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00:00:00 Hey, what's up Spartan Nation? Welcome to another episode of the Spartan Nation podcast here with your host Matt Lonsberry and my co-host Aiden Mulcrone
00:00:07 A little bit of a different show tonight
00:00:10 We're gonna
00:00:12 Try to make this more fan-led by you guys
00:00:15 And so we're gonna take a lot of questions from you guys answer as many as we can
00:00:19 But as we kind of let some people come in and get our viewership up a little bit here
00:00:25 We are gonna start with our own topic, which is reacting to a 24/7 sports podcast earlier today
00:00:32 That was put out on Twitter
00:00:35 talking about like where Michigan State's
00:00:38 fan base where their panic meter should be considering
00:00:41 The five and seven season last year and and where Michigan State as is that in recruiting right now?
00:00:48 I think they're number 48 on 24/7 team rankings
00:00:52 so we're gonna start with that talk and then go ahead and drop some questions in the
00:00:57 queue on the comments and
00:01:00 Eventually, we'll get to those and we'll open it up to those questions
00:01:04 So I guess Aiden you brought up this topic. So I'll let you kind of take the lead on it
00:01:09 can you kind of describe what was talked about in the podcast and
00:01:12 I guess their point of reference what they were talking about with this whole whole panic meter thing
00:01:17 Yeah, so
00:01:21 Yeah, so basically kind of it was the 24/7
00:01:25 Football recruiting podcast it was with
00:01:29 Andrew Andrew Irvin's and
00:01:32 There was a it was a quote
00:01:34 Said if you're a Michigan State fan, your panic meter should be high because of what your in-state rival is doing
00:01:41 on the recruiting trail and like you like you mentioned that MSU right now is
00:01:48 48th in the country and I think Michigan right now is currently top five
00:01:53 in recruiting now
00:01:56 the numbers are
00:01:59 You know
00:02:00 different MSU only has I believe I think MSU has
00:02:05 12 commitments. Yeah 12 commitments and Michigan currently has
00:02:12 26 so there's 14 14 less players
00:02:17 but Michigan does have a higher average recruit rating and
00:02:22 Yeah, they they've won, you know some of some in-state battles
00:02:28 with MSU including a
00:02:31 Couple, you know couple players that MSU recruited hard just even within the last couple of years
00:02:38 You know, but I think
00:02:41 This isn't I
00:02:46 Guess I wouldn't say this isn't
00:02:48 Unnormal, like it's pretty normal. Michigan has beaten MSU out in recruiting a
00:02:56 lot
00:02:59 Just all time. I think that um just you know
00:03:03 It's if we're being honest Michigan has a bigger brand they you know, they have a lot more to sell
00:03:11 I think you know MSU has
00:03:15 They're a little split in terms of investment I think
00:03:18 MSU is really invested in the basketball program as well as the football program. They want to
00:03:25 Both be at a high level of competition. I don't think
00:03:29 Michigan is as invested in their basketball program as they are as
00:03:34 Football in terms of revenue in terms of revenue sports. I think they're a lot more invested in in football. So
00:03:41 Just for that. Um
00:03:45 For that reason I think Michigan will always have you know a leg up in that way and I I don't think
00:03:52 Yeah, I don't think anyone will really dispute that. I think that's pretty
00:03:56 common knowledge
00:03:59 But yeah, it's kind of how how are they gonna deal with that? I think
00:04:03 You know, Michigan State if you you know, if we had this conversation
00:04:10 Before June and you know, everyone's saying your panic meter should be high
00:04:15 I would agree with that, but I think after watching
00:04:18 You know what they did throughout June and what they've done already, you know the first few weeks in July, you know getting
00:04:26 You know adding that
00:04:29 You know nine guys to that class that they've done in the last, you know a month and a half
00:04:35 I would say my panic meter is actually lowered
00:04:39 Sure, that then been raised. So yeah, I mean, what's your thoughts on that? Yeah, so like
00:04:45 I agree with you in that sense
00:04:49 Like I think at the beginning of May right after Keon Coleman enters the transfer portal right after Peyton Thorne enters the transfer portal
00:04:57 And you know, Michigan State's got three guys in their recruiting class
00:05:01 You know
00:05:03 there was a lot of anxiety and panic kind of amongst the family we saw that on social media like
00:05:09 Facebook Twitter
00:05:11 Others like what is going on? And that was kind of our reaction to is like, okay, what's going on over there?
00:05:17 but I do think
00:05:20 Some of that has been quelled by this good, you know summer stretch. They've had on the recruiting trail
00:05:26 Landing Nick Marsh was a massive win
00:05:32 Landing Anthony carry a four-star running back out of Carol wood day in Tampa, Florida like that's another big win
00:05:38 They're they're in they're in it for you know, David stone
00:05:43 And that's that's a big fish to reel in and we'll see if they can do that
00:05:46 And I anything even our last show we said, you know, like cautious cautious optimism there
00:05:52 Like don't don't get your hopes up, but you know, it's it's worth noting that Michigan State is in in that battle
00:05:59 And then, you know, there's a couple other guys who like Jamari Howard was once a commit
00:06:04 He's a guy who visited again this summer and maybe you can bring him back in. He's a four-star corner
00:06:11 and so like
00:06:14 yeah, like it even like to not put too big of a thing on Andrew Ivins and the other guy whose name was Cooper
00:06:23 Antagona that's probably butchered his last name, but I pulled him up on Twitter then wrote their names down
00:06:29 And and Cooper said like his his meter if he was a fan would be at like a five or six out of ten
00:06:35 Andrew was a like a six or a seven out of ten. So they're not like bells and whistles going off panic either
00:06:42 but I think the concern being that
00:06:44 Just the last two years that that Michigan has had and how that has now started to translate for them on the recruiting trail
00:06:53 I
00:06:54 think a piece of that is like during the Mark D'Antonio era
00:06:59 Michigan State took control of this rivalry like they they won I
00:07:04 Don't know what the exact number seven out of eight or or you know for a two for a decade stretch there
00:07:10 I mean Michigan State won I think eight eight out of ten or and then even when Harbaugh came to Michigan
00:07:15 You have trouble with a snap and the Michigan State knocks off
00:07:20 Michigan that first year Harbaugh and then in 2017 in the rain
00:07:24 You know Michigan goes into that game as the favorite Michigan State upsets them
00:07:28 2020 like even for Mel Tucker's first year
00:07:32 He upsets Michigan again in the big house
00:07:35 And then we all remember the 2021 game that was you know
00:07:38 two top ten teams one of the classic games of the rivalry so like I think I
00:07:43 Wouldn't describe it as panic. I would just say that you know, Michigan State as
00:07:49 A fan base as a program. They've gotten used to winning this game
00:07:52 And so you don't want to see that you don't want to see that split back into like what this rivalry was in the 90s
00:07:59 When it was pretty much dominated by Michigan and even you know before the 90s to before you know, Mark D'Antonio got here
00:08:06 That's what you don't want to see is it to be like Oh
00:08:09 Michigan State pops up every once in a while and upsets the big dog in Michigan
00:08:14 But like that's all that's all that this program is like you don't want to see it to fall back to that place
00:08:19 So I think that's where kind of the discussion
00:08:21 Can be had
00:08:23 As far as like comparing the classes it is tough right now because you know
00:08:28 To your point like Michigan has like think 26
00:08:32 guys in their class
00:08:35 It you know, I've I actually I mean I follow I follow both programs pretty closely to be honest with you
00:08:41 I've always I've always got an eye on what's going on over at Michigan
00:08:47 The class is good. I don't think I
00:08:50 Don't think it's this like
00:08:53 Next level class that it was kind of made out to be early on in the summer
00:08:59 There's a few guys that Michigan has pursued over the last
00:09:04 Or had been pursuing for a long time
00:09:08 But I have made the decisions over the last two to three weeks who have gone elsewhere. I think
00:09:13 Earlier in the cycle they were expecting to land these guys and have it be this class that was just
