WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:11.919 Be following is a presentation of play Fly Sports properties change. My guys, 2 00:00:12.119 --> 00:00:31.000 they're trying to turn the goal lineer? What is the hands pass? Half 3 00:00:32.759 --> 00:00:54.640 school? Up? Here comes the spot now the sideline star shown that this 4 00:00:54.799 --> 00:00:59.119 is not the first thing I told him this morning. Can I say it 5 00:00:59.200 --> 00:01:06.040 rises down? Okay? You will always be defined on how you how you 6 00:01:06.480 --> 00:01:11.159 handle adversity. You know how you respond to adversity, not just on the 7 00:01:11.200 --> 00:01:17.920 football field, but beyond outside of football in life. You know how how 8 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:22.000 you because you're going to be in adverse situations. I mean, it's everything 9 00:01:22.040 --> 00:01:23.920 we're I mean, we're all adults here. We know that everything is not 10 00:01:25.040 --> 00:01:27.799 always peaches and cream. I mean there's there's bumps in the road, and 11 00:01:27.959 --> 00:01:36.120 some are severe and some not so much. But there's adversity and it doesn't 12 00:01:36.120 --> 00:01:42.480 get any easier as you go. I mean, you know, you sit 13 00:01:42.560 --> 00:01:46.159 here waiting for the easy bus to come around. The easy bus isn't coming. 14 00:01:47.519 --> 00:01:53.120 Words from Michigan State had football coach Mel Tucker and as weekly press conference. 15 00:01:53.200 --> 00:01:57.719 Michigan State now drops two and three, zero and two and Big ten 16 00:01:57.799 --> 00:02:04.079 play with a healthy loss all the road in Maryland. This is smart. 17 00:02:04.239 --> 00:02:09.919 I'm your host Jason Strayhorn along with Otis Wiley and Jay You to to col 18 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:15.599 crit Well, genlemen, let's get right into it. Misigan State goes on 19 00:02:15.639 --> 00:02:21.439 the road to College Park, Maryland on Saturday, and the offensive and defensive 20 00:02:21.560 --> 00:02:27.759 bowls continue, although there was some signs of improvement. Yeah, you're right, 21 00:02:27.879 --> 00:02:30.240 Strey. Michigan State goes on the road. This is a game that 22 00:02:30.719 --> 00:02:32.000 they could have won, and this is a game that they should have won. 23 00:02:34.599 --> 00:02:37.479 Did a lot of good things, but did a lot of bad things. 24 00:02:37.560 --> 00:02:39.159 Did a lot of things that came back to hurt us. We'll take 25 00:02:39.199 --> 00:02:43.439 a deeper dive into that as we go on with the show, but you 26 00:02:43.520 --> 00:02:47.639 know, obviously a disappointing trip to College Park for Michigan State. Yes, 27 00:02:47.719 --> 00:02:53.479 straight, it started out as a call. It had a seven or seven 28 00:02:53.560 --> 00:02:58.400 game on those first two drives, right, and you know, the opportunity 29 00:02:58.520 --> 00:03:00.960 to just to to give three and outs, just get a couple three and 30 00:03:01.039 --> 00:03:06.039 outs and keep that momentum going. I think the tie would have turned. 31 00:03:06.120 --> 00:03:12.080 But you just felt like the adjustments didn't go as planned. Once we started 32 00:03:12.120 --> 00:03:15.400 to get into that first half, it was competing in that second half, 33 00:03:15.439 --> 00:03:17.879 it was just like what happened to that team to have that kind of drive 34 00:03:19.000 --> 00:03:23.240 going into it. So you know, you look at it, you say, 35 00:03:23.360 --> 00:03:28.560 you know, Michigan State, you know they go out there on defense 36 00:03:28.960 --> 00:03:31.560 first. You know, we've been talking about that a lot during this season. 37 00:03:32.199 --> 00:03:37.319 Maryland goes right down the field for ninety three yards and twelve plays, 38 00:03:37.479 --> 00:03:42.199 capped off by a fifteen yard touchdown by Antwine Littleton to open up the game 39 00:03:42.680 --> 00:03:45.960 on the road against the defense. That's not good to start, is it? 40 00:03:46.120 --> 00:03:51.479 Os Oh? I mean absolutely not. Clearly. The momentum, like 41 00:03:51.560 --> 00:03:57.240 we're at their home, on their home turf, and you knew that you 42 00:03:57.400 --> 00:04:02.560 have a dynamic quarterback, you had elite running backs, and it almost that 43 00:04:02.759 --> 00:04:04.919 script. I mean, Jay, you can probably attest to it. You 44 00:04:05.080 --> 00:04:10.520 have a script that's called for that first drive, and every player on that 45 00:04:10.599 --> 00:04:14.919 script was a success. There was no hiccup, there was no pressure, 46 00:04:15.160 --> 00:04:19.639 and it's almost like we've worked and warmed up for that moment and then it's 47 00:04:19.920 --> 00:04:25.000 almost a shocker that they're running the players that we kind of seen in prep 48 00:04:25.079 --> 00:04:30.199 for and so when the first drive happens like that, like you kind of 49 00:04:30.360 --> 00:04:33.639 rub your head and be like man Saan Wolve's happening. Man, same things 50 00:04:33.720 --> 00:04:39.040 happen, and so I think we responded. The offense came out and responded 51 00:04:39.160 --> 00:04:42.000 very well, and then that shit it gave the defense and like, all 52 00:04:42.120 --> 00:04:44.600 right, we just need to get three and out and since our offense is 53 00:04:44.639 --> 00:04:48.759 clicking, and they still just didn't happen. So it's just said, you 54 00:04:48.839 --> 00:04:53.199 see it feeding off one another, right, the offense feeding off the defense 55 00:04:53.240 --> 00:04:56.519 and in vice versas, right, Jayu, Yeah, you're absolutely right. 56 00:04:56.600 --> 00:04:59.240 And a couple of weeks ago, coach Tucker said, the big thing is 57 00:04:59.279 --> 00:05:02.519 they got to play comp complimentary football. And if you're able to do that, 58 00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:05.560 if you know your defense goes and gets a three and out and your 59 00:05:05.600 --> 00:05:10.439 offense goes out and get some type of points you know, be it field 60 00:05:10.480 --> 00:05:16.319 goal or touchdown or even sustain a long drive. Because if you're in the 61 00:05:16.399 --> 00:05:19.920 offensive room, you know you have the saying you have there's a mantra in 62 00:05:20.279 --> 00:05:25.800 a lot of offensive room of end every drive with a kick, that being 63 00:05:26.079 --> 00:05:29.480 a punt, a field goal, an extra point. You know that's how 64 00:05:29.560 --> 00:05:31.600 you end your drive and that the defense is going to play off that they're 65 00:05:31.639 --> 00:05:34.839 gonna be able to get some rest and do that. But you know, 66 00:05:34.920 --> 00:05:39.399 you talked about Otis hit a little bit about that. You know, Maryland 67 00:05:39.519 --> 00:05:42.879 won the coin toss. They elected to receive the ball right away because they 68 00:05:42.920 --> 00:05:46.199 wanted to make a statement at home, opening up the big ten in their 69 00:05:46.240 --> 00:05:50.560 own field. They came out there those first ten fifteen plays that are scripted 70 00:05:50.600 --> 00:05:57.720 when exactly to plan, even in the third and shorts, they had the 71 00:05:57.800 --> 00:06:00.240 exact calls planned for it, and we were able to capitalize on it. 72 00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:05.199 But the thing that really impressed me with Michigan State is offensively early on in 73 00:06:05.279 --> 00:06:10.360 the game that did a lot of things well yeah, you know, and 74 00:06:11.120 --> 00:06:16.519 to Maryland's credit, Tonguevloa Talia. You know, his brother Tua was in 75 00:06:16.600 --> 00:06:23.319 the news for the multiple concussions this week because of his multiple cussions down in 76 00:06:23.399 --> 00:06:27.240 Miami Dolphins, and prayers go out to him and his family. But Tellia 77 00:06:27.879 --> 00:06:31.439 looked very good with thirty two or forty one on his throats for three hundred 78 00:06:31.439 --> 00:06:36.560 and fourteen yards in a touchdown. Yeah, he was. He was hitting 79 00:06:36.600 --> 00:06:40.399 on all cylinders, you know, doing things. You know. The going 80 00:06:40.399 --> 00:06:43.040 into the game. One of the things that I was saying is, you 81 00:06:43.120 --> 00:06:46.360 know, if we he's got to beat us, throwing the ball, you 82 00:06:46.399 --> 00:06:49.360 know, take away his legs, making one dimensional. And he did that. 83 00:06:49.480 --> 00:06:51.759 He beat us throw in the football. He had his way, he 84 00:06:51.879 --> 00:06:56.439 had he had time with the offensive line that gave him a lot of time 85 00:06:56.519 --> 00:06:59.759 so he could sit back there and really find his spots in the defense. 