Be following is a presentation of play Fly Sports properties. Welcome everybody to This
is Sparta. Your host Jason Strayhorn, along my co hosts Otis Wiley and
Jayu Chuot Choo culprit sad Day to day. We're covering the loss that happened
in Happy Valley over the weekend. Michigan State falls thirty five to sixteen to
the Nidney Lions in what could have been the last game for this team.
Guys, A gutsy performance in the first half just wasn't enough. After a
punt return fumble late in the third quarter just seemed like the wheels kind of
came off. Yeah, you're right, Jason. You know you hit it
on the head when you said it was a gutsy performance, because it definitely
was a gutsy performance. Spartans went into Happy Valley. You know, they
were down, they were bruised, that were battered, but they fought,
they fought, they fought, they fought, They played through you know,
injuries, played through reversity. You got a guy like Kean Coleman who was
out there injured and still going out there and playing. But it just wasn't
enough to pull out the win, especially in the second half. Yeah,
and I think you know you said it too, ju is that we played
complimentary football and then then you start to see self inflicting wounds where you know,
it took us a while to get started, and then you know,
we got started too late. But if you started when the clock start,
you know, when the kickoff happened, and we had that same momentum as
we did, we were battling through and battling back, I think the game
would have had a different ending because we did take that momentum back and then
when we got that three and out and then punted to Jay Reed, which
is very uncommon for him to tote that rock and kind of loosely as he
did, and you know, you think about it, he had another fummover
luckily, you know, fumbled out of bounds, but this one was very
detrimental to kind of our comeback. You could at least got to three point
down there down the stretch, but unfortunate that you know, we had to
end that way because we did put together a nice comeback and then you know,
finally the Nintey Lions, you know, stilled the deal. You know,
before we get into the discussion and break down this performance a little more.
We want to talk about the news that came out of the Big Ten
this week. You know, we have eight players that were suspended initially.
One player was brought back after they were not charged last week. But this
is the statement, guys, from the Big Ten, that was released just
today prior to this show being aired. And here are the actual disciplinary actions
that were taken by the Big Ten for the University of Michigan in accordance with
Protocol Outline and the Big Ten Conference Football Game Management Manual Policy. A public
reprimand has been issued to the University of Michigan. The conference has concluded that
the University of Michigan did not meet the standards of the Big Ten Conference Football
Game Management Manual Policy. The policy requires a conference member institution game host to
provide adequate protection for personnel of both home and visiting teams when entering and leaving
playing arenas. Now, let's get into that right there for a second,
if you will, guys, because I know when this happened. We talked
about it at length on our show, and notice is something that you really
spoke to a lot and said that it's the operations that failed those players on
both sides of the ball. Yeah, and I was every time we talk
about this, and you know, you guys know, I've been waiting,
wanting to turn the page on this, and it keeps being brought up every
week, and it's strategically dropped on times and days that you know, we
are taking the steps and strides to not say remove it or get over it.
But we we we we we I say, we continued and and and
what we were trying to do as a as a program, and then you
know it's dropped like this, And so yeah, that should have been the
immediate response, Like White took this long to go through the investigation just to
to realize like, oh, it's the operations that should have been the immediate
response in my opinion of the conference. Uh, when this has been happening
to teams that travel to the Big House multiple weeks this season. So yes,
obviously kudos is the Big ten, you know, finally coming to the
table and stepping up and saying, okay, it's not just you know,
a one one side track of you know, the guilty as party as us.
It's really it's both parties involved and so public reparman, I feel like
it should be more, but it is what it is. But yeah,
otis you you said it. You know, we talked to about it at
nauseum, like you said, and we said, one, you know,
the violence, the you know, the helmet hitting and all that stuff that
was you know that that has no place in the game. We said that,
but we also stated the fact that you just said, it's the operation
side of things. And when we said that, we got absolutely killed by
comments and stuff on on social media and everything saying that we were victim blaming
and everything like that. All we were doing was just stating, yes,
yes, right, yeah, I mean there's a there's a comment you know
for your comment there, Jayu, that that Adam obviously probably a Michigan fan.
We don't know who Adam is, but we don't know. I don't
know Adam. No Sarty Slappy wants to hold those players accountable, nothing but
excuses when you're on the losing end. That's the culture and it's pathetic.
Might as well say, well, she had a skirt on and she was
drunk, so I mean, whatever he's trying to imply there and he got
three likes for that statement is absolutely it's utterly ridiculous to say things like that.
