Latest / In The Pocket / Ep. 12: MSU faces another former QB, CMU gets big-time Ohio test

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Ep. 12: MSU faces another former QB, CMU gets big-time Ohio test · In The Pocket

• Andrew G: Hello and welcome to another episode of In the Pocket. I am Andrew Graham back with my valiant co-host, Connor Irgood, to talk about all things Michigan college football. Connor, how you doing? Good. Careful on the valiant though. You might get me in trouble with a certain fan base I cover that sometimes doesn't work my alma mater. But we're valid from the red Valiantly from the banks of the Red Cedar. We'll call it that. We'll do it that we go, there we go. But it's Another like last week kind of a like doldrum week. This week sorta similar deal where it's just nothing that like no big game, nothing that like people are, you know, really putting a stake in the ground, Michigan's off, which does not has not meant things are off in Ann Arbor, which we might briefly allude to at various points here. but we got MSU, Western, Central, Eastern all playing. They all kick off at three thirty, which I Guess I could dig in and find the last time like all the teams in the state were playing at the same time, but I'm probably not gonna do that 'cause don't care that much. Probably a noon kick in nineteen seventy three. You're you're right, early, yeah. They all they all kicked off at two PM in nineteen forty four or something. But I guess I wanna start with the the like human interest story of the weekend, which is Caden Hauser coming back to to MSU, which is the second of MSU's returning quarterback trio visiting. they're one and Yeah, something like that. Pretty much evil ex girlfriend. It's sort of the college football version of that. Yeah. so they they're one and versus Noah Kim. They Kate and Hauser this weekend and frankly, like it's mo it's more of a like, hey, this is a fascinating thing, not a like, this quarterback's coming back and we gotta like he's gonna dominate or we're gonna dominate him because frankly, and this is the more like real bit of analysis, neither of these teams are very good to Connor. Mid off. Mid off. I thought Illinois would be okay because like Hauser's a decent QB. They got some guys back on defense. Yeah, and like they'll they'll be middle of the the top or pr top of the middle of the Big Ten and you know, that hasn't happened. They fired Bobby Hawk, their D C after four games, three games, four games. Four ones. Four. And, you know, are are in the same record wise same territory as Michigan State. this would be a good game for Michigan State to climb and also kind of prove something to itself. that, you know, it's it's got some swagger, it's got some juice, it can win. Like you gotta nip a a losing streak in the bud, right? You can't go four games, five games without winning. last year's team lost eight straight and a lot of guys learned from that. but you gotta apply the learning. And I think with you know, you give the the excuse of all right, Notre Dame's a pretty good team. They knew they were gonna lose that one. Nebraska and Wisconsin, you're injured to high hell. Michigan State might get Jordan Hall back and that'll be big. That's a guy who was a a teammate of of Caton Houser and you know is obviously one of the smartest guys in that defense. So that could be huge for them. but the offense has also got a score. Yeah. No, that's like that's to your point about like ending the losing streak, like because you're next to I believe are you host Northwestern and then is it at UCLA? Yeah. Yeah. Like those are not winnable games at the moment for MSU. Those teams both look Very good. like not saying I would be like absolutely stunned if like somehow like one of them lays an egg, but like as things currently stand, like MSU's not gonna beat those teams. Fitz Fitz is gonna wanna do something northwestern. Yeah, but I just wonder because Northwestern can run for two hundred yards on good teams. and run the wing T. Yeah, like I that's more it's more of a northwestern's pretty d solid thing. so like you probably like this is a spot to pick off a win. Have some confidence, feel good because there's not I mean you're next like at Michigan if you can rivalry it up. Washington looks I guess beatable, but they're more talented than you, and then you get records at the end of the year. So you have realistically if you're MSU this is one of three remaining games where you can like talk yourself into having a shot. So you're be competitive. Yeah. Mia Culpa. I thought this team might have it. They do not we all gotta be wrong about something, Connor or something. Yeah. I I was thinking I was thinking a bull game against Cal and and JKS, but they're also struggling out with Cal. Yeah, that's you you you actually managed to be right about MSU and Cal's postseason fates aligning. You were just wrong about the degree of success that would be behind those fates. Ten ten percent right. but yeah, I think like to to like my sort of overarching, like oversimplified analysis for this game is that like Illinois can move the ball decently and MSU's defense is like while not great, like actually at least like will make you work for it when they're not giving up big plays. And Illinois defense is bad and MSU's offense is bad and so this is just like can MSU's defense stop is it Christian Dixon? I can't remember his first name, the Illinois receiver who's Just i uber productive, just like a great college receiver. can you slow him down because Illinois's not the best at running the ball this year? Like there's a pathway for MSU to make this a game. It's just I do wonder if they can score enough against what is not a great Illinois defense, but what is not a good MSU offense either. Like it's just it's one of those games where it's like Someone's gonna have to do something productive when MSU's offense is on the field and Illinois defense is on the field. And I couldn't tell you which side of the ball it's gonna be, but someone's gonna end up doing something sorta good in this game. Yeah, to to give context, the state of Michigan State's offense right now is the quote we gotta score. Like it's it's it's brass tacks, it's that simple. We gotta score. And it there's it's a simple fix of like convert