00:09:17 Head and shoulders above any class that Harbaugh has landed there. I don't think it's that
00:09:22 I think it's
00:09:25 One of his best classes, maybe even his best class, but like it's not this like no doubt
00:09:30 Knock out of the park class. I mean they do have 19. I had it right here
00:09:35 19
00:09:38 impressive
00:09:39 but the average rating is like
00:09:42 7.76 which is high, but that's still probably top
00:09:45 10 to 15. I do think they are benefiting from just the number of commits that they have
00:09:52 But yeah, this is gonna come down to
00:09:56 Like what Michigan State looks like on the field this year though
00:10:00 We've talked about this a lot over the last several weeks like you have to see improvement on the field for Michigan State
00:10:06 You have to get back to a bowl game and kind of just show
00:10:11 That you know the foundation that Tucker has laid here is starting to take root and it's starting to build upwards
00:10:17 like I think we and I'm
00:10:19 certainly guilty of this like when when Michigan State goes 11-2 in
00:10:23 2021 and Kenneth Walker just burst on the scene and
00:10:26 I think it I think it hid a lot of the deficiencies that this program had for one year
00:10:36 And I do think it did accelerate the rebuild it's just that you know that next recruiting class that was
00:10:41 You know a really good one for Michigan State. Those guys are still freshmen or redshirt freshmen true sophomore
00:10:47 So it's it's gonna take some time for those guys to work their way up the depth chart
00:10:51 So no, I don't think I
00:10:54 Don't think panics the right word. I think we have to see what this year looks like
00:11:00 before any talk of panic
00:11:04 comes into the equation
00:11:06 Any other thoughts on this
00:11:10 Aiden I will say like one of the quotes from the podcast and I can't remember which guy said this but he said I think
00:11:17 This year is critical to the future of the program and I do agree with that
00:11:20 statement because
00:11:23 if
00:11:25 You if you miss a bowl game again this year or God forbid even like slide even further back
00:11:32 That can be used as a negative recruiting tool for a lot of different programs
00:11:37 And so you do have to see you like I said
00:11:41 you got to see that that progress and that improvement this season on the field and you know, my gut tells me that I
00:11:48 Do think Michigan State gets back to a bowl game this year
00:11:51 It's a tough schedule. We've talked about that ad nauseum this summer too, but like
00:11:57 Because of because of the nature of the schedule I don't I still don't know what their ceiling is
00:12:02 but I do think this team is going to be good enough and deep enough to get back into a
00:12:09 Bowl game and and we'll see what that what that looks like
00:12:12 But not too far away. We're getting her under or under 50 days
00:12:16 Until until Central Michigan, so we're looking forward to it
00:12:20 Yeah, I mean
00:12:24 Definitely, I think you know if if you take care of everything on the field, you know
00:12:29 The recruiting whatever happens off the field will follow and take care of itself. I mean, I
00:12:35 Yeah, I mean going back to the Michigan thing
00:12:38 I think I I totally agree like they have 26 commits like they're they're not that class isn't gonna grow any
00:12:46 larger
00:12:48 They don't have any room for it to grow unless they have you know
00:12:52 Some guys D commit and then you know, you add some you add some other guys, but I really think
00:12:59 where Michigan has kind of
00:13:02 won the battle between MSU as of late in terms of recruiting is just who
00:13:10 Who they're recruiting because I don't think Michigan has really
00:13:13 You know
00:13:15 Step step their game up. I mean, they've always had top 10 to 15 classes and they're gonna have another
00:13:22 Top 10 to 15 class this year, but in terms of who they're recruiting
00:13:27 I mean
00:13:29 Michigan has always you know when they're at their best like, you know going back to the you know
00:13:36 90s and stuff and like way before I was born it was recruiting, you know
00:13:41 it was winning, you know players out of Ohio and that's really where that's changed and
00:13:47 You know, I've been pretty vocal about this that you know
00:13:52 MSU hasn't gotten a single player out of Ohio in the last two cycles until you know this
00:13:59 2024 class which is where D'Antonio
00:14:02 excelled in you know, he would he would you know take over those three stars in Ohio and
00:14:09 That was what won them, you know conference championships, and I think that's where
00:14:14 Michigan is, you know in the right now
00:14:18 I think that's where they're excelling is there they're winning those recruiting battles with Ohio State and they're kind of
00:14:24 Tapping more into the Midwest rather than the East Coast which you know
00:14:29 What they that's what they were doing at the start of the Harbaugh era and you know now they've kind of transitioned to more
00:14:36 You know Ohio and local guys and they they've really flourished
00:14:41 because of that and
00:14:44 You know, yeah, just recruiting that, you know, Ohio has been
00:14:49 Kind of the key to any any Big Ten team success
00:14:53 No matter who you are. I mean even thinking about you know schools like
00:14:58 Wisconsin and Iowa recruiting guys out of Ohio has been
00:15:04 important so
00:15:06 Yeah, just for it for that. And then yeah, like I said if if MSU, you know
00:15:12 I'm also confident that MSU will make a bowl game this season and
00:15:17 Again, if you take care of you know, the things on the field the stuff off the field will take care of itself
00:15:24 you know, I
00:15:26 Don't think anyone is really
00:15:30 Expecting, you know, no one's really setting a super high bar for you know, like
00:15:35 Nine wins or anything like that. I think you know
00:15:39 expectations have been
00:15:42 Tampered but also they're more realistic. I think they were very heightened last year
00:15:48 And yeah, I still I I mean MSU still underachieved greatly by not making a bowl
00:15:55 but at the same time, I don't think the the top 25 and kind of the the preseason hype, um
00:16:03 You know, I mean, I I'm guilty of that. I you know, I bought into that but at the same time
00:16:09 You know that that team was not top 25 ready whatsoever
00:16:15 But again, like yeah, they said not saying they didn't underachieve because they definitely did sure
00:16:21 But yeah, I mean six and six seven and five is definitely
00:16:25 showing they're on the right track and
00:16:28 you know, I would start to be concerned and
00:16:32 You know
00:16:35 My panic meter would definitely go back up to where it was in
00:16:40 You know
00:16:40 May and June if they don't make a bowl game and it would probably be a lot higher than it was in May or June
00:16:47 Right and you know to kind of put a bow on this and then we'll open it up for some questions
00:16:52 I think like I could be wrong on this, but I think like even during the Brady Hoke era
00:17:00 I think Michigan recruited better than Michigan State if you just purely look at the rankings, you know, I'm saying like
00:17:05 but the difference was
00:17:07 Mark Daytona staff was miles ahead of the of the staff that Michigan had as far as just
00:17:14 Coaching their positions game planning development all of that Michigan State was just on a different level
00:17:18 now with that said
00:17:22 Michigan staff is pretty good right now
00:17:24 I don't think you can argue that you don't you don't
00:17:26 Win back-to-back big ten championships make it to the playoff beat, Ohio State without having a good staff in place
00:17:32 I do think we're getting to a point now or Michigan's getting to a point now where
00:17:37 They've had they've been in the spotlight a couple years other programs are looking at
00:17:42 that that that coaching staff and
00:17:45 You could see some guys get poached this coming out like next offseason. We'll see what happens with Michigan this year
00:17:52 And then you're gonna have a good chunk of those Michigan guys, you know go to the NFL draft this year
00:17:58 So can can Michigan maintain what they've been over these last two years and what I do expect them to be this year with
00:18:05 just the amount of talent that they brought back so that'll be something to watch and
00:18:10 Again, if Michigan State shows the improvement this year then all of a sudden 2024
00:18:16 These higher level recruits that that Tucker has or that Tucker has brought in these last couple years all of a sudden. They're now
00:18:23 Redshirt sophomores juniors seniors and now they're the ones kind of leading the way and we'll see
00:18:29 What happens with with Michigan State going forward?
