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00:00 All right, so we have a background for another week.
00:04 And we have senior day this week.
00:07 And looking forward to our seniors having their last game
00:09 here in Spartan Stadium and going out with a victory.
00:14 That's the goal.
00:15 And just want to see everybody play well in our last home game
00:20 here at Spartan Stadium.
00:22 Any questions?
00:25 Start with Matt, please.
00:28 I know we asked you about the sun.
00:29 Saturday after the game with the quarterback thing,
00:31 after watching the film, I guess,
00:33 can you offer any more insight to how both of them played
00:35 and what the outlook is going forward into Saturday?
00:38 So it's still competition mode.
00:42 So this is something that you saw Caden do.
00:45 He didn't turn the ball over.
00:46 He ran the offense efficiently and did a good job.
00:50 And then you saw Sam come in and move us down the field.
00:52 And we actually scored touchdown.
00:54 But we did have two turnovers.
00:56 So it's still a competition.
00:59 Like I say, every week between everybody.
01:01 It's not just the quarterbacks.
01:02 I know that's where our main focus is now.
01:04 But everybody's still competing.
01:06 And best players will play.
01:09 And I'm wondering what you noticed in Nebraska
01:12 with the team that starts 0-2 and now has won three
01:15 in a row.
01:15 I'm wondering just what you've seen from their growth,
01:17 how they've turned things around,
01:18 how they've gotten better as the season has moved forward.
01:21 I just think with a new staff, getting used to one another,
01:24 and the players getting used to the coaches.
01:27 I think they found themselves a little bit here now
01:29 and got a rhythm going.
01:30 And they're playing well.
01:31 So credit to them.
01:34 I believe they found out what they're good at as a team,
01:37 as a coaching staff.
01:39 And they're just trying to use that and put guys in best
01:41 positions to be successful.
01:45 I'm wondering, we heard that Tanisha left the program.
01:50 Wondering about that situation.
01:53 With the window closing, did you learn of any other guys
01:56 who were leaving?
01:57 And then from the other side of it,
01:59 now that that window is closed, how does that help you move
02:03 forward for this last month?
02:04 OK, first, Tamisa, that's just between us.
02:07 I'll just keep it there between he and I.
02:11 And then as far as the window closing, that's a good thing.
02:16 Obviously, you can be thinking about it as a coach
02:18 that some more guys can hop in and all that kind of stuff.
02:21 But fortunately, we have been blessed
02:25 that we didn't have a lot of guys hop in there.
02:27 And they're here.
02:28 So you know what you're dealing with.
02:30 Now, these are guys that want to be here
02:32 and want to see this thing through.
02:34 And so I really appreciate them for it.
02:36 And I told them that even on Saturday before our game.
02:40 Appreciate everybody that's here and working hard
02:42 and doing their best to help us succeed.
02:45 Is there anybody else that jumped in?
02:47 No, no, no, no, no, no.
02:52 How do you just assess the quarterback situation
02:55 where you kind of mentioned it, but you
02:56 know that there's going to be growing pains, especially when
02:59 you have two young quarterbacks, but you guys are also
03:02 in dire need of winning, getting a win,
03:05 and trying to get the offense going?
03:07 Well, like you said, they're young.
03:12 And any young player can be a fragile player, so to speak.
03:15 You don't want to mess them up.
03:16 You want to see them continue to grow every time they get
03:19 a chance to play and show what they can do.
03:21 And so we're just still trying to build them and grow them,
03:24 because that's what we are as coaches.
03:25 We're mentors.
03:26 We're developers of players.
03:28 And so that's what we're just trying to do,
03:30 help keep them developing and getting
03:32 better and better and better.
03:34 And that's what we're trying to do, to be honest with you.
03:37 And so those guys are working hard.
03:39 They're good young players.
03:40 They're going to be really, really good players
03:42 before it's all said and done, both of them.
03:44 And so we just got to keep developing
03:46 and keep believing in them and trusting in them,
03:48 and them trusting in us and the coaching
03:50 and all that we do with them as well.
03:52 Because what are those conversations like?
03:54 After Cayton, who's kind of struggled
03:56 these last two games, then also with Sam,
03:58 who's had ups and downs to his performance.
04:01 What are those discussions like?
04:04 What were what like?
04:05 I'm sorry, I misunderstood.
04:06 The conversations with both--
04:07 The conversations.
04:08 --coach and quarterback.
04:08 I'm sorry.
