WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:01:00.039 The following is a presentation of play Fly Sports properties. I'm proud of this 2 00:01:00.079 --> 00:01:03.400 football team. I believe in this football team game. We're in position to 3 00:01:03.400 --> 00:01:07.519 player best football this season. But these people don't realize is that like we 4 00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:11.640 expect to win. Look at this dude next to you, man, this 5 00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:15.519 guy next to you, look at him. This guy's next to you, 6 00:01:15.760 --> 00:01:19.280 this guy's behind you, this god, that guy is count on you to 7 00:01:19.319 --> 00:01:22.879 do your job. He's count on you to do your job to the best 8 00:01:22.959 --> 00:01:26.879 your ability. We just play geam football, okay, but mischief State first, 9 00:01:27.040 --> 00:01:36.120 do everything you can can't go ahead and get this done. Michigan State 10 00:01:37.480 --> 00:01:41.920 money performance here tonight. This why came is a state man, I'm an 11 00:01:42.000 --> 00:01:48.439 underdog and mel Tucker does it again defeating a ring team on the road. 12 00:01:48.560 --> 00:01:51.200 Like I said before the game, I've never been more proud of a football 13 00:01:51.200 --> 00:01:55.480 team. This is a special, special, special group. Okay. And 14 00:01:55.519 --> 00:01:59.400 what your what's your? What we accomplished today? Okay? Was was something 15 00:01:59.480 --> 00:02:02.519 no wonder up just to do. But us just what sparts you're all about? 16 00:02:02.560 --> 00:02:09.280 Guys, we don't we go quick way go right. We just be 17 00:02:09.400 --> 00:02:14.080 in a Lloyd at twenty three to fifteen yes, and you know what I'm 18 00:02:14.080 --> 00:02:23.439 said. The three day he hurt this one that some you wrong fas fast 19 00:02:23.479 --> 00:02:29.360 and that's why is thinking along ard, I have hurricane that Holliday right by 20 00:02:29.680 --> 00:02:35.159 the guy me. Why go right, yeah, why you go ahead? 21 00:02:35.479 --> 00:02:43.039 Why you do? Everybody ain't even way way bye bye, honey, bigunna 22 00:02:43.039 --> 00:02:52.120 ask you whoa whoa? Well, well, when we got here, it 23 00:02:52.240 --> 00:02:54.759 looked like a little bickery celebrating in there. What they didn't they can do 24 00:02:54.840 --> 00:02:58.879 it and they went down to champagne and everybody had them count out. I 25 00:02:59.479 --> 00:03:02.479 look like Barker, Daniel Barker that is, had a little one of these 26 00:03:02.599 --> 00:03:07.560 in the locker room for the celebration. If you looked a little closer. 27 00:03:07.680 --> 00:03:10.360 That was a nice job by Daniel Barker there. Uh, just so you 28 00:03:10.479 --> 00:03:16.599 guys know, this is sparta I'm your host, Jason Straighthorn, along with 29 00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:25.319 my co host Otis Wiley and jay U Culprit. Add the spirit fingers, 30 00:03:28.879 --> 00:03:31.919 get after it, get after button up all the way, button up to 31 00:03:32.000 --> 00:03:37.000 the neck. Right, My East Coast people this today, you know, 32 00:03:38.120 --> 00:03:43.280 yalla, the East Coast. I gotta love it. Spartan's win on the 33 00:03:43.479 --> 00:03:49.000 road against a top fifteen opponent in the fighting a line nine, number one 34 00:03:49.080 --> 00:03:52.599 defense in the country, number one running back. Didn't matter. Michigan State 35 00:03:52.719 --> 00:03:57.560 goes on the road and beats him twenty three to fifteen. What an impressive 36 00:03:57.680 --> 00:04:02.080 win by the Spartan Shillman. Absolutely, I mean it was great to hear 37 00:04:03.080 --> 00:04:10.039 on the radio leading up to Like I watched listen on the radio for I 38 00:04:10.240 --> 00:04:13.879 say, like half of the first quarter and then I finally got to the 39 00:04:13.960 --> 00:04:17.399 tube and TV to watch it. But like you can tell based off of 40 00:04:17.639 --> 00:04:23.759 even the calls that you stray and George and then with jay U's in the 41 00:04:23.800 --> 00:04:28.439 first quarter, you know segment when he comes on, you can tell just 42 00:04:28.519 --> 00:04:31.680 the energy was different, right, Like it was like us against the world, 43 00:04:32.680 --> 00:04:36.199 regardless of what happened in the past. We got our guys. We're 44 00:04:36.240 --> 00:04:40.680 gonna play football and we're gonna, you know, win, and we're gonna 45 00:04:40.720 --> 00:04:44.079 work on you know what we did for this week, which I heard was 46 00:04:44.639 --> 00:04:47.839 the practice was electric. It almost looked like nothing happened. They're dancing. 47 00:04:48.560 --> 00:04:51.600 Somebody told me they was doing the Titchy roll in the middle of the practice. 48 00:04:51.639 --> 00:04:56.399 Like everybody's dancing and vibes are great, and the guys that are there. 49 00:04:56.680 --> 00:05:00.519 You gotta win with the guys you got, and so good to feel 50 00:05:00.560 --> 00:05:04.040 that vibe again of like guys celebrated. Man, Like we've we've had those 51 00:05:04.199 --> 00:05:09.519 close losses and you know when you when you get to count how many points 52 00:05:09.560 --> 00:05:12.560 you put on the board and you've seen the fight song. There's nothing better 53 00:05:12.639 --> 00:05:15.279 man in that locker room after you know, going on the road and being 54 00:05:15.360 --> 00:05:19.199 a team that you know was expected to beat us, beat us really bad. 55 00:05:21.680 --> 00:05:27.639 Absolutely absolutely otis and uh, you know it was just all week. 56 00:05:27.839 --> 00:05:30.279 You know, I had a feeling that Michigan State was going to pull this 57 00:05:30.439 --> 00:05:32.839 off. I said it. I told Stray this at of the week. 58 00:05:32.879 --> 00:05:40.720 I was like, I think we're gonna true story, Gonna lose your credibility 59 00:05:40.759 --> 00:05:45.879 if you're wrong. But Day says that every week, man, you're telling 60 00:05:45.879 --> 00:05:53.279 me about I didn't out the man like that, but he did this week. 61 00:05:53.680 --> 00:05:55.639 Yeah, it was you know, yeah, definitely, and you know 62 00:05:55.800 --> 00:05:58.639 after you know, the week previous, there's a dark cloud hanging over East 63 00:05:58.639 --> 00:06:01.199 Saints and hanging over the Sparking pro And we talked about it on the show. 64 00:06:01.399 --> 00:06:03.600 Guys are gonna have to step up. Guys are gonna have to come 65 00:06:03.639 --> 00:06:08.360 in to this game and the play loose. There's no pressure, nothing to 66 00:06:08.439 --> 00:06:11.560 lose, and that's exactly what they did. Otis you hit on the fact 67 00:06:11.600 --> 00:06:15.240 that you could feel a different type of energy. That definitely was. There 68 00:06:15.319 --> 00:06:18.199 was a different sense of energy on the sidelines. For once, we had 69 00:06:18.519 --> 00:06:21.680 that when the offense was on the field, we had defensive guys standing up 70 00:06:23.079 --> 00:06:26.360 cheering. When the defense was on the field, the offensive guys were standing 71 00:06:26.439 --> 00:06:30.040 up. And both times kickers and punters were just in the back corner where 72 00:06:30.079 --> 00:06:36.480 they belongs. I mean, listen, the pumbler was probably listen. These 73 00:06:36.560 --> 00:06:43.319 might be the MVP of this game. Weather traditions kicks in a moment. 74 00:06:43.480 --> 00:06:46.480 Let's break it down us getting back to the I have game day stab breaks 75 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:51.399 down, present it to you by I have the two by two by two 76 00:06:51.560 --> 00:06:57.839 breakfast combo equals one delicious meal. Enjoy two pancakes, two eggs your way, 77 00:06:57.879 --> 00:07:01.240 and two pieces of bacon for only five dollars only at I Hop hurry 78 00:07:01.319 --> 00:07:05.560 in and enjoy this deal for a limited time, dying and only. Price 79 00:07:05.600 --> 00:07:12.480 and participation may very restrictions apply. Well, guys, well, we're gonna 80 00:07:13.079 --> 00:07:17.720 start with the defensive side of the ball defense win first, No, let's 81 00:07:17.759 --> 00:07:21.079 talk about let's let's talk about about time. We get to start with the 82 00:07:21.160 --> 00:07:28.720 defense. You always start with the We are starting with the defense defensively championship 83 00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:33.319 game. We don't care about the win on the defense man. That's an 84 00:07:33.519 --> 00:07:38.720 advantage for us man, Like you know, we ay ball gonna come up. 85 00:07:38.800 --> 00:07:42.959 We ann gotta get it right. Fifty are going our way. But 86 00:07:43.639 --> 00:07:46.879 one shout out to finally having a Newton kickoff. We're gonna talk about that 87 00:07:47.040 --> 00:07:51.079 for our next next show. But now we get to have some pancakes, 88 00:07:51.240 --> 00:07:56.079 I hop finally, so shout out to our boy Cal shout out to I 89 00:07:56.240 --> 00:07:59.480 hop. I can't wait to have two for two for two. But in 90 00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:05.920 our tail gate, Yeah, but you know, we talked about defense, 91 00:08:05.160 --> 00:08:11.000 right we talk about the guys that have been let go from the team in 92 00:08:11.079 --> 00:08:16.240 definitely right now until further investigation, Jay, you hit it last. Our 93 00:08:16.319 --> 00:08:22.759 last show is next man up mentality and you saw that immediately on that first 94 00:08:24.319 --> 00:08:28.199 first drive when the defense took the field, is that you got guys in 95 00:08:28.279 --> 00:08:33.559 there that that are fresh legs but have a sense of new energy. We 96 00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:37.279 talk about you know, talk about Deshaun Mallory, playing defensive end. You 97 00:08:37.399 --> 00:08:41.720 got Siamon Barrow obviously has always been in that mix, but it was just 98 00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:46.279 a different feel to the ball. Everybody was getting heads hats to the football. 99 00:08:46.720 --> 00:08:52.080 You didn't see that many missed tackles. You saw everyone celebrating each other. 100 00:08:52.600 --> 00:08:54.919 If you look at that stat line on the tackles, we had eighty 101 00:08:56.000 --> 00:08:58.399 four total team tackles. We had two. We had a mere speed. 