The following is a presentation of play Fly Sports properties. Welcome to another episode
of this This is Sparta. I am your host Jason stray Or, along
Wi co host Otis Wiley and jay U to Q Corick. It is December
the sixth, Tuesday, twenty twenty two, and we just had a jam
Pack weekend Conference Championships. NFL portal opened up yesterday. Stuff is flying all
over the place right now. People will now the CFB, the colleg football
Playoff that is it's set. Mischigan State now knows it's fade. As far
as the bowl game or not, We're gonna get into all those things.
But right now we're gonna talk about what happened this weekend. We're gonna go
first off with the Pack twelve championship USC they fall. Oh yes, you
see, you know this game was I think obviously closer than the score.
You know, you saw Caleb Williams get you know, twisted up and playing
on a bad foot. Uh and at times where he was legitimately couldn't even
move be mobile snapping the ball, and you know, I think that was
a real detrimental effect for that team trying to make a comeback and it's like,
you know, take him to the locker room, let the back of
at least do something, because you know, Caleb Williams offensive threat. I
mean it's his legs and so you take that away. He's one dimensional and
you know it's tough to see as he was trying his best and then trying
to battle through. But Utah also played a great game. But the PACTOL
Championship clearly, Uh you saw what is what set this thing off? Man?
Where Jay's last episode, Jay, you wanted to put some presson on
the ball committee, so he got he got his well wishes on that one
for sure. Yeah, definitely Utah. You got to give him credit.
They came out ready to play this USC team because at this point of the
season, USC was firing all cylinders and they were coming in hot, and
uh, you know, Caleb Williams, he was feeling himself. He had
the f Utah written on his on his fingernails, ready to go, and
that came back to bite him in the butt. But you know that was
it was a it was a good game. Utah pulled it off. Congratulations
to them, right, Caleb Williams a guy who came in I mean the
fourth ranked team in the country. It was in their hands as far as
the destiny if they were going to go to the College Football Playoffs, have
a chance to play for a national championship. In Lincoln Riley's first year at
USC, you know, wasn't able to punch their ticket to the College Football
Playoffs. But do you think that Caleb Williams, since Blake Horn has gone
down, is still the clear cut favor for the Heisman Trophy even after that
gutsy performance he had in a losing effort against Utah. Oh, that's a
tough one because they're both, they're both you know, he's putting least stats
on the board, and I think that's you know, to his his advantage.
And you know, Blake Corn had a nice you know, stats seat
before he went down, and I can only imagine what he would have put
up on Ohio States defense if he was playing. Because his counterpart did the
thug dizzle on himself. Yeah, I think, you know, well,
you can't you can't falt guy for playing an extra game. You can't hold
that against him for getting his team further and playing in the in the championship,
in the conference championship. So I think he did enough to solidify himself
throughout the season that he is that guy, and it clearly showed that he
is the heartbeat of that team because when he went down, that's when the
wheels started falling apart for USC. Yeah, clearly a dynamic player. You
know, not a lot of us in Big ten country get a chance to
watch USC on a daily basis because we're focused on a Big Ten. But
this is a team that will be in the Big ten good point years,
you know. So that's why we're tracking what's going on out there. You're
seeing the emergence of all the new coaches that are coming into the Big Ten.
Is gonna be a very exciting conference from coaches and players and just the
overall footprint. But as we move on to the Big twelve championship game,
TCU, which is was in a prime position to punch their ticket to a
college football playoff, goes into overtime and loses the game. And uh wasn't
enough though when you look at it, you know, number three and four
guys both lost going into this college football playoffs, this conference championship season or
weekend, and one team was knocked out in the USC was to open the
door for Ohio State, but TCU losing a close game wasn't enough for BAMA
to leap frog them to get into the playoffs. Yeah, shout to some
guys that got on that camp, the state staff that was I was with
at SMU, you know, the head strength conditioning coach Tuma and Carroll Uh
you know, he's a he's a dude right there. And then you know
when you look at this this game like this game was this game was nice,
Like it was an opportunity to showcase obviously the Big twelve as you know,
they saw Texas you know, going to the SEC soon and then you
have Oklahoma as well, and so you know, looking at this opportunity for
Kansas State to put this on the map of you know, TCU spoiling it
and they, I mean TCU was it was they were nervous. I think
we talked about this where you know, they was I didn't want to see
a case of they got this party going and they don't get in. Like
I felt that kind of close on this vote here. But from being it
so close and then beating you know, top team in TCU, you know,
I think that show that TCU does have what it takes to compete in
the CFP College Football Playoffs four top teams here. Yeah, I don't think
that was was it was close at all. Going into the game, I
knew TCU win or lose their end. I did not think it was close.
You know, they already beat Kansas State earlier in the year. Even
though it was a close game. But once again, like I said,
you can't fault a team for you know, advancing and playing in the championship.
And I know before we talked about us Caleb Williams, you know,
etching his name on that Heisman Trophy. But who I would not be surprised
to see at that Awards cereony as TCU's Max dug In the quarterback that gets
an absolute dog. You could see, you know before that when he drove
him down there and he was just so tired and just leaving everything on the
field. You know, that kid's a dog. And I would not be
surprised if he got the call to go to New York for the Heisman.
Very interesting the whereas we move on down south to the SEC Conference with the
number one Georgia Bulldog's face l SU. It was an exciting game, but
Georgia just too much for the Tigers as they roll fifty to thirty in that
ball game. An absolute statement game for the Georgia Bulldogs. They knew going
into this game they had to go in there and beat the dog heck eyes,
we're in the locker room. Beg, it's all right. Georgia had
to go there and beat the dog shit out of approval point that they're still
the big boy on the block. And that's exactly what they did. This
game had nothing to do with you know, Kirby Smart and them could care
less about winning the SEC championship. They have the national title on their minds
and that game making a statement and striking fear, you know, making opponents
be like, damn you guys know what it's like. You know what it's
like when you see on your schedule a team and that team's coming up and
you you're watching them and they're hanging points on teams and they're being dominant.
Now you're you're there's a little self doubt that creeps in there a little bit.
