This week, Josh Pate conducted a pre-recorded interview with former President Donald Trump on his College Football Show. Initially promising a conversation free of political discussions, the dialogue quickly meandered beyond the realm of football in a brisk 10-minute exchange.
Pate began by asking Trump about the current state of college football, specifically its governance and rules. Trump expressed discontent, stating, “It”s too bad. I hate to see it,” but then shifted his focus to recent changes in NFL kickoff rules, failing to directly address college football”s structure.
When questioned about how he decides which games to attend, Trump named teams he favors, including Georgia and South Carolina. He also praised quarterback Gunner Stockton, present during the interview. However, he sidestepped Pate”s inquiry about his player evaluation criteria.
In response to a query about a recent golf outing with Nick Saban and Urban Meyer, Trump claimed their discussions are “always” political, contradicting Meyer”s earlier assertion that they discussed football during their time together.
Pate then shifted the conversation to Trump”s hiring practices. After briefly mentioning Miami and Indiana”s Curt Cignetti, Trump elaborated on his hiring philosophy, emphasizing the importance of instinct in decision-making.
When asked about lessons from his first presidential term that he would apply to a potential second term, Trump reiterated his focus on instincts. He also took a moment to commend Herschel Walker, referring to him as “maybe the greatest player ever.”
The conversation also touched on the moment Trump realized he was president, leading him to reflect on the Lincoln Bedroom rather than any football-related experiences. The final question addressed how he separates personal issues from business, which led to a general discussion that barely grazed the topic of sports.
Due to a scheduling conflict, what was intended to be a 30 to 40-minute interview was significantly shortened. While the dialogue included minimal political commentary, it arguably contained very little substantial discussion about college football.
As the interview concluded, there was notable public interest, particularly surrounding Trump”s comments and the missed opportunity for deeper football analysis.
