Latest / In The Pocket / Ep. 1: Previewing EMU's Week 0 showdown, Week 1 Mitten lookahead
Transcript
- Andrew: Hello everyone and welcome to the first ever episode of In the Pocket, a college football podcast focusing on the state of Michigan's five FBS teams. ⁓ I'm Andrew Graham, one of your hosts. I'm here with Connor Irgood, another one of your hosts. Connor, do you wanna give yourself a little brief intro? Connor Earegood: Yeah, how we doin'? Connor, you're good, Detroit News, MSU beat writer, college football, watcher, fan of of many years, in state especially. So yeah, excited to talk some ball. Andrew: Flint Flint native, I'll save the blue wall jokes for later, some sometime down the line. We'll get there. ⁓ I'm Andrew Graham. I am also a Michigan native, mid Michigan ⁓ Oak Miss High School, shout out. and cover Michigan h college football with Minton football. So this is in the pocket. It's a podcast that Connor and I have decided to start where we're just kinda kinda cover everything, all things Michigan college football. ⁓ starting up with the twenty twenty six season, so With that, not a whole lot else to do other than get into it. We'll we'll the the production value will increase over time, but for now we just want to make sure we have a place where you can hear our brilliant thoughts. Connor Earegood: Yeah, buy stock now. It's only going up from here. Andrew: Yeah, that's that's one way to put it. That's one way to put it. ⁓ so I think the natural place to start, given that they play a football game on Saturday night, is Eastern Michigan and Sacramento State, playing at the factory Reinerson Stadium, six thirty PM kickoff in what is a conference game. ⁓ I guess we can start there and I guess I'll throw it to you as the more novice in this space, since you are not Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew: necessarily following eastern Michigan as closely, but just kind of what have what are you looking forward to for that game or just to have college football back? Connor Earegood: I mean eight to have college football back, but I I am curious, right, with with that team playing Michigan State. I mean the the first two Mac games, as as you know bad as Michigan State has been, I don't know if they're on watch against Toledo and Eastern Michigan, so I'm curious to see what they look like in general. ⁓ Noah Kim obviously has had a good really really good season last year. ⁓ I'm curious to see what steps he's taken and and you know Sort of leading ⁓ leading a a a pretty decent offense, I if I'm remembering correctly, from last year. ⁓ and and also like Chris Creighton's a good coach. ⁓ and I would expect them to improve over what happened last year. ⁓ so I I am kind of curious to see what changes were made and and how those kind of manifest on the field. Very general, very general. Not a not a deep eastern Michigan ball knower, but Andrew: Absolutely and Hey. Hey, w we will get there. That's that's kind of ⁓ my realm on this pod, covering the directionals a little more more readily. ⁓ but I think you hit the nail on the head with like Noah Kim's kind of the the headline of it all, you return a quarterback who is as veteran as college quarterbacks come with a red shirt and a covet year and God knows what else at this point. ⁓ this will be his final year finally. ⁓ but I think he just they they're coming out of their camp Connor Earegood: There we go. Andrew: the message has really been that there's a lot of sort of more control, confidence, command, leadership, like all of the things that come when you're not like making sure you know what you're talking about first and foremost, and like when you're confident in it and you see something you go, Okay, I know this this split is wrong and I just need to tell my tight end like get wider. Like you're not like, is he too narrow? Like so I think it's a lot of the way they'll be better and sort of cleaner, smoother, is gonna be kinda imperceptible in a lot of ways on offense, but I do think like the operation is gonna be better and they will be improved on offense one way or another. Connor Earegood: Yeah. I it it feels like too, like an anyone in the Mac, like it's so hard to project year to year who's gonna who's gonna be the team, right? Like Western last year, you probably wouldn't have guessed it the first couple of games when they're still figuring out a QB competition and you know start at O and three and then finish what, ten and three? Ten and four, that's it. Yeah. Andrew: No, yeah. No, that s started O in three, like, yeah. Ten and four. Four quiet fourteen game season over Kalamazoo last season. ⁓ Connor Earegood: Yeah. Yeah, I mean that's you know, it it it is I'm sure that's the standard that Eastern wants to to pursue, ⁓ and kinda has always been in the conversation to make a bowl, ⁓ you know, and and to take those steps. But it I I feel like football is more fun when you see All of Michigan's directional school schools doing well. And like Central with with Drinkle's got some momentum. Lance Taylor's doing a great job out at Western. So curious to see w the probably the more veteran coach I would say out of that group and and Chris Creighton. I think that's easy to say. Andrew: He he and he and Chuck Martin at Miami are the co deans of Matt Coaches, I believe. I think they're both in year thirteen. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Thirteen. So yeah, I I mean I'd, you know very curious to see, you know, how how the experience and and how he, you know, works himself out of this. Andrew: ⁓ yeah, and I on a more meta thing I do wonder how much from a sort of thirty thousand foot view, just like you go somewhere for a decade plus, like is there just an element of it runs out of steam that's no one really can like be in control of? But that's a conversation for a whole nother day. ⁓ I kinda wanna turn this over to you to just ask me, like w what questions you have about this game, what you're curious about, whether it be Eastern Sack State and see if I can answer it. Connor Earegood: Yeah, I mean where where do you think Eastern Michigan's gonna be able to to win, right? What are what are their sorts of things they're gonna hang their hat on and say, All right, we're gonna take control of this and we'll have a good chance? Andrew: So as as boring as it is, I'm gonna start with special teams because that is an area where they really pride themselves on winning on the margins. They've been very good at it for years on years on years on years. clearly something they're dedicated to, they're bringing the personnel for it. So just quick shout out to that. I think that's an area where Eastern does a good job of creating positive margins for itself, and I would expect that to continue. Offensively, I am not worried about the offensive line, but I have questions that probably need to be answered by them playing and playing well, just because it's such a transfer heavy group and all that comes with that. ⁓ that's just a a fraught proposition until proven otherwise to be a little bit. ⁓ but I think when you look at Noah Kim coming back with Two top receivers, depending on how you want to look at Josh Long, like the numbers, but two top receivers back. Harold Mack should be even better as a sophomore. I know they're kind of quietly excited about Dalen Wilkins, ⁓ who hasn't played a bunch for them but is kinda having a strong camp. Antonio Floyd's another guy who's looks pretty good. ⁓ have some questions at running back, but I think they have like guys they like and someone will kinda step up. So I think they'll be able to like move the ball and score and let Noah Kim kind of drop back and play point guard and just get the ball out to guys 'cause he's good at that and like I would trust him to sit back, see a college defense and and get done what he needs to get done. Big questions on the defense after last year. I think they finished last in rushing defense, depending on how you look at the stats. ⁓ so that's where I wonder What does this look like? They swap they swapped out coordinators, they have the co D C thing with Tate Omley and Casey Teagarden, but I just like what does that look like? I don't really know until they play, it's another deal like that. ⁓ I think they'll they're doing a good job of trying to kind of overhaul the the w the feel of how they play defense, where it's like more violent, more aggressive, more sort of in your face, but not like I can't say definitively anything schematic. