Latest / In The Pocket / Ep. 13: Dirty birds, questionable calls, greyscale Ohio highlight Week 6
Transcript
- Andrew Graham: Hello and welcome to another episode of In the Pocket. I am Andrew Graham, your venerable co host here with Connor Yergood. Connor, how you doing today? Connor Earegood: Doing good, doing good. Thinking of flipping some dirty birds cause I was so Andrew Graham: Hmm. Connor Earegood: inspired by what we saw Saturday night. No, for for for the people who are pro clutching. We'll get into that later, but pretty fun weekend of football, even if the results weren't great for some Michigan teams. some some really, really good ball. So Well, maybe not good ball, but entertaining ball. Andrew Graham: the ball were played to to to reference that future arm a little bit. I we should start with Michigan State, Illinois, just in terms of of all the games this weekend. That was by far and away the most like entertaining packed with things that happened. I was not watching 'cause I was covering Western's rather boring win over Kent State, and I just kept checking like the updates and it was like, I miss he's coming back. like what a horrible call. what another terrible call. Wow, what a crazy play. we're in overtime. they lost. so Connor, I just what was like the vibe as it kind of turned from hey, no, this is like happening again, we can't compete, to like it being a very good game, you know, out yeah, outcome people being upset about that independent, like the comeback was very good. Connor Earegood: Y yeah, so full disclosure, since I joined the beat October twenty third of twenty twenty four, I have witnessed one Big Ten win against Purdue in twenty-four. Twenty-five, I missed the Maryland game because of my grandparents' fiftieth anniversary. They have not won a Big Ten game this season. So it's been a minute. This one Andrew Graham: That's bleak. Connor Earegood: was as close as they've gotten. OT. Lost Andrew Graham: Yeah. Connor Earegood: it on a preventative two point conversion. Like I the people who were critiquing the the play call itself have a point. Because it was an ugly play. The co it was a Andrew Graham: Yeah. Yeah, the call was not the best. The the decision to go for two was fine. Connor Earegood: Yeah, the decision was sound because they you saw the first snap of offense for Illinois. They were not stopping a nosebleed. Like Clement Andrew Graham: Illinois was gonna keep scoring it over time. Correct. Correct. Connor Earegood: went to the end zone with no one within five feet of him. I mean a couple people closed out, but like he had room. Like Andrew Graham: Well and you could tell the backup quarterback was like starting to feel it. Connor Earegood: Yeah, and even if he's a freshman, like he's a guy that was good enough to play Big Ten. It it's Andrew Graham: He knows how to throw a football, yeah. Connor Earegood: like Alessio at the end of last year. It's like you weren't Andrew Graham: Correct. Connor Earegood: saying Alessio sucks. He wasn't food. Like it's everyone has their Andrew Graham: No. Yeah. Connor Earegood: guy. But the the point I'll make though is the play call, yes, it was busted, but you also have to realize like they are going to hammer the inside because Jazz Patterson scored three touchdowns on them. They are going to make sure that Krishan McCrae doesn't have two inches of space because they know what he can do. He's he's the even if he hasn't had a productive season, like he is the number one in the scouting report. Andrew Graham: He still looked like Yeah. Connor Earegood: Rod Buller doesn't really get in separation. None of those guys are getting separation. So Jaden Savory, brother, your number got called. It was an unfortunate play. And it the PI it looked pretty clean to me in in real time. You can Zapruder it and say the guy hit him early. Andrew Graham: It's really close. It that that level of contact is never gonna get called in that moment, I don't think. Connor Earegood: No. A not in a game deciding moment. Maybe if that's the first quarter and they're like, Alright, let's set a tone here. That's the most you're gonna get. But it was it was exciting comeback. Y you saw a fight, and I wrote this yesterday, like you saw more fight in five minutes, not only from Fitz but his team, than you saw whenever things got bad for his predecessor, Jonathan Smith. That's no slight to Jonathan who's enjoying some Dodgers games, and it was Andrew Graham: I was I saw that too. Connor Earegood: It it was crazy that the every w like it just in the background people were like, Andrew Graham: I ha I would have never seen that myself and then someone else pointed it out and I was like, Well, damn, that's Jonathan Smith. Yeah, that was a great poll. Connor Earegood: Yeah, shout out Jason Kill up from Yeah. A and and so I I I think like Michigan State you knew was going to battle with a coach like this. Like that has been the rallying crack. I don't think anyone in that locker room doubted this was probably gonna go south at some point. It's just when they would get the wins and if they would continue to to you know, pound at the rock. And Fitz had a great analogy about p priming the well. Apparently he has an Okamis home with a well, which I don't know how many of those there are. Andrew Graham: So Connor Earegood: So I don't know if he like middle fingered the city and was like, you know, I'm I'm gonna I'm gonna put in a a well so I don't have to pay. But I don't know. But