86 00:07:00.079 --> 00:07:03.439 Yeah. And I think we talked about last last week on the recap or 87 00:07:03.480 --> 00:07:08.879 a preview, is that keep him in the box. And you saw a 88 00:07:08.959 --> 00:07:12.399 play on that clip where he scrambles, and that's where, you know, 89 00:07:12.600 --> 00:07:15.480 like we're in a whole weep of trouble when you're pointing at your receivers like, 90 00:07:15.600 --> 00:07:18.600 hey, go that way, you have time to truly just throw the 91 00:07:18.680 --> 00:07:23.879 ball, Like that's where you're getting your d line going east and west, 92 00:07:24.240 --> 00:07:29.920 sideline sideline scrambling versus keeping them in the pocket. And then you have people 93 00:07:30.079 --> 00:07:33.199 in the vicinity that are just too far away to make a play on the 94 00:07:33.240 --> 00:07:40.360 ball. And you saw that the entire night of just wide open receivers because 95 00:07:40.439 --> 00:07:44.319 there's no one in the communication of the hook curl or getting debt further enough. 96 00:07:45.319 --> 00:07:47.480 And then you just broken plays man like this, making you know, 97 00:07:47.600 --> 00:07:51.199 he made us look like, you know, we had so many holes in 98 00:07:51.319 --> 00:07:56.600 our defense when in reality we're doing the drops. If you look at the 99 00:07:56.639 --> 00:07:59.920 film, we're doing the proper drops, which is not getting further debt. 100 00:08:00.319 --> 00:08:05.079 And also everything is in front of that second line of our linebacker, so 101 00:08:05.199 --> 00:08:07.360 you see just the kind of debt perception. I don't know if it's off, 102 00:08:07.639 --> 00:08:13.040 meaning like I don't know where my landmark is or is I'm not being 103 00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:18.040 able to read run past properly quick enough to get a proper read. That's 104 00:08:18.079 --> 00:08:20.160 a good point, Otis, and we're going to ask for your expertise as 105 00:08:20.199 --> 00:08:24.480 we continue to break this game down as we go into the game day stat 106 00:08:24.680 --> 00:08:30.920 break down for this is Sparta presented to you by I Hop and the IHA. 107 00:08:31.000 --> 00:08:35.720 Don't forget the two by two by two breakfast combo equals one delicious meal. 108 00:08:35.120 --> 00:08:39.240 Enjoy two pancakes, two eggs your way, and two pieces of bacon 109 00:08:39.799 --> 00:08:45.200 for only five dollars only at Eye Hop. Hurry in and enjoy this deal 110 00:08:45.360 --> 00:08:50.399 for a limited time, dying in only. Price and participation may vary. 111 00:08:50.960 --> 00:08:54.000 Restrictions do apply. And Jay, we're going to get right into the run 112 00:08:54.080 --> 00:08:58.799 game for mister Run Game. We talk about it at nauseum here on this 113 00:09:00.120 --> 00:09:03.360 Sparta and it's something that really is near and dear that both you and I 114 00:09:03.440 --> 00:09:05.480 as heart. You're running back, I'm an offensive lineman, and we understand 115 00:09:05.519 --> 00:09:09.519 that the running game can open up so much for whoever is playing quarterbacks in 116 00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:16.000 Michigan State. And Michigan State has three running backs who played Jalen Berger nine 117 00:09:16.080 --> 00:09:22.000 carries for thirty four yards, Jared Brossard three carries for sixteen yards, and 118 00:09:22.120 --> 00:09:26.919 Elijah Collins who made an appearance of five carries thirty six yards of a touchdown. 119 00:09:28.120 --> 00:09:31.840 Yeah, the run game is important. We have the Michigan State especially 120 00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:35.320 as the Mantra Pound Green Pound. If you want to win football games, 121 00:09:35.360 --> 00:09:37.080 you have to run to win. If you want to win Big ten football 122 00:09:37.159 --> 00:09:41.600 games, you're gonna have to run the ball to win offensively. For Michigan 123 00:09:41.679 --> 00:09:46.480 State, between the three backs, we called seventeen run plays. I know 124 00:09:46.639 --> 00:09:50.799 Thorn had five runs there, but they were not designed runs, so I 125 00:09:50.840 --> 00:09:54.120 don't consider those as a called run play. You can't win a Big ten 126 00:09:54.200 --> 00:10:00.600 game running the football seventeen times only. You have to run the football, 127 00:10:01.000 --> 00:10:05.679 find some success running the football in order to open the pass game. If 128 00:10:05.720 --> 00:10:07.200 you want the pass game to work, you have to run the football, 129 00:10:07.440 --> 00:10:11.879 get your offensive line, get them that confidence, you know, going downhill, 130 00:10:13.039 --> 00:10:16.360 mauling people. Your running backs will start getting that confidence. And then 131 00:10:16.440 --> 00:10:20.799 what happens is the defense gets on their heels. All right now they're playing 132 00:10:20.879 --> 00:10:22.679 run, they're being sucked up to run. Then you do a play action, 133 00:10:24.000 --> 00:10:28.200 then you do something different you have and then your playbook offensively opens up 134 00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:31.559 at a at a bigger magnitude, And it's a lot easier to call up 135 00:10:31.679 --> 00:10:35.000 game if you're an offensive coordinator, if you have both run game in pass 136 00:10:35.080 --> 00:10:37.960 game, going you know otis you know you've played on the defensive side of 137 00:10:37.960 --> 00:10:43.200 the ball. As from a defensive perspective, when a team is continuing to 138 00:10:43.279 --> 00:10:48.080 run at you, even though you may be have an early defensive success. 139 00:10:48.919 --> 00:10:50.519 Is that something in the back of your mind when you have a guy like 140 00:10:50.679 --> 00:10:56.320 Chu Chu running the rock at you ten, fifteen, twenty times, and 141 00:10:56.360 --> 00:11:00.200 then you're like, I hope they stop calling this guy's number. Are does 142 00:11:00.240 --> 00:11:03.720 it not matter to Oh? No, it matters. I mean you talk 143 00:11:03.759 --> 00:11:07.960 about bruising, right, Like, you get a bruiser who just wears and 144 00:11:07.120 --> 00:11:11.679 tears on your defense, you know, hit after hit. This guy's coming 145 00:11:11.759 --> 00:11:16.759 at you every time he touches the rock. Now you think about it, 146 00:11:16.919 --> 00:11:20.200 these guys aren't able to get into a rhythm. You know, if Eliza's 147 00:11:20.200 --> 00:11:24.039 out there, he gets you to the end zone on that touch. Feed 148 00:11:24.120 --> 00:11:26.799 them in the ball, like, just keep feeding him till he can't go 149 00:11:26.960 --> 00:11:30.879 anymore. And I don't think we've had that where you're able to get that 150 00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:35.600 guy to get a couple of possessions where he is his motor's running, he's 151 00:11:35.639 --> 00:11:39.159 able to start to get that confidence. You know, he ran that touchdown 152 00:11:39.440 --> 00:11:41.960 and he made the play a play out of nothing really because you looked at 153 00:11:43.000 --> 00:11:46.639 that office a line and you know they did shift the com of a little 154 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:50.000 blocking scheme for him, but he bounced out may one miss and no one 155 00:11:50.039 --> 00:11:54.559 wants to tackle him because he's coming down the downfield and so you know he 156 00:11:54.679 --> 00:11:58.559 gets one touchdown and then me personally, I wasn't a runner back, but 157 00:11:58.639 --> 00:12:01.039 I think, Jay, you can attest to this. Then you pull the 158 00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:05.919 man out and then he's he's getting cold. I mean it's it's it's windy, 159 00:12:05.080 --> 00:12:09.039 it was not a warm day. So it's opportunity for him to just 160 00:12:09.320 --> 00:12:13.559 feed that man the ball and let him put the team on his back because 161 00:12:13.600 --> 00:12:18.120 he has the mantra of the Spartan dog way of let's go pound gree pound. 