So absolutely, you know, Georgia came out to make a statement and
that's exactly what they did. They put the entire college football playoffs. On
notice. Listen, they're going back to back like no one's no one's stopping
the Georgia Bulldogs. I mean, well, well, well we will talk
about that. I know we'll talk about it. My stance is, and
we will argue this later down the road here so now tonight. But those
boys, those boys got it man and LSU, I mean, Coach Kelly
and that team. It was like they are who we thought they were and
some so obviously we were gonna talk about this later down the road, but
it was a It was a game that you thought would be possibly more closer
than what it was. But Georgia had the whole thing, the entire way.
So you know that fan base is crazy, man, and they got
some guys and dudes on that team that can truly play at the next level
right now in my opinion. So with LSU, you know, they paid
Brian Kelly all that money to come in. And my thought on this on
Brian Kelly is, you know you have these guys you have like the New
York Yankees had Mariolo Marioloa Rivera. He was the closer they played inner Sandman
when he comes in because you knew he was gonna get it done. Brian
Kelly does not have a closing bone in his body. He cannot coach his
team in the big games. Every time they go to the big game,
they get shellacked. When he was at Notre Dame, when they gave them
playoff chances, BCS chances, all those things get shellacked. And now he's
in the SEC. He's gonna make it to the SEC Championship game, and
what's gonna come out is his lack of in game adjustments and he's gonna get
shellacked every time because he can't close. He put up thirty points though on
George. Now that's the one thing. He put up a lot of yards
and thirty points. So it wasn't as if they didn't move the ball or
have any success. Yes, that defense was was getting suspect a little bit,
so he put up thirty points on them. But if you look at
this box score here, you know Georgia did all their work early and you
know, and then they chilled and relaxed at the end there, So it's
not you know, I'm talking Earth, You got to start fast and go
second quarter Georgia outscored n LESU twenty one to three, phaem Gun and Dusted.
They had those boys in the bag. Hey, I don't know if
they the foot off the gas when they were up twenty five points. I
think it was they decided to go for two because it was a statement game
for them, the game they try to make a splash. Yeah, they
did that. They definitely did that. Now as we move on to all
right Neck of the Woods, the Big Ten Championship game down at Lucas Oil
in Indianapolis, Michigan, that school down the road face Purdue in the Big
Ten Championship Game. Hats off to Purdue because they may most likely will not
be into this championship game anymore as conference or divisions may go away. Purdue
may never see this again. It's just I'm just be keeping it real.
So if that being said, Misi Smith, we talked about this in our
breaking news show. Would he played, and we said, look, there
was no doubt in any of our minds that he was not only going to
play in the game, but he was out there for the coin toss and
then we even have him celebrating at the end with the trophy in the background.
Yeah, I kind of not last, but Jim Harmo's reference in that
recent article of Today was like, I've never seen somebody say hayter ay and
hater tops what does that even? You know? Mean? Clearly the rules,
like we talked about are are are different there. And we talked about
the photo of you know, Mazzie Smith plainting the suiting gun suthing fingers at
the trophy like almost like I'm getting off, I'm cool and clean. I
got support. That game was if you think about, for dude, getting
into the red zone and cannot convert. If they've converted all those the field
goals to touchdowns, it'll be probably a different story if you look at it.
That's just my opinion. When you're looking at that game, I'm trying
to take my hater right off of here, but no hater tots over here,
boy, But think about how many times you got in the red zone
and convincingly driving the ball down there and they just couldn't convert in the red
zone. So those field goals, I mean, you can't catch up and
keep up and keep getting field goals when Michigan was still scoring, Yeah,
exactly, you can't. You can't exchange three points for six points every time
you're down there. Uh, you know, and like you said, and
going into the half, it was a one point game. Uh, but
Purdue did not have the moxie and the sustainability to go through and uh and
hang with the Wolverines. And you know, like straight said, kudos to
Purdue, thanks for coming. See you in the next decade. And then
we can't get that Cora back because we hey, we've been We've been in
that three times, so you know, we we we've been there and then
we've been there. And just just so do you guys just read the Heisman
finalists are just announced. Step hasn't been it, Max Duggan, ce J's
Trout, and Caleb Williams. We just talked about Caleb now, I mean
that don't sleep off Stepson. The number one team in the country, you
know, the Georgia Bulldogs. That kid, you know, I know he's
getting those security as a college. He's like Chris Winky was mur Chris wink
from Oh Yeah. But but I know you guys gonna laugh at me.
I said this earlier that Max Stuggan My sources, My sources are telling me
that guy is a sneaky favorite for that Heisman Trophy. I'm not saying he's
gonna win it, but he's gonna be He's gonna surprise a lot of people
in the voting, and that's gonna shift around a lot of these votes here
for these these Heisman Trophy winners here. Oh yeah, you you kind of
wish that they were like prolonging the Heisman passed to see a P championship.
Yeah, this is you got what all four? What all four of them
is? Besides Ken threw the three out of the four that's playing in in
more more exclusive high you know, bowl games and CFP. So I feel
like maybe this is the Iceland a cake Like it's close neck and neck,
it's your body of work on the season. It's your body of work on
the season. I get that, but I'm saying they should reconsider and and
how how how how much do you smile to see uh Blake krum left off
after the treatment that h K nine got last year and all those guys there
ain't no doubt about it. I agree, it's amazing. Blake, what's
this is? Sta? What was the final stat? Like? Obviously K
nine is last season to Blake corm season. I know they both had eighteen
touchdowns, but Kin had about two hundred more yards than Blake. Now,
granted Blake missed what two and a half game something like him, that's on
him. That's on him. Hey, that's coming from a Fumer runner.
That's the running back talking right. I saw Javon Ringer had a moniscus tear
two weeks he was back, so I had some loose bone chips floating in
there, got that scope, the moniscus moved around a little bit. I
was back out there. That's on him. He's I know exactly what he's
doing. I don't you know. He's preparing himself for the next level.
