right offensive coordinator? (6:00). The rest of the episode is essentially us talking about why it's over for Brent Venables (16:00). We go to the WoE Facebook page and X to read listener "3-word reviews" and comments before wrapping up the show with final thoughts (58:45). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 352 - We’re Just Hoping For the Best at This Point

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 20:50:33 -0500

OU had a players-only meeting after the loss to Texas, so that must mean everything is fixed. Brent Venables had some puzzling thoughts about OU's running game against Texas when it comes to efficient successful plays and explosive plays. Is OU's offense too complicated? Grant gets going early with a rant about the state of the program (2:25). We're not interested in how Lincoln Riley left the program. It's Year 3 for Brent Venables (22:40). Let's say some nice things about Eli Bowen. Before we talk about OU's confusing cornerback usage against Texas (29:10). Lee says it's getting harder and harder to take this season one game at a time. Also, the running back room is not good and it's very frustrating. Yes Tawee Walker comes up (35:15). Deion Burks is questionable to play against South Carolina. What about the QBs? What's Venables' plan for Hawkins and Jackson Arnold the rest of the season (45:50)? What's there to say about this upcoming game against SC? Hoping for the best (51:20). Highlighting some past 5-star West of Everest reviews on Apple Podcasts (55:40). A quick look at the SEC slate before we make our picks against the spread. Games include Nebraska-Indiana/Alabama-Tennessee/Michigan-Illinois/LSU-Arkansas/Georgia-Texas (57:30). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 351 - OU Dismantled by Texas for the 2nd Time in Last 3 Years

Sun, 13 Oct 2024 16:13:57 -0500

One host is a little more fired up than expected, while the other host is apathetic towards OU's latest beatdown at the hands of Texas. One thing we can all agree on is the offense being awful. The Sooners are officially the worst offense in P4 football. The one thing we can't agree upon is the state of the defense and how well (or not well) it played Saturday at the Cotton Bowl. How is it possible at this point to defend anybody on the offensive staff? We read your "3-Word Reviews" and briefly look ahead to next week's game against South Carolina. | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 350 - Sooners in Unfamiliar Territory as Big Underdog vs. Texas

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 20:50:56 -0500

Grant briefly describes being at the Minnesota-USC game and storming the field after the Gophers' win (1:10). We jump into what we learned from the Brent Venables news conference. Should OU use Texas as a measuring stick? OU's been the better team several years over the last generation and we wish the Sooners would have won more of them (3:00). Lee was proven wrong following last week's injury-related game. Dasan McCullough seems to be on track to play this week. What will his role be? Will Deion Burks be available? If there's no Burks, will Jacobe Johnson have a role on offense (11:50)? Quinn Ewers seems likely to start for Texas. Talking about Ewers and Arch Manning (22:00). Did Trace Ford give Texas some bulletin board material (27:00)? Lee's got some bye-related OU-Texas facts and figures. It's been more than 50 years since the Sooners beat Texas coming off a bye. Could that win in 1972 be a blueprint for OU beating Texas Saturday (31:45)? The guys don't see much of a point to dive deep into the matchups of this game because OU's offense is just so poor and Texas is really good on both sides of the ball. Something unexpected is going to have to happen in order for OU to win. Grant is curious to see if OU's offense will pull back the tempo (40:50). If OU had just a "good" offense Lee would be very confident in OU winning (49:20). The SEC Availability Report is hot off the press. This may mean good news for one OU running back. We also praise Luke Elzinga for being good at punting (55:00). Michael Hawkins should not be intimidated by the moment. Random thoughts on Auburn's offense, Grant has a prop on Gavin Sawchuk, and we wrap up the OU-Texas preview talk (1:01:40). Thoughts on the 2:30 kickoff time, Lee's going to a lot of State Fairs this year, and the guys talk about their first OU-Texas experience which was the 2008 game (1:07:30). We thank listeners for your 5-star reviews on Apple Podcasts (1:15:20). Thoughts on Vanderbilt's win over Alabama and we go over the SEC slate for Week 7. Also, Texas has a surprisingly difficult road schedule the rest of the season (1:18:30). Lee has one other thought about the QBs Texas has played this season and then we make weekly picks on Washington-Iowa/Penn State-USC/Ohio State-Oregon/Ole Miss-LSU/Kansas State-Colorado (1:27:15). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 349 - Injury Outlook, Early Texas Thoughts, & Likes/Dislikes So Far

