WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:12.320 Be following is a presentation of play fly sports properties. My guys, they're 2 00:00:12.359 --> 00:00:31.920 trying to turn the goal line. But then, you know, Pat Shappo, 3 00:00:33.280 --> 00:00:58.119 up here comes the button, now the sideline show that spot like right 4 00:00:58.200 --> 00:01:03.719 now, I'm a horseship football coach right now. That's that's honestly, it's 5 00:01:03.759 --> 00:01:08.159 how I think about it. Oh, Jay you interesting comments from head coach 6 00:01:08.280 --> 00:01:14.040 Mel Tucker. They're taking a lot of blame on himself. This is SPARTA. 7 00:01:14.840 --> 00:01:19.079 I'm your host, Jason Strayhorn, and here's my co host, Jayu 8 00:01:19.319 --> 00:01:23.200 Choo Chu cal Crip in the house. How you doing, Jay you, 9 00:01:23.959 --> 00:01:26.680 I'm good. How are you doing? Strey? I'm doing all right. 10 00:01:26.840 --> 00:01:32.319 Just lifting wounds a little bit. After the disappointing loss this past weekend from 11 00:01:32.359 --> 00:01:38.319 Michigan State, traveling out west to Washington to face the Huskies twenty three hundred 12 00:01:38.439 --> 00:01:42.519 miles away from home and they come up short thirty nine. Yeah, yeah, 13 00:01:44.560 --> 00:01:49.040 yeah. It definitely was a disappointing loss, a disappointing game all around. 14 00:01:49.239 --> 00:01:53.840 And we heard the comments by coach Tucker. It starts at the top. 15 00:01:53.200 --> 00:01:57.239 You know, he takes responsibility for it. He should have his guys 16 00:01:57.319 --> 00:02:00.439 ready to go the guys should be ready to go. So we'll see what's 17 00:02:00.480 --> 00:02:04.280 in store for this week in practice. Yeah, probably going to be a 18 00:02:04.599 --> 00:02:08.080 very very tough week of practice those Spartans, and rightfully so, you know, 19 00:02:08.240 --> 00:02:14.360 Spartans now dropped the two and one overall, and it doesn't get any 20 00:02:14.400 --> 00:02:16.879 easier because he had big ten play coming up. But let's break down this 21 00:02:17.000 --> 00:02:23.159 game a little bit with it was the Michael Penix Junior Show, wasn't it. 22 00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:27.719 Oh, it definitely was. The guy was you know one, he 23 00:02:27.879 --> 00:02:30.719 was untouchable. Uh. Back there, he had his he had time. 24 00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:35.919 At the beginning of the game. You know, I could tell that Washington 25 00:02:36.080 --> 00:02:39.280 was uneasy, weren't sure about Michigan State's pass rush, so they did a 26 00:02:39.360 --> 00:02:44.199 lot of things to get the ball out of Penis his hands quicker, uh, 27 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:46.319 and then once they got their foot in, then he stood back there. 28 00:02:46.360 --> 00:02:50.479 It seemed like he had all day to throw the ball. Yeah, 29 00:02:50.520 --> 00:02:53.120 it did. I mean, he was seemed like he, like you said, 30 00:02:53.159 --> 00:02:57.319 he was reading a book back there, camping out eating hot dogs while 31 00:02:57.360 --> 00:03:01.319 he surveyed the field and found his open recon twenty four or for forty three 32 00:03:01.400 --> 00:03:07.280 hundred and ninety seven yards through the air. With four touchdowns and it was 33 00:03:07.319 --> 00:03:09.439 a stellar performance for Michael Pennings junior. And it's just like you said, 34 00:03:09.439 --> 00:03:14.000 it just seemed to be a very lack of pass rush for some reason for 35 00:03:14.039 --> 00:03:17.159 the Mischigan State defense. Yeah, it was. The pass rush did not 36 00:03:17.240 --> 00:03:21.840 seem to be there. I don't know that, you know, I don't 37 00:03:21.919 --> 00:03:24.520 know where exactly it went off. I don't know if Washington's old line's that 38 00:03:24.759 --> 00:03:29.800 good. But you have to also we have to take a step back and 39 00:03:29.960 --> 00:03:36.680 give credit to Washington, give credit to their fans because being there on the 40 00:03:36.840 --> 00:03:39.639 sidelines, it was loud in that stadium, and when we get into the 41 00:03:39.719 --> 00:03:44.599 offense and the offensive line play, we can talk more about the crowd noise 42 00:03:44.879 --> 00:03:47.479 and what effect they had on them. But you know, going forth from 43 00:03:47.560 --> 00:03:51.360 that, you know, back to the defense there, you know, we 44 00:03:51.560 --> 00:03:55.000 just couldn't get anything going from the pass rush standpoint of things. Jacob Slade 45 00:03:55.080 --> 00:04:00.919 didn't make the road trip. He's the all star high regarded defensive tackle in 46 00:04:01.000 --> 00:04:04.000 the middle. Do you think that had any effect on the pass rush being 47 00:04:04.400 --> 00:04:09.919 a coordinated attempt for all four guys that are rushing the passer. Yeah, 48 00:04:10.039 --> 00:04:13.080 yeah, it definitely did, because you know, if you have that that 49 00:04:13.639 --> 00:04:16.720 caliber of a player stopping up the middle there, what it's gonna do is 50 00:04:16.720 --> 00:04:19.800 it's gonna draw, you know, double teams to him, and that's gonna 51 00:04:19.839 --> 00:04:25.680 free up someone. It's gonna allow Winman to have an opportunity to be one 52 00:04:25.759 --> 00:04:29.639 on one at times. And so that just wasn't the case. I think 53 00:04:29.680 --> 00:04:32.199 that had a big effect on the fact that he wasn't there with the team. 54 00:04:33.639 --> 00:04:38.600 Well, we're going to right now get into the MSU gamed Ay statistical 55 00:04:38.959 --> 00:04:46.160 breakdown presented by I Hop I hop the two by two by two breakfast combo 56 00:04:46.240 --> 00:04:50.319 equals one delicious meal, enjoy two pancakes, two eggs your way, and 57 00:04:50.480 --> 00:04:56.560 two pieces of bacon for only five dollars only, and I am hurry in 58 00:04:56.759 --> 00:05:00.000 and enjoy this deal for a limited time, dying and only participation made. 59 00:05:00.120 --> 00:05:08.279 Very restrictions do apply. So Peyton Thorn was the story for Michigan State. 