The following is a presentation of play Fly Sports properties in Michigan State Sports Properties. Pleasant, good evening, every one. It is Thursday, June first, two thousand and twenty three. I'm your host, Jason Straighthorn along my co host hold Us, Wiley and Jay. You shoot you culprit, and this is Sparta MS. You don't forget to click the like and subscribe button. If you're new to the show, Thank you. Welcome to the party. Don't forget the live party. The live chat is where the party is
at. Going there, log out, you know, do your li and subscribe, Come back in and hang out with everybody. Don't forget to tell us where you're from. Drop a little note and tell us where you're watching or listening from. Don't forget to follow us on all of our social media accounts, and this is how to do that. Thanks for tuning in to This is Sparta MS. You interested in hearing more from us, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and even TikTok. Click on
the link in the bio to head our link tree for more information. Help us grow our following by hitting the like and to suscribe buttons. Tell your friends and family to do the same. Have an idea for a future episode, let us know in the comments section below, And now back to the show. Hey fellow us, So it's Thursday, June first, It's full contact season in the recruiting world. How you guys doing today? I made it to Thursday. Man, this holiday had me jacked up, right,
This Friday's trash day? Like what's going on? Yeah? This holiday had every you had me messed up too, But uh, you know today I came. You know, I mold mode. Some stripes in the yard, some stripes. Oh, we did improve a picture, like is you gotta missing? You got some you got missing? Grass blades popping up, don't you? No? No, no, I I like it. That's my that's my thing, you know, mowing the line. I sit on my mower. I you don't got your yard? Oh my god? You out
here walking? Look straight? Straight? Hasn't he straight? Doesn't have those problems because he, uh, he lives in the development. They cut it for him, right, right, That's what I'm talking about. About. Now out there did the little weed eating and everything? You know, he need proofs, right, we see how you do? He need proof? Look? Look straight out here, I'm mute. We know he didn't gets Friday. You know a little feedback. So let's is it you I don't
have any feedback. Well I'll be right back. Go ahead, let's do this. I'll be right back. Oh man, well too, Like June, I'm looking forward to omous in this conversation because June last year, you know, we didn't have this podcast started right, so we were I was just started in my role as the general manager here and I got the chance to finally take in like not say the noise, but more so like the mel Tucker isms, right like who he is, what he's been from?
Afar and you know that June last year, bro, Like, we're looking forward to uh, you know, seeing and talking through it. I know a lot of our subscribers and our our followers are waiting for our guests to pop on as well. But um, let's talk about the schedule, man, Like there's an uproar right now. Man. When he got to pick ten this we talked about last what's our last episode? Were talking about the
contract be inside of the NBC. There was two episodes and when we talked about that game being moved to ford Field and everything about that you know, it's like everyone relaxed, don't don't throw the baby out the bath water. Yet it's the same I've never heard that same someone in the baby out the water. Yeah, just don't throw the baby out with the bath water. Many appreciate OG coming in like this happen what you're talking about. Fixed fellas
were good. We're good to go. When we're talking about it. We talked about astray as you went off, it was saying that, Uh, I think this is now the trickle down effect of the repercussions of not having a sign contract in my opinion, with the NBC Big Ten, because you got Peacock, you got NBC, and you've got different matchups that are getting prime time versus like in our opinion, I would think the Washington Michigan State
is a primetime game. But we look at it. You see the upward of uproar of hey, we're only on Peacock, which is a streaming service and you got to have a subscription. You got to be a subscribe for your member for it. So it's an up war For my job, I'm thinking about how how many eyes are gonna be watching that game invisible to corporate partners. I'm looking at that element standpoint from a working standpoint, But what
are you? What's your thought? Astralian? You know Peacock, I know we were you were enough war When you saw it news like what's going on? Jay? You said some different words. I you know, a little little little excellent, it was little beeps. But look I saw Peacock, you know, struggle mightily last year with Thursday Night Football with the NFL.
They had terrible matchups and you know, it wasn't very good service. So what I see to them being a streaming service taking our Washington game, which to me, Washington's gonna come into Spartan Stadium as a top ten opponent. Um, you know, you have Michael Pennox junior who has beat Michigan State I believe three times in his career, two or three times at once in Indiana and I think another time. I think, so it's two times at
Washington. He's coming into Spartan Stadium. Guy. It was a first round talent caliber type of quarterback going against Michigan State's brand of defense. And you know, there's some questions from Michigan State, but definitely, in my opinion, a bigger matchup than Purdue versus Syracuse, which NBC took as the primetime game. You know, nothing against purdueing in Syracuse, but you know, in doing some little polling on my own around, I think that the Washington
Michigan State game going to be a bigger game. That's just me. I think that, Uh, we'll see how it works. I know that people will be listening to the broadcast more than they did otherwise, so shoot too, you better be right on point on the sideline day. You know, Yeah, we're gonna have some more. I think you're gonna have a lot of spartans sharing their past code passwords, multiple households like that Netflix but Bacco.
But you know, you see, somebody's posted Pea Kays on special now in nineteen ninet nine for the year, so the time is now, which I think that's a good strategy from their brand's perspective. But for us, it's like listen, man, we need we need all the spartanations between the end that's near and far right. So I think we're gonna see possibly there may be some shuffling that they may you know, added or switch it,
but at this point the damage has been done. I mean, we've we've done a lot of different news with the Ford field with this now and it's just like, man, what else next? Man, we're gonna be, uh, we're gonna be a Big ten plus like that's going on next. You just know they never know you wake up, it's a different news that's happening. So it's gonna be interesting to see you go ahead to My whole thing with it is it's all optics, you know. I think it's,
um, it's all about optics. Now you're you're the Big Ten Conference, all right, There's the SEC Conference and the Big Ten Conference are the two premier conferences in college football right now, barn, I don't care what you say. You know, you have clumped them down there in the A SEC whatever. You know, there's onesie Tuesies, But SEC and Big Ten are the two premier conferences in college football. And I think it's optics overall.
