Purple Theory

Parker and Grant are back to welcome in yet another new team to the Big 12. Gus Malzahn's UCF Knights promise to be one of the more intriguing teams in the conference in 2023. Topics include: -- Real-live comments from a coach! (At Big 12 Media Days, but still!) -- John Rhys Plumlee: Very Fast -- Running backs, height, and you: a study -- A bunch of mean dudes on the defensive line -- A bunch...

The Purple Theory Podcast goes green (and yellow) this week as Parker and Grant preview the 2023 Baylor Bears football season. Topics include: -- The Dave Aranda Experiment, and what success looks like -- The inverse cruelty of development cycles -- Shapen v. Robertson? Probably not, but still! -- A vast difference in the trenches -- Who will be the STAR of this defense? (see what we did there? Be...

Parker and Grant head west to Lubbock (well, metaphorically) to preview the Texas Tech Red Raider football team for 2023. Topics include: -- A farewell to Cormac McCarthy -- Mike Leach deserved better -- Tyler Shough: Heisman or no? -- Assorted tools at wideout -- A defense that will certainly do weird things - and most of the time, on purpose! We are proud to be part of the Republic of Football p...

It's time to welcome the BYU Cougars to the Big 12! Parker and Grant turn their attention to Provo, where Kelani Sitake and the boys will try to improve from a 7-5 campaign in 2022. Topics include: -- Is "aggression" enough of a defensive scheme? -- Can Kedon Slovis go back to 2019? -- Is "height" enough for a wide receiving corps? -- Can Parker and Grant find a path to a b...

Parker and Grant return to their old stomping grounds to break down the 2023 TCU football team. There's optimism! There's hope! There's a frankly terrifying estimation of the offensive and defensive lines! Topics include: -- Can you build an offense around Chandler Morris? -- Can Emani Bailey fill Emari Demercado's shoes? (A terrifying sentence) -- Who is going to play guard for TC...

Parker and Grant turn their critical eye to the Iowa State Cyclones. Despite their best efforts, optimism is tough to find. Topics include: -- Hunter Dekkers: Is he good? -- Skill positions, or lack thereof -- An offensive line that certainly exists -- What does Iowa State want to be on defense? The Purple Theory podcast is proud to be a part of the Republic of Football podcast network, brought to...

*Note for listeners: We're trying video for our previews this year. As such, the audio includes moments of "hey I think Grant's camera has shut off!" Please bear with us.* Preview season is here! Parker and Grant continue the tradition of talking more about the Kansas Jayhawks than any two men have the right to. Topics include: -- Quick Turnpike Troubadours analysis -- An explana...

Parker and Grant turn their watchful eyes to the professional ranks for a brief second to review the Big 12 players selected in the 2023 NFL Draft. Topics include: -- A frankly irresponsible take from someone who should know better -- New Turnpike Troubadours music -- What fans should expect from a player drafted in the fifth round -- Max Duggan got drafted and we're not going to shut up about...

Parker and Grant run through the data to find out which teams have a true homefield advantage in the new Big 12. Win/loss rates and spread performance are discussed. So are flight times and airport ratings. You guess which one of us did what. Topics include: -- Iowa State being bad on the road -- Texas Tech also being bad on the road, but at least in a fun way -- Nippert Stadium: the FORTRESS -- I...

Parker and Grant kick off their Big 12 team rankings with a tour through the head coaches. Topics include, but are not limited to: -- Horrendous vibes at Texas -- Positive vibes at Texas Tech -- Gus Malzahn's retirement dreams -- Matt Campbell's ceiling -- Dave Aranda Appreciation Hour Follow Parker on Twitter @statsowar and Grant @grantmcgalliard. Stay tuned for big news ahead!

Parker and Grant are delighted to be joined by Ryan Nanni of the Shutdown Fullcast for a special episode. Topics include: -- A nice thing about Max Duggan (old habits die hard) -- UCF, and what it possibly means -- Dana Holgorsen's return to the Big 12 -- BYU: welcome! Please do not bring knives -- Cincinnati's crisis of faith - The eldritch horrors within a potential Arizona State-Texas Tech home...

Parker and Grant launch the new and improved Purple Theory with an eye on the Big 12 at large. We welcome the four newcomers with a brief overview of each. Topics include: -- Grant's experience at the Turnpike Troubadours concert -- BYU's remarkable consistency -- Houston's wildly familiar faces -- Why Cincinnati is the worst positioned of the new four teams -- UCF: welcome to the thunderdome Foll...