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew: At this point, like it's just hard to say. ⁓ but I think like to spin out of that with a positive, ⁓ I do think their secondary is like pretty experienced and pretty veteran, and some guys like Bryce Llewellyn, Juan Salais, ⁓ Jason Marshall to name a few. Like, there are guys back there who they have played a lot of football, they like and they trust. So I think the secondary will be pretty solid. I have questions that need to be answered about the front side of. Connor Earegood: With Teagarden Anomaly playing well, being co D C they're not really playing. Technically they are. It's like chess. Some coaches would say. Andrew: Things might not be great if either of them had to play. I I think they would both agree with me on that. Connor Earegood: Well, I I I wonder, like, when you see code D C, right, usually it's a sign of trouble or a sign of investment and it's kind of pulling it two different strains. Like when when Michigan State over the offseason defense gets better over the course of a season and you know Joe Rossi had some fire and was on the sideline, probably fired some people up. A lot of people were excited to see him come back. ⁓ but then you add a guy like Max Bulla who's kind of a program legend in the mix and ⁓ is sort of in that co DC role. But in that case it's like it's very much teacher understudy and and that's been kind of explained out. Yeah, right. I I with T Garden and Andrew: Yeah, I was gonna say junior junior partner kind of nature, yeah. Connor Earegood: I wonder is that more of a like how do you get two cooks to to work side by side like that? Andrew: Yeah. And I think that's an interesting thing for how it plays out in the season of like the Blake Awling dynamic. ⁓ 'cause they're gonna have to like I and I did ask guys about that, like players in spring about how have they the coaches, Casey Tegard and Tate Omley and kind of manage like they had to be communicating the same things. Like they had to be if a defensive back goes to Omley and a defensive end goes to Tegard and and asks a question about play the same play, their answers about how they're teaching it needed to be like the same because otherwise you're just confusing people and you're kind of it creates dissonance. And the word is that they're they have like a very good handle on that. ⁓ obviously play calling is the like next big frontier in that regard. ⁓ and I don't know precisely how they want to go about that. ⁓ it is like a very true co D C deal where T Garten kind of handles the front end, like front seven linebackers, defensive line. ⁓ he comes over from the special team side, but he's coached that front seven kind of those positions before. And then Omley, secondary kind of back end guy, ⁓ kind of like one 'cause probably like run game coordinator ish, and one's kind of pass game coordinator ish. ⁓ so the blend of skill sets makes a lot of sense and I think it's just making sure they strike, find, refine. whatever balance of sort of play calling that they want to find. ⁓ and I'm kinda curious 'cause like I think the the messaging, the teaching, the chain the sort of tweaks that they're making are logical and if they hit Eastern's defence should be better. Now it's like can this these two guys make that sing on the field is kind of the why we play the games. Connor Earegood: Yeah. and and who they're playing to, Sacramento State do I have that correct? That'd be bad if I had that wrong. ⁓ I I think you said the other day seventy three transfers, right? That might Andrew: ⁓ seventy-three new players between freshmen and transfers. ⁓ so yeah, hold on. Let me I I was marking up my two deep. It's something like and they they posted a an updated two deep online, but I believe thirteen of twenty two of the offensive and defensive starters listed our transfers, something like that. So it's just not not the team that was playing football for Sack State last year. This is just a different football team. Connor Earegood: Freshman and transfers. Either way, that's a lot of new bodies. I Sizable. Sizable. Yeah, and well and and changing, you know, the level of conference being played in and and and all of the you know, the off season changes that that program has gone through. Like I do wonder, is Eastern Michigan feeling good about their knowledge of of who they're playing or is this like a well, we're gonna rip a band aid and and we're gonna see ⁓ we're gonna see who's who. Andrew: Much more in the Rip of Band-Aid category, which I think is kinda every team in week one to a certain extent. ⁓ more so than most coaches probably wanna admit of just like you don't know until you know. And so the message from Eastern's been I mean, they haven't been shying away about the fact that Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew: We don't know really what they want to do 'cause it's an interesting mix of Alonso Carter, Sack State's head coach. It's his first ever time being a head coach, his first year being a head coach. He was a longtime assistant for Brent Brennan, the current Arizona coach, going back they were at San San Jose State together. ⁓ but he was a running back's coach, so he's got this kind of west coast air raid, spread it out, throw it around kind of coaching tree that he comes from. But he was the running backs coach within that. And then an associate head coach along with that. So it's like which of those influences win out? Like and I believe the offensive coordinator was at I wanna say f Florida and like Auburn with Brian Harson, that might I think. so it's it's really hard to get a bead on what they're gonna wanna do offensively. I do think they will end up throwing it a bunch. Because they have a QB who they like in Carson Conklin, who was there in twenty twenty four, FCS freshman All American, transferred out, played in I think six games at Fresno State, transferred back in, got named the starter over this past weekend. I think he's gonna be good, but like how much can he do with like a kind of roster that's between FBS and FCS levels? Like it's kinda t it's just it's Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew: I the most boring, unfun cop out answer, but I just think we like have to see Saks Day play before we really know what it's gonna look like. Connor Earegood: Saturday. Opening of the season. It's gonna be awesome. Andrew: Yeah, and yeah, and I I will shout out one defensive player for Sacks State, Xavier Williams, defensive lineman. I know they're very high on him and he can kinda six two, two seventy, move inside, move outside. They'll do whatever with him, so he is one to look out for. But other than that, I'm not gonna be here prognosticating specific things about Sacramento State football until we've seen them play. Like I'm just I'm gonna take that tack. Connor Earegood: But but he he will be covering it on Saturday, I think, right? I have that right. Yeah. So check his ⁓ his coverage out in mid in football for sure. And ⁓ Andrew: ⁓ I will indeed be at the factory. Connor Earegood: Yeah, it the start of the season's always fun. Week zero's awesome. I know some people are like the big programs and stuff want that extra week and they're a little skittish about it, but like I don't know. Ireland Farmageddon last year is you know, as