1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:06,040 Look at news, analysis and insight from around the Big Ten Conference. This 2 00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:10,880 is Big Ten Paradigm, part of the College Gridiron Coast to Coast podcast network. 3 00:00:11,279 --> 00:00:20,199 And here's your host, Mark Rogers. Oh yeah, this is the 4 00:00:20,199 --> 00:00:24,879 week we've been waiting for. Everyone. Welcome to Big Ten Paradime right here 5 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:29,839 on the College Gridiron Coast to Coast Network. My name is Mark Rogers. 6 00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:34,320 You can catch me every day talking college football at the Voice of College Football. 7 00:00:34,719 --> 00:00:37,719 Check out YouTube. Check out our fifteen team channels, including in the 8 00:00:37,719 --> 00:00:43,600 Big Ten Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska, and Iowa. All right, 9 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:48,079 let's get down to it Big Week eleven, if for no other reason because 10 00:00:48,119 --> 00:00:52,600 of one big game in Happy Valley. It's Penn State, It's Michigan. 11 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:58,039 It is the second of three titanic matchups in the Big Ten Eastern Division of 12 00:00:58,079 --> 00:01:03,880 course this season that we've all been looking forward to, and the first one 13 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:07,159 went to Ohio State over Penn State twenty to twelve in Columbus. Is Penn 14 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:12,319 State going to show us more and especially more offense that will be required in 15 00:01:12,359 --> 00:01:17,519 this matchup against Michigan. We will get to that in just a second. 16 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:22,120 Again, will remind you every day we go live. Every day we provide 17 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:26,000 a video content and discuss college football with you best discussion, debate, and 18 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:32,120 analysis of college football at the Voice of College Football. Checking out the schedule 19 00:01:32,239 --> 00:01:38,560 for Week eleven. We've got Indiana Illinois Alainaia six and a half point favorite 20 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:42,920 at home noon Eastern Time on the Big Ten Network. What about John Paddock? 21 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:47,920 Who is that mark? John Paddock? Well? John Paddock delivered one 22 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:53,879 of the most impressive performances, one of the most clutch performances last weekend in 23 00:01:55,079 --> 00:02:00,680 Illinois's victory over Minnesota. Luke Altmeyer, starting quarterback, got knocked out of 24 00:02:00,719 --> 00:02:04,480 that game, and not at the best of times. On a fourth and 25 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:10,199 eleven play after a third down went wrong for Illinois, Altmeyer gets knocked out 26 00:02:10,199 --> 00:02:15,680 of the game. They're down to bringing in John Paddock on a fourth and 27 00:02:15,719 --> 00:02:19,800 eleven deep in their own territory. Oh yeah, Oh, there was about 28 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:23,199 a minute left in the game and they were down and needed a touchdown and 29 00:02:23,319 --> 00:02:28,639 had to go eighty five yards. Paddock delivered a fourth and eleven shot to 30 00:02:28,759 --> 00:02:30,919 Isaiah Williams, one of the best receivers in the Big Ten, thirteen catches 31 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:36,960 for a buck thirty one against those Gophers then delivered two plays later after another 32 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:42,400 big completion of forty six yard touchdown bomb to Isaiah Williams, right on the 33 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:46,319 money, like he just does this every week. He's Tom Brady, and 34 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:51,759 so Illinois marches on to the win and a two and four record in the 35 00:02:51,759 --> 00:02:55,159 Big Ten. They are still dreaming of getting to postseason play at four and 36 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:59,039 five. Taken on Indiana, well, who's your fans? We're not forgetting 37 00:02:59,039 --> 00:03:02,520 about your team and what they accomplished this past weekend as well. Of course, 38 00:03:02,879 --> 00:03:06,879 off to an zero to five start in the Big Ten that would have 39 00:03:07,039 --> 00:03:10,840 been counted up two to nineteen under Tom Allen the last twenty one Big Ten 40 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:16,240 games, Indiana notch is its first victory of the season in conference play, 41 00:03:17,039 --> 00:03:21,639 knocking off Wisconsin twenty to fourteen. So the Hoosiers show a little bit of 42 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:24,199 life. They could still make it to a bowl game. They've got three 43 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:28,599 games to go, of course, at three and six, Indiana Illinois, 44 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:34,439 hey, it's not the most scintillating, sexiest matchups you'll ever see, but 45 00:03:34,759 --> 00:03:38,360 it could be a good one. In Champagne, will the nosedive continue for 46 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:43,280 the Maryland Terps. They have lost four consecutive ball games, and the Terps 47 00:03:43,639 --> 00:03:46,199 come into this one at Nebraska at five and four, but just two and 48 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:50,960 four in the Big Ten and a fifty one to fifteen drubbing at the hands 49 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:54,599 of Penn State at home in a game that we had targeted in the offseason 50 00:03:54,680 --> 00:04:00,719 as a possible possible upset bid in the Big Ten Eastern Division. But Maryland 51 00:04:00,759 --> 00:04:05,080 has dropped like a rock. Nebraska, on the other hand, inexplicably, 52 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:09,319 well, I'm not gonna say that. I'm gonna say, actually, it 53 00:04:09,319 --> 00:04:14,599 can be explained because it's explained by the Big Ten Western Division mess mediocrity, 54 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:20,519 margin will play all of that that Nebraska lost to an zero to six in 55 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:25,600 the Big Ten Michigan State team last weekend, and that did not ruin their 56 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:30,560 season. Iowa did win, while the other three that were tied for first 57 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:35,319 place in the Big Ten Western Division entering Week ten all fell Minnesota, Wisconsin, 58 00:04:35,759 --> 00:04:40,240 and yes, this Husker team to Michigan State twenty to seventeen. But 59 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:45,040 Nebraska's still just one game behind Iowa, and they do get the Hawkeyes on 60 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:47,879 the final weekend of the season, so they're still playing for a Big Ten 61 00:04:47,959 --> 00:04:56,680 Western Division championship at five and four. The Vegas oddsmakers like Maryland in this 62 00:04:56,800 --> 00:05:00,319 one by two points. It's Nebraska's Maryland. Heinrich Harburg will have to play 63 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:05,759 better. They needed him to throw twenty eight passes last weekend. That is 64 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:11,560 not the Husker formula this season under Matt rule, It's defense, defense, 65 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:15,000 defense, run the football, and run Harburg usually eighteen to twenty times, 66 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:20,319 but he threw it in harms way twice and twelve of twenty eight is not 67 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:24,639 going to get the job done, even against a Maryland team that is struggling 68 00:05:25,079 --> 00:05:29,680 mightily its offense versus defense. In this one to Leah Tungabailoa looks to lead 69 00:05:29,759 --> 00:05:35,360 Maryland to a road win in Lincoln Rock Fight in Iowa City, Rutgers is 70 00:05:35,399 --> 00:05:40,839 coming to town. The Scarlet Kites are much improved, and if that wasn't 71 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:47,000 proven during their six wins, it was most notably proven in a thirty five 72 00:05:47,079 --> 00:05:50,079 sixteen loss to Ohio State. You would have had to have seen the game. 73 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:54,120 They had a nine to seven lead in the third quarter. We're driving 74 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:58,480 for another score. A two score lead against number one was possible, but 75 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:03,360 a pick six by Hancock turned the tide and Rutgers falls to Ohio State, 76 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:06,560 but they gave it a good go. Kyle Manungai had a big game with 77 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:12,040 about one hundred and fifty yards rushing. Rutgers ran for two thirty two against 78 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:15,920 an Ohio State defense that has not given up anything close to that this season. 79 00:06:15,319 --> 00:06:19,319 The Scarlet Knights and the Iowa Hawkeyes, in many reasons many ways, 80 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:26,040 are mere images of each other. Rutgers with a much better offense, Iowa 81 00:06:26,079 --> 00:06:30,319 with the elite defense much better than Rutgers, even though the Scarlet Knights defense 82 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:33,319 hey solid. This could turn on special teams, and if it turns on 83 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:38,480 special teams, it turns toward Iowa. With Tory Taylor the best punter in 84 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:43,600 America, Drew Stevens coming off that fifty three yard game winner at Wrigley at 85 00:06:43,639 --> 00:06:47,519 the gun against Northwestern, and Iowa wins it the way they win it. 86 00:06:48,519 --> 00:06:56,279 A thirty point over under could not keep the Hawkeyes down. They defeated Northwestern 87 00:06:56,279 --> 00:07:00,240 ten to seven. This over under one of the lowest we've seen I've seen 88 00:07:00,279 --> 00:07:02,600 in recent years. According to our guy Steve Merrill at wager Talk. At 89 00:07:02,639 --> 00:07:06,759 twenty eight and a half, Iowa's a mere one point favorite at home against 90 00:07:06,839 --> 00:07:11,639 Rutgers. Actually, of course, this game means so much more to the 91 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:16,160 Hawk guys who are gunning for a Big Ten championship game appearance versus what Rutgers 92 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:20,959 is shooting for and just trying to up its bull status. But the winner 93 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:26,560 of this game has rightful claim to being the fourth best team in a fourteen 94 00:07:26,639 --> 00:07:30,439 team Big Ten. It's Rutgers, it's Iowa. And of course you know 95 00:07:30,519 --> 00:07:33,920 from listening to us here at Big Ten Paradigm on the College Gridiron Coast to 96 00:07:33,959 --> 00:07:38,600 Coast Network each and every week that we've got an Iowa Show with the Voice 97 00:07:38,639 --> 00:07:43,120 of College Football Tuesdays five thirty Eastern, four to thirty Central with Corey Bradd 98 00:07:43,199 --> 00:07:46,959 from The Hawkeye at the Storm. And of course we talked Rutgers Iowa. 99 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:49,959 Yeah, I think these teams are very similar. I just had more confidence 100 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:54,720 in Iowa. They're at home. I have more confidence. I would say, 101 00:07:54,759 --> 00:07:58,519 I would put it this way, in a nutshell, the offense is 102 00:07:58,759 --> 00:08:03,120 the way they operate, the way they try to execute extremely similar Rutgers on 103 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:09,639 a scale of one to ten. If the Iowa offense is a one one 104 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:13,839 and a half, then Rutgers is a three and a half. It's still 105 00:08:13,839 --> 00:08:18,720 not a good offense, but it's much better, much more functional than Iowas. 