he apparently he has a Andrew Graham: So Connor Earegood: well. Andrew Graham: so I can w this is by pure happenstance and like the advantages of me living here my whole life. I know where Pat Fitzgerald apparently is moving into because it's like a several doors down from one of my childhood friends parents. so Connor Earegood: Hm. Is it well well country? Andrew Graham: I it shouldn't be, I don't think. I this I I'm I'm a mit a mitten football inve Connor Earegood: Okay. So this was voluntary that he put in a well. I gotta ask him about this. Andrew Graham: a mitten football investigation into Pat Fitzgerald's Connor Earegood: Yeah. Well Andrew Graham: municipal water de deal is is is maybe in the offing here. Connor Earegood: So if it's a middle finger to the city, it is what it is. But I let's talk about the middle finger on the field after the botched, weird onside kick that the ref was also involved in western in the western clock Andrew Graham: Yeah. Well he was he was kinda pointed Connor Earegood: gate. Andrew Graham: He was kind of facing Meridian Township when that happened where he allegedly is taking up residence. Connor Earegood: Little bit. Andrew Graham: but yeah I I don't know I guess like my two thoughts on the the middle finger is like anyone who wants to say it's a bad thing to do and he shouldn't have done it and it's kind of like a cheap, dumb Stupid thing is basically within their right to do it, and he's opened himself up to that the second he did it, and that's sort of just the table stakes. I don't know, like I my take on it is less that like I'm offended or like, my god, a a football coach did a did a middle it's like they're brutalizing each other physically on the field in front of him the entire day. Like I like have a little perspective, folks. My thing is it's more like is that like a blood and guts kind of like patent be a general sort of leadership, like, does that take you where you want to go nowadays? And I'm just like not sure that's the case. Like here, today, now, this season, sure, I get it. Like I'm I like I don't think it it's the idea that this is gonna be some defining thing or not, I think it's a little overblown. but I also Connor Earegood: Yeah. I Andrew Graham: like to me it's just more like, is that more valuable as a head coach these days, or is it the like you're a Fortune five hundred CEO kind of like just cold analytical like There's probably merits to both. Connor Earegood: Yeah, I mean Michigan State just isn't that that latter option. Like they're just not there yet. And and that's where Andrew Graham: Not at the moment, no. Connor Earegood: you need blood and guts because Smith had more of the CEO ish o kind of oversight perspective and I did not play. A at the very least he keeps people engaged. At the very least this was a moment that a lot of fans identified with. And and it's like core to the Michigan State ethos fan mindset I have experienced is the the the sort of like Andrew Graham: yeah. Connor Earegood: effheism of of, you know there's a brashness. Andrew Graham: Well, it's something D'Antonio managed. D'Antonio embodied it really perfectly, to the point where he kind of was just Connor Earegood: Yes. Andrew Graham: like he exuded like I would be flipping you off if it wasn't unprofessional, in my opinion, sort of energy. so Connor Earegood: Yeah, next question. Next question. Andrew Graham: yeah, yeah. Well that one at least is like his daughter was sick. Like there was like he was he was actually being a Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: softy low key on that one. but yeah, like I I I think for like the moment it's completely like Not like warranted isn't the word I'm gonna use, but like MSU fans, by and large, are happy to have a coach that's like willing to Go to bet like it's it's hard to find the right phrase, but just like Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: is as emotionally tied into this going well as they are, Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: at least outwardly. And I think that's like that's a very valuable currency around the Michigan State football program given the last two, three ish years. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Well, and the ref probably deserved it. If it was at the ref. Andrew Graham: Well was it at the ref? That's my question. Like I I have interpret I have interpreted Connor Earegood: That's it had to be. Andrew Graham: it at he's like cause he's like firing up the crowd, and then he turns back to the field and you can't really tell what he's looking at. So I kinda taken it a little bit as like, hey, F Illinois, we're here, you know, whatever. P probably Connor Earegood: I don't know. Andrew Graham: a little bit at the ref too. but I'm just like it's it's it is genuinely ambiguous what it was directed at. Connor Earegood: Yeah, I don't know. I I I I feel like it's it's it's it's rough bound. But I I will say Andrew Graham: think we would have heard from the big ten if that was like Connor Earegood: I I we well we haven't heard from yet. It's a Monday. The only thing they talked about was UCLA ill Oregon because there's a lot of money tied up in Oregon. And they had to go Mayakulpa, but I I I I I'm sure we'll hear something about the onside cake too. You know. Like like what they told me Andrew Graham: I would guess. I mean that that that just needs to Connor Earegood: like it was officiated correctly sort of thing. Which it was not. Andrew