He's not risking or anything like that. So this opportunity to ext your name
on the Heisman Trophy to you know, be in the Nissan Heisman commercial,
the Heisman house wasn't important enough to him. So I'm not gonna sit here
and feel bad for him. And I love those facts. And I hope
that people down the road are burning couches and saying, you know, Blake
Korm got screwed because Blake Korm screwed Blake Korm Ooh, hey, you know,
maybe it's just me. I see the damage. I remember watching Javon
Ringers injury, like I saw that happen. Yeah, this one I didn't
even I don't know. I mean, he's getting surgery whatever, But man,
you know, he's a tough kid. There's no I can't take anything
away from that. But I just didn't see it being like a catastrophic injury,
you know, like one of those who was the Clinton Ports the kid
from Miami, and that just got his need. McGehee willis McGahee, you
know, like KRM. He he's protecting this as his investment and rightfully so
he should do that. So he has no other years eligible to play it,
doesn't he have extra years. He's going to do the league, absolutely
none. He's going to the league. That's why he's not. If he
was coming back next year, he would be playing in the college for he's
gonna have a month to to get that surgery recover. He's gonna have a
But he's he's going to the league. That's why he's not gonna That's why
he's not playing. He's gonna declare for the league. He's got to declare
for the league because of Donovan Edwards. You know, Donovan is clearly the
new feature back at Michigan as you see the production that he's had the last
two weeks. Another guy that you know when you look at that matchup,
if you see Michigan is gonna be playing TCU in the first round of playoffs
out in Phoenix and Michigan, and then you're gonna have Georgia, you know,
yeah, oh yeah, that's gonna be a difference. You know,
right there, you're gonna see, Like it's hard for us to say this,
but it looks like it's going to be a Georgia Michigan national title game
the way things are matching up right now. And as you said, old
as you think that there's nobody that's gonna beat Georgia, I disagree with that.
I totally disagree with that. Listen, listen. I disagree with one.
I'm a hard for frog this this next month. And that's not the
it's this, it's this. Yeah, it's like that, you know what
I mean? The horn fraud. They got different things, the horn frogs.
Yeah, because you got what hook them horns? Craziness, right.
I truly believe that t c U when they play ball, they're they were
forced to be reckoned with. And I'm saying that because Sunny Dice got those
guys rolling and year one coming to Fra coming straight from down the road,
and that's in you. I just feel like if their defense makes the proper
stops, that offense is electric. So it's one of those things that Michigan
got tied up on that secondary because uh produced was getting busy back there,
you know, one on one. So it's just kind of things where I
think it's gonna be more evenly played. They're like, they may get Michigan
or off of your money. I agree with you one hundred percent. Otis.
I think TCUs firing all cylinders that the key for them in that game.
They're gonna have to make two crucial stops defensively so they can get that
advantage. And and you know, to be the one that's not chasing.
When I say not chasing, I mean you know that are up all the
time and the Michigan has to tie them or go ahead. You know,
they can't be chasing, so they have to get those two crucial stops there.
And if I'm a Michigan fan, you know I'm not you know,
he he ha, hid over here because I think on the other side of
that bracket there don't sleep on the Ohio State Buckeyes. And if you get
Ohio State and it's Michigan Ohio State and Michigan fans think we already beat them
once. As my Grandpapy will always say, the same thing to make you
laugh, will make you cry. Oh, we've heard that one already.
Okay, this is true. It could be a rematch. I mean,
Michigan versus Ohio State. But you know, as you said, TCU very
formidable upon it. I mean I did get a chance to watch them against
Texas in that ball game, and in Texas tried to come back late in
that ball game to make it competitive, but TCU just throttled them. You
know, physically, that team is not the typical Big twelve team the way
that we traditionally know the Big twelve to be high offensive output, very little
defensively, not very big upfront. This team looked very stout up front.
They can run the ball at will, and they can play defense. Man.
I mean, this is an exciting matchup. I think the playoff committee
got it right in the four teams that they selected, and I think whoa,
whoa, whoa the playoff coman. You're the one that was saying Alabama
was gonna get in. See here we go. Oh listenby let me tell
you something. The lobby for Alabama. This carried on till Tuesday, which
today, and it wasn't on selection on Sunday. I'm telling you those voters,
those people that are in that committee could have been swayed the fact that
on Sunday at noon as early as it has been in a while. By
the way, and you've seen all that out for the support at the TCU
facility. Did you guys watch the show. Did you see how many people
were there, how many cameras were there? There were no cameras in there.
There was no there were no Rolling Tide team meetings and cameras around there.
They didn't That's why they weren't there, because they knew they weren't gonna
be You have two losses, there's no way you're going in. I don't
give a damn who's coaching you, Nick Saban, Jesus Moses, anybody.
You're not going to get in. You're not gonna get in over a one
loss team that played in a conference title game. When you were sitting at
home and you lost to Tennessee listen, listen, you seem very angry about
it. Listen, Look, the media had always got Nick saving in that
nice Crimson Crimson colored vast jacket. Hey, what was he that on Fox
during the Big Ten Championship He was up little lobbying like we deserve to be
in this, Like, hey, man, it's okay to go to a
regular ball game, like those days are gone, those days are gone.
You had an opportunity. Nickas gonna give him hell no matter what. Look,
man, all I'm saying is that lobby is heavy to be considered.
See tell you you gotta understand that you're you're saying the two loss Sea.
There's a lot of two loss teams. I didn't see their coaches on,
you know, during the Big Ten Championship game talking coming on TV, breaking
in there like hey, talking about I mean, the only chip he had
to play was the point spreads and and favoritism as far as vegans is concerned,
which is it's a weak argument. Also, strength and strength is schedule,
Like, Bro, you got those matchups right and balling right to the
top teams, but then you play those cupcakes like McNee State and Citadel out
of the eighty two Bowl eligible teams, which could State was not able to
backdoor a Bowl spot with five wins. As we found out this past weekend
and championship weekend that teams like Buffalo and they were able to get to their
sixth win and mischis State will not be bowling this year. Well, AnyWho,
we are at the crib. We aren't the page. We are one
short, shooting ourselves in the foot because we had the opportunity to get LOO
eligible. But I think from the standpoint of all the injuries, all what
we went through like it's probably for the best in my opinion, but it's
an opportunity to turn the page and truly focus on how do we get this
back on track now? Roster management coming, shuffling, transfer portal, you
know it is it is a twenty four hours day they leave this month where
they are truly looking how do we set this up for success next season,
which we need all the time to get healthy but also develop what we got
and what we're going to try to bring in here. My question is,
you know, how do you you know you hit on it? You know,
how do you refresh the page? Do you use to transfer portal as
a you know, as a splash as an NFL slash free agency market there,
or do you go the traditional route that not a lot of people are
doing, Not a lot of colleges are doing it because coaches aren't afforded the
time that they were afforded hell three years ago by recruiting kids, bringing in
those classes, having that blood, sweat and tears together from freshman, sophomore,
junior, senior year. You know, you know, how do you
do that and what's their approach to that. Do you just go into portal
and get a couple guys and then rely on high school guys coming in and
building a culture and building program, or do you continue to hit the portal
and bringing guys in from all walks of life in different areas and hoping to
find this bond for them. Well, guys, there's a lot that needs
to happen. I think for misc stated to get back on track. I
think that mel Tucker and the staff is going to work through these things through
the transfer portal, through high school recruiting. Right now, you know,
the portal just opened up a day ago. The guys are on the road.