Like if you're playing a game on a streaming platform, you know that's not very good optics. You know, Um, it's like watching you know, because I you know, once I saw this on Peacock and uh, I go back to like when I was playing, you know, in the NFL and guys would make jokes with each other about their games not being televised on primetime or national TV that they'll be like, oh, you guys used to play on TVs. You guys used to play on Cartoon Network, you know
all those things, and now it's like you're playing on Peacock. You know. It's like I get where, you know, what NBC's going, you know, trying to build their brand with their their streaming platform, and I get all these you know, young kids, you know they're streaming and everything like that. But I think from a brand prospective, you know that you know that game, especially that you know primetime, you know as the game first it's a five o'clock kickoff, like I haven't heard of a college kick
at five o'clock. Um. And uh second, you know that you can create so yeah, but you know it's like you know, I don't you know, I've been So that's that's my issue with it. It's it's it's just you know, that's a marquee matchup there, Washington's no slouch, and now they're coming over here two Eastlands in two play and now this game has being you know, on a streaming platform only, so that's where I think
there's a little slight. There's a little you know, I get if it was a Central Michigan game, I'm fine with that being you know, like that's fine, you know, the beginning of the year, you know, everything like that, it's not. But this is a Marquis game. Um, I grew up three and a half hours from Syracuse. People there don't even want to see Syracuse play, so you know, like, you know, why are they on the NBC. So that's just my my take on
it. It's all about optics. Yeah, it's it's something different to the new world we're entering into, you know, not just a transfer portal nil, but you also have streaming games at five pm. They're watching us over in Mississippi, New York, Jersey. Yeah, they're down watching this. I'm surprised Jay didn't bring up Bret fire, but uh money, hey, we got to give him. Shout out to the people in Lansing to south side, whole west side, everybody that's in Lansing and East Lansing. Thank
you guys for all. Yeah some Portland Okay, ye, come on, I hope those people were safe from far from Mississippi. Oh my goh my goodness. No, look we're talking about this guy listening. We talked about this too, like this is like it was it last Tuesday and Thursday. I said, just we just need to win. Let's just win like whatever it is, man, the case may be, stuff moving all around us. Just focus on beaton Washington regardless of its own prime time or on streaming.
Let's just compete and win the game and then let the let the chest fall when they may on that one. But it is what it is. But agree with I agree with you, Otis. I think you're one hundred percent right. If we win, we're gonna earn more of these these key matchups. Look at the Lions, you know they didn't win, and that's why they played at one o'clock every single every single game. You gotta earn these games. And last year, from last year's record, we did not
earn it. But hopefully, you know, we start turning the ties and then there's that battle for Michigan State, you know between you know, Fox, between CBS, between NBC, you know, all those different things. Hopefully you know that winn it's gonna solve all those things. Great point too, and great point for you down in Tampa, Florida, who's also tuned
in. You know, before we move on to another subject, we gotta just bring on the president guru are recruiting and all things related to Michigan State. And that's Corey Robinson from two four seven Sports, who joins this is spartan. How are you doing, Corey? Oh I'm doing good. How are you guys doing? Oh? We blessed every time you come here, man, because everybody's like, I'm tuning in Corey's on, man, so
we're excited, Bro, welcome back. Yeah. I guess my thought Wayne, And then the Peacock thing too, is I don't think they mean it as like a slight to Michigan State in Washington game. I think they just think that they're being profound with putting it on streaming. But yeah, I'm with you guys. I think just keeping it right there where everybody has it is a better move financially for everybody. But I mean, they know more
than we do. But yeah, I think it is more of a they're saying, oh, let's hype this game up on this peacock channel, which all of us it's kind of weird, but I think it was meant to kind of highlight it, but they just probably did a bad job of doing it in our heads at least. Oh, so you think this is a
good thing for Peacock. Obviously it should be high ratings for Peacock. Yeah, I mean I think it's they're They're probably gonna try and pull games, you know, to try and build that brand to make people have to get it. But whether it works or not, I mean, all four of us will be in the stadium, so I guess this is watch an MMA
fight, but met from their the crowd. Yeah. Before we talk about you know, the camp that you were at today down in downtown Detroit, Wayne State, we're gonna cover a little bit of basketball from Michigan State, which the news, the talk of the town is that aj Holgard and Jay Nakins both decided to come back and not and remove their name out of the NBA Draft. Yeah. I think that's huge news for Michigan State. I think it was expected when they went in that that's what the outcome would be.
But until they actually come back, you never never know what the guys are gonna do. But for Michigan State, now that catapults them to one of the top two or three teams. I think we kin turned the season to win the national championship, so yeah, it's huge news for them. I think he might even see like Jaden Aikins, I think he might come
with a big chip on the shoulder too coming back. I think he was the guy that maybe feels disrespected a little bit because he did do a lot of good things for Michigan State last year on both sides of the ball, on defense and offense. He shot the ball pretty well, so I think maybe you'll see him come back with more of a chip on his shoulder,
trying to prove the NBA people that he was ready to go now. So I think and for him, I think the key is just consistently every game just knowing what you're going to get out of him and defining the role a little bit bigger Corey, what are you know based off of the going into the draft and then getting the analysis back to your name on have you heard anything in the streets are like across you know, basketball world of what those
two need to actually work on in the all season and obviously for the season to then prepare them pupilled themselves in the better spot when it comes to putting the name into the draft. Um yeah. I think for Hoguard, it's just getting the jump shot more consistent, maybe continuing to get his body in shape a little bit more. He's done a good job since he's been here,
but then the NBA, the game's a little quicker. So I think for aj it's just getting that shot more consistent and just continuing to get in better shape. And then for Aikins, I think it's just consistency. I know I was talking to people if he was six foot five or high or taller, like he would be off to the league right now, probably in
the lottery discussion. But he's in that six two, six three range, so I think that's kind of an he's almost got a knock on them, where what he did at six foot two and six foot three would have been good enough at six foot five. So I think for him, it's just coming back every single game, being consistent, maybe showing that he can create a little bit more. And then I think for Jadeen Aikins and Michikins State, I think it would be really good to isolate him a little bit more.
I think that's something he's wanting to do and that's something he can do, and I think it's some team Michigan State needs because as good as they were last year, there's a lot of times that they got really stagnant offensively. So maybe you could go with more of an NBA approach where you find matchups from each play to, you know, and kind of exploit a defense. Whether that's from Aikins at the on the wing at the three, or
whether it's a AJ Hogard or Tyson Walker. You know, you have a lot of options of how you can attack a defense with those three because they're all pretty much a good ball handlers and they can create off of the dribble. So I think it would be best for Michigan State and is Oh even to kind of expand Aikin's role and let him kind of create a little bit more off of the dribble. That's a great point because he last year.