Graham: Well that well, it just needs to be made reviewable. Connor Earegood: Yeah, well and that's so it's it's the the people are like Andrew Graham: Like it's pretty straight up. Connor Earegood: there's a lot of people arguing that every thing is a judgment call. Like judgment calls are like the the fifty fifties of like an off sides or you know, Andrew Graham: Correct. Or Connor Earegood: it's something that you cannot go back and alter. Like it completely changes I guess you could go and alter it. Andrew Graham: Or like like like pass interference is a judgment call. Connor Earegood: Yes, it's it's like a discretionary penalty. There are some where it's like delay a game. That's not yeah. Andrew Graham: Like not not soccer offsides, which is what this is. It is does a person it's it's literally Connor Earegood: Mm. Andrew Graham: the exact same mechanism as soccer offsides. It's does a person cross a physical threshold before or after the exact moment a ball gets kicked? And they can do it with tech and review it for soccer. I don't know why we couldn't do it for football. Connor Earegood: Yeah, well and and the other thing too, like on the TV it doesn't look like he's over the plane, but you have to realize that's an acanted angle. Maybe from the other perspective it looks like his hand's over. I there's parallax. Andrew Graham: And the the lens yeah, basically like that and like the telephoto warping of like how the image gets flattened from three D, like changes the perspective. So yeah. But Connor Earegood: Yeah. And so and so there's a chance he was off sides, but I it's it's supposed to be officiated loosely. Not loosely, but like it's not supposed to come down to that. And if he gets the ball, he gets the ball. There's Andrew Graham: Yes. There's there's some some lenience in there, yeah. Connor Earegood: it well that is like in the rule book that it is not a a black and white thing. And that's like you can appreciate that in a rule book, that they they at least will go out and say that. But I I do think with with the way it was officiated, it didn't alter I think personally, the game, like Mission State still ties it. I I think if you're Andrew Graham: No, probably not. Like it's it's how the possessions get ordered at the end is all it really changes. Connor Earegood: Yes, it's and and I think the issue though is just like a lot of things didn't go Michigan State's way and that's just a kick in the gut. Like of course the refs would screw a call. Like i it's the same as the Malcolm Bell off sides last year. Andrew Graham: Well and there was and there was like the weird fumble recovery there's like the weird fumble recovery thing that wasn't rule like I I didn't see that play happen, admittedly, but it just sounds like and with Brett Bielema going after the refs after the game, like just sounds like it was a tough day for that Big Ten crew all around Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: when both teams are coming out of the game like, Well, what the hell were the refs on? that's just not a good day Connor Earegood: Yeah. Well and there's a Andrew Graham: at the office. Connor Earegood: there's a history of the refs having trouble too. Like Keith Feverchak was the guy who called what's his face from Minnesota offsides and the onside kick against Michigan in twenty fi in twenty four. And Andrew Graham: No yeah, that's right. I didn't even know it was the same crew. Connor Earegood: and and he was also involved in Clockgate when they put a second on the on the clock at Michigan Stadium. So a Andrew Graham: Amazing. S sensational. Connor Earegood: and there's a lot of people who are frustrated at that. So Chris Solari from Freep was the first Andrew Graham: Lan Lance Taylor, Pat Fitzgerald, and PJ Fleck starting a support club here. Connor Earegood: Yeah, pretty mo I mean that's a pretty good group of dudes, but so Solari was in the press box from Freep and he's the first one that reported all that. Trying to Zapruder it and it took him going home, going to HD T V to find it, like he like a chart party, which is so funny, because like I I don't full disclosure, like I'm trying to buy a house, so I don't have YouTube T V right now, so I had no replay mechanism than Twitter. So I was not gonna go out on a limb and say, this is the guy until we were able to Andrew Graham: Well also Connor Earegood: confirm like this is the spot where the lion judge would be This is literally what he looks like throwing the flag. So all that was like that's why it was late for me. But it's like once I found that out Andrew Graham: I just Connor Earegood: I like, this dude is just bricks. Like, he's just a bad Andrew Graham: I love Connor Earegood: line judge. Andrew Graham: I love Solari going home and like keep mine, Chris Solari like wife, children, like a family. Connor Earegood: Three three kids who are young. Andrew Graham: And it's like can't kids, I gotta I gotta go back and watch th the ref assignments on the field for the Michigan Michigan State game last year. Never never change, Chris. I play that's Connor Earegood: Yeah. It was like eleven PM. I I you know, it wasn't like it was it wasn't like it was Andrew Graham: what Connor Earegood: a miracle when he's playing the tape and his wife comes in. Like it wasn't it's n I don't think it's like that. Yeah, I don't I don't think it's like that. Andrew Graham: No, that's true. During the during the party. During the party. Yeah, no, no, I I'm just giving Chris a hard time. We love Chris. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: but yeah, no, like and I just one final point that I had on the the two point play, like well kinda two here. on the PI I'm kinda just like that's immaterial to me when the throw was going to the three yard line and the guy was gonna get hit and tackled immediately anyways. Like, the play wasn't gonna score. Like your best bet there was like Maybe you like I you see some stills like maybe Mul Alessio could've like laid it out for Bullard to try to make a play at like the front pylon or something and drag Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: his feet, but like it it was not a good look. And that brings me to my main point, which is like Philly Philly, which MSU sorta ran a bastardized version of there. Throw it in the trash. Like defenses know to look for it in that situation. It it's not you're not catching anyone off guard with it. Just it doesn't we're i it it It's it is time. It's time to retire that one. That's that's just my little pet thing. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Well and you need a c even on a trick play, you'd need someone who can throw somebody open. And and we didn't see that from Alesios so much, of him throwing guys open. He did a s great job of finding the dudes who did get separation. Andrew Graham: Absolutely. Connor Earegood: Way better than a week ago and it was a s I thought a statement performance from Andrew Graham: so much better. Connor Earegood: him. Like he had four incompletions including that one. So it's like you you really can't fault him, I don't think, of no. And and and he Andrew Graham: He could not have played a whole lot better, no. Yeah, like he was very good. Connor Earegood: played damn good. But I the the point, you know. Andrew Graham: He took he took a he took the the sack on the flea flicker was bad. That was a bad play, but outside of that, it was pretty good. Connor Earegood: Yeah, well he had Bryson Williams streakin'. But he also he Andrew Graham: Yeah, that was just t shirt or just Connor Earegood: explained that one of like, yeah, he was covered when I looked and then by the time he was open, which is fair. Like that's you're in the arena, brother. Like you're the one who's gonna get sacked by a three hundred pounder. I can't doubt ya on that. Yeah. And so that's Andrew Graham: No, I I Yeah, no, I can't I can't I would I would not be throwing it, so yeah. yeah. Connor Earegood: like I you know, Michigan State has something there, but you also see where like having a limited roster limits the abilities you're working with. Andrew Graham: Yeah. That that one gulk throw was fun too. the touchdown that came back. Yeah, Connor Earegood: Ferris State Legend, four national champions. Andrew Graham: yeah, that was a laser. Connor Earegood: Ring me. Andrew Graham: but we should we should move on here w for we start dropping and doxing refs or something. Connor Earegood: Sure. Andrew Graham: Eastern Michigan, we're gonna go there next 'cause they are three and in the Mac, which I they were two and for the first time since five. I would have to go check the last time they were three and in the Mac, frankly if ever. Really excellent start for Chris Creighton and and Co. and this one was a real like you're playing in the rain. Let me set the scene for the most Mac like Saturday afternoon game you've ever seen, where it's like Eastern is at Akron, Ohio. It's a three thirty kickoff, and it looks like it is eight thirty PM the entire time because it is so overcast. It is the most aesthetically perfect football game I have ever ever watched. In Akron. Yeah. Yeah. for Akron's homecoming, Connor Earegood: Ian Ian Akron. Ian Akron, by the way. That's the stew. Andrew Graham: Akron did a whiteout, and so of course it was like the absolute like worst weather to make that pop. so just, you know, like you're on the road, it's kinda cruddy weather, not a big spot for you, and you don't play your best as Eastern Michigan and you still win, and frankly that's sometimes almost as powerful as just going and beating someone up. Because like they lost the turnover battle. They didn't like Nothing Eastern did in this game was particularly exceptional or particularly good, but they just found enough plays and got enough stops and got a really nice day from the special teams, the blocked punt. Rudy Kessager went four for four with the game winner. And they win twenty five twenty three and like sometimes that's just what you gotta do. And I think like that to me is as impressive a win as Eastern's had in a good minute under Chris Creighton, just in terms of like you really had to have it. It wasn't going easy for you. And you found a way to take it and get home and that's all that matters in that spot. Connor Earegood: Yeah, and and props to you for mentioning sort of a similar thing about Western, right? Seeing like win with their B game. Like it's it's the same thing with with Eastern where it's you know, if you're gonna contend, like you have to be able to sort of thug it out. And Yeah, so it's Andrew Graham: gonna not play great, teams are gonna get ya, yeah. Yeah. Connor Earegood: it's there I feel like I I'd have to look at the schedule 'cause I don't have it pulled up in front of me. But I do think like it is such a good flush to be like three and in in Mac play, knowing that you lost three of your non cons. Like y it's it's I I I would imagine, and I'm not, you