I mean, what we're doing is merely state in the fact that there
was a player who you know, broke protocol and skipped into the middle of
the team the visiting team's you know, procession off of the field, and
we don't know what happened before the fight, but there was something. It
wasn't nothing, but we do know that he did go where he wasn't supposed
to be at that time. Per the Big Tens reprimand I know it's not
a lot. It's not what the Spartan nation may want. I mean,
you're not going to get much more than that. That's huge because when's the
last time you heard University of Michigan being reprimanded for anything. I don't know
if they were reprimented for the fight that happened with the basketball coach. I
don't think that that happened. Then, guys, you correct me if I'm
wrong, but I don't. I don't think this is something that happens on
the normal course of business. When you talk about the Big Ten Conference coming
out with a public reprimand as you said, Jayu, they had issues with
Penn State, they had issues with us in Michigan State. They also had
issues, so we could go with Illinois and there's something going on that we
talked about the common denominator being them, you know. So there you go
once again. Now we've been justified in this finally that things have to change
operationally, as Otis has been talking about and we have said at nauseum at
the University of Michigan, when people come to that arena to play and move
on. We're getting into the next part of the Big ten punishment or the
reprimand, and we can bring that part up and you have the four game
a disciplinary action here. This is for the players. So the one player
this is Karriye Cup Crump, cornerback number fourteen. They're saying the four games
from the incident to date plus the first eight games of the twenty twenty three
season. That's pretty big for Kari Crump. Now, the other athletes,
as you have Itavian Tank Brown, Angelo grovese Justin White, Jacobe Winman,
Brandon Bright, and Zion Young. Those gentlemen will have four games that from
the incident date, which means that they have completed their suspension, so they're
they're eligible to play. If there was a Bowl game or whatever at the
present time. Also, they have Malcolm Jones who had a self imposed suspension.
He was actually reinstated last week because he was one of the one the
lone player not charged in this he was reinstated by Michigan stated we could go
the big ten degrees with that. Then they also you spawned to the sufficiently
addressed by Michigan State University the football staff member. We don't really have a
lot of details on that, but we're talking about before. Yeah, when
we talked about Juwan Howard, there was no public reprimand for Juwan Howard had
size to two game suspension right like he was, I know, he was
suspended, and the university yet it was a big team. I believe.
Yeah, I mean also you know, I mean not kudos, but I
believe had Ward Manual the director had that same energy as he had when our
deal happened when saying that this does not represent you know, the University of
Michigan. I remember, you know that clearly of you know, he kept
the same energy of like this isn't what we are about. And so but
to your point, like let's just suspend these guys and then let them come
back and then you get to that level of severity and you know the energy
is we need to fully charge them with the maximum. It was just like,
I mean, look man like, in the heat of the moment,
you know, if you are meeting your enemy who you have been trained to
not hate or fully hate in this rivalry, what do you expect you know
with this man where you gave your heart out, you got beat and you
don't want to you don't want to condone this, this violence because we had
four we had four quarters to impose our will and beat down the team down
the road and then you take this matters into your own hands in a tunnel
where you know, maybe they didn't think there'll be cameras and they feel like
they would get away with this. But you guys know me, man,
I'm ready to move on from this because it has been a bad light on
us where this does not reflect who we are. This is not our culture
and you know when people are saying that on social and comments, you know
it's far from that. And that's why we don't put any energy behind those
you know, ill will comments because we know what it is right as as
a former players and we know our coach. We know our athletic director,
we know who we are about, and we will be better for this as
we've responded as we should. And you know we'll look back on this and
you know they'll learn from it. That's all we can ask. And here's
a joint statement from Michigan State University Vice president and director of Athletics Alan Haller
and Michigan State head football coach Mel Tucker, and he said they both say,
we accept the findings from the Big Ten Conference and are ready to move
forward as a football program. We are committed to supporting our student athletes and
will continue to do so throughout this process. I Tavian Brown, Angela Growse,
Justin White, Jacobe Winman, Brandon Wright, and Zion Young will immediately
be reinstated to the program, signed Alan Haller and Mel Tucker. So the
good news is, guys, I mean, those two gentlemen are on the
same page. Michigan State has now put this behind them with the Big Ten
coming out. I think that's a phenomenal job on the Big Ten. Kevin
Warn, the commissioner of the Big Ten, providing context to this as the
governing body of you know, Big Ten football coming out and making a public
statement. Now Michigan State has been able to do this and put this behind
them. We don't know if we'll hear anything from the other side from Michigan
Issa. They prepared for the Big Ten championship game that's coming up in Indianapolis.
But definitely you want to look at the job like I think that gets
lost in all this, the job that mel Tucker was able to do throughout
this process. Guys, it's a phenomenal job. People are going to critique
him. They get mad about, Oh, this is a lot of money
that he's been paid, and you know, the losses. We're heavy this
year compared to last year. But these are the kind of waters that you
pay head coaches to navigate through. This isn't this isn't things that you could
have predicted going into this season. But being able to take the criticism,
being able to pull the team together in the mints of injuries for straight losses
and try to write the ship throughout all of this is why these gentlemen at
this level get paid what they get paid. It's not an easy job by
any stretch of the imagination. So we'll go into this more in depth as
we get into the recruiting season and the upcoming portal bonanza that's about to happen
in a couple of days. But just pay attention right here if you will,
at what goes on when you're talking about a head coach at an institution
like Michigan State University and why these guys get paid what they get paid.
Now. Also just a reminder, follow us on our socials. Click on
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let's get into our game day breakdown summary brought to you by I Hop.
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Toast part of our new holiday menu. Try all three flavors. Breaking down
the game and Happy Valley. Michigan State started off like we talked about,
with a gritty performance. Down fourteen to three, are fourteen to nothing before
the half Special teams comes out and has a bright light. Finally in the
kicking game, fifty one yards. Look at that. That would have been
good from about fifty seven fifty eight. Jack Stone, we can say his
name to you. I'm not saying his name. I'm not saying his name,
yes, because because as you do, and so as you say his
name, man, that's gonna be like my as my grandpap. He says,
same thing, make you laugh, will make you cry. All right.