You know, Max Christie did a similar thing. He tested the waters, but he decided to stay in the draft and he ended up going second round to the LA Lakers, and he contributed a little bit during the playoff run that LA had. So you know you're seeing this now with Agent with Hoguard and Ankin's both coming back there the national champions of the final four. Talk will be in East Lansing for sure. You have a great recruiting classes coming
in. I also saw that Purdue center the player of the year, returning player of the year eating he's coming back. So what does that say? Just in the full five starters for Purduer coming back? Who won the Big Ten tournament I think in regular season right last year? Um, what do you guys think about that? Taiwan will have to wait a year for him? Tai one, he's not gonna be an NBA player. Man him like like twelve games without one foul, committee one foul. I don't know how
you do it? Would do if I his Michigan State is, uh, you're not gonna get somebody that's gonna be able to stop him down in the post and all that. But if I was Michigan State, I would exploit him on the defensive end and make him go guard a Malik Hall or make him go guard Xavier Booker on the wing, stuff like that. Go get some shooters at the five and actually exploit him that way, because I mean,
he's gonna do what he's gonna do. Whether you have Malik Hall guarding him, or Joey Houser last year, or whether you had Madi Sosako. He's just that's what he's gonna do. So I think you counter it with, you know, making him have to move and go out on the perimeter and guard people. And then if you get in situations where you can take them off of the dribble, maybe you can get him in the foul trouble if that's possible. Yeah. So my thing is is a going back to
the Michigan State stuff. You know, all the excitement in eastla Ansome with um, you know, both those guys coming back, the recruiting class coming in and there's still some really good players that's on the team. Um only five people can play at a time, you know, is there enough ball
to go around? Like you know what you know, how do you know as a like you know, ISO has been in a long time, but how do you you know check you know, egos and everything like that to to uh, you know, all come together for one goal, you know, because like is that just it's too much? Is there's such a thing as too much talent on one team? Yeah? I think I think Michigan
State though time as those created a different culture. So so now that culture all summer, when these guys come in, it's not gonna be about themselves.
It's going to be about the championship. Which I mean obviously times I was always kind of focused on winning in championships, but I think coming in this year, everybody on the roster understands that, you know, this is a legitimate national championship contending team, so maybe you put the egos aside for the betterment of the team, which I think Tom Iszzo has done as good, if not better than anybody at getting guys to be able to do that.
Like whether you look at even how the Transer portal is so rampant and college basketball and college football, but you're not seeing that affect tom Izzo as much negatively or positively. You know, he just buy He gets the guys to buy him too, what the mission at hand is and what the team is. So yeah, I think if you know, obviously there's gonna be guys that are always going to want to do more or get more minutes.
But I think tom Izzo and then having the seniors, Aj Hogard, Tyson Walker, Aikin's coming back, Malik Hall, everybody's going to just kind of be like, hey, this we're playing for a championship. Let's let's make this work out. And the big games where some guys don't play as much, but then they might play more of the next game, and you can just base it off of matchups and how they're playing that night, that night early on, and we're forgetting about baby Jack's Cooper. Yeah in the WOLAS
season, but I'm gonna go out. I'm going out on a ju whim here. The recruiting class and the one one that we have not truly been highlighted talking about, Like Xavier Book is obviously leading guy, your Jeremy Fears, but Cohen Carr, like, we're talking about an electric flying guy. High flying you have never seen. I've never seen a highlight where you're shooting
a jumper. But he's gonna be a ball starper defender gritty, but he's gonna be that like guy that's gonna be able to push and help us on that defensive end. When you know, we struggled a little bit last season, and I feel like this season there's really no room forever because we are veterans now right. We have a veteran team who has played and did that long stretch last year, which is gonna you know, get us that itch too. We can win it all versus like last year where we had the
injuries we've had, you know, some issues with chemistry. But I think now they understand that how they played together. So I'm looking forward to, you know, seeing it, and I know Father Thim has got his feet kicked up, just like feeling good man like it's it's a breadth of fresh year. And then you know they're on the recruiting trail now to secure that other class for you know, the next class. But it's gonna be electrifying, uh in Breslyn, and I can't wait for it. That's a great
point. I mean you talk about Tom Innzo. You know, I for one, like our chances Tom Nzo versus Matt Painter if it ends up being that for our championship or any kind of game. In my opinion, I'm thinking is over Matt Painter from Purdue Produce men's head basketball coach Tom Menzo.
But there's been some talk about the coaching staff at Michigan State, where one Emani Bates discusses his decision a decommend from Michigan State in twenty twenty two, any sites Michigan State having not as good of a coaching staff, um as I guess Eastern Michigan. I think we have the article. It's Memphis. It's Memphis. I think we have the article. Um, then we can pull up hopefully why we're doing that if you want to talk about that not
coaching, y'all see Penny throw that water bottle? Enough said, Enough said, Uh, honestly, why are we listing our time with this dude? Man? Like we get it in money? You would you was a dude. He was like Lebron Uncover, Like, we get it, man. He was a dog. He was coming out. But you know Jay Nakins played with him money and that Bates. It was a development where the Bates
Academy, and you saw how that fizzled and went down quick. Um. And so maybe it's you our brother from the standpoint, and like clearly we went further into the tournament um than they did, and um, that's Memphis. But why is he talking about that when he was in Eastern Michigan. Right, So it's kind of like, hey, man, like, don't use us for cloud when you try to. You know, we had you and you said knowledge, they know what it is like just right, let's
let it go, let it go. And at the time too, like you know, I think, you know, looking back at everything that's transpired and everything like that, Emani Bates needed Tom is a more than Tomzoe needed Demonti Bates um you know, through personal growth and developmental and everything like that. I think it's it's very easy and very simple to say that fact there. But um, you know he's not with us. Good luck to him, um at e m u um. And you know, let's let's get
excited about the guys that we have, you know coming back. Yeah, you know, I for one, one for Jordan guy than a Lebron guy. But when you look at what happened with a guy like Hemani Bates coming out of high school with all the hype, it does make you give you more respect for Lebron because he was able to live up to those and exceed some of those expectations at an early age. Not easy to do with that spotlight following you around as you've seen some of the ups and downs with the
money. But look, best of luck to him as he continues I think he's in the draft, right, you know, I believe he's moving on to the NBA. But I just wanted to get Corey's take on that because you know, I know Corey, you come follow the whole commitment, the progress of him going from school to school and all that. So what is your thought of him making a statement like this? Yeah, I think it's just probably shows everything that's wrong with the money bates the last couple of years.