162 00:12:18.519 --> 00:12:22.320 And then to that point, we start seeing the fleet flickers. We 163 00:12:22.399 --> 00:12:26.159 start seeing the pass down the field where people are you know, our tight 164 00:12:26.240 --> 00:12:31.279 ends wide open on the crossing route because they're now having to attest and make 165 00:12:31.960 --> 00:12:35.480 Elijah Collins a focal focal point. Well, and then you put the other 166 00:12:35.559 --> 00:12:39.360 guys in. He's just they're not reading those holes properly, man like. 167 00:12:39.480 --> 00:12:43.480 It's it's it's it's mind blowing to see it where I know the kid has 168 00:12:43.559 --> 00:12:48.000 worked his tail off and not to be able to keep that going. And 169 00:12:48.120 --> 00:12:50.840 so it's just kind of the question of the day is how do we lead 170 00:12:50.879 --> 00:12:56.000 into this week knowing that this defense that we're about to come come against is 171 00:12:56.360 --> 00:13:01.600 hardcore runs run past all of across the board. Let's feed this guy the 172 00:13:01.679 --> 00:13:05.960 rod. Yeah, Jayu, you know how this goes. When you're a 173 00:13:07.039 --> 00:13:11.960 running back you share time with Javon Ring or another very good all time running 174 00:13:11.000 --> 00:13:16.600 back from Michigan State, is there a certain rhythm that you would like to 175 00:13:16.679 --> 00:13:18.639 get into. You know, we hear coaches talk about we're gonna go with 176 00:13:18.720 --> 00:13:22.919 the hot hand in this game, the hot hands seemed to be number twenty 177 00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:26.639 four, yet they went away from them late in the ball game. Yeah, 178 00:13:26.759 --> 00:13:31.240 definitely, you want to go with the hot hand. That's running back 179 00:13:31.279 --> 00:13:35.240 by Committee, the hot hand place. Everyone in the running back room understands 180 00:13:35.279 --> 00:13:39.559 and knows that. You know going into the game Michigan State, and I 181 00:13:39.679 --> 00:13:43.440 said this in a previous podcast before. This is true running Back by Committee. 182 00:13:43.480 --> 00:13:46.720 Here, they're going series and you can't do that. You cannot go 183 00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:52.480 series because one person's gonna be hot one game. One person's not gonna be 184 00:13:52.559 --> 00:13:54.480 hot one game. And at the end of the day too, I get 185 00:13:54.559 --> 00:13:58.279 it, you want to eat just as bad as the next person. But 186 00:13:58.720 --> 00:14:03.720 run should be going to coaches and like, hey, he's hot right now, 187 00:14:03.840 --> 00:14:05.519 feed him, give him the ball. Javan and I used to do 188 00:14:05.639 --> 00:14:09.480 that all the time. We will go to a running backs coach and say 189 00:14:09.480 --> 00:14:11.799 like hey, I'll be like, hey, Rings is hot right now, 190 00:14:11.879 --> 00:14:13.320 let him eat. He go and say, hey, you choose hot right 191 00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:16.080 now, let him eat. That's how it goes, and that's that's how 192 00:14:16.120 --> 00:14:20.559 you build that confidence off each other as running backs. And when you're in 193 00:14:20.679 --> 00:14:24.679 there and your teammate, your running mate, believes that you're the guy. 194 00:14:24.919 --> 00:14:26.879 You know what you're gonna do, You're gonna run ten times harder to prove 195 00:14:26.919 --> 00:14:30.759 that point, right, all right, Elijah Collins. I don't know what 196 00:14:31.039 --> 00:14:33.120 happened. I don't know what he did, who he wronged, or what, 197 00:14:35.000 --> 00:14:37.399 but he's not getting the football enough. He needs to get the football 198 00:14:37.480 --> 00:14:43.519 more. He is right now the back that is running hard, running downhill, 199 00:14:43.600 --> 00:14:46.320 making life a little easier for the offensive line, making the offensive lineman 200 00:14:46.559 --> 00:14:50.840 get that confidence boost, get that juice. When you're an offensive line, 201 00:14:50.879 --> 00:14:52.879 you're in the hoddle. You tell your guys, hey, you give me 202 00:14:52.960 --> 00:14:54.000 five, I'd give you five. At the end of the day. Your 203 00:14:54.080 --> 00:14:58.879 offensive line see you pass them. That's a great site for them, all 204 00:14:58.960 --> 00:15:03.360 right. So Elijah Collins needs to get more touches. There's no way the 205 00:15:03.519 --> 00:15:07.000 kid, you know, has five carries, thirty six yards and one touchdown 206 00:15:07.159 --> 00:15:09.240 and the rest of the time he's in there it's for pass protection late in 207 00:15:09.279 --> 00:15:15.320 the game. That is absolutely acid nine and something some change has to be 208 00:15:15.399 --> 00:15:20.080 made. Elijah Collins needs to get more touches if the Spartan offense wants to 209 00:15:20.159 --> 00:15:26.879 go Currently, Elijah Collins for the season sitting at fourteen carries ninety four yards 210 00:15:28.600 --> 00:15:33.159 three touchdowns, folks, and that's good for six point seven yards per carry. 211 00:15:33.480 --> 00:15:35.320 That's a nice ball game. And then for either of you, if 212 00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:37.799 a guy came in and said, hey, this is my game, my 213 00:15:37.879 --> 00:15:41.879 body of work. Fourteen carries ninety four yards three touchdowns, I'd say you 214 00:15:41.960 --> 00:15:46.120 had a healthy game. That's a great stat line. The next day reading 215 00:15:46.159 --> 00:15:48.480 in the paper, and you walk through that football facility the next day after 216 00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:52.200 a game with your chest puffed out a little bit like I'm the guy, 217 00:15:52.480 --> 00:15:58.799 you know I can carry this team. Pullout question. We're showing players here 218 00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:02.039 of him moving the pile, the fleet flicker like you said, it works 219 00:16:02.240 --> 00:16:03.559 when you have a running back to people. Key on. Now, I'm 220 00:16:03.559 --> 00:16:07.440 going to ask you guys a question about chemistry now, But it seemed to 221 00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:12.279 me, it seems to me that with you and Javon jew with you guys 222 00:16:12.399 --> 00:16:17.240 had a great chemistry. And a year ago, you know, since the 223 00:16:17.320 --> 00:16:22.000 advent of the transfer portal, it seemed to be the Michigan State struck gold 224 00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:26.159 and bringing in so many new players, but everyone seemed to get along so 225 00:16:26.360 --> 00:16:30.600 well. I mean, look at that Elijah Collins, the guy who almost 226 00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:33.679 had a thousand yards three years ago. In comes Kenneth Walker, the third. 227 00:16:34.120 --> 00:16:41.240 He becomes Kenneth Walker's biggest cheerleader. Now I'm not hearing those same things 228 00:16:41.320 --> 00:16:44.559 coming out of that locker room. I don't do you guys get a sense 229 00:16:44.639 --> 00:16:47.320 that may be chemistry or you know, they may need to work on, 230 00:16:47.799 --> 00:16:49.799 you know, one for all, off one one for all, those kind 231 00:16:49.799 --> 00:16:53.039 of camaraderie things a little bit more to get more success out of the guys 232 00:16:53.080 --> 00:16:56.759 in the backfield. Well, I think you know, like you talked about 233 00:16:56.840 --> 00:17:02.559 Javon and I, we had a unique relationship as to who because a lot 234 00:17:02.879 --> 00:17:06.039 you know, behind the scenes stories to see who would start and who will 235 00:17:06.079 --> 00:17:08.119 go in we will play rock paper scissors. You know, that's just the 236 00:17:08.200 --> 00:17:12.000 way that that it was with us and the coaches had to believe and try 237 00:17:12.640 --> 00:17:18.599 really rock paper scissors one two, three, shoot best of three. That's 238 00:17:18.599 --> 00:17:23.920 who you got to start, yes, and you know the yeah, and 239 00:17:25.079 --> 00:17:27.079 you know we would know we'll play off each other like that because we understood, 240 00:17:27.119 --> 00:17:30.359 you know, if there was a game that you know, I won 241 00:17:30.440 --> 00:17:33.680 the rock paper scissors game and in the first eight it's a screen or something 242 00:17:33.960 --> 00:17:36.559 in his wheelhouse I'd be like, hey, I won this, but you 243 00:17:36.680 --> 00:17:37.880 take it. You owe me one, you know, and that's how we 244 00:17:37.920 --> 00:17:41.359 will go about it. But we we understood each other. We you know, 245 00:17:41.440 --> 00:17:45.440 we were because we we had that belief that one win, we all 246 00:17:45.519 --> 00:17:48.960 win. Because if I'm going in there and I'm the bruiser, pounding, 247 00:17:48.039 --> 00:17:52.200 pound and pounding, he comes in, he can do those other things now 248 00:17:52.400 --> 00:17:55.119 we and tire the defense out. He can run away from them. He 249 00:17:55.200 --> 00:17:56.640 can put a move on them and make a miss. And I think that's 250 00:17:56.680 --> 00:18:02.680 where we're missing a point with Elijah Collins and brusarden Berger. Those guys are 251 00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:04.759 elusive, but Collins is the pounder. He's the one that can go and 252 00:18:04.880 --> 00:18:10.200 get those tough, dirty yards, wear the defense down. And then those 253 00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:12.119 guys come in. You can run your screen game, you can swing them 254 00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:15.359 out, toss