The coaches have been on the road to see them. You know,
they were with one of the Prize recruit standing the kid, the big big
offensive lineman out of Alabama. Uh, it looks like Mel was there with
Jay Johnson and coach kat all eating very very good in the neighborhood down there
at almost like a family reunion type of dinner. So you know they're out
there sealing up, making sure those guys aren't being flipped. They're trying to
get new recruits. They're they're fishing the portal and then they're working to see,
you know, which guys they want to save on our own roster right
now and doing roster management from that aspect. But you know, if you're
listening right now, you know I want to thank you guys for listening.
Be sure to kick cluck the thumbs up button, the light button and subscribe
to our show. And here's a message about subscriptions right now. Click on
the Lincoln the bio anywhere, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, even
TikTok go to that link tree and you can find us where we can get
tickets in hand. I know it's hot now for the basketball season. Everybody
wants to be inside and stay out of that cold weather and getting that Breslin.
Follow us and we'll get those tickets to you. Welcome back. We're
gonna get into the next segment of the show, which is gonna be presented
by ihop. And here's the message from our friends over at I Hop,
twas a wintry day and at I Hop quite soon hot cinnamon apples would be
coached with a spoon on the fluffiest French toast with red currants on top.
We wish you a happy holiday only at I Hop new gingersnut apple French toast
part of our new holiday menu. Try all three flavors. Prime time to
colo rodo. Guys, what you think about this splash right here coming out
of Jack the state twelve and oh still has a championship game to play now
the new coach for the Colorado Buffalos. Uh. First of all, shout
out to the creative marketing crew here h this photo shop and got the icy
snow mountains on the Ona sades. Uh. They pimped uh prime time coach
Prime very well out coming out to marketing this this move. You know,
Jay, you already said his sources had UH had told him already that that
was happening, and clearly he was correct. So keep on bringing that information
that classified information here. You know, there's that clip of that you know
sports broadcaster or the news local guy that was interviewing beyond that, Like I
feel like we need to show that clip. But it was a hilarious interact
with coach Prime on talking about, you know, hinting at hey, you
know, do you got a room do you want to come to Denver with
me to go see a football game? And Coach Prime is just saying,
you know what you're talking about? Man, Like this is before they even
did the championship game, and so they just bust out laughing. But we
should saw a little clip of that. One of my favorite teams in Kansas
City Chiefs right now. Yeah, next week they played at Denver Broncos in
Colorado. I'm going with you and you we're gonna ride together. It's good.
Now, that's a good one. That's a good one. There,
I got in it. Now that's the good one. That's a good one.
There, that was a good one. Come on, sit back down
here, come on, So why are you going to do your boy like?
No, no, no, no, I coach I never been I've
never been there, but I'm going I'm going there. Well, I'm going
next week when the Chiefs played Bronco Colorado, Never Colorado. What you're trying
to say? I just want to know what we ride together? Why am
I going? What you think? Well? Let so they're playing Okay,
this week my team played the Bengals. I'm just asking. You told me
that I ain't tell you what you told the fella. They told the man
they'll ask a question. He asked a questions and you he asked all this
stuff about your beard and all that you used that. But when I asked
you, can I ride with you to Colorado? Why would you? Why
would you assume I'm going to Colorado? Don't you could have been to all
these places. I've never been to Colorado? Would you assume I'm going to
Colorado? I'm just good stuff? You playing at the room? Yes,
season be over with and look and season be on. So we got we're
going to get were going to get. You gotta stop, man, Okay,
this is good though, this is you, this is yours. You
thought that thing got no but you ask you no questions about none of that
I appreciate. But coach Prime and a d Rick George. Uh. When
I used to work with with my last employer, I was running all of
the Lead one association, that's all the fbs A flooded directors in the country
and Power Power five Division one and we always have this conference and so uh
the A. D Rick George was on the board of Lead one at the
time, and you know, always interacting with him, it is always it
was always like a good, good interaction. And you know, him going
out to pay what Coach Prime you know is worth and giving him an opportunity
to get into the Power five speaks volumes on you know, his decision making
on there, and so I think that this is a great move man,
It's an opportunity of upward mobility. I know that we're getting a lot of
issues on the on the on the social handles with with them talking about you
know, how did he give up on the kids that he had there at
Jackson State, And that's a topic of conversation, but he is this is
a good move. This is also talking about the press conference and also let's
let's transition to that first transition meeting when he talks to the to the team
that's currently there, and you know that was that's something we're gonna bring up
right now. Well before that, I mean, how is it gonna be
when he hits the give him my theme music the first time in Colorado?
They go to a band gonna be able to keep up with it? They
played some theme music for him walking into that team meeting. He did,
but that was but it was a different song though, wasn't all eyes on
me? Yeah? All eyes over what my hitters? Yeah? You know
that Colorado. I just want to know, Hey, how quickly do you
throw out the love word? Like he's I'm saying I love you, I
love you Rick George, He's like, I love you too, Prime,
Like yeah, they got to know the last month, m right, Yeah,
yeah, this has been going on for a little while. See,
I mean that's how these things go. Well, yes, it's been going
on for a while, because it was weeks ago when my source told me
that what's going to Colorado? And yay, hey, hey, you know
he's noting to have this like Lebron James vibe. Like I knew it.
You know why I can say that because when I told you guys, especially
Otis, was like, man, ain't no way Prime going to Colorado?
Like he that's what I did. Put a little extra in there, kind
of like Uh, like Eddie Murphy coming to America and the barber say,
you have never seen doctor Martin Luther, King, Martin Luther, the King.