on third, convert in the red zone. Yeah. You know, run the ball, hit it hit a big play, take a couple shots every once in a while. Yeah, yeah. The problem is none of those are simple things to face complicated. And they're like O for five on those things occurring in the And they're and they're s like structurally not built with enough oomph, enough clout, enough pizzazz. We're gonna bring the word pizzazz back. The scheme is not innovative. Which is not an indictment of it. You you I was gonna say you also see where it's like they're gonna pound against the wall till it breaks and they're not gonna try to, you know, wiggle around the roster. No. Yes, exactly. And so you can see where it's gonna be beneficial two years from now, when the guys who are sophomores and freshmen now are in their third year, assuming that there's no firings, which I I don't Michigan State does not have the money to do. we said that the last. You wanna let this cook a little bit too, I think. You have to let this cook. And that was something Dan wrote in his letter yesterday about consistency. so I I I think Michigan State's in a weird territory of the season where it's like this is all like not extra credit. It's like it's like your buddy in high school that you all took algebra one in eighth grade and he takes it in high school. Like he's missing a year. And Michigan State's taking algebra one right now, but it might be at their benefit later. 'Cause guys can learn from it. Yeah, as long as you were all in the same calculus class senior year or whatever, it it all works out. actually Math Fundamentals. Shout out my boy Matt in high school. He wasn't a four person math fundamentals class. He was not a dumb guy. He just did not get numbers. Shout out Matt. He's married, he lives in Georgia now. I'll give I'll well well w I'll shout out Jason Saros, my AP calc teacher at high school. Struck out Derek Jeter in high school when he was playing at Kalamazoo or whatever, so that's that's his little claim to fame. Massive. So shout out Jason Saros. but yeah, like it it I it's it's this MSU season quickly went from kind of good vibes, where could this go to well this just has to be productive for next year. And that sucks and there's not really any other way to frame it up for fans and supporters and people who wanted to have good football to watch from MSU this fall. But what's happening like the headline was harsh, but I think Graham Couch to shout out the the venerable Graham Cowjohn here for his column where he was basically like this MSU season can still have like value, but it might just be best if it were like literally behind closed doors. Everybody look away. Yeah. Right. Like the playing rent coming back. The experience, the the like every like there's a lot it's like it's kinda like preseason football for the rest of the year for MSU where I don't find any reason for a fan to need to be invested in it because it's not really going to amount to anything meaningful, but it's incredibly valuable and meaningful to the team itself, to the players, to the coaches, for the reps, for evaluation. so like as much as you and I will sit here and sort of treat it as a lost season because it's not going to amount to like tangible achievement this year, it's not it it shouldn't be lost. internally and I don't think it's going to be like that. That's not any that's not anywhere on the radar of concern level for anyone right now there. I think they're all very dialed in on development and getting better. And that's another point in in Dan's letter of like we this roster will get better through development and additions. Like we're gonna keep guys, we're gonna get a better and we're gonna accentuate with transfer classes and whatever. Yeah, and that's the thing too, like how many of these guys are gonna stay because if you're fit and you see a guy slacking or you see a guy that doesn't really have the heart for it. We might get pushed out as anything and and also I would say like when there's a lot of seniors that are graduating, it's like who's able to learn from those guys? Who's able to gain Yeah, and that's like there's a lot of holes next year and it's a tougher schedule and it might be rough again. This might be a team that goes three and nine a couple of years. But you can see where that's going to help them in the long run, I guess. And like people hate the slow cook in the portal era because of Kurt Signetti fit had a great quote on his pre game. That we're just spending a bunch of money year to year has broken everything. Yeah, well his quote his quote on his pregame radio show for Wisconsin, he was talking about Luke Fickle staying the course. And he's like, it's it's great to see, you know, g said all the the nice things about Fickle that you'd hear coach. And then he says, you know, the clock is sped up on us. Shout out to Mark Cuban. Something along those lines. I tweeted it. It's so funny. Because it's so true. Like, yeah, Signetti is a good coach. And yeah, he brought some some not Louie, but certainly some some premium guys from James Madison. And like then just started spending. And it's like no one's gonna you know, you can have those turnarounds because that's the the way things are right now. But it doesn't always mean it's smart and you have to time it right. You can't just spend the money every year. You gotta be strategic if you're a smaller school. And it's still gotta meet Great coaching and buy-in and culture and like C Texas AM 2022 for like just spending like so that yeah. I wouldn't I wouldn't be upset about my program setting the foundation for like culture, who we want, how we play, what works, we know what we're looking for before you go out and spend a bunch of money and pigeonhole yourself with a roster with a bunch of guys who don't. aren't like don't want to be there, aren't liking how you're coaching them, etc., etc. And don't have a bunch of guys in the building already to kind of set the table for new arrivals of like here's the deal. so there it's kind of like the do you draft the good team and then add the quarterback or get the quarterback and build the team around? Like you could kind of argue both ways, but I don't think the setting the tone culturally expectation wise, like internally and then adding to that with talent