Let's get right to it -- Parker and Grant give a brief tip of the hat to the national championship game before addressing TCU's hire of Kendal Briles as offensive coordinator. As this is a....touchy subject, we'd like to stress that all views expressed in this podcast are solely Parker's and Grant's. And, as you may have guessed by now from the title, we're taking a bit of a hiatus. It's been a ve...

Parker and Grant are joined by CBS Sports' Shehan Jeyarajah to discuss the TCU Horned Frogs' matchup against Georgia in the gosh-darn national championship game. Topics include: -- Shehan bragging about picking TCU to beat Michigan -- Stetson Bennett appreciation and also slander, somehow  -- Brock Bowers, haunter of dreams -- Jalen Carter, also a haunter of dreams -- The one slight weakness...

I mean, what more is there to say about TCU's 51-45 win over Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl? Turns out: There's a bunch! Parker and Grant discuss -- Vibes, which is mostly just us laughing for 10 minutes -- Plays of the game -- A massive and complete shoutout to the entire TCU defense -- Many jokes about the Joe Moore Award -- Parker describes the plot of a Pat Conroy novel -- All the expected stat b...

After breaking down Michigan's offense and defense in the past two episodes, Parker and Grant take a tour through Michigan's schedule and give their predictions on the Fiesta Bowl. A prize to the listener who notes where Grant's internet cuts out. Topics include: -- Parker blatantly watching Arkansas-Kansas and Grant giving him bad info -- A brief dunking on Baylor -- Michigan romping against real...

Parker and Grant break down the Michigan defense, among other things, including some Signing Day miscellany. Topics include: -- An appreciation of what Sonny Dykes has done with this class -- Jesse Minter, first year DC stud -- Why TCU's offensive line may be in a world of hurt -- What Garrett Riley can do to counter Michigan's defense Follow Parker on Twitter @statsowar and Grant @grantmcgalliard...

Parker and Grant banter for a bit before delving into the Michigan Wolverines offense in advance of the TCU-Michigan Fiesta Bowl. Topics include: -- Max Duggan going pro -- TCU in the transfer portal -- Grant offering a half-baked take about JJ McCarthy -- An appreciation of Michigan's offensive line Stay tuned for the preview of Michigan's defense, dropping Thursday morning. Follow Parker on Twit...

Parker and Grant take a journey through all Big 12 bowl games and a few others, playing a little game called "Tired, Wired, or Inspired?" Topics include: -- Transfer Portal News -- Remembering Mike Leach, a true visionary gone too soon -- Baylor's fun vacation up I-35 -- Why Oklahoma might be in for a world of hurt  -- The most dastardly bowl matchup possible Follow Parker on Twitter @statsow...

Parker and Grant hop on a quick call to discuss Max Duggan finishing second in the Heisman Trophy race, an achievement hardly anyone thought possible at the start of the year. Topics in this abbreviated episode include: -- Max Duggan Appreciation  -- A history of weird Heisman results -- Parker talks about Brock Purdy, NFL Superstar -- An examination of languages spoken in Nepal, for some rea...

Noted TCU essayist Matt Jennings joins the podcast to talk all things Horned Frog football. Topics include: -- Fun times reminiscing -- How Sonny Dykes has changed the culture of TCU football -- Appreciation of the unsold heroes this year -- Joe Gillespie appreciation -- Saying nice things about Heisman Candidate Max Duggan Follow Matt on Twitter @mattajennings, Parker @statsowar and Grant @grantm...

The Frogs came up short in the rematch with Kansas State. What did we learn? 

Parker turns in a a heroic Flu Game performance for this Big 12 title game preview as he and Grant take a second look at the Kansas State Wildcats. Topics include: -- A litany of TCU players receiving recognition, including noted Johnny Unitas Award winner Max Duggan -- Spotify Wrapped discussion -- Will Howard's value to K State --Listener predictions  Follow Parker on Twitter @statsowar and...

TCU finished its undefeated regular season with a thorough dismantling of the Iowa State Cyclones, and Grant and Parker are here to revel in the glory. Topics include: -- Iowa State still does not have a special teams coordinator -- The TCU defense playing as many guys as humanly possible -- Garrett Riley, playcaller extraordinaire  -- Max Duggan making Big Time Throws  -- A shoutout non...

Parker and Grant catch up for a bit before discussing TCU's upcoming matchup against Iowa State. Topics include: -- The best Thanksgiving side dish -- Iowa State's strange offense/defense dichotomy -- Hunter Dekkers: a gunslinger without weapons (excluding Xavier Hutchinson) -- A defense that is....fine? -- Listener projections Follow Parker on Twitter @statsowar and Grant @grantmcgalliard. Subscr...