The following is a presentation of Playfly Sports Properties in Michigan State Sports Properties. Welcome everybody, is Tuesday, April eighteen, twenty twenty three. I know. It's Jason Strainhorn along with my co hosts Otis Wiley and jay U to culcret. This is Sparta. Thank you for tuning in today. Thank you for a lot of you for showing up this weekend despite to you being gone on assignment doing dot work. Thank everybody, but don't forget to click the
subscribe and like buttons. Don't forget that, and then to follow us on all of our social media platforms. This is how thanks for tuning in to This is Sparta. MSU. 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 to our link tree for more information. Help us grow our following by hitting the like and subscribe 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 fellas, how do you guys doing today? Great tax Day? Baby Tax Day. Oldus has been working all day on them taxes to from Yeah, you said you were coming from the weekend. Yeah, how was that trip? Man? To talk to us about that Sunday with the Michigan Panthers out here, got dumb tell us about that? It was?
It was good man, you know, went out there to Memphis. Uh played Houston Gamblers, you know, a couple of the few sparting dogs that are playing in that game on both sides of the ball. But you know, everything was good. But that trip home. Boy, We're supposed to be home at seven point thirty on Sunday night. I didn't get home. Tell four thirty yesterday what happened to? What happened? The final destination? Right? So we go, we leave again, and again the game starts
at noon. We're done, you know, two thirty three, we're on the bus waiting to go. Uh. The head coach comes on and he's like, hey, guys, something's wrong with the plane. We're gonna wait for it. And in the meantime, we're gonna take you guys to the movies to see John Wick four. And in my head, I'm like John Wick Force like a three hour movie. There's something really wrong with this.
But at this point, so we go to see John Wick. We get there like four thirty or so. We watched a movie and then we're just hanging out in a movie theater, hanging out on the bus. I'm running to the Whole Foods, you know, grabbing a six packcause you know, just wait here now ten ten thirty. So we finally leave the movie theaters, we go to the Turmac. We're sitting on the bus. I'm like, okay, we should be getting off, getting checked and stuff like that,
and go on the plane. Sitting there, it's like an hour and a half go by. I see the lights shutting off on the plane. I was like, oh man, what's happening. The pilots and the stewardess coming out of there, walking carrying their bags and shut the door. Thirty minutes later, they're like, hey, guys, we're looking to book hotels right now because the pilot's timed out. They can't fly anymore. I'm like,
oh, here we go. So I was like, where they going to find hotels for like two hundred people at one in the morning in Memphis, Tennessee. So they found this house called Guesthouse by in Graceland's right across the street from Elvis's houses, just resort and everything Elvis here. You watch Elvis very much. Yeah, So we go there and then you sit on the bus because they have to make keys for all these people. They got
to do all these things. By the time I get my keys, it's three fifteen, and now I'm like, Okay, no one told us when the bus and when the bus is going to the airport tomorrow. So I'm sleeping with my ringer on, so I don't miss that damn bus, you know. So finally get it and we get back and we get on the plane yesterday at twelve thirty. We load up, we get back to Detroit,
and the turbulence for one and then we're we come to land. That plane hits tooth and just bounces back in the air and she's like, takes off. We're accelerating and we're flying up again. And then the pilot comes on, Yeah, that land, it didn't work. Let's not go and try that again. So we circle around for like fifteen minutes and then come back in land. And he was like, I'm about to die off of some us, right, Glad, you said, man, glad man,
glad very happy, very happy man. You look at you know, the recap of last weekend. Do we have a video of the recap last weekend with audio on the face of My City co signed by Diddy Hard Liger, I'm hotel with some vidy got to doing my bidding? You changed, no kidding. Wasn't always just pretty round with me. I'm fitting fourth quarter ninth
inning. Ain't the way we ain't winning back home for a week. Ain't the way we ain't sitting that she can't stay with me in a way shein pretty got to ate away hitting some internet does want from face to face with me. Y'all would hate to play with me? Tell me Tucky one time she had paid state skinny, I would have been on that road out of hate some great Jenny's man, I was. That's activity man, Like, it's always good to feel like the Spartan vibes when everybody in the springs competing.
You know, you don't really back when we were playing, like you didn't really realize how much was happening during the day because you was like tied in me and Jay. You kind of talked about it like, you know, we had so much happening when we had that camp where you have a little youth camp where you brought in. It was a community service thing and you started in the morning. As soon as you got done, you had to get dressed and walk over to the stadium and it was like all your
day was pretty much gone. But you know, almost a lot of guys that were able to finish playing up, go support softball, go see some baseball. It was a lot of vibes at the five K. I'm surprised I didn't put that in there, with people running and finishing the race before everything got opened up in Spartan Stadium. But it was the weather man. The weather was great now that we experienced like that snow mixed we had on
Monday Tuesday, but the weather was like, thank goodness, man. I was just appreciated that we had great weather because we've never had that best weather at eight four degrees and since I've been to Spartan and loved Spartans, I've never felt eighty four degrees on an April month. So it was good. Good vibes everywhere. Yeah, it definitely was. It was the weekend was it was buzzing't you know, just driving through campus, uh, seeing things,
seeing it was like a movie because you know we're driving through. There were people in the quad, people playing lacrosse, people doing everything. It was such a cool vibe to be in East Lanson. Uh, you know, met a lot, met up with a lot of uh, you know, different people. Some of the subscribers, you know, have had a little you know, sit down, had a little bevy or two with a
couple of people. Uh. Shout out to the graduate again. You know, took care of us up there, you know, hanging out with former teammates and everything. It was just an overall great weekend. A lot of question. I mean, we hung out with a lot of subscribers, a lot of people who are in the chat right now. It was a great time to too, you know. Uh, you and I I think we spent some time with Rolanda and Roselle. They were out and you know lamb scene. You know, after you had to take me on a tour to
find clothes. I mean it took you know, like thirty six hours of shopping, something that I haven't even done with my own wife. But you know that doesn't matter. You were the one that got me to do that stuff. And then we ended up, you know, hanging out with some people. It was a good time, you know, and not to mention like how ridiculous you are about trying to find the right fit for your body. Hey all, here is burgerday. We lost you find out and we
lose the right on time, right dropped off it just some time. You don't want to talk about it. That's exactly what happens with you, you know. Just like, well, in the meantime, I gotta get shut up, man, my niece is in the building. She's watching the show. So I just saw high Uncle otis, Hey Dasia, good seeing you. So yep, I had to go ahead and show some love there. Yeah. Well some days, well I know you guys gets back on the summon spree though, like, oh man, it was ridiculous. Man,
Hey, this guy he wanted to ship. He wanted like shirts with prints on him. He doesn't see anything if it doesn't have like a certain print like that jungle print. He ain't good with it. And I'm like, you know, the boy, which is he our sitting on hall Eddie Murphy on coming to America. He's both I'm gonna tell you, like it ain't right unless he sees that print, man. And I'm like, look, man, hey, two, it's hard to walk into a normal store and
buy off the rack. When you're you know, when you're, when you're when you're plus when you're you're BIG's a big fellow since like I was twelve years old too, still thinks he little felt like, you know, you can go into a store and buy off the rack to to can't buy all the rack, but only all of us, his wife, family, everything, we're the only ones to know it. He doesn't know it. He think he can just walk into Macy's and just pulled something and by it.