102 00:08:58.440 --> 00:09:01.919 Who's your I don't still don't know how he does it. He's always leading 103 00:09:01.960 --> 00:09:05.440 the team in each game on the tackles twelve total tackles. I mean you 104 00:09:05.519 --> 00:09:09.080 look at right now the clip on our goal line stands. This is where 105 00:09:09.120 --> 00:09:13.799 it's started. This where the tone set the tone, where Illinois is coming 106 00:09:13.840 --> 00:09:16.120 at us and it's like, hey, we're better than you. We're gonna 107 00:09:16.159 --> 00:09:20.720 line up and we're gonna give you four downs in terror where yeah, Gold 108 00:09:20.759 --> 00:09:24.720 stands like show us what you're working with right look at this man, like 109 00:09:26.080 --> 00:09:30.039 lockdown, baby, lock down man. And that was where it starts. 110 00:09:30.080 --> 00:09:33.799 Set the tone for the offense to come out and it's like we are here, 111 00:09:33.120 --> 00:09:37.399 We're here man, and everyone is all all hats to the football. 112 00:09:37.600 --> 00:09:43.399 That's what wins the wins wins games when you get everybody front line starts it. 113 00:09:43.440 --> 00:09:48.360 Look at the leverage we got. Everyone's just in their place. You 114 00:09:48.440 --> 00:09:52.559 see look KB talking Junke Man, Come on, man, don't disrespect us, 115 00:09:52.039 --> 00:09:56.120 knowing that we played the same same type of football. We suit up, 116 00:09:56.519 --> 00:10:00.519 we put our shoes on the same way, and let's do the stands 117 00:10:00.559 --> 00:10:03.720 where we set the tone. And we already know defense has the tone here 118 00:10:03.840 --> 00:10:07.720 man. So it was good to see this straight out the gate. And 119 00:10:07.799 --> 00:10:11.039 then you look at the entirety of that game. His defense kept setting the 120 00:10:11.120 --> 00:10:16.159 tone. They kept keeping the momentum on our side, and I never saw 121 00:10:16.159 --> 00:10:22.480 Illinois take that from us when in past games we've seen the tie turn gradually 122 00:10:22.960 --> 00:10:26.559 and the momentum gets over to the opposite team. And you know, you 123 00:10:26.720 --> 00:10:31.080 see guys truly setting up. And let me go one quick highlight of benfit 124 00:10:31.159 --> 00:10:37.519 Sumer ten tackles Kyle Holliday, Kendall Brooks nine tackles Malik Spencer. We finally 125 00:10:37.600 --> 00:10:41.919 saw the true freshman from Georgia. You know, he would have been playing 126 00:10:41.000 --> 00:10:45.519 if he hadn't had the soldier surgery, right, and so coming out still 127 00:10:45.639 --> 00:10:48.720 with the sling on his shoulder, coming out putting speed out there on the 128 00:10:48.799 --> 00:10:52.519 linebacker side, and he's flying around too, And it was good to see 129 00:10:52.960 --> 00:10:56.519 them having fun. Man, in the midst of all the turmoil we've been 130 00:10:56.559 --> 00:11:01.399 getting, it was good to see the defense truly, truly plays some spartan 131 00:11:01.440 --> 00:11:07.759 football defense. Go ahead, Jay, Absolutely, I'm not you know, 132 00:11:09.039 --> 00:11:11.320 look at here. You see we got to play again, play it again. 133 00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:15.279 We we got to make the sound played again one more time, one 134 00:11:15.320 --> 00:11:18.399 more time. Lines up, Yeah, look at Chase Brown on you don't 135 00:11:18.399 --> 00:11:24.600 even see it, brule with the recovery. Look at this man. Everybody 136 00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:33.080 sex lines up on the line and oh yeah this guy. Oh now, 137 00:11:33.440 --> 00:11:35.120 there was a shot, j U. Before you you say something, there 138 00:11:35.200 --> 00:11:39.600 was a shot the screenshot of Xavier and Chase Brown in this moment where you 139 00:11:39.679 --> 00:11:45.000 paused it and his eyes. This is a perfect fit for for a tackle 140 00:11:45.519 --> 00:11:48.960 when we when I talk about you know, you got to see the ball, 141 00:11:48.120 --> 00:11:52.480 eat the ball straight up, head up, punches the ball and tackles 142 00:11:52.519 --> 00:11:54.639 him. Chase Brown didn't know it hit him. He was like, what 143 00:11:56.039 --> 00:12:01.679 was that? Go ahead, Jay, that eighteen Absolutely, And the thing 144 00:12:01.759 --> 00:12:05.519 that I love about this you see this, You see guys celebrating together, 145 00:12:05.879 --> 00:12:09.440 having fun, and that's the best. That's the thing that's been missing the 146 00:12:09.559 --> 00:12:13.559 past few weeks. If guys out there having fun jumping around. We saw 147 00:12:13.639 --> 00:12:18.399 early in the earlier highlights of goal line stands, guys swinging their arms, 148 00:12:18.600 --> 00:12:20.919 you know, waving know and having a good time putting up the four for 149 00:12:22.039 --> 00:12:24.840 fourth down. That's what this defense needed, and you got to give for 150 00:12:24.960 --> 00:12:30.320 it. Like I said, as much grief that Scotty Hazelton gets, he 151 00:12:30.440 --> 00:12:33.720 had a great game plan for for this game. He did a lot of 152 00:12:33.799 --> 00:12:37.559 exotic things. He did a lot of stunts up front, He did a 153 00:12:37.679 --> 00:12:41.679 lot of blitz and he brought in a ton of pressure on Illinois. And 154 00:12:41.759 --> 00:12:43.919 I think the defense had fun with that because od As you know this, 155 00:12:45.120 --> 00:12:48.480 anytime your number gets called for a blitz, you're licking your chops. You're 156 00:12:48.480 --> 00:12:54.159 excited. We had corner corner crash coming in, you know and twisting with 157 00:12:54.279 --> 00:12:56.679 the lineman the d line stepping out and the corner going in the middle. 158 00:12:56.759 --> 00:13:01.799 There. Those are some exotic blitzes and some exact things that coach Haylson dialed 159 00:13:01.879 --> 00:13:03.279 up. And I loved it, and I think the players loved it as 160 00:13:03.320 --> 00:13:07.080 well, because they were having fun with it. They were bouncing around the 161 00:13:07.159 --> 00:13:13.960 sideline was electric all game long. Yeah. I mean with Brandon Jordan this 162 00:13:13.080 --> 00:13:16.360 past week because he was in the middle man and the offensive line on those 163 00:13:16.440 --> 00:13:20.360 blitzes. Several times they looked really, really good and put a lot of 164 00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:26.159 pressure on Tommy DeVito. Yeah, and shout out to the d line coaches, 165 00:13:26.240 --> 00:13:33.240 man, And you see the discipline that every time you saw the shotgun, 166 00:13:33.720 --> 00:13:39.000 you know, uh, pitch option kind of riding it our defensive ends 167 00:13:39.519 --> 00:13:43.399 kind of road and it stayed home to make sure like they didn't dive into 168 00:13:43.480 --> 00:13:46.240 that dive. There was a couple of times where like you could easily bite 169 00:13:46.320 --> 00:13:50.440 on and say, oh man, we had it, and they stayed home 170 00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:52.960 just so that they didn't make sure you either. Tom DeVito pulled it. 171 00:13:54.200 --> 00:13:56.840 I mean he's reading that defensive end and you can see multiple plays throughout the 172 00:13:56.919 --> 00:14:01.840 game because our defensive ends did their job and everybody was doing their job. 173 00:14:01.960 --> 00:14:05.879 So when everybody does their job, the whole puzzle fitch perfectly. Man. 174 00:14:05.919 --> 00:14:09.440 And it was great to see. I was excited, man, you know, 175 00:14:09.480 --> 00:14:13.120 I'm cheering real allowed with my parents, and you know, it's good 176 00:14:13.159 --> 00:14:18.120 to see we finally got that dub Man so good. I mean, what 177 00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:20.919 do you go about the personnel. I mean, you got the bigger guys 178 00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:24.720 playing on the defensive end. It seemed that they had more success out there. 179 00:14:24.759 --> 00:14:28.440 Guys like the Sean Mallory. You got guys like Jalen Hunt, who 180 00:14:28.519 --> 00:14:31.360 we haven't seen much at all. This is six four, three hundred and 181 00:14:31.360 --> 00:14:35.120 twenty pounder playing on the edge. And then you have the guys on the 182 00:14:35.159 --> 00:14:39.440 inside, the Borrows of the world and Derek Harmon obviously, you know you 183 00:14:39.960 --> 00:14:43.759 Jacob Slave was in the game for a while before he had to leave with 184 00:14:43.200 --> 00:14:48.919 an injury. But it was just more beef upfront, and as mel Tucker 185 00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:50.519 said in the press conference, he said, you know, we weren't gonna 186 00:14:50.519 --> 00:14:54.639 get rolled up out of there by that offensive line. So we had more 187 00:14:54.759 --> 00:14:58.919 size up front, which allowed those linebackers to scrape more and make the plays. 188 00:15:00.200 --> 00:15:01.639 Like you said, even the secondary guy for getting that getting a hat 189 00:15:01.679 --> 00:15:05.840 on the hat. Oh. Absolutely, the flow of the game, man, 190 00:15:05.919 --> 00:15:09.240 Like we always hear, they got a great line. They are the 191 00:15:09.320 --> 00:15:11.440 best line in a Big ten. You know, you look at the opposite 192 00:15:11.519 --> 00:15:15.440 side of that division. They're leading that division and we're at the bottom of 193 00:15:15.480 --> 00:15:18.919 the vision. Well, you know what, you know, it don't matter, 194 00:15:18.039 --> 00:15:22.879 right, we talked about you know they are big, We've faced bigger. 