West of Everest: An Oklahoma Football Podcast

Lee and Grant Benson
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West of Everest is for the OU Football sickos, of which there are many. The show was launched in August 2017 by Lee & Grant Benson. The brothers strive to bring you authentic, thoughtful, and nuanced opinions on OU Football & the world of college football. Lee Benson is a former sports anchor/reporter who covered the Sooners for six years from 2016-2022. Grant Benson is a massive OU fan who's passion for the Sooners knows no bounds.

  1. 2d ago

    Ep. 430 - OU Makes Big Bet On Brent Venables Before Massive 2026 Season

    Ep. 430 - OU Makes Big Bet On Brent Venables Before Massive 2026 Season OU and Brent Venables agreed to a new six-year contract that reportedly pays Venables an average of $10.5 million per year. Did OU have to make this move now? The guys also discuss the latest on Jake Maikkula’s injury and the plan at center moving forward. The latest news out of fall camp includes Reggie Powers’ growth at cheetah, OU’s run-game talk, and more under-center work for John Mateer. Later, Brady Trantham from Oklahoma Sooners on SI and Through the Keyhole joins the show to give his perspective from fall camp. Brady discusses the center situation, Xavier Robinson, Jonathan Hatton, OU’s wide receiver questions, the tight end room, Tank Carrington, the defensive line, and the bigger-picture debate over Venables’ contract extension and Oklahoma’s standard in the SEC. Chapters/Timecodes 00:00 — Opening Take – Brent Venables gets a new contract 06:21 — Jake Maikkula injury clarity and the plan at center in the short term 17:27 — Reggie Powers buzz from fall camp 20:42 — Kip Lewis, Owen Heinecke and linebacker rotation questions 23:57 — Bigger bodies, tight ends and more command in the run game 24:19 — Tight ends as extra blockers in Oklahoma’s offense   27:06 — John Mateer talks under-center work and more 12 personnel discussion 34:16 — Brent Venables contract discussion begins 35:46 — Venables now reportedly among the top 10 highest-paid coaches 37:52 — Grant’s opening reaction: why do this right now? 40:39 — Lee: why not wait and see what happens in 2026? 46:01 — Oklahoma’s bet on front-office structure, Venables and development 49:41 — Listener question for Grant: did OU do enough to improve the offense? 50:57 — Grant’s answer: year five should mean national-level expectations 54:47 — Brady Trantham joins to talk fall camp 58:14 — Brady’s biggest fall camp takeaway outside Venables and Maikkula   01:02:19 — Brady on the Jake Maikkula injury and center options   01:06:00 — Is Ryan Fodje at center a real option or emergency planning?    01:12:10 — Tory Blaylock hamstring concern 01:12:48 — Xavier Robinson, Jonathan Hatton and Lloyd Avant as the healthy trio 01:14:05 — Jonathan Hatton’s physical tools and Adrian Peterson/Joe Mixon comparisons    01:19:00 — Elijah Thomas buzz and whether OU has a real playmaker emerging 01:24:00 — Tight end room talk: Hayden Hansen, Rocky Beers and Jack Van Dorselaer 01:26:00 — Can Jason Witten and Deland McCullough change OU’s offensive identity? 01:30:16 — Tank Carrington hype keeps growing 01:33:06 — Brady reacts to the Brent Venables contract extension 01:38:43 — Brady puts stock in the 2025 playoff season and the challenge of SEC play 01:41:01 — Grant’s concern: OU thought things were fine before 2024 too 01:43:25 — When should Oklahoma expect more than “good”? 01:44:11 — Should OU be a national title contender in year five? 01:45:44 — Comparing Venables’ path to Bob Stoops and the old Big 12/Big Eight reality 01:49:52 — How the SEC exposes your flaws 01:53:37 — The glass-half-full case for Oklahoma’s bet on Venables 01:58:37 — Whether the extension looks good depends on what you think 2026 will be 02:00:02 — What is the eject button for Venables?   02:10:46 — What if OU goes 9-3 but makes real offensive and defensive jumps? 02:14:59 — Georgia expectations and when OU should expect 11-1 or 12-0 again 02:16:34 — Where to find Brady Trantham’s work 02:17:32 — Closing: follow West of Everest Subscribe to the West of Everest YouTube channel Follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and please leave a five-star rating and review if you enjoy the podcast. Follow West of Everest on X, Instagram and Facebook.