106 00:08:18,879 --> 00:08:24,560 However, Rudgers has a really good defense, but is it Iowa's defense. 107 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:28,800 No, it is not Iowa's defense. And then I think the tipping 108 00:08:28,839 --> 00:08:37,039 point is Rudgers has adequate special teams and Iowa was e leite on special teams. 109 00:08:37,759 --> 00:08:39,799 So I think it's going to be a good game. But I'm pretty 110 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:43,120 confident i was going to get the job done when it matters. And we've 111 00:08:43,159 --> 00:08:46,759 said it before, I'll say it again. Iowa's offense will allow most teams 112 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:50,480 to stay around, to stick around and have a shot, but Iowas defense 113 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:56,519 will give Iowa a chance to stick around in almost every game, except when 114 00:08:56,559 --> 00:09:01,960 you play someone who's just elite. It basically in every category like in Ohio 115 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:03,720 State, then State Michigan. We've seen that in recent time. Iowa doesn't 116 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:07,519 get blown out by anybody else. They really don't know, and it's just 117 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:11,080 because of how they play, like that defense in Wrigley this past Saturday. 118 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:15,279 Don't get me wrong, Northwestern is still Northwestern, but they've made explosive plays 119 00:09:15,279 --> 00:09:18,480 this year. They scored twenty one points against the Minnesota team that beat Iowa 120 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:20,879 a couple of weeks back. They're more capable on offense than I would have 121 00:09:20,879 --> 00:09:24,879 expected under an interim head coach. So I mean, Iowa just made them 122 00:09:24,919 --> 00:09:28,440 look completely incapable, Like it was just like now. They did score the 123 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:31,679 one touchdown, they got a couple of short fields that you probably saw the 124 00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:35,360 goal line stance. It seems like weird things happen when Iowa plays at Northwestern. 125 00:09:35,399 --> 00:09:37,480 You had two years ago you had the protesters. This year you have 126 00:09:37,519 --> 00:09:43,679 the cavern of a you know, I mean, what was going on with 127 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:45,559 that cavern? I mean, I know it was on for the dugout, 128 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:50,080 but why was the ground that soft? I don't understand how you can have 129 00:09:50,159 --> 00:09:54,600 a basically look like a shovel had dug How can you even play on that? 130 00:09:54,639 --> 00:09:58,080 I thought they were gonna have to move to the other side of the 131 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:01,759 field for safety reasons. They up him down there, and I was goal 132 00:10:01,759 --> 00:10:05,480 line stance was really impressive, and then Tory Taylor had a bad punt and 133 00:10:05,519 --> 00:10:09,799 really that's what it came down to. It got Northwestern back inside the I 134 00:10:09,799 --> 00:10:13,279 think twenty five yard line, and you know, at some point your defense 135 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:18,639 can't just continue to you know forever hold a team outside of the end zone, 136 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:20,960 but boy, that defense is good. And people earlier this is one 137 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:26,440 area where I will probably say I was right and a lot of people on 138 00:10:26,559 --> 00:10:28,879 this were wrong because after Week one people said, oh, this defense is 139 00:10:28,919 --> 00:10:31,759 not what it was last year. They've taken a step back. It's good, 140 00:10:31,759 --> 00:10:35,120 but they've taken a step back. And I said, I don't know 141 00:10:35,159 --> 00:10:39,000 about that. I have a lot of trust in Phil Parker, and I 142 00:10:39,039 --> 00:10:41,840 know Jack Campbell's gone and Seth Benson and they didn't look great against U. 143 00:10:41,879 --> 00:10:43,879 John State. They are every bit as good as they were last year. 144 00:10:43,879 --> 00:10:48,639 I'd love to look at the numbers, but Trooper Gene is better than he 145 00:10:48,759 --> 00:10:52,039 was last year. And Jay Higgins hasn't missed a beat. I mean, 146 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:56,799 if Jack Campbell's better than Jay Higgins, sure, but it's not as big 147 00:10:56,840 --> 00:10:58,720 of a gap as people think. And believe me, if I'm if you 148 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:03,240 get me option between Seth Benson and Nick Jackson, I'm probably taking Nick Jackson, 149 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:07,039 even though I really like Seth Benson. I think Nick Jackson's upside athleticism 150 00:11:07,279 --> 00:11:11,080 gives him that notch ahead. And you know a lot of guys in the 151 00:11:11,120 --> 00:11:15,080 back end are older and they get They got Ja Murray Harris back who gave 152 00:11:15,159 --> 00:11:16,440 up a touchdown Saturday, but for the most part's been very good. Made 153 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:20,960 the game winning tackle on Saturday as well. I think this defense is everybody 154 00:11:20,039 --> 00:11:22,559 is good, and they're doing it without Noah Shannon, who the INNC doable 155 00:11:22,559 --> 00:11:26,960 A still can't get that decision right. He's practicing with the team, but 156 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:31,759 they have not gotten word from the NCABLEA. So I expect I would hold 157 00:11:31,879 --> 00:11:35,480 Rutgers down. But if Rutgers can find a way to score two touchdowns, 158 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:37,960 and that is possible. We've seen teams beat Iowa in low scoring affairs. 159 00:11:39,279 --> 00:11:41,519 If they can get to fourteen, they probably win. That's the honest truth. 160 00:11:41,519 --> 00:11:45,080 If they can get to fourteen points, they probably win this game. 161 00:11:45,519 --> 00:11:46,919 I saw the over under was open at like twenty eight and a half. 162 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:50,240 I think it's up to twenty nine now. Iowa favored by one, which 163 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:54,759 basically tells me, hey, this is on a neutral field. Rutgers is 164 00:11:54,759 --> 00:11:58,480 actually a favorite. So I'm a little surprised by that. But boy, 165 00:11:58,759 --> 00:12:01,960 you know, at some point you can't go any lower on these lines, 166 00:12:03,279 --> 00:12:07,039 right, Like they're not going to open any lower. And yet they've all 167 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:09,840 hit the under. They're all going to hit the under except Michigan State, 168 00:12:09,879 --> 00:12:13,279 and that's because they took on too the house Cooper de Gene right in the 169 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:16,399 game. Yeah, But I mean, like this past week the over under, 170 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:18,840 what was the over under against Northwestern? Was it thirty? Was it 171 00:12:18,879 --> 00:12:22,960 twenty eight? Yeah? Thirty? Okay? And what was the final total 172 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:28,679 was seventeen? Crazy. 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Get in the game with ticketsmarter 180 00:13:07,879 --> 00:13:15,120 dot com or the ticket Smarter mobile app Think Smarter Ticket Smarter Minnesota was given 181 00:13:15,159 --> 00:13:18,080 a gift by the gods or the officials two weeks ago in Iowa City, 182 00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:22,799 as they pulled off a twelve to ten win against Iowa. But they have 183 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:28,200 a heartbreaker now in the lost column that could prevent them from winning the Big 184 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:31,559 Ten Western Division. We talked about it a few minutes ago on the Illinois 185 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:35,480 side, as the Gophers had the Aliini exactly where they wanted them, six 186 00:13:35,519 --> 00:13:39,879 point lead, fourth and eleven, game about over eighty five yards away from 187 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:43,919 the end zone. But the Gopher defense let down three plays eighty five yards 188 00:13:43,919 --> 00:13:48,279 and give up the game winner with seconds left, and Minnesota loses to Illinois 189 00:13:48,279 --> 00:13:52,639 and really damages their Big Ten Western Division hopes. They fall to three and 190 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:58,840 three, and they've got the head to head against Iowa, They've got the 191 00:13:58,879 --> 00:14:03,440 head to head against Abras, and they got to finish out by playing, 192 00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:05,519 of course, Wisconsin the final weekend of the season. So the Gophers are 193 00:14:05,559 --> 00:14:11,039 still very much in it as they could finish the season at six and three, 194 00:14:11,279 --> 00:14:13,559 but they've got to go to Ohio State in that middle week. That's 195 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:18,559 the big issue on the schedule. Gophers are a one point underdog to a 196 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:22,399 Purdue team that was blasted by Michigan last week. Forty one to thirteen. 197 00:14:24,279 --> 00:14:28,759 The Boilers did not score a touchdown until eighteen seconds were left on the clock. 198 00:14:28,399 --> 00:14:33,240 They will not go bowling this year under first year head coach Ryan Walters. 199 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:37,919 At two and seven, Hudson card coming in with nine touchdowns and eight 200 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:41,440 picks. That has been the issue with Purdue has been turnovers on offense. 