bad of a game as it was. It was awesome. You know, seeing all the different small schools. I think Maine and Towson play on Thursday. I I know you said you were gonna watch the highlights. I'll probably watch that. So maybe not, I don't know. Today is Thursday. Andrew: Yeah, well I've got some high school football that I'm I'm planning to be at. ⁓ yeah, we are recording this on a Thursday to be clear. ⁓ but there are other games happening in week one, and I think we should get to those before we rant about Sacramento State football for too long here. ⁓ so because we'll get into these games more next week, I just kinda want to do like kind of quick 30,000 foot overview end of camp vibes, kind of just quick. Connor Earegood: Yeah. I'm with it. Andrew: overview for each of the Michigan teams and kind of just a quick like here's what I think about their first matchup. So I guess we will start in chronological order for week one and I will give you you to start, Michigan State and Toledo just kick us off vibes of Michigan State as camp is kinda winding down here. Connor Earegood: Yeah, I mean it's the right energy for sure. And that's something that I think has been impressive to see is like the Jonathan Smith era, as good of a guy as Jonathan Smith is, was not a fit to be the Michigan State football coach. And I don't think understood the it was flat and I don't Well, and I don't un I don't think he understood the Andrew: Was it was flat. It's probably a fair way to put it, yeah. Connor Earegood: the ethos and the mentality of the fan base. Like this isn't a place where you're happy to go seven and five and it's like, ⁓ we'll get ⁓ next year. It is a like, I'm gonna punch holes in my wall if this team isn't like beating Michigan regularly and like contending for a Big Ten championship. And like that but that's been the purgatory that since, you know, the second year of Mel Tucker that won flash in the pan, the program's been in. I mean this is gonna be ⁓ you know, going off of four four losing seasons, five in the past six, this is gonna Be a big year for Michigan State to sort of prove ⁓ it can look better. And the record is probably still going to be below 500. I don't think anyone's really players and coaches and everyone keep saying they're competing for a championship, and I think that's the right mentality to have. But I think anyone with reasonable expectations for this roster, like six and six, is where you're topping out, and that's if a lot of things go right. I think they're gonna probably fall four and eight, plus or minus a half. Like I could see him winning five, and in like a good season, you feel Andrew: Yeah. Connor Earegood: good about but ⁓ it's gonna be the executional stuff that I think is is gonna be important this season. I think we've seen a little bit of a a an improvement on that like the the takeaway drills in practice the ⁓ you know prepping for for false starts and and all the stupid little penalties that at times screwed them last year. ⁓ You know there's there's a lot of there's a lot of like leadership focus as well I've noticed in just how they do their speeches and approaches and ⁓ you know bring in some some program legends around Mark Andrew: Yeah. Connor Earegood: Mark Antonio's around that didn't happen under Jonathan Smith. Yeah, like regularly around. ⁓ and like wants to be involved and help out. And like Pat Fitzgerald is a ⁓ you know, as much as the Northwestern scandal and issue challenged his reputation, the coaches inside the Big Ten who knew him and were close with him didn't flinch a second on that. And I think that's telling about you know his his sort of position in the Big Ten. Andrew: So Ken Ken Manny was at practice too the other day. Yeah. ⁓ yeah. Connor Earegood: Big Ten sort of canon of of coaches. Like this is the second winning as coach. And granted there's a lot of games played and it's I think about a five hundred record, but a hundred and ten games is a pretty darn good experience in the Big Ten. ⁓ you know, will that translate to this season? I think this season it's gonna be tough, but I think as he builds this roster it's gonna be interesting to see how they go. This is a building, is basically what I'm saying. So Andrew: Yeah. I just I just kinda realize that Michigan and Michigan State's first year coaches are like two of the winningest active coaches probably in college football. Like 'cause I know Whittingham's like top five or something like that among active coaches. 'Cause it's like a hundred it's like a hundred and seventy six coach for like twenty years. ⁓ Fitz Fitz can't be Yeah. But to get back to get back to MSU, Fitz can't be terribly far down that list. I'll have to check on that. But ⁓ I think to me the thing that like Connor Earegood: Yeah. I mean he's been doing it for the leather tan from the desert just bawling out at Utah for decades is sicko. Andrew: I struggle with ⁓ SU is like they could be better and the schedule just doesn't really set up well. Where you like you go to Notre Dame, Michigan's gonna be a tough game, hosting Washington, I have my doubts. You get Oregon and I think we all know how that's gonna go, not and that is me being extremely deferent deferential to Oregon more than thinking anything about MSU. So there's just a lot of games where it's like you kinda would think there's just not a chance sort of a miracle for this roster. And that's not like a surprise or an indictment. That's just where they are. And I think to tie in to your point, like Fitz and MSU are looking at this they want to compete now and they want to win now and they don't they're not gonna take a back seat this year just 'cause it's year one. But I think there is a quiet acknowledgement that what we're trying to do is going to take a couple years to really come to life and that like there's a sort of I would call it a cultural rebuild that Fitz was doing after the last two coaching staffs here. ⁓ and not again like without getting into any specifics of who's responsible for what. just kind of they needed a fresh coat of paint. And he's really been focused on that and I think done a good job of like this is who MSU is now, and it's kind of back to that D'Antonio-ish, like come. come in our junkyard and see what happens to you and you're probably not gonna like it style of football. Which like you're in the Big Ten, like that's a smart way to play. ⁓ I am curious your thoughts on like the Toledo matchup. Connor Earegood: Yeah, I mean it's it's gonna be inter cause like this is okay, the the b move I think the line is ten and a half still for the Toledo game, I I wanna say. And I can't tell looking at that. Toledo's got some some some talent, right? But I can't tell if that's the echoes of Jason Candle doing a damn good job there for years and having some some reputation as a team that can punch up and and you know, upset some people and ⁓ or at least, you know, attempt to. but Andrew: Sounds right. Yeah. Connor Earegood: But I don't see it being close. Like, I still think Michigan State has a roster that maybe is bad in the Big Ten, but is a good roster. And they have a lot of guys who've who've played. And that's like if this was a roster of like young freshmen, sophomore guys that they were kind of giving the ropes and were hoping are gonna be good as seniors and not transfer out, please, please, please. Like, if that was the case, I would think, okay, yeah, there's upset potential. But I just don't I don't see it. I think Eastern is the game. Andrew: ⁓ yeah. Connor Earegood: I would be more worried about if Noah Kim balls out at his former stomping grounds and has a little something to prove. Granted he's friends with some of the guys who are still on the team. Like it's you know, it's not an animosity thing. I think he realized what the he realized what the situation was and again, like credit to him. but I I just yeah, with Michigan State