60 00:05:08.759 --> 00:05:14.720 A very tough, gritty performance. Thirty three yards, three touchdowns and one 61 00:05:14.800 --> 00:05:18.000 pitch at you. Yeah, you know, on on a normal day you 62 00:05:18.040 --> 00:05:23.120 would say those are damn good stats. You know, that's pretty good. 63 00:05:23.240 --> 00:05:26.120 But you know, with the with the outcome of the game, you know, 64 00:05:26.240 --> 00:05:30.800 that just wasn't it. We're putting a lot of tough positions offensively, 65 00:05:31.040 --> 00:05:34.480 you know, slow starts, and there was a lot of pressure on Thorn. 66 00:05:34.680 --> 00:05:36.959 You know, at the beginning of the game, we really couldn't get 67 00:05:38.120 --> 00:05:41.720 going offensively. And a lot of that, like we talked about earlier, 68 00:05:41.800 --> 00:05:46.079 had to do with the crowd noise that was coming in because that stadium was 69 00:05:46.199 --> 00:05:48.920 loud, and from what I was looking at with the offensive line, and 70 00:05:49.040 --> 00:05:54.680 you know, this communication is the biggest thing as an offensive lineman, you 71 00:05:54.800 --> 00:05:58.000 have to be able to communicate. So by the time the play got in, 72 00:05:58.600 --> 00:06:01.480 Thorn staying up, they're talking, communicating with the line. Then they're 73 00:06:01.560 --> 00:06:04.720 standing up looking at each other, communicating, Hey, the MIC's fifty two, 74 00:06:05.040 --> 00:06:09.120 this guy over here, this over there, and and then you look 75 00:06:09.199 --> 00:06:11.759 up there's four seconds on the play clock. Then you have to go. 76 00:06:12.120 --> 00:06:16.680 So the entire process is rushed as a whole due to the crowd noise, 77 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:20.800 and I think that's where Michigan State struggled a little bit. Let's talk about 78 00:06:20.839 --> 00:06:25.959 that crowd noise. When you've been in a lot of stadiums, both college 79 00:06:26.079 --> 00:06:30.639 and professional, where does Washington Husky Stadium, where does that rank? In 80 00:06:30.720 --> 00:06:34.720 your mind. As far as crowd noise, they had those overhangs and they 81 00:06:34.800 --> 00:06:42.759 were piping in noise electronically into the overhang, causing that acoustic bounce down to 82 00:06:42.839 --> 00:06:45.920 them. Yellow. So you know, what would you rank that. I 83 00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:48.920 mean, you played for the Buffalo Bills cried out loud. Yeah, you 84 00:06:48.959 --> 00:06:54.720 know, I said, that's probably the top four loudest stadium I've been in. 85 00:06:55.160 --> 00:06:57.839 Uh, you know, and just from and it wasn't even to capacity 86 00:06:58.199 --> 00:07:00.600 at you know, it's a seventy five thousand seat stadium. There was about 87 00:07:00.759 --> 00:07:04.720 sixty sixty five thousand there. You know, it's right up there with the 88 00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:10.800 Penn States up the world, the Ohio States, Seattle. It's that whole 89 00:07:11.040 --> 00:07:14.839 Seattle vibe. You know, the Seahawks have to twelfth I know you said 90 00:07:14.879 --> 00:07:16.480 this on a broadcast, so I'm stealing this from you a little bit. 91 00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:19.759 You know, the Seahawks have the twelfth Man. You know, that stadium's 92 00:07:19.800 --> 00:07:23.920 loud, and I think the Huskies immulate that. And it was it was, 93 00:07:24.160 --> 00:07:27.040 it was really it was definitely down there at times. You know, 94 00:07:27.160 --> 00:07:30.680 that's an underrated area when you think about that fan base and how they get 95 00:07:31.040 --> 00:07:35.839 things going out on the Pacific Northwest. I think about my times playing against 96 00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:42.199 Oregon at Altson Stadium way back in the day in ninety eight, extremely loud, 97 00:07:42.240 --> 00:07:45.560 only like forty seven thousand at the time. Now I think they've expanded 98 00:07:45.639 --> 00:07:48.680 to a healthy fifty seven thousand. We went back there, I believe it 99 00:07:48.759 --> 00:07:55.040 was in twenty fifteen for a ball game on broadcast, and they've added overhangs 100 00:07:55.480 --> 00:07:59.759 an Oltson Stadium and it was extremely It was louder than them, so powerful 101 00:07:59.759 --> 00:08:03.240 power. I mean, the Pacific Northwest does not get the credited that serves 102 00:08:03.480 --> 00:08:07.040 as far as football fandom goes, in my opinion. You know, everybody 103 00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:11.639 thinks about you know, the dog pounds and Raider Nation and all the things 104 00:08:11.720 --> 00:08:16.160 like Ohio State, as you said, Penn State. But you gotta take 105 00:08:16.199 --> 00:08:18.279 your hat off to those folks out there in the Pacific Northwest. They know 106 00:08:18.360 --> 00:08:24.920 how to cheer and cause intimidation and disrupt the flow of the offense. As 107 00:08:24.959 --> 00:08:28.759 you said. You know, Peyton Thorn has a pretty gritty performance. He's 108 00:08:28.800 --> 00:08:33.279 giving up his body and in one of the touchdowns he finds your boy Trade 109 00:08:33.320 --> 00:08:37.200 Moseley. Yeah, you know, a great job, you know, great 110 00:08:37.279 --> 00:08:41.720 job by Thorn, Great job by Mosley and you know, nice pitch and 111 00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:48.360 catch there when you look at how like the receiving totals. We're gonna talk 112 00:08:48.360 --> 00:08:54.360 about that A Keon Coleman was something spectacular, wasn't he? Keyok Coleman had 113 00:08:54.399 --> 00:08:56.639 a day, you know, that was his coming up party. He did 114 00:08:56.919 --> 00:09:00.559 a lot of you know, the thing that the highlight will pop on, 115 00:09:00.919 --> 00:09:03.480 you know, pop off is you know, his catches, his touchdowns and 116 00:09:03.600 --> 00:09:07.440 everything. But he did a good job blocking on the outside the times we 117 00:09:07.720 --> 