  2. Aug 17

    Ep. 429 – A Potentially Crushing Injury Overshadows a Good Week of Practice

    Ep. 429 – A Potentially Crushing Injury Overshadows a Good Week of Practice Lee and Grant react to the report that Oklahoma center Jake Maikkula was injured during the Sooners’ first full scrimmage of fall camp. The guys discuss what Maikkula means to the offensive line, why center is such a difficult position to replace, and what Caleb Nitta and true freshman Noah Best could bring if Oklahoma must adjust up front. There was actually a lot of good news this week as there’s suddenly Elijah Thomas buzz coming out of practice, Trell Harris appears to be practicing in full, Tank Carrington has a trait shared by Jayden Jackson, and OU adds Arkansas transfer Danny Saili to the defensive line room. Later, the guys answer listener questions about Oklahoma’s offensive line, the run game, the running back room, how much better John Mateer really needs to be, what Ben Arbuckle must prove in year two, whether OU’s secondary can be considered the strength of the team, and which Sooners could get drafted after the 2026 season. Chapters/Timecodes 00:00 — Opening Take – A good week ends with bad news 03:59 — Brandon Drumm reports Jake Maikkula was injured in Saturday’s scrimmage 09:03 — Noah Best hype and whether he could factor into the center battle 12:15 — Why losing Maikkula would be a significant downgrade 16:35 — Elijah Thomas suddenly becomes a major name to watch 22:18 — Trell Harris appears to be practicing in full and making plays 28:27 — James “Tank” Carrington hype keeps growing 30:27 — Comparing Carrington’s block recognition to Jayden Jackson as a freshman 35:19 — Oklahoma adds Arkansas transfer Danny Saili 38:40 — Todd Bates’ credibility and why the defensive staff gets benefit of the doubt 39:31 — Listener poll: if OU has the best defense, how good must the offense be? 41:08 — West of Everest YouTube subscriber update and community growth 41:57 — Why total offense can be misleading 42:23 — Does OU need a top-10 offense to win a national title? 45:28 — Listener Questions lead to O-line talk about Michael Fasusi and Heath Ozaeta 47:22 — Why the offensive line should improve, but may not be elite yet 50:50 — 12 personnel, offensive philosophy and how OU may build its offense 55:38 — Under-center run game discussion 59:18 — Hunter asks about run blocking and run game health 59:32 — Shane asks if any running back is emerging as the top guy 01:00:42 — Why Xavier Robinson’s quick return suggests the early injury may not be severe 01:01:48 — Grant’s concerns about Tory Blaylock as a top-two running back 01:04:33 — What offensive success against OU’s defense would mean in camp 01:06:00 — John Mateer listener question: how much better does he really need to be? 01:06:55 — Did upgraded personnel change the standard for Mateer? 01:07:50 — Why a small statistical improvement may not be enough 01:08:17 — Mateer’s injury prevented OU from learning how much he could improve last season 01:12:48 — What a realistic Mateer statistical improvement could look like 01:14:02 — Can Mateer improve pocket movement, reads and timing? 01:16:23 — Jeff asks what Ben Arbuckle must do to help the offense thrive 01:16:44 — Arbuckle has to be intentional with personnel and play-calling 01:18:29 — How the offense can thrive in the SEC 01:20:21 — James asks whether the secondary could be the strength of the defense 01:23:29 — Peyton Bowen, Reggie Powers, Omarion Robinson and safety depth   01:28:11 — Big defensive package possibilities 01:31:07 — Final listener question: how many Sooners get drafted? 01:34:42 — What double-digit draft picks would mean for Oklahoma’s season 01:36:09 — Looking ahead to season preview content and show close Subscribe to the West of Everest YouTube channel Follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and please leave a five-star rating and review if you enjoy the podcast. Follow West of Everest on X, Instagram and Facebook. #OklahomaFootball #OUFootball #Sooners #CollegeFootball #SECfootball #BrentVenables #JohnMateer #FallCamp #WestOfEverest

  3. Aug 10

    Ep. 428 - John Mateer’s Championship Chance and Fall Camp is Here!