All year long we needed good kicking that did not come into play.
And then Saturday night he wants to go out there and boot a fifty two
yard er with room to spare. You know that was that could have been
good from fifty five yards. But now you want me to hoist him on
his shoulder and on my shoulders and sing for he's a jolly good fellow because
he did his job. No tell you it's not the same guy. Man.
This was the guy at the beginning of it. He's the guy at
the beginning of the year he lost his job to the other guy ninety eight?
What mad at me because I'm not saying you mad at me because I'm
not praising him. Praising him. It's like it's like it's like me getting
excited. If you get a past breakup, you're supposed to get a pass
breakup. Say with you, all right, look, I wish I could.
I wish I could go back with h when was fumbling or something.
I would have been like, yeah, I have one job to do,
hold on to the ball. I didn't do it. Listen. I was
watching it from the angle up top and I could not see the ball go
into the right have to wait for the rest to come out because I was
already assuming that we was going to watch it. And You're looking at like
it was just like everything's quiet, and all of a sudden they walk out
look at each other like they almost thought, like it's this for real?
Right boom you the puts the hands up and you know one. I feel
like, what has the kicking group done this entire season to be so up
and down? And it's the point of Like I mentioned this to Jay,
you was like, man, you realize that you thought like when coach Felino
was was coaching, and you know he was obviously timing the snap time in
the kick, what's the flight, what's the what's the art, what is
whatever you call it. I'm not even a specialist kicker. But really the
same time, there you go hangtime, you realize, like those those details
truly matter. And I'm assuming that they're doing that. But you got to
figure out, like, okay, we cannot rip he what was done this
season in preparation for next season because these guys I even thought about, like
what is an exercise in the weight room to get that one leg prepared?
Just one leg, Like I want these guys to wobbling when they walk because
it's like that one leg needs to be as strong as possible to boot that
ball as far as it can. But kudos to him because it would have
been a I don't know, an uphill battle, knowing that we were giving
the ball back to Penn State on the second half, but to end on
that long kick, it was almost like a redemption for you know, a
golfer who swing has just been left and right spraying. I mean, you
need some type of positive to end with, and you know, I agree
with Jau like, yeah, did he did the job he's supposed to do
that, Like, that's what you do, that's what you're brought to the
team to do. But I mean, that was the best kick that we've
seen all season, from the delivery to the timing to the how far it
went like that was the best snap everything included. That was the best best
promo of this what's happened every time we line up to kick a field goal
or pat right, you know, that guy was brought in as a highly
touted guy, if I'm not wrong here, and that's that's that's what he
should be, that's what he should be doing. And he went out there
and he executed and did his part in the game. But I'm not gonna
sit here and praise the man and sing ra ra shsh kumbab for him.
You know, he did what he was supposed to do. It was a
well timed and well executed play. And okay, let's move on to the
game now. We gave them their spotlight. Jay. By the way,
it wasn't ninety eight that screwed up the kick. It was ninety three.
I know you don't want to say their names. Ninety eight did come in
and do extra points. So just just for those guys listening, you know,
the parents do care about this kind of stuff. I just want to
make sure we were given credit where credit shouldn't be. By the way,
Hugh Freeze is going to Auburn. By the way, breaking news, breaking
news Freeze. I feel like that's another there's another topic for conversation with right,
Why why Williams get a look? Why didn't william get a look?
He played there, he embodied all that stuff. But you're right, Otis,
that's the top. We're gonna have a whole show on that. We're
gonna have several shows pieces to the coaching carousel, the recruiting and that transfer
portal. But let's break down, finish breaking on this game. Here.
That was Happy Valley, the Happy Valley Nightmare. Fourteen to three. Michigan
State is driving now now now now. Defensively, Michigan State comes up with
a big stop. Man, look at look at the pressure. Look at
the pressure. Like we're talking about like collapsing the pocket where you make the
quarterback have to step up. He can't run side to side outside the tackle
box like coach Hazleton drew up some pressures that you wish you could see consistently
throughout the season. But like these guys were battling, like they were battling,
didn't worry about who what the rankings were, and who they had.
And you got a six year quarterback who you would think, would you know,
be better at you know, stepping up in the pocket and throwing away.
But this also is a coverage sack. Man like look at the secondary,
which you only could see a glimpse of, but everyone has their guy
hip to pocket like everything is covered. So that's how it should be a
great photo photo optic picture of what this pressure should look like. And kudos
to the defense man like they did this multiple times in the game of putting
pressure on on Clifford and getting him down quickly. So I think you miss
fuck you said six year quarterback sixteen sixteen, We know it sixth year but
you know, yeah man, yeah, and you're right, he had a
cover sack. He held onto that rock and he got sacked, which forces
Penn State to punt the ball and the special team's lows continue from Michigan State.