Yeah, but no with this move here, a lot of people are
giving Coach Prime flak for this, you know, for leaving an HBCU university
when he went in there to you know, he said his goal, his
purpose was to uplift the university and put some attention on the swack. And
you know, you can't take away anything that that guy did for that conference,
those universities in the last three years. That when did you see swack
games on a on a more current rotation on ESPN, You know, it
was when Coach Prime came in there. He came, he uplifted those,
he took you know, he took that university and turned it upside down,
turned it on its head. People were talking of about it. People are
donating money, you know, to to college's historical black colleges and universities.
So give that man his due for that. And now he's taken that passion
somewhere else to elevate you know, black coaches in Power five rank and in
the you know FB conferences. You know, he's doing those things he's you
know, he's transitioning to another level to do that. But I will say
if I was a member of that Colorado team, I'll be calling my mama
after that press conference that he did. Your point, he elevated black coaches
and and and staff wise, and you know the one thing that's really going
to be talked about is, I know, you're bringing your son over to
be the quarterback, and if you're the quarterback of Colorado, like that's an
immediate life. He's gone, he's already. He know he is. I
know he is. But I'm saying, like you should like the way you
announced, hey, hey, Colorado fans meets a new quarterback. Like like
the amount of feeling that like that is just an ultimate, big, big
boss move that we're seeing in his public I love it. I love it.
You know. The thing that that that's gonna be the most like,
I guess interesting is his his quota quotableness prime. You know, because when
you listen to that whole if you listen to this whole transition speech to the
team, you know there there was a lot in that it was heavy and
it was very forward. You know I'm coming. I mean I felt like
he took a little bit of that tuck coming for himself, right. And
he's very very articulate. He can come out with he has new, new
new ways to motivate players. He's a he's a minister up there. He's
like a great orator, right, And he said, uh I, he
said, a few positions are already spoken for. He said, yeah,
I'm bringing about ten or eleven with me. I bring my own luggage.
And it's Louis, now you take what people have now changed that to say
is like he told all the players of Colorado to get in the portal and
that he got his own players coming in there, and they all Louis like,
you know, his the way that his words are gonna be twisted can
either uplift him or demonize him. And that's what you're gonna see here.
And it's gonna be also interested to see. Now that he's in a power
five structure, he's gonna have to deal with something that he hasn't had to
deal with before, coming from the Little league to high school to the swack.
You don't have boarder regions and trustees and athletic directors that have pressure from
donors. He hasn't had that yet, So it's gonna be an interesting dichotomy
to see how that whole drama plays out. If you guys under stay where
I'm coming from, because we see this in the Big Ten on a daily
basis, how the political side of things affect the game itself. And Prime
is coming in as a guy who's played two sports at his highest level and
had a lot of success and now having success coaching in the slack. Will
he be able to navigate those waters? Yeah? I think he definitely will
be able to navigate navigate those those our lats because the biggest thing about him
what he's gonna do is and this is the smartest thing that he's gonna do,
because we all know he was not a at Jackson. He was not
a coordinator or anything like that. He's going to surround himself with the best
coaches that he can find, and Colorado's going to allow him to and give
him the resources too, because this hire is put in Colorado football like before
this higher like how many times other than if you're in Michigan about hearing Mel
Tucker came from Colorado? Did you hear about Colorado football? You didn't?
It has been decades since Colorado football really prominent, and now they're on the
forefront, they're on the ticker, they're on the cover page of ESPN and
everything like that. So Colorado's gonna find they're gonna scrape up the resources to
allow him to surround himself with the best coaches, the best scouts, the
best recruiters that he can find. So it's gonna put him. All he's
gonna be doing is just managing and motivating, managing, motivating, getting in
press conferences talking, you know, doing his thing and drawing money to that
conference. He's gonna draw attention from recruits to that school, and you're gonna
see it. And Colorado the ad, the president's the board of regents that
you just mentioned. They're gonna sit back and start reaping the benefits and the
rewards for that. But he has to win's got a win. Man.
You talk about Cordell Steer, Michael Westbrook back in those days, the enemy
on enough guys, you guys, probably indicapl BM is running that rock in
the day, was coordinated for the Kansas City Chiefs. But there's been that
long ago since Colorado was truly relevant, and they've been I mean, what
were they one and eleven last year? So yeah, who's and you say
he's bringing his own luggage, He Dan Wills should brings his own luggage.
When you win one game, you know, in the Pats, you win
one game, yeah you you you you everyone's in a chopping block. Then
that's why that coach is gone, His assistants are gone. All you everyone's
in the chopping block. You won one game and you expect to be there.
That's what people don't understand when people when you sign a scholarship, people
think, oh my god, you got a four year full ride. No
year to year you have to sign that scholarship. People don't understand that.
People don't know that that's a year two year thing and it's how you perform,
you know. So that's why the pressure and that's why I want to
say, you know, athletes should be a student, athletes should be paid,
yes, because it's all that mounted pressure to perform and be there for
that next year. So when you want to win one damn game, something's
gonna bring their own luggage because they're not going to be left like the coach
that you won one game work. That coach is out on the employment unemployment
line without question. I mean we talked about transition speeches, what so like
we're gonna get into the transition speeches. One more thought man, look more
thought Like people failed to realize Prime if he sticks to it, his DNA
is as a coach, but as a person, which we already know Prime
is gonna be coach. Prime is he's a leader of men, like he
is running a program of excellence. And you know he's not just talking it,
you know he is truly walking it. Especially with Jackson State. You
know, those guys never seen a structure. I mean I won't, I
won't discredited you know, his predecessor there at Jackson State. But I'm saying
the structure that he brought into the pro style element of coaching these kids on
and off the field, I think that speaks volumes of what Colorado may have
obviously been missing. And that's where he's going to take over. And you
know he's not switching up. And I'm sure you know Prime talked to Rick
Georgean's like, listen, if I'm gonna come, I'm not coming to be
anyone's you know, I say puppet, but more so I'm not I'm going
to be me, and I need you to let me be me and trust
that being me is going to get us the success. It's going to get
us to flip the tide. So I think that Colorado opened, They've already
exposed themselves that they are wanting change, and in order to get the change
that they want, they got to go get the best. And Rick George
and his staff and team did the best that they could to go get the
best. And this is I think it is a perfect fit the best for
their program. Absolutely, yes, yes, And I think you hit a
good point there. Otis about coach Prime being him and Jason you said it
earlier too. The Board of Regions, all these things were probably talked about.