Like that's not even something he should be talking about in the draft because like, like he's not making himself look good. They give you because I think time is though, and Michigan State's coaching staff and the su us they've had, you know, they have a lot of respect from the NBA people. So to have somebody that hasn't lived up to what his hype was in two years, does that make him look like like he's still got like some
bitterness of about the whole situation and how everything played out for him. And that's probably not a good look for Amani and where he's kind of a guy that he just needs to keep growing on the court and off the court, and he probably didn't show that and his draft interviews and Uh yeah, I also agree with Jay who that I think Tomizzo was what Amani needed, assuming that everybody else in his circle would let it happen the way it needed to
happen. Because you look at him, he's not a very complete basketball player. Uh you know, he just chucks three point shots. So his shot percentage isn't that good. So even on the games that he scored a lot, most of the time, it wasn't an efficient scoring game. Uh, doesn't get back on defense, doesn't really rebound. So that's that's a difference with him and Lebron is Lebron was driven to keep getting better at every aspect of the game and not just one part of the game. So the big
difference between the two of them just in the way they approached there. They're Startdom and their fandom and just having that pressure on them, lots of pressure, definitely lots of pressure. And you know, there's also lots of pressure for everyone right now that loves those pancakes and we're gonna have some pancakes. Drop them in the chat as we listen to this message from our friends over at Eyehouse, I Happy hour starting at six dollars at three pm only from
my home, down the app and join the rewards program today shoots. Take a shot, all right, I have now has two amazing all natural ingus beef steak burgers, the Bourbon Bacon Jam and the new Hallapenal Kick with a crunchy four cheese crisp get a combo with Frice and a drink starting at nine dollars only at Eyehop, available for a limit of time. Restrictions may apply. Perfect I feel like I was a good burger man. Help you you better say, boy, come on now, look at that. Let's go
to hell. Yeah, and cousins, I mean they get hyped about the pancakes around here, Corey, what can we say? I mean, Grey's first June first, What does that mean to the football recruiting calendar? That is go ahead? And it means a lot of people, a lot of coaches and a lot of writers like myself that cover recruiting aren't going to get a lot of sleep in the next month. But you know, that's what the adrenaline get you going through there, and that's why we all like it.
You know, it's the busiest month in recruiting. I think. Then obviously in December you got to sign all these guys that you get committed, which nowadays is always an extra challenge. But yeah, I think, you know, it's a moment now that where Michigan State's gonna start to stack momentum positive momentum. I think they've kind of if you look at them the last
December for the twenty three class, I thought they closed extremely well. They stacked a lot of really good signings, and then uh, maybe from January up to now, honestly, like if you look at them as a program recruiting and just in general with the roster, it seems like they've kind of struggled to you know, they get one commitment, but then they have someone dcommit or somebody transfer off of the team, or you know, there's always
something, there's always a shoe falling from it, and they were never really stacking good news back to back to back. I'm there where now. I think this month you're going to see Michigan State have a ton of success recruiting.
They've kind of stacked the board up in a good way where they have a lot of highly rated kids that you know, or they're not looking for that huge payday like maybe some of the guys that you saw on campus last June was we're looking for in their recruitment, So I think they found themselves a little bit more. Some of that has to do with you know, you came off of eleven and two. The hype factor was up there.
You had a lot of momentum going. But at the same point, I think they kind of lost focus of where they were and who they are and you know how they're gonna be successful here. So you look at this first weekend, I think they have I think ten commitments. I think one of the guys is gonna do it later in the month, but I think all of those kids that are coming up, nine of them are four stars. The one three stars Henry Hasselback, a quarterback out of Massachusetts, which the
last name is probably familiar for most people that watch football. He's the son of Matt Hasselback, who spent I believe fifteen twenty years somewhere in that range in the NFL. So he's a prospect that's really blown up the last few months. He's added the Michigan State offer last Saturday, Pitt jumped in with him. But he's gonna be on campus June second to kind of kick off that thing for him. I think he's a guy to kind of keep an
eye on. I think Michigan State coaches like him a lot. They like the pedigree he's going to come in, you know, understanding the position a little bit better than most. So he's definitely a name to keep an eye on. And then when you look at the other names, it's a lot of really good athletes at the skill positions on defense and offense. I think Bronte Johnson, he's listed as an athlete Michigan State. He's out of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Michigan State's recruiting him as a wide receiver. I think
most teams are. I think that's his preferred position, but he's also a guy that that didn't work out for whatever reason at wide receiver. He's got an NFL future. It's a defensive back too, so he's one of those rare athletes that could project to the NFL on either side of the ball.
I think Michigan State's and a real good spot there with him, kind of Adeline her Due and Notre Dame. Notre Dame is recruiting him as a defensive back, so that might hurt them a little bit more just because if he does have a preference of playing wide receiver, and then Dylan Williams out with stray Horne in California, you know a four star linebacker. I think Miami Oregon her kind of two teams that are there hurting up Miami, USC and
Oregon. Think Oregon and Michigan State might be the top two for him going into these visits, but he's going to see all three of those schools, probably make a decision before his senior year. Zadavian Sims. He committed to Oregon. He's scheduled to come up this weekend. He hasn't really said yes or no one whether he's going to still do that with his commitment. So that's something that we'll be monitoring at Spartan tailgate and everyone else to see if
he does end up making it up this weekend. In Quasi Gilmore, another California wide receiver. He's six two one eighty, very athletic, got really good speed. I think when you look at all the wide receivers coming up this month in June, I think the speed is better with these guys and some of the people they've maybe targeted in the past. So you're seeing that coach Hawkins. Courtney Hawkins is you know, targeting. He wants to get
fast there, so you're seeing that emphasis. And then Marcellis Barnes four star out of Tennessee, a cornerback six foot two hundred seventy pound corner He likes Michigan State a lot. Harlan Barnett kind of got the ball rolling with him. And then Jim Sogato is kind of taken over and played a major role in the last month or so since he's been here and kind of settled in. So that's the guy that Michigan States sitting in a good spot with.