People were watching that game. You know we have once we get punched
like Jayden Reid looked extremely fast. It was me. I mean, jay
U was on the side, but like when he caught that ball, man
like he was making the moves and getting up field to the sideline and at
least getting us a positive ten to fifteen yards, which is what you want,
and getting the offense back onto the field. I just wish we got
better blocking for him, because we all know Number one is electric, and
you need to set up a wall somewhere that's solid for this man to make
moves to get upfield and get to the end zone. It's unfortunate that we
didn't get in touchdowns from Number one on the pump return as we did last
year. Now we did have two this season that got called back because of
you know, some bogus side side side arm swide, you know blocks,
But it's unfortunate that we couldn't see that man really go into action like as
he should, which that guy is gonna be a great, great guy at
the next level. Yeah, he definitely is gonna be a great guy at
the next level. But I felt in this game he was pressing a little
bit. I think he tried to take on too much and he wasn't himself.
You know he tried to do too much with it. You know,
he had those two fumbles and you will notice the last one. And I
always harp on this and he should know better. As an offensive player of
ball here, you always want that ball in your left hand, in your
outside arm. You know, you always want that. And then we're gonna
look at this clip here. You know this fumble here, You're taught as
an offensive player, if a pass is like that, you don't leave it
in the hands of the officials. You want to fall on that ball.
And you know, if it's an incomplete pass, great, If it's a
fumble, that's that's the best case scenario. You fall in and you lose
some yards. Just here was clearly behind the ball is thrown behind the line
and good hustle. Good you know by Penn state on that and we didn't
show that hustle on offensively question for you, ju, Yes, correct me
if I'm wrong here, But we were We were positively moving the ball without
having to run a bubble screen on this drive. This is our first drive,
like we we had momentum of running it up the field versus doing these
bubbles. And do you think that this this call shouldn't have been called,
in my opinion, like we could have easily just kept running the ball,
toting it or passing it down the field versus number one is, to my
opinion's more dangerous running downfield. Yes, you want to get him out of
space, but give him a jet sweep, give the ball immediately, let
him make something else versus you know, trying to trust his bubble screen that
truly turned into a turnover. Yeah, you know, I get what you're
saying, but I disagree with what you're saying. We were moving the disagree.
I disagree. Yeah, we were moving games. You want to put
the ball in your in your playmaker's hands, and you find different creative ways
to do that. I don't think there's anything wrong with the play call here.
I just think the lack of you know, like the lack of effort
of falling on the football. That's my only issue with this play call.
You know, and you know it's the execution part of it. But there's
nothing wrong with this is you know, running like a like a toss sweep
so to speak. You know, but you're putting the ball in your receiver's
hands. Give give him. I don't. I don't have an issue with
this play call. I do not have an issue with this play caff he
catches that, he's buggying. You had Coleman that was blocking downfield, He's
gone if he if he catches that football, he's gone. You know,
to your point, Jay, you earlier he said something about number one was
pressing a little bit. Yeah, you no. Earlier in this game,
he was actually on the punt team and made a tackle. Yeah, he
ran down on the punt team. He was a gunner on that and went
down and he made a tackle. Like I said, he wanted to put
this team on his back. And Spartan Nation, they need to give that
man his flowers. You know, that guy sacrificed, you know, everything
that he had for this team this year, and this season did not go
how it was supposed to go. He could have left last year. You
know, he made the announcement on Sunday that he's going to be entering the
draft, and kudos to that man. You know, he has the opportunity.
He's talented enough that he can play multiple positions at the next level and
he's going to get the opportunity to do so. So you know, he
was out there showcasing that he can run down a field and make a tackle,
he can catch a punt. And that's why I said he was pressing
a little too much. I think that was trying to be a lot of
an audition tape for the next level. Do you think this is a question
for the group here if we would have got if he would have bow eligible
in that win against in Indiana, do you think he would have did a
K nine and said, you know, I opt out. I need to
play in his bowl game. I feel like that would have been also warranted
in the case for himself to be ready for the pros. But do you
think even if we were boeligible, he would have opted out anyway? I
think he would have opted out. I definitely think he would have opted out,
you know, just so he would have been signed with an agent.
He would have been somewhere in San Diego, Florida, training somewhere for the
next level. I think he definitely would have opted out of the bowl game.
But you know, we have some we have some great receivers here that's
gonna take that's gonna take over. You know, we have Mosley, we
have Coleman. You know, we have some upcoming guys. So I think
we're gonna be fine at the wide receiver position. Yeah, there's no doubt
about it. That's being It's more commonplace now if you think about it.
Yeah, you talk about players opting out of the bowl game unless it's for
a championship, Big Ten, championship, Rose Bowls, or national titles in
the in the college football playoffs, players are just choosing to go on to
the next level. And how can you blame them? I mean, this
is their family legacy that they're they're trying to build up by by taking this
dream opportunity to play at the next level. I know that the fan bases
across the country would rather than play one more game, but like it really,
we're really upset. We're all that mad at K nine for not playing
in the Peach Bowl. I mean it's oh no, no, one's mad.
I don't even know what's mad about that, you know, I do
believe that one has already put a great, great highlight tape together from his
years with us. Anyway, Like, regardless of what he did for this
season or at the end of the season, he already put together a prolific
career that puts him at the top of the line of receivers in this class,
and so I appreciate what he did for spartanation. He embraced us,
we embraced him, and he did what he could to put us on the
map or to keep us on the map. And I mean, I'm gonna
look forward to seeing that guy on Sundays, and I hope that he is
a Lions fan, not a Bills or ye let me let, me let
me let. While we give an appreciation, While we give an appreciation to
number one, Jaden Reid, let me go through some of his stuff where
he is in the MSU record books. He's gonna be twelfth in receiving yards,
you know, in MSU history. He's gonna be six in receptions with
one hundred and forty seven. He's tied for seventh in receiving tds at eighteen.