The perception, the image, the way that coach Prime dresses. He's
not gonna be dressing like other coaches in that league. You know, it's
gonna be a little different. You know, he's gonna be widing around his
golf carts. He's gonna be doing things a little different. It's gonna be
that Mama, there goes the neighborhood a little bit. You know, they
already talked about those I think, you know, do you win or do
you you don't want to stay mediocre. You know what, you gotta pick,
pick your battle. Listen flashbacks when I was a little jig and Deonna
Sanders was on the Dallas Cowboys. That's when I was living in Flutville,
Texas, born and raised in Austin. We go to training camp where they
have training camp at Saint Edwards University back then, and I remember, like
when you see like a super hero or you see a role model, like
that's flashy, but like represents the culture. Like as a young boy,
you see Deon Sanders come out the locker room and they have to take golf
card. He's always been in that golf card game. The golf car had
full decked out rims, a full surrounding system, and he was playing music
like just as you see as a as a coach right now, and like
you knew Deon Sanders was coming, and like you just kind of stop and
be like, man, that's prime time, bro, Like that's Deon Sanders.
And watching him in action in practice truly was like, man, this
dude is amazing electric, He's superhuman. And that's just a little flashback because
I'm like the same guy you see as a head coach. He's been his
way since day one and has switched up, which is very respectful. I
respect it, right, But talking about transition meeting's got no you brought that
up? Yeah, me and Jay are we all three of us have been
a part of a Michigan State coaching transition, I guess so, which is
an unusual thing, you know, from from a lot of college football players
you talk about like not only Michigan State, but like around the country.
It's a unique time to see being involved in a coaching transition where you're the
old the player, the coach who's been ousted, fired or left for another
for greener pastors, so called green and pastors, and now a new coach
comes in. This is the first time I think that they've actually taped one
of those and put it broadcasted out for the world to see. Like with
social media. You know, this happens every year to different teams, but
this is the first time that I can recall it ever being where somebody can
listen in on the full meeting, like from when he walked in that room
until he was ready to walk out of that roll. That's a good point.
That's a good point because typically that meeting is behind closed doors, and
that's that's what their team one on one. It was the full thing.
Let's let's go back a little bit to they've never showed a coach telling his
players he's leaving, and so it was a whole thing. Like it was
a this is different, totally different. Like he said, let's let's get
it out. Let's talk like that was one of them. He's like,
I can remember Nick Saban saying that to the players in Michigan State that he
wasn't leaving, and then he left, right right. I remember that when
he came in and gave a speech and the coach man he gave his Hamburger
stands speech about I mean, he invoked fear on every player and that in
that room. I wish that stuff was on tape. He probably wouldn't be.
He wouldn't have made it twenty years because some activists would have came out
and said that he wasn't you know, right, But I'm telling you like
that was a unique thing. But for a guy like Dean to show him
talking to his former team now and then being right up front with him and
telling them what's gonna happen, I want you to hear from me. I
don't want to hear from nobody else. Now. Then they show him talking
to the new team guys and he says, ask the questions. Now,
you've been talking in the locker room before. You don't leave here and start
talking and running your mouth after that, talk to me right now. That
now that was like in your face, bold, let's get it out there
as real as real can get. Yeah. Football, absolutely, And I'm
thinking about and we were talking about this offline a little bit from transitioning from
when UH coach D you know, when John oh Smith was fired. Coach
D comes in there, and in the back of my head, I knew
I was still gonna be at Michigan State. Was there a question of Okay,
well I still be tailback, you know, or is he gonna move
me to fullback? Because I knew he liked to, you know, run
a twenty one set or everything like that and being a bigger back. They're
like, okay, let's put him a fullback. So I knew I was
still gonna be at Michigan State. So that wasn't that fear in the back
of my head. But this when they were showing Coach Prime talking to this
Colorado team that went one and eleven, there were a lot of guys who
was like, am I gonna be here? Do I fit this persona?
Do I fit this role here? So that was that question. That's that
difference there, and I, as a player, I appreciate the transparency that
coach Prime brings along. He said, yes, I'm bringing luggage with me.
My son he's gonna be the starting quarterback hunter, the dB. He's
gonna be coming here and being the dB here. My son Shador he's gonna
be the dB. My other son's gonna be filming everything. You know.
He's put everything out there, so there's nobody saying, oh, I didn't
know, I was misled. That's why I'm going to hit the transfer portal.
This is your opportunity to do so now. And he put that out
there on the table for everyone, and I can appreciate that. But it
was a total different transition from when coach Dantonio came in and that speech that
he gave to us players and otis you can go more into details about this
speech there because you do a better coaching the impression than me because you probably,
yeah, talk about that guy. How was that transition speech, you
know, because I know you know D'Antonio was on the staff when Saban came
in, but you knowing the kind of guy he is, like was he
was it a fiery speech that he put invoked fear into you guys or did
you feel like real mormoncusst I wasn't because I was looking at that big o'hio
State championship ring, you and me both, but the ring, the ring.