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 22:46:51 -0500

The guys open the show talking about lunch, feelings about bye weeks, and Grant's plans to attend the USC-Minnesota game this weekend (00:00). Deion Burks and Taylor Tatum have a chance to play against Texas in a couple of weeks (7:40). We dive deeper into several of OU's injured players. Who will play again this season? Who will not be back? We play a stupid game to give our answers. Lee has a theory on Gentry Williams' latest injury and we also talk about how maybe Jacobe Johnson should be moved back to corner (10:35). OU's a large underdog to Texas right now. We give our early thoughts on the matchup (41:30). We go over the things we like and dislike so far about the 2024 OU Football team (53:20). The guys talk about how they got into following OU football and how we got to the point where this podcast is in the midst of its 8th season (1:10:00). We thank those who have left 5-star reviews on Apple Podcasts. We appreciate your support (1:22:50)! There's some interesting SEC matchups this week. Grant really likes the new SEC on ABC theme (1:27:20). We make our weekly picks. The games are Missouri-A&M/Ole Miss-South Carolina/Michigan-Washington/USC-Minnesota/Miami-Cal. Plus some talk about the crazy world that is Big 12 football this season (1:33:45). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 348 - Kip’s Crazy Pick-6 Sends OU to Improbable Win at Auburn

Sun, 29 Sep 2024 11:58:11 -0500

Join us as we go through OU's improbable win over Auburn. Kip Lewis made the play of the year so far. Michael Hawkins did about as well as you would have hoped given the situation. OU hit some explosive plays finally. OU's kicker was not the one who missed key field goals. J.J. Hester came up big on a couple of plays. OU's tight ends made way too many mistakes. Seth Littrell's offense is still not good, but hey you take any win you can get in 2024! | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 347 - Will Hawkins Make OU’s Offense Look That Much Different?

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 22:22:03 -0500

After some brief introductory nonsense the guys jump into Michael Hawkins being named the starting QB for the Auburn game. How are we feeling four days removed from the Tennessee loss (2:05)? What do we make of rumors that Hawkins had been looking better than Arnold at practice for a while now (9:30)? Jacobe Johnson is being moved to WR. Lee thinks this could go somewhere while Grant thinks it's a joke (22:30). OU's injury list is ridiculous. So many key players are hurt (27:00). Lee has a theory about Brent Venables' latest midweek press conference when he spoke for 19 minutes at the start (32:10). Venables wanted to set the record straight on Dillon Gabriel's exit from OU (35:15). OU's slightly favored against Auburn. The Tigers are a good football team that has made way too many mistakes on offense. Lee has a theory on Auburn's offense (43:40). We thank the listeners who've left us 5-star podcast reviews in the past and recently (1:04:05). A brief look at the SEC slate (1:09:50) followed by our picks in Minnesota-Michigan/OSU-K-State/Louisville-Notre Dame/Georgia-Alabama/Illinois-Penn State (1:12:15). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 346 - OU’s Clown Show Offense Overshadows Great Defense in Loss to Vols

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 00:26:53 -0500

It's all about extremes at OU. For several years we get to watch elite offense paired with truly terrible defense, and now we get to witness high level defense paired with truly terrible offense. Were there signs a season ago that Jackson Arnold would look this bad? How much longer does Brent Venables have at OU? When will Seth Littrell be fired? Hey, Michael Hawkins helped the offense show some signs of life, but what does that mean? We also read your "3-Word Reviews". | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 345 - OU’s a Touchdown Dog at Home. Welcome to the SEC.