He would be a huge edition if they're able to pull that off. I think he's a top three hundred kid nationally, so this is one of the better players. Cannon Daniels five eleven, ninety pound running back from Mississippi. He's currently committed to Florida, but Michigan State jumped in on him actually kind of late, and they were able to get him to set up an official
really quick. So it's kind of interesting that they were able to go jump in for a guy that committed to a good school like Florida that's had some success putting running backs out there and get him to lock in an official visit really quickly. He's an electric running back, just really good speed that translates over to the field. I think he's maybe maybe a four or four or four or five type of guy on the track, but he plays faster than
that, quick twitch kind of guy. Jalen Thompson, he's committed to State. I believe at this point he's the longest tenured commit due to a couple of d commitments. But he's out of Tennessee four star. You know, he's gonna be on campus being able to recruit a lot of these guys that we've mentioned, you know, and trying to get them to join him, especially Marcelis Barnes, so I mentioned earlier. Those two are good friends, both from Tennessee. They play seven v seven together, so he's a good
one. And then uh Logan Bennett, the offensive line commitment out of Maryland Saint Francis Academy. I know, Jason, you know that program well, as they played IMG there, I'd put them right up there in that same class as IMG and Minor Day and Bosco out in California. It's maybe those four schools that really stick out nationally. They play a national schedule. I
think I think we have him as a three star. I think he should probably be borderline four at six foot six, three hundred fifteen pound guard playing a national schedule the way he does. A really good athlete and very strong kid. Then he plays offensive line. What that means treat which is what you want out of your linemen to give those guys that don't like to lose a rep and will bury the guy in the ground. And then Eric Karner, he's a three star right now, a tight end out of Illinois at
six five, two twenty. I think he's a guy that's got a really good chance at becoming a four star with US at twenty four seven. He's kind of blown up this offseason as more people have gotten to see his junior film and as he just continues to grow and mature as a player. So they have a huge first weekend of visitors coming up. Man, this gave is a lot of rundown right there that needed the water come up, come up for Eric Cord. I mean you brought up logan been in an interior
offensive line. I don't know, you guys always, I don't know what it is about the interior offensive line that just doesn't get love in the in the recruiting world. So far, we're working on that though. We're working on the interior offensive line get in love. But the question that we're getting from a lot of people and in the chat right now, is David stone the five star defensive tackle out img any word on his official visits? Is
he coming to Michigan State for an official visitor? You have you heard anything from David stones camp? Yeah, yeah, I think he'll take an official visit to Michigan State. I think they're waiting to kind of see where he's going. Yeah, yeah, Like you know, they want to get one of the later official visits for him, so so they're kind of letting stuff kind of settle in, see where he locked stuff in and where his recruitment
is going. Since since you know, losing Rand and Jovt, you know, in Kevin Vickerson obviously that he had a great relationship with and now you know, you've seen things kind of cool off as far as him going coming up to Michigan State for the unofficials. Where do you think Michigan State stands with him overall? Right now? Yeah, I think There's been a lot
of a lot of change in that recruitment. You know. It's like you mentioned you had bt that kind of was the first one, and Marco did a really good job with that recruitment and then even said to Leaf that was a guy that you know, he had a really strong relationship with. So yeah, there's a lot of turnover. I think die Run has done a pretty good job staying on top of him. But I mean it's still a
lot of change. I think the bigger thing, more than change will be though, is when you see like Oregon, Miami and Texas A and m starting to loom a little larger and the visits become more frequent to those schools. I mean, we've kind of seen seeing how that works out when when recruits start going to them high high dollar NIL things. Because I mean, at the same point too, like he's a great player, but at some point you gotta you know, what, how much is too much in nil
for an unproven high school players? What no matter what is or anything is so so if it gets to that point where the numbers get crazy, you know that's probably not voting well for Michigan State because they're they're not gonna want
to spend that type of money for a high school player. That's something you know, where you want to get the guy and if he's successful here, then then you get the dealers like this is Sparta gives them a big deal to be their soaked person, and you know that's that's the way it should work, because at some point, you know, you get some stuff to come in. Like I'm not saying that's another thing, but at some point
it's got to be you get what you earn once you get here. Um. So, Corey, I know earlier when you were talking, you said a lot of the guys just a change from you know, this June from last June. A lot of the guys were high dollar nil guys last June and this June. It's not like that. What is the difference with that?
What is that? Yeah, it's just you know, with if you're recruiting those guys, you need to really do a good job figuring out where where their priorities are, you know, and like if the guy wants to get a good, good pay day, that's all for them. I mean it's easy for me to say that shouldn't be a priority because it's not my
money that's coming to me. So but yeah, it's just getting to know the recruit kind of getting to feel what's driving him, what's the final thing like, because I mean there's cases where I think Samson Oaklola out of Massachusetts, the five star offensive tackle last year. I think Michigan State would have won that recruitment if it was straight up, but it wasn't. Miami off heard him a huge package to go there, and that's where he ended up
going utimately. So yeah, yeah, so it's just a matter of figuring out what the priorities because as prevalent is nil is, there's still a lot of guys that are making the same decisions that all of you guys made it and you know where relationships, what what degree they're getting education, all that. So all those guys still exist out there. There's not a ton of guys that are just you know, it's not like there's hundreds of guys that
are just commanding huge contracts. So it's just figuring out, you know, what guys are, what their priorities are. And if you see guys that and you know it's the money thing, yeah you stick in it. But you you can't ignore that next tier of guys that is maybe looking for, you know, the right situation to that point too. You know, we
talk we're talking about the nil for the high school. Have you been seeing the shift because I've been reading articles and seeing hearing from from players parents that there seems to be a shift from the focus of nil dollars going towards the high school kids more towards transfers. Is have you seen that and if so, what do you attribute all this too? Yeah, I think you're seeing
it there too. It's going throughout the whole thing where U because you spend so much time, you know, you only have so much money that you're bringing in from the donors to get these guys. So if you put all your focus on um acquiring the player out of high school, then you're leaving yourself a little vulnerable on your own roster. So then someone could come in and swoop in and uh, you know, go after a key on Coleman
or something like that. Where you know, So it's like like there's there's a lot of layers to the problem, I guess because and that's where I think too, where I was talking about how you want it to get to the point where guys are getting paid for what they've accomplished on your campus.