00:18:33 but like this is just a very important building block year for for Michigan State to again to show that improvement and
00:18:40 To be able to sell future recruiting classes on hey, we're heading in the right direction
00:18:44 Okay, like yeah
00:18:46 2022 was a disappointing year. I do think the
00:18:50 the amount of injuries that
00:18:53 Michigan State sustained early on last year was devastating because they just didn't have the depth that you needed to
00:18:59 Compete in a tough conference like the Big Ten
00:19:01 When a lot of your like Darius know Xavier Henderson Jacob Slade
00:19:08 Peyton Thorne gets banged up pretty early
00:19:10 they had some
00:19:12 different rotations along the offensive line throughout the year
00:19:15 it's like there was a lot of things that went wrong and Michigan State's as a program was not in a position where they could
00:19:23 withstand those types of
00:19:26 Misfortunes and and that played out that played out completely last year. So with that
00:19:32 Let's open it up to for some questions
00:19:36 So yeah, if you guys want to submit submit those in the comment section
00:19:39 We'll answer as many of those as we can. I know you guys have been kind of chat amongst yourselves in there, which is great
00:19:44 There was one from keys to wisdom. We'll pull up his first
00:19:49 How much more favorable do you think the schedule gets once the divisions are over and
00:19:55 Michigan is the only annual game. So I'll let you take the lead on that one eight. Oh
00:20:00 and just like for those who aren't in the know in 2024 USC and UCLA are coming to the Big Ten and
00:20:07 Divisions will be no more and there will be this kind of round-robin
00:20:11 Schedule where Michigan is Michigan State's only
00:20:14 Annual game and then they kind of rotate other big ten teams. So your thoughts it
00:20:20 Yeah, so I'm trying to pull up here the feet. Okay, so the future schedule so for 2024
00:20:30 MSU
00:20:31 You know, they have Michigan again, you know, they play Penn State Ohio State again
00:20:37 kind of pretty much every team that they've already played like within the last two three years and then
00:20:44 2025 is where they start to play they go on the road to USC host UCLA
00:20:51 They play Penn State and Michigan
00:20:55 so yeah, you get rid of Ohio State, but you're still playing a pretty brutal schedule and
00:21:02 I mean no matter what year it is
00:21:05 Traveling to the west coast is gonna be difficult. I can't remember
00:21:10 Besides the Rose Bowl in 2014
00:21:13 I can't I don't even know the last time MSU won a game on the west coast during
00:21:18 The regular season it had to be you know, it had to be a long time ago
00:21:23 Yeah, they did a home-and-home with Oregon, but yeah, they lost at Oregon. Okay. Yeah
00:21:30 so they played in the they played Washington State I think in a bowl game over there, but that was like a
00:21:36 Lower level one, but yeah to your point I get what you're saying. Yeah, so I mean divisions
00:21:41 It's just gonna be a year-by-year basis. I think in terms of
00:21:47 expectations I would expect
00:21:50 Michigan State to capitalize not playing Ohio State in
00:21:53 2025 but also at the same time, you know like 2024
00:21:59 It's gonna be again like it's a similar schedule
00:22:03 You know
00:22:05 This is a young team. I would
00:22:07 Expect them to you know develop and grow. So I think it
00:22:14 it's a mix of kind of the coaching and development and who we see from this year and then
00:22:21 Kind of just in terms of strength of schedule as a whole and who they play in the following years
00:22:29 But I think I mean adding UCLA and USC. I
00:22:32 Mean, it's huge just for the conference as a whole and it's gonna make it a lot harder
00:22:38 And just like we've been talking about just Michigan being
00:22:43 So much better, you know within the last two years is you know, it's tough already as it is
00:22:50 So sure, I think yeah, I think you know, it's a year-by-year basis. I think it will be
00:22:57 There will be years where where MSU will have
00:23:02 You know one of the hardest schedules in college football as a whole and there will be years where it's like, okay
00:23:10 You know, this might not be the best MSU team ever, but I can still see them going
00:23:16 You know eight and four because they you know missed out playing Ohio State in USC and such
00:23:23 right
00:23:25 to give my two cents on this like
00:23:28 To your point next year is like almost identical to what their schedule would have looked like if the divisions were still in place
00:23:35 I think they play
00:23:37 six teams who were or they play five games against all of the traditional East division opponents and
00:23:43 then they play
00:23:46 Or no, it would be it would be six
00:23:48 Yeah
00:23:49 Six games against the traditional East opponents and then they play three teams who would have been crossover opponents in the West
00:23:54 So next year is gonna look very similar. They're gonna play Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan again
00:23:58 I
00:24:00 think
00:24:01 Going like after 2024 and then going on when you bring in USC you bring in UCLA
00:24:06 To your point, it's gonna be kind of a year-by-year thing
00:24:10 Like you're not gonna be locked into having to play Penn State Michigan and Ohio State every year
00:24:16 And so you could have a year where maybe you just played
00:24:20 Michigan and USC and then other big ten teams that aren't Penn State or Ohio State, right?
00:24:26 You might I mean god forbid you have a year where you play Michigan to USC Penn State and Ohio State all in the same
00:24:33 Year, that would be brutal
00:24:35 Just in big ten play, but like I think it's gonna fluctuate here and there
00:24:39 I
00:24:41 Don't think it gets a whole I mean not a whole lot easier like you're gonna have some years that are easier
00:24:46 I think than the traditional East division schedule
00:24:50 But I like when you add USC and and what they kind of their projection with Rick Lincoln Riley now
00:24:56 Like we could see that program return to being a top ten annual program that they were in the early 2000s before
00:25:05 I mean, I don't know. When'd you start watching? Yeah, like Pete Carroll Carroll era. Yeah, I remember it
00:25:12 I was born in 92. So that was kind of when I was first
00:25:16 Starting to fall in love with with college football. I remember the early 2000 Miami teams
00:25:22 And those USC teams like that was kind of my introduction to to college football
00:25:28 so
00:25:30 Like you could see we could see a return
00:25:33 for USC to that level
00:25:35 Going forward so I don't think it's gonna get much easier
00:25:38 I think again, there's gonna be some years where you're not gonna have to play three
00:25:44 Top like preseason top 15 top 10 teams like like you're gonna get this year or my thing
00:25:50 I guess I'll go I'll take in this direction. I'm wondering how this is gonna impact Michigan State's non-conference scheduling going forward
00:25:57 because
00:26:00 Like right now we know Michigan State's big ten opponents for 24 and 25
00:26:06 I don't know how often those schedules are gonna get revealed
00:26:09 But you would think that they were gonna have to give programs at least a few years had no notice that so then when they're putting
00:26:15 together non-conference schedules
00:26:17 They can like
00:26:21 Manage that because if we've if we've got USC Ohio State and Michigan on the schedule like you're probably not gonna go schedule
00:26:27 Texas or Oklahoma or an SEC school in a non-conference, right?
00:26:32 So like that'll be that's kind of what I'm intrigued to see as how that'll impact the the non-conference schedule going forward
00:26:39 Right, so they have Boston College
00:26:42 Home and home for 24 and 25 and then they have the rest of the teams. They play our
00:26:49 FAU and
00:26:53 Louisiana in 24 and then 25 they play Western Michigan and Youngstown State
00:26:59 So it's not like Boston College is a you know powerhouse team like that's a manageable
00:27:05 Power five team, but I I do understand what you're saying. Like do you just go to
00:27:10 Scheduling three group of five teams or like three group of five FCS teams every year or do you still try to make?
00:27:20 You know, you know a trip out to Oregon or Washington every once in a while or you know
00:27:26 Yeah, like like you're saying
00:27:28 right
00:27:30 So yeah, but I do. Yeah, I will say like I'll end on this just
00:27:35 as much as the
00:27:37 Regular season will matter
00:27:40 You know the expansion of a 12 team playoff is still kind of coming up. So that doesn't completely
00:27:48 Knock all of MSU's hopes in terms of postseason, but also at the same time
00:27:54 You know, there's no divisions either
00:27:57 So it's not like you know, the the East has won every single big ten championship game
00:28:04 So it's not like you're just going to play, you know, Purdue you're gonna have to play
00:28:09 The second or the best team in the conference
00:28:14 so while you may duck an Ohio State and
00:28:17 USC potentially if you do somehow manage to make it to the championship game
00:28:24 You're gonna have to play them, right?
