Richard and Alex preview Conference USA, as the league adds Delaware and Missouri State. In this episode:

* Liberty remains the favorite, even with a downgrade at QB

* Sam Houston is primed for regression after 10 wins and a coaching change

* WKU goes back to a strategy that has worked time and again: portaling an entire offense from a lower-level program

* UTEP might have a bit of juice under Scotty Walden

* Jacksonville State slams the reset button after winning the league and seeing Rich Rodriguez return to West Virginia

* FIU has … reason for optimism?

* Missouri State is making an ambitious play by jumping to FBS, and we aren’t sure it will work out well—at least not in the win column

* Delaware looks poised for a smoother transition

* Kennesaw State will be much more interesting, but still not good

* Middle Tennessee is hunting for reasons for optimism

* Louisiana Tech’s coach looks to forestall what might be inevitable

* New Mexico State makes changes after a turbulent offseason

Producer: Anthony Vito

Dan Casey, coach and founder of the Play Caller’s Club, joins Richard to discuss the Xs and Os trends that are percolating across college football ahead of the 2025 season. Weird alignments, formations into the boundary, running backs out of the backfield, and the use of two-QB systems so that teams don’t have to leave NIL dollars sitting on the bench. Plus, a defensive response led by the Michigan-Ravens tree and a comeback of a Tampa Buccaneers classic.

This episode is for paid subscribers, with a free preview available to all. This is a great time to become a paid subscriber.

Producer: Anthony Vito

Listen to Alex’s extended-cut interview with Miami University play-by-play announcer Steve Baker, for Split Zone Duo subscribers. Listen to the full “Dead Letters” episode about Miami and the Cradle of Coaches here.