So you know, we all we all like sophomore my sophomore year,
Jay's junior year, like I was. I was in surgery, like I
had hands like rich surgery right at the end of the season. So like
once we once we knew, like John Smith gave his speech to us,
but that's something that we should talk about prior to that Penn State game,
like we were in the same situation, like I talked about our episode to
go. If we win this game against Penn State, you get to go
bowl game. So they notified the staff. Groan Mason a ad at the
time, notify the staff right before like that week of practice, and so
I think it was Thursday where he brought the team together and was like,
hey, fellas we are we are we've been notified when you're not fired,
and uh, you know, we're gonna do all that we can to win
this game. And you know, if we do, we're gonna spend all
their damn money. So when you think about that, we're like, oh,
yeah, we're gonna play for our coach recruited us. Oh we love
John Nelle. We're playing. We lose, obviously, we know we're not
gonna have a coach. You kind of start thinking, all right, what
is next for me? Because we didn't have the luxury to go transferred right
out and play. There was even if the coach got fired, like you
still have to sit out, And so I think we all were thinking who
will be the next person. Some of our counterparts and our teammates were part
of the search or helping the search. Yeah, like what do we want
in the quality of a coach? As they go out and search for it,
you know, we start hearing all the rumors, you know, those
four guys that you know listed at the top four, And at this moment,
I didn't know of coach d I mean I do know we were we
were watching you know, Cincinnati the successful and you know we didn't know truly
what the other deal was. But from a standpoint of when he gets the
job that we're in that room, the old Smithson Auditorium, and to Jay's
point, he's hitting the he's hitting the big the national championship from Ohio State
on his hand, and he's hitting that podium and strategically, I'm not sure
if he was aware, but I think he was. When he was trying
to make this point that we are going to win championships and you guys are
gonna be the foundation. It was a different tone because he was stating right
out the gate, you guys are my guys. Like so he he kind
of cleared the room in the air, but he did say is that everybody's
job is up for evaluation. Like the weeds. You say, what again,
pull the weeds? Yeah, he said, we're gonna pull the weeds,
man. And then he that's when he started talking about we're all gonna
get on one of one one train. We're gonna go together. That's the
only way we're gonna do it. But we're gonna pull the weeds. Basically,
the weeds will pull themselves. And so when he starts switching this up,
you know, we truly, like I mean, people were like,
if you in the locker room, people were nervous, man, Like,
if you're messing up with the other code, you know the stuff that's off
the feel like, that's that can easily get you like pulled out. Like
you basically left the meetings, like, man, am I one of those
weeds? Like I started self reflecting and started looking internally, like, man,
what did I do to even be valued or warranted that I can at
least get, you know, if I could least go to this next team,
or do I need to go and look at the transfer. I don't
even know what the transperporter looks like because I never really back then, I
didn't know what it looked like because I never really got to that point where
I was gonna transfer. To Jay's point, I knew I'm staying here because
I selected this university for the university's perspective and I was having success, so
like, I mean, I'm gonna fight for my job basically. But yeah,
it was a it was a different tone. I'm gonna tell you,
guys what I'm gonna tell you guys. One thing you guys were afwarded was
probably the softest transition in the history of college football, because I look at
that's that right there. Like when you talk to one Mark D'Antonio, he
takes pride in the fact that they didn't lose many guys. He talks about
that all the time. He'll say, well, you know one thing that's
you know, we we we got we we got here. We we ain't
lose anybody because we had some dogs. Yo. No, no, it's
not about dogs. It's not you guys losing a lot of games, by
the way, a lot of games. I mean, yes, so that
some bad people scheme scheme, you guys lost more games than perlists guys lost,
just so you know, scheme, But it was it was it was
we means you got, you got. Look, and you had some arrogant
players that were mailing it in when they shouldn't have a lot of times to
guys that were maybe uh maybe not treating themselves the right way on the during
the weeks. Uh that will be preparing for games. So those things that
you have to evaluate that. But he had his culture for a lot was
much more family and together oriented and like, hey, we gotta all go
in the same direction versus the typical coaching change. This is what Dean is
coming in more atypical than not. You know, he's showing you he's being
transparent, but he is coming in with the Hey, we're gonna run some
of you off. Because there was a question that came up, like have
you have you thought about you know, what what what what? What kind
of are you? What positions you're looking to change? Or are you what
kind of kick? Who's your strength and conditioning guy? And he says,
I haven't thought about that. He said, I'll get back to you on
that. He said, but you know, some of you guys are gonna
run off, and then the other guys we're gonna try to make quit m
He said that, and he said and then he said, if you're on
this list of you ain't worth the damn you out of here anyway. So
like that's way different than what Mark D'Antonio came into Michigan State saying, you
didn't he didn't just flat out get rid of people. Know, there's some
weeds that you talked about, and that was that that makes you win,
just that part, right. Imagine if he talks about lift some list that
you don't on the list. The thing that I think you know, coach
d' antonio's approach, and I can respect that is because he came in respecting
us as players, and that's how you know, we you know, earned
his respect. So I think there's that little give and take, you know.
And to say that because you know, I think Coach Prime came in
because he wants people to leave. Coach he didn't want people to leave,
you know, if they were supposed to be there. So that's why I
think those two approaches are a little different. Why do you think that is?
Do you think it's it's because of or the day, the era that
we're in, the era that we're in. It's when now, when coach
d came in, he had three four years. Yeah, yeah, you
had you had that three four years to rebuild. Right now you got two
years tops with trans report on everything, you got two years tops. And
in the way that Coach Prime's coming in coming in hot like that with the
glets, the glamour, the walk in songs, the walk out songs,
everything that leash because they're gonna he's gonna be scrutinized based on everything. Yeah
you got changed, Yeah you got swag. Yeah you're dancing. Win a
damn game. They're gonna say game it when he starts to talk and then
look this starts to close and it's just James World. God. Look man,
look we gotta we got a transition out and we can talk Ben.
We can be on he show us a couple hours at a time. But
like, let's talk about the dogs in the league. Man. Highlights from
this weekend. Yeah, Scott, listen you you kind of like when it
you know when this happened. First of all, it's against Aaron Rodgers,
so that's like bucket list, right, anybody want to get that. But
you know when he when he got it and then he starts running, it
was like, oh, this is a first career in a session. I'm
like, yo, that Scott's out here doing it. They just like you
get a good pick. And he's playing for the Eagles, man, and
the Eagles have a great a great season as far. So like to be
on that team and then that secondary and then it's a Spartan dog like that.
I was like one coach Bartnett is worth, he's that guy. Because
Barnett's putting guys in the league. It was just good to see, you
know, another secondary guy from forming former dB to the next he's showing up,
showing up his spartnation. What you do with that? What you do
with that ball? After he ran and celebrate, you run straight to the
equipment guy and say, hey, hey, hey, save this from it
and put tape around it. Just skuy Scott's first NFL T I n T
boom. Next thing you know, it's sitting in your locker and that's going
on your mantle right there. That's it. Then you got it down.
Get that ball right over. Hey, I got I got one from five.
No, I was playing offense, I know, no, no,
I it warm ups, caught it in warm up. It's gonna it's gonna
be worse something some day. I'm out down in Pittsburgh. So Atlanta Connor
and Cam Cam Hayward, you know, they're the legendary sons of Ironhead.