I I really like what the defense is like for starters. Andrew: No, not at all. Connor Earegood: And I would say it's something similar about the offense. It's the back end depth that's gonna be interesting. So like the early season games, I think they're fine. It's the Big Ten slate when you've got three or four guys that are dealing with something, ⁓ or you have a you know, first game injury and someone's out, like every team runs into that. You know, you are lucky if you don't run into that. ⁓ that's where I say the six and six thing, like a lot of things gotta go right. Health, I think, is the number one thing that this team is gonna need that they really didn't Andrew: Yeah. Connor Earegood: have last season, like losing two starting offensive linemen after the non-con, losing them to Youngstown State, which was a slobber knocker of a game, really, other than the score, and it really shouldn't have been. I mean that was bleak. Jonathan Smith, only coach to go three and ⁓ his first two seasons at Michigan State. Don't ask what happened next. Don't ask what happened next. But Andrew: Yeah, they were cooked. Yeah. S Se September Jonathan Smith. Connor Earegood: Yeah, dude, he it's like it's like March Izzo, but it it and you know Andrew didn't like that. But ⁓ okay. no, but I I just Andrew: I'm not I'm amused by it at the minimum. Connor Earegood: Yeah. The thing with Michigan State I really like. I I like what the linebacker room is looking like of just dudes who've played a lot. Dion Crawford has sixteen hundred ⁓ career snaps. Jordan Hall's like fourteen hundred something. Caleb Wheatland nine hundred, and he was injured last season. Like there's a bunch of guys who've played a lot of ball. Brady Pretzlaff, you feel pretty good about is you know, his third year in the system, like coming off of an injury, he was around, he wasn't just quitting. ⁓ you know, Damari Malone's the guy that keeps getting brought up is like he's in the mix. Too, like don't forget, and and Adam Shaw being a freshman, I would be surprised if he actually plays more than just the the preseason games. But ⁓ you know, it's still a special teamer, yeah, but it's still interesting. And with the five and five you can do that way better now. But but I would say, like, ⁓ with this team, it's it's just gonna be interesting to see who Andrew: Yeah, you don't have to you don't have to worry about the red shirt, yeah. Connor Earegood: Who fits and who does like the transfer point you made about, you know, Eastern and Sac State, like you really don't know who people have, but it just looks like a team that should be good enough to beat a Toledo. Eastern Michigan they probably should be able to handle. ⁓ but it's you know, the beginning of the season you're always curious to see, especially with the new coaching staff, like what is going to go wrong. And I think the coaches are probably curious to see that too, because they know it's coming. Andrew: definitely and I think to your point like probably win the first two games and then a relatively rude awakening in South Bend when you see how like the C F P teams are living. ⁓ but that's not really a big concern for this year and I to your point like there's gonna be a ton of opportunity on this team for guys to seize jobs and seize roles and make impacts and play a lot. ⁓ So like it's just kinda who's gonna do that. It we'll start to learn that when they when they kick off first Toledo Friday night, a a traditional MSU Friday night opener. ⁓ god. Connor Earegood: It was so funny when Fitzgerald talked about that and he's like game day Saturday for me and he was like kinda he wasn't like saying it's a he doesn't like it, but he was saying like, ⁓ operationally, like we're moving it up a day and he was like organizational studies manager. Andrew: That man just needs to experience he just needs to experience one Upper Peninsula Labor Day weekend after like he'll he'll he'll change his tune. We'll we'll we'll we'll propagandize him. We w this'll this'll happen. ⁓ I'm gonna we we can skip over Eastern's week one game since that is not their opener. ⁓ but they are playing San Jose State, which just a w tiny tidbit I wanna throw out. This is two years in a row that ⁓ Connor Earegood: And he'll get it. And a melting moment. We'll p we'll we'll we'll represent you guys, don't worry. We'll let ⁓ know. Andrew: directional Michigan team has played San Jose State in week one. Central went there last year and beat him. Just that little note. I don't know. I don't know why San Jose State and the directional Michigans have linked up, but here we are. Connor Earegood: Interesting. F formerly ⁓ formerly Brady Hoke. Right? Yeah. San Diego State. ⁓ was he? Okay, never mind, never mind. ⁓ that's right, that's right. Okay. I take that back. Andrew: ⁓ yeah. No, he was San Diego State. Yeah. The Aztecs. 'Cause he went back. Yeah. But okay, so that so that takes us to the the in state matchup. Western Michigan will face Michigan in the big house at seven thirty PM, I believe. Saturday night prime time on NBC with Syracusa Love Noah Eagle. Shout out on the call. ⁓ Stuff back here. ⁓ but that's a very interesting game to me because ostensibly Western had a better season in twenty twenty five, but they're going to probably lose by twenty. ⁓ that's just how that's gonna work generally. ⁓ I'm kinda curious you are obviously the the Michigan alum despite covering MSU and you you're fairly plugged in with Western Western things, maybe not football directly, but I'm just kinda curious your Connor Earegood: Intentional. Andrew: Your thoughts on this game and kind of how it how it might play out and just sort of setting the stage for that. Connor Earegood: Yeah, I mean it's it's like for all the hype, like it's a completely different off season coaching change from what Michigan State did. Michigan State, end of the season, pulls the plug, gets their guy, rebuilds, knows it's gonna take a few years. Michigan gets a guy after scandal and just needed a safe hire and somehow lured Whittingham out of retirement because every other option got shut down. Andrew: Boy did they ⁓ I have my thoughts about the word retirement in Winningham, but yeah. Ke kept kept him in coaching, we'll put it that way. Connor Earegood: retirement. I in in any case Yes. In any case was not the lead candidate, but you end up with him and now it's this hype of like Here's a top, you know, five or something winning as coach among active. Here's a guy who's done it for years at Utah, has been good, hasn't stooped to competition, does all the things that you want to see out of a coach that's coaching that kind of roster, and then they lavish him with a pretty darn good roster. And notice the recruiting trail has not been super active for Michigan in terms of this next class. I mean, they've gotten some guys, but it hasn't been what we're used to seeing. Like Yeah, but and and it's like very, you know. Andrew: They've been fine, but it's yeah. I think they're like eleventh in the class rankings, something like that. Connor Earegood: Heavy on like a few four stars and things, but ⁓ Yeah, but ⁓ when you look at it, like all the off season hype talk of like this is a team that can contend, they want to win the big ten, like it's a crowded conference and it was always going to be when you add four new teams and you know, a a team like Oregon where they're just gonna go spend Nike money like crazy, you know, as they probably should. ⁓ if this is the Wild West. Andrew: Very meat and potatoes recruiting. Hey, Michigan's got Oracle money now, so Connor Earegood: That's the thing. The open AI endowment that just gave billions back to the university, like hey, Chat GPT every time you use it is is, you know, feeding the Empire. Yeah. can the Mich can the Michigan Daily get it? No. Andrew: Yeah, well it's like Can a can a mitten football get cut in on Michigan's endowment? Like