04:09 OK, got you.
04:10 Just that, hey, talking about everything
04:13 from the good to not so good with each one of them
04:16 as we go through the film, all those things
04:18 are being discussed with them.
04:19 And what they need to do to get better, because again, that's
04:22 what we do, develop players.
04:23 And so they're getting coached up extremely well
04:26 by Coach Johnson.
04:28 And so you'll start seeing marked improvement,
04:31 I think, as we move forward and as the competition continues
04:34 to heat up.
04:37 A couple of quick personnel ones.
04:39 Trey, we saw him go down in the second half.
04:42 Do you expect him back this season?
04:43 And then Malik for this week, do you expect him back?
04:46 Trey is more day to day.
04:48 I'm not sure.
04:50 It's going to be tough for him.
04:52 And then Malik, we're working through the process
04:56 with him and his injury.
04:58 Day to day, too, I'm not sure about this week.
05:01 And then obviously, Nebraska's been pretty good
05:03 against the run, pretty good defensively overall.
05:06 And you guys have been really shorthanded in the backfield.
05:08 I guess what's the outlook offensively
05:10 when you guys have been scuffling,
05:12 going into another good defense?
05:14 Right, next man up, like always, we still
05:17 have Nate Carter back there running the football.
05:20 Still have-- you dropped the mic.
05:23 We still have Earl Joyner.
05:27 We put Alante Brown back there a little bit.
05:31 Davion Primm.
05:32 So we have some guys that, next man up, next man up mentality.
05:39 I'm wondering if you could just sort of reflect,
05:41 I guess, on the unique journey for some of these seniors.
05:45 I mean, some guys like Trey were recruited by another staff,
05:48 had a coaching change, a pandemic, 11 win season,
05:51 and now another sort of transition.
05:53 I mean, the uniqueness of their journey
05:55 and just what all they've been through in their time
05:57 in college.
05:57 It's very unique.
05:59 Like you said, Trey is a great example of, first of all,
06:04 a very, very great young man.
06:07 He's a great young man, good dude,
06:10 voted captain by his teammates, straightforward, honest,
06:14 hard worker.
06:15 And so he is a Spartan.
06:17 He's a true Spartan and will always be welcomed here.
06:22 But his journey is unique.
06:23 And I think that's something that you guys need
06:25 to ask him when you get an opportunity of how unique it's
06:28 been for him.
06:30 And at the same time, him still loving everything
06:33 about the green and white.
06:34 So really appreciate Trey Mosley and all
06:37 that he's done for this program.
06:39 And he's going to be successful in life.
06:41 I also wanted to ask you--
06:43 I just didn't want to have him run the mics,
06:44 back and forth, I guess.
06:46 But what did you think reviewing it with Spencer coming down
06:50 and playing nickel, Gross moving back?
06:52 And can that help a little bit as well moving forward maybe
06:54 with some of the linebacker depth being thinner right now?
06:57 Yes, that definitely helps with Malik down there.
06:59 I think he got adjusted down there.
07:03 He's playing close to the line of scrimmage
07:05 is really more of his forte, I think.
07:07 That's just my own personal opinion.
07:09 And so he'll only get better and better at it
07:12 as he continues to do it.
07:13 And then Jello has always been back.
07:15 He's been back there before the previous two seasons.
07:18 That's where he played in the back end.
07:20 And so he's back home, so to speak.
07:23 So it wasn't too bad of a transition.
07:26 It was actually pretty good.
07:29 Along the lines with the running backs,
07:33 Sam obviously got out and used his legs to create.
07:37 Does that help with that?
07:39 I guess when you are limited with the running back room
07:42 to have another option there.
07:44 And does that go into the decision with the quarterback?
07:47 Well, that was good by Sam just recognizing
07:50 when he had an opening to take off, he could use his legs.
07:53 Those are weapons for him as well as his arm.
07:56 And so he saw a chance to take advantage of a situation,
08:01 and that's what he did.
08:03 There are design quarterback runs.
08:05 We had Caden run a design quarterback run
08:07 in the second half and picked up about five or six yards.
08:10 So you want to use all the weapons
08:13 that you can use to try to go down and get a score.
08:15 And so that's what we're trying to do,
08:17 score by any means possible.
08:19 And with the tackle spot, obviously
08:22 Keyshawn went down there.
08:24 You had to bring in Lepo between that.
08:27 And I guess, can you assess the right tackle
08:29 spot with Spencer and Ethan coming out of that as well?