it to them, you can put them out in the pass 255 00:18:15.400 --> 00:18:18.079 game and you know, in the pass route there. So that's what has 256 00:18:18.160 --> 00:18:22.480 to happen offensively, and we saw that. You know, Collins got the 257 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:26.799 ball, had a nice few runs. He took that run, he pressed 258 00:18:26.839 --> 00:18:29.799 the hole on that on that run that we showed, pressed the whole slice 259 00:18:29.799 --> 00:18:33.319 to cut made chicken salad out of chicken poop on that on that play scored 260 00:18:33.359 --> 00:18:45.559 a touchdown. Yeah, exactly, coming up. So yeah, you see 261 00:18:45.599 --> 00:18:49.519 with that, you saw what happened is we started to go into the flea 262 00:18:49.559 --> 00:18:53.319 flicker. We started to throw the ball around. And what really worked for 263 00:18:53.440 --> 00:18:56.720 us in the first half of the game, we got the ball out of 264 00:18:56.799 --> 00:19:00.519 Thorn's hands, quicker, we you know, we did to screens to read, 265 00:19:00.680 --> 00:19:04.000 we got you know, tight ends involved all those different things. It 266 00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:08.480 keeps the defense guessing. Second half, we went away from that and we 267 00:19:08.599 --> 00:19:14.160 became one dimensional and then the defense just sits back in e otis. You 268 00:19:14.279 --> 00:19:17.119 know this when you know what teams passing, you're just sitting back. You're 269 00:19:17.160 --> 00:19:22.039 not even worried about coming up. You're taking your drops. Yeah, yeah, 270 00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:26.079 you know Otis. I mean you talk about chemistry of yourself. So 271 00:19:26.359 --> 00:19:30.799 do you think that today's player may be a little afraid that if I give 272 00:19:32.640 --> 00:19:36.079 the carries or give the shine to someone else, that it may hurt me 273 00:19:36.319 --> 00:19:40.680 versus. Hey, the ship rising with the tie. That's what we were 274 00:19:40.759 --> 00:19:44.240 taught, you know from the olden days when Nick Saban was on campus, 275 00:19:44.359 --> 00:19:47.480 right, he used to talk about, you know, you win championships, 276 00:19:47.519 --> 00:19:51.640 big ten titles, national titles. More guys are all Big ten, more 277 00:19:51.680 --> 00:19:55.440 guys are all American. More guys get drafted. It's just the way it 278 00:19:55.640 --> 00:20:00.119 is. And then sometimes you get into that me mindset and nothing happens right 279 00:20:00.319 --> 00:20:07.799 right, Yeah, I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the algorithm on 280 00:20:07.799 --> 00:20:14.680 when is it too soon to get pulled or to get benched. There's this 281 00:20:14.880 --> 00:20:18.079 happy medium of you want to stick with the kid. You want to make 282 00:20:18.119 --> 00:20:22.160 sure his confidence is up because you've seen this kid play at the highest level 283 00:20:22.440 --> 00:20:27.720 what are we talking about here? But you also see that there's opportunities that 284 00:20:29.720 --> 00:20:33.519 the pits and if you get stuck in the valley, like, we got 285 00:20:33.680 --> 00:20:40.000 to find some type of way to reset the mindset, reset the triggers, 286 00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:42.519 right, to reset this guy to make sure he responds in a positive manner. 287 00:20:44.079 --> 00:20:49.039 And I recall quickly, man, I was struggling one game and then 288 00:20:49.119 --> 00:20:52.319 that next one, you know, I didn't start like that was the first 289 00:20:52.400 --> 00:20:56.039 time I truly got benched, Like coach dude, Like it was I wasn't 290 00:20:56.079 --> 00:21:00.279 playing the top of type of ball that I was supposed to be playing, 291 00:21:00.359 --> 00:21:03.200 right, But what was me? I could have been like, oh, 292 00:21:03.400 --> 00:21:07.000 man, you know I'm about to transfer. I did think about that, 293 00:21:07.279 --> 00:21:11.440 but I felt like, one, let me try to, let me get 294 00:21:11.480 --> 00:21:14.400 my stuff back together, man, Like I know I could be great. 295 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:17.039 I know I was playing at the highest level. I was once a starter, 296 00:21:17.720 --> 00:21:21.119 but that made me work harder on the other things, the elements of 297 00:21:21.160 --> 00:21:23.160 the other part of the game, the mental part of it. So then 298 00:21:23.720 --> 00:21:29.240 we fast forward Ohio State. I'm back at it, you know what I 299 00:21:29.279 --> 00:21:33.799 mean. Like it's one of those things where see how a kid responds. 300 00:21:33.319 --> 00:21:40.839 And I'm not not pulling blame on anyone on our quarterback situation, but there's 301 00:21:40.920 --> 00:21:45.599 times where you absolutely have to figure out how do I reset the the meter 302 00:21:45.839 --> 00:21:52.000 up here where he played a decent ballgame to what he has right, he 303 00:21:52.200 --> 00:21:57.759 played a decent ball game, but we also saw some wide open throws that 304 00:21:59.000 --> 00:22:02.440 you just kind of scratch your head, like those are the throws he made 305 00:22:02.599 --> 00:22:07.200 last year? So what is what's going on? So go ahead? I 306 00:22:07.319 --> 00:22:10.680 think you know, you draw a great point to that artist with the fact 307 00:22:10.759 --> 00:22:14.680 of you know, your personal story from that, and I think what a 308 00:22:14.759 --> 00:22:18.000 lot of people don't realize that sometimes when you're in there, you don't see 309 00:22:18.039 --> 00:22:23.640 everything sometimes it's about taking a step back and looking at everything, looking at 310 00:22:23.680 --> 00:22:27.599 the big picture, and then that's when it clicks. Just like you, 311 00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:32.319 you were in there in that starting position. Maybe you weren't in the best 312 00:22:32.359 --> 00:22:34.599 position to be successful at that time, but you took it. You know, 313 00:22:34.799 --> 00:22:38.000 Coach d pulled you. You took a step back, and you you 314 00:22:38.160 --> 00:22:41.559 got that hunger, you got that chip on your shoulder back and you saw 315 00:22:41.720 --> 00:22:48.440 things from a different perspective, and things slowed down for you. So maybe 316 00:22:48.599 --> 00:22:52.640 let's let's let's be real honest. I was real salty though, like of 317 00:22:52.759 --> 00:22:57.839 course, right like moment if you're not a two competitor, like you're gonna 318 00:22:57.839 --> 00:23:02.559 be real salty about it. But it was also the time where all right, 319 00:23:03.200 --> 00:23:06.039 I'm going to make the best of what I have. I'm about the 320 00:23:06.119 --> 00:23:10.960 ball out on special teams. I remember homecoming. It was the absolute worst, 321 00:23:11.039 --> 00:23:15.599 just running out on kickoff, like, man, this is terrible, 322 00:23:15.759 --> 00:23:18.960 Like night game, you know, you wish you could. I didn't even 323 00:23:18.960 --> 00:23:22.440 get my name call to go out on defense. I'm like, all right 324 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:30.240 now, it's truly a self reflecting conversation with me internally about I'm going to 325 00:23:30.279 --> 00:23:34.319 be the best cheerleader for my squad, because like that's what I feel like 326 00:23:34.400 --> 00:23:37.079 a leaders. Sometimes you gotta take a step back, like you said, 327 00:23:37.119 --> 00:23:41.039 Jay, you and really see it. Like almost I was putting too much 328 00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:45.440 into it, Like take all of the craziness out of it, and let's 329 00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:48.920 start playing ball and having fun the game that we all love. Right, 330 00:23:48.039 --> 00:23:52.000 Let's have fun. I feel like we are. We're playing with so much 331 00:23:52.119 --> 00:23:56.400 pressure. We're tight. Yeah, Like we have nothing to lose when you're 332 00:23:56.440 --> 00:24:03.000 playing on a college football field at a Division one school. Let's just start 333 00:24:03.079 --> 00:24:07.200 having fun and like flying around. You don't even see any of the dancing 334 00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:10.319 around like we had with last year. You know, you score, you 335 00:24:10.440 --> 00:24:14.400 have, you have read, doing the you know all this other stuff. 