I'm like, bro, hey, it's a little young, right man. I wish thee I wish he was around to do that. There here you come here, it comes there, it go to we need to put it. We need to put a jar. Who has technical difficulties, you gotta put it five hours in the jar. So you gotta starting starting with you too, because I've had some to straight. It's like straight, like the
starting right now, right now, starting now. Shoot. I was just telling him how like easy it was to find your size everywhere and it wasn't a big deal. Yeah, all these people were staying at the oh, go to Target. You can go just get everything there. We go to Target, there's like this one little and I was like, where's the stuff
of the men. The ladies like, it's right here. You know, these the two X came to my It was like a crap cop, you know, and I wear two X and uh, well is probably because about four five. They don't carry them big sizes, big and tall now right. And then we went to the mall and nothing. It wasn't hitting right, you know. And then we had to go to that secret stove, the secret stove, that store, but the garments, the man Raymond and the garments and said the math ain't Matthew too is four X? What a
man? I know? Look, I'll be ju Let's get back to script. Let's get back to script. Let's talk about the game. Guys. He needs bigger and taller. And that's funny. They own you. You'll see, Yo'll see. You know what I actually talked to today. I'm gonna get my summer body. I'll come on here with tank tops and stuff, now, y'all, y'all, okay, okay, man, I mean I mean I'm here with like what next time when I come to Cali in
June. You see you're gonna be like, what's happening. It's time for the beach, It's time for the jaw with the taper, bring it back low ball. Maybe maybe in the fall, maybe for the season. I'll cut the hair. I'll cut the hair for the season. This hair was bad luck last season. Oh man, guys, let's talk a little bit about the spring game. Talk about the offense. Starting with shoot you you know, chooting. You were down there on the field, you're doing sideline
reporting. You had a lot of great interviews. What did you see out of the running back group of skilled players on the offensive side of the Yeah, I saw a bunch of guys that are gonna be vine for position and for jockey for position in fall camp. I think the only person really on that offense that really has to solidified spot, you know, in the skilled position there is key On Coleman. He he's a true He's the guy in the receiver course, he's that number one guy that ke On Coleman is the
one that has solidified his spot there. Trey Moseley is a great number two as well. But those those receivers, you know, there's gonna be some guys. There's gonna be rotation in that for that third receiver. Fall Camp is gonna be great to see, you know, it's Foster. He might be that guy that really steps up and be there. He looks like right,
like exactly. He was a guy like that was He had some good minutes last year too, So he's gonna be He's gonna he might be a problem in the slot position there, So you know, he's a guy that's looking to solidify that that third that slot position, you know for the spartans there. And then if you go to the running back it's gonna be running
back by committee again. I think at the beginning of the season right now, like you know this past Saturday at the spring game, Berger he's the one that got He was like the starter so to speak, if you said there was a starter. But I'm telling you, Nate Carter is gonna be that guy that emerges and get those tough yards. Mangam I like him too. He's the guy there that's gonna be a tough yard getter. Put your nose in the in the in the fan and get those first downs, get
those touchdowns. So those three guys are gonna be, you know, rotating through but it's gonna come down to whoever has to hot hand in the game. And I think some different games there will be some other guys that have a hot hand and you have to roll with that person. But overall, I think by game two, by game three, actually the solidified starter will be Nate Carter. Mm. I like that. I like it, man. I mean, look great observation, but also too real, real quick,
straight. One thing I saw this year, and there's a big improvement that I saw with the running backs is they're running north and south. We don't wash it. We were frustrated. We're frustrated with them, you know, those side cuts and everything like that. This year they're running north and south. And you know, I talked to coach Reid a little bit and it's like, hey, you're gonna get those boys. He's like, their
boys are gonna be right this year. And you saw a little glimpse of that in the spring ball with them running north and south and some good cuts downfield as well. So I'm interested in, like we have mangum to two esque trucking people without even like we don't even have full live tackle and he truck he's trucking people. It looks the part, but you said something where he does need to work on some things obviously from a body standpoint of getting
getting in tip top shape. But he's gonna be a bruiser if he gets into that mix, which I think he will with a short, short, short yardage in an offense. But yeah, you hit it on the head. You know he's a big guy. He has the ability to truck people. But big backs have to learn to embrace being big backs because right now it's sexy to make all those cuts and everything like that. He's got to solidify himself out of there and say like, hey, my role is being
a big back, and I'm gonna take advantage of that. I'm gonna go down and they know I'm gonna try to run you over every single time. I'm going to lower my head and do that. And what happens when you solidify yourself as a big back, you start getting those third and ones, You start being thrown in there, those goal you start being thrown in there. You know that's how you solid fory yourself. But you have to learn to embrace being a big back. You're not going to be a scat back.