So if you say, all right, we're not going to get in these crazy number and I l deals out of the recruiting thing, but we're going to take care of our guys financially once they you know, get here and they earn it and do all these things, then maybe you see less of You're not going to lose guys to the trans reports easily. Yeah, you know, speaking of the attrition like not the Arisian, the turnover the Michigan
State's had from the coaching staff. There was an article that The Athletic put out today that featured mel Tucker. If we think we may have that can Melt Tucker Michigan State football find and identity amid transfer portal highs and lows?
And this was a great article written by Nicole Arbach and it looks like Jamie Bardolp that highlighted, you know, Michigan State's highs with acquiring a Kenneth Walker and then you get poached for the your starting quarterback and Peyton Thorne and Kean Coleman number one receiver and what the road looks like for mel Tucker to rebuild and find an identity for the brand of football to Michigan say wants to be You have been in this recruiting world for Michigan State for a long time,
court Mark Dieter Horne Thorne, that's the new recruiting director director or a player personnel. Have you seen him start to get his footing now in the recruiting world from Michigan State and start to get a sea legs under him. Yeah, I think you're starting to see it. But I think we're gonna really notice it more once we see these June official visits and how they differ maybe
from what they did last year. I don't think you're gonna see any goats on the field this year and kind of get back get back to basics, and but you know, at the same point, he's gonna make the visit and all of that stuff. But you know, I think I think June is when you'll really see it publicly what the changes are with him, just because he came in so late that he's almost kind of playing catch up too, as hard as learning the board and what guys the coaches staff like,
you know, and who he's got a target. So so I think we'll have a clearer picture after a couple of weeks, maybe a couple of weekends here in June, just to see what changes have happened, and you know, do they shift focus on what they're doing on these visits from the previous regime to him. So I guess it's just the work in progress right now,
cool are you? You know last June, you know we talked about you know, it was my first experience and seeing like the madness behind this June official visits and what we were doing to roll out the red carpet before.
You know, guys that were some committed, some weren't, and they were just utilizing you know, I don't know if it's a free trip, but like, you know, what is what is going to be the difference maker for us from last year to this year and converting these recruits and these official visits to truly get to Michigan State because I know we've had some we had some studs in last last year June where we were close and we've felt after they came here and they left, we were like, oh, we
had them in the in the bag and we were they were gonna be sparks and then long behold, they post something and they're committed to another school, Like what are what is it gonna take for us in Michigan State and our messaging to these recruits coming in June to to get them to commit and you know, stay committed. Yeah, I think you hit it in the head
with some of them in the bag. I mean, that's probably a lot to do them, but yeah, yeah, I mean, I mean I think it's just getting the right guy he's on campus, and then maybe prioritizing, you know, where you're at honest, you know, have some honesty of where you're at with some of these recruits because I know for us, like we were getting different intel than they were. Uncertain people where you know, they're like, oh, I think we're in a really good spot for
this guy. And so then you know, I check around with a bunch of different sources around our network, you know, because that's the good thing with twenty four seven is it's not just me. I can go talk to
other teams writers. I can talk to our national team, and you know, their stuff is lining up with what I'm thinking, where maybe some of the other stuff wasn't, you know, that wasn't lining up with what Michigan state was feeling, or you know, maybe we were better at seeing, hey, this recruitment is going this way because of nil stuff or whatever, where maybe they didn't they didn't see it the same way as us. So I think just having a different type of visitor on campus this year is a
positive for one. And then I mean, make it as exciting as you did last year, minus the farm animals, because I mean that's still matters, you know, Like I think, you know, I can't confirm whether they're gonna have cars here, but everybody in the country does cars, and you know, guys just like cars, So I you know, that's not being overly flashy in my opinions with that, That's just how recruiting works nowadays. You know, everybody's out there having fun. You know, like if
you guys came on a visit, you want to have fun. You don't want to just feel like you sat there and listen to lectures and how we're going to do everything. So I think you still see a lot of that. But I mean for them, I think it's just you know, about the staff continuing to build strong relationships with the prospects and their families. Like I think offensive line, I think that's a good spot with Cap. I think he does a really good job get to know the player as a person,
you know, and their family and all that. So he you know, he sticks to that thing. I think some coaches maybe got away from that a little bit, and not necessarily on their own fault is maybe just some of the targets that they were after that's not what was important to them, the relationship part as much. So. So Yeah, I think just you know, getting the right people, getting to know them and getting to know what matters. I gotta I gotta saw us hear you one. Just
don't throw the baby. You have some great comments here in the in the chat you know, there's a there's one chat talk. There's a comment about seven of the top eight quarterbacks returning the Heisman favorite. So let's bring up this article and Corey's own company two four seven Sports says, here are the Heisman odds. You have eight quarterbacks here, seven of them are transfers. What does that say about the game as it is today? Fellas well?
First looking at that list, it seems like bow Knicks have been playing college football forever. He played with me, Nick's been there forever. Yeah, that's a that's a very interesting thing that they're all transfer Um, you know, it said, you know, is it about a system that they're in that it's that's you know, not conducive to their skill set and they have to go somewhere else to you know, be successful. So that's that's one of the big questions that I have, is you know, coming out,
you know, are these you know players going into the right system. And it also goes into you know, it said now doesn't have to deal with NIL because these guys that came in it was I think, you know, the original schools were a little before the NIL time was really kicking in, and they're transferred to other places. Now they have different weapons around them. Um. So I think those are two folds that it'shit the system or it
said, you know, transferred to different situation based off niou. Let's let's take a look at the list one more time. If we could pull it back up and see Kaylee Williams. Okay, that's the heisman from winner from last year. He moved with his head coach right from Oklahoma. Just like that's typically what happens, you know, you get them to transfer when the coach leaves. Um. Yeah, to your point, that's good. That's a good point, right. Yeah. Jordan Travis, similar situation there.