He's fifth in receptions per game, you know, with four point seven
yards. He's twentieth all time in all purpose yards. That's receiving punt returns,
Russia's everything like that. And he's tied for first in punt returns for
tds at two. So that's a hell of a you know, as you
know, a former player. I'm sure you guys feel the same way.
All we can do is say thank you, brother, thank you. You're
a spartan dog and your legacy will continue to live on without question. I
mean, he reminds me a whole lot of a guy I played with by
the name of Derek Mason. They played a long time in the NFL,
great punt returner in Michigan State. I think still has records in the Big
Ten for punt returns, the kickoff returns. Derek went on to play with
the Ravens and Tennessee Titans, playing a lot with Aaron McNair down there in
Tennessee. Just a just over, just a great guy, great player.
Reminds me a lot of what Jade Reed does. It's kind of a mix
between uh, you know him and a little bit of Antonio Brown. You
got a little av in in two little smaller guy, great rock, running,
strong hands, you know so, I mean, but everything below the
neck is a b right, you know, I don't want to say a
b. Hey. We love it, we love it, AV, but
some of that, some of the behavior we like that. We don't like
some of the behavior you doing our da AV. But that's a DoD Chip
why too. But like hats off to Jade and reading what he was able
to accomplish transferring in it is a transfer and success story. Another one from
Western Michigan to Michigan State and mind you, mind you before you can immediately
play. So he had to sit out, be on scout team, earn
some stripes, balling out against the ones on defense because scout. And then
he turns out and balls out like he had to do the track that you
know, all of us, if we were to transfer in the past,
had to go through. We would have to go through. So kudos to
him of accepting that grind, accepting that journey. And then he's he's,
uh, he's prolific. Man. I agree with ju, agree with you
Astray that this guy is uh, he's a class act and he's epitome of
what a spartan dog is. And so all I ask is that he comes
back and pays the forward. But you know he's gonna, young man about
to rumble up there on the next level. Oh man, I mean,
he brought up a great point. I didn't realize that he's been he came
over in the old era. He's considered he's an old head that sit out
then total different world. Now yeah, with it like that. Now with
it you know now that you can transfer and go right away. Now,
Spartanation, you better start showing love to these guys that are still on the
roster right now. That's all I know. You know, we're gonna talk
about this later. But if I'm Spartanation, I'm reaching out to a kid
like Kean Coleman saying hey, we need you next year. I said it
for you. Anybody owns businesses, restaurants, car dealerships, whatever, you
reach out and also too, if i'm MSU coaching staff, I'm sitting key
on Coleman down and saying, hey, brother, we look at you,
we love you, We're gonna build around you. I am telling you that
kid, just from being on the sidelines calling games this year and looking at
him walking down, that kid's a specimen. He is muscle on top of
muscle on top of muscle. He's talented, he's fast, he's a smart
kid. He's a kid that you know it's he's gonna play a long long
time at the next level, all right. He needs that breakout season next
year, and I think he can do that at Michigan State. But they
have to they have to commit to him. They have to commit to say,
hey, we're gonna run this thing around you. We got guys like
Trey Moseley's gonna be Trey Moseley. Trey Moseley is gonna be He's you know,
from the beginning, I was a Trey Moseley fan. Trey Moseley is
gonna get his shine too, because what's gonna happen, like it's started at
the end of the year, they're gonna start bracket covering, coverageing on Coleman,
and Moseley is gonna be getting some of that. But I'm telling you,
Spartan Nation, send him tweets, Hey, you're a spartan dog.
Send him here, you know, flower baskets, send him everything if you
you know, hey, send them everything that the other schools down wherever they
are that are gonna try to send him to pull him away, because I'm
telling Spartanation, we have him at the most for one more year. I
mean that's the way it is. We got to one more year guarantee,
and we want to make sure that he does that one more year. In
the NCAA wearing the green and White. Yeah, that's the thing that you
have to if I'm if I'm herm at Ricks, you have to do.
If I'm herm at Ricks, here's your lifelong past ricks, the ricks again,
the graduate if the kids go to to the to Harper's. If I'm
the Graduate Hotel, if I'm the Kellogg Center, your mama and them stay
for free every every home game. I'm doing everything else. I'm doing whatever
it is within the rules. Let's put that cabin. It is they gotta
do it. It's you gotta do it, babe. Right, I'm on
your team and we need him on ours. You gotta keep him because it's
about to be ugly out there. You see Kay McNamara just hit the portal
and all those types of things, I mean from from Michigan quarterback that go
to the playoffs. As we knew that was happening from they would Hey,
hey, just wait the whole Texas A and M team Cincinnati, that whole
teams in the portal. Because Fickle just left to go to Wisconsin. You're
gonna have players that you might I don't know, man, hey speaking guys
that are seemingly happy where they are leaving. Speaking of Wisconsin. Speaking of
Wisconsin, I'm gonna throw this out there, and I like, I'm playing
Devil's advocate here. I said this to otis earlier. I think no,
I said it to Stray earlier. Fickle's going into Wisconsin and most likely he's
going to be taking U coach Trussell with him. All right, that's this
defensive coordinator m hm or not or not? But all I'm saying is,
do you say, hey, Jim Leonard, you told me, you told
us both Jim Leonard this. I was playmate with Leonard. Huh? Does
who say that? Hey, if you were in green and white out there,
do you say, I'm just asking, I'm just asking for a friend.