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 21:50:05 -0500

Brent Venables opens the show talking about Josh Heupel's return to Norman this weekend. What do we think about this storyline (1:35)? The first SEC Injury report featuring OU has been released and it looks like some key players may be suiting up for the Sooners this weekend. May Tennessee be down a key player on offense (7:55)? We dive into OU's matchup with Tennessee. Tennessee's defense has not been tested at all, but it has been dominant. The problem is OU's offense may not be able to challenge them. Lee is still incredibly down on the offense and watching Tennessee's offense makes Lee even more frustrated about what Seth Littrell and company are doing. Grant pushes back a little bit (22:20). Tennessee's offense has been elite, but Grant provides some reasons why OU could find ways to make it difficult for them Saturday (31:10). Lee gets back to OU's offense and talks about why he's got so little confidence in what they're doing. This is on pace to be Seth Littrell's worst offense of his career. Musings from the NC State-Tennessee game (44:00). OU's corners better be ready to run Saturday. Grant wants to see more ball control from OU's offense and wants OU's defense to be aggressive against this Tennessee scheme (52:40). OU's had an alarming lack of explosive plays on offense (59:00). We highlight some podcast reviews and thank listeners for their feedback and support (1:01:30). We move on to the SEC slate and talk a little about Florida-Miss State and Arkansas-Auburn. Would you want Bobby Petrino calling plays for OU's offense (1:06:30)? Lee looks to keep making solid picks, while Grant has to turn it around. We make our picks on Illinois-Nebraska/USC-Michigan/Georgia Tech-Louisville/Utah-OSU/Miami-South Florida (1:12:30). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 344 - OU Shows Improvement in Win Over Good Tulane Team

Sat, 14 Sep 2024 22:33:35 -0500

It was much better this week as the Sooners withstood a second half surge from Tulane. OU's defense was really good, and outside of 2-3 drives Tulane did not do much of anything. That's a really good offense, so the Sooners' defense was up to the challenge in their first real test of the year. The offense was much better than last week, but still has a ways to go. Grant was encouraged by the performance more than Lee. The running back situation is still perplexing. Maybe at some point the Sooners will get some of their important injured players back? We finish up the show by reading "3 Word Reviews" and briefly talking about the day in college football. | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 343 - We’re Very Down on the Offense. Please Surprise Us.

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 21:03:50 -0500

In the opening take, Lee tries to mentally prepare you for the content in this upcoming show. Then Grant joins as we talk way too long about OU's busted coverage that gave up a TD against Houston (03:30). Then we get to more pressing issues, like our lack of confidence in Seth Littrell and Brent Venables at this moment. We play soundbites from each coach that do not instill a lot of hope for the rest of the season. Aaron Murray released a video breaking down several plays from the OU-Houston game. Did this really make you feel better about OU's offense (10:30). OU gets a real test against Tulane. The Green Wave will come in thinking they will win the game. Tulane's offense is very good and should let us know if OU's secondary knows how to cover this year (42:00). We don't have as much on Tulane's defense, but it's very clear they are much better than Temple and Houston (53:45). We want to thank you for leaving positive ratings and reviews on the podcast. We highlight and showcase reviews from the past, before highlighting recent reviews (59:10). Brief thoughts about the SEC. It's sad that Texas is good and the A&M-Florida game could be interesting (1:07:00). We make our weekly picks on Arizona-K-State/Alabama-Wisconsin/LSU-South Carolina/Boston College-Missouri/Oregon-Oregon State (1:09:20). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 342 - OU Barely Beats Houston. This Could Go Sideways Fast.

Sun, 08 Sep 2024 11:43:53 -0500

If the first two games of the 2024 season are any indication, we should be preparing for a not very fun next three months of OU football. The guys go over the GOOD -- OU won the game, before spending almost the entire show on what was BAD -- which was pretty much all of it. The offense is terrible. Was Seth Littrell a bad hire? People are calling for Michael Hawkins to play. This team is undisciplined and was fortunate to escape Saturday with the victory. Brent Venables has a lot to account for as the Sooners welcome a really good Tulane team to Norman next week. We also read your "3 Word Reviews"! | | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 341 - No Way Houston is That Bad... Right?.. Right?!