He's a Florida State. Now, Um, where was he at before Corey? I don't remember where he was at. Yeah, Michael PENNOCKX, we know him. He was at Indiana and he went with his offensive coordinator who became a head coach at Washington bow Knicks. He's been everywhere. Quinn of yours, he got the he got the double bag. Quinn classed up. Now that's a guy who classed up. He was a junior in high school, had a million dollars or something offer on the table at Ohio State and
he just says, you know, I'm graduating now. He just four went four go his senior year of eligibility in high school to get the million. Then he leaves Ohio State to go to Tennessee. Um, so there's a bag chaser, like you said, but it was all from Louisville. But it was a good scene. It was a good scheme too. You know
he's still with uh you know Sark coach Sark down down in Austin. Well, he's also in a situation where you got c. J. Stroud and you have a loaded quarterback room where you know, it's so weird that he picklehod State anyway, because they were already in loaded quarterback room. But I mean, if you're a quarterback, you're also looking at the team that you're going to try to go to. Is like, dude, they got a
solid office in line and protect me. Let's we know we are are K five talked about like do you got guys that are gonna protect my life? And then do they have weapons that I could throw to? And then ultimately it is the system, like the system that gets me to the next level. Um, But I just don't understand why we don't get you know,
Pennocks when he goes, I even like what happened with that? Like this these quarterbacks, Like why are some of these quarterbacks coming to the thing at the time when Pennock was at IU, who did we have at quarterback? You know, we had I think decent quarterbacks in that in that quarterback room there. I don't know, I don't think he when he was at IU, like coach dan Antonio was coaching then, I mean you're thinking about Covid, Yeah, you're right, you know, like he was but who was
our quarterback? J who was it? I would you can't name it. I'm thinking he was there one in the what's he? Who was the year did Penis go? I know, I think so what's that? But I think Pens had a lot of injury stuff too, though. The biggest thing is he stayed healthy, because yeah, yeah, and I think he had another injury a second here too. So yeah, Rourkee was the toast of the town, you know, the first season that he was at the home.
Yeah, he was very athletic guy out of Phoenix, Arizona, and he got a guy like Sam Harvan who leaves Wake for us to go to Notre Dame, big time program. They went all in for him to get him to South Bend. And then Jane Daniels talking about another quarterback that played against Michigan played against Antonio Arizona State freshman about that loss. Yeah, yeah, yeah, flying out there and lose it and he I'm still pissed about that. But home at home, so we lost we lost both. Yeah.
Yeah. I saw him play against oh Miss when I went to visit LSU, and like, I mean, he's a heck of a talent um and you know, when you got a quarterback and I got a coach that's gonna let that quarterback take you to the promise land like it's a beautiful thing. But the transfer portal was like, I'm able to go and truly benefit from our personal gain on getting me to the next level. And these guys
are a top ten. It's gonna be a crazy year college football because you got some stun quarterbacks, you know, And I know that Jayden Daniels, the guy that I know for a fact, love melt Tucker before he decided to land at LSU. But Peyton Thorne was the returning starter didn't want to crowd the quarterback room allegedly, So look, good guys. There's a lot of reasons that guys move. But these are very good quarterbacks and they are
transfers and most of them. And so that just gives you a picture as to where we hear about the bad side of the transfer portal, where people don't get picked up or they get pushed into the portal and other people are using it to their advantage and making the most of it. That looks like Corey, you know, like I want to ask you, who are you most excited about? You know, having a chance to be maybe the unheralded player on Michigan State's team this year that they may have a breakout season.
Malik's and Sarah like him a lot. The safety, I think he's the guy that would have had a he started the season injured. I think his first game that he played in was the Michigan game. He had a good game there and he kind of just kept growing from there in those final four games that he had. I think he's the guy that has a chance to be one of the real leaders of the defense and kind of set the tone
of the physicality that they have there. So I think for me, he would be the guy that jumps out as far as a guy maybe people aren't talking about as much just because he's a true freshman last year. And then I think offensively, you know, just the quarterback. I think it gives you a chance to reset a little bit, change how you do some things. You know, there's things that Peyton Thorne did well and there's things that he struggled with and those things might not be the same as it was for
Noah Kim or Kayton Howe. Is there her uh Sam Levitt the true freshman if he was to come in and win it. You know, they have different skill sets which allows Jay Johnson to kind of do a few different things. But I think just seeing how the growth of the quarterback room with the change and then Malik Spencer on defense, and I think Michigan State defense is
actually gonna be pretty good this year. Their front seven, with the defensive line and linebackers, I think that's going to stack up as well, you know, good as anybody in the Big Ten. Honestly, they added a lot of talent and depth, and plus they got a lot of guys back that were injured or suspended last year two. And then you got I mean you think about it, now, no one is no one's combating this.
We had this, We had this conversation like you're just like repeated, oh my god, no, no, no, hello, I say, we still have to proves. I was like, I don't want that. He just said exactly what I said on Tuesday. But yeah, of course maybe it's coming from you because you put Joe stink on it. And then we sho you know what I'm saying, Like, I just want us to be like, so yeah, before we let you go, my question to you as this. I think everyone from from the outside looking in thinking it's Noah's
Kim's job to lose as the quarterback. Is that what you're here and is that what you're seeing. Is that what you're feeling, you know, with this quarterback battle? Yeah, I think it's completely open. I don't think anyone's got a leg up or whatever. But I just think for me, what we've seen from Noah Kim and a little bit of action that he got last year during games, he looked really good. The offense I thought was very efficient. They you know, they looked quicker, almost like they were
getting to the line quicker they were. I thought one of the biggest problems for Peyton Thorn was holding on to the ball too long. So in a little bit of time you saw Peyton Thorne last year in games, and then in the spring this year, what you saw, I thought, you saw Noah Kim just getting the ball out really quick and spreading it around. So I think I would put him as the front runner for the job just based off of what we've seen. But I do think that it's still pretty open.
There you go, that's not exactly what he said. Front runner. I think, yes, I will take bringing the front runner. He just has to go out there on the field and prove it. You know, he's already doing a lot of things off in the off season, you know, behind the scenes and everything like that. So he's just going to continue to go out there and and you know, Riley those guys and be a
leader. It's a great point. I'm just reading a couple of these last you know, the lines in the chat here there is a comment about Duffy Doughdery once asked was asked, what's he most excited about? Who's he most excited about coming back? And he said me, Duffy Dorry the coach. So now it's about now he's the leader. He's the straw that stirs the drink, guys. That's that's one thing. And also Laura Roope says Nick
Saban through in the talent said make them all employees. Talking about players and the SEC media days, Nick Saban talked about, hey, why not just make everybody employees and have a salary cap like the NFL model. That's another
thing. We can talk about that for a whole show. I'm sure Corey, you know, for you, you know, you're entering into this big season of recruiting in June, Is there a recruit I mean, we won't hold you to this, you know, because I know over the next twenty five days before it goes quiet again, there's gonna be a lot of movement.