He is your friend. So you're trying to recruit Jim Leonard to come
to Michigan State. I played against Jim Leonard, I was teammates with him
and buff I understand his will he act? Will he accept a position coach
like linebackers, or he needs the decordinate a job. That's the true question,
because we don't. I think, yeah, I think I believe Scottie
Hazelton is a great defensive coordinator. I think that we need to bring someone
in to alleviate him on the linebacker's position. That's my opinion. But I'm
not. I'm not. I did not sit up here and say, let's
get I just said I would want him on my staff. That's what I'm
saying. I would want a mind like Jim Leonard on my staff. That's
what I'm saying. Coach will too. There's a lot that goes into that,
you know, and hey, there maybe some staff changes coming. You
don't know. But what I do know that it will not be a quick,
abrupt decision. Is gonna be methodical, whatever it is, and they're
gonna look at all the possibilities that are out there. Duly knowed Jim Leonard,
Wisconsin interim head coach. Now he's probably looking for a job. Wait,
you don't think you don't think going to keep him. I don't think
will keep The only way Fickle keeps him is unless the A D and nebrass
At at Wisconsin say he has to be on our staff. I don't think
is keeping them. I think is taking Trustle with him. Yeah, that's
Trustle, That's that's Jim, Trustle's nephew. He's he's staying down. I
can't that that would be or or since he's gonna give him the opportunity to
be a head coach. I think them right now they already utter head coach,
so he's not the interim there now. Well, we also got our
guy over there in Matt Rule. You know, Nebraska, they got back
to back press conferences that Big Ten is putting out there right now. And
so the Big Ten is, uh, it's got some hefty beast in the
head coach game, man, and it's uh, it's becoming a great conference
as it always was, but it's a premiere lineup in the head coaches in
a Big ten now, man. So it's gonna be interesting seeing how Nebraska
if they can finally turn the page and get to a prominence that they used
to be back when they were in the Big twelve. But it's it's crazy,
man, It's like, this is the This is bigger than the NFL
in my opinion, after you know, Ceason is done, the free agency
is hitting and all that, Like, this is a lot of different puzzle
chess moves that we got to see happening in the next three weeks. Man,
it's gonna be weird, it's gonna be crazy. You got to get
into the whole salary situation with rule he's getting paid by thirty five to forty
million feeling Carolina Panthers feeling. Yeah, so Nebraska to make sure Nebraska is
paying the market rate because we are hired by Nebraska. Terrible higher oh man,
Yeah, the Nebraska faithful look not happy. I can tell you that
I haven't read. Yeah, yeah, what is he's done? But who
else was out there? Students at Auburn aren't happy either. They're playing a
protest down at Auburn as they should, as they should talking about that's on
Wednesday. Were gonna talk about a Wednesday because we just we just remember a
year ago, I'm sorry, right before this game, if you can remember
that extension got signed on the even Thanksgiving a year ago, because if you
wait till someday after the game, the private jets are flying everywhere, having
no secret meetings, as JAU calls them, secret meetings. My sources,
my sources says, you're gonna be checking the manifest on the airport coming over
here. The tail numbers, hey man look so key. Speaking of him,
he catches eighty one yards against the Ndney Lions. He was pretty much
unstoppable if anybody was unstoppable on Saturday, making terrific grabs. I know,
we have some highlights of him and what he was doing. And you see,
you see that he added you know, let's do these deep drag routes
that he was catching consistently right like he was, he was getting loose.
He had some huge first down saves, the third down laws, some huge
first down grass for us. And what people don't know is he was playing
hurt that game and he was kept he kept going in there coming back Winston
in pain. He was playing hurt. He had he was wrapped up from
the waist down with extra wraps and bandages and everything like that. That guy
is a Spartan dog through and through. He's a hell of a player.
He's gonna be a hell of a player. He's a physical specimen. So
you know, kudles to that guy you were down there on Did he come
into the game hurt or or did he tweak hisself early in the game.
I saw him tweak hisself. He tweaked himself early in the game. He
had a tweak early in the game, and that's what you know. He
went in the locker room. You know, before the half, came back
out, went out there, played a few plays, came back down,
slammed his helmet down on the bench in pain, but kept going back out
there. And I noticed after the half when they came back up, that's
when he was fully wrapped up and stretching on the sidelines. Extra. How
many receivers you know to do that? Otis you played against a lot of
them? Very few? Man, very few, especially with being like we
we already are in jeoffardy of like we need to win this game to get
boeligible, but like we all we all forgetting that. You know, this
man is a two sport athlete too, and so you think about, you
know, the future of will he focus on getting healed or will he go
over and cross over and join the basketball team who you know is rolling right
now. But that that that shows that this is this team is bigger than
him, and he's he's like selfless guy, like he shows his selfless attitude.