afterwards is a bad way to go. Yeah, you know you know who has it built? What culture little table set? This Chris Creighton. I was gonna say there's there's there's two distinct options here. I don't know which way you're going. I I we're gonna go Eastern for thirteen years. They've been doing it. And they're two and in Mac play. Co co dean of Mac coaches, Chris Creighton. It's it's it's looking pretty good and I thought it wasn't gonna when they were on a three game skit. I thought this might be it. Turns out Wisconsin is just good. helps helps make. Yeah, like but MSU isn't. No, but I think this Wisconsin team is just like your commensurately solid like eight and four Big Ten team, which is like what Luke Fickle was always supposed to have the floor as, and now he finally got there. But yeah, like Eastern Michigan's just like they've said it for a while and it offensive line injuries through the f kind of first half of the season kinda dinged their ability to be it, but like it's a really complete team. when it all comes together. they play good defense. They can now a little bit run the ball along with throw it on offense, protect Noah Kim. And like what more do you want? I mean like they have some stuff to iron out on special teams, but Rudy Kessinger's a good kicker. He's already hit from like fifty one this year, I think is long. the punting's gotten better. Daniel Hall had a bit of a rough start, but his like the average is fine. and so yeah, like they're just pretty comprehensive and complete and can kinda beat you a number of different ways on a given day. I mean they have their way they want to play. Take the ball away on defense, kind of set up the offense, be able to take some shot plays and and run the ball off that. But like they were in for almost 200 on UMass. Like Akrit just gave up three thirty two to Central. And very different team builds and offensive styles, but like I could very much if like if Eastern's legit and the offensive line is like right now, as Creighton's kind of talked about it being Should be able to go into Akron and and move the pile a little bit and and get the run game going and and hits and throws off that and just keep this ball rolling. Like Akron's a hard team to beat because of Joe Moorhead and like their ability to do stuff offensively. However, Akron is starting what is functionally their third string quarterback, Braden Rogo, right Ragau Rogo, I don't know exactly how to say it, Ragau. And like I see the vision. I see how he could be a good Mac quarterback eventually, but I watched him against Central Michigan just get some early pressure and then just be kinda in panic mode for most of the game and just was not effective throwing it. And they have a decent running back in like an okay run game, but that's not enough if they can't throw it at all. And like the way Moorhead cooks up offense, like you need to be able to hit some of those throws and he's able to get guys open, so you have to hit them when they're there and they just didn't always do that and I think Eastern has the similar ability to disrupt the acronym offense like that. I I would think too Eastern's got it swagger back a little bit. You know, you you write the ship and you feel good about yourself and now you go into another league game against a team that just lost to a rival and, you know, you wanna win that one. Like you you have every every excuse to win this. And we could see a three and start for Eastern. I think we will Well and they just like I think the other thing for Eastern too is this is an old team, like on a relative sense. Which is both good of like they're older, they're bigger, they're stronger, they're like more physically developed in a lot of spots, although they're kinda young in like the secondary and some other places. It's it's an interesting mix. But when you look at like the leadership and the the this isn't a team that I'm worried about having that big success against UMass and then you know, like losing its big getting high on their own supply basically and not kinda coming out 'cause that was one of the things Chris Creighton kinda talked about immediately after the UMass game was like that was awesome. And now we gotta go do it again. Like we like that was cool. That doesn't do anything to help us beat Akron, we gotta go flush that, reset it, be hungry again, and have the same kind of performance. And I it's like as much as that is coach speak, it like the coach speak that's true. and he's not ab he's not kidding in the least bit there. And I think that's like that's to me is where Eastern kind of has their super power within their ability to play well is their ability to be consistent in it because of guys like Noah Kim, like Zach Mochin, like Nick Gallegos, like Bryce Llewellyn. I could go on and on. But they have just a lot of experienced senior guys who are not gonna let this team we're good now, so we don't have to work hard, kind of stuff. Like they're I I'm I'm not worried about that. So I l I like their chances to to get it to three and We'll we'll pick it later, but it would set it would set up in all likelihood, assuming Toledo wins, which let me check their game really quickly, but it would set up at the same weekend as the victory cannon happening. Three and in the Mac Eastern could be hosting Yeah, they host Buffalo, so I'm gonna go ahead and say if Toledo takes care of business, which they should, and Eastern does, we could have three and Mac Toledo or two and Mac Toledo versus Three yeah. should, won't. I did see Reese Davis teasing North Dakota State New Mexico as a possibility down the line, which would be six flames. Dakota Albuquerque. Yeah. Albuquerque would be dope. also shout out North Dakota for putting that on the schedule or NDSC with they're conference opponents. They're Mountain West. that's conference. duh, they did join the Mountain West. Shoot. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Because Boise State's at what's the pack twelve now, which is That's right. Still confused. That's what throws me off is the the boise. Like this is setting up where they have like one of the bigger modern games, like regular season games in school history versus Toledo next Saturday if they can win and Toledo takes care of Buffalo, because it's like you win that and you're basically gotta beat your two in state rivals and you're probably in the Mac title game. Yeah. Eastern s Eastern's never pattern to the back title game, to be to be clear. So like Chr Chris Creighton does some some like for as much as people might be frustrated with him for you know lackluster results the past few years, it's very important to remember that that dude is a damn good football coach and has had not punching above its weight for a good minute here. Especially in this era. Especially when everybody can leave and go take a bag. Absolutely. Like everyone he develops Absolutely. No, I did dig into a horrifying stat in my notebook last night where I was looking at 'cause Matt Drinkle dropped some tidbit about three hundred yards rushing being like you're basically guaranteed to win, which eighty nine point three percent chance since nineteen ninety five if you rush for three hundred plus yards. So good idea. But Eastern Michigan is six and four in such such games and all all four of the losses occurred during Ron English's tenure. Oof. Like I I checked that I was like, dear God, that's horrendous. and it wasn't it wasn't like games that they were supposed to lose versus Michigan and stuff like that. but that's my that's my little eastern hijack. So appreciate what you got, Eastern Michigan. Chris Creighton's great coach. so is Mad Tranquil. Yeah. Two for two. Two mag teams headed to relatively rural Ohio. Akron's a little less in the boonies than Akron. Akron's not rural. You gotta go through a lot of rural Ohio to get That is fair. That you gotta drive through a nuclear power plant. That's kind of more my point. Like pass. Athens is not rural in the traditional sense. It's kinda in the foothills of Appalachia, but it is out there. And Matrical was I was gonna say shout out shout out Brad Schlausman from Grand Forks Herald who thinks Athens is the greatest or no, sorry, Oxford. Nope, never mind. Abort, abort, abort. You don't wanna you don't you're gonna start some. Don't mix those up Connor. hey, in the state of Ohio they can they can fight it out amongst themselves. Maybe that's a good thing for us up in the mint. Better. Well while we're quietly retaking Toledo. but Central's going down to to Athens. They'll place face Ohio. This is the first time they played Ohio since Matt Drickle's been the head coach. They didn't they missed him last year on schedule. So kind of a first for him. And he It's kinda interesting, like pointed out Keep in mind Matt Drickle from Iowa played at Iowa. So kind of had a front row seat to all the Tom Odds born Nebraska of it all. And he kind of pointed out like Frank Solich came from Nebraska to Ohio and basically like instilled some like of that like old school Nebraska DNA Ohio where they run the hell out of the ball. They run this kind of option y scheme that's really effective. And they defend like hell. And it's really hard to beat. And they have this kind of perfect it's a similar sort of geographical deal, like they could sell at Nebraska where it's like we're going and finding all these dudes from the coal mining towns and the haulers and the you know, the one stop light little, you know farming towns all through southeastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania and northern Kentucky. And we're just gonna come, we're gonna kick your ass. And for most of Ohio's existence since then, that has been what they do. They're a very consistently successful Mac team because of it. I do wonder with their third head coach in as many years if some level of like fade starts to work into the matter of just like sustaining success when you're changing leadership so often, but yeah. The long and short is like it's a hard place to go win because they're a good program and know what they're doing and know how they want to win. And I think that's a it's like it's like a very, very good litmus test for Central Michigan of if you're actually gonna compete in the Mac this year, you win this game by hook or by crook. Doesn't have to be pretty but like you walk out of there with a win. Yeah. I I think with Ohio too, the coaching change, like you can insulate some of the losses from portal and things like that when you're at a lower level because there's inevitably guys who wanna stay close to home. There's inevitably guys who think, you know what, I probably have a good chance of starting here and and think that it's it's coach down transfers who will start or exactly. You can get FCS guys who are are a around, think of a youngstown state that are like, Hey buddy, you wanna play up in in the Mac and and and arguably the the the most traditional conference in college football right now. The real ball lovers love the Mac. But I I do think like from what I've seen of Ohio, we've seen them sort of have these peaks under previous head coaches, and then we've also seen some teams that didn't have it. And I I think if you're central, like it it is a good sort of I wrote this about Michigan State schedule. Like there are games in your conference you have to win to prove where you are on the ladder and sort of climb. And that was the Nebraska and the Wisconsin game for Michigan State. They lose They're in the basement and they're not getting out of it. you have to be able to scale and I think with Central beating Ohio, who's maybe in a similar territory to you, of you know, trying to prove it, trying to trying to, you know, continue it a a high level, right? You get a good start if you're central. You like where you're at, but you have to be able to climb over those teams if you want to go win a championship. And this is a good ladder opportunity for them. Yeah, so it it fell apart. Frank Solich had like a bad COVID year and then went they went three and nine. Yep. But Since this is since I'll go from the start of the Solich tenure in 2005. Four wins, nine wins, six wins, four wins, nine wins, eight wins, ten wins, nine wins, seven wins, six wins, eight wins, eight wins, nine wins, nine wins, seven wins, two wins, COVID, Solich finally retires, Tim Albin three and nine, then ten and four, ten and three, eleven and three, nine and four last year. So they just consistent since a consistently successful football team. Although I like that's kinda my question, is is this the year with