know, around enough to say and confirm, but I imagine there's a bit of a like breathe, like you can exhale a Andrew Graham: yeah. yeah. Connor Earegood: little bit because you've got it back and and and write it. versus Toledo this coming week. So like there's a chance you could wrap up six wins like we usually see from this theme pretty soon here. There's a chance. That Andrew Graham: Yeah, they the schedule they have, I would say, probably f three or four of their toughest games, like not excluding the non conference coming up 'cause they still have to play they host Toledo this weekend. Toledo lost to Buffalo, so maybe Buffalo being close with Western isn't as bad as it turns out. and then they also play at Ohio, which is gonna be a real tough one as we saw when we'll get to Central in a minute here. And they also have to play both the directional Michigan still. They the Fort Field game with Central and then they'll play Western some Max and date. I can't remember I cannot remember the day off the top of my head. For the life of me. The seventeenth seventeenth of November, something like Yeah, there w there we go. Yeah, for Western Eastern. Western Eastern. That's Connor Earegood: That's Seventeenth. Sevente for for western Western Central? western eastern. Andrew Graham: those they're both on the seventeenth of just different months. that's how I that's Connor Earegood: Yeah, I was gonna say, yeah. Andrew Graham: how I remember that now. But Like, Eastern still has hard games in the Mac coming up, but like the other thing is they've shown they can win them. Like they I this team Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: has the capability to beat Central and Western Toledo. Like, I'm not certain they will, but the the ability is certainly there and that's like all you need for a team to like actually compete in the Mac and that's what their goals have been and I I'm just a a big credit to them as they're doing this where I don't think a single week this season they've had fewer than two starters out. Like they've had this it's just been some these two guys, these four guys, these three guys. Like there's always been a couple of guys out. and they keep finding ways to win games that they need to win. And it's just been a very impressive impressive s seven games for them so far. Seven games, yeah, they played week zero. Connor Earegood: Should we I I I I didn't watch the game. Yeah, I I didn't watch the game, so I don't wanna I don't wanna you know. That's the thing with having Andrew Graham: Any anything else on Easy? You're not you're not not your Joe Moorhead, You're gotta Connor Earegood: four concurrent games in a state. Like who d who charted that up? Who who drew that up? Who was like, we're gonna make all the teams in the state of Michigan? Andrew Graham: Yeah that's Connor Earegood: You can usually get a little quad box going or like, you know, you watch like the first half as you're finishing up a game, like I don't know. T V Execs, we Andrew Graham: Absolutely, yeah. There's there's Connor Earegood: have a lot of problems with you on this show. Andrew Graham: Also, Red River needs to be at noon. Red River needs to be Connor Earegood: A where you put game day. That too. Andrew Graham: at noon. What are we doing? Like that was wrong. Although my Oklahoma pick went well for me. so I mentioned Central Michigan. They just kinda got their ass kicked in the first half. There's no two ways about it. and the bigger problem is this is now three times that I think was in nineteen games that Matt Dringle's been the head coach. That Central's kinda gone on the road and just been like getting just played off the field in the first half or through the first portion of play and it just puts them in a spot where they can't come back and like that has to be something they get ironed out because you like they're not a team that can play from behind as currently constructed. Connor Earegood: Mm. Andrew Graham: and if you look at like what they did against Ohio, it was kind of brutal. Like they went down fourteen nothing, but they could have had an interception on the third play of the game. that got called back 'cause Jay on Jackson intercepted it but also apparently committed past interference on the play. They then they just get like gashed down the field after that. They get the ball back, are kinda lurching along, get to fourth and one, look like they got Ohio to jump. The guys jump back. Whistle never comes. They end up having to snap it, get jammed up, don't get it on fourth. Ohio walks right back down and scores again and at fourteen nothing you could already basically tell the way it was going. Like They don't Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: have it. they do not have it. And then they found it in the second half and played a lot better and it was fourteen nothing as Ohio kind of threw it neutral. But I think that's just like you can't you can't, especially on the road, come out and disadvantage yourself like that so consistently and expect good f like to be able to overcome it. And like this is nothing the coaching staff and the players don't know, but they just need to figure out what the root of that is and how to solve it going forward because they have important games still to play that they will want to win and need to play well early in and that starts this Saturday against Western Michigan. so Connor Earegood: One this week? Yeah. Yeah. I the thing with with when you have a