201 00:14:43,039 --> 00:14:46,679 Devin maccabee leads the Big Ten in fumbles as well as Minnesota's Purdue. It's 202 00:14:46,679 --> 00:14:52,399 an NBC game at three point thirty Eastern time, Northwestern Wisconsin get together in 203 00:14:52,679 --> 00:14:58,559 Camp Randalls Stadium. Northwestern coming off that heartbreaking loss against Dieaway in which their 204 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:03,279 defense, well it was mostly the Iowa offense performed so well in keeping the 205 00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:07,679 Hawkeyes down to just one touchdown in the second half ten points overall. The 206 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:11,200 Wildcats coming in, I got to say, regardless of what happens the rest 207 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:16,000 of the season, these final three weekends, and I know Northwestern needs to 208 00:15:16,039 --> 00:15:18,759 win two to three to get to a bowl, they can do it. 209 00:15:18,559 --> 00:15:22,480 They've got Illinois of course the final weekend of the season as well. That's 210 00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:26,360 a winnable game. At four and five, David Brown in Northwestern have done 211 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:31,960 a remarkable job bouncing back from adversity during the summer, the whole Pat Fitzgerald 212 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:37,200 scandal, and playing well in the Big Ten with three wins and just narrowly 213 00:15:37,279 --> 00:15:41,360 losing again to Iowa, the team that's most likely going to win the Western 214 00:15:41,399 --> 00:15:48,720 Division championship. Wisconsin, of course, counters with Brayden Lockett quarterback Tanner Mordecai 215 00:15:48,879 --> 00:15:54,559 still on the shelf. Badger's coming off that disappointing effort in Bloomington losing to 216 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:58,200 the Hoosiers and zero to five Big Ten team going into that action lost on 217 00:15:58,240 --> 00:16:03,279 the road to India for the first time since two thousand and two. Braylan 218 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:06,919 Allen on the shelf for that ballgame. Also, Chez mclusey lost for this 219 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:11,600 season, So Wisconsin a bit rudderless on offense without their starting quarterback, without 220 00:16:11,639 --> 00:16:15,759 their bell cow running back, but they still have a shot in the Big 221 00:16:15,799 --> 00:16:19,200 Ten West. At three and three, five and four overall, that's a 222 00:16:19,279 --> 00:16:25,480 FS one start at three thirty eastern time Badgers and Wildcats. Is the point 223 00:16:25,519 --> 00:16:30,080 spread large enough in Columbus Buck Guys and Sparty get together, Ohio State a 224 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:34,399 thirty one point favorite. This one kicks off at seven thirty Eastern on NBC 225 00:16:36,799 --> 00:16:41,240 much of the eyes will be on Kyle McCord, of course, not necessarily 226 00:16:41,519 --> 00:16:45,360 that he could throw this game away, but his preparation, his progression toward 227 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:51,080 the game, the game against Michigan on the final weekend of the season. 228 00:16:51,480 --> 00:16:56,559 McCord comes into this one with seventeen touchdowns four picks, but the star of 229 00:16:56,639 --> 00:17:03,240 recent weeks and really the guy that his energized Buckeye fans and their hopes of 230 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:08,359 knocking off Michigan is won Travon Henderson. He was electric against a really good 231 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:12,079 Rudgers defense last week, not just in the running game as he was starting 232 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:15,680 to lower his shoulder. So he's always been a talented back since he came 233 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:21,079 out of high school as a five star number one running back in the nation. 234 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:26,119 The speed, the elusiveness, the burst, the explosion has never been 235 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:30,960 in question for traving On Henderson. But since he's come back from injury, 236 00:17:32,039 --> 00:17:36,559 he is lowering a boom. He has become a physical back that we did 237 00:17:36,559 --> 00:17:41,200 not see in twenty twenty one or twenty two, and great game against the 238 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:45,759 best opponents on the schedule. He did miss Penn State, but besides that, 239 00:17:45,799 --> 00:17:51,279 he delivered against Wisconsin and against Notre Name and again with the Buckeyes in 240 00:17:51,359 --> 00:17:56,000 a tough fourth quarter battle against Rutgers, he took one for sixty five yards, 241 00:17:56,000 --> 00:18:00,400 not on a run play, but at a dead stand still in the 242 00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:03,640 middle of the field. He catches the ball and accelerates around the corner, 243 00:18:04,079 --> 00:18:08,119 runs past the Redkers defense for sixty five yards to break that game open. 244 00:18:08,599 --> 00:18:14,039 Buck guys hosting Michigan State, our guys, of course, got together as 245 00:18:14,039 --> 00:18:18,480 we always do each and every week for Ohio State Live every Wednesday at eleven 246 00:18:18,519 --> 00:18:21,680 am Eastern Time. Got to check us out. Steve Helwagen, a Buck 247 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:26,160 Nuts two four seven Sports, Tony Gerdaman, and Kevin Noon from Buckeye Huddle 248 00:18:26,279 --> 00:18:30,000 join us to break down Ohio State in Michigan State. What does the Buck 249 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:33,960 guys, What does the Buck guys defense need to worry about with this Spartans 250 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:38,000 team? Apathy? I mean, they're terrible, They're just they're they're awful. 251 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:45,000 They've kind of bounced around in terms of the quarterbacks that they're playing. 252 00:18:45,079 --> 00:18:48,000 Noah Kim got the first chance and Noah Way that just didn't work out. 253 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:52,720 Uh, Kyton Howser's played a lot. I mean they're making some decisions on 254 00:18:52,759 --> 00:18:59,839 what they want to do about Sam Levitt. Nobody is really lighting the world 255 00:18:59,839 --> 00:19:03,599 on fire. Love It is like a sixty five percent passer, but he's 256 00:19:03,640 --> 00:19:07,640 only had twenty three attempts. So you look at Howser, who is fifty 257 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:11,799 nine completion percentage is a little better than Noah Kim's fifty seven percent. You 258 00:19:11,799 --> 00:19:15,000 know, they've got they've got a decent enough running back in Nate Carter, 259 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:19,359 but honestly, he's not going to be able to get out there and do 260 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:23,799 the things that a young guy was able to do for Rutgers. They're not 261 00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:29,279 the same type of back. And Carter has one hundred and fifty six carries 262 00:19:29,319 --> 00:19:32,759 to four touchdowns, averaging about seventy three yards a game. In terms of 263 00:19:32,839 --> 00:19:37,240 receiver, their best receiver now plays at Florida State. Makes you just kind 264 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:41,359 of wonder about that system for what they've been doing for years and years. 265 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:45,720 Montory Foster Junior. I mean, he's a good enough receiver thirty three receptions, 266 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:52,200 four hunan thirty six yards, but only has two touchdowns. I don't 267 00:19:52,359 --> 00:19:55,440 see this being a team that's going to have a ton of trick plays. 268 00:19:55,480 --> 00:19:59,519 This isn't D'Antonio, you know, I'm sure there's somebody on the on the 269 00:19:59,519 --> 00:20:02,960 staff that it's creative. I mean, Ohio State could did get burnt by 270 00:20:03,039 --> 00:20:07,680 the double hike play by Rutgers, something that I've never seen before. I 271 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:11,279 don't think we're going to see a Little Giants type of situation in this game. 272 00:20:11,359 --> 00:20:15,640 But you know, I'm not at all for the beginning of the telfight. 273 00:20:15,119 --> 00:20:18,799 Yeah, I think that the biggest concern is just, you know, 274 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:22,000 going in and saying, well, we already have this game one while I 275 00:20:22,079 --> 00:20:23,720 know it and you know it and we all know it, you can't go 276 00:20:23,759 --> 00:20:26,640 out there and believe it at that moment. You got to go out and 277 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:32,319 and do your one eleventh and all the other all the other rallying cries that 278 00:20:32,319 --> 00:20:38,160 we've heard through multiple administrations around here. But no, just no, I'm 279 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:42,559 gonna be a little harsh. I think that the team laid down after the 280 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:51,680 second win. The university came out and suspended mel Tucker. You can debate 281 00:20:52,279 --> 00:20:56,480 that that was the right thing to do. I think they made the conscious 282 00:20:56,480 --> 00:21:03,839 decision that they wanted to be done with mel Tucker and didn't want another Larry 283 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:11,839 Nasser type scandal on their hands, and decided that they were going to sacrifice 284 00:21:11,920 --> 00:21:18,039 this football season to rid themselves of mel Tucker. They'll go out in you 285 00:21:18,079 --> 00:21:23,720 know, December and get them the shiniest, nicest, newest version of PJ. 286 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:27,759 Fleck type guy to come in and take it, you know, into 287 00:21:27,799 --> 00:21:33,359 the future and you know, energize it a little bit. They're going to 288 00:21:33,359 --> 00:21:37,000 be in the courts with mel Tucker for the next five years, probably fighting 289 00:21:37,039 --> 00:21:41,839 over the remnants of that. You know, if he coached there, this 290 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:45,599 was his third, third or fourth year. Figure they probably still owed him 291 00:21:45,599 --> 00:21:48,119 sixty million of that ninety million that he signed for. They're going to be 292 00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:52,759 arguing over that in court for about five years unless they come to some kind 293 00:21:52,799 --> 00:21:59,400 of agreement on that. And I'm not even sure they were on solid ground 294 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:03,119 with what they did, even though they think they were. Seems to me 295 00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:06,519 the players did not think they were on solid ground because they went out and 296 00:22:06,559 --> 00:22:14,599 promptly laid down against Washington forty one to seven, laid down against their rival 297 00:22:14,680 --> 00:22:19,200 Michigan forty nine to nothing, nearly beat Rutgers twenty seven to twenty four, 298 00:22:19,359 --> 00:22:23,480 lost at the end. And then here's Nebraska last week, five wins, 299 00:22:25,279 --> 00:22:30,119 playing for a bowl game, playing for the lead, in the Big Ten 300 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:36,000 West and they go to Michigan State and they lose twenty to seventeen. How 301 00:22:36,039 --> 00:22:41,279 the hell does that happen? A win star of program like Nebraska, you 302 00:22:41,279 --> 00:22:45,920 know, tells me there is something there at Michigan State. But to expect 303 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:51,319 them to come into Columbus. This is the third national top five, current 304 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:56,839 national top five opponent for them this season. And you