Next Up with Adam Breneman

Front Office Sports

On Next Up, college football analyst Adam Breneman sits down with the most influential names in college sports and lets them tell their stories unfiltered, direct to the fans. Next Up is a Front Office Sports Network show featuring candid, open, and honest conversations with the most impactful figures in college sports including head coaches, athletes, athletic directors, commissioners, entrepreneurs, media personalities, agents, and executives shaping the business of college sports.

  1. Inside Ohio State’s $18 Million NIL Game Plan

    2 DAYS AGO

    Inside Ohio State’s $18 Million NIL Game Plan

    Ohio State Athletic Director Ross Bjork joins Adam Breneman for a candid, wide-ranging conversation on leading one of the biggest brands in college sports. Bjork reflects on his first days in Columbus—pinch-yourself moments in the same department as Woody Hayes and Jesse Owens—while laying out how he’s protecting a strong culture and modernizing the Buckeyes’ athletic department for what’s next. The episode digs into his overlap with Gene Smith and the simple advice that set the tone, the confidential process behind landing the Ohio State job, and first impressions of Ryan Day’s leadership and locker-room culture. Bjork walks through his game-day routine—from Skull Session to the AD suite to the sideline—and why he wants to feel the emotion right alongside fans and players. Bjork explains Ohio State’s approach to revenue sharing and NIL, including how they allocated $18M across sports, why the next arms race is building the NIL infrastructure itself, and how donor strategy and facilities now balance performance, recovery, and revenue generation. He also shares his view on the future of governance in college athletics, the College Sports Commission, potential federal legislation, and what smart playoff expansion could look like. We wrap with his hiring philosophy, the best part of the job, lessons from Western Kentucky, and his “why”: giving young people the chance to reach their full potential through sport. PRIZEPICKS: Get $50 in lineups when you play $5 with code "NEXTUP": https://prizepicks.onelink.me/ivHR/NextUp For sponsorships or business inquiries reach out to: advertising@frontofficesports.com SUBSCRIBE HERE: https://www.youtube.com/@NextUpWithAdam?sub_confirmation=1 FOLLOW NEXT UP WITH ADAM: INSTAGRAM | https://shorturl.at/d9IdQ X | https://x.com/NextUpWithAdam TIKTOK | https://shorturl.at/qasuc SPOTIFY | https://shorturl.at/5ZdaK APPLE PODCASTS | https://shorturl.at/mW49D CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Intro 1:53 - First Days as Ohio State AD 3:40 - First Changes at Ohio State 6:18 - Advice from Gene Smith 7:31 - Process of getting Ohio State AD job 13:18 - First impression of Ryan Day 17:04 - Game Day as Ohio State’s AD 20:35 - Improving the Ohio State Football program 22:35 - NIL and Revenue Sharing 28:30 - Future governance of college sports 31:16 - How many teams in CFP? 33:27 - Hiring coaches as an AD 35:04 - Best part of the job 36:00 - Advice to Ross at Western Kentucky 37:04 - Ross Bjork’s why On Next Up, college football analyst Adam Breneman sits down with the most influential names in college sports and lets them tell their stories unfiltered, direct to the fans. Next Up is a Front Office Sports Network show featuring candid, open, and honest conversations with the most impactful figures in college sports including head coaches, athletes, athletic directors, commissioners, entrepreneurs, media personalities, agents, and executives shaping the business of college sports. Adam is a former All-American, Penn State alum and media personality. Front Office Sports is the leading multi-platform media and news organization covering the intersection of sports, business and culture.

    39 min
  2. 4 DAYS AGO · BONUS

    Most Replayed Moment: How Drake Lindsey Won the Gophers’ QB1 Job

    Drake Lindsey wasn’t supposed to be here. An underrated recruit from Arkansas with no SEC offers - now he’s the starting quarterback at Minnesota, leading a Big Ten offense at just 19 years old. We talked about his rise, the mindset shift that changed everything back in January and what it really takes to walk into a locker room and earn the respect to lead it. Watch the full interview here: https://youtu.be/jSyuZFPP_SQ For sponsorships or business inquiries reach out to: advertising@frontofficesports.com SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@NextUpWithAdam?sub_confirmation=1 FOLLOW NEXT UP WITH ADAM: INSTAGRAM | https://shorturl.at/d9IdQ X | https://x.com/NextUpWithAdam TIKTOK | https://shorturl.at/qasuc SPOTIFY | https://shorturl.at/5ZdaK APPLE PODCASTS | https://shorturl.at/mW49D On Next Up, college football analyst Adam Breneman sits down with the most influential names in college sports and lets them tell their stories unfiltered, direct to the fans. Next Up is a Front Office Sports Network show featuring candid, open, and honest conversations with the most impactful figures in college sports including head coaches, athletes, athletic directors, commissioners, entrepreneurs, media personalities, agents, and executives shaping the business of college sports. Adam is a former All-American, Penn State alum and media personality. Front Office Sports is the leading multi-platform media and news organization covering the intersection of sports, business and culture.