    Ep. 428 - John Mateer’s Championship Chance and Fall Camp is Here! John Mateer’s got an incredible opportunity to win a National Championship this season. He’s got the defense, but what must he and the offense do in order for the Sooners to win Number 8? The guys react to early Fall Camp video and practice buzz. Topics include Courtland Guillory’s impressive clips, David Stone’s dominance, Trent Wilson’s development, defensive line depth, PJ Adebawore’s role, Michael Boganowski becoming more technical, safety depth concerns and the possibility that OU’s defense may be even better in 2026. On offense, the conversation shifts to Deland McCullough and the running back room. We liked his comments about yards after contact. Thoughts on Tory Blaylock and Trell Harris, a possible surprise wide receiver may break out, and will Jason Witten influence Ben Arbuckle’s offense so much that the style changes? Plus brief thoughts on the Coaches Poll, the new five-year eligibility ruling, Taylor Tatum’s departure from Michigan, and more hot Lincoln Riley/Brent Venables talk! Chapters/Timecodes 00:00 — Opening Take – John Mateer’s massive opportunity 05:03 — Week Zero is getting close 07:12 — Fall Camp practice videos, a lot has stood out to Grant 08:10 — Deacon Schmitt may be ready to play early 08:31 — Manny Choice looks the part physically 09:00 — Cole Sullivan’s length and Austin Stogner flashbacks 09:34 — Courtland Guillory’s aura and defensive back clips 11:00 — Deland McCullough’s running back drill philosophy 12:38 — Why “yards after contact” matters for OU’s run game 15:07 — Tight ends, receivers and who looks comfortable in practice clips 17:04 — Running back talk begins with Lloyd Avant and Xavier Robinson 19:00 — Lee declares he’s not concerned with the D-line depth 21:00 — Trent Wilson as a potential breakout defensive lineman 25:00 — Defensive tackle depth and the benefit of the doubt for OU’s defensive staff 26:13 — Jayden Jackson and the question of durability 30:00 — Venables downplaying defensive line strength 30:56 — Edge rusher questions behind the defensive line hype 32:00 — PJ Adebawore entering a huge season 35:00 — Defensive front possibilities and pressure packages 36:00 — Michael Boganowski becoming more technical 37:00 — Safety play, deep passing concerns and OU’s secondary 44:00 — Peyton Bowen, Reggie Powers and young safety depth 46:00 — Linebacker depth behind Kip Lewis and Owen Heinecke 51:00 — Length on the edge and disrupting screens 54:41 — YouTube community poll: which offensive position group worries fans most? 56:00 — Tory Blaylock not available for Practice number 3 57:00 — Lloyd Avant appears to be RB1 if the game were tomorrow 01:00:00 — Lloyd Avant’s experience at Tulsa and Colorado State 01:01:00 — Avant’s wiggle, burst and potential fit at Oklahoma 01:03:00 — Xavier Robinson’s instant impact when healthy 01:04:00 — Deland McCullough compares Lloyd Avant to Damien Williams 01:06:00 — Trell Harris participates in individual drills with cameras present 01:10:10 — John Mateer says Manny Choice has grown a lot   01:15:07 — Tight end room discussion begins 01:15:28 — Hayden Hansen as a massive blocking presence 01:15:48 — Gabe Ikard’s interest in OU running out of 12 personnel 01:17:06 — Jason Witten’s influence on Oklahoma’s tight ends 01:19:47 — Ben Arbuckle’s Washington State personnel usage 01:23:32 — Is Arbuckle’s run scheme good enough?   01:28:54 — Offensive line thoughts and remaining offensive questions 01:30:11 — Grant’s frustration with OU’s transfer portal approach 01:31:58 — Oklahoma ranked No. 9 in the preseason coaches poll 01:32:58 — Five-year eligibility ruling and possible roster impacts 01:34:49 — Would Jaren Kanak help OU if he could return? 01:35:36 — Taylor Tatum no longer with Michigan 01:37:14 — Responding to Brady Trantham’s rebuttal to the Venables/Lincoln Riley debate 01:40:25 — Why that debate still matters today Subscribe to the West of Everest YouTube channel Follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and please leave a five-star rating and review if you enjoy the podcast. Follow West of Everest on X, Instagram and Facebook. #OklahomaFootball #OUFootball #Sooners #CollegeFootball #SECfootball #BrentVenables #JohnMateer #FallCamp #WestOfEverest