You're not going to be a shifty guy. You know there's other guys on the team that's gonna do that. And the way that college football is now, you you know, it's running back by committee. That is the problem. You look at you go all the way back to Wisconsin when they had Ron Dayne. Ron Daye in college, what did he do? He ran people over, he ran through their faces. He got to the NFL, he became a dancing bear. He played out of himself and that's why
he got bounced from the league. M yeah, right, don't need to dance. But I feel like has a bidy like the of his dad is gonna give him a lecture. Oh boy, well I think about also, uh, he has that like Connor Hayward. Like remember Connor Hayward had a little bit of struggle, like knowing his body, like his frame of like being a bruiser. And you saw when he had that year where dude was catching, he was fitting into the offense, like playing within himself his capabilities,
and it show where he then became a threat. And I feel like that's an opportunity where I still didn't see our backs catching like balls outside, like you know, they weren't really showing that much to showcase of, Like, hey, we got a little half back screens in there for you guys with some swing passes. It's like we're just gonna keep it for vanilla, uh, to keep people guessing. But I mean I was. I was
pleased with the tempo of the running backs mm hm oh. And also too in that in that uh in that receiver cord Now Gates Junior, Gates Junior, you know he could he could be a guy. They said that he is. Yes, they said, Tonyo Gates Junior is he will be the rising star, like we talked about, who would be like that, that player that's gonna like shock us. Well, they said he was doing work when he was in his restuer year. It just was trying to get acclimated
to like the life of a college student athlete. But now he's saying he is he's matured. He still got a little stuff to work on. But they said his route running and he's he's saucy man. He obviously learned from one of one of the best, right, So it's only inevitable that he catch catches the last touchdown of the game. Last play. People said it's on. It was on a second third string guy that matter. It was a QUB wide receiver connection, right, Yeah, a little boys on scholarship
too. So we're on this offense here straight. It's only as good as this offensive line is gonna take us, without question, I mean the offensive line. I mean that's something that we looked at. We got a good chance to see those guys who it was a deeper picture than we had a year ago when there was like barely four or five guys. Guys couldn't even get through a full spring practice. This year you have nineteen bodies. I mean, you got a good chance to look at the offensive line. You
know, this past weekend with you know the front line. You know you have Spencer Brown playing on the right side, right tackle. You have guys like Jad the Plane, you have Nick Saymac those are all returning guys. You have on the left tackle though, there's there's guys like brand involvedmin. You know that that just constantly. I have taken that next step to improve.
They're definitely larger, they're long, they're they're improved, but we need to take that next step and being able able to move people against their will. The mark up a good offensive line is to be able to move people against their will, and that takes leverage, That takes the ability to get low and use your hips to get your hands inside and fight. I mean a lot of these defensive linemen now they practice. We've seen that with Brandon
Jordan BT coach BT. That's now with the Seattle Seahawks over there with K nine, like teaching all the hand movements and whatnot. You have to be able to counter that with your own hand movements and have an independent hands, not the same hands, independent hands in order to throw those guys off. You didn't see a lot of defensive linemen that we would like to have seen
in this particular game. They sat out guys like Zion Young. You got guys like Bye Job, Brandon Wright did play to me say the transfer from Texas A and m played by Job like I said, But Sime and Barrow there are. That's a guy who just makes plays no matter who's in front of him on the defensive side of the ball. That's a guy that we can count on make sure that we do whatever we can. I don't know what missus Say's doing as far as you know, you know, coddling that
guy, but he is a guy that we absolutely need to have. You know, there's some comments that Mel Tucker talked about as far as attrition and and moving up you know that that we'll talk about later on in this show. But my perspective looking at the offensive line, you know, you have some depth there. We need to get a little stronger. The freshmen that have come in, they're serviceable. Some of the transferst guys like Blackstock who has come in, he did play on the left tackle spot and on the
second line. He didn't play on the first team. But you want to be able to get those guys some comfortableness, you know, like they got to get out there because you look, we need the offensive line. Michigan State football will go as far as the offensive line will take them. If
you can't protect, you can't open holes. You're not going to be able to throw the ball down the field to get the guys like Kean Coleman and all those guys that you just talked about, and you're not gonna be able to run the ball with guys like Nick Carter or Jake Jaron Mingham whomever is running the ball if you can't open hole. So I put a lot of pressure on that offensive line because it does require them to be the best that they can be in order for miscon Stain to win the most games so they
can possibly win. Oh, let's let's not forget. I mean, we talked about what having the lead carr on on Saturday show is. You know how vital it is for the tight ends to be involved in the blocking game, because like, yeah, we we had Titans who're gonna stretch you and be a threat in the in the deep end, but you got to come down and be able to block, man Like, you got to be able to hold your own and almost a hybrid in j T. You know, the hybrid of a h back where you got a little full back power,
but also you know, you utilize the two tight end set, like we have some that tighty end room. We got some big dudes, man Like, it looks like a basketball squad where like you got a bunch of big power forwards that truly, if we use them the right way, can be vital in this offense and the success for next season. Yeah, you're absolutely right, Otis and those guys in that tight end room there. If you want to play at the next level, you're gonna have to be a complete
player. You're gonna have to be, you know, one of those guys that can block and also sneak out there and catch some passes. And you know, if I'm a lae car, I'm object. I'm you know, getting in the trenches. I'm sticking to the old line. If when they go on Pig Island they're on special teams and I'm not on special teams, I'm going there. You know, I'm learning how to you know, take
those steps, those choppy steps, you know, straight and out. We were talking about linemen taking those you know, short choppy steps and getting to where they got to go in the blocking game. I'm learning to do that. I'm learning. I'm going to talk to coach Reid in the running backs room and be like, hey, you know, how do we do a motion you on everything like that? Stay low, low pad level, run behind behind your shoulders. You know, how do you do those things so
you can be the most complete player? And that way, you're on the field a lot and you put a lot of tape on there, because at the end of the day, if you're playing at a Division I level, if you're playing in a Power five, you're playing at the Michigan State your goal is should play at the next level and do everything that you can possible to get yourself at the next level. Right You brought up a great point there, Otis and Brandon you talked about first of all, you talked about
Malik Carr as a tight end, phenomenal player, phenomenal athlete. And you can see the difference in his body from not playing basketball. This is the first time feeling in his life that he hasn't gone to the basketball side in
between football and football, you know. So you know, as football ends, he typically goes to basketball, which will then make you lose weight because you're up and down the court, and then he's got to put that weight back on through the summer to be able to play at a high level in the fall. He's not doing the basketball right now. So Malik the freak, as Steve Smith affectionately calls him, is a freak right now. He's looking like that. So is Keon Coleman. Those two were dual sport athletes.