some of the consistency falls off 'cause it's the third coach? and I think that's kinda TBD'd this week would kinda help set the table for that falling off potentially central wins. Also four and in bowls, by the way, they've won seven straight bowl games. I didn't realize that until now we're looking at this. They're they're actually they yeah, they they're really good at To your point of like the the guys want to stay close to home, like Ohio's a very good program about like you're here because you want to play for Ohio. And so like that also kind of protects against like ball opt outs and stuff like that. And on the flip side, Matt Drinkle kind of pointed this out too. And I had the same thought as he was describing the sort of Nebraska stuff of like, well, Central Michigan's kind of similar. Of like you're also this sort of out in the boonies of your state. ruralish program that has this history of success and has had these like great coaches who came along and instilled this DNA and you're kinda like, we'll just go take these kids who have maybe been overlooked and are like, you know, go get a farm kid from Ogama Heights or whatever the hell and you just go beat people up with them. And so it's I'm kind of curious about just the the who who kinda gets to stake their claim to being the max like premier rural brawler just after this one. I would like to point out Tim Alvinson's leaving Ohio is one in sixteen and nine in American Hells. At Charlotte. In absolute hell at Charlotte. Why would you ever leave I think the theory was there's way more upward mobility in the what's that the American, which is true, but it's for everyone but Charlotte is that's true about. So yeah, he probably would like to go back and undo that that decision if he could. But but he can't. And he can't. So and now Central Michigan and Mad Drinkle might benefit from it. Yeah, so shout out we don't know John John Hauser who took over a after Brian Smith coached twelve games last year and then got canned for having an affair that he took his affair partner to some like university owned hotel. It's like what did you think was gonna happen, man? Yeah. We can't all be Sherron Moore. No, we somehow we have to be like kinda dumber, but less depraved. I think dumber. but but that that's a the before we get into legally dubious territory here. should we should quickly hit on western Michigan and hosting Kent State. Western Michigan I think is like a two touchdown favorite, kinda similar to the Buffalo My former program I used to rip up in all the in Cou A games and lead to the the promised land. Ugh just you gotta it's you gotta get Krishna McRae to come back and that'll change everything. yeah. But Kent has been quite good the past year and a half, basic two years. Like whenever Mark Carney took over, not the Canadian prime minister, the head football coach who looks like Matt Damon portraying Dr Brian Dayball. he does. And so Kent's like after being like they are a doormat in the Mac for the longest time, you actually have to work to beat, but I still think like you're Western Michigan, you should beat this team. Drew DeShields is struggling with interceptions at quarterback. They can't really run the ball all that great either. So like they're feisty, they'll hit big plays. Like they will as much as like they they're feast or famine on offense, and I think Western Michigan should be able to exploit that to some extent. Especially like the lack of rushing offense and like I think Western Michigan just kinda like they they they had one of those we played kind of poorly in one games, which can be a Hey, we're we're good. Like we we played terribly against Buffalo and we figured out a way to win. Let's get back in the bunker, figure out how to play better, because we don't want to keep doing that. But like we know we're a good football team. We could win these games especially if we execute at a higher level. And I think that's kind of the name of the game for Western of can you play good consistent sixty minutes of football where you just beat Kent State by fourteen to twenty and keep it moving. Like do that. I the thing with Kent State too is they've had I I think fundamentally a I don't even know what you would call it, like a identity problem, I would say, since losing Sean Lewis as head coach. They used to be this team that could could tear the top off and and beat you downfield with a good group of receivers and a good quarterback. Defensively they would pressure you like they had a a good thing going. Sean Lewis leaves to be a coordinator for for prime time for Deion Sanders. Does not go well. Yeah, which is w yeah, it's it's interesting. And so it's like they hired Kenny Burns and he did not have it. Carney is at least like all not at all. d for context, did not win a single Matt game, won one game in an entire two season tenure. Like to get fired at Kent State who's not like spending They're usually gonna let you like play the three years of the contract and then just hire someone else or something, but he was so bad. And so Carney's a first year coach. He was the O C. Like he's he's a guy who like knows what this team is and he they were four and four last year in Mac play. Like they were pretty solid. I think against the spread they were like six and two in conference games. I don't know how I know that stat, but I do. They overachieved big time last year. They overachieved And it's it's this has sort of been a fall to earth a little bit because they play a tougher schedule. There's some guarantee games, but see this is me stomping for a team I know way too much about. They're not sneaking up either. That's the other thing. Like last year there was kind of a like, hey, they kinda caught some people off guard. Like everyone kinda knows they have that feisty streak to this year. Yeah. And you wrote about this with the whole goal line stand with Western, but like this is the game where you have to show it when you're Western like Complete control. This is a team you should be able to dominate. You were better than them, you were constructed better than them, you were better coached. And that's not a slight on anyone. That's just the the fact of the matter. You have to go prove a lot of work like in four years. Yeah. You can't you can't let this be