that's what I'm trying to figure out. Connor Earegood: ⁓ but but regardless, like I I I wanna see what it looks like on the field and if like if it matches the hype or if it's like Sharon Moore's first year when Davis Warren almost throws a pick and Alex Orgie throws two passes in the dirt and, you know, looks sticky. Like Yes. Andrew: No. And then one f fourteen yards into the stands. Yeah. Yeah. ⁓ and I I generally am of the belief that Michigan is going to be like a very boringly competent eight and four, nine and three this year. ⁓ I think there, like the whole Michigan could make the playoff case kind of lies more in the three or four Big Ten teams are gonna make it. Who in the Big Ten can get to nine and three and then just kinda like picking out of that jumble and Michigan's probably one of those teams like I'm not really high on their playoff case, and I'm certainly wouldn't be like high on them to win a game if they got in. ⁓ for reasons we could perhaps talk about later in the season. ⁓ But just in general, like I think you're gonna see like the way Whittingham wants to play fits with Michigan of win in the trenches, run the hell out of the ball, beat ya up. Old school football. I mean like it's y the the the the feel of it will be fine. No one will have any issues with that. And I think the big question, and this is not a secret, is he's never really been a great coach of quarterbacks. Like, they've had quarterbacks who have been successful and done good things. But like name me the Utah quarterbacks it's Alex Smith, who by the way was coached by Urban Meyer primarily, who's been good in the NFL and it's Pretty narrow list. ⁓ And so like then it becomes like the Bryce Underwood of it all, which I don't think it's gonna be material to the outcome in week one unless he throws like two pick sixes, in which case we will have a lot to talk about, Bryce Underwood, but I'm not gonna get too far over my skis here. So I just like I wonder about the upside of it all, and I think that's kind of where most people are, and I think they'll be good, they'll be competent, the roster's a top 15-ish roster in the sport because they've got money and that's how that works now. ⁓ and then it's just like upside and to your point about like the Big Ten being crowded, Michigan's schedule is I will say the first like high level swear word on the spot. Holy shit, their schedule is difficult. They play Oregon, Ohio State, Indiana, Oklahoma. There's a couple others in there's like another ranked team in there that I'm forgetting. Iowa Connor Earegood: No. It it it's not a cakewalk. Andrew: ⁓ they play Penn State. Yeah, like they like they'll pro they should beat Iowa, like they should beat some like maybe they can spring a game like maybe Josh Hoover's not great, Indiana you can beat him, like who knows? Probably not. ⁓ but like Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana to me is like you're probably at nine and three off the rip right there because those teams are better than you right now. Like Connor Earegood: Yeah. Yeah. And like you might get an upset on one of but like to say all three or like two of ⁓ is like, alright, buddy. Like yeah, that's that's literage. Yeah. But Yeah. Wouldn't Andrew: Yeah, that's a bit much for me. ⁓ I can change my I can change my tune if that guy see them play and go, Whoop damn. Like if if they do get Bryce Underwood to another gear, like this team like that's the funny thing, as much as I think people are not wrongly down on kind of like what Bryce Underwood can be after his freshman year, if they do figure it out with him, damn, like this team could be really good. ⁓ Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew: I just that's a huge if, like, I don't continue with my Connor Earegood: Yeah. Which is interesting 'cause when when I look at Western's roster, like there are fewer ifs than I would have thought for a team that won the Mac. They got a lot of guys in some key spots returning. Think of QB. Like, you know, ⁓ i it what have you seen from them so far in in the fall and the spring and all this lead up and and where do you think they're gonna be coming off a a Mac championship and and a whole lot of momentum going ten and one down the stretch? Andrew: Yeah. Yeah, so their like strength and sell and like where they will just be able to make hay is their offense, 'cause they return Mac Offensive Play of the Year, Brock Lowry quarterback, you return Jalen Buckley, who's like an all Mac first team, like if it all comes together and he's healthy, like kind of fringe all American caliber running back. Three offensive linemen who were healthy and started last year, plus Jeremy Schleicher, who was your center at the start of the year before he got hurt. ⁓ although he's I need to check with Lance Taylor on Monday for a dispressor if he will be available 'cause he's been limited through camp. ⁓ either way, you have returning offensive line starts, you have a returning quarterback, you have returning running back, you have a couple returning receivers that you like in ⁓ Avion Chenault and ⁓ wow I'm Balin Brooks. That was gonna be embarrassing if I couldn't get Baylor's name there. ⁓ among a couple others. Like I think they're pretty excited about the pass catching group leveling up. So all the pieces are there. They're gonna be able to run the ball against Mac competition, I'm pretty confident. And then it's can you evolve your passing game beyond like just tagging RPOs onto split zone runs? Which they won the Mac doing last year, so I'm not gonna act like that's not effective, but I they definitely wanna do more with the passing game. Unfortunately I do not think week one against What's probably gonna be like a top twenty ish S P plus defense is not maybe the best proving ground for such such plans. ⁓ yeah, the Avion Chennault nine catches, hundred sixty five yard, two touchdown game will feed families in Kalamzu if it happens. ⁓ but I I would not I would not bet on it. Let's put it that way. Connor Earegood: Yeah. But if you do it, but if you do it. Yeah. And and well and that's the interesting part where we talk about like Western had a way better season last year than Michigan did in so many regards. So then like you look at it now and Andrew: Infinitely. Like Connor Earegood: you know, there's still that evident gap between like a team that's paying to contend and a team that you know, if this was ten years ago, this would be a tight game. Like in i if the situations were the same. you know, and that's like to the the max schools benefit, I think, from some of the portal things where they can get some, you know, some refreshments, they can get some guys who want to go back down a level and kind of prove themselves like there are some cases where that works, but a lot of the time you just Andrew: ⁓ yeah. You'd like yeah. Connor Earegood: lose a lot of your star talent and you're just having to churn your depth and and develop. Like the it feels like the Mac has to you know, you play a game or something and you spec into like, ⁓ I'm gonna be a recruiter, I'm gonna be a developer. Like if you're in the Mac, you have to be a developer ⁓ of talent and and sort of fill your own cupboard every off season. And if you don't, like that's how you you know, you lack that year to year stability. Like it it's almost like every season is is a microcosm. And and even for the Big Ten it's the case too, I think. Andrew: Absolutely. Yeah. And we're Connor Earegood: ⁓ where rosters are in in such flux. But ⁓ it it's gonna be interesting just to see how those two stack up. Andrew: Yeah. And it's tough too because like I this is something that like Matt Drinkle at Central has talked to me about of like where do you think the good transfers that the Big Ten's getting are coming from? They're coming from Mac schools, they're coming from Sunbelt schools, they're coming from American