They're playing one sport now and you can see it visibly with your eyes looking at them. How they they look. I know Kean didn't play in the spring game, so to speak, but he's the guy that's going to be definitely healthy. Also tight end Brennan Paracheck the tight end, the freshman out of Dexter. I believe it is Michigan that sixty five and thirty. I mean he's like two thirty five. I think he's more than that right now. That's a freshman that doesn't look like a freshman. He looks like
he belongs out there. You know, there's some transfers that are playing I think in the two and three spot somewhere in there. But Brendan is pushing for same time. He looks to me what an NFL tight end looks like, just like Malie Carr does. Malie Carr is like ready for the NFL. Brennan obviously has to have three to four more years before he is ready for that. So that room looks very good. Otis, I want to ask you, looking at the defensive secondary and the linebackers on the defense side
of the ball, what did you see? Well, I saw I saw for let's start with the linebacker crew. So the linebacker crew. You know, it's good that we had two of the main guys leading guys on the show on last Thursday and Saturday. Jacoby Winman Kyle Holliday are like the ying and the yang of the of the group right literally literally, I'm like ebony and ivory, like you keep going, how many let's And you have guys that like they're really humble, like that was one of the things I came
off of that last interaction Thursday frame humble guys, but will knock you out right like they will relinquish pain when they put that helmet on it. I like those guys that truly turn it all, turn it off. And uh that room when you look at the linebacker room that you got, you got what Cal Holiday? What was it? I missed the comment? What was the comment? Just having an earthquake going there? It was the heavy hands
man, Yeah, come at me, come at me. No, you look at linebackers wise like, yeah, you have your leading for your front winners. Cal Holidays a couple of women. But we got a depth where those guys go down like we're not losing any any leverage of any depth chart dropping where usually you got guys coming out there like, oh man, I don't know this guy. You still got your boy and and who do we have I'm sorry, Darius Snow, we like have forgot about Darius Snow,
but he's he's gearing up for to come make a major comeback. So let's think about that. And when he gets put back into the pieces. Uh, you still got Aaron, which by far is you just consider him a starter because they kind of rotate from a standpoint of getting breathers. Uh. I also, you know, look at you know, I can't even pronounce his name, but my guy, he's like your little hybrid, Like I feel like he could be a little bit of a nickelback if he wanted to.
He's not. He's not as big, but he is a guy that has a skill set that brings you speed. And I'm all about wanting to see our linebackers get proper depth when they hit the hook and curl in zone, and I want them to be able to say to the safeties, we cannot be beat in between the behind the line and in front of the safety. And that was the big Achilles hill for us is the third down and the loss is those deep drags that were just right behind the linebackers not getting
proper depth eye control. I want to see that because I know we can stop the run because we got some go getters and eating the football. But I saw that, I saw a little bit of just resolve of like that might be that is our strongest group on our team is the linebacker crew. Now let's go to secondary. No, you're looking at we're young, I mean even Chuck Brandley. But Chuck Brandley is your is your senior basically he's
your your VET. And then you've got some transfers that came in. You know, we have a young crew, but we also have some guys that had some some time last year. And let's focus on the two safeties, which I'm very excited about because obviously I'm a safety. In that room, you got two young guys who are freshmen, like was a be a sophomore or what was a true freshman. Both of them have the height, they have the frame and the speed, and from what I'm hearing is they're smart.
They're smart as a whip, and they know that playbook and they're leading by example. But they're also being vocal leaders. And it's hard to assess when you're looking at the spring because you know what's coming in as well. People forget our class that we got coming in. We got a few dbs and the safety coming in that's gonna fit hopefully well with this this safety room. We really truly only have like three safeties right now in the depth chart,
and some with Dylanatum can go both ways. But I also heard Dylan Tatum was a solid guy at the corner spot from our guy dark Wes Gnard that he has it. He's got it and it's really just putting everything together and he's going to be nasty. And we all know Dylan Tatum and his family had his dad on. He comes from some good stock, and you know when he goes out there, he's he's prepared for it and he's he's going to ask an element to us. And now I gotta sut of twenty
one. Twenty one is like my Nate Carter with ju like like I can't, I can't. I'm gonna put all my my my eggs in that basket for him man and my my my stock. But I saw just more I say, more improvement in like the excitement of being on the field, like if you just didn't know if we wanted to be there last year, right like that was just one of those things like people showed up and just wore the jersey and we go play, which I know that's not the case,
but just overall, I just felt that vibe. But this one it was like just fresh new energy, get rid of the old season. We got a new season, and I'm just excited to be here. So it was a good, good, good, good assessment for what we're going to see in the fall. You know, I'm good. Oh. I was gonna say, you know, go ahead and tell you I have a question for both of you guys with you know, talking about the defense and round and off here with the linebackers and the secondary here. I know, coach that
four to two. Now we got guys, and the goal of the game is put your best players on the field. You know, we know what Darius Snow can do. We know what he can do as a as a vocal leader, as a as the quarterback of the defense. There, Like, what are your thoughts now, because there's two guys that I see that can fit this if you want to run that for it. But like you can have like either Snow or Tatum as that third linebacker because I feel both
those guys can play that safety role as well. You know, so if you need to drop that safety back, you drop one of them. Back if you want that two linebacker coverage there, but putting you know, your best players on the field. I think both those Snow and Tatum on the field with Cal and Jacoby, I think that's putting your best players on the field. But right now only eleven guys can play, you know, so like if you if you do that highbred there, you can you know,
figure out a way. Ye for me, I look at that. That's a good point. When you look at the best athletes on the field, you know, you you know. It's to be determined as to what Darius Snow's healing process will be. I know the kind of player he is, he's got to get healthy. I don't mind if he if he takes another year, I don't care, Like I want him to be as healthy as
he can to play on this team. When I look at that linebacker room, I see a guy in Jordan Hall from IMG, three time captain and IMG which is unheard of to be the way that he looks on that field, the practice that all of us saw on Thursday before the spring game, and the way that he looked on the field. I mean, the guy's huge as a linebacker out there. He looks like a guy a throwback lineback,
