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Host Nick Lundberg and sports editor Sam Sklar discuss women's soccer, recap men's and women's basketball and the rivalry football game against Michigan.
The State News sports reporters discuss all MSU sports.
Nick Lundberg 0:10
Welcome back everyone. My name is Nick Lundberg and this is The Sports Roundtable your end of the week sports update on all things Michigan State. We are live here from The State News with the sports editor Sam Sklar. How're we doing today Sam?
Sam Sklar 0:21
Not too bad. It's a it's a nice week here in East Lansing. I'm a little surprised it's November now and we're like going 70 degrees I can't complain.
Nick Lundberg 0:30
Yeah, it really is beautiful out and you know, it's a beautiful time for postseason. Women's soccer want to jump right into that as the Michigan State women's soccer team beat Minnesota in the first game of their Big 10 tournament. Earlier this week on Sunday, Jordyn Wickes had a brace after they were trailing at halftime to put the game out of reach for the gophers. And with that brace she was named to the national team of the week by TDS soccer and college soccer news and Lauren Kozal, our goalkeepers also named the best goalie in the country. And if they beat Nebraska, Thursday, they'll advance to the Big 10 tournament final. And this team is just making waves like all across campus, it seems like the buzz, rightfully so has been, you know, very has been really high in the past couple of weeks. What have you, what are you looking forward to seeing out of them and the rest of this Big 10 tournament? Sam?
Sam Sklar 1:19
Well, I mean, I will agree that has been very cool in this team sort of transformed into one of the more dominant programs in the country super quickly, having Jeff Hosler come in, I believe it's the second year as a head coach, and he's already there. I think ranked sixth in the country right now only have one loss and is ranked team early in the season. So it's been very impressive. But I mean, us the woman soccer guy, I want to turn it to you. I mean, what's been so impressive watching this team, and just maybe the way they play, like what makes them good, I guess is a fair question.
Nick Lundberg 1:52
Yeah, following just following them all season seeing after, you know, they lost Arkansas on the road, which is never easy. They had a scoreless draw at Oakland to the score of the strike, I believe, against Iowa as well. But after that, it's just been full speed. The offense is really, really stepped up since those games where they played down to their opponents. But I mean, you've got players like Lauren DeBeau, Lauren Kozal, Ruby Diodati, who was the Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year, kind of asleep or coming out of this year. And then obviously, you've got, in my opinion, the best coach on this campus right now, Jeff Hosler as your head coach. So I mean, they've been clicking on all cylinders recently, the defense plays physical, they go after their aggressive and the offense as the same way.
Nick Lundberg 2:37
They in their game against Minnesota, they did what good teams do after going down, they were trailing in half for the first time in like, a month and a half. And they just came back out. They started off firing and then they eventually, you know, got those two goals to go from Wickes. And I mean, she's been amazing as a super sub, she doesn't even start and she's had, you know, I believe she's almost a 10 goals this year. And she's just been, you know, lighting it up when she comes in the game. So it's been it's been very exciting to cover the team. And I think they have a real shot at going really deep not ingest into this Big 10 tournament, but the NCAA tournament coming up after this.
Nick Lundberg 3:14
So it's just been very exciting. And to see everyone kind of rallied together when other teams on campus are doing as well for a team that really doesn't get a lot of love normally. I mean, besides like two years ago, no one knew, like they only had one, one. And then you've hired Jeff Hosler. And it goes from 10 wins now to 14 to 15, excuse me, but just seeing everyone on campus kind of come together and be like, Wow, this team is actually like legit. And it's just been a really fun time covering them. But I want us to talk about the men's soccer team.
Nick Lundberg 3:43
I will be going to Columbus to watch them as well as the woman's in the Big 10 tournament as well, this Friday, but they lost to Northwestern and a final regular season game of the year, one to two on Sunday. And then they'll face number three seed and number 18 overall OSU tonight, and they finished the regular season out six, eight and two and three, four and one in conference play. But they did it was nice to see them kind of bounce back. I've talked about this before from a very, you know, poor start. And then they kind of have just come out of the gates midway into the Big 10 Regular Season kind of come back and get to where they are here. But it's going to be a tough task. Upsetting Ohio State, you know tonight in Columbus.
Sam Sklar 4:24
Yeah, I mean, I haven't really followed a whole lot of them and soccer teams, so I can't really provide a whole lot of, you know, insight and analysis into how the season has gone. It's definitely gonna be tough going into Ohio State this weekend. And trying to pull off an upset in a non neutral site like Michigan State is playing at least a woman's Michigan State team is playing at this weekend. And so, you know, being being that underdog it's gonna be a tough challenge. They lost to one earlier this season to Ohio State. It was actually just a couple of weeks ago. And so they fell behind to zero on that game and ended up scoring a goal but but couldn't rally there. So I'm sure that you know they have some stuff to work on with versus like the women's team when they played Minnesota in the big first round of the big 10 tournament that was the first time playing each other this year. So there wasn't really any film or any analysis that they could have really gone off of, at least Michigan State maybe has that for the men's team, this weekend.