  4. Aug 3

    Ep. 427 - OU Fall Camp Questions & the Brent Venables Reality Check

    Ep. 427 - OU Fall Camp Questions & the Brent Venables Reality Check Our Fall Camp preview poses unanswerable questions at this time. Will Trell Harris make it through fall camp healthy? Can OU’s RB room get to Week 1 without a wave of injuries? Which position group could produce a surprise camp star, and more! Later, we take a deeper look at Brent Venables through four seasons at Oklahoma. How does Venables compare historically to other first-time head coaches? Is there a realistic national championship blueprint for Venables based on college football history? The episode closes with a detailed conversation about the idea that Lincoln Riley “left the cupboard bare” when he departed Oklahoma. Lee and Grant revisit the 2022 roster, including Dillon Gabriel, Eric Gray, Marvin Mims, Brayden Willis, Anton Harrison, Tyler Guyton, Wanya Morris and others, and debate whether OU’s 6-7 season in Venables’ first year was really about talent, culture, coaching, injuries, or all of the above. Chapters/Timecodes 00:00 — Opening Take – Fall Camp is upon us 06:05 — Will Trell Harris make it through fall camp healthy? 12:29 — What makes a true No. 1 wide receiver? 15:14 — National title expectations vs. where OU actually is 17:48 — Can Oklahoma get to UTEP with a healthy running back room? 21:25 — Which position group could produce a surprise camp superstar? 29:25 — Could Bowe Bentley win the backup quarterback job? 33:16 — If Mateer gets hurt again, can OU trust its QB2? 35:04 — Remembering backup quarterbacks from the Lincoln Riley era 41:17 — Side quest to talk about Lincoln Riley at Big Ten Media Days 43:05 — Will OU’s offense ever have its way with the defense in fall camp? 46:41 — Health is still the No. 1 fall camp priority 48:28 — Brent Venables first four seasons at OU in perspective 53:01 — Comparing first-time OU head coaches through four seasons 57:12 — Is there a national championship blueprint for Venables? 01:02:08 — Where Venables ranks among first-time head coaches historically 01:05:01 — Random detour: Charlie Weis, Notre Dame and college football YouTube rabbit holes 01:08:43 — Revisiting Lee and Grant’s initial reaction to Venables being hired 01:10:44 — OU’s 2022 floor should have been higher than 6-7 01:14:52 — Did Lincoln Riley really gut the program? 01:23:19 — Why the 2022 offense was the most functional part of the team 01:25:37 — Comparing OU’s 2021 offensive personnel to the 2022 offense 01:28:24 — Defensive roster comparison from 2021 to 2022 01:29:54 — What “cupboard was bare” may actually mean   01:34:00 — Offensive red flags heading into 2026 Subscribe to the West of Everest YouTube channel Follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and please leave a five-star rating and review if you enjoy the podcast. Follow West of Everest on X, Instagram and Facebook. #OklahomaFootball #OUFootball #Sooners #CollegeFootball #SECfootball #BrentVenables #JohnMateer #FallCamp #WestOfEverest

  5. Jul 27

    Ep. 426 - OU Has 3 Future NFL Tight Ends?