like a hybrid. It looks like he is big enough to play back in the day where it was all power ice, so yeah, but then also fast than athletic enough to cover guys and then run sideline the sideline because it's a different game today than it was back then. I mean, Jordan Hall is a guy that, for me, as a truth freshman, is going to put a lot of minutes on the board. He's going to contribute in a room, in a position group that is the best on the whole
team. So that's why I look at myself, I think that him, you know my go say, I think he got a He had an injury and we don't know what happened there. I saw an injury during the spring game, something on an arm, hand, something like that, after a tackle. But as we all know how it is with injuries, especially, they don't talk about him. They keep moving the drill, then we move on. I don't think it's a serious injury as what Darius Snow had to
deal with, but definitely a serious injury. But then you look at guys, what happened in the transfer portal today? The transfer portal is now open and it was open on Saturday after the scrimmage or practice and have faith former
quarterback now turning tight end has entered the transfer portal. It's like you, I mean it is what like you haven't really been talked about in the competition and so for you, for anyone who's been if you're competing with someone no matter what industry, what sport, whatever, and you're not being even talked about, uh out there in the public, and uh, you know, it's one of those things like you have to turn that page quickly, man
and get out there because you know everyone is who's the first one basically like everyone is hitting the portal, So like you got to be attractive and you got to have that thing ready to go. And I'm hoping, like we had this conversation, is that people, you can't quit a job before you get the next job, and so you just hope you quickly gets that landing spot in the new school or he might be sitting in there longer than what
he anticipated. But one, you can't really fault anyone who's trying to make the decision to better their future in football. And he has a sit. I mean, he's a six y five to forty quarterback, Like I feel like he looks. Remember we had Rocky Bombardi, which was like real thick, and you know, just you got to be mobile now man, like you don't. I haven't seen him run and I really really haven't had eyes
with him to give a full assessment on you know, the reasoning. But it's just Opert, like, you got to go, man, you got to go and get something when you got three guys who clearly have separated themselves to be a group of three to then become selecting who would be the starter. And we didn't even touch base on the group. I think we've left the elephant in the room on the quarterback break down break down from the spring game. So well, let's talk about it right now, Jois. I
mean we're talking about it like you and Fay was a quarterback before. Everybody talks about a three man race right now because it's an open quarterback competition. You see Peyton Thorn, you see Noah Kim, obviously kyten Houser, those three or are in a competition for the starting role. But what do you see I see shaking your head to to tell me your assessment. Yeah, well, first of all, good luck to him, Fay, it would be interesting to see if he enters the trade porter as a quarterback or a
tight end. Now, but I think it's you know, at the end of the day, after watching that, seeing you know, the full thing, I think it's a two man race. I don't think it's a it's a three man race right now. I think it's really a two men race. And then with that two man race, it's gonna come down to this. Do you want a car that's gonna get you to the office every day.
It's not gonna be a sexy car it's gonna get you from point A to point B. Or do you want a real sexy car that's gonna get you to the office, but you know you might get a beating ticket because you're driving too fast, or you know, you might do a little something. Right now, that's what we have right now. Peyton Thorn is that car that's gonna get you from point A to point B. He's that guy that he's been two years in the program, going in his third year in
the program. Noah Kim is that sexy splash, that new car that's gonna be there, that that's gonna get you. He's gonna make play. He's gonna wow you with that, with that shiny car It's gonna be like, oh wow, look at that. But he's gonna throw those things too. That's gonna make you scratch your head a little bit. But there's nothing wrong with that, you know, It's what do you want. I love the
way Noah Kim plays the game. I love his escapability. I love the way that he you know, he can step up in the pocket and and go and I like he can throw on the run. You know, he can sling that ball downfield. Peyton Thorn has a command for you know, of the offense. He understands, He's been studying, you know, what to do, you know, against this coverage and that he just has that. He's not a guy that's gonna, you know, wow you with you know, with a throw or with a play or anything like that. He
has that capability. But you know, I just think at the end of the day, you know, Noah Kim can make plays. I would love to see him connect more with his UH receivers off the field and everything like that. So they continue to build chemistry and you know they can so when he's scrambling around, they have that they can make that adjustment without talking, so to speak. Otis. I was following that analogy because I was like,
how'd I do? How do I do? I was thinking like mainly you Ryan like with some music turnos and you know, the sound systems and some stoofers or something, but like you just, I don't even think it's skill is obviously one thing. It's the confidence factor for me, like you just you just feel like he is going to go out there and this is nough to go out there and like and compete, like it's going to go
out there and do what he can. Jew Stanton did that where you knew jew was gonna run out there, ain't even care if he had one leg or three limp whatever. He was getting the first down right like, And that's from a defensive standpoint of I'm on the sideline, I'm getting water, I'm getting rejuvenated, getting my meter up to make sure we go back out. You know that that kool aiding and gatorade, you know, trying to
get that right. And I want to be able to look at the screen and be like first down, first down, here's sideline saying one, two
three, first down. You know, I want to hear that more consistently before I'm like, oh man, another three and all you hear punt ready every seconde of the That's what especially when the skilled guys are are specialty is like bro, that's more knowledge man, like you, you know what I'm talking about, like right, and so I just I just want us to be consistent and like and I'd rather have confidence and like you being forceable down
the you know, throwing the ball, deep, running doing whatever before you just sit back there and like tuck and run. We don't. I don't want you to touch it wrong like the first two options in your progression, like we gotta go man and be everything I want. I want to be in a huddle in here with how they're commanding. That's really what it is. I wanted you to teat you to go in there in the huddle and take that mic in there and just see what the call was. I just
want to feel that. I want to I want to know, like I think you're you're you're really just putting your your skirting around. What are you all? I'm not? I told you I Knowah, Kim is a guy that I said is going to go out there and and give us our defense rest like it's gonna be able to keep us off the field and score. Now it really how quickly and straight had a good point Saturday is that it's gonna be first game, second game. We don't have a dual battle still.