    7 min
  3. A Blueprint to Save College Athletics: Add More Athletes

    4 SEPT

    A Blueprint to Save College Athletics: Add More Athletes

    College sports are changing… fast. IMG Academy CEO Brent Richard and Drew Weatherford (Weatherford Capital co-founder, former FSU QB, FSU Board of Trustees) join Adam at IMG Academy to lay out a simple, bold solution: Add More Athletes. Instead of cutting “non-revenue” sports, expand roster spots and create JV/“varsity-lite” teams—an on-campus farm system that develops talent, reduces portal chaos, and adds revenue. We dive into the House settlement, NIL, the SCORE Act, Title IX implications, tuition economics (why “non-revenue” is a broken label), and a 2035 vision where football may operate outside the NCAA while the rest of college athletics becomes more local, developmental, and educational. If you care about athletes, coaches, or college campuses thriving, this conversation is the blueprint. PRIZEPICKS: Get a $50 bonus from PrizePicks with code "NEXTUP": https://prizepicks.onelink.me/ivHR/NextUp For sponsorships or business inquiries reach out to: advertising@frontofficesports.com SUBSCRIBE HERE: https://www.youtube.com/@NextUpWithAdam?sub_confirmation=1 FOLLOW NEXT UP WITH ADAM: INSTAGRAM | https://shorturl.at/d9IdQ X | https://x.com/NextUpWithAdam TIKTOK | https://shorturl.at/qasuc SPOTIFY | https://shorturl.at/5ZdaK APPLE PODCASTS | https://shorturl.at/mW49D CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Intro 3:24 - When Brent knew there needed to be a change in college sports 4:56 - Drew’s perspective on the new era of college sports 7:45 - Brent Richard’s background and career path 11:05 - Drew Weatherford’s background and career path 13:33 - Advice to student-athletes that are interested in entrepreneurship 15:43 - Financial literacy at IMG Academy 17:46 - Bren’t favorite moment as CEO at IMG Academy 22:11 - Making the transition from high school to college easier 23:18 - Drew and his company investing on youth sports 26:05 - Add More Athletes initiative 30:30 - Implementing Add More Athletes at universities 39:45 - Add More Athletes makes the Transfer Portal less chaotic 45:38 - Olympic sports in college 51:50 - Conversations with administrators about Add More Athletes 53:20 - Implementing Add More Athletes legislation 57:00 - Dealing with big change in college sports 1:05:07 - Who needs to support Add More Athletes 1:07:52 - General public being in support of Add More Athletes 1:08:44 - Most pivotal moment of Drew’s career 1:12:36 - Brent on Overcoming Adversity 1:19:15 - Teaching belief in yourself at IMG 1:20:45 - Advice to younger Brent and Drew On Next Up, college football analyst Adam Breneman sits down with the most influential names in college sports and lets them tell their stories unfiltered, direct to the fans. Next Up is a Front Office Sports Network show featuring candid, open, and honest conversations with the most impactful figures in college sports including head coaches, athletes, athletic directors, commissioners, entrepreneurs, media personalities, agents, and executives shaping the business of college sports. Adam is a former All-American, Penn State alum and media personality. Front Office Sports is the leading multi-platform media and news organization covering the intersection of sports, business and culture.

