It’s now been two years since Rece Davis earnestly discussed Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe’s “LANK” motto.
And with College GameDay back in Pasadena as the Crimson Tide prepare to face Indiana in the Rose Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal on Thursday, the ESPN host paid homage to the viral clip.
Introducing a segment regarding the game, Davis noted that Indiana quarterbacks coach Chandler Whitmer has implemented a system he learned during his time in the NFL. That strategy includes ensuring that the quarterback is aware of his protection, intent, mechanics and problems ahead of each play — an acronym that’s easy to remember.
“P.I.M… problems,” Davis said with a knowing smirk. “Acronyms can be dangerous, as we learn at the Rose Bowl every now and then.”
The College GameDay host wasn’t done there.
“But just in case there are any naysayers about Fernando Mendoza or [Alabama quarterback] Ty Simpson, they should know this: quarterbackin’ ain’t easy,” he continued. “But they both can do it. Alabama believes they can do it after resurrecting themselves against Oklahoma.”
Two years later, Rece Davis made a callback to his infamous LANK clip while discussing the acronym that Indiana’s quarterbacks coach has implemented for Fernando Mendoza. https://t.co/gIwgmuNrPT pic.twitter.com/yClbMYwxLu
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 1, 2026
All throughout the clip, Davis’ GameDay co-hosts could be heard laughing along. Especially after he dropped the line about “naysayers,” a clear callback to the 2024 clip.
For those unfamiliar with the two-year-old clip, Davis was discussing Milroe’s “LANK” mantra, which he believed stood for “let a naysayer know.” But as he said it out loud, Pat McAfee reacted with visible shock, noting that the “N” in the acronym may not have actually stood for “naysayer.”
“That is not what I thought — boy, ‘Let a naysayer know?’” McAfee interjected.
“Let a naysayer know,” Davis confirmed sheepishly.
“Rece, you were too smooth with that,” Joey Galloway later added while laughing. “I thought it was going down.”
“Let a naysayer know. That’s what we thought the whole time,” McAfee said.
Rece Davis was discussing the meaning of Jalen Milroe’s LANK (Let A Naysayer Know) apparel.
The rest of the GameDay crew thought he was going somewhere else with it. pic.twitter.com/YfqKMgztD2
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 1, 2024
Give Davis credit: not only was he willing to poke fun at himself here, but he did so in a manner that was both humorous and creative. It’s also a safe bet that he won’t be sharing any other acronyms on-air without thoroughly vetting them first.
