Hail Mary: Recent Episodes
Dan & Sam
We welcome Will Matthews to the podcast. Before playing professionally in the NFL for the Detroit Lions, he played for the Texas Longhorns between 2001-2004. We speak with Will about his transition from college football to the highest professional level and his personal story of becoming a pro player even though he went undrafted at first. Will also shares his thoughts about the challenges after ending a NFL career and building a "normal" life away from the spotlight. He tells us how he built up his second career away from football and how it felt at the beginning to not be in the spotlight anymore. Last, but not least, we talk with Will about how football is becoming a lucrative business for college students earlier and earlier in their career and which educational elements are missing to ensure the long term success of athletes.
This episode Sam & Dan are sharing some basics about how the offense is run in football. If you want to understand the basics and start differentiating run and pass plays - this episode is for you.
Find out what the "Shotgun" and "Pistol" Formation and how to spot it before each snap of the football.
This week, we are partcilularly excited to welcome our first college player to the podcast. David Ash is the former QB of the Texas Longhorns and shares with us how a "small town boy" ended up at one of the most prestigious football programs in the country and his ways to handle the pressure from playing in front of 100k fans. Also, he talks about how he handled academia next to playing football and his coolest memories on the pitch (Spoiler: Check out two of his most memorable plays: 1. QB draw with jump against Oregon St and 2, 4th-and-6 at OSU).
In case you are new to college football and still in search for a team to support: David provides great reasons why being a Texas Longhorns fan is a great idea - Hook'em Horns!
Coaches and quarterbacks occupy college football's two highest pedestals, and they're inextricably linked, perhaps now more than ever through the carousel and the transfer portal. Dan & Sam discuss the "biggest moves" in the offseason since there was a total of 30 coaches and even 67 quaterbacks who changed jobs this offseason. Find out which college really benefited!
Dan & Sam welcome their first guest to the podcast. They are joined by Michael who is from Athens, Georgia where one of the largest and most prominent football programs in the the US is at home - The Goergia Bulldogs. Even he grew up going to every football game, he shares how he fell out of love with college football for a while before finding the love for it again later on in life. If you ever wonder how it is to go to every single football game during your chilhood tune in. Thanks for being on the podcast, Michael!
The NFL Draft took place in Las Vegas, NV from Arpil 28th-30th. After explaning the logic and idea behind the NFL Draft in Episode 8, Sam & Dan jump into the analysis and after-math of the real thing. Find out which colleges will send most players into the NFL, which positions (Offense, Defense) were particularly popular during this draft and who their favorite drafted player is. Spoiler alert: The sawg & style of Dan's pick already justifies listening to this episode ;)
In football it is all about the team. However, there is one individual trophy that goes to the most inspiring, outstanding, difference-making player in the entire football season: The Heisman Trophy. It is not only a very prestigious award but has also been heavly commercialized. Dan and Sam try to reveal the myths behind the trophy (e.g. is there a house for the winners), shed light from which college the player mostly came and who their favorite winner ever is.
Excited to dive into this Episode with you guys - keep the questions coming!
In case you have not fallen in love with a College Footbal Team just yet, this episode helps you to do so. Especially, for Europeans who do not have a tight affiliation with an American University it can sometimes be difficult to select the team you are going to root for for the rest of your life
This Episode Dan & Sam speak about the NFL draft - the interlink between the collegiate level and the NFL that most players go through to fulfill their dream of professional football. The cover all the basics such as rules, rounds and eligibility but on top share some fun facts like "Who is Mr. Irrelevant" or "What does the first pick in the draft earn". For everyone who is hooked: This year's NFL Draft takes place in Las Vegas and starts the 28th of April. Also, don't worry if you miss the first day - it is a three day event that only stops after over 250 picks.
Get your bratwursts, burgers and drinks out - this episode Dan and Sam "serve" you all you need to know about the wonderful tradition of tailgaiting. Each year, between 25-50 million Americans meet, eat, mingle and celebrate in stadium parking lot. They share with you when it all started, where you can find the best tailgates and how we can bring this wonderful tradition over to Europe. Their goal is to have everyone ready to tailgate by the time the first NHL game is hosted in Munich in the 2022/23 season. Prost!
This time Dan and Sam take you through the NCAA College Football Conference setup. They highlight the most popular out of the 10 conferences (+ Independents) with their 130 teams total. Dan shares how he likes to think about the US map in terms of colleges and conferences. As a start for every aspiring college football fan, they focus on the so-called Power 5 conferences and their most popular teams. While Dan and Sam both agree that the SEC (Southeastern Conference) holds the strongest teams, they do not agree on which conference they both like to follow predominantly. Find out which conferences and teams attract their attention.
Also: Questions & Feedback welcome :)
This week, Dan & Sam reflect on the massive impact college sports have on the university system. While Dan still feels he missed out during his undergraduate studies not being in the US, Sam shares who it feels to sit next to a "college football superstar" in class. Also, they shed some light on the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) that is responsible for rules, schedules and marketing. Lastly, they talk about the many NCAA divisions and how to not get confused ;).
This week, Dan & Sam bring you the 11 positions on eah side of the field. While Dan covers offense, Sam explains the (many times) underappreciated defense. In the end they also share which position on the field the would want to play if they were every drafted ;).
Also, stay tuned for next weeks episode: The connectiom between US colleges and the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association).
This is the start of our mini series in which we want to cover the most important topis of the game - from rules, over tactics to tailgaitig and college traditions. In this episode we focus on the basics and foundations of the game: the field, the rules and how to win!
If you are already a football expert you could skip this episode... but then you would miss out on all the fun and pun(t)s.
In the 2nd Episode Dan & Sam discuss the 34:11 blow out of Michigan in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl on the 31st of 2021. While we both expected a closer game, especially Sam is bumped about the performance of the Wolverines.
Next, we are excited to answer several questions from our audience that have reached us around the Hail Marries, the importance of the NFL draft and a few more.
Lastly, we present you the "Game Plan" of Hail Mary for the next months aka "Offseason" where we plan to take you on a journey through different areas and parts of college football.
Thanks for tuning in!
Dan & Sam welcome you to the 1st episode of their college football podcast Hail Mary. While the importance and cultural meaning of college football was pretty much put in the cradle for the Sam as an American, Dan never heard of it in Germany before stumbling into his first game... now he is hooked but left with sooo many questions that require Sam's expertise.
Find out where their love for the game came from, who their favorite teams are and what to expect from the Podcast.