    1h 24m
  4. Building a Champion: Drake Lindsey on the Gophers' 2025 Mission

    28 AUG

    Building a Champion: Drake Lindsey on the Gophers' 2025 Mission

    In this episode of Next Up with Adam Breneman, we sit down with Drake Lindsey, Minnesota’s starting quarterback for the 2025 season. Lindsey opens up about his journey from Fayetteville, Arkansas to Minneapolis, the moment he knew he was “a Gopher,” and what it’s really like playing for Coach P.J. Fleck. He breaks down his development behind Max Brosmer, the importance of NIL (and why it’s not his focus), how he’s building chemistry with star running back Darius Taylor, and what his “Why” is as he prepares to lead the Gophers into a new era. If you’re a Minnesota fan, college football junkie, or just love hearing from the next generation of leaders in the sport, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. PRIZEPICKS: Get a $50 bonus from PrizePicks with code "NEXTUP": https://prizepicks.onelink.me/ivHR/NextUp For sponsorships or business inquiries reach out to: advertising@frontofficesports.com SUBSCRIBE HERE: https://www.youtube.com/@NextUpWithAdam?sub_confirmation=1 FOLLOW NEXT UP WITH ADAM: INSTAGRAM | https://shorturl.at/d9IdQ X | https://x.com/NextUpWithAdam TIKTOK | https://shorturl.at/qasuc SPOTIFY | https://shorturl.at/5ZdaK APPLE PODCASTS | https://shorturl.at/mW49D CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Intro :54 - Mindset going into 2025 1:23 - Growing as a QB 2:00 - Welcome to College Football moment 2:43 - Recruiting process 4:00 - Committing to Minnesota 4:38 - Being QB1 for P.J. Fleck 5:49 - Best P.J. Fleck story 6:53 - Biggest adjustment at Minnesota 7:48 - Tanner Morgan and Max Brosmer 9:26 - being ready for the spotlight 10:40 - Darius Taylor 11:10 - Check down vs. Big play mentality 12:13 - Offseason improvements 13:00 - What family means to Drake 14:15 - NIL at Minnesota 15:44 - Advice to younger Drake 16:20 - Expectations for 2025 17:11 - Drake’s why On Next Up, college football analyst Adam Breneman sits down with the most influential names in college sports and lets them tell their stories unfiltered, direct to the fans. Next Up is a Front Office Sports Network show featuring candid, open, and honest conversations with the most impactful figures in college sports including head coaches, athletes, athletic directors, commissioners, entrepreneurs, media personalities, agents, and executives shaping the business of college sports. Adam is a former All-American, Penn State alum and media personality. Front Office Sports is the leading multi-platform media and news organization covering the intersection of sports, business and culture.

    18 min
  5. 26 AUG · BONUS

    Most Replayed Moment: The HARDEST Part About Life After the NFL (No One Talks About This) | Nate Burleson

    Nate Burleson didn’t want to be known as just a football player. After 11 years in the league, he walked away with no Hall of Fame jacket… and a decision to make. Be remembered for what he was or become something greater. He chose the hard road — reinventing himself from scratch. Now he’s a multi-time Emmy winner, one of the most respected voices in media, and still pushing for more. This is what reinvention really looks like. For sponsorships or business inquiries reach out to: advertising@frontofficesports.com SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@NextUpWithAdam?sub_confirmation=1 Watch the full episode with Nate Burleson: https://youtu.be/csh1mfEdFS8 FOLLOW NEXT UP WITH ADAM: INSTAGRAM | https://shorturl.at/d9IdQ X | https://x.com/NextUpWithAdam TIKTOK | https://shorturl.at/qasuc SPOTIFY | https://shorturl.at/5ZdaK APPLE PODCASTS | https://shorturl.at/mW49D On Next Up, college football analyst Adam Breneman sits down with the most influential names in college sports and lets them tell their stories unfiltered, direct to the fans. Next Up is a Front Office Sports Network show featuring candid, open, and honest conversations with the most impactful figures in college sports including head coaches, athletes, athletic directors, commissioners, entrepreneurs, media personalities, agents, and executives shaping the business of college sports. Adam is a former All-American, Penn State alum and media personality. Front Office Sports is the leading multi-platform media and news organization covering the intersection of sports, business and culture.