08:33 Yeah, exactly.
08:33 So all those guys that you've been watching,
08:36 paying attention throughout the course of the season,
08:38 have been rotating in and out with Ethan and Spencer
08:41 and Lepo.
08:42 And all those guys have been getting a lot of experience
08:44 playing, which is a good thing.
08:46 Which is a good thing, because Coach Cap has always
08:48 kind of kept them on a rotation.
08:50 And so if somebody does go down, then somebody
08:52 is just going to be playing more,
08:53 but it's not like they hadn't played at all.
08:55 And so because of that rotation deal
08:57 that he's been having going on throughout the course
09:00 of the year, it's an easier transition for those guys
09:03 to go in there and just play, because they've been playing
09:05 anyhow.
09:08 How special-- I mean, you kind of mentioned it,
09:09 but how special would it be to get a win on senior night
09:12 just for these guys?
09:13 It'd be awesome.
09:14 It'd be awesome.
09:15 Very, very special.
09:16 And send them out the right way.
09:19 Last home game in Spartan Stadium, you'll never forget it.
09:22 I still remember mine.
09:23 And so it'd be great.
09:26 We definitely want to do this, send them out
09:28 to Spartan Stadium as winners on their last home game.
09:31 What was your senior night like?
09:33 It was great.
09:34 It was a senior--
09:34 it actually snowed a lot the day before,
09:36 so it was snow on the side everywhere,
09:38 and the student section was throwing snowballs
09:39 at the other team.
09:40 We played Northwestern, 1989.
09:43 It was a sunny day, beautiful day, and we had a big win.
09:47 It was a big win.
09:48 It was some crazy score.
09:50 It was out there.
09:50 You can look it up, 1989, Spartans
09:52 versus Northwestern, senior day.
09:54 It was an awesome day, though.
09:56 It was great.
09:56 [INAUDIBLE]
09:58 It was-- so remember the old school turf?
10:01 The turf was clean.
10:02 It was a sunny day, but the day before, it had snowed,
10:04 so much the snow was piled up on the side.
10:07 So some of the students were throwing snowballs
10:10 on the field, just messing around or whatever.
10:14 Now, y'all can check me on this, '72, '14, maybe?
10:18 See, there we go.
10:20 Yeah, I remember my senior day.
10:22 I knew Jack would remember.
10:24 Steel trap.
10:27 And then I just wanted to ask you a question about Jordan
10:29 Hall and Chance.
10:31 Just how have you seen them just grow into their positions?
10:35 I know they're very young, and how important
10:37 are they going to--
10:38 how important is their role going to be against Nebraska?
10:40 Very important, because they've been playing,
10:42 and so they're not freshmen anymore.
10:44 We told them they're past the freshman status.
10:47 They've almost been here a year, because they both came early.
10:50 And so they're going to be really, really good football
10:52 players.
10:53 There's a reason that they're playing.
10:54 We're not just playing them just to be playing them.
10:56 We're playing them because they're good players
10:58 and going to be, I think, dominant type players as they
11:02 move on in the future.
11:03 So really, really glad that they're here,
11:05 and looking forward to their development
11:07 as the years progress.
11:09 Specifically from the Nebraska-- about the Nebraska
11:11 facilities, what do you want to see from them?
11:14 Just continue to play well and apply the coaching
11:17 and execute the game plan like everybody and every week.
11:21 So that's what we're hoping to see from them,
11:23 and just continue to just show marked improvement
11:25 each and every week.
11:26 And that's what they've been doing.
11:29 You obviously, after Saturday's game,
11:31 talked about going 4-0 in November.
11:33 How much do you embrace, or is it even a thing,
11:36 trying to play spoiler?
11:37 Because you got a team coming in here that's
11:39 trying to secure a bowl eligibility.
11:41 You've got two top 10 teams left that
11:43 are trying to compete for Big 10 championship.
11:45 Is that something you guys have embraced?
11:47 I never think spoiler, personally.
11:50 I just think win.
11:52 I'm thinking win.
11:53 Let's win.
11:54 We have four more opportunities to go out and win.
11:57 I told the team also, Michigan State
11:59 hasn't gone 4-0 in November, or undefeated in November
12:02 since 2013.
12:04 That's 10 years ago.
12:06 I said, even in the year we went to the playoffs,
12:08 we didn't go undefeated in November.
12:11 Lost at Nebraska, actually, believe it or not.