336 00:24:14.440 --> 00:24:18.400 We don't have that right now, and I feel like we got to get 337 00:24:18.400 --> 00:24:21.440 that, Batman. We have to. Yeah, I think that's a great 338 00:24:21.480 --> 00:24:23.480 point. I think we're doing a lot of pressing. You know, we're 339 00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:26.960 playing tight and then maybe you know, maybe it is you know, a 340 00:24:27.119 --> 00:24:32.400 new person jumps in there. I know we're all talking about the same position 341 00:24:32.559 --> 00:24:34.680 here. You know, a new person jumps in there, it rejuvenates the 342 00:24:34.759 --> 00:24:37.960 offense a little bit, gets a little spark, and then you can you 343 00:24:38.039 --> 00:24:41.480 can be able to work a couple of different things in there and go from 344 00:24:41.559 --> 00:24:47.759 there. But I think right now we're playing tight offensively, especially straight question 345 00:24:47.920 --> 00:24:52.880 for you. Question for you I got, do you think it is detrimental 346 00:24:53.440 --> 00:24:59.640 to have a one and two quarterback system to give to our point of our 347 00:24:59.759 --> 00:25:03.680 run back to kind of a run in by committee? Is it detrimental to 348 00:25:03.599 --> 00:25:10.039 keep that defense guessing on one? We do prepare for QB two, but 349 00:25:10.359 --> 00:25:12.720 we also know what QB one brings. But let's figure out how we get 350 00:25:12.759 --> 00:25:17.559 them both some snaps with the ones, right, Let's figure it out in 351 00:25:17.680 --> 00:25:22.480 real time. What can he do in a one first half situation versus A 352 00:25:22.920 --> 00:25:26.680 at the end of the game and you see him gun slinging because he has 353 00:25:26.720 --> 00:25:30.279 all the energy in the world versus let's see how he really operates, because 354 00:25:30.279 --> 00:25:33.400 we also can be putting our foot in our mouth where we do give him 355 00:25:33.440 --> 00:25:37.599 those those snaps earlier and it's like, oh man, he's not ready, 356 00:25:37.839 --> 00:25:42.759 so we don't. Is there is there a detrimental like to that team cultural 357 00:25:42.880 --> 00:25:48.240 to that that quarterback if we did a one two situation like that team down 358 00:25:48.240 --> 00:25:52.200 the road was doing. You know, So what I think there's there's two 359 00:25:52.240 --> 00:25:56.279 ways that you can do this as an offense or from from the top down 360 00:25:56.720 --> 00:26:00.759 when you have a quarterback that's struggling a little bit, which we all know 361 00:26:00.880 --> 00:26:03.359 that's what's happening right now. Now. We all know also that besides the 362 00:26:03.440 --> 00:26:07.240 kicker, the quarterbacks are fragile as far as the way that they, you 363 00:26:07.319 --> 00:26:11.200 know, conduct themselves, and you gotta be a little gentle with them as 364 00:26:11.240 --> 00:26:14.839 you bring them along. We all know that as a fact as well. 365 00:26:15.400 --> 00:26:18.319 But when you look at what's going on right now with Michigan State, and 366 00:26:18.400 --> 00:26:19.279 we talked about it, I think it was a tweet that went out on 367 00:26:19.400 --> 00:26:23.440 our behalf about and know what, Kim, if you know Peyton Thorn doesn't 368 00:26:23.480 --> 00:26:26.839 take care of the football, now, he was fortunate in this ball game 369 00:26:27.480 --> 00:26:33.480 that he had. I believe it was two interceptions Paul overturned because of penalties, 370 00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:40.839 so there was no true turnover from Peyton Thorn. But what I what 371 00:26:41.039 --> 00:26:44.200 we think of I think about it like this, if you either have him 372 00:26:44.279 --> 00:26:48.039 on a short leash, if there is a turnover, and then as they 373 00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:51.839 do in basketball right here, ma teen Cleeves talk about, is oh would 374 00:26:52.000 --> 00:26:55.400 bring him and send him down next to him sometimes because he wasn't playing the 375 00:26:55.480 --> 00:26:57.720 best ball right and he told him he set him down, Like why you 376 00:26:57.799 --> 00:27:00.119 sit me down? He said, good, I want you out there embarrassing 377 00:27:00.160 --> 00:27:06.480 yourself like you're doing right now. And it gave him a different perspective as 378 00:27:06.599 --> 00:27:10.599 Jau as you just said on what the hell is going on out there? 379 00:27:10.680 --> 00:27:14.799 Because sometimes you can get very tumbel vision. The other way, you can 380 00:27:15.000 --> 00:27:18.240 do the quarterback by committee, similar to what you know. You've seen Kirk 381 00:27:18.319 --> 00:27:22.359 Cousins doing that with Keith Nickel, there was you know, as they were 382 00:27:22.400 --> 00:27:27.400 competing for the starting job. You also see the Damian Terry with the tyler 383 00:27:27.559 --> 00:27:33.359 I forget the other guy O'Connor. You've seen that in Ohio state and they 384 00:27:33.440 --> 00:27:37.440 were able to come up with the w because Connor Cook was hurt. So 385 00:27:37.640 --> 00:27:41.200 there's been situations that that has been effective. But you have a guy who's 386 00:27:41.279 --> 00:27:45.440 the heir apparent starter, like he the balled out last year. He was 387 00:27:45.559 --> 00:27:49.839 the guy. He is the guy, so there's no real competition so to 388 00:27:49.920 --> 00:27:55.119 speak. But I think there is time now for him if he continues to 389 00:27:55.519 --> 00:27:57.480 turn the ball over, because you gotta protect your house first, you know, 390 00:27:59.200 --> 00:28:02.440 the season's not loss that it's only been five games. I get it, 391 00:28:02.720 --> 00:28:06.079 they've got three losses, and I know that there's murderer's role coming up. 392 00:28:06.599 --> 00:28:08.519 However, there's a lot of issues going on in Madison right now. 393 00:28:10.079 --> 00:28:11.680 Okay, a lot of issues over there. That's not the game that we 394 00:28:11.720 --> 00:28:15.200 thought it was gonna be in the preseason that it's gonna be now. But 395 00:28:15.680 --> 00:28:19.559 whatever, we'll get to that in two weeks. But you look at where 396 00:28:19.640 --> 00:28:22.519 we are right now, and I think it is time for Michigan State to 397 00:28:22.640 --> 00:28:26.759 really have a short leach because you can't continue to do that. You need 398 00:28:26.119 --> 00:28:30.799 people. There's there's plays over We can show this play here where there's a 399 00:28:30.960 --> 00:28:37.759 breakdown where Peyton Thorne is clearly looking for a receiver. Something's not right. 400 00:28:38.119 --> 00:28:41.640 He takes off and runs for a first down. He doesn't get up and 401 00:28:41.720 --> 00:28:45.880 celebrate. Look look if you see him right there, he's talking to Jayden 402 00:28:45.960 --> 00:28:51.279 Reid as if Jaden you miss something. That Jayden responds with the oh dang, 403 00:28:51.400 --> 00:28:55.000 I'm messed up now that these are guys who've been playing together since pee 404 00:28:55.039 --> 00:28:57.039 wee and they're not on the same page right now. For whatever reason. 405 00:28:57.039 --> 00:29:02.039 I know Jaden's not one hundred percent, and we could tell the running game 406 00:29:02.079 --> 00:29:04.240 is not one hundred percent and peyton Thorn definitely is not one hundred percent. 407 00:29:04.599 --> 00:29:08.160 So there's a lot of things that are going on that need to get fixed 408 00:29:08.440 --> 00:29:12.920 from from behind the scenes at the practice field, and then from the top 409 00:29:14.000 --> 00:29:18.079 down. Decisions need to be made as far as who gets to play what, 410 00:29:18.279 --> 00:29:22.279 and like how long of a leash do you give of peyton Thorn if 411 00:29:22.359 --> 00:29:26.799 things get ugly this weekend against Ohio State. So to answer your question, 412 00:29:26.039 --> 00:29:30.519 and I appreciate your honesty, you know O this when you just talked about 413 00:29:30.559 --> 00:29:33.440 how you felt when you were benched, Because there's not a player in America. 414 00:29:33.960 --> 00:29:38.000 There's not a player that has played at this level or above in America 415 00:29:38.319 --> 00:29:42.440 who hasn't thought about quitting, who hasn't thought that this ain't the place for 416 00:29:42.559 --> 00:29:45.720 me, this ain't the game for me. There's not a player. So 417 00:29:47.160 --> 00:29:48.920 all those guys out there that are thinking that, they're the only ones that 418 00:29:48.960 --> 00:29:52.039 are feeling this way. And that's why I'm gonna hurry up be from my 419 00:29:52.119 --> 00:29:56.519 name of the transfer portal or this coach sucks. All the coaches suck when 420 00:29:56.559 --> 00:29:59.799 it comes to that because they all tell you you know you're not good, 421 00:30:00.079 --> 00:30:03.119 because that's what it's about. It's about challenging you. It's about mental conditioning. 422 00:30:03.160 --> 00:30:07.480 As we heard coach Meth Tucker talk about in that press compete. He 423 00:30:07.519 --> 00:30:10.960 said, you know you gotta have more reps. It's about how you respond. 