00:09:11.679 did try to run the football, and when other guys had the ball, 118 00:09:11.759 --> 00:09:15.480 he did a good job blocking as well, you know. And that's that's 119 00:09:15.960 --> 00:09:20.480 very That's something that's tough for a receiver, especially a collegiate receiver, playing 120 00:09:20.559 --> 00:09:24.879 without the ball in your hands and being effective. I think that goes right 121 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:31.919 to his coach and under study is Courtney Hawkins, a former Spartan dog who 122 00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:37.879 played a lot of long time in the NFL, who talks continuously about no 123 00:09:37.080 --> 00:09:41.879 block, no rock, and it's ingrained in those guys' mind that they got 124 00:09:43.000 --> 00:09:46.600 to get downfield and block for their teammates, which springs the long runs, 125 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:50.080 if you will. Key On Coleman nine catches, one hundred and sixteen yards 126 00:09:50.879 --> 00:09:54.960 two touchdowns, and the receiving corps along with Peyton Thorn, had to do 127 00:09:56.080 --> 00:10:00.799 it without Jadeen Reed, the number one guy. Yeah, you know, 128 00:10:00.919 --> 00:10:03.080 that was a big blow for the Spartans, Reed not being there, just 129 00:10:03.200 --> 00:10:07.799 being that guy to draw extra attention to him to free things up a little 130 00:10:07.799 --> 00:10:13.519 bit. That was a big blow for him. But you know, rather 131 00:10:13.720 --> 00:10:18.879 miss him in a non conference game and get him ready for big ten play 132 00:10:18.960 --> 00:10:22.320 like we're having opening up this week. Yeah, I think that was a 133 00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:26.399 wise move. You had no Jade Reed, you had no Jacob Slade on 134 00:10:26.600 --> 00:10:31.799 the trip. Michigan State did find other receivers, other weapons. Daniel Barker, 135 00:10:31.240 --> 00:10:35.759 standing tall, seven catches for sixty nine yards for a tight end transfer 136 00:10:35.799 --> 00:10:39.519 out of Illinois. Yeah, you know, he played, He played well. 137 00:10:39.120 --> 00:10:43.039 He's a big kid, he's you know, a fast, physical He's 138 00:10:43.080 --> 00:10:46.279 definitely going to be a force out there. And that's what you're taught. 139 00:10:46.399 --> 00:10:50.320 You know, it's always that next man up mentality. If you if you 140 00:10:50.360 --> 00:10:52.759 know your star guy's not there, you know you have to be the next 141 00:10:52.799 --> 00:10:56.159 guy up. You have to be the one to step up and make a 142 00:10:56.200 --> 00:10:58.600 play for your team. And I think our receiving corps are doing that. 143 00:11:00.240 --> 00:11:03.320 You know, it's a tough It's tough because any of those guys can go 144 00:11:03.440 --> 00:11:07.000 off at any game. Yeah that's true. I mean they have so many 145 00:11:07.120 --> 00:11:13.200 weapons along that receiving corps and you know, it's just something that really is 146 00:11:13.320 --> 00:11:16.639 something that you want Peyton Thorn to be able to. You know, he's 147 00:11:16.679 --> 00:11:20.480 looking at his chops. He's wanting to expose the other defenses. But if 148 00:11:20.519 --> 00:11:24.639 he doesn't have the time to throw ju what is he going to be able 149 00:11:24.679 --> 00:11:26.799 to do? And that's talking about the offensive line. And the offensive line 150 00:11:26.879 --> 00:11:33.039 woes were exposed this time against Washington. Not much time, a lot of 151 00:11:33.120 --> 00:11:37.840 pressure, especially in the first half, and there was no room to run 152 00:11:37.919 --> 00:11:39.559 for the running backs. The Killer Bees weren't able to get off worthy. 153 00:11:41.559 --> 00:11:43.039 No, they were not. And you know, if you want to have 154 00:11:45.759 --> 00:11:48.919 success in the past game or that, you got to run the football. 155 00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:50.759 You got to have that, and we did not. We were I was 156 00:11:52.320 --> 00:11:58.080 really disappointed in the way that we ran the football last last week, you 157 00:11:58.159 --> 00:12:03.240 know, due to the fact of nobody stepped up in the backfield. Really 158 00:12:03.320 --> 00:12:09.039 there was I don't think right now we have exactly an alpha dog in the 159 00:12:09.120 --> 00:12:13.840 backfield. It is true running back by committee in the backfield there, and 160 00:12:13.960 --> 00:12:16.360 it's true you get a series. You get a series. When I talk 161 00:12:16.399 --> 00:12:20.159 about that alpha dog, it's that person that you know, that hotthand who's 162 00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:24.120 gonna be the guy that's gonna be like, Hey, this is my game. 163 00:12:24.240 --> 00:12:28.120 I'm taking over this game and it's running back by committee. But you're 164 00:12:28.159 --> 00:12:30.919 gonna come in and spell me when I need it, because I'm taking this 165 00:12:31.039 --> 00:12:33.840 game over and we do not have that right now, and I think there's 166 00:12:33.840 --> 00:12:39.440 a possibility that we can't get there. But somebody needs to step up and 167 00:12:39.559 --> 00:12:43.879 be that guy. Yeah, you've seen that before where guys are demanding the 168 00:12:43.960 --> 00:12:48.639 ball in tough times. And then you've also seen it where guys kind of 169 00:12:48.679 --> 00:12:50.159 fade to the back of the line when the game's on the line. They 170 00:12:50.200 --> 00:12:54.799 don't want to take that chance. Which is a season low forty two yards 171 00:12:56.159 --> 00:13:01.240 rushing on the ground, Jalen Berger thirteen carries twenty seven yards. That's it's 172 00:13:01.279 --> 00:13:07.279 just a two point one yards per carry average. Jared Pissard four carries three 173 00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:11.919 yards for a point eight k per carry average. That's just not going to 174 00:13:11.960 --> 00:13:16.799 get it done. It is not going to get it done in any