But then Washington will name a starter. I'm like, name a starter now, like not now, but like name it first week, second week of fall camp. Don't let us sit in there guessing on who it is. But I do believe Noah has taken that step and from spring game and it was really not that much to assess because it really wasn't a game. But he just looked crisp like he had more crisp. It was very buttoned up and was like and knew it, like he had that swag of a
guy you need to have at the quarterback spot. M h, guys, you know, I agree with you both in your assessment of what's going on. I just I feel, for whatever reason, I don't know what it is, that the coaching staff isn't that high on Kimp. If he if they were, if they were a push from the coaching staff to have Noah Kim in there, I think he would already be the starting quarterback based off of what how he's performed in my eyes, in your eyes, and what
we've seen. But there's certain practices that we're not at that we get reports back that you know doesn't take the proper drops. You know he's not you knows mechanics aren't correct. I think that you know, Noah Kim may suffer a little bit from the gamer syndrome. And that's something that you know myself. I had that right in high school. I was a gamer. Like
I didn't I didn't really think practice was all that big. But as you guys know, when you play powerfied football, NFL football, all that stuff, practices everything because those coaches aren't going to trust you if you don't do everything right all the time. But Noah Kim, I don't know what he was in high school, like sixty four and one or something crazy like that. His record as a starting quarterback he lost one game out sixty something games,
which is incredible. I think that he's a guy that when the lights come on, he gets calm. When the stage is bigger, he's more focused, which is great, but he has to break through when you're battling an incumbent who is a two year returning starter to be able to break through and be able to play, because that gives the coaches comfort. You know,
these guys make a lot of money. There's a lot of things on the line, and they're not going to trust you if you don't do things right all the time, if you're not following their progressions when they ask you questions after each play, if you can't diagnose exactly what you saw, then that's going to give them pause. But for our eyes looking at it from you know, the sidelines and from the booth or the TV wherever it is,
Noah Kim just makes plays after play after play. So what you do here, you have a you have a conundrum which is kind of a Rock and Harple. You're gonna this thing is gonna continue on through the summer.
It's gonna be I believe, in my opinion, there's gonna be two quarterbacks playing against Central Michigan and Richmond, and then we'll see based off of the results, the facts, the the the the final statistics, if you will, before we get to the Washington game, because you got Michael Pennix Junior coming in town. Who's beating that you can say in uh, Spartan stay Hum as an Indiana quarterback, and he also beating miss can Say at Washington
as a Washington quarterback. So you gotta have your Ducks center row right there, because that game is a pivotal game. Not the other two aren't a pivotal game because you gotta win those now, you better win those games. But that Washington game in week three is pivotal, and and I think that game you're gonna have onequarterback that runs rider all the way through unless there's something
that disastrous happens early in that ball game. So to me, I think that Noah Kim has to continue to work and continue to ignore the noise and continue to focus on what he needs to focus on. The same thing goes for Peyton Thorn. He's got to focus on being the best leader that he can be for guys to follow him in order to be the best player because ultimately, all we want to do is win as a program, and we
need to find that best leader. That's just my two cents, guys, right, you know, moving on, when you see the Spring as a whole, guys, what did you think that you saw as as a whole When you look at the Spring as it wrapped up on Saturday to choo. Yeah, I think I think this should be excitement for spartanation. I think there's gonna be a different team that takes the field, you know, come August September second when we play Central. I think it's gonna be a different
team that that you know's out there on the field. And one thing that I loved about this spring game and one guy that really impressed me, and it wasn't really about his play. His play was good. This guy was like from a standard like and I looked and I was like, I've never seen a freshman carry himself like this, And that was Jordan Hall. He came in. He wasn't shell shocked. He wasn't you know, like, oh my god, I'm playing that spart and say, you know, yes,
I know. He had those feelings of excitement and everything, but it was business for him. And I think going to IMG that prepared him for a level like this that other kids don't have that opportunity to get prepared for a level like this. You can play at a big high school, you know, whatever it is, but when you come when you go to the school like IMG, where they prepare you like you're in college. You come
in and you position yourself to get on the field right away. And I think from what I I saw from the spring and the spring game, Jordan Hall positioned himself to be on the field in fall this season. Mm hmm. That was huge right there. I mean I saw people talk about they think he needs to be a captain as a Frenchman man. It was a big statements right there. You know, I was waiting on Nate Carter's named n pop out. No. I think this spring straight it gives us.
I love what Tug did. I love the staff did. It was it was strategic and to like we're not going to give anybody everything and like do the most in spring game, like it wasn't even spring game. Let's show he practice, let's show you what we did. But really the battles are won and the scrimmages on the past Saturdays previously in March, in April wood. So I think it's given us a little bit of motivating factor of like, all right, we got some dudes. Now we have some we have
the talent. It's now where we talked about multiple guys coming on our show saying culture, culture, culture. I think we got to fully focus on them, guys jeling to where they come out there. You don't have to given reports like no one's supporting nobody like I think it's the details of the that where we just lost last season, and to the point of we've got guys steal from that twenty twenty three class that's going to join in the summer.
Let's see from that group that didn't come in earlier league to see how they fit in there and and in the in the in the team scheme. I want to coach, I want to coach tunder truly, just take that stance, bro like, just it is what it is, man like not saying your job was on the line. It's like we got to win and we got to bring in a quarterback and have that decision making a sap.