another Buffalo game because that's how you let doubt creep in. That will screw you when it comes to the in state rivalry and you know, actually go into a title game and like the Mac has it feels like a lot of teams. Because it's what, two, three games in a conference play for everybody? Yeah. It depends on when they started. Like there's a team it's very it seems to me like it's very like I don't know. It's very separated. Like there are teams who are contending and there are teams who you're like, yeah, next season. Like and and you wanna sim it. There's kind of two halves of the league every year. Yeah. Where it's like, here are the six ish teams that are like They could credibly be playing fourth field at the end of the year. And that this year is like the three directional Michigans, Toledo, Miami, Ohio, and probably still Ohio right now. I'm I don't think I'm leaving anyone off there. Ohio's one or not. Yeah. Yeah. I'm just trying to think of anybody. Yeah. No. I am comfortable terrible. I'm comfortable leaving BG off despite them stealing a victory versus Miami of Ohio. And that frankly, like, that's just the perfect result. Like, that speaks to the Mac too of how difficult it is to get back, where like I think everyone understands Miami, Ohio is better than Bowling Green and it's still gonna be a good Mac team. It could still go like seven and one in the Mac or six and two, but you drop one stupid game against Bowling Green that you shouldn't lose, and now you're not gonna be able to get back to Ford Field, maybe if, you know Eastern and Western are sitting there at seven and one in the Mac at the end of the year. Like Yeah. So it it's it's this really tricky league where You have the two halves where like only one half's competing really realistically to make the title game. But the second the lower half still has the ability to absolutely torpedo any team in the upper half on a given week, which is part of what makes it a fun league. Like you can credibly lose to anybody in the league because of just sort of the the the thin nature of the rosters and a couple other things. Yeah. Toledo looks legit. Who does? Toledo. Didn't I play? They didn't really play Didn't I throw Toledo in there? I thought did. I think I didn't. If you did, you did. Okay. I'm just I'm just trying to make sure I didn't like I think people had some some breaks on them just because of the new coach, but they're they're good again. Mike Mike Jacobs, right? I want to say Mark Jacobs because of the fact it's Very very controlled. Very yeah. If you went halfway between like a Fitz and an Antonio? Like Fitz is very humorous. D'Antonio was very like could be funny, but he was a little more reserved and a little things of that nature. Dry. Like go halfway between and that's what he reminds me of. Yeah. And it you can just tell he's a guy who's been a head coach winning a lot, even at a lower level of just like there's there's no level of him where it's like I'm here in a first year and it's successful and we're winning, where he seems surprised or shocked or impressed by that, which is like a very good sign for Toledo going forward of like Nope, this is Toledo. I came in here, we were gonna win and we're gonna compete in the Mac and they are. Agitate Dabs, that one receiver who he had the two TDs versus MSU. A dude, a real dude. but that's enough like broader Mac conversation. I I didn't put it in the dock and I don't wanna like smokebomb you with it, but because we have been texting about it, I feel like we should briefly hit on the Zach Marshall Michigan bi week frackets. And I will s I will say it I guess my my two senses stupid stuff, shouldn't say it to to people outside the walls, I guess Zach. But I f I am kind of in the the person who leaked the group chat is the bigger chump than the guy venting. Yeah, I mean who like everyone is going to vent. Like everyone in this situation is going to have some things to say. Usually say it to mom and dad, and they're not gonna snitch. Or a teammate, perhaps. The blur job was terrible. That's the part where it's like box reviews thing. Yeah. Yes. And it's like I I'll say this too, like credit to the kid that he didn't lie and say like it wasn't me. Yeah. Like he put out an apology. And that was that was very man. Yeah. Yeah. But he's probably not gonna get the ball. well he wasn't anyway, so does it really He was he was a little goofball when he joined that team in twenty three. He was like the freshman that everyone like, you know, performed for me, Circus Clown. Like Huh. He's a goofy kid. And like he's not a hater, from what I remember of him. So I remember last year after I think the Washington game, he came in and did media 'cause he had like a couple big catches. and I just remember him. I was like, that Zach Marshall just seems like a a like a sunny day kind of dude where he's just like is is Always kind of in a good mood and happy and upbeat and so like I think for him to be that pissed off is like he was genuinely pissed off. Temperature again not thermometer. Temperature check. Like he's if he's your thermometer, holy cow Michigan. Yeah, not good that kid's so like well controlled and nice and happy. And you drove him to trash your O. C. in a group chat and get leaked. Like how bad are things on an armor? Well and that's I I and again, like th Zach Marshall's a grown-up and he will be accountable for his actions and he knows that and I like I don't like the idea that he comes across looking great here, like no, I don't think that's what either of us are saying. But like I anyone who is listening this who wants to be like, Zach Marshall, you you know, you D bag or whatever have you never had a day where you left the office and you were sitting in your car just MFing everybody? Never, never anyone? Like we've all been there. And I think the the grace that most of us have is that that stuff's never gonna become a public saga. 