Kendrick Haskins Jake Silva interview on Notre Dame and Miami

The Kendrick Haskins Jake Silva interview turned from the Top 25 to the decisions shaping college football. Haskins leans toward Notre Dame over Miami, thinks Mike Norvell is probably in his last season at Florida State and says a 24-team playoff would be too large. He also made the case for Wake Forest and explained why SMU’s turnovers worry him.

What did Kendrick Haskins say about the SEC and ACC’s Top 25 teams?

Kendrick Haskins thinks Alabama has reasserted itself, Wake Forest merits a Top 25 place and SMU’s turnovers could keep it out of the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game. He also questioned how far Pittsburgh could go after losing its quarterback. To him, the rankings reflect both strong play and uncertainty about what those teams can sustain.

Alabama and the changing polls

Haskins said Alabama looked all the way back, with its quarterback improving every game. He pointed to Missouri’s performance against Florida and the movement involving Kentucky and South Carolina as examples of how difficult the polls had become to sort out. The Southeastern Conference, in his view, was answering the attention the Big Ten Conference had received.

Pittsburgh’s quarterback and SMU’s turnovers

Pittsburgh had earned consideration while undefeated, Haskins said, but its quarterback’s absence changed its game plan. He thought voters could place Pittsburgh at No. 25 early and see how it responded; after a loss, he did not expect it back in the Top 25 that season.

SMU presented a different problem. Haskins identified interceptions and fumbles, particularly from Kevin Jennings, as the recurring issue and said turnovers cost SMU against Louisville. Because they had continued even in wins, he expected another loss or two and doubted SMU would reach the ACC championship game.

Wake Forest’s offense and defense

Haskins had been arguing for Wake Forest’s ranking through much of the season. He praised quarterback Gio Lopez and Carlos Hernandez, then noted that the defense had become steadier. He cited a close game with Miami, a win at Louisville and improved defensive showings against Stanford and NC State as reasons to take Wake Forest seriously.

What did Kendrick Haskins say about his favorite cookies?

Kendrick Haskins prefers chocolate chip cookies with milk, especially the cookies his mother makes from a Mrs. Fields recipe. She prepares dough balls for him each Christmas, he said, and he keeps them in the freezer so he can bake a few whenever he wants.

Silva had brought up Oreos and their different flavors, but Haskins’s choice was the homemade option. His mother’s method lets him take out only as many dough balls as he needs and put them straight in the oven. He said he does not know how she got the recipe.

Why does Kendrick Haskins lean toward Notre Dame over Miami?

Kendrick Haskins leans toward Notre Dame because he expects its BYU game to provide a demanding test before Miami. He thinks Miami has looked strong and has shown it can perform under pressure, but said its schedule might not prepare it in quite the same way for the matchup.

Notre Dame’s test against BYU

Haskins singled out BYU as meaningful competition for Notre Dame. On Miami’s side, he pointed to upcoming games against Florida State and Clemson, and said North Carolina could be a tricky game before Notre Dame. Pittsburgh without its quarterback would be another different kind of test.

Malachi Tony’s role in Miami’s offense

Silva raised a game in which Malachi Tony had been taken off the field. Haskins said Tony was knocked out of that game, rather than simply contained by a defensive blueprint. When Tony is available, Haskins sees him as a threat anywhere on the field.

That leaves a question about how Miami’s quarterback would distribute the ball if Tony could not play. Haskins said it is a hurdle the quarterback may eventually have to cross, though for now Miami can keep getting Tony the ball. His Notre Dame lean was an assessment made with the game still weeks away, not a dismissal of Miami.

What did Kendrick Haskins say about Florida State and Mike Norvell?

Kendrick Haskins thinks this is probably Mike Norvell’s last season at Florida State. He finds the program’s fall striking because he remembers it as a national championship contender before Jordan Travis was hurt. More recently, Haskins said, promising stretches have given way to mistakes that rapidly change games.