Uh. And being able to produce when you're hurt, man is another
level of perseverance in a different mindset that you know, regardless of what I
have on my body, if it's broken all three places, I got one
strong part of my body and I'm gonna go out there and give my all.
And so that's a that's a kudos to coach Tucker and the culture that
we have is that it's it's it's go out there and be having that warrior
mindset that's partnered on mindset. And he's already one. Uh you know the
fans over you know, because you know when Jay you mentioned earlier that you
know he needs that breakout season, I'm like, this is a breakout season,
Like like this dude has showed us. He put us on his shoulders
a couple of games where they were double covering number one in Jay Reid,
and he put the team on his back and almost sly beat Michigan whole secondary.
Right, And so yeah, there's been guys that I know will tap
out and be in sweats by that time, especially his cold, and he's
still out there giving all his guy because he's trying to get to that next
next game and postseason. Yeah, and we we we got to also keep
in mind too, we got a bunch of young guys that stepped up this
year. Foster Foster guy. Yeah, yeah, you know, we got
a bunch of young guys that stepped up to the plate. Uh this year,
especially once you know those suspensions came down and then injuries happened. These
guys are stepping up. These guys. There's fighters on this team and like
no, something you cannot take away from these guys from looking at them,
from talking to them. These guys want to have success. They did not.
They never phoned it in for any game. I know that the end
result wasn't what we wanted as fans, but those guys put it all out
there. And that's why every time I get disappointed with fans showing up to
the game and supporting these guys. These guys are playing hurt, these guys
are playing you know, sick or whatever it is. They're putting everything out
there. And I'm excited for the young guys that we have coming up because
they're going to show out and show out. Yeah, speaking of speaking of
young guys, Dylan Tatum true freshmen play out of position, started at cornerback
because Ronald Williams and Charles Brantley both were unavailable to play in Happy Valley against
benn State, so he moves from the safety position as a true freshman.
It goes to the corporate position and speak to that a little bit older.
I know you are a secondary player yourself. How difficult is that, especially
being such a young guy? Players play brother you say that, first of
all, he got that twenty one on him too. What you talking about?
Twenty one? Real flex twenty one? What did you do? So?
Look, my man was out there confident right like he's no matter what
that knew he was. He got scored on by tight end, but it
was a great catch, but he was in position. But he was like,
that's a mentality as a truth freshman that I don't care what you where
you put me a coach, I'm gonna do what I gotta do to help
this team win the game. And he stepped up. And obviously you saw,
you know, without having our boy spartan dog, Chuck Brandley, you
know you saw the missing factor because that guy is a beast in itself,
but it showed some promise on that secondary piece that hey, this dude is
versatile. It takes it takes a beast. It takes a great athlete to
do both corner and safety and for him to go out there and use that
sideline as his friend and lock down and do his best. That he could
was. It was a huge feat man that you know, I would kudos
to twenty one from another twenty one guy like that. He wore that number
proud and he's gonna be doing that for a while. And it shows promise
because you know, we got we got a guy who's leaving a legacy with
you know, x Xavier Henderson number three, and so you know, we're
losing two safeties in the back end, seniors, you know, graduating,
and so who are we going to have to step up? And you know
you got you got twenty one out there man, so and then you got
a mere speed leaving. So he got Chuck that's coming back. You know,
we just got to get Chuck healthy and put a little bit of weight
on him. And he knows that. I think everybody knows that he needs
to put on some weight because he's the he's the lightest on the field,
but he is a line at heart. So it does take a difficult,
you know, transition to go out there and play corner, especially against the
top offensive team and in Penn State. And he held his own and kudos
to him absolutely, and talking about the athletic ability for him, Jay,
he was a running back in high school with that that dude Donovan Edwards,
who we saw what he did Ohio State this past week. We don't talk
too much about them guys. That just goes to show. That just goes
to show that running backs are athletes. They can play. That's only shows
I wish you could go back to get some practice and Donovan Edwards, right,
yeah, let me let me tell you someone to keep an eye out
for someone to keep an eye out for Spencer Brown, old lineman. I
think that kid is going to be special Western finest. It's a thinking and
no, like we need to know we are out of the thinking. Do
you know, Yeah, He's gonna be something we got we cannot get one
of the other stars of the sophomore class. We talk about guys that may
only be here three years fourth the most. We got to make sure we
wrap our arms around him. That's number twenty seven. Cal Halliday, Don't
forget Cal. I know that everybody kind of Oh, he just kind of
looks like old farmer boy. Let me tell you something about them, old
farmer boy. If daddy went the Penn State was All American wrestler at Penn
State. He's from Pennsylvania. He was just out there. I mean,
the guy has three thousand tackles on the season. He's a tackling machine.
He picks the ball up, tells Partan nation what to do for Cal Halliday,
Cale Holiday, no gloves wearing Cal Holiday look, not a fraid to
get his hands dirty. He does it all man. And you know,
I think Cale Holiday is one. He's built different. He comes from a
he comes from a lineage of I feel like great men, and I feel
like as guys as you see how you plays. He's selfless. He's not
a guy that will while you with public facing, you know, talking marketing
type deal. He just gets the job done. See ball eat ball?