Andrew Graham: Ohio's also good. Connor Earegood: Well and we've talked about this with Central where you're building and it's like there's gonna be the sort of hiccups, but it's when you see the same hiccup that hasn't been, you know, fixed or or I don't know how you fix a hiccup. You like scared out of I guess that I guess that applies technically. I you know. Andrew Graham: You hold your So the actual like medical answer I know is you hold your breath 'cause it's a spasm of the diaphragm and that helps your diaphragm be compressed into not spasming. Fun fact. Connor Earegood: Alright, so s it f you need to see Central hold their breath. But like I yeah, I I I the run game I feel like has something from from all the charts and and analytics we've seen. But I do think when you are sort of as an offense not one dimensional, but certainly not two dimensional. Leaning one Andrew Graham: That is a very good way to put it. Connor Earegood: Yeah, leaning one, like it th like leaning blue or leaning red. We election season. I'm sure everyone watched a lot of political ads when we watched these games this weekend, but you know, you you need to have a a second point. You need to have a left hook. You need to have something that gives you some balance and gives you some ferocity in the other side of the game. And I feel like it's just i y when you're an easy scout like that, like you have to be able to do it multiple ways and for a second year in a program that's okay to run into, especially for a group of six Andrew Graham: yeah. Connor Earegood: team. But, you know, there's something to build there that I think is pretty pretty evidenced. Andrew Graham: Yeah, and this and this happening like now, like this third one about twenty games in is really kind of the precipice of like if it happens again, it's officially like a real problem that I think people would be right to be upset about. and and your point about like the left hook, whatever, part of that a little bit with this team I think is supposed to be the defense. And the defense just really did not have it in the first half today in a way that we haven't seen yet this year, where both out of position, overrun like kind of overrunning plays, either like freelancing or missed assignments or whatever whatever the root cause. And then also like at the tackle point, missing tackles, tackles getting broken, like not kind of being this like looking like the more physical aggressive team, which is also like Ohio has been very good in the Mac for twenty years by basically being bigger and faster and stronger than everybody else and just being this like rural shut away all about ball program that Matt Drinkle is very complimentary of post game and I think that's kind of what he like what Ohio did to Central Michigan is what Central Michigan wants to be able to do to the rest of the Mac going forward. pretty simply so it's just a matter of bridging the gap between what Central Michigan is now and the limitations that like put it in this box where the other team can Trap them in the box and evolving into something more, and it's like you gotta see how the balance of the season goes and and what they can do in the portal and recruiting still and all that stuff. So it's like I'm not they got their ass kicked, but it's not like they're not doomed. It's a problem if it keeps happening or they have Connor Earegood: It's Yeah. Andrew Graham: consistent struggles stemming from that, but I don't know. No, not Connor Earegood: They're not above getting their ass kicked. Not yet. Andrew Graham: at all. Especially by like and if there's a t like It it if you go and get your butt kicked by Ohio and Toledo or, you know, Western or Miami in this league, slightly more tolerable than some other teams doing it, I'll put it that way. Not okay, but like understood in some senses. Connor Earegood: Hmm, deu assim. Andrew Graham: Yeah. And good shout shout out to Ohio's quarterback also played out of nowhere. He like concussed as hell and then Pete Thamble tweeted two hours before kickoff, like he might play and then he did, so that I think that didn't help either. I was annoyed by that too. I like, how I th I d nothing about this guy anywhere and then just like an hour before kickoff, it's like, he's good to go. Connor Earegood: Yeah. State secrets. Espionage. Andrew Graham: yeah, well let's you know the the d the the press corps, it's the New York press corps and then the Athens, Ohio press corps right behind them, as we all know, in terms of Connor Earegood: Ha ha ha ha. Andrew Graham: being on it. Western Michigan won the boring kind of like good kind of boring game against Kent State where it was actually pretty close through the first half. it was fourteen seven at half. Western kinda made it a low possession game and had a couple three and outs in there. after taking a 14 nothing lead, but just like never in doubt that Western was the better team that w should win this game, assuming they didn't throw up all over themselves in the second half, and they didn't scoring twenty-four unanswered and just rolling away with this thing. Brock Lowry had four touchdowns, his best day as a passer. The real thing that like I took away from this game though is they finally figured out the pass rush, like how to weaponize who they have, and I think that's gonna be really important for them going forward. 