know, does Ohio 305 00:22:56,880 --> 00:23:02,640 State beat them forty nine to nothing like Michigan And did doubt it? But 306 00:23:03,039 --> 00:23:06,400 you know, the line is like thirty one, I guess, And you 307 00:23:06,440 --> 00:23:11,039 know, anything like forty five to seven or forty five to fourteen, nothing 308 00:23:11,039 --> 00:23:15,519 would be a surprise to me. You know, I don't know if people 309 00:23:15,599 --> 00:23:21,559 realize that Michigan State is the lowest scoring team in the Big Ten. And 310 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:26,680 I think everybody just assumed that's Iowa, but it's actually Michigan State. They 311 00:23:26,759 --> 00:23:29,799 can't run the ball that I think they're second to last and the Big Ten 312 00:23:29,839 --> 00:23:34,400 and running against Washington this year they posted two hundred and sixty one yards of 313 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:40,359 total offense against Michigan one hundred and eighty two yards of total offense. So 314 00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:44,440 I think that's probably what you'll expect. Just jump into the other side of 315 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:48,319 the ball really quick. Something that jumps out on the score sheet from the 316 00:23:48,359 --> 00:23:52,839 Nebraska game is that Michigan State had seven sacks and twelve tackles for loss, 317 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:57,359 and that's kind of going to be the big equalizer right there. As if 318 00:23:57,359 --> 00:24:06,279 Ohio State's offensive line takes a step backward or Kyle can't get through his progression 319 00:24:06,359 --> 00:24:10,960 quickly enough and holds onto the ball too long, that's where that's where silly 320 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:15,200 things can happen at that point. But now we get to the game, 321 00:24:15,319 --> 00:24:19,160 well, not the game that's in two weekends, the game of the weekend, 322 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:25,720 especially of the Big Ten nationally as well. Fox noonkickoff Michigan and Penn 323 00:24:25,799 --> 00:24:30,920 State. Wolverine's a four point favorite that's dropped from the opening line of six 324 00:24:30,039 --> 00:24:36,640 and a half. JJ McCarthy still has yet to throw an interception to anyone 325 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:41,839 except Bowling Green three against them, none against anyone else. Blake Korum not 326 00:24:41,960 --> 00:24:47,480 having an outstanding twenty twenty two type season rushing for a buck fifty every week, 327 00:24:47,519 --> 00:24:52,039 but they're saving him and working other running backs like Khalil Mullings and Benjamin 328 00:24:52,079 --> 00:24:56,880 Hall into the lineup. The Donovan Edwards situation. That's a mystery to me 329 00:24:56,960 --> 00:25:00,519 in regards to what has happened to him. But he's still a threat passing 330 00:25:00,559 --> 00:25:03,799 game. He started off that Purdue game last weekend with a huge playdown field 331 00:25:04,119 --> 00:25:10,920 on the left sideline. So make Donovan Edwards more receiver than runner down the 332 00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:15,240 stretch would be my suggestion. Blake korm sixteen touchdowns on the ground. Roman 333 00:25:15,279 --> 00:25:18,400 Wilson has turned into an elite wide receiver in the Big Ten. Thirty six 334 00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:22,599 catches ten touchdowns on the Penn State side. I believe that this is the 335 00:25:22,640 --> 00:25:30,240 best. It's the most athletic and the most talented defense in the Big Ten. 336 00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:37,920 Iowa, Ohio State, Michigan awfully close. It is debatable, but 337 00:25:37,039 --> 00:25:41,519 I think the Penn State defense is the best and certainly the most athletic, 338 00:25:41,599 --> 00:25:45,720 with the most NFL future NFL players and not just guys that are gonna make 339 00:25:45,799 --> 00:25:52,359 rosters first and second rounders. We had Marty leap stop By from Penn State 340 00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:56,839 rivals and also Tanner Wooten this week from Blue by ninety to chop it Up? 341 00:25:56,880 --> 00:25:59,680 Oh, chop it up? Did I say chop it up? Chop 342 00:26:00,039 --> 00:26:04,440 Robinson one of the enforcers on defense for Penn State has been missing in recent 343 00:26:04,440 --> 00:26:08,359 weeks. He should be back for this game against Michigan, and that is 344 00:26:08,559 --> 00:26:14,160 enormous. Again, it's Marty Leap, It's Tanner Wooton and myself talking up 345 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:18,599 the game of the week in the Big Ten, Penn State hosting Michigan. 346 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:22,039 I guess we should feel better about Penn State's chances considering what they did at 347 00:26:22,039 --> 00:26:26,200 Maryland. Although the terps not as good as we thought they were. Your 348 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:33,039 interpretation of fifty one fifteen and what that meant to me, The biggest positive 349 00:26:33,119 --> 00:26:36,559 is, I give what you're saying, like, obviously, Maryland is Maryland. 350 00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:37,960 Nonock on them. They're not as good as a lot of people, 351 00:26:38,039 --> 00:26:41,519 myself included, thought they were going to be earlier in the year. But 352 00:26:44,559 --> 00:26:49,279 the biggest positive was, for the first time really all year, you saw 353 00:26:49,359 --> 00:26:53,480 them with some consistency trying to push the ball down the field. You saw 354 00:26:55,119 --> 00:26:59,000 Drew Aller not look hesitant. You saw him come out and just kind of 355 00:26:59,039 --> 00:27:02,160 grip it and rip it. He showed off that arm talent. He showed 356 00:27:02,160 --> 00:27:04,880 why he was a five star recruit, why some places had him his number 357 00:27:04,880 --> 00:27:08,279 one quarterback in the country. In high school, he made throws. There 358 00:27:08,279 --> 00:27:12,519 were multiple throws he made on a Saturday that honestly half the quarterbacks the NFL 359 00:27:12,559 --> 00:27:17,759 probably can't make. So we saw it and to see it in game action, 360 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:21,680 especially on the road where he has really struggled this year, that is 361 00:27:21,759 --> 00:27:25,960 undoubtedly a big positive, no matter no matter what kind of spin you want 362 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:26,799 to put on him with the opponent, because I get it, it was 363 00:27:26,960 --> 00:27:30,480 just Maryland. And you know, I said this after the game. I 364 00:27:30,519 --> 00:27:33,400 know Penn State has scored sixty three points twice this year when you consider the 365 00:27:33,400 --> 00:27:37,559 opponent considered it was on the road. That was by far the best offensive 366 00:27:37,559 --> 00:27:40,240 performance of the year. Is the best game k Tron Allen has had running 367 00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:45,039 the ball. Also, we finally saw Dante Cephis, the coveted wide receiver 368 00:27:45,079 --> 00:27:47,920 transfer and Ken State, step up and have a huge game. Made two 369 00:27:48,079 --> 00:27:51,400 really good catches in the end zone for touchdowns on two really good throws by 370 00:27:51,440 --> 00:27:55,839 Drew. He also had a great game blocking with his route running. Yeah, 371 00:27:55,920 --> 00:28:00,960 we kind of joked my cohorts and I happy that inside of him whenever 372 00:28:00,079 --> 00:28:03,720 drew through that interception against Indiana and then led them right down the field to 373 00:28:03,759 --> 00:28:07,000 score to win, Like, hey, you know, what maybe now that 374 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:11,880 he's finally thrown an interception, he won't be as careful and is concerned with 375 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:15,880 turnovers. And maybe there's some truth to it, because ever since that interception, 376 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:19,000 I don't have the numbers right in front of me, but if you 377 00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:23,359 the Maryland game combined with that last drive against Indiana, he is something like 378 00:28:23,559 --> 00:28:30,079 thirty for forty for I think almost three hundred yards five scores. So there 379 00:28:30,160 --> 00:28:33,599 might be something to the once he threw that interception and that he felt the 380 00:28:33,640 --> 00:28:36,920 pressure of not having any turnovers where he can just kind of, you know, 381 00:28:37,160 --> 00:28:40,640 just grip it and rip it and let the arm talent talk for itself. 382 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:48,160 Yeah. So, And it's kind of strange because that interception, if 383 00:28:48,279 --> 00:28:52,559 Tom Ellen and Indiana would have taken better advantage of it, because I certainly 384 00:28:52,599 --> 00:28:56,880 didn't understand nor did I agree with the play calling once they did. When 385 00:28:56,920 --> 00:29:00,359 you're in a happy valley, he's a thirty two point underdog. You've just 386 00:29:00,400 --> 00:29:04,400 picked off Drew Aller for the first time that he's thrown a pass interception in 387 00:29:04,480 --> 00:29:08,480 his career after setting a record, and you've got the ball in the red 388 00:29:08,559 --> 00:29:15,240 zone or the the lip of the red zone, and you can go up 389 00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:18,759 by four with a touchdown and put Aller in a situation where he's got to 390 00:29:18,839 --> 00:29:22,680 drive it in the final two minutes. For a touchdown, you've got to 391 00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:26,039 try to score a touchdown. But anyway, that was two weeks ago against 392 00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:32,119 and then he bounces back obviously after even after throwing the pick, then the 393 00:29:32,119 --> 00:29:36,400 field goal to tie the game, he goes for the gusto down the right 394 00:29:36,440 --> 00:29:41,759 sideline and throws a nice ball to win the game. That my point about 395 00:29:41,759 --> 00:29:45,799 the interception was going to be, well, if it's a first quarter interception 396 00:29:45,960 --> 00:29:49,319 and he gets it out of the way in that manner, I would believe, 397 00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:53,079 you know, that could be shrugged off. But I guess regardless, 398 00:29:53,119 --> 00:29:57,640 he bounced back with a nice effort. No question. Against Maryland when you 399 00:29:57,640 --> 00:30:03,039 bring up k Tron Allen and I'll throw Nick Singleton into the mix. Has 400 00:30:03,079 --> 00:30:08,160 has Allan taken over? Is the not the number one back but more of 401 00:30:08,200 --> 00:30:15,519 a primary role? I think so Allen this year is averaging nearly five yards 402 00:30:15,559 --> 00:30:21,519 per carry. Last week against Maryland averaged almost seven yards per Carrey finished with 403 00:30:21,559 --> 00:30:23,640 like ninety two ninety three yards, which had he gotten there would have been 404 00:30:23,680 --> 00:30:26,200 the first one hundred yard game of the season for a Penn State back. 405 00:30:26,799 --> 00:30:32,240 Singleton still leads a team in touchdowns, but only averaging four yards per carry. 