Hayward Ironhead and had them both in the state of Georgia. They're from Atlanta,
then locals. They went back there, visited his grave, go to
play the falcon and Conner scores his first career touchdown. Man, Let's let's
talk about that route though, because he had the boys beat five yards seven
yards ooh, got him on the ok, though little out and upslt.
He looked like he slimmed down a little bit too. And you know with
this play here and you you you hit on everything on this astray, you
know them being from Atlanta one visits great, don't you don't you put it
past coach Mike Tomlin. He knew how special it was for the Hayward family,
and and Iron had Hayward played for the Falcons. So I think all
through the week now they they had this like, hey, let's get him
a touch in there, like he has an opportunity to score and and honor
his family, you know. So I think, you know, that was
very cool by the you know, by the organization, and you could see
by the way his teammates are running to him to celebrate, really cool.
And it's how great is it to be on the same team as your big
brother? You know, that's you can't beat that. I mean, it's
incredible. I mean that that's it's not not by accident that the Steelers have
I think four sets of brothers on that team. Mike Toblin does a phenomenal
job with that man. Look, we also think about we don't talk about
Hayward as much as like one of the missing pieces. Like we give Kate
nine everything, but dude, Hayward stepped up big for us last season,
that eleven two season, and you think about the missing hole that we had
where you know, we got some tight ends that we thought we'll replace and
you know, put some more production on there. But this guy was like
multi dimensional for us on the offensive side and that just transitioned into the league.
And it's kudos to the Spartan Doug and Hayward doing this thing. Make
getting that first touchdown Now, I wish we saw that Benny Fowler dance with
him, like what would he would have did something different than the gritty is
up, But that's not him, man, He's a guy that just works,
gets the touch got the touchdown good. Speaking of gritty, some of
the worst gritty out there is from one Kirk Cousins and he's bawling in Minnesota.
Absolutely a man. Fine, not say finally because it's been eleven years,
but he's putting together like you could tell like he is in control.
Like this guy is. He got he got weapons too. I mean you
and you got justin Jefferson. I mean those are two games won. Two
punches here Kirk, my first cousin, Baby Holland's Finest, Baby Holland's Finest.
I just want him to let us on his golf course he just bought.
We gotta get Kirk on the show. We will, we will do
that. Nothing speaking of like, so that's the dogs in the news.
It ain't transferred portal news so far. Only two dogs so far that have
been in the portal that are as of now, Like when you're talking about
the portal opening up just yesterday on Monday, that was the Shawn Mallory and
Jalen Hunt, two defensive linemen who were productive in the end of the season.
Didn't really see this one coming, guys. I'm sorry, mam.
I never meant to hurt you. I think that's the wrong song. Cleaning
out my closet, cleaning out the closet, cleaning out all of Coach D's
left over and making it making it Coach Tucker's program. Now, is you
know that? I think the homage, the respect was there, and now
it's going to be fully Coach Tucker's guys that are in there now mm hmm,
it's time, Bun. I don't know, man, It's just like
we talked about maybe they've been on the seat this entire time, you know,
like you had opportunities to show you what you got and you haven't seen
it till late when it bloom. But I mean, it is what it
is. Man. You saw, you know, Michael Fletcher, you know,
going in one of my karmenades Worth guys, and you know then you
got obviously the first was our pace kicker. So honestly, I'm surprised we
haven't had mortgage yet. But it's one of those things that we're gonna go.
The D on its Carter. He's Carter, he entered it. Wow,
Well he's the whole D the whole D line is it's going. But
hey, so does that mean we got some of those in the house coming
up? Is some dose in the house. I mean that means there's four
additional spots open on the roster if you think about it, you know,
for the recruiting side and the portal side at the portal, like I mean,
for real, in the portal. It's ridiculous. Another Texas, two
more texts, A and M player. He don't leave. He doing lobby
right now, man, that collective and they want their money back. Yeah,
I think they can't. They can't sustain it. Thirty million dollars or
whatever it was sav saving remember saving gunning for him. Remember in the beginning
of the season they bought their whole class. Yeah, well they bankrupted it.
Well, guys, hey, man, Like, so if this is
something that's gonna be interesting, We're gonna continue to track what's going on with
the portal. It is heavy, heavy recruiting season. The coaches are on
the road right now. It is open contact season, so there's gonna be
a lot of guys being flipped left and right. We're gonna see more people
entering the portal and uh, let the fireworks begin, as we shall say.
And you know, like, guys, you know, it's been a
jam packed weekend. We've got a lot going on going forward. You know,
Michigan State basketball, we didn't get a chance to get to that yet.
Misisters State does lose a tough loss a couple of days ago to Northwestern
in the Breslen Center. Todd Minslo's got to figure some stuff out there.
We'll get into some detail with that. Bring some basketball guys on the show
to talk a little bit about that. But final thoughts for this show before
we transitioned into a couple of days where we're going to talk more about these
things and more. First of all, that jumper is broken and Jay just
put up there. Secondly, I think I get this theme. Like there's
a song back in the Southern Baptist Church and it was an old school like
get your house in order, right, And I think that this is the
moment where programs are getting their houses in order, and each individual player has
to question and self reflect of is my own house in order? And if
it's not. We got everyone hitting the transferportal and we're gonna see a lot
of different stuffle pieces, moving pieces, and and I'm looking forward to to
breaking that down and making sure that you know, here at Michigan State,
we're putting a roster together that's gonna be something that we're gonna be proud of
and get on that field. So get your house in order is the theme
here the whole month of December. I know we're gonna be talking hoops and
stuff, but I can't wait to talk some hockey. Yeah, a little
hockey too. Yeah. The hockey teams. Hockey team's on fire right now.
They got a big one coming up at the end of the week.
You know, I'm ving back to back against Minnesota, so it's kind of
let's evaluate and let's get ready for that team down Rollo at the end of
this week Friday, So the month is gonna be packed, baby, great
a lot of action, guys, look forward to it. Thanks guys for
the show. You know, it's all we gotta go. But we will
be back on Thursday and the at o'clock. Be sure to follow us,
subscribe, do all those great things. Until then, have a great night,
God bless and go greet Go Wiet