'Cause they had three Connor Earegood: Mm. Andrew Graham: sacks in four games going into Mac play and now they've had ten in the last two games, five each week. Connor Earegood: Not great. it it's interest like for for Brock Lowry and and his sort of ability, like I feel like he's the perfect example for a guy like Milvoyovic at Michigan State where it's like you can go tear up the Mac and like develop as a quarterback. Like I feel like the Lowry that came in at the start of last season that we saw, completely different guy than we're seeing now. And it's Andrew Graham: A hundred percent. Connor Earegood: like it is the I feel like a in part Like you always wonder like some guys with the Portal Ear, like, why didn't they go up a level? Like why didn't they go do this and that? You don't go up, so you can do this. And you can show everyone Andrew Graham: yeah. Connor Earegood: I can completely dominate a team. Like that's how you go pro. I don't know what his aspirations are, but like it's trending in that way of like, Mac legend. Like dude that was Andrew Graham: Kinda. Connor Earegood: raw in the Mac and and maybe gets a a nod. Like I I you know, Andrew Graham: Well and you don't Connor Earegood: I we'll see, but Andrew Graham: You don't reset your like your development timeline in terms of like there's the your own development and that's like can be transferable from team to team, but you also develop like within a team, with your offense, with your receivers. And I think that's the thing that we're real like Lowry has gotten better personally, and Western has built the scheme around what he does well. He's empowered, he's worked with these receivers a lot. Like his first completion or technically second. But the the one that moved the change on third down on the opening drive. Straight drop back over the middle rips an anticipatory throw to Egypt Nelson on a little post seam bender thing. Like that that is not a throw he was making last year. That's not a throw that fifty college quarterbacks are comfortably making. like that over the middle anticipatory you're throwing to a spot and your guy runs into it kind of throw. And he had a couple of those. and just looked great on a two minute drill and like truly is a different player as a passer and a like worker from the pocket and operator of offense in ways that like are so like I I I would have to imagine for like Lance Taylor and Walt Bell and like the offensive coaching staff. It has gotta be so gratifying for like this to be the plan and to get here like this. Like I like that like We talk a lot about like when coaching doesn't work, but like big hats off for like the the developmental coaching, like working there. And that's also a huge credit to Lowry for all the work he's put in, of course. and like Connor Earegood: yeah. Andrew Graham: just a really impressive showing. And I think like to the transfer point, like I look at him, I would need to double check. I think he's a red shirt junior. I wanna say this is his fourth year. And so it almost makes more sense too of like He would have had some transfer stock last year, and I'm purely speculating here to be clear. But like this year, if he keeps on this pace, like he will be able to do the one and done P4 thing if he wants to. And that I think is way Connor Earegood: Yeah. Probably. Andrew Graham: more valuable where it's like someone looks at him and goes, Yeah, we can just drop you in and start. Like, UCLA to pick a name out of a hat, or Purdue or Cincinnati. Can just go, that guy can start games and win for us. Let's go pay him. And I'm not saying that's what's gonna happen. I'm sure Western would be very content to keep Rock Lowry if they can for a for another year. But it's just like that's the sort of evolution he's taken. And like I think he he was Mac offensive player of the year last year and is credibly a degree or two better in a lot of big ways this year. Which is very good for Western Mission. Connor Earegood: Hm. The thing that stands out to me too is is he throws to nine different guys. Like multiple passes. And that's you know Andrew Graham: Yes. Kolka Col Cabana in one play had basically sixty six percent of his like he had forty six yards entering the day and he had a thirty yard catch. Col the th th Connor Earegood: Yeah. And that's like Andrew Graham: the idea of Col Cabana is such a great player. Connor Earegood: The idea. Not the not the the result. Andrew Graham: The actual player has been solid but unremarkable. Connor Earegood: Yeah. I that's the like I I feel like Western has a lot of guys who are in that sort of lower on the depth chart, sort of trying to prove it like him. And and that's always good in a program, but I feel like where they're at now and like going to play centr playing central this week, like I I I I don't know, now that you get into rivalry season, like that's when you need kinda all hands on deck and you need guys to flash and and pop up and things might go weird even if even if Central is one in the fraction dimensions. I don't know what that fraction is, but you know, even if you're probably entering the favorite, I don't know what the line is between the two teams. Knowing a Mac lion Andrew Graham: That's a good question. Connor Earegood: is probably pretty sicko. But, you know, I I I do wonder, like, where Western is at. Like, this is the sort of version that doesn't let things get to upset watch. This is the kind of version that stays in command, stays in control, and and plays some of its best ball. Like you are pretty encouraged to see that halfway through the