424 00:30:11.559 --> 00:30:14.440 That's what they're looking for. How do you respond to the adversity. 425 00:30:15.200 --> 00:30:18.240 Plenty adversity to go around for the Spiders right now, right plenty that if 426 00:30:18.279 --> 00:30:22.880 of adversity to go around. But it's all about the response, not about 427 00:30:22.920 --> 00:30:26.480 what happened. No, poor means I think we've all been in that position 428 00:30:26.519 --> 00:30:30.799 where we could have been Oh man, this you know it ain't no good 429 00:30:30.880 --> 00:30:33.559 man. I mean I'm tired, man. I mean what time of day 430 00:30:33.640 --> 00:30:36.519 is it right now? Oh? I mean it doesn't stop right after football 431 00:30:36.599 --> 00:30:40.359 is over. Guys, doesn't stop. We got you said, challenge is 432 00:30:40.440 --> 00:30:45.240 now in your life. Who we need to bring on is our guy, 433 00:30:45.400 --> 00:30:52.279 Clifton Ryan. And the stuff that he talks about is like, quit blaming 434 00:30:52.480 --> 00:30:59.880 everybody else for your career, like it's it's it's you right like you. 435 00:31:00.319 --> 00:31:03.400 I can't say, oh, if it wasn't for my five knee surgeons, 436 00:31:03.440 --> 00:31:06.039 I would have been in the league longer. Man, No, man, 437 00:31:06.160 --> 00:31:08.880 Like, there's there's ways that I could have fought through that, but clearly 438 00:31:10.079 --> 00:31:12.640 I had a God had a different plan, right, So there was look 439 00:31:12.759 --> 00:31:17.960 at yourself, look at yourself in the mirror and say what can I do 440 00:31:18.480 --> 00:31:22.799 to get better for the next day and what can I do to have fun 441 00:31:22.880 --> 00:31:25.960 in this game? Right? Because like I'm not trying to like I'm like 442 00:31:26.039 --> 00:31:29.200 about to my sermon. I'm about to close in like five minutes now. 443 00:31:32.200 --> 00:31:36.880 I saw you hear him going on when your last time last? I think 444 00:31:36.920 --> 00:31:41.519 it's just where's our identity? Man, Like, we've got to get it. 445 00:31:41.759 --> 00:31:44.240 You got to get it back. You got to get it back. 446 00:31:44.319 --> 00:31:47.640 Man. If it's the whole team, need to go down to the water 447 00:31:48.279 --> 00:31:52.640 and sure we get baptized and come out and hold again, Like we gotta 448 00:31:52.759 --> 00:31:57.240 get better. Back to that energized Spartan football where at the very least at 449 00:31:57.240 --> 00:32:00.680 the end of the game, which me and and I think you as well, 450 00:32:00.720 --> 00:32:05.960 straight is that regardless of the winner loss, that team that we play 451 00:32:06.119 --> 00:32:09.000 is going to be bruising, batter and I feel like teams are coming and 452 00:32:09.079 --> 00:32:13.599 playing us feel it, and they don't feel a darn thing. Man, 453 00:32:14.240 --> 00:32:19.799 Like they come out just like fresh and the pophin carrying their chick fil a, 454 00:32:20.200 --> 00:32:22.759 Yeah, like coming in. You know, just we got to get 455 00:32:22.839 --> 00:32:25.799 back to that. Man. The woodshed has not been the wooshed. And 456 00:32:25.880 --> 00:32:30.599 this true statement, true fashion. We're not whooping on people when they come 457 00:32:30.680 --> 00:32:34.920 into town or when we go to their their spot. Now, you know 458 00:32:35.000 --> 00:32:38.079 what, to that point, you know what makes me, I think the 459 00:32:38.200 --> 00:32:43.039 most proud. It's not people telling you all this stuff about you were all 460 00:32:43.119 --> 00:32:45.759 big ten, you were this, you were a captain, and Ohio say 461 00:32:45.839 --> 00:32:50.039 victory. All that stuff is great. But I'm on the west coast, 462 00:32:50.160 --> 00:32:53.960 right and I run into a guy who played for Notre Dame. Came out 463 00:32:54.000 --> 00:32:58.720 in nineteen ninety seven. Now this is before your time. And ninety seven 464 00:32:58.880 --> 00:33:01.240 was the first year that we start of that win streak on the road in 465 00:33:01.400 --> 00:33:05.640 South Bend. I think it was like seven eight years, whatever it was. 466 00:33:05.720 --> 00:33:09.440 It was a lot of years of winning, beating the out of Notre 467 00:33:09.559 --> 00:33:16.519 Dame. Okay, there was a lot of years of that and Peter beat 468 00:33:16.559 --> 00:33:22.559 But he said to me, was, man, you played in Michigan State. 469 00:33:22.640 --> 00:33:27.039 He said, Man, all we ever thought was like this is gonna 470 00:33:27.039 --> 00:33:31.400 be a physical game. Like all week long they prepared for war and Ballet. 471 00:33:31.440 --> 00:33:35.240 I said, we might win this game, but it ain't gonna feel 472 00:33:35.279 --> 00:33:37.519 like we won when we come out. And I said, yeah, you 473 00:33:37.640 --> 00:33:42.640 didn't win either. So so that when you when you meet a peer who 474 00:33:42.880 --> 00:33:47.119 who represents and can see and say, look, I played you guys, 475 00:33:47.599 --> 00:33:52.119 and the brand of football that you guys bring was physical. I mean, 476 00:33:52.279 --> 00:33:55.839 to me, that's football. That's what football is. It's not the raffles 477 00:33:57.400 --> 00:34:00.599 and that like and and to your point, guys, I did see guys 478 00:34:00.640 --> 00:34:04.720 bouncing off of terrafor players. I've never seen that in my life. I've 479 00:34:04.799 --> 00:34:12.840 never seen a defense bounce off of offensive Maryland Terrafin players. And we saw 480 00:34:12.920 --> 00:34:15.280 that this past weekend. And I don't know if guys are you know, 481 00:34:15.480 --> 00:34:20.440 obviously there's there's injuries, right and we look, we can we can talk 482 00:34:20.480 --> 00:34:23.119 about the injuries as you can put up a depth chart right here. You 483 00:34:23.159 --> 00:34:29.039 can see. I mean, when you start the season and you lose Savior 484 00:34:29.119 --> 00:34:34.840 Henderson, you lose various Snow and this is for clearly so you can understand 485 00:34:34.920 --> 00:34:40.599 this. Then you lose Jacob Slave and you use Petrowski at the fourth. 486 00:34:40.679 --> 00:34:45.400 Then then you come back and you lose Bogel. I mean, that's five 487 00:34:45.079 --> 00:34:50.199 key figures in your essentially in your front seven. But really, you know, 488 00:34:50.400 --> 00:34:53.000 Xavier is a quarterback of that secondary. You take those guys now, 489 00:34:53.039 --> 00:35:00.000 you're replacing them with guys who are obviously less in experience, may maybe not 490 00:35:00.079 --> 00:35:05.599 a huge talent drop off, but definitely younger and newer to the program. 491 00:35:05.840 --> 00:35:10.239 And the void of that voice being on the field is damage. It's just 492 00:35:10.360 --> 00:35:15.079 what it is. So Michigan State. You know, it was one thing 493 00:35:15.119 --> 00:35:19.119 that was very encouraging this week to see Xavior Henderson on the road. He 494 00:35:19.280 --> 00:35:21.719 was there on the sideline and you guys got a chance to spend the time 495 00:35:21.760 --> 00:35:23.840 with him, right, yes, with a little slight job and his little 496 00:35:23.840 --> 00:35:29.719 Peppini step man, so you know, you know, giving a little dapping, 497 00:35:29.800 --> 00:35:34.079 a little hug like he's basically we're closed from them along the way basically, 498 00:35:34.199 --> 00:35:36.639 right. And you know, you kind of look at it from a 499 00:35:36.880 --> 00:35:39.400 being selfish standpoint of you know, don't rush back, man, like you 500 00:35:39.480 --> 00:35:43.400 gotta you got a long career ahead of you, right, like you're ready 501 00:35:43.480 --> 00:35:46.039 for the next level. But that's not the type of guy he is. 502 00:35:46.199 --> 00:35:50.559 Man but Jay, you you know, can speak on the point of this 503 00:35:50.719 --> 00:35:53.039 guy is coaching these boys up. Man, Like I look at the opt 504 00:35:53.119 --> 00:35:59.119 I'm being an optimistic here. We got young guys who are getting mad experience 505 00:35:59.280 --> 00:36:01.800 right now. We might be taking these huge losses, which you know, 506 00:36:01.920 --> 00:36:06.880 it's very disappointing that based off of last season coming in this season, but 507 00:36:07.000 --> 00:36:12.519 those young guys getting the experience, game speed, game time, experience is 508 00:36:12.599 --> 00:36:15.679 going to build warriors for this next season. Like I'm not saying I'm giving 509 00:36:15.800 --> 00:36:19.840 up on the season. We're looking forward to on. But it should be 510 00:36:19.960 --> 00:36:24.880 confident for a spartan nation that we have young guys finally able to get experience. 511 00:36:25.000 --> 00:36:28.920 Regardless of what it may be. They may get beat, but they're 512 00:36:28.960 --> 00:36:32.519 gonna live and learn from that standpoint, and so it's very it's very confident. 