football 175 00:13:16.440 --> 00:13:20.919 pee wee high school college that is not going to get it done. We 176 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:24.559 need, you know, that big play guy to step up to be that. 177 00:13:24.960 --> 00:13:28.080 And you know, let's talk a little bit about that safety. You 178 00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:31.879 know the hat. You know, the defense goes, makes a terrific goal 179 00:13:31.960 --> 00:13:35.360 line stands and we get the ball and we you know, end up getting 180 00:13:35.399 --> 00:13:39.279 a safety on the first play. And my gripe about that, Jason is, 181 00:13:39.759 --> 00:13:45.440 as a running back, you do not have the time if you when 182 00:13:45.480 --> 00:13:48.600 you're six seven yards deep in your own end zone to make any cuts. 183 00:13:48.919 --> 00:13:52.279 You don't have an opportunity to jump cut and do anything. You get the 184 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:56.600 ball, you know where you're going, you know your landmark, your line. 185 00:13:56.720 --> 00:14:01.559 It doesn't matter what the line does. You you go full speed ahead. 186 00:14:01.759 --> 00:14:03.720 You don't jump cut and dance around in the backfield. And I think 187 00:14:03.799 --> 00:14:07.799 that's what happened. And he, you know, tripped over the lineman's foot 188 00:14:07.919 --> 00:14:11.440 because he was making that jump cut. So I just think you just need 189 00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:13.919 it, and I think he will learn. You know, that's a great 190 00:14:15.000 --> 00:14:18.720 learning experience. It's a great time to learn as opposed to being in big 191 00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:22.919 ten play. But you know, you just got to be able to put 192 00:14:22.960 --> 00:14:26.159 your nose down and get that tough yard. Look as a former running back, 193 00:14:26.320 --> 00:14:30.720 you know, I do trust what you're saying, and yeah, I 194 00:14:30.759 --> 00:14:33.519 think you do need to put your head down and just grind it out and 195 00:14:33.559 --> 00:14:37.000 get those tough yards. But for me, as an offensive lineman, it's 196 00:14:37.279 --> 00:14:46.360 totally unacceptable to get stood up and driven backwards on a goal line situation as 197 00:14:46.519 --> 00:14:48.679 that, if you're going into the goal line, if it's it's you know, 198 00:14:48.879 --> 00:14:52.480 fourth and inches going in, or if you're on the goal line trying 199 00:14:52.519 --> 00:14:58.039 to come out. We all know as an offensive defensive lineman, who wins, 200 00:14:58.519 --> 00:15:01.840 it's always the low man. The low man wins. So in those 201 00:15:01.919 --> 00:15:07.000 scenarios you will see guys on in a four point stands that's both hands on 202 00:15:07.080 --> 00:15:11.799 the ground and basically submarine diving. Just to re establish that line of scrimmage, 203 00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:16.720 you have to be that intense down there. There should be no possible 204 00:15:16.759 --> 00:15:22.480 there should be no physical way in and on earth that someone can get under 205 00:15:22.519 --> 00:15:26.519 your pads, stand you up and drive you back into the running back slap 206 00:15:26.679 --> 00:15:31.120 forcing the cut, because I think that's the thing. Now, if you're 207 00:15:31.240 --> 00:15:33.279 if you're if you're chu Chuo, you know, and I'm getting driven back. 208 00:15:33.600 --> 00:15:37.159 He's gonna just take you know, he's gonna roll right up on the 209 00:15:37.200 --> 00:15:39.799 back of my leg. So you learn not to ever do that again. 210 00:15:39.159 --> 00:15:41.600 But you know, this guy, you know, Jered, you know, 211 00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:46.639 being more of a scatback, he has some power, decided to try to 212 00:15:46.639 --> 00:15:50.399 make the cut and he slipped and upon video review, it did show that 213 00:15:50.480 --> 00:15:54.440 the ball did not break that plane coming out of the end zone. Yeah, 214 00:15:54.559 --> 00:15:58.440 and uh, you know, maybe you know, you can only play 215 00:15:58.519 --> 00:16:02.879 money money Monday, Monday morning quarterback. But something that you know, I'm 216 00:16:02.919 --> 00:16:06.159 starting to see as you know, you look more at these backs, and 217 00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:08.679 I said earlier, you know, there is no alpha dog between the two. 218 00:16:10.440 --> 00:16:14.759 Burger has, you know, tremendous talent. You know, he's gonna 219 00:16:14.759 --> 00:16:18.240 be good. He's gonna be special. Broussard's gonna be good. He's gonna 220 00:16:18.240 --> 00:16:23.360 be special. But I think that that X factor in the backfield is Elijah 221 00:16:23.440 --> 00:16:27.159 Collins. I think so, you know, I think, you know, 222 00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:30.879 the week previous he had a little bit of a coming out party. Again, 223 00:16:32.200 --> 00:16:36.279 another sight in of him. And yet last game against Washington, he 224 00:16:36.399 --> 00:16:38.840 was in there when we were throwing the ball out. He's been you know, 225 00:16:38.960 --> 00:16:42.799 kind of like boxed in now as that blocking back. But I think 226 00:16:42.879 --> 00:16:48.080 between the three of them, he's the one that's gonna get you those tough 227 00:16:48.200 --> 00:16:51.600 yards. Maybe he should have been the one in to get you out of 228 00:16:51.679 --> 00:16:56.879 that situation and then you can put your backs, your more flashy backs in 229 00:16:56.279 --> 00:17:00.360 and running back by committee. You got to know your role. If your 230 00:17:00.440 --> 00:17:03.079 role is being the bruiser, the go get a tough yard guy, you 231 00:17:03.240 --> 00:17:07.240 embrace that and you go after that. So I think he, you know, 232 00:17:07.319 --> 00:17:11.119 he could be the X factor in the backfield. Great point there. 