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 20:36:26 -0500

In the opening take, Lee recaps what he saw in his rewatch of the OU-Temple game. Then Grant joins to give his thoughts on the rewatch (5:00). A listener brought up other recent poor OU offensive performances on the WoE Facebook page. Was the Temple performance really the worst we've seen in years (18:10)? Jake Taylor will be available this week. Will Branson Hickman play? Can Jaquaize Pettaway become a contributor now that Farooq is out? What about Nic Anderson's availability (26:15)? Let's talk about OU-Houston. It was stunning how bad the Cougars looked vs UNLV. Grant couldn't figure out what Houston's offense was trying to do. QB Donovan Smith was terrible, and the offensive line may be a swinging gate (33:40). Houston's defense played better on paper, but Lee thinks the secondary might be horrific. We'll see if this is a game where OU chooses to get Jackson Arnold going (47:30). Taking a look at the SEC slate this week, plus Week 1 thoughts. We were both dead wrong on Florida. USC played very well against LSU, plus more thoughts on Week 1 (59:40). We make our picks from Texas-Michigan/Arkansas-OSU/Iowa-Iowa St./Tennessee-NC State/Colorado-Nebraska (1:16:30). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 340 - OU Beats Temple Big, But Whoa the Offense Was a Problem

Fri, 30 Aug 2024 23:02:43 -0500

The guys are recording 15 minutes after OU beat Temple 51-3 to open the 2024 season. They spend the next 20 minutes or so going over the poor performance by the OU offense. A great start transitioned into a horror show for a significant part of the game (1:20). The defense forced 6 takeaways and did exactly what they should have done against a bad Temple team. Nothing really to complain about there, and the kicking game with Tyler Keltner did it's job as well (22:40). Okay, back to the offense being bad on 3rd down. We read your "3 Word Reviews" from the WoE Facebook page and Twitter/X (29:25). We learn that Jalil Farooq broke his foot and will miss the next 6-8 weeks. This is not a promising development. We read and react to some more postgame updates from Brent Venables' press conference (40:30). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 339 - Time for OU-Temple on a Football Friday

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 20:00:08 -0500

Hey Friday Night Lights are almost upon us! The guys begin the show talking about the NCAA suspending DeMarco Murray for one game. Lee rants about how much he doesn't like documentaries (2:00). OU is a 42.5 point favorite over Temple. The Owls' QB situation is a mess, they've got a bunch of new players on their team, their defense is going to atrocious, and if OU struggles at all during this game, that would be a letdown (8:50). We answer one quick message from the WoE Facebook page before looking at some of the Week 1 SEC matchups that are outside of the mainstream (24:00). We make our weekly picks against the spread. Games include Clemson-Georgia/Penn St.-WVU/Miami-Florida/Notre Dame-Texas A&M/USC-LSU (36:00). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 338 - It’s the 2024 Big Season Preview Special!

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 22:12:35 -0500

After a bit of a preamble to set the table, the guys begin to talk about what Brent Venables said at his Monday presser. It sounds like the super fast, high up tempo Jeff Lebby speed offense may be a thing of the past (02:15). Tyler Keltner is going to get the first crack at kicking FGs and Lee was not thrilled with Venables explaining why Billy Bowman will be the one returning kicks (08:10). It sounds like Jayden Jackson is the real deal, but Grant continues to be concerned about this development. Venables also explained why Michael Hawkins is the backup quarterback instead of Casey Thompson (13:20). Finally, Venables had an intriguing comment about one of the true freshman players on offense (21:50). On to the Big Season Preview as we tell you all the questions about OU that we are most interested to get answered once real football is being played (25:00). We go over things that we are sure of about OU, that we hope to be proven wrong about in 2024 (42:20). We predict OU's final regular season record and explain how e got there (47:55). Random thoughts about the rest of the interesting teams in the SEC (57:00). The guys predict the 12-team playoff teams and National Championship Game (1:11:00). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 337 - Depth Chart Reaction & Delivering Piping Hot Takes

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 20:00:01 -0500

OU's Week 1 depth chart came out just before we started recording the show. There's actually a lot of stuff to talk about. We go position by position beginning with the offense (1:40). We switch over to the defense where Grant is quite worried by Jayden Jackson being listed as a starter by himself at DT. And I guess they're going for it with Billy Bowman taking kickoff return duties (15:40). Now it's time to throw out hot takes about OU. Lee had a difficult time thinking of hot takes, while Grant brings quite a few to the table (28:00). Grant has some fire SEC-themed hot takes (51:30). We get to the rest of college football. Lee is coming around on USC for 2024, while Grant is absolutely not. Plus Grant has some more Big Ten hot takes and Lee comes up with a Penn State hot take off the top of his head. Grant finishes up with an interesting hot take about Oklahoma State (53:30). We go to the WoE Facebook page to read off your hot takes to end the show (1:06:30). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 336 - Game Week is Here. Let’s Celebrate!