That's just my feeling. But I think all in all, it was a good position, almost like an inner squash screamage just to say, hey, it was like an all star game where no one wants to get hurt. And he went to a spartanation that we did something in the spring, but we're gonna put some things together to stack up in summer. A good point, guys, you know, when you look at what Mel Tucker's posts spring game comments where he talked about he's happy, he's happy with the commitment of
the players on this team. Right now, it doesn't feel like there's guys that you know, I'm buying in and what he's talking about, I'm not sure how much attrition will have uh final spring press. We'll see how things go. We may be able to add a couple of players. These next couple of weeks will be critical, critically important for that. The portal can
be somewhat unpredictable, so we'll keep a close eye on it. Now, what I hear there is you know, I'm happy with where we are, but I don't know if we'll have movement ex exodus wise guys leaving which will trigger us to go get guys. But it doesn't sound like a coach who's trying to go find guys to replace the crap that he has on his team anymore. He doesn't feel like that right now. But straight we'll prime say what's is cool? What's called prime? Colin hard to find? I I
don't know. I look at that quote a little different, like there was no there was no commit there was no commitment and also was like you said, yeah, you said, you don't you don't think that he's saying to look to find I'm thinking he's saying also too with the transfer portal, that you know, other schools are going to be losing guys to transfer port Hey, we'll take a peek and see, Hey, is this the right fit
for us here? You know, I don't think, you know, I think I still think this are gonna be aggressive in a transfer portal in the off season here. You know, we already had one person leave. You know, Hey, that's another room. That's another for someone else. So I don't know, I don't know. I think they're gonna be aggressive in a transfer portal this summer. I think the aggressing comes from if a guy makes a move like cam Faith, so there's one guy that they're gonna go
get. I don't think they're gonna be asking guys to leave. That's my point. We've talked about that before. Under you know, said there was a lot of that. You know, hey, got it, it's the end of the road. I don't think that you're gonna see that. In my opinion, that's aggressiveness getting guys out of there. And then going to the portal to see what's there. I don't see that, but we'll see what happens. You know, maybe you're right. I don't. I don't
know. I mean, look, look the port there's always rumors and chatter out there about who may or may not go into the portal. I mean, Georgia had a guy, a freshman that played with Jordan Hall a couple of years ago, that was the true freshman last year, had two sacks in the National Championship game. How can the guy not be happy? He's in the portal right now? A guy named Bear. I mean, so these are these are things that got his number. Maybe he can replace camp
Faye. I don't know, but you know, the world on the street is like it's it's it's a Texas slash USC game for him, which means one thing, guys money, right, So look, look, look, I'm all for whatever it is that will make Michigan State a winner. That's what we want. That's what all three of us want. I'm sure that's what everybody that's listening to this podcast wants. Most of you, if you
less your you know, one of those fans from down the road. But look, Guys, we're going to continue to talk about what we saw, and then what what's transpired in East Lambs and then beyond after this message from
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poblano pepper is a hot one. I'm like a spicy dude. I'm gonna leave a stag alone. I hope you got a pleasure. Bro. Hey man, I'm a vet with the spice. Okay, going back to what I was probably seven years old, man, Mama bestie God bless you. So she got me ready for that hot stuff. But guys, talking about iye Hop. Charles Brandley will be signing in eye hop in Brighton this coming weekend. We gotta have everybody show up for that. Yeah, listen,
this story is my favorite story because it's easy to get off. The exit is right there. You can't miss it. But uh, Chuck, Chuck's a guy that uh is just just a good dude man, very very appreciative of the partnership with Kyle and with I HOP and it's really show up. Let's show up and get this man some support, show up some love. Obviously this season in the spring, he wasn't able to compete and he obviously
wanted to be out there. So it's an opportunity to show some love, like I'm not forgotten him because he is one of our best guys on the team defensively, and to show up, show up and show up. But I know everyone's waiting for her, for for Chuck Mkyle man, I'm gonna be there to get some some craps and so no, not craps, it's uh Bennedictt. I mean they fired now Raven talking about she wants some grapes and that's her baby number two, that's that's mother. So she's gonna be
there. I know you're gonna be there. Two. What's up man, Well, we all do something. I gotta be killed that man, I gotta being can trust me, I'd rather be knocking down some stacks. Yeah, oh that that Cale Fair. I love supporting great man like him. M Camp. You know, I saw our duwers talking about he loved to
pick going back to the Michigan game, which is awesome. Guys. You know, so I hope that more people can can come out and support Charles Browdley, who's one of the Keys spart I mean, you talk about st spartan off for life. That is a guy right there. He embodies everything that we stand for. I mean, we love Charles key on everybody, but Charles is a guy that we got to support when we have the opportunity to do so. Looking at other topics, gentlemen, NBA basketball, we
have a defensive player of the Year in Jaron Jackson. Yeah, man, this is look. You got Draymonds winning this and you know you got Jared Jackson. This huge testament to coach isel Man. Like we talk about defense, defense also pays well too in the league. Man, Like Kawhi Leonard
will always say boord Man get paid too. So Jared Jackson is also a bucket and he's he had an outstanding game, you know last it was yesterday, two days ago, and it's just good to see Jared has when he came in as a young pup out of out of Indiana, Carla, Indiana, and it's just good to see him. Unless Xavier Tillman is also a solid defensive uh specialist on that team too, so good, good kudos.
That's my signature work. Kudos jameson forgetting that ward man, because there's a lot of defensive guys that played some great defense in the league, and for him to be the player of the year, it is a huge, huge, huge feet Yeah, I think it was maybe looking back at it now, it was selfish of me when he was leaving early. I was like, man, it's that the best decision for him. But obviously it was the best decision for him. He's out there, he's doing his thing.
Congratulations to that young man. You know, that's you know what he said, the young he's the youngest defensive player of the year ever. Crews have two defensive Players of the years. That's that's oh all right, shit, it's good, legendary, legendary. With our question, I mean don't come here if you can't play no defense. That's what it is. Don't come to State if you don't want to play no defense. Max. What about this other defense we're gonna talk about. Yeah, let's look at this other
defense. You know, Draymond Green. Last night we got to talk about it. Draymond. This is this thing. So he's defending the guy he goes somebody's on his feet and listen. I watched this live and I was like, man, like the the extra extra theatrical, Like, I don't wasn't him trying to get his foot out, which I think it was, but that one it was used it as a launch pad like ain't get off of But he didn't really he didn't really really did Man, that was a
w w E stop you know, right? Yah? But you know also, you know grabbed his ankle. You know at that time too, you you heat of the moment someone grabbed your ankle, You're trying to get out of there. And so, I mean, you know, it's gonna at the end of the day, they're gonna say, oh, Draymond, Draymond this, this, that, and the other. His reputation is gonna precede him. So I think he might end up getting a suspension or something like that. But I think you know, he got ejected from the game.
Let it to to to too? Did you see the antics after though? That's what really, that's what really, that's what really was like all right, man, like it's so good, it's good good, he's straight. I mean he talking to the crowd like go ahead, like you love it. He loves the fire, you love the fire in him as always.