00:28:26 No matter what you're gonna have to go through one of those four or five top teams. Sure
00:28:33 And you want to address this one? Well, I kind of look through the comments for more
00:28:37 Yeah, so yeah, so Jonathan Kim
00:28:41 the
00:28:43 Transfer from North Carolina is coming in. I believe he should be he should already be at MSU
00:28:50 ready for
00:28:52 for fall practice
00:28:54 There yeah, there's not really much more to add to that so he yeah, he should be their place kicker for this season
00:29:03 Okay
00:29:04 How about this one in regards to you know, Michigan State has struggled to get off the field on third downs in recent years
00:29:09 So like I think this would be like one of those areas of improvement that we've been talking about
00:29:16 That's not necessarily just improving the record but like in situations
00:29:21 How can we show how can Michigan State show improvement as far as like man?
00:29:26 It just seemed like so many times the last two years really even even in the good
00:29:31 2021 season third and ten third and nine third and fifteen and
00:29:36 You give up a big pass play
00:29:39 because that secondary has been shaky at best so
00:29:42 Yeah, I guess your thoughts on this Aiden
00:29:46 yeah, I mean like you said the the defensive backs have not been great and kind of MSU has I
00:29:55 Don't want to say embrace but they've kind of acknowledged that their defense has been Ben don't break kind of
00:30:03 You know, you don't want that ideally, you know
00:30:06 where they kind of give up all the all the space between you know, the 220 yard lines and
00:30:12 Then once you get to the the red zone, it's kind of like you're you run out of space
00:30:17 So you have to you have to make a decision and you know
00:30:21 Even though they still settle for field goals that still points on the board
00:30:24 So I think for MSU, I think their defensive backs did better last year
00:30:30 But not having you know a pass rush because a lot of their edge rushers got injured
00:30:37 Definitely hurt them a lot and I think this year
00:30:41 Having you know healthy defensive line and adding a lot to that defensive line and pass rush
00:30:49 Should make a difference on third downs you would you would hope so that's kind of
00:30:54 that's kind of where I'm at and I
00:30:57 Really can't say whether it's gonna be better or not. You just have it. It's just kind of a show me
00:31:04 I know someone in the comments said this is kind of a show me season and I agree with that. It is definitely show me I
00:31:11 Think this is kind of where
00:31:14 Jim Salgado the new cornerbacks coach comes in a little bit like what can he bring from his from his experience in the NFL?
00:31:23 Because I mean not that
00:31:25 Not that NFL coaches are necessarily have brighter minds than college coaches, but just like from his experience and
00:31:34 The people's he's wrote shoulder with like on the defensive side of the ball about third third down situations
00:31:40 Like what can he bring to Scotty Haselton the the defensive coordinator when they're in, you know meeting rooms and like we'll see how that kind of
00:31:48 Just the impact that he makes in that area
00:31:52 Had a couple more another one from Cameron
00:31:55 Realistically, when do you see this Spartan team?
00:31:59 Being a top 15 team again, not in 2023
00:32:03 unfortunately
00:32:06 Again like we've touched on this a little bit. I think I
00:32:10 Don't want to sell this this coming season short because you know, I I wouldn't be surprised
00:32:20 or shocked if
00:32:22 if
00:32:24 Michigan State rebounds and wins eight games goes eight and four this year like not shocked like I would be surprised probably not shocked
00:32:31 But I don't that's not gonna get you top 15
00:32:34 I think top 15 is back to like the 11 to
00:32:36 maybe a 10 and 3 like with a bowl win or something like that and then you get the final boost in the
00:32:41 I think
00:32:44 2024 at the earliest and that's if
00:32:48 Things kind of fall your way this year and you bring in another
00:32:51 I think a lot of this is dependent on this recruiting class that they're working on right now, too
00:32:56 so I would say
00:32:59 When you see this team be a top 15
00:33:01 It's tough because it's just so hard to project outward but I'll go I'll say
00:33:07 2025 you get Michigan back in in East Lansing in 2025
00:33:13 so
00:33:16 2025 is what I would say
00:33:18 Realistically, but I wouldn't be shocked if it was 2024, but I'll just for the sake of discussion. I'll say 2025
00:33:24 How about you eat? Yeah, I think I think
00:33:26 2025 is a fair take I don't I don't really see them. Um
00:33:31 Winning more than you know, nine games in 2024 either just because they have a very similar schedule to this year
00:33:41 But yeah 2025 I think they can manage it a little bit better. And
00:33:47 Yeah, you miss Ohio State in 2025. No, you do have to play USC and Michigan
00:33:54 I don't know about Penn State in 25 off the top of my head. I don't remember I don't think so
00:34:01 Or no, they do play Penn State, but it's at home. Okay, so they have Penn State at home
00:34:09 Okay, we're just gonna do a little bit more scanning here for some questions
00:34:12 There was this thing from Kyle about a rumor on David Stone, but he didn't really elaborate
00:34:18 So Kyle if you want to elaborate on that in the comments, well, I would love to hear it
00:34:23 Yeah, the rumor that you've that you've heard so
00:34:26 and then this is
00:34:29 Just a topic that I I won't spend a whole lot of time here
00:34:33 But I am in full agreement. I do not like
00:34:38 Yeah
00:34:40 Honestly, this is probably a hot take and I was somebody in the early 2010s
00:34:46 Who was like pounding the table for a college football playoff? And then when the 14 playoff came I I was ecstatic
00:34:54 Having seen how things have played out with the playoff and how it has impacted bowl games
00:35:03 Opting out of bowl games was not really a thing before the playoff and maybe it maybe would have come regardless
00:35:09 But this is probably a hot take but I think if I was like king of college football and I got to make all the
00:35:17 decisions
00:35:18 In addition to like halting all the conference realignment. I think I might go back to the BCS system
00:35:25 just because I
00:35:28 Just
00:35:31 College football used to be about more than just the national championship. It used to be more regional in nature
00:35:37 Regional rivalries, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State's gonna
00:35:41 Potentially go away
00:35:44 forever once Oklahoma joins the SEC
00:35:46 I just I put myself in that perspective like what if that had happened to like the Michigan Michigan State rivalry and how just
00:35:54 Horrible that would be for this state. And so I feel for the state of Oklahoma
00:36:00 Or you know, especially Oklahoma probably more Oklahoma State fans than Oklahoma fans because they're the ones kind of getting left
00:36:07 Behind if you if you want to put it that way
00:36:10 so
00:36:12 Yeah, but like as far as like the 12 team playoff on one hand like it is gonna give some exciting matchups
00:36:18 Late in the year
00:36:22 And so I understand like there's there's there are definitely some pros to it as well. But like the thing I don't like is
00:36:30 I
00:36:31 Like the fact that certain games were meant to be played one time per year like Michigan, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State once per year
00:36:39 some other rivalries the Iron Bowl
00:36:42 Texas Oklahoma
00:36:44 Like there there's certain ones that was like you got one shot a year to play these teams and I don't like the idea of
00:36:50 rematches
00:36:51 in college football
00:36:53 for net for a conference championship games
00:36:55 for for playoffs, I just
00:36:59 The NFL is its own thing. I feel like college football is trying to become like
00:37:02 NFL light and I just like those two things to be separated. So that's just my opinion
00:37:08 I don't you have anything to add with Aiden. No, I I totally agree. I think
00:37:12 Really? There's only been
00:37:15 Two maybe three seasons where we've needed a four-team playoff
00:37:22 Right and even yeah, like a lot of those semifinals are blowouts
00:37:27 So, I mean, I think this year was the first year where both games were won possession games
00:37:35 In the semifinals and both games were really good and fun to watch
00:37:39 But you know this this was the first time in the you know, whatever eight
00:37:45 Seasons that they've had the playoff
00:37:48 Right
00:37:51 I
00:37:53 Sorry just kind of questions here
00:37:57 Keys to wisdom. I don't know if this is a sarcastic question or not
00:38:02 About Jake Stone just because he struggled just as much as any of the kickers last year
00:38:09 But I do like I do think it's unfortunate that
00:38:13 And I was he part he would have been part of the 2022
00:38:17 Class. Yeah. Yeah
00:38:21 I
00:38:22 Don't know exactly what happened with with Jack Stone not Jake Stone Jack Stone. I
00:38:28 Do think he was one of the higher
00:38:31 Rated kickers of his recruiting class. Obviously the kicking was just a disaster last year the
00:38:36 Yeah, the kicking game
00:38:39 Punting was fantastic with Bryce Berenger and then the kicking game was it's funny like could Bryce Berenger not kick field goals because
00:38:47 Like the first time this has occurred to me, but maybe they should have just trotted him out there to kick field goals and extra