Conference. So it's like not only are like yeah, you're gonna and Western does a decent job of picking off like young down transfers from like power four that they could develop, like they got a kid from Schoolcraft, ⁓ who is it, James Madison, offensive lineman, who's there like a year. didn't really play, now he's at Western. They got Ben Roebuck from Michigan his past cycle. Like that's a playable guy for them. So they do do a good job of this, but it's interesting the we're real plays that these schools are finding a lot of players to refill their rosters are like hungry kind of upside D two and FC S up transfers, which I like w I think is the right strategy. Like Central's doing it, Western's doing it, Eastern's doing a bunch of them, like that'll help you win in the Mac. Yeah. Well yeah that's Connor Earegood: I messy you doing it. Yeah. Andrew: ⁓ but like w Michigan's not. And Notre Dame's not. And Ohio State's not. And like not that Western's like gonna be on their plane anytime soon, but like the the it illustrates the dichotomy we're talking about here, where like Western's like got two guys from Presbyterian on the defense that like are probably gonna be pretty impactful. Michigan was not gonna sign anyone from Presbyterian to add to the roster. ⁓ and like I s that's just there's just a degree of difference that's kind of more I would say like pronounced now because of like how roster building happens with money versus it being purely about like I could give you an opportunity to play D one football, which is the previous thing you were selling, which we're getting a little bit off topic here. I need to talk we to talk about Western's defense, 'cause th their defensive coordinator from last year currently Connor Earegood: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Andrew: is calling plays for the Los Angeles Chargers, which very good for Chris O'Leary, not so good for Western Michigan's defense. ⁓ and I think you make whatever you want to make of like changing coordinators. My bigger problem is that they're basically replacing their entire starting front seven. And that's not a great place to be defensively. So I think f just to hit on it quickly, big regression candidate, and that's not a like they're gonna be bad, but just like they were Fourth in the country, fifth in the country in total sacks last year, largely 'cause of Nadebe Tucker. Really good veteran linebacking core, like just it it all hit right last year on the front seven, and they have a lot to replace. I think they like what they've brought in with some of the transfers, like Scoop Gardner from LIU, DeWan Eccles from Paul State, ⁓ linebacking. There's probably some younger guys who might step up who have been there. They they have people who they can kind of shuffle in I think they're they're confident in but it's all just a bet. ⁓ and the secondary's experience in returning, so that's just my my my two cents on the defense where I think and that's where like this game could just get kinda boring and be done in two and a half hours, which is beneficial for my bedtime. ⁓ if they just both teams kinda run the ball and try to pave each other and it ends like twenty eight ten and is done two hours. ⁓ yeah. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Which I think they could totally do. Like I could see Whittingham just giving the ball to Jordan Marshall and Savion Hyder and saying, Hey guys, see that first down marker? Go there. Like Andrew: Yeah. The the the Bryce Underwood design runs are apparently gonna be a thing. I don't know how much we'll that we'll see in week one, but that will be a thing apparently, so we have one final game to get to here before we get to our fun little ending activity. ⁓ Central Michigan travels to good old Albuquerque, gonna hang out with Walter White and Jesse Pinkman. And play New Mexico in a football game. I'm actually Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew: really fascinated by this game. It's a late kickoff, I believe ten PM FS one. Jason Eck is someone he's New Mexico's head coach. He is someone who a lot of people thought might have been hired away for a bigger job this cycle. And I know kinda tongue in cheek the Central Michigan coaches have talked about they like wanted him to get hired away 'cause they think he does a really good job and its team will be very well coached and hard to beat. ⁓ and they're saying that tongue in cheek, but they definitely believe the second part about Eck being a good coach. and I don't know, I just think like this is gonna be like a fun kind of smash mouth, like both coaches wanna be creative but also like play that sort of like Midwest man ball, 'cause like Eck played at Wisconsin, Matt Drinkle played at Iowa, like that's what we're getting in this one, I think. Connor Earegood: Which is a rivalry. Also. Like a little bit of stakes in the in the way. Old school Big Ten rivalry. I I'm it might be. Andrew: It is a rock. Old school old school rivalry. Is that Floyd Rosedale? This is I'm I'm exposing myself for having my former Big Ten West rivalries mixed up. Okay. No, Floyd Rosills, Minnesota, and Iowa, that's correct. Connor Earegood: That's it. I in any case though, like a a couple of good coaches and and one who I feel like is probably being eyed for that Wisconsin job. I think that's what that Hot seat. Hot seat. And I don't know how much better they're gonna be. Like when you put the statement out as Wisconsin and you're saying like, well his quarterbacks got hurt every year and that's your one thing of like let's give him a year. Like, dude, dude, that's bad. Andrew: Yeah, Luke Luke Fickle the writing is on the wall, sir. Yeah, and the A D the A D left, like yeah. Yeah. I'm not I am not I am not my candle is not lit for Luke Fickle at this I'll Connor Earegood: Well, a and you see Ack like stay, I wonder if that is hey my alma mater might open up and I'm gonna eyeball that. So the thing with that that I would ask is like if you're New Mexico and you're Jason Eck, are you gonna be able to build off of what you did? and and continue and and be consistent. We talked about the problems with the Mac. It's no different. ⁓ you know, in in their Mountain West, I think, right? Or the Impact Twelve, they're Mountain West. So Andrew: Yes. They might be in the whatever the new Pac twelve is now. I just kind of treat those interchangeably at the moment 'cause they're sort of the same deal. Group of six level West Coast mountain conference is kind of where I'm out. Connor Earegood: Yeah. I mean it you're in any in any case your group of six. And and so what are what do you do? Like what do you how do you build off of last season? ⁓ you know, and and question for you, having having scouted and things, is is what have you seen from their sort of off season progression and and what they might have against Central Michigan that ⁓ you know, they're gonna be be looking to exploit? Andrew: I think they're gonna be pretty good. I know Eck did a good job of keeping some key guys. ⁓ one I believe, including his son at linebacker, which probably did not have to up the NIL for that one. He probably just said, Son, you're staying. But I I I think the thing about Eck that's fascinating is that he's such a good recruiter at that level. Like he he uncovers talent, he finds guys who are overlooked and can contribute right away and that like funnily enough like I think would be valuable at Wisconsin to sort of digress. And so I'm kinda always betting that he will have a roster with good players who they like to do creative, exciting things. And they're they're a staff who they want to play like control the line of scrimmage, play that like physical football. But what they do offensively off of that is not like power running or Pro style passing game. Like they will do they'll get West Coasty with it. They'll run like, yeah, it's a mostly kind of gap scheme