406 00:30:32,240 --> 00:30:33,400 Now. Singleton has been more of a threat catching them all out of 407 00:30:33,400 --> 00:30:37,279 the backfield this year than Alan, but the explosiveness, which is what Nicholas 408 00:30:37,279 --> 00:30:41,960 Singleton is known for, hasn't been there now. I will say each of 409 00:30:41,960 --> 00:30:45,079 the last two weeks he's returned to kick off fifty plus yards Singleton has so 410 00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:51,400 maybe something is starting to click there again. But there's just been multiple times 411 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:55,720 this year where there's been holes that last year Singleton hits that in Burster for 412 00:30:55,759 --> 00:30:57,680 ten twenty thirty yards, if not more, and this year he's getting shoe 413 00:30:57,680 --> 00:31:00,480 string tackled. Something just seems off with him. I don't know what it 414 00:31:00,559 --> 00:31:04,160 is, but hopefully whatever it is, they get it addressed, if not 415 00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:08,319 sooner or at least during this offseason. But I definitely think the offense moves 416 00:31:08,359 --> 00:31:12,119 better right now with k Tron Allen on the field. And you know, 417 00:31:12,359 --> 00:31:15,400 and you look ahead the Saturday's game, if you're going to pull the upset, 418 00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:18,640 it's a game where you need to maximize every opportunity and offense you need 419 00:31:18,680 --> 00:31:22,279 to maximize your possessions, maximize your yardage, and I feel like k Tron 420 00:31:22,319 --> 00:31:26,279 Allen gives you a better chance of that right now than Nicholas Singleton does. 421 00:31:26,319 --> 00:31:30,599 So I suspect we'll still see plenty of both on Saturday, but I would 422 00:31:30,599 --> 00:31:33,839 expect Allen to get more reps than Singleton, especially if this is a game 423 00:31:33,839 --> 00:31:37,559 where you know you can get into the fourth quarter and Penn States, you 424 00:31:37,599 --> 00:31:40,559 know, within a score or tied or leading, I think you really lean 425 00:31:40,599 --> 00:31:44,160 on Allen in to try and you know, help help drain the clock and 426 00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:48,000 put it away. Our guy in the Chad David says that Penn State never 427 00:31:48,039 --> 00:31:51,480 beats anyone ranked in the top twenty five. So I did this count a 428 00:31:51,480 --> 00:31:56,279 couple of weeks ago. That would be thirteen games that James Franklin has won 429 00:31:56,599 --> 00:32:00,279 against top twenty five opponents. So thirteen zero. That's that's a pretty close 430 00:32:00,359 --> 00:32:05,720 estimation there, David, nice job. So yeah, it's obviously a storyline 431 00:32:05,720 --> 00:32:08,200 that they don't beat the very best teams on the schedule and have had issues 432 00:32:08,240 --> 00:32:14,960 with that. But yes ranked teams, yes, they've done rather fine. 433 00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:16,759 And if you look at the bull record, all ranked teams usually in the 434 00:32:16,759 --> 00:32:21,519 top ten. Those have been pretty good showings for Penn State. Good Bowl 435 00:32:21,599 --> 00:32:25,000 record, Rose Bowls, BCS Bowls, New Year six Bulls. The whole 436 00:32:25,039 --> 00:32:32,079 deal, Marty, when we look at this defense, and I'm gonna let 437 00:32:32,119 --> 00:32:36,240 you know, I saw almost every play of the Indiana game. I did 438 00:32:36,279 --> 00:32:38,759 not touch the Maryland game. I watched like the eight minute highlight deal. 439 00:32:42,359 --> 00:32:45,440 They didn't really get shredded against Indiana in a sense from play to play, 440 00:32:45,480 --> 00:32:52,359 but it was those big shots that really hurt them and kept the Hoosiers in 441 00:32:52,400 --> 00:32:55,880 the game. What was going on there with an air tight pen steep defense 442 00:32:55,920 --> 00:33:00,839 that was giving up those kind of bombs. It was most two plays. 443 00:33:00,880 --> 00:33:05,960 Indiana got one hundred and fifty nine yards on two plays. On one it 444 00:33:06,039 --> 00:33:09,920 was a miscommunication between Johnny Dixon and kJ Winston. One of them was supposed 445 00:33:09,960 --> 00:33:13,240 to blitz, one of them was supposed to go into coverage. They both 446 00:33:13,240 --> 00:33:17,319 blitzed left a wide receiver wide open. Jalen Reid noticed it, but by 447 00:33:17,359 --> 00:33:21,119 the time Reid noticed it, just he didn't have the angle to get there 448 00:33:21,119 --> 00:33:23,319 to make up for it. And then the other one was the Key Wheatley 449 00:33:23,920 --> 00:33:28,119 bit on a pump fake. And then two or three guys misstackle, So 450 00:33:28,480 --> 00:33:31,759 I don't think it was anything super concerning. Outside of those two plays, 451 00:33:31,839 --> 00:33:35,920 Indiana had like one hundred and seventy yards of offense. Now, obviously you 452 00:33:35,960 --> 00:33:39,240 can't take those plays away and you're lucky. Was Indiana a team who can't 453 00:33:39,240 --> 00:33:44,599 get out of their own way and couldn't really take advantage of your two defensive 454 00:33:44,680 --> 00:33:46,920 mishaps there? But even in the Indiana game, you know when the defense 455 00:33:46,960 --> 00:33:51,680 had to come through, they did. When Indiana picked off Drewler, the 456 00:33:51,759 --> 00:33:54,000 defense held them to a field goal. When Penn State took the lead back, 457 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:58,400 literally the very next play, there's a strip sack that results in the 458 00:33:58,440 --> 00:34:01,759 safety that effectively ended the game. So it was mostly just two really bad 459 00:34:01,799 --> 00:34:06,839 plays, one of which was a miscommunication. The other one saw a young 460 00:34:06,960 --> 00:34:10,320 defensive back bite on a pump fake combined with some poor tackling. So nothing 461 00:34:10,440 --> 00:34:15,440 super alarming to me. Against Maryland. A lot of people wanted to point 462 00:34:15,440 --> 00:34:20,159 out to Lea Tacavola starting seventeen of seventeen, but it's because Maryland was just 463 00:34:20,239 --> 00:34:22,920 content running four or five yard patterns and Penn State was tackling them right there. 464 00:34:23,280 --> 00:34:28,000 So Penn State was content giving them those because half the time on third 465 00:34:28,039 --> 00:34:30,840 down they would wind up getting a sack or TfL and Maryland sought the punt 466 00:34:30,840 --> 00:34:36,440 anyway, So the defense played extremely well. I don't the mishaps against Indiana. 467 00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:38,760 I think we're just two fluky things and nothing that really raised the red 468 00:34:38,760 --> 00:34:45,239 flag to Moon. I like strange, weird odd stats and Maryland rushing for 469 00:34:45,280 --> 00:34:49,400 a negative forty nine I think was the number. Forty nine would have finished 470 00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:53,280 negative forty nine. And if you know the way stats are compiled, folks, 471 00:34:53,440 --> 00:34:58,320 of course they include sacks, but they basically didn't even try to run 472 00:34:58,360 --> 00:35:01,679 the ball like that was without the sack yardage, Yeah, I would say, 473 00:35:01,679 --> 00:35:04,880 sorry, I was gonna say, even without the sack yardage, just 474 00:35:04,920 --> 00:35:07,000 like regular running, they still had negative yards rushing even if you took out 475 00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:12,159 sack yardage. Yeah. Yeah, Roman Hemby ran for a thousand yards last 476 00:35:12,239 --> 00:35:15,880 year. He was like five carries for zero and yeah, the best figure 477 00:35:15,880 --> 00:35:22,199 in the Big Ten this century in terms of rush defense negative forty nine against 478 00:35:22,199 --> 00:35:25,559 Maryland. We got Marty Leap here from Penn State rivals. I want to 479 00:35:25,639 --> 00:35:30,079 keep Marty along here for the ride. I don't know how much time you 480 00:35:30,159 --> 00:35:34,159 have just long enough we've got tin or wootin from Blue by ninety. I 481 00:35:34,239 --> 00:35:36,719 wanted to hear you guys mix it up a little bit and go back and 482 00:35:36,800 --> 00:35:43,920 forth on the Michigan game. It's been noted here in the chat, and 483 00:35:44,079 --> 00:35:50,000 we did a Michigan livestream this morning and a lot of people upset about the 484 00:35:50,159 --> 00:35:54,559 noon kickoff. So obviously there's not the impact from the crowd, from the 485 00:35:54,599 --> 00:36:00,239 setting, from all of that that there is. I would be one to 486 00:36:00,280 --> 00:36:04,679 say, if I didn't hear the feedback, I would say, you know, 487 00:36:04,719 --> 00:36:07,119 what's the difference. But we know that there's a difference because there are 488 00:36:07,199 --> 00:36:13,000 enough people that talk about it, whether they be coaches and players or fans 489 00:36:13,039 --> 00:36:17,000 themselves, that say there's a difference. So but it is what it is. 490 00:36:17,039 --> 00:36:21,880 And Fox owns the Big Ten and they put the biggest games at noon. 491 00:36:22,039 --> 00:36:24,039 So this has been going on for five years, folks, Like I 492 00:36:24,079 --> 00:36:29,960 hear people talk about it like like this is a new thing, Like what's 493 00:36:30,039 --> 00:36:32,320 going on? This game's at noon? Yeah, this has been going on 494 00:36:34,320 --> 00:36:37,679 with a Big Ten in Fox since like twenty seventeen. So this is a 495 00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:43,840 seventh season of this. But just your thoughts about starting at noon and what 496 00:36:43,920 --> 00:36:47,440 kind of home field advantage can be summoned up at that point. Yeah, 497 00:36:47,519 --> 00:36:52,440 that's right, dislike it is. You know, as a Penn State fan, 498 00:36:52,199 --> 00:36:54,599 everyone has seen the white Yard, everyone has seen night games here. 499 00:36:54,639 --> 00:36:59,800 They know what it's like. You would much rather be able to get and 500 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:05,119 Michigan Ohio State last year at night with that crowd with the white out. 501 00:37:05,920 --> 00:37:07,880 That said, I mean, the noon kickoffs at Penn State have still been 502 00:37:07,880 --> 00:37:12,760 some really good crowds. I mean last year they took Ohio State to the 503 00:37:12,760 --> 00:37:16,280 wire until JTT took that game over in the closing minutes and a big noon 504 00:37:16,360 --> 00:37:20,599 kickoff, and the crowd was rackets for that I expected. I mean, 505 00:37:21,079 --> 00:37:24,840 the crowd Saturday was going to be lit regardless, but just with everything else 506 00:37:24,920 --> 00:37:28,679 going on right now, this is the first time Michigan's played on the road 507 00:37:28,760 --> 00:37:30,920 since all of this has started and happened, I think that place is going 508 00:37:30,960 --> 00:37:34,519 to be one of the best atmospheres you've seen a Beaver Stadium in quite a 509 00:37:34,519 --> 00:37:40,840 while, even with the noon kick now. Personally, for just a fan 510 00:37:42,039 --> 00:37:45,559 standpoint, I like it because usually the noon window this is the only like 511 00:37:45,639 --> 00:37:47,920 good game is big noon kickoff. So in Penn State plays in big Neon 512 00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:52,039 kickoff. I like it because then I know, usually in the three thirty 513 00:37:52,119 --> 00:37:53,320 or the seven to thirty window, when the games are better, I don't 514 00:37:53,320 --> 00:37:55,280 have to be setting there like, oh man, there's three games I want 515 00:37:55,280 --> 00:37:59,480 to watch the Penn State's on right now, you know, like last week 516 00:37:59,519 --> 00:38:01,199 for example, so that thirty thirty window had quite a few games that was 517 00:38:01,199 --> 00:38:05,960 super interested in, But Penn State Maryland were also playing in the three thirty 518 00:38:05,960 --> 00:38:08,440 windows. So from that standpoint, I like it because it's nice to kind 519 00:38:08,440 --> 00:38:12,920 of have your team as that standalone, one good game of the window where 520 00:38:12,960 --> 00:38:15,000 you're not concerned with trying to watch other games quite as much. But I 521 00:38:15,039 --> 00:38:19,000 will say from a home field advantage standpoint, I definitely think the night game. 522 00:38:19,199 --> 00:38:22,079 I mean, you can ask Jim Harball, he's never won. He's 523 00:38:22,119 --> 00:38:25,800 coached twice at Penn State in night games, and I think the final score 524 00:38:25,800 --> 00:38:30,360 combined in those games was something like seventy two to twenty eight. Like they 525 00:38:30,400 --> 00:38:34,039 haven't Penn State has come out and taken a to Michigan when they've gotten them 526 00:38:34,079 --> 00:38:37,519 under the lights. I mean you can go back to Bill O'Brien that triple 527 00:38:37,559 --> 00:38:40,159 overtime win in the white out. You know it's it makes a difference, 528 00:38:40,159 --> 00:38:45,480 It really does. I think Penn State now after beating Iowa this year, 529 00:38:45,519 --> 00:38:49,519 has won something like seven of the last nine primetime whiteouts. It does make 530 00:38:49,559 --> 00:38:53,320 a big difference. But I still think I expect that crowd to be very 531 00:38:53,360 --> 00:38:55,800 loud, very rockous on Saturday, and for it to be a great home 532 00:38:55,840 --> 00:39:01,440 field advantage. Marty, what do you make this Michigan scandal? And I 533 00:39:01,440 --> 00:39:07,719 don't know how closely you're following it, but even from the standpoint of how 534 00:39:07,800 --> 00:39:12,320 much do you think can be gained or is gained? And that doesn't in 535 00:39:12,360 --> 00:39:19,360 my mind excuse cheating if it's that much, it's that much. But just 536 00:39:19,400 --> 00:39:24,159 in regards to to you know what what impact this is having on the other 537 00:39:24,280 --> 00:39:28,559 teams and Penn State. I don't know if James Franklin, I'm sure he's 538 00:39:28,559 --> 00:39:31,639 been asked about it. I don't know how much he's really responded in truth 539 00:39:31,679 --> 00:39:37,320 about his his personal feelings about it, but you know your thoughts. Yeah, 540 00:39:37,320 --> 00:39:40,480 Well, James was asked about it today's press conference. He gave the 541 00:39:40,519 --> 00:39:44,440 answer you would expect, Oh, hey, we're not gonna worry about that. 542 00:39:44,440 --> 00:39:46,119 We're not gonna talk about that. We're focused on our game plan. 543 00:39:46,239 --> 00:39:50,400 You know, YadA YadA, what you would expect. But to me, 544 00:39:50,440 --> 00:39:53,280 it's it's a complex thing. A sign stilling happens, There's no doubt about 545 00:39:53,320 --> 00:39:58,639 it. It doesn't matter if I mean I coach Pony League Baseball and if 546 00:39:58,639 --> 00:40:00,079 we have a chance to try and still the other team signs we're gonna do 547 00:40:00,119 --> 00:40:04,039 it. It gives you an advantage. But to this extent, I think 548 00:40:04,039 --> 00:40:07,519 that's where it becomes that you know, that great area, that's where it 549 00:40:07,559 --> 00:40:15,000 becomes. What's causing where you see so many big ten coaches angry is to 550 00:40:15,079 --> 00:40:19,440 go to the extent that they did, and I definitely, to me, 551 00:40:19,519 --> 00:40:22,840 you can't deny it gave them an advantage. If you look last year some 552 00:40:22,960 --> 00:40:27,519 of the clips and things that have been released where you can see stallions on 553 00:40:27,559 --> 00:40:31,199 the sideline very clearly mouthing hey, run right, run left whatever it is 554 00:40:31,639 --> 00:40:37,840 to Jesse Mintter, and then the defense just absolutely stuffs to play. That's 555 00:40:37,760 --> 00:40:44,079 that's an advantage. I remember when this first broke two weeks ago, James 556 00:40:44,119 --> 00:40:47,000 Franklin made a comment, this is the only really comment he's made on it, 557 00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:51,679 where in the twenty twenty one game where Penn State had the ball with 558 00:40:51,840 --> 00:40:54,920 like forty seconds left, down by four and a fourth and one, and 559 00:40:55,440 --> 00:41:00,880 Penn State ran a play action and Michigan covered to flee, and I remember 560 00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:05,159 Franklin saying like he and Mike yoursich were just amazed that on fourth and one 561 00:41:05,199 --> 00:41:09,440 in that situation, Michigan knew to run the coverage that they did and not 562 00:41:09,639 --> 00:41:12,920 sell out to stop. That's why they called the pass plays. They figured 563 00:41:12,920 --> 00:41:15,880 Michigan be selling out to stop to run. So just little things like that 564 00:41:15,960 --> 00:41:17,360 where the advantage clearly is there. You know, you look at the Fiesta 565 00:41:17,400 --> 00:41:22,480 Bowl last year, where truth or not, it seems to be enough smoke 566 00:41:22,559 --> 00:41:27,559 that TCU was tipped that this may have been going on and changed their signs 567 00:41:27,599 --> 00:41:30,679 and look how that game went, you know. So I definitely think it 568 00:41:30,719 --> 00:41:34,440 gave them a big advantage. I will say, if it is to the 569 00:41:34,480 --> 00:41:38,599 extent that it seems, I think that Jim Harbaugh's days in Michigan are probably 570 00:41:38,679 --> 00:41:42,320 numbered. I even coming into the year, I thought, after all the 571 00:41:42,360 --> 00:41:45,320 recruiting stuff in the burger and said, which to me, that's that was 572 00:41:45,480 --> 00:41:46,599 stupid. On the instad blaze part like, if you're going to buy a 573 00:41:46,679 --> 00:41:51,519 kid at dinner on a recruiting busy, you should be allowed to. I 574 00:41:51,599 --> 00:41:53,880 felt after all of that, Harball was not gonna be Michigan next year anyway. 575 00:41:54,679 --> 00:41:59,719 But I definitely think now I don't expect him back. And you know, 576 00:41:59,840 --> 00:42:02,719 if something happens between now and kickoff on Saturday where Jim Harbaugh isn't coaching 577 00:42:02,719 --> 00:42:06,440 on Saturday, it's not going to stun me either, because I do think 578 00:42:06,719 --> 00:42:08,559 the Big Ten would love to step in and if nothing else, to spend 579 00:42:08,639 --> 00:42:12,360 Harbaugh, which I think would be the right move. I don't think, 580 00:42:12,719 --> 00:42:15,440 you know, they would be in the wrong for doing that. I just 581 00:42:15,440 --> 00:42:19,280 it's not going to surprise me. But yeah, I think, like I 582 00:42:19,280 --> 00:42:22,199 said, stealing signs happens in sports. It's unavoidable. But to do it 583 00:42:22,239 --> 00:42:27,519 to the extent Michigan did, that's where it becomes a problem in my opinion, 584 00:42:28,199 --> 00:42:31,199 just the I mean, it's right in the bylaws you can't do the 585 00:42:31,400 --> 00:42:35,960 in person scouting ahead of time. That is illegal, and it's pretty clear 586 00:42:36,000 --> 00:42:38,840 that was going on to some extent. But yeah, it's definitely a sticky 587 00:42:38,880 --> 00:42:43,559 situation, and you know, it's made even harder by the fact it's a 588 00:42:43,599 --> 00:42:45,199 team that has won the Big Ten tiers in a row, gone to the 589 00:42:45,239 --> 00:42:49,199 College Football Playoff twoyears in a row, and is in position to do the 590 00:42:49,239 --> 00:42:52,960 same because I think you'd agree with me. If this wasn't one of those 591 00:42:53,000 --> 00:42:57,800 three teams currently ranked in the top ten, the Big Ten probably would have 592 00:42:57,840 --> 00:43:01,960 hammered them by now. But TV and money in viewership. When your three 593 00:43:02,000 --> 00:43:06,480 cash cows are what they are, when those three screw up, it doesn't 594 00:43:06,519 --> 00:43:08,719 matter what comference you are. If your cash cows do something, you're gonna 595 00:43:08,719 --> 00:43:12,400 give them more leeway. And I think we're like, if this was like 596 00:43:12,440 --> 00:43:15,679 Wisconsin or something, I think that would have been hammered already by the Big 597 00:43:15,719 --> 00:43:17,800 Ten. But that's that's kind of beside the point. When I look at 598 00:43:17,800 --> 00:43:22,400 Penn State, I look at the running backs, and those two are as 599 00:43:22,440 --> 00:43:24,480 dynamic as you're gonna see in the Big Ten. I think that defense is 600 00:43:24,880 --> 00:43:29,880 lights out. That's gonna be Michigan's toughest test, maybe all year. Honestly, 601 00:43:30,559 --> 00:43:34,840 I think that defense is legit. Marty is real quick, just gonna 602 00:43:34,840 --> 00:43:38,800 ask you a question. Is there any news surrounding Chop Robinson's availability this weekend, 603 00:43:38,880 --> 00:43:43,800 because that's a pretty big deal, you know, for both sides of 604 00:43:43,800 --> 00:43:46,199 this game. Yeah, it's definitely a big deal. James Franklin told the 605 00:43:46,239 --> 00:43:52,360 Me today he is hopeful that Chop will play on Saturday. He did not 606 00:43:52,440 --> 00:43:55,280 play against Maryland, but he traveled with the team. He was fully dressed 607 00:43:55,280 --> 00:43:59,559 and fully participating in pregame warm ups. So I think all of that's pretty 608 00:43:59,599 --> 00:44:02,000 telling, the fact he he did all of that and then coming out of 609 00:44:02,039 --> 00:44:06,159 it, they're hopeful he's gonna play. I would assume we see him, 610 00:44:06,159 --> 00:44:08,320 and I mean it might be limited with snaps. It might not be the 611 00:44:08,360 --> 00:44:13,239 sixty sixty five snaps the game he typically plays. But I would assume we 612 00:44:13,280 --> 00:44:15,119 see Chopp in some fashion. And you know that that's a really good defensive 613 00:44:15,159 --> 00:44:19,519 end room even without Drop Robinson. So it's crazy because he might be the 614 00:44:19,559 --> 00:44:23,239 best player on their defense, but it's still one that they've been able to 615 00:44:23,320 --> 00:44:27,440 survive without. Now you're gonna be Michigan, you're gonna need Chop. But 616 00:44:27,519 --> 00:44:30,000 I would expect. I don't again, I don't know if he'll bee hundred 617 00:44:30,000 --> 00:44:34,360 percent. I don't know how many snaps he'll have. It might be on 618 00:44:34,400 --> 00:44:36,880 a pitch count, but I would expect we see him in some fashion. 619 00:44:37,199 --> 00:44:38,840 You know, I noticed there was some pressure. I think produced defensive ends 620 00:44:38,840 --> 00:44:43,320 are pretty good and they were able to generate some pressure, and I think 621 00:44:43,360 --> 00:44:46,320 you saw McCarthy have a little bit of happy feat on Saturday. Even then, 622 00:44:46,360 --> 00:44:50,199 though, a lot of us in the in the Michigan sphere, we're 623 00:44:50,239 --> 00:44:52,840 like, what's going on with with nine? And you know, he's still 624 00:44:52,920 --> 00:44:55,119 is you know, sixty five percent three hundred and thirty five yards nine yards 625 00:44:55,119 --> 00:44:59,599 in attempt, Like his off game is still pretty damn good, which you've 626 00:44:59,599 --> 00:45:01,440 seen a lot of Michigan quarterbacks, so it's kind of nice to have that 627 00:45:02,199 --> 00:45:06,239 be the guy under center for Michigan. But yeah, you know, I 628 00:45:06,239 --> 00:45:07,679 think from the Michigan in you know, there's a lot of things that I 629 00:45:08,000 --> 00:45:10,840 love about this team. But I think I'm a little bit concerned about the 630 00:45:10,880 --> 00:45:14,519 run game going up against Penn State. Right now, they're not really firing 631 00:45:14,519 --> 00:45:16,840 on all cylinders. So Marty, love to know what you hear about that. 632 00:45:16,960 --> 00:45:21,599 My one thing with that though, is similar to last year, coming 633 00:45:21,639 --> 00:45:25,159 into the Penn State game Michigan played at Indiana, you know, really wasn't 634 00:45:25,199 --> 00:45:28,719 able to get the run game going, it was a lot of McCarthy's arm 635 00:45:28,920 --> 00:45:30,400 and the reds were shut off for McCarthy, he's not really running, got 636 00:45:30,400 --> 00:45:34,440 to keep him healthy. And then for Penn State, they had some designed 637 00:45:34,480 --> 00:45:37,119 runs for him that really opened some things up. And we're kind of, 638 00:45:37,159 --> 00:45:39,519 you know, key catalysts on those two long touchdowns that corm and Edwards had 639 00:45:39,519 --> 00:45:42,800 to start the second half last year. So Marty loved to know what you 640 00:45:42,840 --> 00:45:45,039 think about, you know, Penn State defense coming in against his Michigan offense. 