00:38:52 points too, but
00:38:54 Yeah, like obviously I would expect Michigan State will probably be looking for a kicker to add to their recruiting class this year
00:39:02 We'll see what happens with that. But Jonathan Kim probably has a few years of eligibility left
00:39:08 Cameron if you could provide some more context for this
00:39:13 I don't remember if maybe this was in reference to Oh the third third down thing. I mean, um
00:39:20 The scheme for the defensive backs, I mean it I think it was a little bit of both I think
00:39:27 schematically
00:39:30 It can be hard when you know
00:39:32 You know
00:39:34 I mean any college any college is gonna run a complex defense like way more complex than you know high school and
00:39:42 when you have a lot of young guys or a lot of you know guys in a new system because they did move
00:39:49 from kind of
00:39:51 Mike trestles defense to
00:39:54 Scotty Hazelton's which was more of a four to five
00:39:59 There's you know, there's different things schematically and you know, you saw a lot of players move different positions
00:40:08 I mean you saw Darius snow kind of play at nickel back and now he's a linebacker. You saw Angelo gross
00:40:15 Chester Kim bro kind of you know, who guys who were you know a safety in a corner now move to nickel it
00:40:24 It really changes. Um the whole
00:40:27 scheme
00:40:29 Defensively and you have to know, you know
00:40:33 Those guys who are playing multiple positions have to know multiple different roles
00:40:37 and yeah, just like it's very it's it's complex and
00:40:42 You know, it is to an extent somewhat rocket science
00:40:47 for
00:40:49 for some players and I think the first year, um, I think
00:40:55 2021 was a little bit because of the players that were in place and
00:41:02 You know just a little mix of that, but I do think last year
00:41:06 I don't think the defensive backs were really the problem as much as
00:41:11 The lack of pass rush because that really hurt them more than anything last season and I think this year
00:41:20 It will be the same case because I do think that the defensive backs
00:41:25 Did get they got better you could tell towards the end of the season they got better and I think
00:41:32 You know with majority of those guys coming back
00:41:35 you know the just
00:41:37 You know law of averages and like development you would think they would improve even more and it really is gonna matter
00:41:45 About that, you know front that front six or seven for for MSU's defense moving forward
00:41:52 How do you feel about the add rushers this year? Like if if bogles healthy again
00:41:57 You add ten mice Adelaide
00:42:01 Former five-star from Texas A&M you've got in Chukwudi win mind who is probably moving to linebacker this year
00:42:07 But maybe he's probably gonna come off the edge, you know on occasion - so how do you feel about the edge rush?
00:42:11 This is like going into this year
00:42:13 Yeah, I mean, it's really gonna be about I mean I was listening. I was listening to
00:42:19 SEC media days and Jimbo Fisher
00:42:23 Talked about he was like, there's three things. He said
00:42:27 availability accountability and dependability and I think that's I think that's the name of the game for MSU's defense right now is
00:42:35 availability and
00:42:37 Dependability. All right, you know, I think
00:42:40 Availability is the biggest thing for that that front line
00:42:44 Especially, you know
00:42:47 We saw bogle show flashes within you know that the first game
00:42:51 You know, I think he had a sack or two against Western and then you know before getting injured
00:42:58 so I think he could be a good mix of
00:43:01 Kind of you know those rushing those past passing downs. He can be a solid guy off the edge
00:43:08 With women, you know being on passing downs and then you know you get into those
00:43:14 Kind of short yardage situations you can move
00:43:18 windman to linebacker and then you have
00:43:21 To me so daily, you know coming off the edge and you can move him in the interior as well
00:43:27 I think there's there's a lot of things they can
00:43:30 Do with that front line because they have a lot and there is an incoming class this these these incoming freshmen
00:43:38 there's a lot of upside and potential that maybe some of these guys can get on the field this season and
00:43:46 you know, we have a you know, MSU has a new defensive line coach with Daron Reynolds and
00:43:52 he's really got he's got a
00:43:54 full full load of yeah kind of just
00:43:59 Kinks and bugs that you know need to be fixed for it for this season to really, you know
00:44:06 Meet expectations and kind of go where they want to go
00:44:10 Not only you know as a unit as a defense, but also as a program
00:44:15 Right
00:44:17 Kyle is I do believe like four to five has been the scheme that Scottie Haselton has
00:44:22 Utilized since he's been here. So unless we see some kind of drab dramatic shift in philosophy
00:44:28 I think we will see the four to five again this year now
00:44:31 How like four to five is just that base set like?
00:44:35 How do you use the safeties to the safeties come down a little more and help in the run game or like so?
00:44:40 We'll see like what adjustments are made. But yeah that base that base that I believe is still gonna be the four to five which
00:44:46 in the modern era of
00:44:48 College or just modern era football
00:44:50 You almost always have to have three corners on the field
00:44:53 We're all times unless until you play a team like Michigan who typically likes to use its tight ends
00:44:59 More than like a slot receiver thing like that
00:45:02 But for most programs you're gonna have to have three corners and then the two safeties on the field
00:45:07 So yeah, four to five is what we expect this year
00:45:10 my
00:45:11 buddy, Matt McCartney
00:45:13 He asked about
00:45:15 Offensive scheme change with a new quarterback. I don't think there'll be a huge change
00:45:18 Again, Jay Johnson still the still the offensive coordinator
00:45:22 I think it'll just be
00:45:25 As far as the quarterback position
00:45:28 In
00:45:31 2021
00:45:33 we got to see
00:45:34 Peyton Thorne use his legs a little bit more and may a lot of that I think had to do with just his overall
00:45:39 Health so I am interested to see how
00:45:42 It or how or if Michigan State utilizes the quarterback run a little bit this season
00:45:48 Either by design or you know rollouts or things like that. Do you have any thoughts on that aid as far as?
00:45:53 using them like despite a lot of accounts Noah Kim and Kate and Howser do have enough mobility to be able to
00:46:00 To make some things happen. So, how do you see that to kind of playing out? Yeah
00:46:04 I mean, I think the quarterback play will you know, Jay Johnson in terms of play calling it will it will depend on a lot
00:46:12 on just who he trusts and how much he trusts them, but I think in terms of I think if we were going to see
00:46:19 A change in scheme. It would be more due to the offensive line. I think
00:46:25 because of how
00:46:28 Unquestionable they really were last year. Um just with the with the in the run game. I think that's that's really what it is
00:46:36 because
00:46:37 You know, I think Jay Johnson wants to you know
00:46:40 I think any
00:46:42 Offensive coordinator wants to be able to rely on running the ball at all times and they couldn't really do that last year
00:46:49 so I
00:46:51 Think once they if they can rely on running the ball, I think
00:46:56 Dramatically, it will help the quarterbacks and really kind of open up that playbook for him
00:47:01 but if they yeah if they can't can't run I think Chris Kapilovich has done a really good job in terms of
00:47:08 the offensive line for you know pass protection, but yeah, I mean running a ball and
00:47:16 Kind of how those running backs do this year also is gonna I think will be a big determining factor on
00:47:25 You know the quarterback play and just the offense in general
00:47:28 right
00:47:31 This is in reference to the 425 again, yeah the Indiana game especially that second half I
00:47:36 You know, Indiana did a lot of just spreading spreading team like spreading you out with wide receivers
00:47:42 and then they just ran the ball against that, you know, it kind of turned into a five-man front for Michigan State because
00:47:50 they would use a tight end or somebody to suck one of the linebackers out and
00:47:54 There wasn't good adjustments made in the Indiana game. That's there's no there's no doubt about that
00:48:01 that was
00:48:03 That was the low point of last season right Aiden like blowing a 17. It had it had to be Indiana
00:48:10 Yeah, that was kind of like the final nail in the coffin of the bowl of the bold race or whatever - so
00:48:17 Yeah
00:48:19 We'll move on from that
00:48:21 Just to update with Kyle
00:48:26 He just the the David Stone thing Kyle heard on lockdown Spartans that he's going to owe you that has been kind of like
00:48:33 Oklahoma has been the favorite in
00:48:35 David Stone's recruitment and he said Brian Smith's at the reporting. So appreciate that Kyle just updating on that
00:48:42 Yeah, we'll see. We'll see what happens with it. Obviously, like I said, that's the whole cautious optimism thing
00:48:48 I do think Mitch States done a good job in the David Stone recruitment, but he's a tough fish to pull in
00:48:55 So we'll see what happens with it
00:48:57 Keys to wisdom asked how many backs do you see getting serious carries per game and which ones?