513 00:36:32.559 --> 00:36:37.320 It's very encouraging to see that that we're all taking these these losses together 514 00:36:37.880 --> 00:36:43.199 and then in that moment we're gonna respond with a better you know, outcome 515 00:36:43.280 --> 00:36:46.920 hopefully later down the season. The really good thing, otis to your point 516 00:36:47.000 --> 00:36:50.800 to see ezieger Henderson you know, back out there, and one of the 517 00:36:50.840 --> 00:36:52.559 biggest things that I'm gonna be so excited for. It's gonna be very emotional 518 00:36:52.599 --> 00:36:57.960 whenever he does return. But the really good thing of was seeing him out 519 00:36:58.000 --> 00:37:00.480 there coaching these guys. You know, during timeouts, he's in the middle 520 00:37:00.480 --> 00:37:04.519 of the huddle, getting them ready, getting them in the right position to 521 00:37:04.679 --> 00:37:07.119 be successful. So I think that's something that's gonna be you know, that's 522 00:37:07.159 --> 00:37:13.199 gonna go a long ways with him and his teammates and a guy that is 523 00:37:13.239 --> 00:37:16.960 an unsung hero on that defense. Uh, mister Bradley, he's the guy 524 00:37:17.119 --> 00:37:23.840 that you found the toughest hitter on that team. Uh really that first place 525 00:37:24.320 --> 00:37:29.199 we gotta come up there, right Yeah, had Maryland deep in their own 526 00:37:29.280 --> 00:37:30.960 territory, and he comes up with a big stick right there. Yeah, 527 00:37:31.199 --> 00:37:36.119 Like that's that dog right there. I get chills about that, like like 528 00:37:36.599 --> 00:37:40.039 hitting Jau when he comes down through the middle of the got him, man, 529 00:37:40.159 --> 00:37:45.960 Like I finally got him. Oh man, gotta love, gotta love 530 00:37:45.039 --> 00:37:49.079 Charles Brandley. And then you know, otis I know, we gotta we 531 00:37:49.119 --> 00:37:52.880 gotta wrap up soon, but we're gonna talk about the secondary issues continue, 532 00:37:52.960 --> 00:37:57.159 right You see the bright light of the secondary right now is Charles Brandley. 533 00:37:57.199 --> 00:38:00.880 You've seen a little bit of movement happen in this season, this game with 534 00:38:00.320 --> 00:38:05.800 Angelo Jello Gross moving from his safety position down for the nickel spot. How 535 00:38:05.800 --> 00:38:07.639 do you think he faired. I think he held his own. I mean 536 00:38:07.719 --> 00:38:12.800 from from a standpoint of you know, you can tell that you know first 537 00:38:12.840 --> 00:38:17.760 time going out there. I mean it was you when you play like you 538 00:38:17.840 --> 00:38:22.840 already understand, like when you fully get to play, like the pressure, 539 00:38:23.159 --> 00:38:27.440 the stress. You don't want to mess up because if you mess up and 540 00:38:27.639 --> 00:38:32.360 quickly like lose that platform like that quickly, like oh he wasn't ready versus 541 00:38:32.559 --> 00:38:36.679 like do what you do best, go out there and just play ball. 542 00:38:36.880 --> 00:38:42.719 And I think getting some young fresh minds out there some speed, he held 543 00:38:42.760 --> 00:38:45.920 his own. I think it's really like how can we get clicking on every 544 00:38:46.159 --> 00:38:52.280 level at the same time, Like our linebackers getting re routes on these slot 545 00:38:52.360 --> 00:38:57.719 receivers, can't let people just go free and run without getting a hand on 546 00:38:57.880 --> 00:39:02.239 them. Like it's it's it worked in tandem with everything from the pressure to 547 00:39:02.360 --> 00:39:07.079 the linebackers getting reroutes, dropping their hook curls, and the safety is being 548 00:39:07.199 --> 00:39:10.000 on top of those routes. Man, Like I feel like we're just not 549 00:39:10.239 --> 00:39:14.840 close enough to even make a pass breakup like we got to be there, 550 00:39:14.920 --> 00:39:21.280 hit to pocket aggressive. We're also losing sight of our DNA of pressing, 551 00:39:21.760 --> 00:39:24.679 like I'd rather live and die by the press, right, live and die 552 00:39:24.760 --> 00:39:29.719 by it. We get beat who cares man, But I'd rather punch them 553 00:39:29.760 --> 00:39:32.519 in the mouth, slow them down gradually as they're like, this is a 554 00:39:32.639 --> 00:39:36.960 battle every time I got to come off the line. And at that point, 555 00:39:37.079 --> 00:39:40.199 like regarding the best crew or the best receiving corps with Keyan Coleman and 556 00:39:40.320 --> 00:39:45.280 read every day, So why can't we do that then with our opponents. 557 00:39:45.599 --> 00:39:47.320 So I think that's what we want to look at this whole week is preparing 558 00:39:47.440 --> 00:39:53.360 for Ohio State crew who's coming in and they are ready to stack stock us 559 00:39:53.480 --> 00:39:58.599 right now looking at this game of this is where I'm going to put my 560 00:39:58.719 --> 00:40:01.119 stats up all the way. Let's go ahead and just shut that. Hit 561 00:40:01.159 --> 00:40:05.960 that in the mouth right from jump. And if that mindset is we're gonna 562 00:40:06.000 --> 00:40:08.440 compete to the end, because that's what we see. We competed to the 563 00:40:08.599 --> 00:40:14.400 end. It was the mental breaks that was like self inflicted wounds that we 564 00:40:14.599 --> 00:40:19.519 just can't do when we're playing top talent in Ohio State. In Wisconsin to 565 00:40:19.559 --> 00:40:22.320 Michigan. Yeah, a lot of question, and I think there were some 566 00:40:22.480 --> 00:40:27.639 positives to take from that. You know, as you just stated their otis 567 00:40:27.719 --> 00:40:31.079 and from the defensive side of the ball, you saw another great goal line 568 00:40:31.159 --> 00:40:35.320 stand and we're gonna show a little bit of that here another great goal line 569 00:40:35.360 --> 00:40:38.440 stand in Michigan State offensively wasn't able to get much going in that second half 570 00:40:38.840 --> 00:40:42.760 to speak of. But what I'm gonna talk about real quick is a third 571 00:40:42.880 --> 00:40:47.119 down. So right here you're gonna see a third and nine from Michigan State. 572 00:40:47.880 --> 00:40:53.360 Scottie Hansen dials up a blitz, brings up linebackers right over the garden 573 00:40:53.440 --> 00:40:57.679 centers. They come in with the stunt. They put pressure on them. 574 00:40:57.960 --> 00:41:01.320 Look he's got he gets off his he throws an incomplete pass, or just 575 00:41:01.360 --> 00:41:05.960 try to throw a screen and it doesn't work. They have to attempt the 576 00:41:06.000 --> 00:41:08.840 field goal, which they did. You know, he's upset, but the 577 00:41:09.079 --> 00:41:15.239 pressure affects them. Now we'll go period to this third and six. Subsequently 578 00:41:15.960 --> 00:41:22.400 we do let's just sit back rush three or four barely it's third and six. 579 00:41:23.239 --> 00:41:28.320 As you said, otis the second level. Just as they're waiting for 580 00:41:28.440 --> 00:41:32.360 the guy to catch the ball at the six yard line and then he crosses 581 00:41:32.440 --> 00:41:37.199 for a first down. I don't understand that. You know, you know 582 00:41:37.519 --> 00:41:43.800 years at the NFL level that the great quarterbacks, the more you blitz them, 583 00:41:44.199 --> 00:41:50.199 the more they destroy you. Right when you're facing Patrick Mahomes or you 584 00:41:50.239 --> 00:41:52.920 know, Josh Allen, the more you blitz them, they'll they'll just eat 585 00:41:53.000 --> 00:41:58.639 you alive. But at this level, at some point, you gotta put 586 00:41:58.719 --> 00:42:02.800 pressure on the his quarterbacks to make them make the quick decision and to challenge 587 00:42:02.840 --> 00:42:07.280 them and make them prove that they're an elite quarterback. Right, Oh, 588 00:42:07.320 --> 00:42:10.960 I agree, I mean keep them guessing. Man. Like you saw last 589 00:42:12.079 --> 00:42:15.880 night with the you know, Kansas City Chiefs and Patriots game, is that 590 00:42:16.559 --> 00:42:21.239 to the left, you don't even see his trips left, you don't even 591 00:42:21.320 --> 00:42:25.880 see that that corner kind of incognito hiding there. And Mahomes doesn't even see 592 00:42:25.880 --> 00:42:30.000 it even happen to Brady too, Like he doesn't even see it. And 593 00:42:30.079 --> 00:42:34.679 I feel like the disguising of it, like let's bring some speed off of 594 00:42:34.800 --> 00:42:39.039 that side from the corner blitz standpoint where let's sim Brentley on that corner blitz 595 00:42:39.199 --> 00:42:43.000 and so he gets home, right, he may get shipped, but at 596 00:42:43.079 --> 00:42:45.079 least he's gonna put some pressure on it. I mean, he's our best 597 00:42:45.119 --> 00:42:51.960 cover corner, but they would never guess that he's coming through, right, 598 