But is there some one that is tracking that that people don't see right now, that could be that really likes Michigan State, that that we can be, you know, supporting our you know, showing some love too. You're a mute mute, You're a mute Corey. But yeah, I think there's a lot of guys that could fit that mold. I think, Uh. For for me, I've always went with the approach of not necessarily like a name, but a skill set that you need to succeed. Uh.
I think, uh, you know, offensive line. I'm an offensive line guy. So I think if you could get uh Michael Michael Williams, he was committed to uh, South Carolina, he opened that back up. He's taken on an official visit June sixteenth to Michigan State, where he's at six foot seven, three hundred twenty five pound offensive tackle. I think that's a guy. I think the twins Charlton and Mercer Lena Lanowski. Uh, they're two Ohio offensive line and I think those guys there some guys that you should
be excited about. And then I mean, they just have a ton of skill players that are coming in that are you know, they just bring a lot of speed and playmaking ability. So it'll be interesting to see how how it pans out. I do think Mischian State's gonna fill a lot of their needs a defensive back, wide receiver, running back, probably quarterback, and the offensive line. So by the end of June, middle of July, I think you're going to see a class that's pretty close to full that following
these June visits. M love it Corey Man as always. Man, we really appreciate you coming on the show and sharing some of those those jewels that you drop for everyone and giving us great insight. Gotta love the offensive line. I love that you shared there too. Gotta bring those big fellows in to make everything else go. But Corey Man, appreciate it. Man. We're gonna cover. We're gonna come back and bring you back on after this
recruiting season wraps up so we can get a better picture. That's this class crystallizes for twenty twenty four definitely sounds a good guys any time. Coy All right, man, it's rest man a couple hours, right, Corey Robinson two four seven sports ladies and gentlemen that you know he went down to the Wayne State camp and then we didn't cover it. We didn't talk a lot about it because there wasn't a lot going on down There's a lot of people, a lot of coaches all over the place. But you know, those
those things that can be hit or miss. But you know, hey, look guys, what are you guys? And it was a great show in my opinion, a lot of a lot of a lot of information there. Otis, what are your final thoughts? All final thoughts? Because you you probably you're gonna for getting again. I'm about to remind you here on this one that no pet do it. Yeah. So our boy Pete who was with us in the trenches as we started this this podcast and getting us started,
and what do you see today? Uh was was our our guy Pete um in his brain child of getting us right. And so you know, Pete is still will be involved and getting us content, but ultimately, um, we'll be truly doing a great part of this show of getting this, you know, some more partners, but also more support. Um, but he definitely still will be involved, and so we didn't give him his full flowers or his love. You know, last show which was on Tuesday.
In the background, you don't see him much, but he did cameo last season. I think it was Thursday before we went to Penn State. Uh, And so we might do that again. Know that we're at Ford Field, he's gonna pop up again and talk. But UM, definitely want to give him love and obviously appreciative because without him, you know, we were still probably been doing some old school stuff with our phones and eye huff or you know, back in up whatever basement we might have been in. But
he definitely elevated us. So, Um, Pete's I think he's he's canoeing right now. We don't spending a good time often during the hour like he's doing things day. You know, we sometimes wish we could we could do. But I definitely want to give him, give him his flowers love. So yeah, and definitely appreciate everything that Pete did. Um. You know, but with that, you know, walk, let's welcome Tony. Uh. You know, so we had producer Pete Pete Mandez, Who's who we're
talking about. Pete Mandez is moving on U just into a different role. And we always had Tony g and the Tony og, Tony Costella, and then now Tony. How do you say Tony's last name used properly? I'm not gonna butcher. I want to say, Tony, why don't you jump out? Yeah? Tell him real quick, come on in, Tony, he's waiting us. Wait for it, Tony, Hell, you got me? Yeah? Video, I don't know. Show what's up with the video. We'll get that straightened out. I'm on the old school recording on a
iPhone, like you guys, no to Tony La Barbara. I was gonna see it. Everyone has butchered it since I was in fifth grade. So you can say whatever you want and I'll answer to it. I just I don't even correct it anymore. Tony l any relation to the le Barbara family in Western New York. I want a girl named Ambera La Barbara. When I was in high school, there was a Jason La Barbara who was the goalie for the Kings, I think. But other than that, nah,
very funny. He was like, that's my sister. Oh my goodness. We appreciate Tony joined us man like, yeah, go ahead, no, no, no, as Peet goes out people, Nez goes out there. We have Tony La Barbara coming in Sporting Story doing a lot of big things, and like you know, we've been talking about a lot of special things that oldest is working on. A lot of guys are working behind the scenes, so you know, stay tuned. Things are getting they're coming big,
you know, getting prime for a big football season. Wait is he? I know? And sometimes we think Steve Smith would Before we met Steve Smith, we thought he was AI. Huh. Now he's a real human Steve. He's a real human. Enjoyment Mississippi down there, Steve. He's having fun down in the in the sith Now. I mean I'll be in Alabama tomorrow. Oh yeah, huh yeah Alabama. The Panthers going to take on the New Orleans Breakers and the Kickers. Matt Coglin he's doing a terrific jos.
He's like leading the league in points right now. Unreal love love it. Yeah when he does his job right yeah, And hats of the Michigan Your Michigan Panthers are undefeated on the road. On the Road underfe windless at home, undefeated on the road out a fourth field and they want I blame now now, great show to night fellas, I mean as you guys enjoyed the show, hit the like and subscribe button. Please do that and help
us continue to bring you the best Spartan fan experience twice a week. Also check out the playlist selection of our YouTube page to see previous great interviews you know guaranteed in't form and entertain you guys. Great show for oldest Wiley jul I'm Jason Straighthorn. This is Sparta It miss you have a good night. God bless This is Sparta ms US buying presentation of play Fly Sports Properties in
Michigan State Sports Properties. The show is produced by Pete Manetz with additional support from Tony Gastella Operations and social media supports provided by Alicia Strayhorn with support from Cecily Max Brown on location. Technical support is provided by a Good Fruit Video. Be sure to follow our host Jason Strayhorn, jau Culkric and Otis Wiley on social media to stay up to date with all the latest This is Sparta news. Please like and subscribe by visiting our link tree and tell a friend
to do the same. Thank you for your support and as always, go green.