195 00:15:22.840 --> 00:15:28.399 But I think to your point, Jason, is that they couldn't really 196 00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:31.159 game plan for the guys that we had coming in to fill our holes and 197 00:15:31.240 --> 00:15:39.399 gaps. So they're truly recognizing in game this guy that they had no kind 198 00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:41.159 of film on and they will be able to study on and the way we 199 00:15:41.240 --> 00:15:46.159 switched it up. Kudos to the defensive staff man because they've been taking some 200 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:50.360 lumps this season right on what are we doing and what are we running or 201 00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:54.480 what coverage is not working or the blitch is not working, each level is 202 00:15:54.519 --> 00:15:58.799 not communicating, and now you see kind of now we're fitting the puzzles to 203 00:15:58.840 --> 00:16:03.159 where all right, the game plan appropriately and we have the staff to do 204 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:07.360 what we know we can do. And so Spartan Nation, I mean, 205 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:12.440 he should be in should be ecstatic with confidence knowing that we went out there 206 00:16:12.600 --> 00:16:17.440 and played that team the best way we could and we we came out on 207 00:16:17.559 --> 00:16:25.960 top. Absolutely makes her a nice plane ride home too. Oh yeah, 208 00:16:26.000 --> 00:16:33.120 let's talk let's talk about your your your Chris, your Chris travels man Mike 209 00:16:33.320 --> 00:16:37.960 McNamara, you know, take me down on a private jet down there at 210 00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:42.679 the airport. Yeah, I went to the Pontiac airport, was greeted by 211 00:16:42.799 --> 00:16:51.440 Mike. Guys, come take my bag, call me mister Calcrik. He 212 00:16:51.519 --> 00:16:56.559 had he had his best favorite shirt on, his fine garments with some fresh 213 00:16:56.639 --> 00:17:02.480 cohans on and stuff on that plane. Club old or something. Man. 214 00:17:03.360 --> 00:17:07.519 Yeah, birthday party, steakhouses. I mean, this guy was living it 215 00:17:07.640 --> 00:17:14.480 up out there, oh dying this weekend. Big shout out to Mike, 216 00:17:14.880 --> 00:17:18.000 to Mike, Michaelmer and big shout out to George Blaha too for you know, 217 00:17:18.200 --> 00:17:22.160 being part of that to set it up and everything. But okay, 218 00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:30.519 it's a birthday, Happy birthday. Yeah, yeah, sublet's have some fun. 219 00:17:30.359 --> 00:17:34.200 Yeah. So what with defense, I'm gonna go nice transition here is 220 00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:38.599 we wouldn't be where we would be if it wasn't for that offense. And 221 00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:44.119 finally truly answering the call where complimentary football. Now, jay U, this 222 00:17:44.279 --> 00:17:48.680 is your side, Jason. Finally y'all can go ahead talk about the great 223 00:17:48.759 --> 00:17:52.720 offense that we had uh last Saturday. And we're gonna start off with jay 224 00:17:52.799 --> 00:17:59.039 Us position BRU and that's that running back position. And yeah over yards in 225 00:17:59.119 --> 00:18:02.759 the backfield, which was great, and jayalen Berger did his thing. Yeah. 226 00:18:02.839 --> 00:18:04.440 Something I saw that was really impressed with the running backs this game is 227 00:18:04.839 --> 00:18:08.440 they put their foot in the ground and went north every time to touch the 228 00:18:08.519 --> 00:18:11.319 ball. They're big explosive plazers. Get it one, two, three, 229 00:18:11.359 --> 00:18:15.200 boom, stick a foot, go up north, shake off tackles, lower 230 00:18:15.240 --> 00:18:18.119 your shoulder, and deliver the hit. As you see Berger doing that and 231 00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:21.799 having a little fun while getting up. Here's another one. Go boom hash 232 00:18:21.920 --> 00:18:23.839 number sidelines use put the ball in the outside arm. Use that other arm 233 00:18:23.880 --> 00:18:27.359 as a weapon. See that's the best thing right there. Hash number signing. 234 00:18:27.400 --> 00:18:32.400 You fumble the ball, it's gonna go out of bounds. Look at 235 00:18:32.400 --> 00:18:36.279 this here. Put in the ground, stick it. Go get low and 236 00:18:36.400 --> 00:18:40.160 get in there. Have fun. Let's go. That's what we're missing. 237 00:18:40.359 --> 00:18:42.960 You run the ball. You're gonna be able to throw the ball when you 238 00:18:44.079 --> 00:18:47.880 do stuff like this. Now defense starts creeping out, and then you can 239 00:18:47.960 --> 00:18:52.000 get your offense going. Peyton Thorn can go here connected deep to Jayan Reid 240 00:18:55.200 --> 00:19:02.400 routine catch all because the run game's working all Without question, the offensive line 241 00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:04.920 did a phenomenal job of protecting Peyton on that. We took a little shot 242 00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:08.880 there, but look at the Jaden Ree taking the top off that defense. 243 00:19:10.160 --> 00:19:15.279 Two defenders not enough. Look at that pocket straight you'll be proud of. 244 00:19:15.400 --> 00:19:18.599 Look at that pocket that was created for Payton on this throw. Clearly, 245 00:19:18.880 --> 00:19:25.519 that was the best game I've seen them play all year. Absolutely, I've 246 00:19:25.680 --> 00:19:30.039 not seen the energy of like they were picking them up, moving those feet 247 00:19:30.200 --> 00:19:33.839 active. Yeah, there's a sense of urgency out there. You've got to 248 00:19:33.880 --> 00:19:37.039 play this game on a verge of a rage. We talk about that all 249 00:19:37.079 --> 00:19:40.880 the time. You have to. You cannot be laxa day's goal and blise 250 00:19:41.079 --> 00:19:45.279 flag whatever it is out there while you're playing on Saturday under the lights with 251 00:19:45.400 --> 00:19:48.319 everybody watching you man on national television. Better get your butt moving. And 252 00:19:48.400 --> 00:19:51.880 the look, guys, they were down a starter, you know, you 253 00:19:51.960 --> 00:19:55.839 think about Jared Horse wasn't there, and they start Brandon Baldwin. It's a 254 00:19:55.960 --> 00:20:00.839 young guy sophomore out of Southfield, very big after let player. They'll get 255 00:20:00.119 --> 00:20:06.440 number fifty three out there playing left tackle, nice switch star Cavan starting that 256 00:20:06.720 --> 00:20:10.079 man. Yeah, yeah, I mean, like, look, one thing 257 00:20:10.160 --> 00:20:12.720 that we didn't have on the offensive line that we typically haven't been having all 258 00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:18.079 year. Is the ridiculous penalties that were drive killers. Didn't have that this 259 00:20:18.240 --> 00:20:22.400 week. Things kept moving along and they were able to punch the ball in 260 00:20:23.160 --> 00:20:26.359 when they needed to. This is a team. Remember they only had five 261 00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:32.079 touchdowns scored on them the entire year. Missig State comes out and hits them 262 00:20:32.119 --> 00:20:34.119 for what three? I mean, it was a big day for Michigan State 263 00:20:34.680 --> 00:20:38.000 all the way around the board. Like you talk about complimentary football. The 264 00:20:38.079 --> 00:20:42.680 running backs got in the ball game, which helped Peyton Thorn be Peyton Thorn. 265 00:20:44.000 --> 00:20:47.640 You saw him really settle down and that's a homecoming for him. You 266 00:20:47.720 --> 00:20:52.319 will him and Jayden Reed, both Naperville, Illinois guys not far down the 267 00:20:52.400 --> 00:20:55.359 road. It was where they went to high school. They knew a lot 268 00:20:55.400 --> 00:20:57.839 of these guys that they played against in this particular game, so it means 269 00:20:57.920 --> 00:21:02.839 a lot to them. So you know Daniel Barker, a guy who transferred 270 00:21:03.279 --> 00:21:06.559 from Illinois who was in the mix, He kind of got out of the 271 00:21:06.599 --> 00:21:10.559 mix early after the interception on the first throw. Talk about overcoming adversity guys 272 00:21:11.119 --> 00:21:14.400 first pass of the ball game, and Jayu you can attest to this, 273 00:21:14.880 --> 00:21:19.160 talk about the wind out there while you were down there in Illinois. Yeah, 274 00:21:19.279 --> 00:21:23.519 that wind was brutal. If my I'm tundred fifty five pounds and I 275 00:21:23.640 --> 00:21:29.680 was getting blown around like arak doll out there by the wind. So yeah, 276 00:21:33.079 --> 00:21:41.279 hey, we ain't gonna go there on. Wayne was absolutely crazy out 277 00:21:41.319 --> 00:21:45.200 there, and you know, I think that's what affected Peyton Thorne's first throw 278 00:21:45.279 --> 00:21:48.480 of the game. And this was a question I believe I asked. I 279 00:21:48.599 --> 00:21:52.839 reached out to ask you, Jason, that first throw of the game was 280 00:21:52.839 --> 00:21:56.440 an interception obviously going in. You know you've been an offense guy, Jason. 281 00:21:56.480 --> 00:21:59.440 You know your first ten places are scripted. Do you figure you should 282 00:21:59.559 --> 00:22:02.599 change the script a little bit if you're going into the wind like that, 283 00:22:02.799 --> 00:22:06.559 or just stay on schedule? Now? You gotta you gotta be able to 284 00:22:06.640 --> 00:22:10.079 change and adapt to what the weather's given you in that time, because if 285 00:22:10.160 --> 00:22:14.119 your quarterback isn't able to throw in that, then you're gonna That's exactly what 286 00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:17.519 happened the first play. The ball got caught in the wind. Yep, 287 00:22:17.599 --> 00:22:21.319 he got blown backwards. You were seeing kickoffs in that game that would take 288 00:22:21.319 --> 00:22:23.200 a forty five degree turn and go out of bounds. I mean, these 289 00:22:23.240 --> 00:22:26.480 are kicks that were going straight down the fifty down the middle of the field 290 00:22:26.519 --> 00:22:30.000 towards a goal post, and they would end up, you know, out 291 00:22:30.039 --> 00:22:33.519 of bounds on a free kick situation or you know, a penalty situation. 