233 00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:15.720 Elijah Collins got in only one carriage for one yard look for one touchdown. 234 00:17:17.319 --> 00:17:19.240 That's right, you could do in that scenario. Right, Elijah Collins, 235 00:17:19.319 --> 00:17:25.759 a guy who has experience, almost had a thousand yards two years ago for 236 00:17:25.839 --> 00:17:30.920 the Spartans, now finds himself in a role where he's trying to compete for 237 00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:33.759 more carriages. Jay, you but my thing is this, now, my 238 00:17:33.880 --> 00:17:38.480 thought process is this. You're on the one yard line going in for a 239 00:17:38.599 --> 00:17:42.039 touchdown, and you have faith that Elijah Collins will be the one to push 240 00:17:42.119 --> 00:17:47.960 and get that. When you're in your own one yard going out, you 241 00:17:48.039 --> 00:17:49.759 should have faith Elijah Collins would be the one to get you out of that 242 00:17:49.920 --> 00:17:56.400 as well. That's that logic makes sense, It really does. And I 243 00:17:56.559 --> 00:18:00.240 bet when they look at this tape they break it down. Offensive coordinator Jay 244 00:18:00.279 --> 00:18:04.160 Johnson, we'll see that along with Mel Tucker, the head coach. He 245 00:18:04.279 --> 00:18:08.720 talked about it when they reviewed the film as a team that it was death 246 00:18:08.960 --> 00:18:11.640 by inchies. There was a lot of guys, you know, it's a 247 00:18:11.839 --> 00:18:15.440 you know, a misalignment here, you know, one offensive linement there. 248 00:18:15.720 --> 00:18:18.680 You know, it didn't run the correct route. There was a lot of 249 00:18:18.799 --> 00:18:23.839 things that they would see that made them sick to their stomach because it was 250 00:18:23.960 --> 00:18:29.359 always one or two guys away from making the play actually work. And that's 251 00:18:29.359 --> 00:18:32.200 all it takes to you for a whole player to break down and for you 252 00:18:32.519 --> 00:18:34.319 to get down. As they were twenty two to nothing early on in the 253 00:18:34.400 --> 00:18:38.440 ball game. Yeah, and you know you just said one or two guys 254 00:18:38.519 --> 00:18:42.240 that you know, all sports, you know, you have you have kids 255 00:18:42.279 --> 00:18:45.920 playing basketball, you know, in football, volleyball, everything like that. 256 00:18:47.599 --> 00:18:51.519 Basketball, you know, you go in and one guy doesn't do something to 257 00:18:51.599 --> 00:18:55.039 point guard, can just pull it out and reset the play. You know, 258 00:18:55.640 --> 00:18:59.799 volleyball you have three hits to get it over the net. Football, 259 00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:07.440 it takes eleven guys to do their specific assignment for five seconds for one play 260 00:19:07.519 --> 00:19:11.359 to work. There is no reset, there is no you know, second 261 00:19:11.480 --> 00:19:14.759 chance on a play. So that's the thing. You know, you have 262 00:19:14.960 --> 00:19:18.759 to get all eleven guys working in unisons to get to achieve a play. 263 00:19:18.799 --> 00:19:23.200 So that's why football is the ultimate team game. That's why football is the 264 00:19:23.279 --> 00:19:27.799 game that it takes every single person on the team to be successful. So 265 00:19:27.880 --> 00:19:33.640 if one guy's not doing it, you know that that's that's not gonna work 266 00:19:33.680 --> 00:19:36.160 for the team. So you got to find the person that's gonna be able 267 00:19:36.200 --> 00:19:40.880 to do it. And that's why I say consistency, consistency, consistency in 268 00:19:40.960 --> 00:19:44.759 the game of football. That's why we love the game of football because it's 269 00:19:44.880 --> 00:19:48.000 a lot like life. You can't reset it, you know, once the 270 00:19:48.119 --> 00:19:49.480 day starts. I mean, you can't get that time back right. You 271 00:19:49.599 --> 00:19:52.640 have to have exactly you have to be where your feet are at. That's 272 00:19:52.680 --> 00:19:56.359 something that Cosadan always used to say, still says it be where your feet 273 00:19:56.359 --> 00:19:59.960 are at, be in the moment, that's what that means, and execut 274 00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:03.519 you to your utmost ability. You know, when we look at what happened 275 00:20:03.559 --> 00:20:07.079 on the defensive side of the ball. Here what coach Maul Tucker said in 276 00:20:07.160 --> 00:20:12.400 the opening press conference comments. You know they sat as a team, Jay, 277 00:20:12.400 --> 00:20:18.519 you right after the ball game on Monday morning and watch the game on 278 00:20:18.759 --> 00:20:22.640 film in continual mode. Not they didn't break, they didn't take a couple 279 00:20:22.640 --> 00:20:26.000 of clips out. They watched it as it played out as a team. 280 00:20:26.799 --> 00:20:32.400 How do you think that modes for them being able to absorb what's going on 281 00:20:32.759 --> 00:20:34.680 and do you think they're going to be able to rebound from what they saw? 282 00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:40.160 You know, I think the biggest thing is of watching it as a 283 00:20:40.319 --> 00:20:44.599 team as opposed to because you know, traditionally, you break up, you 284 00:20:44.680 --> 00:20:48.799 go to your position group to watch the film and you don't really see that 285 00:20:48.319 --> 00:20:52.039 and you can have that oh man, it's okay, man, you know 286 00:20:52.400 --> 00:20:56.000 this person didn't do that. You know that little talk in your position group 287 00:20:56.039 --> 00:21:00.200 because you want to lift each other up. But when you watch its a 288 00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:04.640 team, there's that sense of accountability that comes into play, that sense of 289 00:21:06.039 --> 00:21:11.559 where you can stand up and that I call it man in the mirror reflection, 290 00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:14.279 where you can look up and be like, oh, that's on me, 291 00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:18.240 