00:49:03 We've talked about this a little bit this summer, but I do think it's gonna be a primarily
00:49:08 Jalen Berger and Nathan Carter the transfer from UConn
00:49:13 Getting the majority of those snaps like between the 20s if you will
00:49:18 And then I think you're gonna see Jaron Mangum in situations like third and short
00:49:23 Maybe some red zone situations kind of maybe that Elijah Collins role last year
00:49:29 Which was we talked about this to like the whole Elijah Collins rotation. I know it really bugged you last year
00:49:36 just the
00:49:38 When they chose to use him or not using him enough
00:49:40 You felt like he had earned more carries than maybe a Jeric Broussard who didn't kind of live up to what we kind of expected
00:49:47 last year, so that's kind of my my
00:49:50 Take on this is I think you're gonna get a heavy dose of Carter and Berger and then I do think manga might be a game
00:49:58 Changer on those third and short situation. So any thoughts on on the running back?
00:50:02 rotation
00:50:05 Yeah, I think it's definitely I mean, it's very intriguing to me. I wonder I know I think when I look at Jaron Mangum
00:50:13 I think he's more of a goal line
00:50:16 kind of guy that you can use in a larger package and then you know, you have Berger and
00:50:23 Nathan Carter
00:50:26 Kind of in terms of a balance of you know speed and a little bit, you know burgers got speed and some power. So
00:50:33 Yeah, kind of how do you how do you utilize those three? I I'm definitely intrigued I
00:50:40 Couldn't tell you my guess would be week one
00:50:43 that
00:50:45 Jalen Berger gets
00:50:47 majority of the touches
00:50:49 But I wouldn't be surprised if any of those those two other guys
00:50:54 Take take the lead either week one or you know some somewhat into the season. So
00:51:02 Yeah again, and then yeah again, it goes back to that kind of the offensive line as well and how how well they perform
00:51:11 But yeah, this is definitely an intriguing
00:51:15 Position if not the most intriguing on the besides quarterback sure
00:51:20 Yeah, like to that point a little bit
00:51:23 I do think that Berger developed a little bit better chemistry as the year went on
00:51:27 And I think Michigan State run ran the ball a little bit better in the second half of the year
00:51:33 And so yeah
00:51:35 we could see that with with Berger this year having a year under his belt with the offensive line and kind of getting used to
00:51:40 the scheme to like and how
00:51:42 How he's being coached to approach
00:51:44 What what he's seen in front of him and things like that
00:51:48 So yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if it's Berger more so at the beginning of the year and we'll see what happens with Carter
00:51:54 as he you know was recovering from the shoulder and
00:51:57 but also just getting used to the scheme getting used to like
00:52:02 again that chemistry with the offensive line and things like that, so
00:52:08 Had another one kind of a long one from
00:52:10 Kerry Ellis, but he kind of going back to the whole big ten schedule talk and you know adding two quality teams in USC and
00:52:17 In UCLA and he asked about you know, November wins
00:52:21 This is kind of interesting because traditionally
00:52:25 Michigan play or Michigan State plays Michigan in October
00:52:30 and so like
00:52:32 Just because Michigan has the Ohio State game at the end of the year
00:52:36 And so typically like that's like their mid-year rivalry game
00:52:39 So, yeah, this is kind of a an interesting
00:52:44 Question just because a
00:52:47 lot of teams
00:52:50 Traditionally their their their schedule lines up where you know, November has always been big
00:52:54 But then you get that rivalry week at the end of the year
00:52:57 And so Alabama's playing Auburn
00:52:59 Florida and Florida State are playing
00:53:03 Michigan's playing Ohio State and then traditionally Michigan State's played Penn State, which that's a that's a quality opponent. It's just not that traditional
00:53:10 rivalry, so
00:53:13 Yeah, this is kind of gonna come down to
00:53:15 What Michigan State's November schedule looks like we mentioned with?
00:53:19 Just the added quality of teams that are gonna be in the big ten just the amount of quality teams
00:53:26 You do feel like there's gonna be
00:53:29 At least one of those top dogs in November
00:53:33 and I also think like as far as like how on a scale of one to ten like you want to have that momentum if
00:53:38 You're going into either a conference championship game or this 12 team playoff
00:53:42 If you're if you're some ranked between like 10 to 15, let's just say
00:53:47 Like you need a statement win and so a lot of that and you know
00:53:52 We're a society that's always like the last thing that's happened is what we kind of cling to
00:53:58 so that last image in your mind, so
00:54:00 Yeah, I mean it's always gonna be important I would say
00:54:05 Eight nine ten on the scale as far as like how big of these these games are but it does depend on what the schedule
00:54:11 looks like
00:54:13 Yeah, I mean like you said like once you expand to a 12 team playoff. I think it
00:54:18 Makes it a little less important and just you know
00:54:23 It kind of feels like every game isn't as important is that isn't as important as it used to be, you know
00:54:29 I mean, I'm sure and you know, the Michigan game will always be a big game
00:54:34 It's not that it won't be but there is a different, you know feeling to it where it's like
00:54:40 Okay, you know, you know, for example like Washington like if MSU
00:54:48 Hypothetically if MSU was kind of contending this season for you know a playoff appearance
00:54:55 This Washington game is huge and it's huge for Washington. So like, you know, they are contending so
00:55:03 You know
00:55:05 Five years down the road, you know if that games being played and MSU beats, Washington, you know
00:55:13 This year, you know, Washington might be out of the playoff, but you know five years down the road
00:55:19 you know Washington still in the hunt and
00:55:22 You know, they might not get the the by the by game
00:55:26 but they you know, they're still in that 12 team playoff, which it kind of
00:55:31 It doesn't make it as fun anymore, which I agree. It sucks, but
00:55:36 Like think about some of those years
00:55:41 Like when Lincoln Riley was still at Oklahoma and like Iowa State would upset him or something like that
00:55:47 like that's huge when in it even in a four-team playoff or the BCS era because that is like a
00:55:54 devastating loss back then, you know, whereas like
00:55:57 It's still a bad loss and all of a sudden your margin for error is shrunk a little bit in the 12 team playoff
00:56:03 but it's not like a season ending thing like like it used to be or there was
00:56:09 This was probably mid 2000s where Penn State goes to Iowa
00:56:14 And I think Penn State was ranked like number three or something like that and Iowa upsets them
00:56:18 Which you know, they they like to do in Kenick, you know against top five opponents the Michigan the Michigan Iowa game in
00:56:25 2016 yeah where where Michigan's ranks number two and they lose to Iowa and then because and then they get they lose double overtime
00:56:34 at Ohio State and that knocks them out of the playoff because
00:56:36 If Michigan beats Iowa, I think there's a chance that they still make the playoff with a double overtime loss at Ohio State
00:56:44 so
00:56:46 Yeah, those are the kind of things that you're kind of losing
00:56:48 With with the 12 team playoff. I will say
00:56:52 One thing that I really like
00:56:54 About the 12 team playoff is that you were gonna get playoff games on campus at least for that first round
00:57:00 I think that's really cool. I can't wait
00:57:02 I can't wait for an SEC team to have to come up and play a Big Ten team in December
00:57:08 on the big ten in a Big Ten stadium can't wait for that because
00:57:12 All the bowl games are either South or West like know that or played indoors if you're Detroit, you know the Motor City Bowl
00:57:20 So I can't wait for for SEC team to have to come up right now in December
00:57:25 Like that's I'm chomping at the bit that I wish the first two rounds were on campus, but that's a different discussion. But
00:57:32 Back to questions from you guys
00:57:34 Cameron asked about run breakout riders here's we've talked about a little this a little bit this summer, but
00:57:40 You wrote a story on this Aiden. So I'll let you take the lead on it. Yeah, so I mean I think
00:57:46 Jaron Glover
00:57:49 was a player who a lot of coaches and
00:57:53 people around the
00:57:55 Program were really high on in the spring and how well he played
00:58:00 He's gonna be a redshirt freshman
00:58:03 Just all kind of all those redshirt freshman. I'm Tyrell Henry is gonna be