292 00:22:33.839 --> 00:22:38.079 The legal procedure, so you have to be careful. But for whatever reason, 293 00:22:40.039 --> 00:22:44.480 didn't bother Peyton Thorn at all after that first throw, that touchdown to 294 00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:49.839 Jayden Reid at the end that second, the second touchdown he threw not this 295 00:22:51.039 --> 00:22:53.640 one, but we're gonna get to that one in the second. Well, 296 00:22:53.720 --> 00:22:57.240 yeah, Jason, I heard you and George on the radio line. He 297 00:22:57.319 --> 00:23:03.440 had to change his club right there, that's in the wind. That is 298 00:23:03.680 --> 00:23:07.240 in the wind right there. Yeah, they had to change it up, 299 00:23:07.359 --> 00:23:08.119 just like a golfer. You know, when you're out there, you see 300 00:23:08.160 --> 00:23:11.880 those golfers pick the grass up and throw it in the wind and let it 301 00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:15.319 blow by so they can see how strong it's going in what direction. Well, 302 00:23:15.680 --> 00:23:19.839 hey, you know Peyton had the club up and down for every throw 303 00:23:21.119 --> 00:23:22.640 depending on which way he was going and that golf in that ball game, 304 00:23:22.680 --> 00:23:26.400 and he did great job. Yeah, absolutely, I think you know. 305 00:23:26.519 --> 00:23:30.160 One of the reason why you can make a throw like that, or you 306 00:23:30.200 --> 00:23:33.880 can even attempt to throw like that is because the momentum that the offense had, 307 00:23:33.119 --> 00:23:36.519 you know, they were running the football, they were passing the ball 308 00:23:36.599 --> 00:23:40.559 around, so they had that confidence instilled in them that they're like, we 309 00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:44.640 can make any throw now, it doesn't matter when rain, sleet or snow. 310 00:23:44.920 --> 00:23:48.119 We can we can make it happen. And I think that's a confidence 311 00:23:48.240 --> 00:23:52.759 play call by coach Ja Johnson and a confidence throw by Peyton Thorn Thorn. 312 00:23:53.920 --> 00:23:59.640 Yeah, you talk about Peyton Thorn spreading it around to eight different receivers. 313 00:23:59.680 --> 00:24:03.240 He didn't just target one guy. Eight different people caught the ball. Peyton 314 00:24:03.359 --> 00:24:07.240 got a lot of running backs in the ball involved in the passing game with 315 00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:14.000 short screens underneath throws, got tight ends involved, and he had everybody moving 316 00:24:14.200 --> 00:24:18.279 and it was a collective effort, even on the special teams side of the 317 00:24:18.319 --> 00:24:25.480 ball. Ju's favorite aside from the kicking situation and the snapping the punter Bryce 318 00:24:25.599 --> 00:24:30.880 Behringer, I mean outstanding as that punk that came. I was like, 319 00:24:30.640 --> 00:24:41.839 how did one? That's unbelievable? Like, you know, how hard guy 320 00:24:41.119 --> 00:24:47.160 because obviously passed away this past week. That man has won that award time 321 00:24:47.240 --> 00:24:52.279 and time out every week. Like besides that one botch BA Staff and Michigan. 322 00:24:53.039 --> 00:24:57.319 This man has been time and time again a weapon and has been forceful, 323 00:24:57.759 --> 00:25:02.640 like and I wish we able to add more complimentary football to his his 324 00:25:03.359 --> 00:25:07.960 art like his weapon, this weapon we have. But I mean, let's 325 00:25:07.000 --> 00:25:11.720 talk about like I was reading an article Peyton Thorn has this quote obviously espn 326 00:25:11.799 --> 00:25:18.119 Ap and an article is like he remembers his dad telling him that there's a 327 00:25:18.200 --> 00:25:23.480 lot of opportunity in adversity adversity, and I think that's that was the mantra 328 00:25:23.599 --> 00:25:27.160 that you can tell Peyton was different, Like it was like we ain't had 329 00:25:27.240 --> 00:25:32.839 nothing to lose, so obviously he's saying in a pretty adverse situation what they 330 00:25:32.960 --> 00:25:34.519 went through. There's not a lot of teams that went through what they had 331 00:25:34.559 --> 00:25:38.319 to go through, and so for them to just truly play ball, like 332 00:25:38.599 --> 00:25:44.400 I think Mel Tucker coach Tucker finally like got these guys to understand man, 333 00:25:44.480 --> 00:25:48.880 like we all we have and so regardless of what's happening, like, let's 334 00:25:48.920 --> 00:25:52.359 play ball. And like that was a good Like that was a good vibe 335 00:25:52.359 --> 00:25:56.400 when man, I keep saying it like it was just the vibes was different, 336 00:25:56.799 --> 00:26:00.160 Like these were the times where we wish we had this vibe earlier in 337 00:26:00.200 --> 00:26:03.480 the season, but we weren't getting over the top, and the adversity was 338 00:26:03.519 --> 00:26:07.720 truly hitting us in the face and we weren't answering the call. But you 339 00:26:07.839 --> 00:26:11.400 finally see these guys truly jail as a squad through the adversity that we had 340 00:26:11.440 --> 00:26:15.480 to go through. And so I just wanted to say that, Yeah, 341 00:26:15.640 --> 00:26:19.640 so we're all we're all sitting here he he hind, but we're gonna act 342 00:26:19.720 --> 00:26:23.160 like our kicker didn't drink one off the uprights and then missed a thirty one 343 00:26:23.240 --> 00:26:29.359 yard huh, hey man, look that kick will be coming from ju Man. 344 00:26:29.920 --> 00:26:34.839 Look you time he sees on the sideline straight he almost he once got 345 00:26:34.920 --> 00:26:37.519 me one time, all standing behind the net and he put one through there 346 00:26:37.640 --> 00:26:41.960 came almost got me. Yeah, you know, something accidentally happens and jay 347 00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:52.440 you on the sideline. Everyone, you know why you Stone? There's something 348 00:26:52.519 --> 00:26:56.440 in Stone coming after me. Let's talk about I mean, there's an elefant 349 00:26:56.440 --> 00:26:57.960 in the room. At the end of the ball game. Now there can 350 00:26:59.039 --> 00:27:04.440 say it's up by eight points going in it's first and goal from I believe 351 00:27:04.519 --> 00:27:11.480 around the nine yards and here's the sequence right here, two forty six five 352 00:27:11.559 --> 00:27:17.200 to go, and you're looking right now, you're thinking about, Okay, 353 00:27:17.240 --> 00:27:22.200 the most important thing is to solve the game away time wise. Make sure 354 00:27:22.240 --> 00:27:29.279 that he did. I mean the clown was running still, but like we 355 00:27:29.400 --> 00:27:33.759 almost lost you can we lost gas too, like the blocks weren't sticking, 356 00:27:33.440 --> 00:27:37.480 and we just talked about like why would you run the ball in between the 357 00:27:37.559 --> 00:27:42.079 hashes right there? Last time here, guys, that called fourth and third 358 00:27:42.119 --> 00:27:48.039 and goal minute ten and you get an incomplete and now Jay, You's favorite 359 00:27:48.559 --> 00:27:52.559 situation happens. I think on this play here, we got a little greedy. 360 00:27:52.599 --> 00:27:56.440 We wanted to hit Barker with that corner route and gosh there though too, 361 00:27:56.640 --> 00:27:59.680 because I think they wanted Barker to feel good about himself. I think 362 00:27:59.680 --> 00:28:03.000 we got a little greedy with that with that throw there. But if if 363 00:28:03.039 --> 00:28:07.680 I'm Peyton, if it's not there, just slide slide down, keep in 364 00:28:07.720 --> 00:28:11.799 the middle. Yeah, you're right, I mean he has We can ask 365 00:28:11.880 --> 00:28:15.279 the guys. We did ask Peyton in the post game show what was the 366 00:28:15.400 --> 00:28:19.640 call? Did he have the ability to change the call? He said no, 367 00:28:19.960 --> 00:28:25.279 He said that was a call pass play that they wanted to have happened, 368 00:28:25.839 --> 00:28:30.640 and he was thinking about the running back, and upon further review we 369 00:28:30.759 --> 00:28:33.920 see Barker was wide open behind him, and it makes sense. I understand 370 00:28:34.440 --> 00:28:40.559 what Jay Johnson was trying to get done here for the homecoming of Daniel Barker 371 00:28:40.640 --> 00:28:45.839 there. But if you talk about mel Tucker's philosophy, right gus is to 372 00:28:47.960 --> 00:28:49.720 worry about the end of the results of the game when the when the clock 373 00:28:49.759 --> 00:28:55.599 strikes zero. Do you think in a situation like this you need to be 374 00:28:55.680 --> 00:29:00.400 a little bit more cognizant of the score and the time that's left. Listen, 375 00:29:00.480 --> 00:29:03.920 this place had been done in previous in the previous part of the game, 376 00:29:03.440 --> 00:29:08.119 like get that ball to Barker before like this is a decision that we 377 00:29:08.240 --> 00:29:11.400 need to seal the deal. And this could have changed. This could have 378 00:29:11.680 --> 00:29:15.480 changed really drastically with if we didn't have the defense playing the way they were 379 00:29:15.559 --> 00:29:19.079 playing, like and they were driving too when they got the ball back, 380 00:29:19.119 --> 00:29:23.319 they were driving, you know, it would have been I was hoping we 381 00:29:23.440 --> 00:29:26.599 just didn't go to overtime because like I felt that kind of momentum start to 382 00:29:26.720 --> 00:29:30.200 change. It was like, man, all we had to do is make 383 00:29:30.240 --> 00:29:33.880 the field goal or at least get closer and it was just mishandled. But 384 00:29:33.960 --> 00:29:37.160 you know what I loved about that. After that miss, the defense came 385 00:29:37.200 --> 00:29:41.599 on the field fired up. And what I absolutely loved that Scotty Hazelton did 386 00:29:41.720 --> 00:29:45.880 was he did not sit in a prevent defense. He brought fire. He 387 00:29:47.039 --> 00:29:49.519 had movement up front, he had stunts, twists, brought it to them. 388 00:29:49.559 --> 00:29:53.160 There had him in a fourth and tent situation. They got that, 389 00:29:53.279 --> 00:29:57.160 but he continued to bring fire. Usually a lot of coaches will sit in 390 00:29:57.240 --> 00:30:02.039 the prevent defense and let a team trip away down the field on them and 391 00:30:02.160 --> 00:30:03.519 then to get inside the red zone, then they started, you know, 392 00:30:03.599 --> 00:30:07.119 to bring the pressure. But I love that by coach Hamilton that he did 393 00:30:07.240 --> 00:30:11.640 not sit back and let these guys pick him apart. He decided, hey, 394 00:30:11.799 --> 00:30:14.480 we're gonna come after. You're gonna pin their ears back. What got 395 00:30:14.599 --> 00:30:18.119 us to this point is gonna get us out of this. And that's what 396 00:30:18.720 --> 00:30:22.039 happened. He did a phenomenal job with that pressure all the way through. 397 00:30:22.279 --> 00:30:25.799 He got to the point where a lot of spartans all around the around the 398 00:30:25.839 --> 00:30:30.759 country, around the world were collectively holding their breath as Illinois marched down the 399 00:30:30.839 --> 00:30:36.160 field. But ultimately, two sacks to Tommy DeVito sealed the game for the 400 00:30:36.240 --> 00:30:41.000 Spartans and they come away with the victory. Now shifteen years a little bit 401 00:30:41.119 --> 00:30:45.839 here, we have a special guest. Otis, yes, we do. 402 00:30:45.480 --> 00:30:49.640 We have a special guest. And uh, you know doctor Ashley Baker. 