Like that is that man's mentality, right? And look I'm talking. I
feel like I've taken the US persona. I think you're great. I think
Cale Holliday he's He makes a hell of a drinking game. Every time the
announcers say Cal Holliday plays without gloves or tape, you take a drink.
You know, I'm looking forward to that for another year. Yeah, is
that what you're saying? Absolutely, Listen, we talked about this bring up.
He doesn't play with gloves, You take a shot. Yep, look
straight straight, got real passionate this past weekend when we were talking about the
transfer port on like loyalty. Now, I honestly believe that Kyle Holliday is
a loyal guy. He's going anywhere. He's going anywhere like he's not the
guy that is like the glit like. He is a guy that it's just
as long as you keep me in that middle, coach, Okay, so
so, so what you're telling me is that none of these kids parents have
bills. None of these kids think about Lamborghinis. None of these kids have
girlfriends. None of these kids are influenced at all by social media, none
of them. None calladay with the holiday even on holiday has that no colin
going nowhere? And I need you to have more go nowhere though. What
is Look, this is one thing that mel Tucker said, we have to
recruit our players every day and if we don't, somebody else is. That's
something that everybody needs to take a part of that. I'm not just saying
the coaching staff not just lying back and coach. It's everybody at home.
Everybody that has a Twitter, everybody that has a Facebook. Show the man
some love that he wanted here. Everybody who has the ability to do the
nil deals, show the man that you want them. Because I'm telling these
other fan bases they're dritting together in these collectives or whatever they are, these
little groups, the little micro collectives, and they're going out and they're trying
to get players. They're poaching guys from other teams. Just don't let it
happen to us here. That's what we gotta do. Now. Everybody thinks
about the portal as far as what melt Tucker's gonna do to bring him in,
but we got to do everything we can to keep the guys. So
we got here, That's all I'm saying. And until December fifth, when
it all rolls out and you start seeing stuff, I'll remain silent. Hey,
look if the transfer half of it back at ninety seven straight would have
been on six tiper tea right out. No, I'm a center who's doing
that exactly. Our holiday is the center of our defense. He is not
leaving yo. Okay all the other guys, Yeah, No, that man
is foundation and he can have it all here. Have we brought any linebackers
in here? And over the last two years got Alix Spencer he's outside linebacker.
What are you talking about? And we got nothing coming in from IMG.
I think we are coming right. Jordan Hall comany Oh it was a
kid from Tennessee last year that left. He was one another one line back.
All I'm saying is linebackers move man, they move around at talking about
Kyle Holiday. He is not leaving. Yeah, we talked about one guy.
Look that's what we need. Hashtag Kyle HALLI stay here, get it,
get on him. Don't sit there and wait, because you're gonna miss
it when he's gone. Don't wait on it. Don't be a little He's
never going anything. Don't do See that's the posture that will get your beat.
Let's wait for Thursday show. I can't either. I can't. I
can't wait. We're gonna bring we got a very special guest for Thursday show.
And listen. Also, we also somebody siting knowe we'll bring Kle HALLI
stay on this show. But I just need you to know that guy is.
That guy is foundationally built. He ain't jumping that. We're gonna bring
him out here and find out. We don't make sure, we don't make
sure. We're gonna sign the deal with it and he ain't jobs rivers Hey
we want Hey Cal Holliday and and and uh Kean Coleman will be sponsored by
this asparta don't forget, don't don't don't forget my guy Treymons. Who all
you guys like, I'm gonna come with my list of who's who choose time
time players, time players you forgot from the himalayas well, do our part.
We don't do our That's all I'm said. We gonna do our part
to keep him here. We gotta keep him before we go knowing Kim is
him. Oh man, we're going for the bast quarterback. Let Jay you
have that on himself. I think I think he's a great addition deal with
no you love me man and Peyton. You know, look, let's listen.
Listen on the good note, You're like, let's shout out our seniors.
Who stayed, who stayed the track, kept the journey going. Xavier
Henderson, Uh, you know kb KB came in transfer, but he accepted
the culture, stepped in and that dude was hitting like no other. Let's
talk about you know some other guys simmering who kudos to him going to East
versus West Ron game, Jay Reed Barer, all our seniors appreciate you man
for you know, sticking with us but also playing as best as you could
put us on the map. Man, I just want to say, from
one former dog obviously us too as well, all three of us, kudos
to y'all man, and whatever y'all need y'all need. Now, we'll talk
about this on Thursday, but we sho know some of those guys that we
were seeing, they still got decisions to make too. So you know,
we just want to say thank you to to all you all, man,
and whatever you need from the Spartan Dogs, whatever you need from Spartans there.
You know, we understand what happened with the game, But like we're
gonna get deep into this, this is gonna be an ongoing topic. We're
gonna talk recruited, We're gonna talk for a portal, We're gonna talk coaching
carousel, the whole all of this stuff coming up on our Thoat show Thursday
and beyond. And we can't forget about ms U basketball. They're balling too,
Okay, So we got to talk to you know, Tom Izzo and
the guys over there in the Bresla and doing their thing, so we'll give
you more of that next time. We come up on Thursday at eight pm.
Until then, everybody, have a good night, God bless and Gold Green go