12:14 So I just try to give them motivation and things.
12:17 First of all, I'm a very positive person.
12:19 And I said this the other day, I'm an encourager.
12:21 So my mind goes to positive, win.
12:25 I never think lose or be a spoiler.
12:28 Saying I'm a spoiler means I'm a scrub, and I ain't a scrub.
12:32 So I don't think spoiler.
12:34 I think go win.
12:35 Just me.
12:36 You get me going.
12:37 I'm sorry.
12:40 That's you, but how do you keep the team from--
12:42 I mean, everything's gone so wrong.
12:45 How do you keep them from feeling
12:46 like the roof is caving in?
12:49 Believe me.
12:52 Believe me, it's been tough.
12:54 But credit to them.
12:57 Credit to them, Fred, man.
12:59 These guys come out and practice today.
13:01 Energy, communicating.
13:04 You would think, how much is it going
13:06 to take to knock these guys out?
13:08 And they can't be knocked out.
13:09 They can't be knocked out.
13:11 And I love that about them.
13:12 And we're on the back end of this thing now.
13:14 So hey, let's go.
13:16 And they see what we see when we're
13:18 watching film of the teams that we're playing, how, hey, man,
13:23 you just stay consistent in what you were doing.
13:25 Like some of the plays that they were doing,
13:28 like Coach Hazleton put up today, he said, look.
13:30 He showed them plays, a play that they were doing.
13:33 And we dominate the play.
13:35 That same play later in the game gets big yards
13:38 because the guys didn't stay consistent in their technique,
13:41 in their discipline.
13:42 Just do what you've been doing.
13:43 That's making a play.
13:45 And so when we get there and get that in our heads
13:47 and just keep playing the same way the whole game
13:50 versus the same plays and things like that,
13:52 then they're going to see, hey, this
13:54 is going to be the result of that.
13:56 And that's going to be a win.
13:58 So we have to just keep pushing them, keep pushing them.
14:01 But they keep showing up every day, Fred.
14:03 Nobody's late.
14:05 I mean, nobody's being insubordinate or anything
14:09 like that.
14:09 They're doing a great job.
14:11 Repeat his question.
14:12 You answered it in regards to Trey.
14:13 But do you have a special appreciation
14:17 for all these seniors for all of that they've been through,
14:20 including this year?
14:22 Absolutely.
14:23 All the seniors, the entire team, the program.
14:27 Because we're on unsettled ground right now.
14:31 And so the way these guys just keep coming out--
14:34 you can tell the guys on the team right now,
14:37 they love football.
14:39 Let's call it what it is.
14:41 You have to love football in itself based on everything
14:44 that's been going on.
14:45 So I love football.
14:46 They love football.
14:47 They love playing for their brothers next to them.
14:49 And that's what I love about this team.
14:51 And that's why we want to get a win so bad for this group.
14:54 So prayerfully, it'll be this weekend.
14:57 You're still loving football.
14:58 I do.
14:59 I do.
14:59 I'm nuts.
15:00 So I love football.
15:01 I love football to the core.
15:03 Like I said before-- I said this before--
15:05 I've been doing football every season since 1975,
15:09 some form of football.
15:11 One year I missed, '97.
15:12 That was it.
15:13 Every other year, I've been doing something in football,
15:16 either playing or coaching, since 1975.
15:19 That's who I am.
15:20 I'm wondering, we're spending so much time
15:25 talking about Sam and Caden.
15:27 But where's Noah at at this point
15:29 in terms of his physical health?
15:32 Is he going to be able to come back this season?
15:35 I think so.
15:36 It's still probably a few weeks off, if I had to guess.
15:39 And so we want to make sure he's completely healthy.
15:42 He's a tough guy, man.
15:43 I could tell you when he was out there,
15:44 he wasn't being totally honest with us.
15:46 But I kind of like guys like that.
15:48 I like nuts.
15:49 He's a nut.
15:50 He's a football player.
15:51 But he was just trying to tough it through.
15:53 But he was more injured than what he should have been.
15:55 So we're going to make sure he's completely healed
15:58 before we put him back out there.
15:59 Is there anybody-- obviously, Darius has been out
16:03 the last couple of weeks.
16:04 Is there anybody else you don't see coming back
16:06 the rest of the year?
16:08 Darius could possibly come back.
16:10 He's working at it.
16:11 He's rehabbing.
16:13 Not coming back the rest of the year?
16:15 Not right now.
16:16 Thank you, guys.