403 00:30:49.839 --> 00:30:56.599 You know, she is chief Diversity Equity Inclusion Officer at Michigan State Athletics, 404 00:30:56.119 --> 00:31:00.599 and she has became a dear friend of mine but also others in the department. 405 00:31:02.279 --> 00:31:04.160 And uh, you know I would read her bio, you know, 406 00:31:04.400 --> 00:31:08.160 just to tab just to give her a little juice to come into the show. 407 00:31:10.480 --> 00:31:12.400 But you know, she obviously is holds a Bachelor of Ours UH in 408 00:31:12.519 --> 00:31:19.640 business and Master Education Sports Administration. She is alum of Bowling Green State University, 409 00:31:21.079 --> 00:31:23.920 and uh has a pH d in Sports Management and Policy from the University 410 00:31:25.000 --> 00:31:29.079 of Georgia. So sometimes you will see her say god dogs when it's not 411 00:31:29.200 --> 00:31:33.680 Michigan State plan. And also, uh, she's doing a lot of research 412 00:31:33.039 --> 00:31:38.519 largely centered on black mother's experiences throughout the collegiate athletic department or her the recruiting 413 00:31:38.599 --> 00:31:44.200 process, which we did mention Mama Hall. And so it's just just right 414 00:31:44.640 --> 00:31:48.799 to bring someone on to give us some insight on you know, the D 415 00:31:48.000 --> 00:31:52.599 and I perspective inside, but also in the landscape of college and athletics. 416 00:31:52.640 --> 00:31:57.039 As you know Stray, you have boys going into the recruiting and then your 417 00:31:57.079 --> 00:32:01.359 wife obviously being involved and and this is her specialty. So I wanted to 418 00:32:01.400 --> 00:32:07.119 bring her on to just have just a dialogue of open conversation and just discuss 419 00:32:07.240 --> 00:32:10.880 things that that we're dealing with in the future of Collezia athletics. So I 420 00:32:12.000 --> 00:32:15.000 want to welcome doctor Baker. Is she on? Is she coming on there? 421 00:32:15.079 --> 00:32:23.839 She goes the shoe game on game day. Yeah, we forgot to 422 00:32:23.880 --> 00:32:30.599 tell her. She is the full professional of judging what you have on and 423 00:32:30.759 --> 00:32:36.720 where during game days. So sometimes I gotta make sure my shoes are clean. 424 00:32:38.599 --> 00:32:42.680 I'm always checking. I always got an eye out for it. Always 425 00:32:42.720 --> 00:32:46.240 had to be on brand, exactly, exactly. Well, welcome, Welcome 426 00:32:46.279 --> 00:32:51.839 doctor Baker. We appreciate you taking some time. I know she's been asking 427 00:32:51.960 --> 00:32:53.000 like, hey, well you guys, don't put me on the podcast, 428 00:32:53.000 --> 00:32:57.240 when are you gonna put me on? Don't do that. Don't make it 429 00:32:57.359 --> 00:33:04.039 like I was you were. But no, I think from a standpoint of 430 00:33:04.319 --> 00:33:10.799 doctor Baker. You we talked about this is a celebration Title nine and kind 431 00:33:10.839 --> 00:33:16.319 of the elements of what Michigan State has done in leading the charge and you 432 00:33:16.400 --> 00:33:20.279 know, one of the best schools in the nation and what we're doing to 433 00:33:20.400 --> 00:33:22.960 celebrate that, and so kind of wanted to talk to you about, you 434 00:33:23.039 --> 00:33:28.759 know, what we we did as an athletic department. And then we do 435 00:33:28.880 --> 00:33:32.319 have a clip obviously obviously sawing kind of the shoes of what you got a 436 00:33:32.359 --> 00:33:36.160 guy with the designer, but kind of talk us, talk us through like 437 00:33:36.519 --> 00:33:39.519 what's going on from a Time nine perspective and internally and you know, the 438 00:33:39.640 --> 00:33:44.680 future. Yeah. Sure, So first, thank you all for having me, 439 00:33:44.920 --> 00:33:47.480 even though Otis made it like I was begging to come on the show, 440 00:33:47.599 --> 00:33:52.759 but you know, I catch catch the show each week and I appreciate 441 00:33:52.799 --> 00:33:57.000 what you all do to highlight what's happening within our football program and even just 442 00:33:57.079 --> 00:34:00.160 to have this conversation beyond what happened this weekend, which of course was a 443 00:34:00.160 --> 00:34:05.200 great game, great win, much need to win, but our you know, 444 00:34:05.319 --> 00:34:07.719 this year, twenty twenty two is the fiftieth anniversary of the Title nine 445 00:34:07.800 --> 00:34:13.719 legislation being passed and one of the things that has been seen throughout college athletics 446 00:34:13.760 --> 00:34:16.360 that I wanted to make sure we were doing here at Michigan State was to 447 00:34:16.639 --> 00:34:22.519 honor and celebrate the legislation, the purpose of the legislation and its impact on 448 00:34:22.679 --> 00:34:29.119 women in sports since nineteen seventy two. And so going into this year, 449 00:34:29.400 --> 00:34:31.239 this this is year two for me with Michigan State Athletics, and so my 450 00:34:31.320 --> 00:34:36.039 first year just getting a lay of the land, understand the culture. I 451 00:34:36.079 --> 00:34:38.360 grew up here in Michigan, but you know, obviously didn't attend Michigan State. 452 00:34:38.440 --> 00:34:43.079 So coming here and just learning what's important, what's special about this place, 453 00:34:43.119 --> 00:34:45.880 and one of the things is the storied history, you know, of 454 00:34:45.639 --> 00:34:50.320 race and gender here at Michigan State. And so I wanted to make sure 455 00:34:50.440 --> 00:34:55.000 that as a department, we not only acknowledged and celebrated the fifty years of 456 00:34:55.119 --> 00:34:59.079 legislation and what it's meant for women, but that it also set the tone 457 00:34:59.119 --> 00:35:02.239 for what it meant for the future of women in sports. And I obviously 458 00:35:02.840 --> 00:35:08.480 have a special connection and care for what happens with women in sports because we 459 00:35:08.559 --> 00:35:14.360 still are in many spaces the minority, whether in administration or coaching, and 460 00:35:14.760 --> 00:35:17.519 the experiences of women I think are critical to the success of this industry. 461 00:35:17.599 --> 00:35:22.000 So for our athletics department, we put together a small group of women throughout 462 00:35:22.039 --> 00:35:28.400 the department and I simply asked them, if Michigan State Athletics was to celebrate 463 00:35:28.440 --> 00:35:31.039 Title nine, what should we do? And they generated a whole bunch of 464 00:35:31.119 --> 00:35:36.159 ideas and thoughts of how do we celebrate the women that have come before us? 465 00:35:36.239 --> 00:35:37.639 That was the main piece. We need to honor the legacy of the 466 00:35:37.679 --> 00:35:45.039 women who not only use legislation to their advantage and push this institution to do 467 00:35:45.239 --> 00:35:51.000 more for women in sports and to recognize and acknowledge and create varsity opportunities for 468 00:35:51.199 --> 00:35:54.880 women, but also have had some of the first women to do what we 469 00:35:55.039 --> 00:35:59.079 do in our industry, doctor Sally Nogel, which I know you all know 470 00:35:59.239 --> 00:36:02.199 doctor Sally is. She's a og She's one of the first women, if 471 00:36:02.280 --> 00:36:06.679 not the first woman, to ever be a head athletic trainer for a football 472 00:36:06.760 --> 00:36:09.400 program. And so we wanted to honor all of those who came before us, 473 00:36:09.760 --> 00:36:13.840 but then also celebrate who we have right now, the student athletes now. 474 00:36:14.039 --> 00:36:16.480 So in true Michigan State forum, we wanted to do some things that 475 00:36:16.559 --> 00:36:22.559 were unique and really cool that maybe other institutions had done in some way, 476 00:36:23.000 --> 00:36:28.159 but others that we created ourselves. So you will see our logo in our 477 00:36:28.199 --> 00:36:32.440 signage celebrating the fifty years, showing up all of our venues and lots of 478 00:36:32.519 --> 00:36:37.079 our different things that we have, and every single one of our varsity sports 479 00:36:37.119 --> 00:36:39.639 will have a Title nine themed game. And this is where the tennis shoes 480 00:36:39.679 --> 00:36:45.960 come in. So again Otis is correct. I think fashion and sport really 481 00:36:45.039 --> 00:36:50.519 go together. I would not consider myself like any special fashionists or anything, 482 00:36:50.639 --> 00:36:54.119 but I do technically match my outfits with the uniforms that the football team has 483 00:36:54.199 --> 00:37:00.360 on. But we want to do something cool with our shoes. We've seen 484 00:37:00.400 --> 00:37:04.320 this. University of Oregon did something similar. They had our partnership with Nike 485 00:37:05.320 --> 00:37:07.639 and they created a custom Title nine shoe. When we thought, okay, 486 00:37:07.679 --> 00:37:09.400 let's not do exactly what they're doing. We need to do something that's very 487 00:37:09.480 --> 00:37:15.159 authentic and true to us, and custom shoes and having stuff that other people 488 00:37:15.239 --> 00:37:19.119 don't have is something that we do and all of our head coaches for all 489 00:37:19.199 --> 00:37:24.079 of our teams have a custom Title nine shoe. We specifically identified a woman, 490 00:37:24.760 --> 00:37:29.079 a woman owned business. She's an artist that does the customization, so 491 00:37:29.199 --> 00:37:34.880 we're supporting her business, helping her build her brand. And she designed over 492 00:37:34.960 --> 00:37:37.880 twenty pair of shoes for us, so all of our head coaches have them, 493 00:37:37.199 --> 00:37:42.039 and then our athletic director Ad Haller has a pair as well, and 494 00:37:42.239 --> 00:37:44.760 she did some really cool things. I don't know if of the video that 495 00:37:44.880 --> 00:37:47.199 you have. Coach Tucker had a really cool set. His shoes had turf 496 00:37:47.280 --> 00:37:52.000 on him. We have a really special reveal for Coach Izzo's he hasn't even 497 00:37:52.039 --> 00:37:54.559 seen his shoes yet. There's a really cool basketball thing for his and so 498 00:37:55.000 --> 00:37:58.960 throughout the year you'll see those shoes show up. And then what we'll be 499 00:37:59.039 --> 00:38:01.199 doing at the end of the year here is auctioning off one pair of shoes, 500 00:38:01.960 --> 00:38:06.119 and that one pair, the proceeds from that is going to go to 501 00:38:06.480 --> 00:38:10.679 a local organization as well as our thirty seven words