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Forklift Systems Football Saturday

Forklift Systems Football Saturday

By: 104.5 The Zone
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Not many analysts in the midsouth have as much football expertise as Doug Mathews brings to the microphone every Saturday morning. It’s Forklift System’s Football Saturday on 104-5 The Zone. Mathews, best known for his 10 seasons as Running Backs Coach and Defensive Coordinator for the University of Tennessee, tells it like it is and lets you take show where you want to go every weekend. Forklift Systems Football Saturday covers all the big games across the nation, including all the action within the Southeastern Conference. It’s the perfect preview before you catch your favorite team play Saturday afternoon. Featuring long-time college football writer Tony Barnhart and NFL analyst Charles Davis.2026 104.5 The Zone Football (American)
Episodes
  • Forklift Systems Football Saturday 5-23-26
    May 23 2026

    Coach welcomes NFL game analyst Charles Davis to unpack the legal and collegiate fallout surrounding Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby and his recent gambling allegations. The duo juxtaposes the modern era of college sports—where universities and networks profit directly from gambling partnerships—against the strict bans historically placed on student-athletes. They map out Sorsby's expected legal defense strategy, which could heavily leverage the NCAA's own gambling revenue ties and a focus on mental health, while tackling the immense challenges this poses for administrators, potential court-ordered injunctions, and the way high-value NIL contracts are disrupting mid-contract transfers.

    The gridiron breakdown continues as college football writer Dennis Dodd joins the show to evaluate the bounce-back potential of former national championship programs. Coach and Dodd dive deep into the current trajectories of Lincoln Riley’s USC, Mike Norvell’s Florida State, and Dabo Swinney’s Clemson, weighing each program's unique recruiting triumphs and critical turn-around pressures. The conversation shifts into a rapid-fire analysis of the latest high-profile coaching carousel moves, assessing Matt Campbell’s transition to Penn State, James Franklin’s arrival at Virginia Tech, and Kyle Whittingham taking the reins at Michigan, alongside a snapshot of recent developments reshaping the Big 12.

    Dennis Dodd and Tony Barnhart team up with Coach on Football Saturday, opening with a reflection on Memorial Day weekend before shifting focus to the highly consequential SEC spring meetings in Destin. The panel breaks down whether these meetings will rival the historic 1991 expansion in long-term impact, especially if they chart a course toward a 24-team playoff system. Highlighting key insights on influential figures like Georgia President Jerry Morehead and SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, they examine Morehead's comments on SEC self-governance and potential breakaway from the NCAA. The episode closes with a breakdown of Sankey's methodical data-driven approach to a nine-game conference schedule, a look at Coach Ed Orgeron’s rumored return to the LSU sidelines, and breaking news regarding an active NCAA tampering investigation into Ole Miss stemming from a complaint by Clemson's Dabo Swinney against Pete Golding.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    1 hr and 59 mins
  • Coach talks to Charles Davis about Former College Quarterback Faces Strict Scrutiny Over Gambling Allegations
    May 23 2026

    Coach is joined by NFL game analyst and commentator Charles Davis to discuss the serious legal and collegiate implications surrounding Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton and his recent gambling allegations. The pair contrast the modern landscape of college athletics—where universities, professional leagues, and broadcast partners actively generate revenue from sports betting—with the historical strict prohibitions, penalties, and warnings players traditionally faced regarding gambling. They examine the quarterback's potential legal defense strategy, which reports indicate may focus on the NCAA’s own financial ties to the gambling industry and a defense related to mental health and gambling addiction, while exploring the complications this case presents for college athletic administrators, the possibility of a court-ordered injunction allowing him to play, and how the evolution of high-dollar NIL contracts complicates mid-contract transfers between schools.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    14 mins
  • Coach talks to Dennis Dodd on College Football Rebounds and High-Profile Coaching Carousel
    May 23 2026

    Coach is joined by college football writer Dennis Dodd to discuss several prominent football programs that have fallen from national championship status and their potential for a rebound. They evaluate the future of USC under Lincoln Riley, Florida State under Mike Norvell, and Clemson under Dabo Swinney. Dodd shares his perspective on the strengths and challenges facing each program, highlighting USC's strong recruiting class and Florida State's need for a turnaround season. The conversation then transitions to recent coaching changes, including Matt Campbell's move to Penn State, James Franklin's shift to Virginia Tech, and Kyle Whittingham's new role at Michigan. Dodd provides context on each coach's background, past successes, and expectations in their new positions, while also briefly touching upon recent developments within the Big 12 conference.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    19 mins
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