00:58:10 In the slot or kind of you can play him outside as a speedy player outside. He's he's a smaller guy. He's probably
00:58:18 Around like five seven or sorry not five seven five eleven and like
00:58:25 180 ish range I would guess he's definitely less than 200 pounds, but he he's definitely a speedster and
00:58:33 You know at the minimum he's gonna be a huge help
00:58:36 replacing Jaden Reed on special teams as a kick returner and
00:58:41 that yeah, like that's the bare minimum for him and he could be a
00:58:46 really solid weapon for you know, whoever the quarterback may be
00:58:53 Offensively you have Antonio Gates jr. I know
00:58:56 He had a pretty big highlight in the spring game
00:59:00 He's not as um, he's not as talked about as kind of around the program as as much as you know
00:59:07 Glover or Henry, but he is a player that
00:59:10 definitely is can in contention for playing time and a spot and I mean I I've said this
00:59:19 Time and again, but again this this whole season is just about kind of
00:59:23 You know earning it and showing, you know showing it
00:59:27 So I think you know, he's got a lot to prove
00:59:30 I think all three of those guys really have a lot to prove on a young team. I know
00:59:35 They brought in some transfers. I know Alonte Brown came in from Nebraska who was a late addition
00:59:43 after Keon Coleman left
00:59:46 but he's a guy that's
00:59:48 definitely, you know again will compete for playing time and could potentially be a starter and really
00:59:56 Trey Mosley's kind of the only guy right now that you can pencil in for
01:00:02 You know, he's gonna start from day one and yeah, he's gonna he's gonna play
01:00:07 At all and the rest of those guys, you know, we don't really know if they're gonna even play or not. So right
01:00:16 Yeah, Tori Foster is another name that I've kind of read
01:00:19 This off season. He's a boy
01:00:21 Yeah, he's not a yeah, he's not a young guy
01:00:24 He's an upperclassman who just hasn't like he had Jalen Naylor you had Keon you had
01:00:28 Jaden Reed so there was this a limited amount of snaps available to foster, but he's another guy that I've heard some buzz about this
01:00:35 This offseason but like to your point like we're gonna go into fall camp and there's gonna be
01:00:40 spots available for guys to compete and and to win so that'll be what it's funny like
01:00:46 I think running back is pretty we talked about running back, but I think that's pretty well established
01:00:51 But quarterback, we're gonna find out who the starting quarterback is. We're gonna find out who
01:00:55 The who's gonna fill those wide receiver spots
01:00:58 I do think whoever wins the quarterback job is gonna have an impact on who
01:01:03 Gets those reps that ride receiver maybe just based on upperclassmen lower classmen
01:01:07 just the chemistry between them, so
01:01:11 I think offensive line is
01:01:15 I'd like JD DuPlane's gonna start next a max gonna start at center DuPlane's a guard and then
01:01:22 One of the tackles I think yeah, my guess would be Brandon Baldwin will start and
01:01:32 Keishon blackstock will start at the two tackle positions. Okay, so you think Browns gonna get supplanted then? Yeah
01:01:40 Yeah, I do. Okay
01:01:42 And then the other guard Gino Vandermark, I think is kind of like the the favorite to win the other guard position. So
01:01:50 yeah, there's gonna be a lot of a lot of questions answered when we get to central about like
01:01:57 Which guys are gonna be your your first 11, you know, so obviously looking forward to that
01:02:03 We're up over an hour now. So if you guys have any more questions
01:02:07 Get those submitted now because we're probably gonna wrap things up here pretty quick
01:02:11 I think there's another one that I saw
01:02:15 Let's see here
01:02:20 Maybe there wasn't Oh
01:02:23 Basketball question who's gonna start the five spot is what has a good problem on his hands. That's a that's an excellent question. Um,
01:02:29 We we talked about this little bit earlier this year
01:02:33 At the beginning of summer, I think I was leaning towards Carson Cooper
01:02:41 actually as as a
01:02:43 starter now
01:02:44 After seeing the way that Jackson Kohler has slimmed down and then he scores 50 and money ball
01:02:49 Which I we've talked about money ball and the nature of the money ball tournament
01:02:53 But I think there is potential that it could be Jackson Kohler at the five to start the year. What do you think?
01:02:59 Yeah, I mean
01:03:03 My I think I think I'd still go Motty to be I think I go I still go so go
01:03:09 to begin the season and I think the four spot is very intriguing as well because right you have two freshmen
01:03:17 Who could potentially start there along with Malik Hall?
01:03:21 Yeah, you got Malik Hall coming back from
01:03:25 just the things that the
01:03:28 Procedures as he had to correct some of the things that went wrong last year. You got Xavier Booker
01:03:34 Cohen Carr could start at the at the four. It's it's interesting with with state
01:03:39 I got this line right down my face from the blinds here in the room, but
01:03:44 Because you've got Hogard
01:03:48 Walker and Aikens
01:03:51 You're pretty much starting three guards
01:03:53 And so that kind of shrinks
01:03:56 The rotation a little bit for the bigs
01:03:58 Whereas traditionally you've got you know, two two guards and then you got two forwards in the center
01:04:05 and I know basketball has become kind of more positionalist as the years have gone on here, but
01:04:11 I'm just intrigued by that a little bit to see like what the rotation looks like but
01:04:15 yeah, I'll give you like
01:04:18 Hogard Walker Aikens, I think you're gonna start I think
01:04:22 I'm gonna go Cohen Carr and Jackson Kohler, which is probably not right because
01:04:28 I think is Oh would probably bristle at the idea of starting a true freshman
01:04:32 but
01:04:34 That's that's the one I'm gonna throw out there right now as potential starters
01:04:39 For the start of the year, but I could be wrong
01:04:42 I probably am wrong to be honest with you
01:04:44 you're probably right about Sissoko just at the beginning of the year just because of the experience that he has but
01:04:48 Who do you have so you've got I'm sure you've got the three guards that's pretty well established and then Sissoko
01:04:57 So who are you starting at for at the beginning of the year? I
01:04:59 Think yeah, I think beginning of the year will be Malik Hall just because that seniority but I do think
01:05:08 one of the two between Booker and Carr and my guess would be car will
01:05:16 take him over because
01:05:19 Yeah, I think having experience on the bench is something is Oh values
01:05:25 Having you know Malik Hall, you know sacrificed his starting spot to come off the bench last year, too
01:05:32 So it's not like he hasn't done it before
01:05:34 So I think you know, yeah. Yeah, I do think Cooper Kohler can be like that's a situational thing like
01:05:41 You can go offense defense Kohler for offense Cooper for defense
01:05:46 So yeah, they're like man this this roster
01:05:50 I tell you what as much as depth was a concern the last two years this this team is
01:05:54 gonna have so much depth and as it was gonna have so many options to play with it's
01:05:59 I'm telling you like
01:06:01 The hype is real as far as the basketball team
01:06:04 this this coming winter
01:06:07 odds of getting
01:06:10 Average or above output from quarterback punter and kicker
01:06:14 Um, I think
01:06:17 Hmm I'm thinking of quarterback right now
01:06:23 Somewhere between
01:06:25 2021 Peyton Thorne and some in 2022 Peyton Thorne. I think it's gonna be better than what we saw last year
01:06:31 I don't know that it's gonna reach the levels we saw in
01:06:34 2021 just because you don't I mean I know we've beaten this to death
01:06:37 But you don't have Kenneth Walker in the backfield
01:06:39 And he just gobbled so much attention so many eyeballs the play-action was just devastating
01:06:46 For opponents in 2021 because you had to respect Kenneth Walker. So like it's not gonna reach that level
01:06:53 but
01:06:55 I
01:06:56 Think just I think I think the offense
01:06:59 Cohesiveness is gonna just be a little bit better than it was last year and that's gonna
01:07:03 Translate into either Kim or Hauser
01:07:06 I'm gonna be totally honest here. I don't know what to expect from the specialists
01:07:11 I'm doing this series right now where I'm kind of breaking down one thing
01:07:15 I like one thing I don't about every position group and the other day I thought about man when I get the special teams
01:07:20 I don't know what I'm gonna write about because
01:07:22 It's a big giant question mark Bryce Berenger was so good last year. So
01:07:27 Do you have any thoughts on the specialists?