    Ep. 426 - OU Has 3 Future NFL Tight Ends? SEC Media Days have come and gone, and one of the most interesting comments of the week came from Sooners general manager Jim Nagy. Does OU really have three tight ends on the roster who will be playing on Sundays? Lee and Grant also react to Brent Venables’ correctly acknowledging OU’s flaws from 2025 and mentioning that nine offensive linemen can play winning football. The guys answer listener questions about the effectiveness of Tory Blaylock, and whether their opinions have changed on Brent Venables. Later, Brady Trantham of Oklahoma Sooners on SI and Through the Keyhole joins the show to give his boots-on-the-ground perspective from SEC Media Days in Tampa. Brady discusses what actually mattered from Media Days, Brent Venables’ confidence in the tight end room, Oklahoma’s offensive questions, Trell Harris, the difficulty of adjusting to the SEC, Greg Sankey’s comments about the future of college football, the possibility of the SEC and Big Ten reshaping the sport, and more! Chapters/Timecodes 00:00 — Opening Take – Jim Nagy’s Bold Claim at SEC Media Days 06:50 — Could OU really have three future NFL tight ends? 10:12 — Can better tight ends actually fix Oklahoma’s run game? 19:26 — Brent Venables correctly identifies OU’s biggest 2025 problems 21:41 — Receiver room changes and Trell Harris questions 25:14 — Venables says OU has nine offensive linemen who can play winning football 25:32 — Who are Oklahoma’s offensive line depth pieces? 28:36 — Listener question: Why does Grant not like Tory Blaylock? 35:33 — Listener question: Has your view of Brent Venables changed? 42:48 — Brady Trantham joins the show to talk SEC Media Days 48:49 — Brent Venables’ confidence in OU’s tight end room 01:03:36 — Greg Sankey, OU hate watching, and what a SEC breakaway looks like   01:06:33 — The case for a 35-to-45 team highest level of college football 01:13:03 — Bedlam, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and the future “big boy table” 01:15:31 — Is college football trying to grow like the NFL or NBA? 01:17:48 — Why the Big 12 did not make Oklahoma better for the playoff 01:25:04 — Mid-majors, expensive football and who belongs in a playoff 01:28:55 — Could some programs eventually stop playing major football? 01:33:26 — OU’s Big 12 years, playoff failures and defensive depth issues 01:38:06 — Why beating bad Big 12 teams became an unhealthy fan experience 01:42:04 — Why a softer league can hide flaws 01:43:47 — SEC Preseason Poll and no defensive players on First Team All-SEC Subscribe to the West of Everest YouTube channel Follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and please leave a five-star rating and review if you enjoy the podcast. Follow West of Everest on X, Instagram and Facebook.