Sun, 25 Aug 2024 19:56:39 -0500

Lee previews what to expect from the show over the next four days. We will release new episodes each day through Wednesday to celebrate the first full week of the college football season (0:00). What will we be looking for in the upcoming depth chart release this week (3:40)? We learned this week that Dasan McCullough is still not practicing (9:00). Andrel Anthony has no limitations right now in practice. We'll have to monitor his role as the season begins (16:20). Who do you want to see returning kicks and punts this season? Brent Venables gave us some names this week and the guys are not all that excited (18:20). If Zach Schmit is OU's kicker this season, perhaps history tells us that having Tyler Keltner as his backup is a good sign (26:35). A rare dive into recruiting for this show to talk about OU getting the commitment from a 5-star OT this week (32:30). A couple of former OU quarterbacks got some positive news this past week (37:40). Ga Tech upset FSU in Ireland and the guys have thoughts about it (40:00). It appears SMU may not be very good, and we field a question from the WoE Facebook page asking if we'd like to see OU play a game in Ireland at some point (52:35). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 335 - Fall Camp Silly Season Has Arrived

Sun, 18 Aug 2024 20:36:31 -0500

After some brief talk about the incredibly hot weather in Oklahoma, the guys talk about the recent anxiety surrounding Jackson Arnold's play at fall camp (6:30). After listening to other OU podcasts, it certainly seems like the team is dealing with a lot of minor injuries that are keeping players out of practice. Is this a problem, or just a way to keep the guys fresh for the season (23:40)? Lee rants about something that is annoying him that always seems to happen this time of year (32:00). Seems as if J.J. Hester will get his shot this season. Is R Mason Thomas finally healthy (42:00)? We check the WoE Facebook page and read comments and questions. What is the one road game you'd go to this season and next (45:15)? Is there a concern that multiple WRs have injury history (50:30)? We do a brief preview of Week Zero. FSU-Georgia Tech might be somewhat competitive. Grant has been practicing pronunciation ahead of the season (53:50). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 334 - A Bummer Camp Injury & the Barnes Vibes Get Stronger

Sun, 11 Aug 2024 13:26:47 -0500

Lee previews what is coming up on the show, followed by us thanking listeners for submitting new ratings/reviews for Apple and Spotify. Then the guys jump into the news that Jayden Gibson suffered a knee injury at practice. It does not sound good. What does this mean for the wide receiver room? Is it possible to replace what Gibson brings to OU's offense (6:20)? The Jovantae Barnes hype train continued into the second week of fall practice. We play some sound from Jackson Arnold and Barnes. We lay out the possible scenarios that could play out surrounding Barnes this season (23:40). We slide over to the OU defense. Lee plays some sound he liked from Gentry Williams. P.J. Adebawore looked bigger in some recent photos, but Grant wants him to gain even more weight (38:00). Kip Lewis is up to 225 and he's not sure which LB position he will play mostly this fall (49:30). OU will wear throwback uniforms Sept. 7 against Houston (51:25). We finish up with some random topics that include an OU bowl projection, the release of the Coaches poll, and Lee thinking Ohio State is boring (55:45). Grant talks briefly about the Olympics, much to Lee's chagrin. But then Lee gets excited talking about Caleb Williams playing in his preseason debut with the Bears (1:04:00). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 333 - Early Fall Camp Takeaways & Watchability Rankings