that's my bad. I will fix that. But you know what, 292 00:21:18.519 --> 00:21:23.319 with this game, everything, like Trey Moseley said in the press in the 293 00:21:23.480 --> 00:21:27.440 post game, all the goals are still ahead of them. You can still 294 00:21:27.519 --> 00:21:33.119 have one loss and still be you know, in contention for the college football 295 00:21:33.160 --> 00:21:36.240 playoffs, you can have you know, you can still win the Big Ten. 296 00:21:36.680 --> 00:21:40.920 All those things are still ahead of them. It's better to lose it 297 00:21:41.200 --> 00:21:45.480 now than it is when it really counts in Big Ten play. You know. 298 00:21:45.640 --> 00:21:49.400 So maybe we could be sitting back and looking at this game and saying 299 00:21:49.759 --> 00:21:55.359 that may be the defining moment in Spartan football for this season. That loss 300 00:21:55.519 --> 00:21:59.240 maybe the defining game from Michigan State. That's when they said, Okay, 301 00:21:59.480 --> 00:22:03.039 this is where we need to work on. We were exposed here, here, 302 00:22:03.119 --> 00:22:07.440 and here. Now let's be able to pick it up and make those 303 00:22:07.559 --> 00:22:11.359 changes and get going. Speaking of that, you're absolutely spot on there, 304 00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:18.519 Jayu. When you talk about their exposure and a year ago being ranked one 305 00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:22.039 hundred and thirtieth in the nation and past defense, it looked like things were 306 00:22:22.079 --> 00:22:27.440 fixed against Western Michigan and Akron. But when you go against a formidal opponent, 307 00:22:27.519 --> 00:22:30.480 I know they weren't ranked watching Huskies, but we know they should have 308 00:22:30.519 --> 00:22:33.440 been ranked. That's a very good football team. But when you go against 309 00:22:33.440 --> 00:22:37.319 a team that's a Power five team and a very well coached team with talent, 310 00:22:38.119 --> 00:22:44.039 ye're exposed. And that defensive secondary. Okay, this is an area 311 00:22:44.240 --> 00:22:49.519 of concern that Mel Tucker took upon himself when he lost cornerbacks coach to Georgia 312 00:22:49.599 --> 00:22:52.839 Tech. To now say, hey, I'm not hiring a cornerbacks coach. 313 00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:57.240 I'm going to step into this role. He's taking the blame right now because 314 00:22:57.680 --> 00:23:03.559 he's saying that that's my position, that's my position of authority and expertise, 315 00:23:04.039 --> 00:23:10.759 and they weren't able to perform well. And he talked about personnel changes coming. 316 00:23:11.519 --> 00:23:15.680 What say you to that, Jau, Yeah, you know that's at 317 00:23:15.799 --> 00:23:18.119 times like this where when there's tough times where you have to, you know, 318 00:23:18.279 --> 00:23:23.359 look yourself in the mirror, like I said, and evaluate yourself as 319 00:23:23.440 --> 00:23:27.880 a coach, your players as players. And the biggest thing is we have 320 00:23:27.960 --> 00:23:32.960 to remember these are eighteen, nineteen twenty year old kids, all right, 321 00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:37.599 and these coaches they're in it. They've been in it around the game for 322 00:23:37.720 --> 00:23:42.960 a long time, and their roles as coaches and personnel and everything is to 323 00:23:44.079 --> 00:23:48.680 see are you in the best position to be successful? You know if a 324 00:23:48.839 --> 00:23:52.799 corner is not the right person for it, because these coaches are not putting 325 00:23:52.880 --> 00:23:56.319 that kid in the right position to be successful being a cornerback, you have 326 00:23:56.519 --> 00:24:00.480 to have that that swag a by. Look, you got a guy like 327 00:24:00.559 --> 00:24:06.519 Dion Sanders, he's flamboyant, over the top, but you have to have 328 00:24:06.799 --> 00:24:11.039 that if you play that position, because it's one of the most loneliest positions 329 00:24:11.240 --> 00:24:17.400 on the field because you're really on an island. So we were exposed defensively 330 00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:19.160 on that. It will just see if we can bounce back. We can 331 00:24:19.240 --> 00:24:23.519 make the changes, fix that and bounce back because you will all be at 332 00:24:23.559 --> 00:24:29.160 first to admit it. The loss of snow and X really hurt. And 333 00:24:29.359 --> 00:24:32.480 you've started to see that now, Yeah, you start to see it definitely 334 00:24:33.000 --> 00:24:36.880 on the road, the communication breakdowns. When you look at Washington in the 335 00:24:36.920 --> 00:24:41.000 way they decided to attack. You have a coach and Kaylin de Boor, 336 00:24:41.440 --> 00:24:45.960 who was the offensive coordinator at Indiana. Michael Pennix Junior was the quarterback in 337 00:24:47.039 --> 00:24:52.200 Indiana when he exposed Michigan State beat Michigan State in years past. Now they 338 00:24:52.319 --> 00:24:59.119 look at this similar defense and they find ways to attack it by flot switching 339 00:24:59.319 --> 00:25:04.039 side, training the receivers from right to left, left to right, and 340 00:25:04.200 --> 00:25:08.440 coming out in four wide five wide sets, taking the running back out of 341 00:25:08.480 --> 00:25:11.799 the backfield, you know, getting the one on one with the middle linebacker 342 00:25:11.799 --> 00:25:17.119 and Cal Halliday which we will show here, and coming up with touchdowns and 343 00:25:17.440 --> 00:25:22.319 huge chop explosive plays that put the Spartans against the wall and in bad positions 344 00:25:22.400 --> 00:25:26.279 the whole game. Yeah, you know, it was a great, great 345 00:25:26.359 --> 00:25:30.480 offensive game plan by Washington, great job of putting their guys in better position 346 00:25:30.559 --> 00:25:36.119 to be successful over ours, picking out the mismatches, you know, picking 347 00:25:36.160 --> 00:25:41.480 out a scat back against our