campaign that we just recently 502 00:38:10.760 --> 00:38:15.800 launched over this past weekend. Yeah, we got a video right here. 503 00:38:16.239 --> 00:38:22.039 Yeah, Holly Rodus Tucker tell me about your special shoes. I love your 504 00:38:22.119 --> 00:38:34.960 shoes. Yeah, celebrating title nine of Universes. So all of the local 505 00:38:44.639 --> 00:39:00.559 there wonderful. Thank you for sing women and meet something to take you absolutely 506 00:39:00.760 --> 00:39:05.440 great great stuff there and uh we'll be over. When can we pick up 507 00:39:05.480 --> 00:39:09.639 our this asparta branded ones? Well yeah, yeah, fifteen. Uh, 508 00:39:12.960 --> 00:39:15.760 I'll see what I can do. I'll see what i can do. Yeah, 509 00:39:15.920 --> 00:39:19.599 we were like some nice ones man, like you know, we'll even 510 00:39:19.679 --> 00:39:22.440 provide them in pay her man. But yeah, those are nice. And 511 00:39:22.519 --> 00:39:24.760 I didn't realize that was Holly Rose Boyce. I didn't realize that was her. 512 00:39:24.840 --> 00:39:30.519 But she's done so much for obviously women in broadcasting and as we you 513 00:39:30.599 --> 00:39:35.519 know, Jason and jay are broadcasting. We kind of all started and I 514 00:39:35.639 --> 00:39:38.119 started radio, and you know, Jason's still doing it and Jayu as well. 515 00:39:38.199 --> 00:39:43.400 But you know, kudos to you and and the women that you know 516 00:39:43.519 --> 00:39:47.360 internally to build that that uh you know, initiative, because like I said, 517 00:39:47.440 --> 00:39:52.400 it's it's fresh, it's nice, it's showing some swag. And you 518 00:39:52.519 --> 00:39:58.119 talk about you you met your shoes with the team jerseys. Uh, I 519 00:39:58.199 --> 00:40:04.039 think your fashion, Uh, Nisa, you are so go ahead A lot 520 00:40:04.079 --> 00:40:07.119 of questions. So I know that this is the fiftieth anniversary of Title nine 521 00:40:07.119 --> 00:40:10.840 and we're really highlighting a lot of things that they go along with that. 522 00:40:10.960 --> 00:40:15.039 But I'm gonna ask you that what do you see, if any things that 523 00:40:15.199 --> 00:40:19.800 we can do better, Like, is there something that we can do better 524 00:40:20.719 --> 00:40:27.239 from from our standpoint to highlight women's athletics and women in general more in your 525 00:40:27.320 --> 00:40:30.079 opinion? And are we are we doing where's the bar at? Are we 526 00:40:30.199 --> 00:40:35.400 doing okay, we're underperforming as a university or do we need to get better? 527 00:40:36.559 --> 00:40:37.880 Yeah? So, you know what, I think Michigan State has done 528 00:40:37.920 --> 00:40:44.039 an incredible job of highlighting and celebrating the success of our women's teams, even 529 00:40:44.079 --> 00:40:46.599 even historically they have. You know, something that's part of our Dee strategic 530 00:40:46.679 --> 00:40:52.920 plan that we have in place is that we will prioritize and amplify the success 531 00:40:52.039 --> 00:40:57.880 of our student athletes. So having cross country and women's soccer winning Big Ten 532 00:40:58.000 --> 00:41:00.880 championships, you know, there's one piece to win championship, Like, of 533 00:41:00.960 --> 00:41:05.480 course we're always going to celebrate the champions but the way in which we then 534 00:41:05.599 --> 00:41:08.199 continue to celebrate them. You know, we just hosted on campus today the 535 00:41:08.599 --> 00:41:13.920 NCAA selection show for women's soccer we're hosting. We're super excited about that. 536 00:41:14.480 --> 00:41:16.679 So, you know, we've done a good job. I think when we 537 00:41:17.079 --> 00:41:22.760 talk about resources and access to opportunities. There's still improvement to be made, 538 00:41:22.800 --> 00:41:27.360 and this is across the landscape of college athletics, not just a space like 539 00:41:27.440 --> 00:41:32.199 Michigan State. You look at media coverage, you look at access to facilities, 540 00:41:32.320 --> 00:41:37.119 access to financial resources, equipment, all of those things continue to be 541 00:41:37.199 --> 00:41:40.760 a challenge even at the lowest level of sports. So you're talking about youth 542 00:41:40.800 --> 00:41:47.639 sports and young girls having opportunities to participate and get positive experiences as young people 543 00:41:49.039 --> 00:41:52.719 so that then they can continue to play and have opportunities and have access to 544 00:41:52.920 --> 00:41:55.960 playing in college. Then you talk about going on to professional sports, and 545 00:41:57.039 --> 00:42:00.639 when you get into that space, you're talking about pay equity and resource allocation 546 00:42:00.760 --> 00:42:04.440 and things like that. We've done a really great job. We have a 547 00:42:04.559 --> 00:42:09.320 number of women who are incredible in our senior leadership directors throughout our department. 548 00:42:09.639 --> 00:42:14.880 Leaders throughout the department that impact what we do on a regular basis. Us 549 00:42:14.960 --> 00:42:20.199 having an opportunity to sit in leadership spaces, and our voice is being heard 550 00:42:20.639 --> 00:42:24.480 and considered in the decision making process. You know those things that's been improvement 551 00:42:24.519 --> 00:42:29.239 for Michigan State. When I first took over my role, obviously Ad Haller 552 00:42:29.360 --> 00:42:31.199 wasn't the ad at that time he was a deputy, but I worked closely 553 00:42:31.280 --> 00:42:35.239 with him and reported to him from day one, and we looked at the 554 00:42:35.280 --> 00:42:37.679 demographics of the department. We looked at the demographics of the leadership room, 555 00:42:38.039 --> 00:42:42.480 and we said, not only from a race and gender standpoint, but even 556 00:42:42.599 --> 00:42:45.639 just an experience standpoint, we needed to broaden what that space looked like because 557 00:42:45.679 --> 00:42:50.599 we didn't have enough perspective and voice in the room. And now you know, 558 00:42:50.719 --> 00:42:57.159 we've done some incredible things to highlight the different experiences and different skill sets 559 00:42:57.360 --> 00:43:00.159 that we have throughout the department. And that includes a number of women in 560 00:43:00.360 --> 00:43:04.639 our department, you know, I mean, it's it's incredible. Everybody talks 561 00:43:04.639 --> 00:43:07.639 about my sons and the recruiting process, but you know one thing that oldest, 562 00:43:07.840 --> 00:43:10.519 Shay, you and myself all have a kind of we are all girl 563 00:43:10.679 --> 00:43:14.400 dads, by the way, all of us now. My heart is my 564 00:43:14.480 --> 00:43:17.800 daughter, my youngest, and these two definitely have our daughters up and coming, 565 00:43:17.880 --> 00:43:21.679 and we can't wait to see them, you know, as they begin 566 00:43:21.800 --> 00:43:24.119 to mature and all that, and and maybe you know, in the field 567 00:43:24.159 --> 00:43:28.360 of play and some sport one where or another, because their dads are pretty 568 00:43:28.360 --> 00:43:31.239 good at what they did obviously well. And I think I'll tell you I'll 569 00:43:31.239 --> 00:43:35.159 add to that, not only just that you all have the experience and the 570 00:43:35.239 --> 00:43:38.880 perspective, but that the access to opportunities has changed, right the way that 571 00:43:38.960 --> 00:43:44.320 we can advocate for women and young girls, you know, having you know, 572 00:43:44.400 --> 00:43:47.199 we I love hearing like girl dads. So I have three sisters, 573 00:43:47.400 --> 00:43:51.760 four girls. So my dad didn't have anything but girls, and so he 574 00:43:51.800 --> 00:43:54.599 didn't he didn't have a choice. But knowing that we're in a space and 575 00:43:54.639 --> 00:43:58.880 place where you all have a platform where people like me have a platform to 576 00:43:58.960 --> 00:44:01.760 advocate for women girls in sport to say this is what we want to celebrate, 577 00:44:01.840 --> 00:44:05.239 this is what they deserve, this is what value they bring to the 578 00:44:05.320 --> 00:44:08.440 space, that becomes important too, because I think people sometimes forget that you 579 00:44:08.800 --> 00:44:12.400 need the allies in the room. Right So we can have a room full 580 00:44:12.440 --> 00:44:15.320 of women, but we need the men who also speak up for us, 581 00:44:15.360 --> 00:44:16.920 who speak our names and rooms that we're not in, or say hey, 582 00:44:17.320 --> 00:44:21.880 I think this person has some valuable perspective to add, why don't we ask 583 00:44:22.000 --> 00:44:25.000 them or involve them or include them? And so I think that that's critical, 584 00:44:25.159 --> 00:44:29.199 not just for those who are girl dads, but also those who sit 585 00:44:29.280 --> 00:44:32.840 in spaces where they can they can advocate and speak on behalf of maybe women 586 00:44:32.880 --> 00:44:39.079 who aren't in the room bringing them into those spaces. Absolutely. Yeah, 587 00:44:39.159 --> 00:44:45.159 doctor Baker, I know you know you did your research on a huge topic 588 00:44:45.800 --> 00:44:51.920 that on recruiting in football. College football is college athletics, but more so 589 00:44:52.159 --> 00:44:57.840 for black mothers. I mean, can you kind of dive deep on statistics 590 00:44:57.960 --> 00:45:01.199 analytics on kind of which you found in that research that you know, you 591 00:45:01.320 --> 00:45:07.239 see that's happening today and how it's evolved, but also how it can improve 592 00:45:07.480 --> 00:45:13.400 moving forward. Sure. So technically my dissertation was a qualitative one, so 593 00:45:13.440 --> 00:45:16.199 I didn't do a lot of numbers, but the data is actually why I 594 00:45:16.280 --> 00:45:20.239 did the research that I did. I spent a number of years being a 595 00:45:20.320 --> 00:45:23.400 director of student athlete Services and I worked primarily with men's basketball and football, 596 00:45:23.800 --> 00:45:28.639 and I kept having these interactions with mothers when they came on campus, particularly 597 00:45:28.679 --> 00:45:31.360 for those male sports, where they were super quiet, they didn't really ask 598 00:45:31.400 --> 00:45:34.840 a lot of questions. But then they leave campus and they call me back 599 00:45:34.880 --> 00:45:37.119 and they you know, it was Ashley back then I went to doctor Baker 600 00:45:37.159 --> 00:45:38.840 yet and they're like, Ashley, I have these questions, and I kept 601 00:45:38.880 --> 