641 00:45:45,079 --> 00:45:46,840 You know, maybe a little bit more balanced than they've been in the 642 00:45:46,840 --> 00:45:50,239 past. You know, more of a dynamic playmaker at quarterback who's a year 643 00:45:50,280 --> 00:45:52,440 older now, but the run game is maybe not as explosive as it was 644 00:45:52,440 --> 00:45:57,440 in twenty twenty two. Yeah, I mean, I definitely think as I'm 645 00:45:57,480 --> 00:46:00,079 sure this has come as no surprise to anybody. Mandy is a very prideful 646 00:46:00,079 --> 00:46:04,559 individual. Man Diez is probably a tough five defensive coordinator in the country. 647 00:46:05,079 --> 00:46:07,960 I've got no doubt, Manny and this crew is going to be ready to 648 00:46:07,960 --> 00:46:09,239 go for Saturday. For what happened last year in ann Arbor, they are 649 00:46:09,239 --> 00:46:15,000 going to be able to prove a point. The rush defense has been questioned 650 00:46:15,000 --> 00:46:17,320 since that game, and it's kind of built up to this because everyone in 651 00:46:17,440 --> 00:46:21,280 Penn State circle said, well, yeah, the rush defense has been great 652 00:46:21,320 --> 00:46:24,400 since then, but it doesn't matter if you can't stop Michigan. And I 653 00:46:24,440 --> 00:46:28,039 think they're built for success. I really do. If you go back and 654 00:46:28,039 --> 00:46:34,599 rewatch that game last year, Penn State was incredibly not gap sound and that 655 00:46:34,840 --> 00:46:37,599 was as big a problem as anything that happened this year. In the season 656 00:46:37,599 --> 00:46:43,400 opener against West Virginia. Now, to West Virginia's credit, other than Michigan, 657 00:46:43,440 --> 00:46:45,480 that's the best offensive line Penn State has played all year, will play 658 00:46:45,480 --> 00:46:51,800 West Virginia's offensive line is really good. But since then, this defense has 659 00:46:51,880 --> 00:46:53,440 been stellar against the run. You know, Mark and I talked about it 660 00:46:53,440 --> 00:46:58,239 before you joined us. Maryland had negative forty nine yards rushing last week. 661 00:46:58,239 --> 00:47:00,519 Now a lot of that was sackyards, but take out sack yardage. Maryland 662 00:47:00,559 --> 00:47:05,639 still rushed for negative yards. They held Iowa to something like one point one 663 00:47:05,719 --> 00:47:08,679 yards per carry. Ohio State I think only average like three point two yards 664 00:47:08,679 --> 00:47:13,760 per carry against them. They have been extremely good against the run. I 665 00:47:13,760 --> 00:47:15,880 think they're gonna be extremely motivated on Saturday. I think you're gonna see them 666 00:47:15,920 --> 00:47:21,559 play a much more gap sound style of defense. And I really do think 667 00:47:21,639 --> 00:47:23,920 that if Michigan is going to win this game, I mean, make no 668 00:47:24,199 --> 00:47:27,840 buts about it. If I was making a prediction today, I would predict 669 00:47:27,880 --> 00:47:30,400 Michigan. Now, obviously, with everything going on, who knows. I've 670 00:47:30,440 --> 00:47:34,559 said that this is a game he probably safely can't predict till Saturday morning because 671 00:47:35,119 --> 00:47:37,280 you don't know what's going to happen with the Big Ten and the coaching staffs, 672 00:47:37,320 --> 00:47:40,199 that sort of thing. But I think if Michigan's gonna do it, 673 00:47:40,199 --> 00:47:44,119 it's gonna be on McCarthy because I do think Penn State's going to do a 674 00:47:44,119 --> 00:47:45,320 good job of handling the running game. I mean, you would know better 675 00:47:45,360 --> 00:47:49,000 than me, but it does seem from what I've read what I've seen of 676 00:47:49,039 --> 00:47:51,679 Michigan this year, this offensive line, it's not bad, but it's not 677 00:47:51,719 --> 00:47:55,039 as good as it's been. And Penn State's defensive line might be the best 678 00:47:55,079 --> 00:48:00,440 in the Big Ten. So I think that's a that's a combination where Michigan's 679 00:48:00,440 --> 00:48:02,960 gonna get their runs. Corn is so good, Edwards is so good, 680 00:48:04,239 --> 00:48:07,159 but I don't think it's going to be repeated last year where they're just running 681 00:48:07,199 --> 00:48:09,599 wild either. So I do think McCarthy is going to have to make some 682 00:48:09,679 --> 00:48:13,800 plays. And you know, go back two years ago that game in Happy 683 00:48:13,880 --> 00:48:16,800 Valley, what did it come down to. It came down to Kate McNamara 684 00:48:17,000 --> 00:48:21,039 making some big throws late in the fourth quarter for Iowa or for Michigan, 685 00:48:21,079 --> 00:48:23,119 excuse me to pull it out. And I think it might be similar to 686 00:48:23,119 --> 00:48:25,760 that where McCarthy's going to have to make some plays. Because I do think 687 00:48:27,039 --> 00:48:30,079 this Penn State defense you mentioned it being balanced, It is very balanced. 688 00:48:30,079 --> 00:48:32,440 The pass rush is tremendous, the run defense has been great, the secondary 689 00:48:32,480 --> 00:48:37,800 has been really good. And I think most of all they embody Manny diaz 690 00:48:37,880 --> 00:48:42,239 Many is aggressive, he's fiery, he trusts his system, he believes in 691 00:48:42,280 --> 00:48:44,519 it, and so do these guys on defense. If they give up a 692 00:48:44,559 --> 00:48:46,960 big play, they don't worry about it because in their mom and their minds, 693 00:48:47,039 --> 00:48:50,039 hey, we're getting a TfL, we're getting a sack, we're going 694 00:48:50,119 --> 00:48:52,360 to force turnover, so it doesn't matter. And I think that, like 695 00:48:52,400 --> 00:48:55,480 I said, they're gonna be very motivated on Saturday after what happened last year. 696 00:48:57,840 --> 00:49:00,960 Yeah, I think the interesting thing when I look at Michigan's performance in 697 00:49:00,000 --> 00:49:01,840 the run game though, because if you go and look at you know, 698 00:49:02,280 --> 00:49:07,360 I would say the three toughest defenses, you know, against the run that 699 00:49:07,360 --> 00:49:10,360 they have played in twenty twenty three so far have been Nebraska, Rutgers, 700 00:49:10,559 --> 00:49:15,840 and Minnesota, and it felt like they got whatever they wanted in those games. 701 00:49:15,880 --> 00:49:19,920 And now against Indiana, Michigan State, and Purdue, it just felt 702 00:49:19,960 --> 00:49:22,519 like, we're not gonna put McCarthy at risk. Now. He will still 703 00:49:22,519 --> 00:49:24,440 scramble because he is that kind of guy. You know, every time I 704 00:49:24,440 --> 00:49:28,360 watch Michigan on TV, they talk about being a hockey player and the competitive 705 00:49:28,400 --> 00:49:30,800 nature and just not being afraid of contact, which I go little nervous sometimes, 706 00:49:30,840 --> 00:49:34,559 right, you know that that depth is not there. There's no kid 707 00:49:34,639 --> 00:49:37,920 nacnamara behind you, right. But I do think that his legs are gonna 708 00:49:37,920 --> 00:49:42,000 be incorporated into the offense. I think that will probably open some things up 709 00:49:42,000 --> 00:49:44,920 a little bit, you know, call some hesitancy from the linebackers, but 710 00:49:45,440 --> 00:49:46,559 you know, I think it's gonna come down to, like you said, 711 00:49:46,639 --> 00:49:50,519 JJ McCarthy and then on the other side, drew a laar. You know, 712 00:49:50,599 --> 00:49:54,079 I I have I try to be fair, and I just I haven't 713 00:49:54,119 --> 00:49:58,400 seen a ton from him this year so far that's lived up to the hype. 714 00:49:58,440 --> 00:50:00,360 Right, five star, top ten player coming in in twenty twenty two. 715 00:50:01,079 --> 00:50:04,159 You know, the yards per attempt have not been great, but he 716 00:50:04,199 --> 00:50:07,079 has bounced back really well, you know against Indiana and Maryland. You know, 717 00:50:07,119 --> 00:50:10,519 it just seems like they don't let him just you know, let it 718 00:50:10,639 --> 00:50:14,639 rip. I mean, they had the long touchdown to win the Indiana game. 719 00:50:14,960 --> 00:50:15,639 It's like, man, you got to let this kid just go out 720 00:50:15,639 --> 00:50:19,079 there and rip it, make mistakes, learn from it. Like I don't 721 00:50:19,079 --> 00:50:22,079 think as a as a first time starter having you know, twenty touchdowns one 722 00:50:22,079 --> 00:50:24,480 pick, it's great, But if I'm a Penn State guy, I'd like 723 00:50:24,519 --> 00:50:28,079 to see him make more mistakes and learn from him. So you get to 724 00:50:28,079 --> 00:50:30,360 this part of the season and you don't have so many question marks. So 725 00:50:30,719 --> 00:50:32,679 I love to know what you think because I just I feel like they just 726 00:50:32,760 --> 00:50:35,760 they need to take the training wheels off. Man, let this let this 727 00:50:35,800 --> 00:50:37,199 five star go be a five star. You have to just do that sometimes 728 00:50:37,239 --> 00:50:40,000 and take the lumps. Hey, you're preaching to the choir there, you 729 00:50:40,039 --> 00:50:44,519 know. I mentioned this to Mark earlier, some of us, some like 730 00:50:44,559 --> 00:50:47,679 Cohorts and I rivals with have the Valley Insider. We joked that once you 731 00:50:49,000 --> 00:50:52,239 see through the interceptions Indiana, like hey, it's okay, taking people us 732 00:50:52,239 --> 00:50:58,159 through, it's gonna be okay. And since that interception, he's coming off 733 00:50:58,159 --> 00:51:00,000 by far the best game of his career against mary Maryland. I mean it 734 00:51:00,039 --> 00:51:04,360 was just Maryland, but man, the throw some of the throws he made 735 00:51:04,400 --> 00:51:06,760 were just I said it tomorrow. There was three or fourth throws he made 736 00:51:06,760 --> 00:51:08,440 in that game. Half the quarterbacks the NFL aren't gonna make that throw. 737 00:51:08,480 --> 00:51:10,599 And that just kind of goes to your point of hey, he's got the 738 00:51:10,679 --> 00:51:15,320 arm talent, let him show it. But dating back to that last drive 739 00:51:15,360 --> 00:51:20,000 against Indiana, I don't have the exact stats in front of me right now, 740 00:51:20,039 --> 00:51:23,360 but he's something like thirty or forty for three hundred yards and five scores. 741 00:51:23,519 --> 00:51:27,679 So like, since he threw that interception, it's almost like, hey, 742 00:51:27,760 --> 00:51:30,800 you know what it's gonna He realized it's gonna be okay. You can 743 00:51:30,880 --> 00:51:34,159 make mistakes, learn from them, and even the coaching staff the game they 744 00:51:34,199 --> 00:51:37,440 called against Maryland was completely different than any other game they've called this year. 745 00:51:37,679 --> 00:51:42,880 There were multiple deep shots more than not they worked. Some of the ones 746 00:51:42,920 --> 00:51:45,239 that didn't weren't on Drew, Like there was a deep post to KeAndre Lambert 747 00:51:45,280 --> 00:51:47,840 Smith where he just broke the wrong way coming out of his route or else 748 00:51:47,840 --> 00:51:52,280 it would have been a sixty yeard touchdown. There was a drop on what 749 00:51:52,320 --> 00:51:55,320 could have been a touchdown on a deep throw. But I'm with you, 750 00:51:55,360 --> 00:51:58,920 like, take the training those off, let him sling it. And I 751 00:51:58,960 --> 00:52:01,719 will say that the fact we didn't not just that we saw it against Maryland, 752 00:52:01,760 --> 00:52:06,239 but Dante Cephis, the transfer receiver from Kent State, had by far 753 00:52:06,360 --> 00:52:09,559 his best game of the season. You finally maybe feel comfortable you've got two 754 00:52:09,599 --> 00:52:14,960 legitimate receiver options with Cefisz and KeAndre Lambert Smith. Obviously that opens things up 755 00:52:14,960 --> 00:52:17,159 a lot more too. So I do think if they're going to pull the 756 00:52:17,199 --> 00:52:21,639 episode on Saturday, Drew has to play the way he did against Maryland. 