Spotlight: Final Verdict

There is always a winner and a loser in sports, such is the same for ESPNU’s Final Verdict. Airing Mondays at 4:30 p.m., host Dari Nowkhah listens to opposing arguments from college football analysts pleading their case.  Nowkhah and ESPN recruiting director, Tom Luginbill, weigh-in on what it takes to sway the nation.  

You’ve appeared in the Final Verdict court room regularly during its debut season, what is your favorite part of the show?
Tom: Researching the proof to make your point. There is a unique competitive angle to the show by pitting you against your fellow analyst. We are always looking for that one creative nugget to beat them.

Favorite argument?
Dari: This year, what team should be No. 1. We actually have three quality teams in college football that can be interchanged weekly, which makes the defendants jobs that much harder.

Tom: Is Andrew Luck or Kellen Moore more important to their team? By breaking down each team’s schedule I was able to prove that Boise State could actually navigate theirs better than Stanford.  Case Closed.

Toughest college football analyst to argue against?
Tom: (chuckling) Danny Kanell. He really prides himself on finding something obscure.

Dari: Tom Luginbill, and the reason is clear… He chooses the side that’s most obvious!  Kidding… He does so much research on his point that the opponent can’t keep up.  He also does so much research on the opponent’s point that he will find every potential pitfall.