Sun, 04 Aug 2024 13:12:17 -0500

In the opening take, Lee is excited that it's the time of year to hear about how awesome OU will be in the upcoming season. Then Grant joins as we veer off into a discussion about Colin Cowherd and shows like "First Take" (4:00). Grant has started to talk himself into OU being one of the best teams in college football in 2024. But he's not a fan of other SEC teams being given the benefit of the doubt, while OU is not. We also have a broader conversation about OU entering the SEC and Lee warns that there's a chance we may learn that the Big 12 was actually a big benefit for the Sooners (9:20). Brent Venables provided an injury update on Andrel Anthony this week. Does this change Grant's mind about Anthony in 2024 (22:30)? Jalil Farooq seems to be fine as he recovers from his foot injury. And we learned Dasan McCullough has a minor toe injury (35:55). Jovantae Barnes is apparently looking good. We'll believe it when we see it (40:50). A little offensive line talk leads to talking about Tennessee being given the benefit of the doubt (58:00). Some takeaways from what Damonic Williams, Branson Hickman, and Peyton Bowen said this week (1:06:30). KFORD put out their weekly "watchability rankings" for the 2024 season and this is a pretty cool tool (1:19:15). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 332 - Fall Camp Questions & Teams We Root Against

Sun, 28 Jul 2024 16:11:22 -0500

The guys want to learn a lot of things from OU's fall camp, so they go over a lot of questions that they may or may not get answered in the next month. They begin with many thoughts and questions surrounding OU's offensive line (2:00). Will a trio of Sooners be able to practice in Fall camp (36:00)? We have several questions to ask about OU's running backs (40:15). Are we going to find out for sure that Casey Thompson is OU's backup QB (52:20)? Will Deion Burks and Makari Vickers miss any games (54:45)? Who's going to be OU's kicker (1:00:20)? Grant has many questions about the defensive line (1:06:00). Who's going to be the starting corners (1:13:10)? We spend the rest of the show talking about some teams (and people) we like to root against (1:15:00). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 331 - SEC Media Days Recap & Grant Reviews College Football 25

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 17:39:45 -0500

We talk about everything we learned from OU this week at SEC Media Days beginning with Jackson Arnold's appearance (5:15). Danny Stutsman impressed with his appearance (17:25). Billy Bowman came back to OU to win a championship. Should we start calling him "Bill" Bowman (24:30)? Brent Venables is confident about the depth at offensive and defensive line. Venables also warned that there's no guarantees that OU will have an elite defense this season (30:00). Venables gave us some injury updates on Andrel Anthony, Jalil Farooq, and others. Good news on the Troy Everett front, and can we count on Gentry Williams to play multiple full games in 2024 (54:30)? We take a look at the SEC preseason media poll and the preseason All-SEC teams (1:08:00). Grant gives his review of EA Sports College Football 25. He is not impressed (1:16:00). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 330 - Where is OU in Our SEC Preseason Polls?

Sun, 14 Jul 2024 13:58:27 -0500

The guys open the show briefly talking about Grant's recent trip Yellowstone National Park before jumping into their Preseason SEC Polls. Lee decided to rank his teams based on predicted order of finish, while Grant chose to treat this as a Power Poll of SEC teams. We both begin with Georgia as number 1 and predicted SEC Champion (2:40). Lee goes over his tier 2 teams that he thinks the floor is 9-3. There's also a discussion about Michigan's prospects for 2024 (11:50). Grant runs down his tier 2 teams in his preseason SEC Power Poll (28:00). Lee lists finishes up the top 10 teams in his preseason poll (45:30). Grant lists five more teams that he believes is in Tier 3 of the SEC. Grant's convinced Missouri is very overrated heading into 2024 (53:35). The guys finish up their preseason polls and recap (1:02:45). EA College Football 25 talk. Arch Manning is in the game and is rated higher than Jackson Arnold. Danny Stutsman and Billy Bowman are in the top 100. Isn't Shedeur Sanders slow? Will Jayden Gibson be criminally underrated in this game? And other musings (1:06:00). Brief updated roster talk. We're kind of worried about PJ Adebawore. Dillon Gabriel is now the favorite to win the Heisman on ESPN Bet (1:19:50). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 329 - That’s a Lazy OU/Texas SEC Take