    5 min
  6. Minnesota’s HC P.J. Fleck Reveals How He Builds Players Into Men

    21 AUG

    Minnesota’s HC P.J. Fleck Reveals How He Builds Players Into Men

    This week on Next Up With Adam Breneman, Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck sits down for a wide-ranging conversation on building a program, leading through change, and the personal experiences that shaped his “Row The Boat” culture. Fleck reflects on the moments that defined his tenure at Minnesota — from snapping a 15-year losing streak to Wisconsin, to the program-changing upset over Penn State in 2019. He explains how his background as a 6th-grade teacher influenced his coaching style, why he believes “control is for amateurs,” and what he looks for in both recruits and young coaches. The conversation also dives into how Fleck keeps his program transformational in an era that’s increasingly transactional. He shares why Minnesota has one of the nation’s highest retention rates, how his staff manages NIL and revenue sharing, and the importance of honesty and transparency with players when money is involved. Fleck opens up about the origin of “Row The Boat,” born after the loss of his infant son, and how it became a symbol of resilience for Minnesota football and the community. He also discusses the advice he received from Greg Schiano, the lessons he’s learned in 13 years as a head coach, and the legacy he hopes his players remember: not wins, but the life lessons of being better husbands, fathers, and leaders. PRIZEPICKS: Get a $50 bonus from PrizePicks with code "NEXTUP": https://prizepicks.onelink.me/ivHR/NextUp For sponsorships or business inquiries reach out to: advertising@frontofficesports.com SUBSCRIBE HERE: https://www.youtube.com/@NextUpWithAdam?sub_confirmation=1 FOLLOW NEXT UP WITH ADAM: INSTAGRAM | https://shorturl.at/d9IdQ X | https://x.com/NextUpWithAdam TIKTOK | https://shorturl.at/qasuc SPOTIFY | https://shorturl.at/5ZdaK APPLE PODCASTS | https://shorturl.at/mW49D CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Intro 1:07 - Defining last 9 years at Minnesota 2:52 - Building culture at Minnesota 6:06 - Evolving as a Head Coach 9:36 - Traits in young coaches 11:38 - Transparency with players 14:37 - Shifting Model for Revenue Sharing 16:48 - Coach Fleck’s favorite part of the job 18:43 - Elevating the Minnesota Football Brand 20:18 - Row The Boat origin story 22:15 - Minnesota is a life program 23:20 - What still needs to happen at Minnesota 24:32 - Best advice Coach Fleck has ever received 27:40 - Coach Fleck’s why 29:15 - What Coach Fleck wants his players to say about him On Next Up, college football analyst Adam Breneman sits down with the most influential names in college sports and lets them tell their stories unfiltered, direct to the fans. Next Up is a Front Office Sports Network show featuring candid, open, and honest conversations with the most impactful figures in college sports including head coaches, athletes, athletic directors, commissioners, entrepreneurs, media personalities, agents, and executives shaping the business of college sports. Adam is a former All-American, Penn State alum and media personality. Front Office Sports is the leading multi-platform media and news organization covering the intersection of sports, business and culture.

    30 min
  7. 20 AUG · BONUS

    Most Replayed Moment: How One Practice Changed Syracuse Football Forever | Syracuse Head Coach Fran Brown

    Syracuse’s first spring practice was sloppy, guys were fighting and professors were watching. So, Fran Brown made the whole team bear crawl — even the quarterback. That was the day everything changed. That was the culture shift. Watch the full episode with Fran Brown: https://youtu.be/_su7k1_DqGs For sponsorships or business inquiries reach out to: advertising@frontofficesports.com SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@NextUpWithAdam?sub_confirmation=1 Watch the full episode with Jim Knowles: https://youtu.be/JCv9pf-kO-Y FOLLOW NEXT UP WITH ADAM: INSTAGRAM | https://shorturl.at/d9IdQ X | https://x.com/NextUpWithAdam TIKTOK | https://shorturl.at/qasuc SPOTIFY | https://shorturl.at/5ZdaK APPLE PODCASTS | https://shorturl.at/mW49D On Next Up, college football analyst Adam Breneman sits down with the most influential names in college sports and lets them tell their stories unfiltered, direct to the fans. Next Up is a Front Office Sports Network show featuring candid, open, and honest conversations with the most impactful figures in college sports including head coaches, athletes, athletic directors, commissioners, entrepreneurs, media personalities, agents, and executives shaping the business of college sports. Adam is a former All-American, Penn State alum and media personality. Front Office Sports is the leading multi-platform media and news organization covering the intersection of sports, business and culture.

    4 min

About

On Next Up, college football analyst Adam Breneman sits down with the most influential names in college sports and lets them tell their stories unfiltered, direct to the fans. Next Up is a Front Office Sports Network show featuring candid, open, and honest conversations with the most impactful figures in college sports including head coaches, athletes, athletic directors, commissioners, entrepreneurs, media personalities, agents, and executives shaping the business of college sports.

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