Nick Lundberg 5:20
Yeah, and I mean, playing against Ohio State in this scenario is going to be very tough for them, especially the way they've been playing as of late, but there's always a chance with this team. They have they've been some good teams this year. So I mean, I don't expect anything crazy coming out from them in this tournament. But I mean, there's always a chance for an upset but moving on to volleyball, they're in the midst of a very, very tough stretch. Right now. They've lost nine games in a row after falling to number nine, Minnesota and Michigan on the road. They are now one in 11. And conference playing will face Purdue tonight at 6pm. We I've been talking about this also before with young teams, especially in the Big 10 with a new coach and a new staff and everything. It's very hard to win some of these games when you've got teams like Minnesota they displayed and I mean, Michigan's always tough and then, you know, there's countless other teams that are just very solid in the Big 10. But if it kind of feels like they kind of they need to win one of these games to kind of, you know, gain some confidence. And I feel like Purdue could be a very good opportunity for that.
Sam Sklar 6:26
Yeah. And I think it's just interesting, because I feel like a lot of the they played a ton of road games already this year. Yeah. And, you know, versus playing in the Breslin which they moved into this year, which seems to be a success. It seems like some people are going to looks like for sure that Michigan game was just crazy. Yeah, they broke the attendance record that game. So that was really cool to see. They've got four straight home games, it looks like coming up. And I guess six of them in the last seven games of the season will all be at home. And so that is a good way I think to end the season. But obviously the Big 10 is tough. You got to rank matchups coming up versus a number 14 Purdue and number six, Ohio State but then after that, it's against all other unranked teams just like Michigan Sate is . So I think just being at home will be you know, a welcoming site for the for the team don't have to worry about all the travel and the fans and stuff like that.
Nick Lundberg 6:37
Yeah, I mean, just like I said, it feels like one of these games they got to come out with a win to you know, game, I mean, that confidence back with a young coach and a young team losing all of this, you know, losing all these games in a row there, they could get down on themselves pretty easily. And so I feel like a one in one of these games would be very important not only for this year, but for next year going forward. Knowing that they can win in the Big 10 and not just you know, be, be some teams is like, you know, throw away game.
Nick Lundberg 7:48
But moving on to basketball as their seasons are just tuning up with the women's team beat SVSU in there tune up match 90 to 56 that transfers lead the way with his McDaniel and Elliot both had 14 apiece and freshman Hallock which was kind of a surprise to me had 13 off the bench. Suzy Merchant mentioned that in the game rebounds were pretty big struggle. I mean, you've got you had, I believe Taiyier Parks had seven DeeDee Hagemann, who's you know, smaller guard had six, which is interesting, an interesting stat line for me to see. But their next game is next Monday at home at 12pm, which against Delaware State, which is an interesting time for a basketball on Monday. Yeah, so that'll be.
Sam Sklar 8:30
Clear your schedule.
Nick Lundberg 8:31
Exactly, exactly. Don't don't go to class, you don't need to go to class. But it seemed like the transfer is really, you know, shouldn't mention that they're going to be a big factor this year for their team. And I mean, they stepped up in a big way, the last game.
Sam Sklar 8:46
Yeah. And that's one thing that just sort of caught my eye after doing some looks at that exhibition game that they played, as there were a few names that I just didn't recognize on the team, not because I don't know a whole lot about women's basketball team. But just because there's new faces, there's transfers as freshmen and they made an impact right away, which I thought was very encouraging to see after Michigan State missed out on the NCAA tournament last year, they were kind of just mediocre. Obviously, the big question is, how do they replaced Nia Clouden, and it's gonna be a really tough task. She was one of the top players in the country got drafted in the WNBA.
Sam Sklar 9:20
So it could almost be something similar to what Michigan State football team is experiencing with the loss of Kenneth Walker. Yeah. And you know, now that we're in hindsight, and you can look back and realize how impactful he was not just to like the offense, but it just really the entire team and the energy and everything that he brought. And so it'll be interesting to see from the women's basketball team, if someone can sort of step up and fill those shoes. I don't really have an idea of who that could possibly be. Maybe you do just feel like you know, a little bit more about the team. But yeah, I think like Gabby Elliot and McDaniel were two key players that I took note of and said these are just kind of people to watch.
Nick Lundberg 9:59
Yeah, Uh, I mean, I feel like this year it's gonna be they're gonna have to do by committee. There's not really that one player that can really step up and you know, go like, like Nia Clouden go for 50 and one game, which is still crazy to me, but I mean, you've got like McDaniel and Elliott had good games like we mentioned. How like it was a nice surprise, like I said as a freshman but I'm really looking to DeeDee Hagemann and Matilda Ekh this year to kind of continue to develop the way they were last season, they started to get into a real groove midway through that season. And we know like that Ekh is a sniper. And DeeDee is very good at setting her up. So those are two players that are going to be big and like the men's team, their bigs the women's bigs, like Taiyier Parks is are going to need to step up to their front court is a little kind of suspect like the men's team as well. And we'll get into that in a minute. But so I mean, I feel like this year it's going to be more by committee and I trust Suzy Merchant. She has been here she just got extended through 2027, she's been here for a while. So she's seen a lot of teams a lot of different players come through and I I have hopes that this team could you know, put something together this season. They've got the talent to do so it feels like but see if that one you know star can emerge like near cloud and did last year.