00:45:43.760 wondering, what is it about this space that we've created where these moms aren't 602 00:45:43.800 --> 00:45:46.320 asking questions like while we're there, or they're asking outside of it. And 603 00:45:46.440 --> 00:45:52.039 so I knew right the lack of representation of women in football spaces whenever I 604 00:45:52.039 --> 00:45:54.639 always show up. When I was working with the men's basketball team. This 605 00:45:54.719 --> 00:45:59.119 is when I was at Bowling Green the majority of my career working with them 606 00:45:59.159 --> 00:46:00.480 and traveling with them. He was the only woman who was ever on the 607 00:46:00.559 --> 00:46:05.519 road with them, and a lot of times when we were doing things as 608 00:46:05.559 --> 00:46:08.199 a team, if it was me and then if the coaches wives came and 609 00:46:08.320 --> 00:46:14.639 so I recognized that that lack of representation of them seeing women in those spaces, 610 00:46:14.719 --> 00:46:17.519 and then in particular seeing black women in those spaces was very rare, 611 00:46:19.360 --> 00:46:22.440 and so that's what actually had me dive into that research. I also have 612 00:46:22.559 --> 00:46:28.440 a son, he's sixteen now. He's played sports for all of his life. 613 00:46:28.480 --> 00:46:30.920 He's played football, basketball, and baseball, and so the way that 614 00:46:30.119 --> 00:46:35.440 women and mothers navigate male dominated spaces was really important to me. And so 615 00:46:35.559 --> 00:46:39.239 when you look across the landscape of college athletics, there's more women in leadership 616 00:46:39.320 --> 00:46:43.519 now, but you're still looking at an industry where you know, we're fifty 617 00:46:43.599 --> 00:46:47.280 years outside of Title nine and less than fifty percent of assistant coaches and a 618 00:46:47.360 --> 00:46:52.719 low percentage of head coaches are women, and then administrators and coaches in athletics 619 00:46:52.800 --> 00:46:58.480 there's not as many women. The numbers have increased over time, so we're 620 00:46:58.519 --> 00:47:04.480 making progress, but not seeing themselves reflected in these spaces continues to create some 621 00:47:05.000 --> 00:47:09.000 distance and some barriers to even being able to communicate with coaches, being able 622 00:47:09.039 --> 00:47:15.559 to communicate with administrators when they're on campus. So that's really what brought me 623 00:47:15.679 --> 00:47:17.599 into that space I navigated. I've navigated this world. I've always been a 624 00:47:17.639 --> 00:47:22.639 black woman who has either been one of the only black people in the room 625 00:47:23.559 --> 00:47:27.920 or one of the only women, and majority of the times the only black 626 00:47:27.960 --> 00:47:30.280 women, and so I wanted to do research. They gave voice to the 627 00:47:30.400 --> 00:47:37.039 experiences of black women in a space that I knew, and other mothers that 628 00:47:37.079 --> 00:47:44.400 I interviewed their sons has signed letters of intent to attend Power five institutions. 629 00:47:44.400 --> 00:47:46.840 So that was important to me too, that we're talking about high level football. 630 00:47:47.280 --> 00:47:51.440 The mothers navigating these spaces, and they had a lot of really interesting 631 00:47:51.519 --> 00:47:54.199 things to say about how they were treated as women and how they were treated 632 00:47:54.199 --> 00:48:02.480 as mothers and the assumptions made about them as women in spaces where it was 633 00:48:02.559 --> 00:48:09.760 male dominated. Stuff. Good stuff, good stuff. Yeah, that is 634 00:48:09.920 --> 00:48:13.440 very interesting. And you know, like everybody here, you know, you 635 00:48:13.519 --> 00:48:15.280 went on visits, you took your mama with you. The mama has like 636 00:48:15.400 --> 00:48:21.519 that final edge say in kind of things. So I think it's very important 637 00:48:21.599 --> 00:48:23.920 that you know, there's that connection, is that platform that you know they 638 00:48:23.960 --> 00:48:28.480 can feel free to you know, ask questions and you know, for the 639 00:48:28.639 --> 00:48:31.000 right guidance of uh of their kids, you know, going to that next 640 00:48:31.119 --> 00:48:35.199 level. Real quick, I want to just ask you a quick question before 641 00:48:35.239 --> 00:48:37.440 you jump off here about you know, not race in sports. You see 642 00:48:37.519 --> 00:48:40.880 a lot of sports. You see football, You see it at the NFL 643 00:48:42.000 --> 00:48:45.199 level, the college level. The majority of people in the NFL, there's 644 00:48:45.199 --> 00:48:50.159 seventy two percent of the players are black in the NFL. But the coaches 645 00:48:50.400 --> 00:48:53.280 there's not a lot of minority or black coaches, you know, in their 646 00:48:53.400 --> 00:48:57.840 same thing with college. You know, how what do you think has to 647 00:48:57.960 --> 00:49:00.079 happen in order to you know, knock on that door, kick down those 648 00:49:00.119 --> 00:49:05.159 barriers to get more and more minority coaches, you know, the opportunity for 649 00:49:05.239 --> 00:49:08.440 head coaching jobs. So there's a couple of things. The first thing, 650 00:49:08.480 --> 00:49:12.159 and I'll quickly share, right, when you think about the people who are 651 00:49:12.280 --> 00:49:15.119 hiring in these positions, there has to be diversity reflected in that space. 652 00:49:15.440 --> 00:49:19.320 You know, when we hire in college athletics, we use search firms. 653 00:49:19.719 --> 00:49:23.039 We in NFL does this, to NBA, lots of sport organizations do this. 654 00:49:23.159 --> 00:49:28.480 We're using search firms. And you know, our presidents are very involved, 655 00:49:28.519 --> 00:49:30.000 our athletic directors are very involved. And so when you start to look 656 00:49:30.039 --> 00:49:35.639 at the leadership at all level, it's not extremely diverse. So when you 657 00:49:35.840 --> 00:49:37.400 have the majority of college presidents, right, if you look at the one 658 00:49:37.480 --> 00:49:43.400 hundred and thirty or so FBS institutions, only sixteen percent of those college presidents 659 00:49:43.440 --> 00:49:47.639 are people of color' that's including and beyond black. And so when you're looking 660 00:49:47.679 --> 00:49:51.079 at that, who their network of people are. And then you look at 661 00:49:51.119 --> 00:49:55.960 athletic directors, there's very few black athletic directors at the college level, and 662 00:49:57.119 --> 00:50:00.119 so that networks, that net has to be cast why, and so I 663 00:50:00.199 --> 00:50:04.800 think some of that is the representation in the leadership. The other pieces. 664 00:50:04.880 --> 00:50:07.639 We have to be able to look beyond, you know, some of the 665 00:50:07.760 --> 00:50:10.280 things that we typically look at, right we have to look at skills that 666 00:50:10.320 --> 00:50:14.360 we have to look at experience. I know right now there's a lot of 667 00:50:14.440 --> 00:50:21.760 commentary over the Indianapolis Colts and the coach that they just hired as the interim. 668 00:50:21.960 --> 00:50:24.599 Like I just saw a question of like when was there a black player 669 00:50:24.880 --> 00:50:30.239 whoever went into a role of an analyst and consultant for a team that hopped 670 00:50:30.320 --> 00:50:32.079 right to being a head coach. And so when you think about that, 671 00:50:32.239 --> 00:50:37.679 there are dynamics and ways in which black coaches and black athletes are measured that 672 00:50:37.719 --> 00:50:40.639 are very different than their white counterparts. And so some of that has to 673 00:50:40.719 --> 00:50:46.760 go right the stereotyping and the ways in which we evaluate and stereotype black coaches 674 00:50:46.800 --> 00:50:51.800 and black athletes, and we have to expand our thoughts on what their value 675 00:50:51.920 --> 00:50:55.079 is and how they see themselves and how we see them in leadership positions, 676 00:50:55.360 --> 00:51:00.920 and then the representation of the people who are hiring simply have to see more 677 00:51:00.960 --> 00:51:04.800 diversity at that level because I think when you get to that level and you 678 00:51:04.920 --> 00:51:08.199 have a different type of experience, you look and evaluate candidates in a different 679 00:51:08.239 --> 00:51:12.920 way. Dot, I think that was a beautiful point there. I mean, 680 00:51:13.199 --> 00:51:16.760 when I first saw Adam Schefter break the Jeff Saturday gonna be the new 681 00:51:16.800 --> 00:51:21.039 head coach of or the interim coach of the coach, I thought it was 682 00:51:21.360 --> 00:51:23.199 a joke. I had to make sure it was in April first, honestly 683 00:51:23.239 --> 00:51:28.519 did That doesn't again any sense to me, But that's a great point. 684 00:51:28.599 --> 00:51:30.639 Now I have the question for you. You know, with your your your 685 00:51:30.840 --> 00:51:37.039 research and the things that you've learned about the experience for black women in the 686 00:51:37.119 --> 00:51:40.559 recruiting process, is this something that you actively work with the coaching staffs right 687 00:51:40.679 --> 00:51:47.960 now to help them have a better experience for those families. Yes and no. 688 00:51:49.760 --> 00:51:52.360 Uh, there's some of the coaches that I work much closer with. 689 00:51:52.360 --> 00:51:59.519 I do work outside of Michigan State as well with working with coaches, sometimes 690 00:51:59.559 --> 00:52:02.599 high school coaches. Obviously, because of NCAA rules, I'm not actively helping 691 00:52:02.679 --> 00:52:07.559 with recruiting, but helping connect with parents who need a better understanding of the 692 00:52:07.639 --> 00:52:12.639 recruitment process and navigating what's happening. I've done it, you know. I 693 00:52:12.639 --> 00:52:15.559 have a niece and a nephew. My nephew play college football. My niece 694 00:52:15.639 --> 00:52:20.159 is playing college volleyball right now, and I spent a lot of time with 695 00:52:20.239 --> 00:52:22.079 my sister. I'm like, ask these questions, look for these things. 