  6. Jul 20

    Ep. 425 - OU Football Breakouts, Red Flags, and SEC Predictions

    Ep. 425 - OU Football Breakouts, Red Flags, and SEC Predictions Lee and Grant open with a look at OU’s second-year players heading into the 2026 season. Which young Sooners will contribute, and which players will disappoint? Lee and Grant also discuss Oklahoma’s SEC Media Days representatives — John Mateer, Eddie Pierre-Louis and Taylor Wein — and whether there is any real meaning behind who Brent Venables chose to bring to Tampa. Then the guys finish their SEC team-by-team predictions ahead of SEC Media Days. This episode covers Florida, Alabama, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Mississippi State, LSU and Texas. The show closes with Lee and Grant unveiling their full predicted SEC order of finish, SEC Championship Game picks and SEC champion predictions. Chapters/Timecodes 00:00 — Welcome. Lee’s sunburn advice 02:15 — Which second-year Sooners could contribute in 2026? 06:32 — Lee picks Darius Afalava as a possible offensive contributor 09:15 — Why Oklahoma’s offensive high school recruiting track record is concerning   12:24 — Omarion Robinson and Trent Wilson as obvious defensive breakout options 17:36 — Marcus James, high school recruiting and the modern transfer portal era 22:02 — Nigel Smith and whether 2026 is his make-or-break year 24:51 — Lee picks Elijah Thomas as a possible offensive non-factor 27:03 — Grant’s concerns about Emmett Jones and wide receiver development 30:45 — J.J. Hester’s strange Kentucky stat line 33:47 — John Mateer, Eddie Pierre-Louis and Taylor Wein heading to Tampa 41:54 — The Athletic’s All-SEC team and Kip Lewis being left off 43:17 — Lee’s Florida breakdown: John Sumrall, Buster Faulkner, Aaron Philo and Jadan Baugh 45:35 — Grant agrees on Florida going 7-5 47:18 — Florida’s skill talent and offensive line concerns 48:43 — Could Florida have the worst quarterback situation in the SEC? 51:25 — Grant predicts Alabama at 9-3 55:36 — Could Kalen DeBoer struggle with the Alabama culture fit? 56:32 — Ole Miss prediction. Crossfire here. 01:02:15 — Texas A&M prediction 01:02:54 — Grant’s hesitation with the Aggies and Marcel Reed 01:07:34 — Arkansas prediction 01:09:16 — Mississippi State prediction 01:11:40 — LSU prediction. Grant’s skeptical, but still high on LSU. 01:14:54 — Lee predicts LSU at 11-1 01:17:40 — Lee’s hopefully wrong Texas prediction 01:20:09 — Texas red flags: offensive line, Arch Manning and portal questions 01:22:47 — Full SEC predicted order of finish 01:23:34 — Grant’s Oklahoma prediction in the SEC standings 01:24:21 — Georgia as the default SEC champion pick, Lee’s surprise teams 01:26:39 — Most confident and least confident SEC predictions 01:27:54 — Grant’s Oklahoma uncertainty: SEC champion or 6-6? 01:28:50 — Bonus World Cup and soccer talk 01:31:59 — Why the U.S. still lags behind elite soccer countries 01:35:43 — Soccer popularity, money and American sports culture Follow West of Everest Subscribe to the West of Everest YouTube channel for full episodes, clips and Shorts. Follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and please leave a five-star rating and review if you enjoy the podcast. Follow West of Everest on X, Instagram and Facebook. #OklahomaFootball #OUFootball #Sooners #CollegeFootball #SECfootball #SECMediaDays #WestOfEverest

  7. Jul 12

    Ep. 424 - The Weird 2025 OU Defense Stat You Probably Forgot About

    Lee and Grant open the show by digging into OU’s strange takeaway numbers from last year and talk about why 2025 was a major outlier in Brent Venables' career. The guys also discuss Parker Thune’s observation about Oklahoma’s projected defensive starters being almost entirely recruited and developed by OU, and what that says about the defensive staff under Venables. Later, the guys make predictions for half of the SEC, including Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Auburn, South Carolina, Georgia, Vanderbilt and OU. Chapters/Timecodes 00:00 — Opening Take -- Oklahoma’s bizarre 2025 takeaway numbers 05:04 — Revisiting the takeaway discussion from Through the Keyhole 14:23 — What would be a satisfying takeaway total for Oklahoma in 2026? 17:32 — Parker Thune’s tweet about OU’s projected defensive starters 21:26 — Why OU’s defensive trajectory under Venables still has room to grow 27:16 — Running back development concerns and offensive staff questions 30:17 — Brent Venables vs. Lincoln Riley: defensive head coach vs. offensive head coach 32:05 — What OU needs to show against UTEP in the season opener 38:26 — SEC Media Days setup and preseason prediction format 42:37 — Kentucky season prediction 51:57 — Tennessee season prediction 54:02 — Lee’s concern about Tennessee and a possible late-season collapse 58:18 — Missouri season prediction 01:03:27 — Auburn season prediction 01:07:34 — South Carolina season prediction 01:10:16 — Grant predicts trouble for South Carolina 01:11:20 — Georgia season prediction 01:14:37 — Vanderbilt season prediction is a crossfire 01:17:48 — Oklahoma season prediction (we reserve the right to change this) 01:26:34 — Big 12 media days and conference realignment discussion 01:29:33 — SEC vs. Big Ten, ESPN/FPI criticism and media narratives 01:34:08 — How to compare SEC and Big Ten depth Follow West of Everest Subscribe to the West of Everest YouTube channel for full episodes, clips and Shorts. Follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and please leave a five-star rating and review if you enjoy the podcast. Follow West of Everest on X, Instagram and Facebook. #sooners #oklahomafootball #oufootball #sec #secfootball #collegefootball #cfb #georgiafootball #kentuckyfootball #vanderbiltfootball

