In this college football podcast episode, we briefly step out of preview mode for a college football news reset. While we were working through the ACC and Big 12, the rest of the sport kept moving, beginning with another strange development at North Carolina. We discuss Mike Lombardi’s reported leave of absence, what it adds to the growing collection of Bill Belichick-era drama in Chapel Hill, and why Tar Heels fans did not exactly greet the news with despair.

Then we dig through the most memorable moments from SEC, ACC and Big 12 Media Days. Lane Kiffin contemplates mortality, Jon Sumrall brings an unmistakable level of intensity to Florida, Pat Narduzzi makes another bold conference comparison, and several SEC coaches begin building the case for nine-win College Football Playoff teams. We also consider Greg Sankey’s acknowledgment that conversations about an SEC and Big Ten breakaway are real, even if nobody is quite ready to explain where those conversations might lead.

Finally, with fall camps opening around the country, we look at the quarterback competitions worth tracking. What could a freshman starter mean for Tennessee? Is Alabama’s apparent favorite ready to take control? Which uncertain situations at Arkansas, Iowa and elsewhere could reshape an entire season? We also ask how many of these competitions are truly open and how many are exercises in keeping quarterbacks engaged during the transfer portal era.

Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
3:55 - Mike Lombardi on leave at UNC
9:40 - Favorite Quotes from Media Days
31:29 - QB Battles of Interest