power running, but there's they're not afraid to do what they think works best with their players within a context of like owning the game physically. And I think they should be able to like try and do that. I think Central will be able to match it largely. ⁓ and I know Drinkle is pretty high on like this roster's development. relative to this time last year for Central Michigan. ⁓ and I think the big question I have from New Mexico is it sounding like Jack Lane, their quarterback, is not gonna be healthy for the opener 'cause he had some elbow injury and I don't know whether he had surgery or not, but he's been out through most of camp and it's been this seemingly capital B real b battle between a couple other quarterbacks for ⁓ New Mexico, I think. Someone named Lobstein has s seemed like he's maybe emerged as the leader, but I am dipping my toes in my New Mexico research over the next couple of days, so I'm not fully up on my up on my needs yet. Connor Earegood: Yeah. For for Central Michigan, why do you think the steps were taken? Is it just the natural progression of a a second year head coach and you know, the different steps or or was there anything you can pinpoint that they wanted to get done? Andrew: Yeah. Kind of almost like an old school sense of turning over the roster, not in a like we had to wait for these guys to to graduate out, 'cause like like you can you can cut guys now basically and guys just leave anyways. But they they really held together kind of the roster they inherited in a lot of ways for their first year. And this cycle is when they were really kind of able to spit it forward to look more how they'll want it to look, I think. And so that means like two three deep across the defense, they're gonna rotate like hell. ⁓ pretty much any position you can think of, they're probably willing to rotate on defense. And then offensively, I'm not like it's hard to describe, but they're they they call it like kind of a pro like a power spread kind of thing. Where they will get the ball out to the perimeter, they will Go side to side, use speed, challenge you vertically, like try to get you to defend all fifty three yards of the field, but maybe they're doing it out of twelve personnel, which is kinda really fun in a lot of ways. and I think they're they're gonna be a lot more varied and creative on offense this year than they were last year, because last year it was a very purposefully low risk, grinded out. make you win a seven possession football game against us. and they kinda just manage that perfectly to win seven games, get to a bowl game. The bowl game did not go well. ⁓ it has caused me to be maybe overly indexed on optimism for Northwestern for this year watching that game, but whatever. In Chip Kelly we trust. But not really. and I I but I just think like they've turned over the roster and kind of like instilled their strength and conditioning program, but like in a real way of kind of like similar to kind of what Fitzgerald's trying to do right now in East Lancing, that was kind of the last year for Central Michigan of like, hey, here's what we are and what we're gonna be and how we play football and how you exist in this program. And then from that we build up like our football team each year. Like and once we establish that, we bring back forty guys, fifty guys, sixty guys who get that and then it get easier and easier and easier as the years go on. Connor Earegood: Yeah. So I think we we we've hit on all the in state teams and with the ⁓ the next couple weeks. ⁓ that's true, that's true. Wait, time out. We're going back, we're going back, bring line. Forget I said anything. This isn't live. yeah, quarterbacks. We'll do it live. ⁓ we'll tell me live about you know, Glaser and and and all these guys for Central. Andrew: You didn't ask me about the central Michigan quarterback situation, Connor. I was a gonna I can't let that slide. Bill O'Reilly. We'll do it live. So So we are recording Thursday, it is about ten fifteen AM right now. The word out of Central Michigan is they're gonna have a decision on a starter allegedly today. I could believe it goes into tomorrow. Maybe it happened last night. Not, you know, like definitive. ⁓ but like end of this week it's happening. And it's kind of interesting because they went from they rotated quarterbacks last year, it was this fascinating thing, it was designed to protect Joe Labis's health. and run the quarterback, which is something Labus also was admittedly not the most adept at. The impetus to do that isn't really there anymore 'cause all the s quarterbacks can kind of do the things they need them to do individually. And so it's been between Angel Flores, Marcus Beaman, and Jaden Glasser. And for my money, I I like Glasser would be the guy that I would like want to win the job if I were the coach. He's like six four, two forty, can move really well, ⁓ coming off a surgery last season where you missed the last ten eleven games, including the bull. So there is that element to it, but like there's a just sort of untapped upside with him that I don't think exists with the other two. Connor Earegood: Really? And and you'd want him to grow throughout Yeah, yeah. And you would want him to grow throughout getting his feet wet and starting and and all the things you see from a first time starter. He wasn't starting last year, was he? Or well he was, he was. No. Andrew: We will have have news on that soon. Absolutely. No, he did start four games at the end of his freshman year when they were like unraveling with a bunch of injuries and whatever. So he's started games before, but like not in an analogous situation to what's going on. Connor Earegood: That's what I'm thinking of. Yeah. Not like this. Yeah, not not number one on the depth chart. Okay. Andrew: All right. You ready for our for our fun challenge? Connor Earegood: right. For our draft. All right. So we're gonna we're gonna draft players that we think will be all big ten this season. We're doing two offense, two defense, and one special teamer, because we care about special teams in this podcast, wins games. So I guess you get first pick, 'cause you did the nah, you get first pick. You did a lot of the groundwork. Andrew: ⁓ I was gonna give you the I was gonna give you the first pick and be magnanimous. Okay. So I should add just I'll quick go explain the scoring. If we're gonna keep tabs on like this at the end of the year and see who wins between Connor and I. The if your player is unanimous first team across coaching media, that'll be ten points. If they're one of the first teams, five points. Second team three points. Third team two points. And if they're honorable mention, that's a point. So obviously like if you got fifty points, you did a very good job. I don't know that there will actually be five consensus first teamers this year in the Big Ten. But if you're giving me the first pick, Connor, I'm gonna I'm gonna not overthink this. And I am going to take one Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State wide receiver. Connor Earegood: Mm-hmm. Given. Okay. Jeremiah Smith. We Jeremiah Smith Week One. You know that video? Andrew: You are you are on the clock, sir. Yeah, the ball state, yeah. Connor Earegood: That kid looks so sad. Andrew: ⁓ I've seen the one with the the old picture of the ball state mascot with like the ⁓ sixteen from like the seventies. It's like we're ready for you, Ohio State. Connor Earegood: Yeah. ⁓ that's bad. Andrew: They mu they might need firearms to stop Jeremiah Smith. Like that might be what the Ball State secondary needs. Yeah, like like who's a better defender, Dennis Rodman or Muggsy Pokes with a gun? Connor Earegood: At least a th empty threat. Yeah. Yeah. All time discourse on on NBA Reddit, which is a certainly a place. I'm gonna go. I'm not overthinking it either. I'm going Dante Moore, Detroit's own. I I think he's I think he's