linebackers, picking out slot receivers and putting them 348 00:25:41.559 --> 00:25:45.240 outside to go against you know, the corners, the more shifty guys. 349 00:25:45.680 --> 00:25:48.880 So it was a good job on that. And I just think a lot 350 00:25:48.920 --> 00:25:52.279 of the things to momentum. You know, football is a game of momentum, 351 00:25:52.519 --> 00:25:55.720 and I think it really killed us. You know that drive at the 352 00:25:55.960 --> 00:26:00.160 end of the second half of the first half, you know that with fifty 353 00:26:00.240 --> 00:26:04.759 seconds left they marched down and scored. That was a momentum killer in a 354 00:26:04.839 --> 00:26:08.200 way too, because Spartan's we scored, we stopped, and we're going to 355 00:26:08.240 --> 00:26:11.319 get the we're gonna be down fourteen going into the half. You get the 356 00:26:11.400 --> 00:26:15.519 ball to start the second half, and that could have changed the landscape of 357 00:26:15.559 --> 00:26:22.039 the game. But that score really affected it coming right after the safety, 358 00:26:22.160 --> 00:26:26.079 after the big goal line stands and as you know on that sideline, I 359 00:26:26.119 --> 00:26:30.960 mean you were there, you know, you know, how was the morale 360 00:26:30.160 --> 00:26:34.359 between the defensive side of the ball and the offense when the defense is playing 361 00:26:34.480 --> 00:26:38.799 their tails off at that point getting the goal line stands, expending a lot 362 00:26:38.880 --> 00:26:42.599 of energy, didn't have to go right back on the field with a short 363 00:26:42.640 --> 00:26:47.720 field because the free kick was kicked out. Bounce. Yeah, Well, 364 00:26:48.119 --> 00:26:51.799 the whole thing with that is it the morale. You can't you can't have 365 00:26:51.960 --> 00:26:55.000 that because as we are one, you know, it's us we are And 366 00:26:55.440 --> 00:26:56.920 the defense showed that. The defense was, you know, bouncing around, 367 00:26:56.920 --> 00:27:02.000 they were ready to get back out there. Good sign. Yeah, it 368 00:27:02.119 --> 00:27:06.079 definitely was. And you know there's the thing is sudden change. Defenses practiced 369 00:27:06.160 --> 00:27:10.359 for that. They practice for being out there for a long drive and the 370 00:27:10.480 --> 00:27:14.079 offense and they make a stop feeling good about themselves, come off, trying 371 00:27:14.079 --> 00:27:18.839 to get a get regroup, communicate, get some water. The offense goes 372 00:27:18.880 --> 00:27:21.720 out, throws a pick, or something unfortunate happens, they have to be 373 00:27:21.839 --> 00:27:25.519 right back out there. That's called sudden change. So they practice for that, 374 00:27:25.680 --> 00:27:27.000 so they understand that. So I don't think, you know, it's 375 00:27:27.039 --> 00:27:33.240 anything that's like brand new to you know, a defense talking about a lot 376 00:27:33.319 --> 00:27:37.079 about sleep, banking, going into this ball game and going out. You 377 00:27:37.400 --> 00:27:41.920 had talked a little bit of last week about hey, look in the NFL 378 00:27:41.640 --> 00:27:48.599 teams travel a day two days before kickoff to get acclimated when you're going west 379 00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:52.240 or a far trip to these whichever way you're going. Do you think that 380 00:27:52.039 --> 00:27:56.480 the time change and be a little late to the stadium because the bus ride 381 00:27:56.720 --> 00:28:02.200 had an effect on the Spartans. I definitely think so. I definitely think 382 00:28:02.720 --> 00:28:10.240 it was a mistake, you know, to go out just one day previous, 383 00:28:10.559 --> 00:28:12.640 because you can do all the things you want to do back here. 384 00:28:12.799 --> 00:28:15.640 You can say, you know, get an extra hour of sleep. You 385 00:28:15.720 --> 00:28:18.880 know, these are, like I said, these are eighteen, nineteen twenty 386 00:28:18.960 --> 00:28:21.000 year old kids. They're gonna be up, they're gonna be on their phones, 387 00:28:21.000 --> 00:28:25.119 they're gonna be on social media. But and then I think you need 388 00:28:25.240 --> 00:28:27.319 to get out there on if you're playing on a Saturday, get out there 389 00:28:27.359 --> 00:28:33.519 on a Thursday evening. Get your body adjusted a little bit to the time 390 00:28:33.960 --> 00:28:37.119 you get. You get there, you do a walk through, stretching, 391 00:28:37.200 --> 00:28:40.400 stride, anything you want to do that way, get the blood flowing. 392 00:28:40.880 --> 00:28:45.400 Friday, it's a day. You're there the entire day getting adjusted at everything. 393 00:28:45.680 --> 00:28:51.440 Then by game time on Saturday, hopefully you feel a little bit acclimated. 394 00:28:51.559 --> 00:28:55.279 And I think that contributed to the slow start that the Spartans had. 395 00:28:55.880 --> 00:28:59.519 Yeah, being down twenty two to nothing early in that ballgame, as you 396 00:28:59.599 --> 00:29:03.960 said, finding a way to score and keeping that ball game close, but 397 00:29:03.000 --> 00:29:07.519 then giving up the late touchdown in the first half was all too much. 398 00:29:07.559 --> 00:29:11.519 Because at the very end of the ball game, Jau well five six to 399 00:29:11.640 --> 00:29:15.240 five minutes left in that game, Missus State starts to come back. You 400 00:29:15.279 --> 00:29:18.200 saw a lot of signs of life, and you thought for a moment, 401 00:29:18.599 --> 00:29:23.000 with those two alongside kick attempts, that Missis State had an opportunity to get 402 00:29:23.039 --> 00:29:27.279 back in that ball game and possibly tie it up or even win. Yeah, 403 00:29:27.319 --> 00:29:30.279 you definitely did. They started to get their foot in under them. 404 00:29:30.279 --> 00:29:33.640 They started to communicate. They started to understand what was going on, and 405 00:29:33.759 --> 00:29:38.279 I just I attribute some of that slow start to the travel the time that 406 00:29:38.519 --> 00:29:41.839 we got We got out there and you know, it just seemed like nothing 407 00:29:41.880 --> 00:29:45.680 could go right. And you were on the team bus coming to the stadium, 408 00:29:45.759 --> 00:29:48.400 right, you guys were delayed, Yeah a little bit. Yeah. 409 00:29:48.440 --> 00:29:53.920 So yeah, it's a very tight highway getting two American Alaska Airlines Arena or 410 00:29:55.079 --> 00:29:59.720 Field slash Husky Stadium. There was accidents going the opposite direction, like a 411 00:30:00.200 --> 00:30:03.960 car pile up. It was really slow getting into the stadium. But as 412 00:30:04.039 --> 00:30:10.319 you said, the slow start just was a little much. Michigan State now 413 00:30:10.559 --> 00:30:18.240 drops to zero and fourteen on the road to Pack twelve and Hawaii teams in 414 00:30:18.279 --> 00:30:23.519 the regular season from Michigan State. It's nineteen fifty seven. H Jayson. 