00:42:52.079 --> 00:42:55.360 And I think those are the elements of I need to who's coming this time, 599 00:42:55.599 --> 00:42:59.880 Like I need to know who coming, like at least have somebody come 600 00:43:00.119 --> 00:43:02.440 with pressure. But if you sit down and you get your linemen come in 601 00:43:02.599 --> 00:43:07.119 this, they're getting double blocked or getting chipped. There's no He's just sitting 602 00:43:07.159 --> 00:43:13.159 back there looking his chops and we historically you can't cover longer than the three 603 00:43:13.199 --> 00:43:15.920 and a half four seconds, like if you go further than that man like, 604 00:43:15.639 --> 00:43:21.039 I mean, it's fast as quick and they can just run everywhere across 605 00:43:21.159 --> 00:43:22.840 the field and you got to keep up. But there's no pressure to at 606 00:43:22.880 --> 00:43:27.639 least get him to throw back pass or the second guests where they at least 607 00:43:27.679 --> 00:43:31.159 we get a sack. So I think that's the element of element of surprise 608 00:43:31.679 --> 00:43:36.400 is what we got to make sure we keep these quarterbacks doing. And we 609 00:43:36.519 --> 00:43:40.239 got a quarterback that we're going to meet this weekend who is a stud and 610 00:43:40.800 --> 00:43:45.079 we got to do something to make sure that he's off his game because he's 611 00:43:45.159 --> 00:43:50.719 he's coming in and expecting to truly stat build his stats, and so how 612 00:43:50.800 --> 00:43:52.880 do we keep him going? Go ahead, say you, Well, the 613 00:43:52.960 --> 00:43:55.880 thing that you talk about bringing pressure off from an offensive standpoint, what that 614 00:43:57.199 --> 00:44:01.519 does is it eliminates, it takes It takes things away from having possibly a 615 00:44:01.679 --> 00:44:07.519 four or five man route to possibly just a three man route combo out there, 616 00:44:07.559 --> 00:44:10.320 because you have to have your running back in for protection and sometimes you 617 00:44:10.400 --> 00:44:14.079 might leave your tight end, you know, if you're having trouble with that 618 00:44:14.480 --> 00:44:17.079 with that d ND or they're doing stunts and everything, you keep her tight 619 00:44:17.239 --> 00:44:20.280 end. And next thing, you know, you just have a three man 620 00:44:20.440 --> 00:44:23.599 pressure and it's putting more time on the quarterback and it has to they have 621 00:44:23.679 --> 00:44:29.239 to go back to their routes, to timing routes as opposed to longegated routes 622 00:44:29.920 --> 00:44:32.119 route combination. So that's that's one of the things from the offensive side, 623 00:44:32.320 --> 00:44:37.440 when a team is blitzing a lot and you have to set have someone in 624 00:44:37.159 --> 00:44:42.000 to help and protection. Well, great insight, guys. You know, 625 00:44:42.119 --> 00:44:45.360 we could break this thing down to its most granular form, you know, 626 00:44:45.559 --> 00:44:49.000 and that's why we'll have to, you know, come back again for another 627 00:44:49.039 --> 00:44:52.800 show. We're going to come back in a couple of days for the Ohio 628 00:44:53.000 --> 00:44:57.760 State preview show. You know, this was the Maryland recap, and I 629 00:44:57.840 --> 00:45:00.639 mean, there's a lot of things to go around to get better for but 630 00:45:00.760 --> 00:45:02.320 I know that the mississ State coaches are going to be doing their best right 631 00:45:02.400 --> 00:45:08.119 now to get those guys ready to play a game against the highly talented Ohio 632 00:45:08.239 --> 00:45:13.400 State Buckeyes to bring in the Heisman Trophy candidate and c J. Stroud and 633 00:45:13.440 --> 00:45:17.679 a very very good defense. And you know, so any final thoughts for 634 00:45:17.760 --> 00:45:23.960 you otis, Yeah, I think one plugging in for our next episode, 635 00:45:24.599 --> 00:45:28.840 we're going to have one of the Spartan greats, one of me and jay 636 00:45:28.920 --> 00:45:37.400 U's teammate on with us and Drew Stan number five quarterback who truly knows what 637 00:45:37.519 --> 00:45:40.599 it's like to be a competitor, highly competitive out there. We talked what 638 00:45:40.760 --> 00:45:52.760 is that down river up Rivers where he's from? Down he was originally he 639 00:45:52.880 --> 00:45:55.719 was born in Oregon. Yeah, so we're gonna have number five on. 640 00:45:55.960 --> 00:46:01.280 Man, he's gonna give us come of that true breakdown from the quarterback perspective 641 00:46:01.360 --> 00:46:06.599 of like what do we need to do to get back on track. I'm 642 00:46:06.639 --> 00:46:09.400 excited about that. But lastly, I think practice, man, this is 643 00:46:09.440 --> 00:46:15.960 the opportunity to truly find the depth of our souls and like, truly find 644 00:46:15.119 --> 00:46:22.320 who we are in these moments where everyone's turning against you, everyone's questioning, 645 00:46:22.800 --> 00:46:25.960 questioning what you are, who you are as a team personally, and I 646 00:46:27.000 --> 00:46:30.199 think that's where you find who your true selves are. So I'm gonna drop 647 00:46:30.320 --> 00:46:35.519 that knowledge bomb there next week, this weekend. I can't wait to talk 648 00:46:35.639 --> 00:46:39.320 on Wednesday about what's to come out for the weekend. So back to you, 649 00:46:39.440 --> 00:46:45.360 Jay, You, back to you. Yeah, it's home. But 650 00:46:46.480 --> 00:46:50.199 yeah, I mean I don't know how. I don't know how to follow 651 00:46:50.280 --> 00:46:52.880 that out. But except for the fact that we just, you know, 652 00:46:52.239 --> 00:46:54.760 we got to put Maryland behind us. You know, I said last week, 653 00:46:54.840 --> 00:46:58.039 you have to have a memory like a fish. You have to do 654 00:46:58.199 --> 00:47:00.719 that, learn from the mistakes, look at the things that you did well, 655 00:47:00.960 --> 00:47:05.360 improve upon it. And this week and practice just stack good days on 656 00:47:05.440 --> 00:47:08.440 top of good days, and you come out ready to play. I'm excited 657 00:47:09.119 --> 00:47:14.039 for the Ohio State preview. I'm excited Drew is gonna be joining us. 658 00:47:14.039 --> 00:47:15.480 We're gonna have some great stories. We're gonna, you know, have a 659 00:47:15.559 --> 00:47:21.280 lot of fun. If you're going to the game this weekend, stop by 660 00:47:21.440 --> 00:47:31.320 Tuck Town presented by Meyer to see me be DJ booths everybody some tickets toyotas. 661 00:47:35.239 --> 00:47:43.559 We at least got four at least stop by Town check check people. 662 00:47:43.920 --> 00:47:51.840 Come on now, people needs them. Dog one Buckeye is gonna try to 663 00:47:51.960 --> 00:47:53.599 buy up all the tickets out there. Spartan Nation, don't let them do 664 00:47:53.719 --> 00:47:58.400 it to us now, don't let them make this a home stadium for them. 665 00:47:58.559 --> 00:48:01.079 Don't let them do that, you know so, so please please show 666 00:48:01.199 --> 00:48:05.599 up and support the guys. I mean, they need you now. It's 667 00:48:05.639 --> 00:48:07.199 easy to cheer for a winner, you know you need to be there. 668 00:48:07.320 --> 00:48:12.639 This is what Spartans about. Maybe with three hundred man, what's the battle? 669 00:48:13.039 --> 00:48:15.000 Tell you? What's the battle that the three hundred Spartans went through? 670 00:48:16.639 --> 00:48:20.559 My daughter's sleep And I can't go with that as far as well as your 671 00:48:20.639 --> 00:48:23.199 profession, I can't. I just said the battle they we're in. I 672 00:48:23.320 --> 00:48:27.880 know that we don't have all the battle. That's what I'm talking about. 673 00:48:28.280 --> 00:48:31.400 That's what we're going through right now. The Battle of Thermopyla, in the 674 00:48:31.480 --> 00:48:38.440 woodship, all this cut, all this, that's what we're doing, man, 675 00:48:39.239 --> 00:48:43.159 so like you know, that was a battle to see that. The 676 00:48:43.239 --> 00:48:45.000 Spartans, you know, no, I don't think any of them made it 677 00:48:45.039 --> 00:48:47.719 out alive. But look they did put on a hell of show. Okay, 678 00:48:49.559 --> 00:48:52.920 all right, they took a lot of people with them. Okay they 679 00:48:52.000 --> 00:48:59.360 felt all this went over, say they felt it, didn't it? Like 680 00:49:00.119 --> 00:49:05.599 thankfully? No, no, no, no, no, keep this now. 681 00:49:05.679 --> 00:49:07.960 That's to put a bit of ball on this show. Man. You 682 00:49:07.039 --> 00:49:12.639 know, thanks to my co host Otis Wiley and jauche chew Culprit. We'll 683 00:49:12.679 --> 00:49:16.679 see you guys next time on the next episode of This is Far to have 684 00:49:16.800 --> 00:49:21.679 a good night, God bless and go greet, Go white, Go white. 685 00:49:28.920 --> 00:49:30.280 Do you know how time