Sun, 07 Jul 2024 10:26:49 -0500

After a quick preview of what's coming up on the show today, the guys jump into OU officially being a member of the SEC. Will this show get a bunch of new listeners from fans from SEC teams (2:10)? We have to make some corrections from previous shows because we get things wrong sometimes. A listener gets an assist for showing us the way about a Dallas Cowboys topic. Does Lee have a blind spot for defensive players in the NFL? We also find a way to bash USC (4:55). Another mistake we made revolves around Alabama's new head coach Kalen DeBoer and his OC. Good thing we are here to set the record straight (10:40). Let's talk about OU's "Welcome to the SEC" event that did not produce really anything interesting, with maybe the exception of Joe Castiglione taking a mini shot at Lincoln Riley. Where would OU be right now if Riley had not left for USC (13:40)? Barrett Sallee talked about the future of OU and Texas in the SEC on a recent podcast. We play what Sallee said and then react to it all (30:50). Thanks to the "Cover 3 Podcast" for an idea for a bit. Grant wants to pretend we are 5-star recruits and are picking our top 5 schools outside of OU. Both guys take different routes to picking their top 5 (1:09:45). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 328 - OU’s Excellent Recruiting, More Season Win Totals, & EA’s Rankings

Sun, 30 Jun 2024 14:07:19 -0500

The guys open the show talking about OU's official entry into the SEC, which is set for Monday. Lee apologizes for bringing up a topic that we always beat to death during the offseason (2:00). We provide our thoughts on Bud Elliott's latest "Blue Chip Ratio" rankings. OU's improved their standing in this since 2017 (6:45). Grant has some season win totals that have caught his eye. We begin with a theme on this show, which is ripping on Miami (26:15). Let's talk about Kansas State's win total (35:15). Grant thinks Alabama's win total is a little inflated (41:30). We hit on Tennessee and Missouri (51:00). Grant thinks Florida State is going to go under their win total (57:50). Flipping over to teams who Grant likes to hit their over. Virginia Tech, NC State, UCF, Iowa, Nebraska, and West Virginia (1:01:30). Grant gives his thoughts on Penn State and Ole Miss (1:10:15). EA Sports College Football 25 released some rankings that everybody is talking about. Lee's seen games at Kyle Field and Tiger Stadium. Is OU too high on the "toughest places to play" list (1:17:00)? EA has several teams ranked way too high on offense, particularly Colorado. Hopefully Jackson Arnold is good (1:24:10). OU's ranked 12th on defense and 17th in the overall rankings (1:29:35). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 327 - Questioning National Pundits & Venables Gets a New Deal

Sun, 23 Jun 2024 11:34:19 -0500

Lee questions why people put any stock into what national college football writers/pundits say. Grant explains why there's a big interest in what those people say and talks about why he's annoyed with the national narrative surrounding OU (2:45). Brent Venables got a new contract this week. Should this even be a story? Lee lays out the potential worst case scenario if it turns out that Venables is not the right guy for OU (25:00). USC lost a pair of 5-star DL commitments this week. Grant explains more why he thinks USC will be bad in 2024. Lee is worried that one of his theories about college football may end up being wrong, and Grant explains why that could be the case (42:00). Lee identifies teams that you may want to bet the over or the under on their season win total. We find out there's a lot of agreement here from Grant. Teams we hit on: USC, SMU, OSU, Iowa, Oregon, Texas A&M, Colorado, and Michigan. Grant briefly previews a topic for the next show (1:02:40). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 326 - Two Players Arrested & We Evaluate the Defensive Line

Sun, 16 Jun 2024 14:44:09 -0500

The guys begin the show talking about Deion Burks and Makari Vickers recently getting arrested. What does this mean for both of them? What kind of punishment can we expect? Lee looks back at how Dabo Swinney has punished Clemson players for getting arrested over the years. We talked about this story way longer than we expected (1:20). We received more clarity on upcoming OU kickoff times. This is terrific for planning purposes. Do SEC teams ever play cold night games (34:50)? We continue evaluating the Sooners' roster by placing each player into 1 of 6 categories. Today we are doing a deep dive through the defensive line group. You're going to see a bunch of players in category 4 because we need to see more. Can Ashton Sanders or Davon Sears turn into a solid contributor? The future looks incredibly bright for 4 players, but how much will these guys play in 2024? Let's rip on PFF College for old times sake (51:30). Since this episode is super long, we continue on talking about the Big 12 exploring the idea to sell their naming rights. Is this a clown show, or a shrewd business move (or both) (1:50:30)? | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 325 - OU Secondary Deep Dive & Josh Heupel’s HoF Credentials