696 00:52:22.400 --> 00:52:25.920 So I do some of that within our department and working with some of our 697 00:52:27.000 --> 00:52:30.199 teams. Want to also be able to have conversations with those parents, to 698 00:52:30.280 --> 00:52:34.599 talk to those parents about the things that we're doing at Michigan State to help 699 00:52:35.000 --> 00:52:38.480 give them a broader picture of what this institution offers for their students, what 700 00:52:38.599 --> 00:52:45.559 our leadership and our our you know, athletic administration focuses and goals are. 701 00:52:45.719 --> 00:52:47.719 So I do some of that, but I do do a lot of this 702 00:52:47.840 --> 00:52:53.239 working with high school athletes and their families outside of HERECT. Yeah, so 703 00:52:53.480 --> 00:52:57.880 I know we have we have mothers that listen to the show right now. 704 00:52:57.960 --> 00:53:01.239 We have mothers who kids are getting recruit right now. So you just hints 705 00:53:01.280 --> 00:53:04.960 at you said when your nieces and nephews going you were saying, you don't 706 00:53:05.000 --> 00:53:07.199 ask these questions. What questions would you say if you could say, like 707 00:53:07.719 --> 00:53:13.000 two or three questions that are must ask these mothers have to ask when they 708 00:53:13.079 --> 00:53:15.519 go to these universities. For any mothers that's listening with kids that are getting 709 00:53:15.519 --> 00:53:20.320 recruited right now. Yeah, So the first thing what I made my sister 710 00:53:20.440 --> 00:53:23.119 do and my nieces and nephews do was what's important to you in a school? 711 00:53:23.199 --> 00:53:25.320 Right? Is it? The location? Is it? The major? 712 00:53:25.559 --> 00:53:29.639 Is it? The coaching staff? Is it? The you know, opportunity, 713 00:53:29.719 --> 00:53:30.360 is it? Exposure? What? What is it? You want? 714 00:53:30.360 --> 00:53:34.599 A big school, small school? So the first piece that's really important is 715 00:53:34.639 --> 00:53:38.320 to identify what's important to you and what you want in an experience as a 716 00:53:38.440 --> 00:53:42.880 family, as a player, you might want the experience of the coaches, 717 00:53:42.920 --> 00:53:45.840 whatever it is, and use that as a guide for how you go in 718 00:53:45.960 --> 00:53:50.639 and ask questions. So you always want to ask questions about you know, 719 00:53:50.719 --> 00:53:52.639 the ex's and o's are gonna be taught, right, We're gonna we're gonna 720 00:53:52.679 --> 00:53:55.159 know what position, We're gonna know what the offense is, the defense, 721 00:53:55.239 --> 00:53:59.280 right, we know all those things, but asking questions about support staff? 722 00:53:59.480 --> 00:54:02.760 What support staff is in place to help our student athletes. As it relates 723 00:54:02.800 --> 00:54:07.880 to academics and education, you know, there are some institutions where they push 724 00:54:07.320 --> 00:54:12.840 and guide student athletes into particular majors. Is your major there? Are you 725 00:54:12.960 --> 00:54:15.960 going to be able to major in it? There are institutions across this country 726 00:54:15.280 --> 00:54:20.079 where they, you know, may say that doesn't fit really well with our 727 00:54:20.199 --> 00:54:24.559 program, and it's a sad reality, but it's a reality asking questions about 728 00:54:25.000 --> 00:54:31.639 experiences outside of participating in sport. What type of holistic experience will that student 729 00:54:31.880 --> 00:54:35.440 have? Right, we know you're going to class, we know you're going 730 00:54:35.480 --> 00:54:38.639 to practice. Are you getting career development? Do you have opportunities to study 731 00:54:38.679 --> 00:54:43.920 abroad? Do you have opportunities to have internships? Right? Because once those 732 00:54:44.039 --> 00:54:47.760 four, five, six, however many years are done, whatever you move 733 00:54:47.800 --> 00:54:52.119 on to do, whether it's professional sport or not, there is a skill 734 00:54:52.199 --> 00:54:54.559 set that you need to have and experiences that you should have at a time 735 00:54:54.599 --> 00:54:59.400 when you're eighteen to twenty two that can really set you up positively for your 736 00:54:59.440 --> 00:55:04.440 future. And the exposure to other things throughout campus, exposure to things in 737 00:55:04.519 --> 00:55:08.840 the community are really important for holistic development of student athletes. So those are 738 00:55:08.880 --> 00:55:12.960 the things, right, all the things outside of sport. The sports stuff 739 00:55:13.039 --> 00:55:15.320 takes care of itself. Yes, you care about you know, who's ahead 740 00:55:15.360 --> 00:55:19.360 of me in the depth chart, who's you know coming in maybe in my 741 00:55:19.480 --> 00:55:22.760 recruiting class. But all of those other things have to be questions as well 742 00:55:23.079 --> 00:55:28.199 when you're thinking about what that experience is going to be. We have the 743 00:55:28.280 --> 00:55:30.880 transfer portal now, so it's a little bit different in that, like maybe 744 00:55:30.920 --> 00:55:32.840 you get somewhere and you can leave if you want, but that's still you 745 00:55:32.880 --> 00:55:37.360 don't want to bounce around. You want to really be intentional about how you 746 00:55:37.480 --> 00:55:43.639 align your values and your priorities with what that institution has to offer. Wow, 747 00:55:45.039 --> 00:55:46.320 hey, we need to we need to save, we need some more 748 00:55:46.400 --> 00:55:51.599 time, We need a whole show because this is a lot of good stuff 749 00:55:51.639 --> 00:55:54.239 here. We need a whole entire hour just to block this off here. 750 00:55:54.280 --> 00:56:00.920 And you don't have people even fire questions about I got on once, maybe 751 00:56:00.960 --> 00:56:07.360 I can get on again. Yeah, well you said, you said an 752 00:56:07.400 --> 00:56:10.320 important thought, and I know, well, well, we'll let you go 753 00:56:10.480 --> 00:56:15.000 and appreciate you spending time with us. But it's I think we're forgetting that 754 00:56:15.239 --> 00:56:20.320 you have to make the decision about the institution. Can I be here for 755 00:56:20.480 --> 00:56:23.639 four years if a coach leaves or staff leaves. Am I in love with 756 00:56:23.719 --> 00:56:28.079 the city and I love with the university and what it's going to provide me? 757 00:56:28.159 --> 00:56:30.639 And I think that you know all the transfer portal and in the nil 758 00:56:30.719 --> 00:56:35.840 stuff is kind of overshadowing, like you still have to make a business decision 759 00:56:35.880 --> 00:56:38.800 on like can I spend my future here for four to five to six years? 760 00:56:39.280 --> 00:56:43.960 And you made a good point there of like those are those are questions 761 00:56:44.039 --> 00:56:47.320 that need to be asked. That's outside of the football because you're here on 762 00:56:47.400 --> 00:56:51.679 campus. They know you can ball, they know what you fit into their 763 00:56:51.760 --> 00:56:55.559 system. And so great point, doctor Baker. We appreciate you. I 764 00:56:55.679 --> 00:57:00.679 appreciate you obviously, and so we're going to have to fire got ways to 765 00:57:00.719 --> 00:57:02.599 do a little segment thing. We got to you know, once a month, 766 00:57:02.639 --> 00:57:07.000 we got doctor Baker segment coming up. You know, I'm with it. 767 00:57:07.280 --> 00:57:14.760 I'm with it, just a little special feature once upon. Definitely much 768 00:57:15.039 --> 00:57:20.639 Yeah, thank you all for having me appreciate it. All right, Yeah, 769 00:57:20.719 --> 00:57:23.199 that was very very good man. We could talk to her, I 770 00:57:23.280 --> 00:57:28.320 mean for hours. I think it's real deep man, when you talk about 771 00:57:28.400 --> 00:57:31.599 making that college decision. And she talked a little bit about does this fit 772 00:57:31.920 --> 00:57:37.559 with your schedule, your football or basketball, whatever sports you play. Does 773 00:57:37.639 --> 00:57:43.480 the extracurricular things you want to do, be it your major or career development 774 00:57:43.559 --> 00:57:47.840 things, you know, internships, does that really fit? How many stories 775 00:57:47.880 --> 00:57:52.480 have you heard across the country with your friends. Though they told me I 776 00:57:52.559 --> 00:57:58.960 could do this major as soon as I signed. I mean, that's a 777 00:57:59.039 --> 00:58:02.119 part of the deal, right, I say, Jay, what did John 778 00:58:02.280 --> 00:58:07.599 L tell us? Man, I don't want to put him on fresh Street, 779 00:58:07.119 --> 00:58:10.519 but he's starting off recruiters and told us a whole bunch of stuff. 780 00:58:12.079 --> 00:58:17.320 And then when you get into the system and he goes, otis, you 781 00:58:17.480 --> 00:58:29.079 like that otis? You know it's it's education first, football second. That's 782 00:58:29.159 --> 00:58:31.039 the thing that he would do. He's like, you're a student first and 783 00:58:31.119 --> 00:58:40.559 an athlete second, and he'd be like, god lord, But no, 784 00:58:40.719 --> 00:58:44.239 that was a good one, man, that was a good one. That's 785 00:58:44.280 --> 00:58:46.639 the truth of it. No, that's a very great segment. We got 786 00:58:46.760 --> 00:58:51.800 to figure something out to have doctor Baker on more often, and you know, 787 00:58:51.920 --> 00:58:54.320 I think that that will put a bow on this show. The recap 788 00:58:54.480 --> 00:58:59.880 for the Illinois game, big win for the Spartans, and hopefully that can 789 00:59:00.079 --> 00:59:05.920 carry over as we get ready to talk about Rutgers next week. Don't forget 790 00:59:06.000 --> 00:59:10.199 to follow us on our social media platforms. Click the link in our bio 791 00:59:10.360 --> 00:59:15.239 to follow your favorite social platform, whatever it is, Facebook, Instagram, 792 00:59:15.719 --> 00:59:21.079 YouTube, Hey, we got TikTok and Twitter, all those things to keep 793 00:59:21.159 --> 00:59:25.320 up with This is Sparta, and don't forget to subscribe when you get to 794 00:59:25.440 --> 00:59:30.280 that link tree, subscribe to the to the YouTube. These are the ways 795 00:59:30.320 --> 00:59:36.000 that you can get the free tickets and the exposure that you want that inside 796 00:59:36.159 --> 00:59:39.760 look at Michigan, say football, basketball, and other sports, the Olympic 797 00:59:39.840 --> 00:59:46.320 sports. You get those by subscribing to This is Sparta on the socials, 798 00:59:46.760 --> 00:59:52.079 be sure to do that. We have some special ticket giveaways coming up in 799 00:59:52.159 --> 00:59:57.760 the next few hours. We'll stay tuned for that. And for my co 800 00:59:57.960 --> 01:00:01.960 hosts Otis Wilie and Jay you to culchrit. I'm Jason Straehorn. This is 801 01:00:02.159 --> 01:00:10.239 Sparta of good Night, God bless and go White. H