Gene Chizik with North Carolina in 2015 (Photo Courtesy: @Dr_B_Alexander/Twitter)
THIS IS EPISODE 198 OF THE SPORTS SPECTRUM PODCAST
PART ONE
For 28 years, Gene Chizik coached college football. He began his career at Clemson and after stints with Middle Tennessee, Stephen F. Austin, Central Florida, Auburn and Texas, he got his first shot as a head coach with Iowa State in 2007. Two years later, he became the head coach of the Auburn Tigers, and in 2010, reached the pinnacle of college football, winning the BCS National Championship, defeating Oregon 22-19.
Chizik spent four seasons with the Tigers before his time ended in 2012. In 2015, he returned to coaching as the defensive coordinator of the North Carolina Tar Heels for two seasons. In 2016, he was named an analyst for ESPN and the SEC Network, where he remains today.
In Part 1 of our podcast, Coach Chizik shares about broadcasting, parenting, his coaching journey, and where his faith in Christ was rooted.
THIS IS EPISODE 199 OF THE SPORTS SPECTRUM PODCAST
PART TWO
In Part 2 of our podcast, Chizik shares what it was like to win a national championship, what it was like to coach Cam Newton, the rivalry with Alabama that is the Iron Bowl, what that coaching grind is like, and whether he wants to coach again.
Trusting God in times of uncertainty can be difficult. Certain situations can leave us feeling like we are literally “drowning”. Here’s the great news. Our Lifeguard walks on Water!! 🙏🏻🙏🏻#Sundayencouragement#Faith
Las Vegas Raiders QB Kirk Cousins, May 28, 2026. (AP Photo/John Locher)
It’s that time of year again. The 2026-27 NFL season is nearly upon us, as all teams who have yet to open training camp do so Tuesday.
One of those teams is the Las Vegas Raiders, whose rookies reported to camp Thursday and will be joined by the veterans Tuesday. NFL storylines are already abounding during this preseason, as they always do, yet perhaps none will be as intriguing as what will unfold in the Raiders’ quarterback room.
Las Vegas signed soon-to-be 38-year-old four-time Pro Bowler Kirk Cousins in early April. Then, a couple weeks later, the Raiders added rookie QB Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, a player who dominated his way to a national championship and a Heisman Trophy with the Indiana Hoosiers. In addition to Cousins and Mendoza, the Raiders retain QB Aidan O’Connell, who started 17 games for the franchise in 2023-24 and 2024-25.
Although many No. 1 overall draft picks start for their teams right away, first-year Las Vegas coach Klint Kubiak has stated that he prefers for a rookie QB to begin his career behind a veteran, learning from him and easing into pro football. But, of course, the Raiders’ starting QB will ultimately be determined by the competition on the field.
“Everybody in the quarterback room is a top-tier quarterback,” Mendoza said last week via the Raiders’ team website, “and it’s going to be competing with each other, not competing against each other. … Competing with each other [is] pushing each other to be the best quarterback we can possibly be for the Las Vegas Raiders, and to enable [us] to then win as many games as possible.”
Cousins and Mendoza already appear to be building a strong relationship, even coming together in hilarious fashion to help the Raiders announce their 2026 schedule. And one factor that could help bring all three Raiders quarterbacks together and foster healthy and mutually beneficial competition is the fact that Cousins, Mendoza and O’Connell are all professing followers of Jesus. They can truly seek the flourishing of others, knowing Christ died for them all.
Cousins — a decade older than O’Connell and 15 years older than Mendoza — has an opportunity to provide tremendous spiritual leadership for his protégées in the black and silver, in addition to all he can teach them on a football field. Cousins has been forthcoming about his faith in Christ throughout his time in the NFL. He’s appeared on the Sports Spectrum Podcast multiple times, most recently last month when he spoke about faith, fatherhood and his decision to join the Raiders.
“It’s helped to recognize Who owns my football career,” Cousins said on the podcast, “and I use the word ‘my’ loosely. Once I’ve come to the realization that I’m a steward and it’s my job to steward this football career and this football journey — which means that I need to give great effort, I need to prepare well, I need to lead well, I need to build relationships, there’s plenty for me to do as a steward. But it also frees you up to not stress about things. … The first thing to do in being a steward is to surrender.”
He continued later, “Wherever you end up playing, you are sent by God, and He has a purpose for you being there.”
“There’s the intentional portion of prayer that’s very much maybe carving out time in the morning or in the evening to do that, maybe it’s with other people, not just with yourself,” Cousins said on the podcast. “Then there’s also the prayer that is just an ongoing walk and relationship and conversation with Jesus all throughout your day. I don’t think it’s one or the other.”
This year’s rejuvenated Raiders will seek to record a winning season for the first time since 2021-22 and earn a playoff victory for the first time since 2002-03. That path begins with a Week 1 matchup against the Miami Dolphins at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium.
And whether Cousins trots out of the tunnel that day as the starter or as a backup, he will be certain that God is at work for his good and for the glory of Jesus Christ.
THIS IS THE SPORTS SPECTRUM PODCAST HOSTED BY JASON ROMANO, FEATURING CORI CLOSE
Cori Close is the head coach for the UCLA women’s basketball team. In her 15 seasons at UCLA, she has 358 career wins, back-to-back Final Four appearances, and her first national championship in 2026.
Today on the podcast, Cori Close joins Jason Romano to share about her experience leading UCLA to the women’s national championship, clinging to Christ during this past season, what it means to abide in Jesus, loving her players well, and the Gospel impact she wants to make with the platform she has.
Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop was at SEC Media Days in Tampa, Florida, this week to answer questions about the upcoming season, and he did plenty of that. The 2025 second-team All-SEC selection is expected to be a major contributor for a Volunteers team looking to get back to the College Football Playoff after missing it last season.
But that didn’t stop him from using the opportunity to talk openly about his faith in Christ as well.
“First and foremost, before we begin, I want to give all glory to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” Bishop said Monday in his opening statement during his press conference. “I can pretend like this day is about me, but it’s really about Him. Ultimately, I would not be up here without Him, and He’s been the difference in my life. I encourage anyone out there, if you’re seeking a relationship with Him, go get it, because it does make the difference in everything you do. So all glory to Him.”
Bishop ran for 1,076 yards with 16 touchdowns last season, which were good for fourth and second in the conference, respectively. Tennessee finished 8-5 and lost 30-28 to Illinois in the Music City Bowl, where he ran for 96 yards and two touchdowns.
In Monday’s press conference, a reporter later asked what led to his success last season, and once again he turned to his faith.
“First of all, my Lord and Savior, obviously, giving me the ability to do what I do and just giving me the work ethic that I have,” Bishop said. “I came up from a lot of tribs and trials just to get to the spot I am now. So I’ve got to give the glory to Him.
“And also my offensive line. I tell this all the time, ‘I’m only as good as them.’ So those dudes pave the way for me and we are returning a bunch of stars this year and a lot of the dudes from the transfer portal. I believe that will be a big contributor to my success as well.”
Later, Bishop did a one-on-one interview with SEC Network, and was asked about the importance of his faith.
“I wouldn’t be here without it,” he said. “My Lord and Savior has treated me very good — more than I honestly deserve. I don’t really deserve to be in front of y’all, but by His grace and salvation He saved me from a really dark place, a path of destruction that I was on. It was leading me down to a place I don’t need to be.
“When God swooped in and saved my life, it came with all this that I’ve received now, so all glory to Him. If you are out there and don’t know much about Him, I encourage you to at least try to find a relationship with Him because it will change your life for the better.”
Don’t be fooled by Bishop’s calm and humble demeanor, though. When he gets the ball, his goal is “to punish people.”
“I have the mindset of not getting tackled and just fighting for as much yards as I can every time I touch the ball, just utilizing every carry I get because it could be limited,” he said in his press conference.
Bishop has relied on that approach ever since he starred at Karns High School in Knoxville, Tennessee. And he’s also carried a bit of a chip on his shoulder since then. Despite rushing for 8,347 yards and 102 touchdowns over the course of his high school career — which ranked second and third all-time in Tennessee high school football history, respectively — his only scholarship offers were from Coastal Carolina and Appalachian State. Tennessee came in at the last minute offering a walk-on spot. Despite being “really irritated” at the time that it was just a walk-on offer, he took the offer and bet on himself.
After redshirting his freshman year, he served as a backup the following season, and tallied 455 yards on the ground and three touchdowns. He topped 1,000 yards for the first time in his college career last season and has his sights set on even bigger numbers this year as he enters his redshirt junior season. He’s also getting NFL Draft buzz. The Athletic ranked him No. 8 in its list of top 15 draft-eligible underclassmen.
Having to earn his scholarship the way he did has made him into the player he is now and he chalks it all up to “God’s plan.”
“All glory to God, man,” Bishop said during his press conference. “It’s truly remarkable. Not many people would think of a walk-on from Karns would probably ever reach 1,000 yards. I came into a class where if anybody thought [someone] was supposed to transfer, man, it was probably supposed to be me.
“And just all the hard work has paid off. And it feels like I haven’t even scratched the surface, honestly, of what I’m capable of. So I’m just continuing to just praise Him. Obviously He’s telling me to get back to work because there’s a lot of work to be done this season.”
Bishop wasn’t picked for any preseason SEC awards, likely because he’s in a conference with two of the best running backs in the country — Kewan Lacy of Ole Miss and Ahmad Hardy of Missouri, who were chosen ahead of him. Lacy ranks No. 1 and Hardy is No. 3 on The Athletic’s list of draft-eligible underclassmen.
Bishop’s pro future will work itself out in due time, but for now, he’s focused on making an impact in his locker room and community. This past weekend, he hosted a football camp at Karns, where faith once again took center stage. Campers wore shirts that read, “A little bit of faith. And a little bit of hard work.”
“A lot of people out here are big believers in the Lord, and I believe that’s what you’ve got to have in your life,” Bishop told the Knoxville News Sentinel. “You’ve got to be grounded in your faith. There’s a lot of things you look for to try to satisfy you in this life, but only one thing can, and that’s your Lord and Savior.”
Tennessee opens the 2026 season Sept. 5 at home against Furman.
THIS IS THE SPORTS SPECTRUM PODCAST HOSTED BY MATT FORTE, FEATURING RYAN KERRIGAN
Ryan Kerrigan played 11 seasons in the NFL with the Washington Redskins (2011-2020) and the Philadelphia Eagles (2021). He earned four Pro Bowl selections and is the Washington franchise leader in career sacks with 95.5.
Today on the podcast, Matt Forte talks to Ryan Kerrigan about their battles between Chicago and Washington, how Ryan has seen faith guide his life, what his 2011 NFL Draft day was like, how fatherhood and marriage have shaped him, and what it was like scoring a touchdown in his very first NFL game.