'Cause our jobs don't matter as much as the football player making. And so you know, Zach Marshall should like yes, Zach Marshall should do things to protect himself from this and not, you know, put himself in the crosshairs of his own team and coaches and piss every like like I It pisses people off, there's relationships to be repaired. It cost him, like, period. And like that's his he has agency in that. But I'm just I'm I'm not I'm not upset about like the behavior at the core of it when a guy who pours in as much as anyone else, I'm guessing, on that team, is upset about the results and the lack of ability to impact wins or losses and whatever he's being told by the coaches and I just I everyone's have has like just also having to have like an opinion about things isn't like doesn't help this either or my take was like, well that's bad, but whatever. Like they'll make him run, he'll have to apologize to the team and that'll be that. Like, I don't know. Like the more important thing to me was like how everyone was like Is it bad when like there's a leaked group chat of one of your like senior tight ends complaining about The offense and everyone's just like, he's kinda right. Malpractice is the O. C. Like everyone who saw that text was like preach. Like it it rang true, which is not for like the overall picture in Ann Arbor. It's like no that's like when I was a kid, I'd like a couple times, like I don't know, I'd have to do chores or something, and I'd already be stressed out 'cause of school or something. And I'm like, I would sometimes I'd just complain and s my aunt would like, Kids got a point and it was, you know. It it was just always funny where it's like sometimes like it's okay to complain and be right about it. And you gotta To square that circle though. To square that circle though. I c I'd have similar ones or it's I'd complain and I'd be right. My parents would go, Yep, now finish it up. 'Cause it's like it sucks. Like, you're right. Still gotta get done. Adulting. so like, yeah, it sucks for Zack and he's not wrong, but he's also gonna have to pay the price 'cause that's what being a grown up is. It's not fair, it's not fun, but it just is and I think Mostly everyone can probably just chill on the young man who will face plenty of internal accountability is mostly where I'm at with it. not even the craziest like Michigan team like Ernest the Ernest Hausman thing happened last year and I think everyone just kind of forgot about that. Like weird crap happening around Michigan football that just deserves like thinking about a little deeper in moments. but that's enough that's that's enough of that little little detour and bi week land. It was just very funny when we found out the texts were real. 'Cause I remember you and I were well if these bad like yeah. Both both of our first instinct was like, Are these real? Yeah. Like let's double check. Are these are these real? And then they were. But yeah. So all the all the best to Zach as he embarks on some wind sprints, I'm guessing, this week. yeah. yeah. Big time. All right. We'll pick I'm gonna I I do have a plan, I have some time. This weekend, fortunately, because it slows down a bit. I'm going to do a little pick audit and get us our records and figure out where we're at on these picks for next week. So that is my solid promise. But Well, this week let's go O and seven. Make your job easy. Michigan has lost the bye because we were just talking about their tight end trash talking their offensive court. All right. Now time on to picks. Connor. We're gonna start with MSU Illinois. Illinois visits Spartan Stadium. It's a three thirty kickoff. Caiton Hauser's back. Who you got? I'm gonna go with with Michigan State. Something's gotta give. I am scared given Colin Dixon's stats as a receiver that he's gonna blow the top off that defense because Michigan State has not done well giving up explosives. they give up four of against Wisconsin all for touchdowns. So right well actually more than four, but four of were touchdowns. So a the defense really has to step up, but I think with Jordan Hall potentially back, they will. and the offense can't be this bad for this long. There are elements of it that you like, especially running up the middle. and Illinois defense I think they're gonna be able to to exploit there. Yeah, give me give me Illinois as well. I just think a little too much put together on offense, they'll be they'll figure out their defense probably before MSU figures out its offense. So give me Illinois by fair. About about a touchdown, ten points, something like that. It's not gonna be not gonna be a a an exciting game, one way or another. I'm pretty confident about that. moving on, Western Michigan hosts Kent State at 330. I guess I'll go first here. Give me Western Michigan. I think they just kinda turn this into them doing what they want to do, which is defend, run, throw it a little bit, get up, squeeze you out of the game, win by Again, touchdown ten points here. Western. I'll pick Western too. Same reasoning and I I I think this is a again a game that if they execute, if they do what they're supposed to do and play like the team they can be. the team we saw week one, like yeah, I think this is this is gonna be a no doubter. First home game for new athletic director Alex Gary also happens to be a day before his birthday. So shout out Alex and ha happy early birthday on the podcast. Central Michigan at Ohio. Guess what? three thirty. I I will I'll keep going first here to to give us some picks balance. I'm gonna take Central Michigan. I think they have found a formula with the run game that's gonna be really, really hard for even good Mac defenses to stop because of how old and experienced and good their offensive line is. here's a stat. Last two G six games, both wins for Central Michigan, they have rushed the ball a hundred six times for six hundred hundred and seventy one yards, which is six point three yards per carry. They have had of those plays six negative carries that have been three one yard losses, two end of game kneels in a fumble that was lost for three yards. They overrun 106 run plays for 675 yards or six hundred seventy-one yards and six of them went backwards. So I that's just that's like actually absurd to me. So give me Central Michigan run game, run game rolls, they get out of there with a one score win. Eastern at Akron, who do you got? You didn't you didn't did you pick Ohio Central? no, I didn't, I didn't. I picked Central, I picked hold on. I'm abstaining, no. I I I I I picked Central for the news, but I'm gonna fade you on this and say Ohio just for the the competitive balance on the show. and I I I think