Sun, 09 Jun 2024 12:54:38 -0500

The guys open the show talking about how they're not interested in really any type of summer camp, and provide an update on plans for SEC Football Media Days. Three former Sooners are on the ballot for the College Football Hall of Fame. Rocky Calmus should be a lock, but what about Josh Heupel (6:35)? The guys continue evaluating the Sooners' roster by placing each player into 1 of 6 categories. This week we're doing the secondary. There's a bunch of 4's. Lee is not as high on Kendel Dolby, while Grant is not as high on Woodi Washington. There's debate surrounding Peyton Bowen. Is Gentry Williams a 1? Is Lee heightist? Join us for a deep dive into the corners and safeties on OU's roster (18:30). The guys talk about trading all of the OU softball national titles for one additional football national championship. Which team would you pick for that national title? And why is summer so boring (1:16:45)? | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 324 - Riley Tries to Duck LSU & We Evaluate OU’s Linebackers

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 21:45:10 -0500

The guys open the show with some brief talk about the OU softball team beating Florida and advancing to the WCWS. It leads to Lee admitting that he does not care much at all for the spring sports, so if you want in depth baseball/softball analysis -- go somewhere else (1:30). We've recently learned new kickoff times for OU games this fall. None of them are at 11am. Isn't this what we were waiting for? Grant really wants to go to the LSU game late in the year (7:00). Let's all laugh at Lincoln Riley trying to get out of playing LSU. Grant's been watching games from 2017 and he says Riley looks the same then as he does now. The guys debate whether OU would have beaten Alabama in the National Championship game in 2017. Grant says no, Lee says yes (16:30). We react to CBS's head coach rankings. Riley is ranked high simply because of his overall record, right? Brent Venables vs Lincoln Riley right now. Venables vs. Marcus Freeman? Eli Drinkwitz is ranked way too high. Plus all the coaches we would rather have over Sark (30:50). We evaluate the linebackers on the Sooners' roster by putting all of them into 1 of 6 categories (48:00). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 323 - NCAA Football 25 Reveal & Categorizing the OL Group

Sun, 26 May 2024 08:00:13 -0500

The guys open the show celebrating the anniversary of a very good movie being release, before talking about the full reveal of the NCAA Football 25 video game. Grant also admits that he's already bought the game (2:20). The guys continue their evaluation of the OU roster. This week we are putting the offensive linemen into 1 of 6 categories (18:10). We finish up the show by going to the WoE Facebook page. There's a comment/question about OU's opening Friday night game. Plus what should be our standard for OU's defense in year 3 of Brent Venables? Lee throws out a best case scenario comp team to what OU could be this fall, and Grant talks about brutal college football schedules (54:40). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets

Ep. 322 - Tawee Walker’s Side of the Story Sounds Familiar

Thu, 23 May 2024 22:23:39 -0500

A large portion of this show is us revisiting the Tawee Walker/DeMarco Murray story from the regular season. Walker recently talked about his reasons for leaving OU. The guys play three different clips from Walker and provide reactions to each clip. We go over all the pertinent facts from the 2023 season. Many other running backs catch strays. Hopefully we find out the RB issues were all a Jeff Lebby thing (3:30). General Booty has found a new home. Would it have been better if he somehow ended up at Iowa (44:25)? FOX will air Big 12 and Big Ten games on Friday nights and there's not a whole lot of interesting matchups (47:40). ESPN and TNT has reached an agreement to air CFP games and the first round of the playoff will also coincide with some NFL games (52:30). | Like the show on Facebook: @westofeverest | Follow Grant on Twitter: @GrantBenson25 | Follow Lee on Twitter: @LeeBensonTweets