The Louisville turnaround

Haskins used Florida State’s game at Louisville to explain his concern. He said Florida State led 14–0 and had a chance to extend the lead, but Louisville made a goal-line stand and scored 35 unanswered points. Haskins identified Isaac Brown’s 97-yard touchdown run as another moment after which the game snowballed away from Florida State.

Utah, Tennessee and Oklahoma State in the rankings

When Silva turned to his Top 25, Haskins agreed with most of it but expressed doubt about Tennessee’s ability to maintain an early-season start. He thought a later game against Kentucky could matter, praising Kentucky’s offense while calling its defense a question mark.

Oklahoma State intrigued him because its coach had brought players from North Texas, a move Haskins compared with Curt Cignetti bringing people from James Madison. He also liked Utah’s place in the Big 12: its offense can stall, he said, but he expects its defense to show up every game.

What does Kendrick Haskins think about playoff expansion and transfers?

Kendrick Haskins opposes a 24-team college football playoff, arguing that only a handful of teams can realistically win the title in a given year. He supports limiting players to one transfer, with an exception when their coach leaves, and says the cost of coaching buyouts deserves more attention than player pay.

A 24-team playoff and bowl games

Haskins said a larger field would bring more lopsided games and require the season to start earlier, raising concerns about August heat in the South. He did see one benefit: making more bowl games part of the playoff would give them greater relevance. He mentioned the Pop-Tarts Bowl as one he would enjoy seeing included.

Transfer limits and coaching buyouts

On transfers, Haskins proposed one move during a player’s college career, plus an exception if the coach leaves. He questioned what it means for a player’s education to attend four schools in four years. At the same time, he distinguished a player seeking a chance to play from someone repeatedly moving for money.

Haskins put his central financial objection plainly:

what's breaking these college programs is these buyouts by the coaches.

He contrasted discussion of a cap on player compensation with the money schools owe departed coaches. Pointing to Louisville, he named Rick Pitino, Chris Mack and Kenny Payne as coaches the school had to pay off. In his view, those costs should not be overlooked while programs focus on what players receive.

What did Kendrick Haskins say about Louisville quarterback Keene Holson?

Kendrick Haskins sees Keene Holson as a talented dual-threat quarterback whose main adjustment is releasing the ball sooner. Holson had spent time on the bench before playing at Louisville, Haskins said, so he expects a learning curve. Even so, he has been impressed by Holson’s play and response to adversity.

Haskins pointed to the help around Holson, including backs Isaac Brown and Keyjuan Brown, receiver Trey Richardson and Florida State transfer Lewayne McCoy. He said Louisville’s tight ends could improve, but felt Holson already had plenty of weapons while he gained college playing experience.

The Ole Miss game won Haskins over. He said Louisville played poorly in the first half, then Holson came out ready to compete in the second. Louisville fell short, but Haskins admired the quarterback’s response and the confidence he showed.

What did Kendrick Haskins say about broadcast gear and Indiana football?

Kendrick Haskins said clear audio is essential to podcasting, and he values equipment that helps broadcasters look and sound better across social platforms. He then returned to college football, describing Indiana University’s rise under Curt Cignetti as remarkable given how long the program had struggled.

Audio and changing production tools

Haskins compared a sports podcast’s dependence on sound to radio’s. He credited his employer with keeping its technology current, recalling an Avid editing system that staff disliked for daily work and that the company replaced. As social media became more important to broadcasting, he welcomed tools that improved both sound and presentation.

Indiana under Curt Cignetti

Having covered Indiana, Haskins contrasted Cignetti’s entertaining press conferences with the difficulty he recalled in finding a usable soundbite from former coach Tom Allen. He said Indiana’s players reflected Cignetti’s personality when he spoke with them after their national championship.

Haskins also praised Charlie Becker’s size and speed, and recalled a late fourth-and-two play on which he saw several Indiana receivers open. To him, the play showed both the quality of the available options and the design that gave the quarterback a choice.