too, like I don't know. It it's it's if they can hang with the run game that has proven itself to be one of the best in the country, that is the copium. Fair. That Ohio could do that, and that would give me a win over you and our our picks, so I'm gonna be strategic here. But I do think in all likelihood Central probably wins. Gotcha, gotcha. All right. Eastern A Akron. I'm gonna take Akron here, not on a like Eastern plays poorly, but like this is one of those games where it's like, Akron's gonna get and it's gonna stop him from going to the Mac title game and some real frustrating stuff, but like it's just got that feel to me. I'm new Eastern. I I I I wanna see a three and eas Eastern start and I'm gonna manifest that. The last time they were two and in the Mac was this is two thousand five. I would have to dig in to see the last time they were three and in the Mac. We'll get to our pretty good three our three little national tasting menu games. Start with Red River. If the if it can be deep fried, it will de be be deep fried on the midway. is is John Mateer deep fried against Texas's defense, Connor, who you got. Yes. Yes. Horns up. I can't your camera's off. brutal. Why is it either way, yeah, that's right. That's right. No horns down. We're gonna ban that on the show, like much like the the Texas SE. but I I do think Mateer's probably in over his head. This Texas defense is gonna give some problems. And as much as people clown on Arch Manning for not being the guy that we thought he would be this season so far, he is a really talented guy and I there's a reason he's not starting out showing everything. I'm gonna put it that way. They they know when they need to peek and this is one of those games and I think I think they'll be well prepared. Sarkeese knows that his team's ready. Gotcha. I'm going Oklahoma. It's just reeks of Texas absolutely stubbing his toe because their offense actually isn't that good. Arch Arch is overrated. I think I'm getting there. I get why I evaluators love him. I get it. As a college quarterback, he is overrated. Overrated, sure, but I do think he's got a level he just hasn't shown this season. He showed it last year. Like I I think it's a strategic thing. I I think Texas isn't leaking the script. I don't know what games they need to win. I would have leaked a little more of it to not play like I did against Ohio State. but That's fair. But Ohio State's also really picky defense and and is hard to beat. That's true. Georgia at Alabama. Seven thirty in ABC, I think. Gimme Georgia. Go dog. Yeah. I I think I'm there with yeah. Like this Alabama team's really good. At Keelan Russell's really good. Georgia's defense is really, really good. Georgia has the benefit of Kirby Smart being there a like decade and just absolutely year over year over year over year building, building consistency. And Bama with all the coaching changes and stuff, like yeah. Well and Georgia still like They haven't really been tested. Like, yeah, they played Oklahoma, but like let's be so for real, they haven't really been tested. So like I there is the like pounce possibility for Bama here, but like Kirby smart teams just are so good at no matter the situation, finding a way to stack the twenty plays they need to make to win a game. They're so good at it. It's unbelievable. Like the the it from the interceptions to the like they just tackled that guy on the bubble screen on second and eight, so it's third and seven and you can't convert and we get off the field. Like they're so good at just quietly stacking up those plays where all of a sudden you were up seventeen three and now it's seventeen seventeen with four minutes left in the third quarter and you're just like, What the hell happened? so Gimme Georgia on the road, Kirby Smarts actually I believe this would be his first win at Alabama as a head coach. Yeah. He do. I I will clarify to you, coaching change single with Bama. Misspoke with changes. It's only one. It feels like it's it's been a complete reset 'cause it's not the process and make savings. Yeah. Yeah. It's a hard one to come back. E that's a fair way to put it. last one here we'll we'll head a little offbeat. we talked about one of these teams earlier. North Dakota State at UNL V Connor I'm gonna take North Dakota State, which I think has a chance to go undefeated in its first ever FBS season. Tim Bolisek should win national coach of the year without really much debate. Like Jamarcus Shepherd, shout out, but like Bob Chesney, I guess, but I don't know, man. You show up to FBS and you go undefeated. Like I'm I'm gonna go North Dakota State. And they've been quasi FBS too, like the level they've been competing at in the FCS for a long time. But like to be able to actually scale up and go into a Mountain West conference that's good and UNLV has been good and they've had good teams and and tear things up has been pretty impressive. Gotcha. Yeah, I'm trying to think of if I could talk myself into picking UNLV in that game and I can't. I don't think I can. Like I and it's not like last year's UNLV with Calandry where it's like, they've got a gunslinger. And maybe he goes out and down with Alex Orgy throwing him back into the game, Connor. Lord. Yeah. Davis Warren can throw a ball. Stanford proved. They just have the worst offense in the big in the power tentacles starting at San Diego State, so that's like three former Michigan quarterbacks who like are playing in if not starting in significant roles. so Jim Harbaugh might might have known what he was doing a little bit. Could could have been could have been the possibility. that's all we got for this week. I apologize if my audio at the end here is a little bad, frankly, because we had some technical difficulties that we're powering through. But we appreciate you all for listening to another episode of In the Pocket. we'll be back next week to recap This slate of games, Connor, any parting shots? None at all. Have a have a a great weekend watching college football halfway through the season. We kind of know everybody's fate, but don't let that discourage you. Stay up for the Hawaii test. There's still fun to be had. Awesome. Alright, thank you everyone for listening. For Connor, I am Andrew. This is another episode of In the Pocket, and thank you for listening.