gonna be the best QB in the Saiyan's a system guy. Dante Moore's got more talent. Andrew: Who's your pick, Connor? Ooh. think I agree with you, but I kind of steered away from quarterbacks in this 'cause just like what if Damond Williams goes off? What if Jaden Maiava goes off? What if Nico Iava goes off? I'm just like ⁓ And like Oregon's r Oregon's run game's gonna be good, I think. Like Deer Hill and ⁓ who's the other kid? I I'll I'll I'll Connor Earegood: Yeah. I mean they could. They could. Yeah. I don't know. I I voted Dante as as my preseason offensive player of the year, so Andrew: I mean he might win the Heisman, so like this isn't a crazy pick. I need to but all right, I'm up again. Connor Earegood: Yeah. You're up again. Andrew: Ooh I think I'm gonna stick in Eugene and I am going to go with a defensive tackle Amari Washington, who there's a clip of him from this offseason deadlifting, I believe, eight hundred and fifty five pounds, and that is all all the analysis that I'm providing on this pick. Amari Washington for Andrew for my second pick. We are back to you, sir. Connor Earegood: Legitimately deadlifting the house. Yeah. Okay. ⁓ let me go Relaja Hardy. Indiana linebacker. Andrew: Alright. Mm-hmm. I I knew we would get a Hoosier in here somewhere. I got a couple on my my board here. Connor Earegood: Yeah. A lot of all big ten preseason nods for Indiana that I don't even think last year were there, so Andrew: No. They they I I think people were kinda like, Is this a flash in the pan? And now people are like, This is not a flash in the pan. Kurt Signetti is a demon. Connor Earegood: He he's actually doing it. Yeah. Andrew: ⁓ okay, so I got one offense, one defense. This is tough. Like I could go s I could go so many different directions with this. But I'm going to go the r all reliable direction. Give me Iowa Center Cade Piper. Connor Earegood: Ooh that's a good one. Andrew: I have I have Jeremiah Smith, I have like the Ferrari of Ferraris in college football, and then I just took like the two thousand two Chevy Tahoe. Like Connor Earegood: The most meat and potatoes. Yeah. Give me Hmm. You know what? Give me DJ Vaughn. Tight end. Andrew: Hard with 18 teams. Ooh, that was a good one. That's a good one. That's a great one. Connor Earegood: Think that's how you say his name. Andrew: Yeah, it's it's either v that or vonamy. I've heard both. I'm not gonna pretend I know it. I Connor Earegood: Bon of me. Iowa tight end. You really can't go wrong. Much like an Iowa Center, you can't go wrong. So Andrew: Yeah yeah, yeah. ⁓ yeah. Yeah, there's not they don't really have like a high level DB like entering this year. Like I'm sure someone will emerge because it is Iowa. It's gotta be somewhere. Like but like there's just gonna be a guy at safety for that, just some junior we haven't heard of who's gonna have like eight interceptions this year, just out of nowhere. It's like Yeah, just Phil Parker back at it. ⁓ alright. I should knock off my second defender here. Connor Earegood: There's a white kid from a farm field that's gonna emerge. That just eight interceptions and just lays wood with the with the pads. Andrew: I really want to double dip in the Oregon well on defense and take Koi Parish. But that also feels like a little cheap because he's might get some special teams love too, like if they have him returning. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Sure, sure. You could take him as a special teams player. Andrew: This is tough. This is very tough. No, you know what? I'm gonna I'm gonna be a little zesty, but give me ⁓ give me Jyer Hill, Michigan corner. Connor Earegood: Ooh. Andrew: Get get at least one Michigan player, although I actually think I might be trying to go for another with my specialists. Connor Earegood: Not so much, Morgan. Andrew: No. Connor Earegood: I'm gonna go. I am gonna go special teams actually. First. Reese Daken, punter, Michigan State. Andrew: No not Smash Morgan. You stole one of my two. That was I was gonna potentially go for him, but Connor Earegood: Aussie. Huge fisherman, and there will be a story in the Detroit News about his off season fishing. Just loves it. Always fished with his uncle and his dad out in Australia. Michigan can hold a candle, allegedly. ⁓ but I think I think deep I think deep sea ocean fishing probably still has it cleared and he's being nice. ⁓ but in any case, likens the game to golf of punning. Andrew: ⁓ fantastic. All right. I would hope. Fewer things that'll kill you at least in Michigan though. Connor Earegood: That is true. Fewer spiders. No sharks. No no random death claw. Andrew: No no sharks. No sharks. ⁓ ⁓ it would be like ⁓ it would be so hipster to take a long snapper here, but I'm not gonna do that. ⁓ I'm I'm gonna take Indiana kicker Nico Radichic, who was one of the best kickers in the country last year, and barring him getting the yips, betting on that again. And so so you round us out here, Connor. Are you are you taking a defender? Connor Earegood: Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Have to. Peyton Pierce, Ohio State. Andrew: Okay. Connor Earegood: I I love my linebackers. The quarterbacks of the defense. Andrew: I this is y I I'm kinda interested at you doubling up on positions. Like that seems like bold. You're you're you're you're Connor Earegood: Yeah. I I think those two are the best. And like I think they'll get the votes. I think they'll at least get media or coaches. I thought about Anthony Smith, but Andrew: ⁓ well I'm not saying you're wrong. Yeah, so I just wanna go through I just wanna go through some names that we left off that we didn't pick that feel like worth mentioning just 'cause like players I considered. ⁓ Indiana Tackle Carter Smith might like literally the best tackle in college football this year. Easy one. ⁓ Trevor Lauk also Iowa tackle. ⁓ Luke Montgomery, Ohio State Guard, Ohio ⁓ Antoine Raymond, Rutgers running back, ⁓ the two Oregon edges, Mateo U Uyungalale and Tatum Tuyote. Those are both gonna be really good players. ⁓ Brandon Finney Jr., Oregon Corner, Anthony Smith, Minnesota Edge. ⁓ and I like even like guys like I think like Cam Edwards at MSU is like probably worth a shout here. Like Trent Fraley. ⁓ Yep, Tyreek Tucker, he's also on my list. Like could go on for a while, but there's a there's a lot of good players in the Big Ten. We will I will fire up the little social graphic of our picks, ⁓ in Connor Earegood: Yeah. Tyree Tucker. Yeah. Yeah. Andrew: When one of them inevitably goes down with some ridiculous like one of them gets MRSA and misses six weeks of the season and just utterly screws us, we'll be able to like the say I'm doing out with mononucleosis ⁓ graphic, but for but for Cade Piper or something, knock on wood. ⁓ but yeah, I think I think this ⁓ this wraps up our first episode of In the Pocket. You have any parting shots, Connor? Connor Earegood: Yeah. Nice was a crazy flaw. Yeah. not really. Just just ⁓ check out our coverage at Detroit News and Mitton Football. ⁓ yeah, it's gonna be an exciting football season. Thank you guys for joining us and ⁓ looking forward to keeping you all entertained and and informed and hopefully a combination of the both. Entertained more than anything, but you guys will be the judge of that. Andrew: We we we'll figure out how entertaining our we we can capably be, but until then, quick housekeeping. This is a s this podcast is available on Spotify and Apple Music, working on getting it up into the other services as I get time to battle RSS feeds and various podcast hosting back end services of various qualities. But working on that. Right now you can get this at Apple and ⁓ Spotify and we will be back next week and ⁓ hopefully with a guest next week too. preview one of the opponents. So exciting stuff. But until then, I am Andrew Graham on behalf of Connery Eargood, this has been in the pocket. Connor Earegood: Yeah.