But it was like, man, you got the playoffs and y'all down to y'all down two games, bro, Like people still believe that they're gonna win, especially when you you know what the thing is, you got to look back like all those crucial moments like the time you got Yeah, you gotta think though, like well, Golden State and I don't want to you know, I'm just throwing this out there being putting my media hat on. Well Golden State said, okay, that's enough, like they questionably that when they
played the Calves and Lebron when he got ejected, that turned everything. And you know he missed that game and they came back and won a championship and now now you know they're down two games and he had an antique and might be suspended and stuff. Does Golden State say, hey, we love you as a player, but you know we won't. Let's move on or not a chance four championships And I'm just like, I'm just being devil's advocate. I don't want him to go anywhere. I like him. He ain't going
nowhere. He didn't lose on a championship. We just well, listen, I get it, go to State saying that's enough. But the King's balling, dog. I don't care what they are balling. So it ain't like we know god State is always balling and Stephan is gonna get his play. It's the Kings are playing great ball. And it's been a long time since the Sacramento Kings has played great ball. So it's gonna be a good, good next game when they go. All ready to play Golden State at home.
So now I'm ready, I ready to ready highlight our next guy, like we call him lepricaun. You know who else is playing well? Is the keeper Matt Coughland. There he is us FL Special Teams Player of the Week. To two, talk about it, talk about it then your favorite subject. Man. Look, hey, look, this is the best. We're on the sideline. We're on the side. Uh, kickers not welcome. Come straight. The kickers are kicking. I don't even know what drill
was. They were kicking. Shane, who comes from the other opposite in the south of the field, comes to get me. He's like, look at those kickers. He's like missing wide open, like no pressure. It's like, look at those kickers. They were out there giving souvenirs. People are staying for catching them outside the uprights, catching the balls. You know. Oh no, well you're not excited about it. But gra flowers. I'm giving him his flowers. He's just he's a spartan. I'm gonna support
him, you know, at the next level. I'm giving him his flowers. What else do you want me to do next? Off the mat hey man, congratulations. Yeah. I think his father flew us one time as father as a pilot airline pilot. Oh yeah, yeah, you know, look, it ain't easy kicking and for him in his first game, correct, his first game being the player of the week specialty. That's great,
that's that's great. Hopefully he gets an opportunity at the at the NFL at the end of the season, he can go to a camp and make some money. Here we go. Yeah, I'm happy for that. Shoot. I don't want to want to not make get your paper boo boo, and you may give something to them boys King Green and White, and that's what we wanted to do. Make his money and then give a little n I L deal for kickers. I don't know, maybe maybe that can help us
right that we're searching for something. But like, thank you, good congratulations Max Cogman, this one. I'm excited about this next shout out here, like it's all about player of the week, you know, but without further ado, we we'll we'll in the show and we'll talk about this. The dodge ball National champions We have a national champ champs here champions. Yeah.
Look, this is part of we just don't highlight Michigan State Athletics in all our sports, like it's university as you've seen if you watched our show. Uh when when you found this, like who's who found this? And we talked about did we have the bracket because you talk about the schools in the bracket, it was a one seed first of all, let's go in here like one seed final four, you got Cincinnati got James Madison, you had Grand Valley and like I know, was like, man, why how's the
Division two schools in there? It was like it's kind of like hockey where you got hockey like fair State's and Division one hockey program. Right, But this is a this is an opportunity where next time I'm about to go watch them. Man, I bet you is in tens. You know. I'm
guarantees I want to know too. And if anybody on this podcast that's listening can get us one of the players to have us a guest on the show, let us know because we have them as a guest on the show here, I want to know where they play, you know what I mean? I am it's gotta be I'm West for sure season like how the travel and everything like that, So I don't I think Harriet, if anyone can find them dodgeball player first signed the bus or something, dodge dip dive Duckett,
what is that's off the movie that was like Plin the ring ceremony. We gotta do it. We gotta have them on the show and congratulate him or and and not not or and to shoe. You gotta get in there and play a little game. But I'll be happy to play a game with him. I don't do dodgeball. Why not? It's too barbaric. Oh my boy, I was always an in dodgeball and gym class too. It's more bar erg than what you you've you've been through tougher times in this. Yeah,
I'm doing dodgeball. Skip. Where's the parade? We're working on it. Yeah, we gotta hang a banner in the Breslin or something. I don't know, dodgeball nasal Champs. I can see it before we take off, before we take off here, I know we gotta go. But uh, shout out to Mama Hall. She's like that. She's gonna be the grand Marshal of the homecoming parade here soon for four years, leading the troops, talking to recruits, talking to families, doing it all. It's a
national treasurer. We love Mama. Great environment that like you know, you know parents, doctor Peggy, you know over at the parent tail game. We had a great time there. And you know Matt Kufta, you know, you off them wings and we'll talk about them wings when we talk about what we got to talk about. But great job and Mama Carlie Carr's mom. You know that's what I said. That's what he said, Doctor Pegan.
Okay, fotball like one little no fact, Mama, Mama, Carl's Michigan Basketball and she's going in the Hall of Familytroit Country Day now like okay, oh yeah, she she a faller now like yeah, he was trying to get her on the on the on the show on Saturday, but not great with her. Is look great? Well she only brought one little thing. Hey, but I'm guarantee you she'd be like but she showed up empty
handed, don't you. Nobody knows what he's saying, but you rewinded later on a thank you guys for tuning into the show for Otis Wiley, say you to to Coch. I'm Jason stra This is Sparta. Have a good night, God blessed, and go go life. This is Sparta MSU as a combined presentation of Playfly Sports properties in Michigan State Sports Properties. The show is produced by Pete Manez with additional support from Tony Costella. Operations and social
media support is provided by Alicia Strayhorn with support from Cecily Max Brown. On location. Technical support is provided by Good Fruit video. Be sure to follow our hosts Jason Strayhorn, Jay Ukulchrik and Otis Wiley on social media to stay up to date with all the latest This is Smarta news. Please like a subscribe by visiting our link tree and tell a friend to do the same. Thank you for your support and as always, go green.