415 00:30:23.519 --> 00:30:27.400 I'm gonna throw something out there, since you're talking to you, just remind 416 00:30:27.480 --> 00:30:33.839 me when you said Michigan State drops too. Am I like crazy here? 417 00:30:33.119 --> 00:30:41.200 Or did the committee get some overreaction? How can you go ranked eleventh in 418 00:30:41.240 --> 00:30:45.839 the country too? Not ranked? Let's let's just face the facts. In 419 00:30:45.039 --> 00:30:52.880 any time Michigan State does anything a little out of bounds, they get slammed 420 00:30:52.960 --> 00:30:56.519 for it. That's body slam for it, you know, off the top 421 00:30:56.680 --> 00:30:59.279 road with I don't know how many ladders. You know how they do it 422 00:30:59.599 --> 00:31:03.680 in the stuff in the w w E, right, you know, they 423 00:31:03.119 --> 00:31:07.440 they kill them for the slightest slip ups. They do it in recruiting, 424 00:31:07.960 --> 00:31:11.960 and they do it in games with rankings, and it's just one of those 425 00:31:11.000 --> 00:31:14.359 things. It's like, oh, we shouldn't have thought so highly of you, 426 00:31:14.759 --> 00:31:17.119 so now you're out. I mean, how do you go from eleven 427 00:31:17.519 --> 00:31:19.920 to an out when you're facing a team like the Washington Huskies. Yes, 428 00:31:21.079 --> 00:31:25.960 they were unranked, but that's in the first four weeks of the football season. 429 00:31:26.960 --> 00:31:30.000 The rankings don't really mean much. But you can't penalize a team for 430 00:31:30.119 --> 00:31:34.519 losing to a team like that. This isn't Appalachian State, you know. 431 00:31:34.759 --> 00:31:38.960 Yeah, you lose, that's that's two and zero and you have to travel 432 00:31:40.079 --> 00:31:44.680 out there to them. Yes, you know. So it's not a school, 433 00:31:47.279 --> 00:31:51.839 you know, this is a This is a Pac twelve program that is 434 00:31:51.960 --> 00:31:55.240 loaded with talent and has a quarterback. I mean, they were favored in 435 00:31:55.319 --> 00:31:59.079 the game. For crying out loud that right there. They were favored. 436 00:31:59.559 --> 00:32:02.839 The bets they were favor and we drop out of the top twenty five. 437 00:32:04.359 --> 00:32:07.400 Unbelievable, man, totally unbelievable. You're right. I don't want to get 438 00:32:07.400 --> 00:32:10.720 too emotional litt about it, but come on, writers, come on, 439 00:32:10.880 --> 00:32:16.759 ain'tp We gotta do better than that. Coach Walla got a still of the 440 00:32:16.799 --> 00:32:22.039 twenty in the twenties, right, you're speaking of doing better. I think 441 00:32:22.279 --> 00:32:25.400 you're going to see a better Michigan State team this week coming up big ten 442 00:32:25.480 --> 00:32:30.960 opener against Minnesota in the Woodshed. I expect the woodshed to be rocking. 443 00:32:31.279 --> 00:32:37.559 I expect practice to be crazy and tough. I think Coach Tucker's going to 444 00:32:37.720 --> 00:32:43.000 challenge the team to be comfortable being uncomfortable this week, and I think it's 445 00:32:43.039 --> 00:32:45.960 going to translate to the game this week. Defense gotta show up. As 446 00:32:46.039 --> 00:32:50.960 you've seen a week ago on the road, Spartans traveled well. They traveled 447 00:32:51.000 --> 00:32:52.920 well, But all those fans that were there at the stadium and watched it 448 00:32:53.039 --> 00:32:57.079 on television, I don't know if you've got the same sense the noise level 449 00:32:57.319 --> 00:33:01.839 and how it disrupted our offense on the road. The deep end and the 450 00:33:01.920 --> 00:33:07.680 rest of Spartan nations got to do the same thing against PJ. Fleck and 451 00:33:07.799 --> 00:33:10.000 his Minnesota Golden Gophers. And then they come in trying to row that boat 452 00:33:10.400 --> 00:33:14.720 in Spartan Stadium. We can't have that into which you had cambrag you. 453 00:33:15.759 --> 00:33:17.920 No, they can't row that boat. We got to burn the damn boat, 454 00:33:20.559 --> 00:33:23.559 burn and sink it against Martin Stadium. That's us talking, not the 455 00:33:23.640 --> 00:33:28.839 players, and we're former players. That's us talking. But that's what's gonna 456 00:33:28.839 --> 00:33:31.559 have to happen. We gotta have a collective effort. It's gotta be complimentary 457 00:33:31.599 --> 00:33:35.640 football all the way around the ball, offense, defense, and special teams. 458 00:33:35.680 --> 00:33:38.160 This is what we did not see a wee could go right in Washington. 459 00:33:39.160 --> 00:33:42.839 Yeah, we got to play a complete game. And I think, 460 00:33:43.000 --> 00:33:46.319 you know, with the changes, the you know, the self reflection, 461 00:33:46.839 --> 00:33:52.519 I think, and hopefully the addition of Slade, the addition of Red, 462 00:33:52.680 --> 00:33:58.200 hopefully we're back in contention and playing like we know how we can play. 463 00:33:58.960 --> 00:34:04.079 All right, break that game down on another episode of This is Sparta. 464 00:34:04.240 --> 00:34:08.079 But for now, that is a rapping for Jayu Culprit. I'm Jason Strayhorn. 465 00:34:08.199 --> 00:34:13.280 This is Sparta. Have a good night, God bless and go green 466 00:34:14.079 --> 00:34:14.760 and go white.