season, especially w how week one went for Western and feeling pretty robbed and then you lose to Boise. Andrew Graham: Really how week four went, but Connor Earegood: Like there was potential for this to go off the rails a little bit and it didn't. And it didn't. And that's Andrew Graham: Unravel, yeah. Yeah. Yeah Connor Earegood: a credit to players and coaches. Andrew Graham: I I really I'm I'm ready to look back in like November, late November and look at that goal line stand in Buffalo and be Yep, that's when it happened, that's what it turned. But yeah, and like they're per the ESPN on my phone, they're touchdown favorite over Central, which is pretty hefty for a road rivalry win, but I also think it's kinda like this team just has the goods to get ahead and do that and beat Like just kinda be able to keep Central at arm's length and it'll be really fascinating. Like that's that's just a game where genuinely you can probably throw the records out. It's the first Saturday game for that rivalry in Mount Pleasant since seventeen, I wanna say, seventeen, eighteen, something like that. so even though Central's coming off kind of a crappy day, I think it's going to be an electric environment and they're also gonna have this is a very cool thing. more s coverage coming to Minton Football later this week on it. It's their I want to say it's called Traditions Day. I'd have to double check the name on that, but it's where they have the Saginaw Chippewa come down pre game and do the drum ceremony on the field with the team. Really cool stuff. and then I'm also I'm working on a story about Central having the seven grandfather teachings of the Anishinabe on their helmet this year, which is really fascinating. But that's all kinda tied Connor Earegood: He's awesome. Andrew Graham: into this game. So it's like as big a weekend as there's gonna be for football in Mount Pleasant in Literally a decade this Saturday. So Connor Earegood: Yeah. Seventeen, who's Q B? It wasn't Cooper Rush, was it? Andrew Graham: For Central. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: you are taxing my knowledge here. That might have been this is a mid Michigan high school football legend. That might have been Tony Pole Jan, unless he was moved to tight end by that point. Connor Earegood: Hold on, here we go. wait, seventeen. Seventeen with Shane Morris and Pole Jan. Duh. Shout out to Shane Andrew Graham: Wait, this is this is a real duh duh duh duh du Connor Earegood: Morris, man. I hope he's doing well. Andrew Graham: I that's a that what a pull. I I I I should have known that and I never would have gotten there in a million years. In a million years and that should Connor Earegood: Yeah. Yeah. Andrew Graham: have been way more obvious, but yeah, no, Connor Earegood: He Andrew Graham: that was that was like Bon Amigo Chippewas. Shout out John Bonamigo, Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: great guy. but yeah, no, it it'll be a really good time. I'm obviously gonna be there. you will be at the the final installment of Michigan State's qu quarterback Scott Pilgrim adventure. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: With Northwestern and A Did you see Northwestern seventeenth in S P plus? Connor Earegood: It's crazy. And the dog rating. The th Northwestern and UCLA Andrew Graham: They're good. They're just good. Connor Earegood: are like number one on dog rating, which is like how bad you're beating Vegas. Andrew Graham: Like you just beat the crap out of people, yeah. Connor Earegood: Yeah, and it's like Big Ten's on watch. Like this might this could be a weird season, especially when it's not bad. This might be the season that makes people balance schedules. Credibly. Andrew Graham: The fact that Bob Chesney is just going full Signeti and is a former JMU coach is just it's so amazing. It's so amazing. I don't think the Connor Earegood: Yeah. It's like what is it? The Andrew Graham: I don't think the current JMU coach is gonna be quite as attractive of a P4 candidate though. Connor Earegood: No. JM used the new Cradle of Coaches. It's like roll the thirty Andrew Graham: Yeah. Connor Earegood: for thirty. Andrew Graham: Billy Napier getting his second run. We look forward to it. Connor Earegood: Got it. Andrew Graham: B Billy Napier, future Michigan head coach? Question mark? Connor Earegood: Hehehe Andrew Graham: That would be speaking of terrible ideas. no, that's that's pretty Connor Earegood: Hey. Andrew Graham: much all we got today before we go on tangents assigning assigning coaches to programs where it would be funny to watch them coach. we'll be back later this week with picks. We've got a big rivalry. We got Michigan Penn State in a Tum's bowl. it's gonna it's gonna be a weekend. There's a lot going on. Connor, any part and shots? Connor Earegood: no no parting shots, no parting middle fingers. we'll keep you Andrew Graham: Yeah. Connor Earegood: updated with with the explanations, but in in the meantime, yeah, it's it's a beautiful week in in mid Michigan. Andrew Graham: If Connor's not here later in the week, we will know that Pat Fitzgerald had him renditioned after asking about the middle Connor Earegood: Yeah, if I get abducted and and sent to a black site Andrew Graham: finger. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: All right. And on that note, I appreciate everyone for listening to In the Pocket on behalf of Connor and myself, Andrew Graham. We appreciate you for listening. Thanks.