01:07:30 Yeah, I mean it's hard to it's hard to top what Bryce Berenger did like the last two seasons
01:07:37 You know as first team all-american
01:07:39 So I mean if you if you're grading on that scale, I would say it's gonna be underwhelming
01:07:45 but you can still get um, I think you can still get average output from
01:07:52 a punter and the and the kicker, um
01:07:54 For for this season. I think
01:07:57 Once you once you have a guy you you know, it just works like it just clicks
01:08:02 but if you know like we saw last year if you don't have one, it's it's kind of a big issue and
01:08:09 MSU has been consistent having a kicker, you know for the better part of you know
01:08:16 15 the last like 15 20 years and now you know the last you know year or two
01:08:22 Post you know kind of the last year of Matt Coughlin was not the greatest. Yeah, he had some entry stuff, right?
01:08:29 And then you know after he left, you know people thought it couldn't get worse than it did. So
01:08:36 Yeah, so yeah, so there's there's some issues there that you know, once they find the guy, you know
01:08:44 I mean, I'd like to believe they think
01:08:47 Jonathan Kim will be the answer there. So
01:08:51 um
01:08:52 You can't you can really only hope for that but in terms of quarterback, I think
01:08:58 Yeah, it's really just gonna depend on you know on that offensive line. Can they play?
01:09:05 Can they have a balance between the run in the pass game?
01:09:10 And I think depending on that will be whether or not they have you know an average or you know above average
01:09:19 Kind of performance from you know, Kim or how's or whoever it is?
01:09:23 right and the tight ends to like
01:09:26 Just being able to do both
01:09:29 Receiving and run blocking. I don't if you saw I got called out by Malik Carr on Twitter today
01:09:33 because he did he didn't like what I had to say in my
01:09:36 One thing I like one thing I don't and the tight ends group
01:09:40 Because I I questioned his blocking ability and that was kind of a thing for like the whole tight end group
01:09:46 It wasn't I mean I did I did single out car a little bit in the article
01:09:50 It was kind of so I do one thing
01:09:52 I like one thing I don't and then one thing to watch for and then so my one thing to watch for is it was pretty
01:09:57 much is Malik Carr gonna kind of live up to the hype that he's kind of had over the last a
01:10:02 Couple of seasons and I think a big part of that is his ability to stay on the field
01:10:07 Because of his you know run blocking and he didn't like that very much. So hey prove me wrong
01:10:13 Like I'm not like I'm I'm not here to take shots at guys
01:10:16 I'm just called I call it how I see it and if he proves me wrong, that's gonna be huge for
01:10:22 for Michigan State as an offense, so
01:10:24 Keith quickly answer your question. Yes. I think there's a excellent chance that it could be Hauser instead of Kim
01:10:31 I don't I don't have any insight. I don't think anybody has inside knowledge on that
01:10:35 Because they're gonna keep that close to the vest at least until you know, probably midway through fall camp
01:10:41 So yeah, I do think Hauser has as good of a shot to start as Kim
01:10:46 I think when when you and I have talked about it and I think
01:10:50 you
01:10:52 You're leaning towards Hauser as the starter like what you expect not not what you would do, but what you expect. Um
01:10:59 Yeah, I mean I would say yeah, I think I think it's I
01:11:04 don't think it's a secret that you know a lot of people and
01:11:09 Believe that Hauser has a higher ceiling than Kim
01:11:13 But you know, it is instant results kind of that's what they want. It's not building for the future
01:11:21 It's not the NFL where you can kind of scrap a season. It is it is always win now in college
01:11:27 So right if they if they think that Kim will give them the best chance to win this year
01:11:33 I think that's who they're gonna start, but I do think
01:11:38 Hauser it's hit. I think it is his job to lose but and I believe that so, all right
01:11:45 I think this is just purely
01:11:47 My gut and it's not even strong because on a scale of like a hundred I think I would go
01:11:53 55 Kim 45 Hauser like where I'm at
01:11:57 but that's just that's just like it has most to do with just the fact that he's been in the system longer, but
01:12:05 No, I think Hauser definitely has as good of a shot to win the job as Kim no doubt
01:12:10 Do you think there's any chance AJ comes off the bench I don't think so now
01:12:17 Unless Jeremy fears just comes in and looks like a freshman All-American
01:12:23 but even I
01:12:26 Don't I don't I can't envision it. I think he did sit
01:12:29 I think he was he did come off the bench one game this last year
01:12:34 I
01:12:36 Think the only way this happens is
01:12:39 If you just can't keep
01:12:43 like a Cohen car or a Jeremy fears or maybe even
01:12:49 Just the the bigs like off the floor and so you you can't afford to have three guards on the court at the same time
01:12:55 I'm not sure but I don't think I
01:12:57 Can't see the scenario where AJ's coming off the bench on a consistent basis anyway
01:13:04 Any thoughts on that Aiden no, I don't see him coming off the bench at all. Okay. I
01:13:10 Think that's all the let's see. We got one more here
01:13:17 What are the odds both Kim and Hauser are on the team week five?
01:13:21 high
01:13:23 Over 90% and that's probably low-balling. I don't think either one will transfer in season
01:13:29 mostly just because
01:13:32 Even if you lose the job
01:13:34 You're one play away from being on the field and so
01:13:39 After the season's over that's when this discussion I think becomes a discussion
01:13:44 But as far as week five, I think both guys are on the team. I would give this like a 98%
01:13:50 On the the odds
01:13:55 That both guys especially like week five. So let's see Central Michigan Richmond
01:14:02 Washington
01:14:03 first big ten game is
01:14:05 Shoot. I should have done this because without pulling it up, but
01:14:08 I'm just trying to think like who those first two big ten. I guess Maryland or Iowa
01:14:14 So, yeah, I mean I think yes, it's Maryland and then Iowa yeah, Maryland
01:14:32 No, I think they're both on the team
01:14:34 again, you're one play away from being the guy if you if you're
01:14:40 If the starter gets hurt and so yeah
01:14:44 I think both guys are gonna be there throughout the the whole year like not even just week five
01:14:48 But like all the way through I think both guys are being on the team
01:14:51 All right with that appreciate the retention rate we had a pretty good retention rate tonight appreciate all the questions
01:15:00 we're gonna try to
01:15:02 Maybe do this during the season to where we will kind of let you guys
01:15:06 Take the discussion and ask questions and it'll be fun to react to like what we see on Saturdays, too
01:15:12 going forward but and we'll talk about like what our weeks are gonna look like a little bit as far as I'd like to do
01:15:19 Like once we're in season
01:15:21 Maybe a couple podcasts a week maybe reacting to the previous game and then previewing the next game
01:15:26 Me and Aiden got to talk about that a little bit because he's got to go to school still and you got to make sure
01:15:31 we're not
01:15:32 Putting too much on his plate so he can graduate. So
01:15:35 But um, yeah, I appreciate you guys tuning in as always. Please subscribe to the
01:15:41 Podcast I will say that we've had really good
01:15:44 like some our subscription numbers have climbed the last week and a half or so and I
01:15:50 Really appreciate that. So, you know tell
01:15:54 Tell your Michigan State buddies about our podcasts our YouTube channel. Keep growing that we're trying to get to
01:16:01 200 subscribers before the season starts. We're at like 185. So we're really close and then
01:16:07 Would love to keep growing the the YouTube channel as the season, you know gets going here. So
01:16:13 Spread us around appreciate keys to wisdom
01:16:16 He said that you kind of dropped a line on lockdown Spartans to for people to come over appreciate that
01:16:22 Spread us around because we are we're looking for to grow our audience. So appreciate you guys and we'll see you next time
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