757 00:52:21,679 --> 00:52:23,440 I think if he plays the way he did against Maryland, and I know 758 00:52:23,559 --> 00:52:27,800 it's not a coincidence that he had that game and it was the best game 759 00:52:27,920 --> 00:52:30,679 Catron Allen's had running the ball all year. Either those two things definitely go 760 00:52:30,719 --> 00:52:32,360 hand in hand. If Drew can do that. It's going to open up 761 00:52:32,360 --> 00:52:35,760 the running game more and they're going to have a chance to beat Michigan on 762 00:52:35,760 --> 00:52:38,599 Saturday, especially with it being in Happy Valley. And I mean this crowd, 763 00:52:39,440 --> 00:52:44,360 it's always a hostile crowd for an opponent at Beaver Stadium anyway. But 764 00:52:44,639 --> 00:52:47,519 and I mean, I'm sure you and every other Michigan personal world agree. 765 00:52:47,519 --> 00:52:52,039 Is this the first road game since all of this That place is going to 766 00:52:52,159 --> 00:52:55,400 be They're going to be this game could be played anywhere, And that crowd 767 00:52:55,440 --> 00:53:00,079 was going to be so incredibly anti harbor on anti Michigan. You throw in 768 00:53:00,079 --> 00:53:01,840 the fact that it's Beaver Stadium, it is a team that you have a 769 00:53:01,840 --> 00:53:05,719 little bit of a rivalry with to begin with. Already, it's going to 770 00:53:05,760 --> 00:53:07,679 be a very hostile crowd that I think Penn State will be able to feed 771 00:53:07,719 --> 00:53:14,159 off of. Yeah, I mean, you know it's gonna be I don't 772 00:53:14,199 --> 00:53:15,039 know. I mean, maybe the signs will be better. I mean, 773 00:53:15,039 --> 00:53:16,840 that play is gonna be rocking no matter what. Right, I mean, 774 00:53:16,920 --> 00:53:20,400 it's you know, it's not at night. It's not a true white out 775 00:53:20,800 --> 00:53:23,119 because you know, November Big ten rules night games, all that fun stuff. 776 00:53:23,159 --> 00:53:28,480 But I mean I feel pretty good with with McCarthy at quarterback for Michigan, 777 00:53:28,599 --> 00:53:30,960 just being able to go in there and say, I've been in really 778 00:53:30,000 --> 00:53:34,719 hostile environments. I mean the Shoe, you know, the Horseshoe and Happy 779 00:53:34,800 --> 00:53:37,039 Valley are too, are the toughest. And so you know, he was 780 00:53:37,039 --> 00:53:38,920 there as a freshman. I honestly can't remember how many times he got in 781 00:53:38,960 --> 00:53:42,599 with with the packages they had built for him. That was a McNamara game. 782 00:53:42,639 --> 00:53:45,599 But you know, so I think that he'll be he'll be ready for 783 00:53:45,639 --> 00:53:46,880 it, and this team I think they're gonna feed off of it too. 784 00:53:46,920 --> 00:53:50,920 I mean, I think it goes both ways. So I'm excited for it. 785 00:53:51,840 --> 00:53:52,880 You know, with Blue ben Idi, we're doing a watch party in 786 00:53:52,920 --> 00:53:55,400 our It's gonna be amazing here in Ayrborn. I'm sure you guys are gonna 787 00:53:55,400 --> 00:53:58,840 have a ton of fun out in Central PA as well, like one of 788 00:53:58,880 --> 00:54:00,840 the best environments in college fotball. So gonna be an awesome game. I 789 00:54:00,840 --> 00:54:05,039 can't I can't wait. And again I'm just ready to you know, the 790 00:54:05,360 --> 00:54:07,559 soft schedule stuff for Michigan, right it's like these games are gonna be played. 791 00:54:07,880 --> 00:54:12,159 It's you know, it's just that it didn't happen in October. So 792 00:54:12,480 --> 00:54:15,760 we're gonna find out what Michigan's made of in Penn State too, because these 793 00:54:15,760 --> 00:54:17,559 are two of the best teams in the country. Well, we will dive 794 00:54:17,599 --> 00:54:22,599 into the soft schedule. I want to respect Marty's time. I'm gonna make 795 00:54:22,639 --> 00:54:27,159 one kind of broad observation and if Marty needs to leave, that's great. 796 00:54:27,159 --> 00:54:30,360 If not, Marty, you can respond to this as well before you head 797 00:54:30,360 --> 00:54:35,559 out. Is that I believe Penn State's get the best defense in the Big 798 00:54:35,599 --> 00:54:39,400 Ten, but I think Ohio State, Michigan, and Iowa are very close. 799 00:54:40,840 --> 00:54:45,440 I just think the Penn State just from a sheer athletics standpoint, with 800 00:54:45,559 --> 00:54:50,840 Manny d As is the coordinator all three levels. But again I think that 801 00:54:50,920 --> 00:54:54,440 those three other teams are really, really good as well. But Michigan is 802 00:54:54,599 --> 00:55:00,239 just to me, just buttoned up everywhere. Maybe there's some special teams gaffs 803 00:55:00,320 --> 00:55:06,599 here and there. We heard Tanner talk about the tackle play against Purdue, 804 00:55:06,599 --> 00:55:10,880 but they have two really good ends. Penn State's just more uneven. You 805 00:55:10,920 --> 00:55:15,960 know, Drew Oler's got a lot of growing up to do. JJ McCarthy's 806 00:55:15,199 --> 00:55:22,000 just hit his peak. Just you know, I I'm concerned to a certain 807 00:55:22,039 --> 00:55:25,719 extent about the Penn State offensive line. They don't seem to have a guy 808 00:55:25,760 --> 00:55:30,360 that's going to blow the top off the defense and wide receiver. A lot 809 00:55:30,400 --> 00:55:35,679 of lot of twos and threes that might be those guys for elite teams. 810 00:55:36,679 --> 00:55:40,519 Marty, how would you respond to that where Penn State's a little bit more 811 00:55:40,599 --> 00:55:45,360 uneven and Michigan seems to be just a complete team. Yeah, I'd agree 812 00:55:45,360 --> 00:55:49,440 with everything you said. I mean, I've said a KeAndre Lambersmith, Dante 813 00:55:49,440 --> 00:55:52,639 Cephist that group. I think they're good receivers, but they are good number 814 00:55:52,679 --> 00:55:57,840 twos. They don't have a true number one. Michigan. Yeah, I've 815 00:55:57,880 --> 00:56:00,480 said all year that I think Michigan's the best team in the country. I 816 00:56:00,480 --> 00:56:04,159 think they're a better football team than Georgia. I think they're the most complete. 817 00:56:04,199 --> 00:56:06,400 Like you said, they're complete. They can beat you running the ball, 818 00:56:06,440 --> 00:56:08,159 they can beat you throwing the ball. They've got receivers. That defense 819 00:56:08,239 --> 00:56:14,440 is nasty. If this game was in ann Arbor, I would probably pick 820 00:56:14,480 --> 00:56:16,639 Michigan to win by two plus scorers, but I think it being in Beaver 821 00:56:16,679 --> 00:56:20,840 Stadium will close that gap. Like I said, I still think Michigan will 822 00:56:20,880 --> 00:56:22,880 win. That is, assuming you know, something doesn't happen between now and 823 00:56:22,960 --> 00:56:27,039 kickoff with Harbaugh and Shroon Moore or Jesse Mint or whatever it may be, 824 00:56:27,440 --> 00:56:32,559 with suspensions or something. But yeah, I agree that Michigan is a complete 825 00:56:32,559 --> 00:56:36,039 football team. I think Penn State's a very good team. I think Penn 826 00:56:36,039 --> 00:56:38,400 State's one of the ten best teams in the country. I just think Michigan 827 00:56:38,960 --> 00:56:44,159 and Georgia are on a different level than the rest of the country this year, 828 00:56:44,559 --> 00:56:46,639 and that's we're going to see that on Saturday, where I think it's 829 00:56:46,639 --> 00:56:50,639 going to be close to the end. I wouldn't be surprised if Michigan maybe 830 00:56:50,639 --> 00:56:52,679 gets a late score when they kind of similarly Ohio State game, the defense 831 00:56:52,719 --> 00:56:57,519 wears down get a late score to make it two scores. But I expect 832 00:56:57,559 --> 00:56:59,760 it to be a great football game. But yeah, it should be a 833 00:56:59,760 --> 00:57:01,400 lot of fun. If nothing else, it should be one of the best 834 00:57:01,440 --> 00:57:07,400 games thegar on the college football schedule. Why is Michigan football different post twenty 835 00:57:07,519 --> 00:57:13,679 twenty than what it was before? What do you I think you look at 836 00:57:13,679 --> 00:57:16,199 the coordinators they hired. I know it's good. That's a leading question mark 837 00:57:16,360 --> 00:57:21,280 uh uh. You know, you know there's a lot that out there that 838 00:57:21,320 --> 00:57:22,599 Mike McDonald was really good at stealing signs. Well, he just you know, 839 00:57:22,800 --> 00:57:25,639 casually has the number one defense in the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens. 840 00:57:27,639 --> 00:57:30,400 You know, I think they made some changes to their philosophy. I think 841 00:57:30,400 --> 00:57:31,519 they got a lot of bad eggs out of the building. You know, 842 00:57:31,559 --> 00:57:35,920 we actually had the opportunity to speak with a number of players we did. 843 00:57:36,000 --> 00:57:38,679 I think it was four players that we did in person podcast with that will 844 00:57:38,719 --> 00:57:40,760 be coming soon. I don't know when we're gonna be able to release that, 845 00:57:40,840 --> 00:57:45,159 but talking to those guys, the culture is completely different from twenty nineteen, 846 00:57:45,199 --> 00:57:50,199 twenty twenty to twenty twenty one. Also Aiden Hutchinson, J J. 847 00:57:50,360 --> 00:57:53,920 McCarthy, like Korum Son Haskins, offensive lines playing amazing, right Like, 848 00:57:54,599 --> 00:58:00,880 I don't think that that's I don't think you can point to having signs as 849 00:58:00,960 --> 00:58:07,320 the reason that you are physically dominating opponents on the field. I just you 850 00:58:07,360 --> 00:58:08,639 know, if you want to look at the twenty twenty one Ohio State game, 851 00:58:09,039 --> 00:58:12,480 I don't think any signs could have saved anybody in that game. I 852 00:58:12,480 --> 00:58:15,920 mean, Michigan's getting two to three yards of movement at the line of scrimmage. 853 00:58:15,199 --> 00:58:17,800 So yeah, I think you've got a lot of great NFL players. 854 00:58:19,159 --> 00:58:22,480 Look at DJ Turner, Dax Hill, Mazzi Smith, I already mentioned Hutchinson, 855 00:58:22,559 --> 00:58:27,920 David Ljabo, Brad Hawkins. You got Rod Moore, Now I mean 856 00:58:27,960 --> 00:58:30,480 you got Chris Jenkins. Like got good players, man, got good players, 857 00:58:30,519 --> 00:58:34,719 good coaches. We so much appreciate your time and your support here at 858 00:58:34,719 --> 00:58:37,760 the Voice of College Football and our Big Ten Paradigm show that we present to 859 00:58:37,840 --> 00:58:44,639 you each and every week on the College Gridiron Coast to Coast Network. Check 860 00:58:44,719 --> 00:58:49,960 out all the podcasts because they're all phenomenal and you get your full landscape, 861 00:58:50,400 --> 00:58:55,920 full review of everything going on in college football and all the conferences in all 862 00:58:55,920 --> 00:59:00,920 the teams. When you check out the entire menu of what we offer here 863 00:59:00,960 --> 00:59:06,119 at College Gridiron Coast to Coast and of course every day I'm at the Voice 864 00:59:06,159 --> 00:59:09,320 of College Football. Look it up on YouTube and we will talk college football 865 00:59:09,320 --> 00:59:14,639 with you until next week. Enjoy the games, Big Ten fans,