  8. Jul 6

    Ep. 423 - EVERYONE is Talking About John Mateer

    John Mateer has been the talk of the college football world for the last 6-9 days. Lee and Grant discuss Mateer’s viral offseason moments and the recent reports about his thumb injury, throwing motion, mechanics, and offseason work to become a better passer.  Plus the guys talk about OU moving its 2026 season opener against UTEP to Friday night, the NCAA’s proposed five-year eligibility model, and a few corrections from last week’s episode! We save some World Cup talk for the end if that interests you. Chapters/Timecodes 00:00 — Opening Take -- John Mateer’s big week: viral squat video, Manning Passing Academy and throwing mechanics 06:16 — Show correction: 31 personnel vs. 13 personnel 07:19 — Lee and Grant reintroduce themselves to new YouTube viewers 10:07 — West of Everest’s role in the OU football podcast ecosystem 12:29 — Grant’s reaction to all the John Mateer offseason attention 14:52 — Mateer’s viral front squat video and Manning Passing Academy look 19:50 — Breaking down Mateer’s throwing motion and release 20:08 — Why Mateer still looks like a natural three-quarter arm passer 21:15 — Comparing pre-injury and post-injury Mateer 24:01 — Watching Mateer’s Oklahoma debut against Illinois State 24:45 — Mateer’s arm angle, release style and natural throwing motion 25:03 — Mateer’s arm strength and the Josh Allen comparison 25:49 — Why changing quarterback mechanics takes time and thousands of reps 28:15 — Evaluating recent Manning Passing Academy clips 31:09 — Reviewing more Mateer throws from Manning Passing Academy 36:41 — Oklahoma’s 2026 season opener against UTEP moves to Friday night 37:02 — Roger Denny’s statement on the Friday night opener 37:51 — Why the Friday opener gives OU an extra day before Michigan 41:04 — Looking back at OU’s previous Friday night opener against Temple 41:20 — Why West of Everest sounded the alarm early on the 2024 OU offense 43:25 — Comparing the Temple opener to Mateer’s Illinois State debut 44:33 — What elite Oklahoma offenses used to look like against overmatched opponents 45:58 — NCAA’s proposed five-year eligibility model 47:06 — How the new age-based eligibility clock would work 48:33 — Why the proposed model could change redshirts and record books 52:52 — Can the NCAA actually enforce new eligibility rules after recent lawsuits? 54:02 — Collective bargaining, unions and the future of college athlete rules 57:02 — Show corrections segment begins 57:52 — Revisiting the Kip Lewis linebacker discussion 01:00:00 — Curtis Lofton correction: best OU linebacker since Rufus Alexander? 01:01:16 — Minnesota football and paying players in the 1980s 01:04:29 — Happy Fourth of July and World Cup talk 01:04:48 — Why the USMNT in the World Cup still feels like a big deal 01:06:02 — Folarin Balogun, red cards and FIFA decision-making 01:10:19 — Soccer replay debate: slow motion, red cards and rule interpretation 01:13:01 — Comparing replay in soccer to replay in football 01:16:17 — Should red cards punish intent, danger or outcome? 01:22:41 — What soccer might look like with a few rule tweaks 01:25:19 — Closing thoughts and where to follow West of Everest Follow West of Everest Subscribe to the West of Everest YouTube channel for full episodes, clips and Shorts. Follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and please leave a five-star rating and review if you enjoy the podcast. Follow West of Everest on X, Instagram and Facebook. #OklahomaFootball #OUFootball #Sooners #JohnMateer #CollegeFootball #WestOfEverest

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About

West of Everest is for the OU Football sickos, of which there are many. The show was launched in August 2017 by Lee & Grant Benson. The brothers strive to bring you authentic, thoughtful, and nuanced opinions on OU Football & the world of college football. Lee Benson is a former sports anchor/reporter who covered the Sooners for six years from 2016-2022. Grant Benson is a massive OU fan who's passion for the Sooners knows no bounds.

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