Nick Lundberg 11:18
But moving on to the men's side of things. They played their first exhibition against Grande Valley earlier this week. They did not get off to a very hot first half. They were actually trailing in the first half. Tyson Walker seemed like the only player out there who kind of looked semi decent for that half, but in the second half, they picked it up AJ Hoggard, Malik Cole, Jaxon Kohler all made a pretty good impact. Mady Sissoko actually did some things that kind of surprised me a little bit. Pierre Brooks struggled a little bit so as same as Joey Hauser and some of the lineups that is throughout there and the lack of size and depth are shown but some of those lineups were just I don't see how you can win in the Big 10 When you put guys like Jaxon Kohler and Joey Hauser on the frontcourt at the same time against let's say, like Zack Ed or Hunter Dickinson, I just don't see how that's gonna, you know, fare well in the Big 10.
Sam Sklar 12:13
Yeah, and that's been the big, you know, question coming into the season is, how is Michigan State gonna utilize that center position? Because they really don't have a proven guy. You know, Joey Hauser is I guess, proven, but he's not really, it was, I don't think a natural fit at center. He can play it. He's done it in the past. But it hasn't really been pretty at times as the Sissoko was highly recruited highly touted player coming out of high school. But everyone sort of knew that he was a raw player and would take some time, but I think it's been two years now. I think he's a junior. Yeah. And so now is sort of the time for him to, you know, prove what he's got. And it seems like he did that a little bit and, you know, looked improved last night. But also just, the entire game itself felt like it was a little sluggish, maybe a little sloppy.
Sam Sklar 13:03
On Michigan State side, I think to be trailing in the second half against Grand Valley State is not really a good thing. They were trailing for 13 minutes total in that game, which I'm thinking it's a lower level division two team that Michigan State would sort of assert its dominance, but I'm in Louisville lost the other day. That's true. To us. We're a very small school. So maybe you just don't take these exhibition games too, seriously, or at least you can't really pull too much out of it. But I also did notice that it was Hogaard, he shot pretty well from the field, four or five from the field, hit both of his three-point attempts. That's kind of always been like one of his downfalls I feel like or he can be a streaky shooter, like sometimes he'll get hot, sometimes like the three-point line, and even just free throws, he's sort of struggled at times. But if he's able to pick up that efficiency, and be able to, you know, spread the floor a little bit, the shooting range, because we know that he's a really good attacker, he's really good at driving the lane, something that Tyson Walker isn't necessarily as, as good at and they kind of complement each othe where Tyson Walker's more of the Sharpshooter. And he actually had six steals last night, which is pretty impressive.
Sam Sklar 13:03
Yeah, I feel like Hoggard and Walker definitely had the best games out of the whole team. Last year, we saw Hoggard and Walker on the same at the floor at the same time. And it was kind of like, questionable decision making because you've got your two point guards running, kind of like the one and two but this year I feel like I really like what I saw from Tyson Walker coming out. He was shot hunting, which is something he did not do last season. He was more of a pest first and when he shot it, it seemed like every time he shot it, he would go and he shot I believe over 40% from three and around that from the field as well.
Nick Lundberg 14:53
But it was good to see you know A.J. knocking down those shots like you said, that's something we heard he's been working on a lot this offseason. And that's kind of what he needs to do to take that next step. He had some explosive plays and transition, he was, as always a hound on defense. So it was just, it was good to see that his improvement looks like it's going to be there this year and really feel like him and Tyson, like you said, they play have a different style. But now they're kind of, after an offseason being together, they've kind of learning how to play with each other on the court at the same time. And it seems like it was going to rely on those two players heavily to play together throughout the year. And it was just it was very good to see Tyson Walker go after a shot.
Sam Sklar 15:34
Yeah. And I feel like it's kind of a similar theme to what we've seen over the past three years or so. We're coming into the season. You know, ever since cashes, Winston left, like Michigan State hasn't really had that guy. And coming into the season, like part of the question has been like, who's going to step up? Who's going to be the go to score? Aaron Henry, a couple years ago, he sort of took on that roll. Gabe Brown, maybe at times last year, like last year was a little bit wishy-washy with that.
Nick Lundberg 16:01
*Coughs in Sports* Inconsistent for sure.
Sam Sklar 16:02
Yeah. And so if Michigan State is going to, you know, they're not ranked in the top 25 preseason poll. But if they're going to, you know, make that Ron like is always does, I think they're gonna need someone to step up in that regard. Malik Hall's name has been thrown around. But he's been sort of inconsistent, too. And so I think those two point guards though, if they can, they can complement each other very well, if they're able to figure it out how to work them on the floor, even at the same time. I think Michigan State could be very good this year.
Nick Lundberg 16:38
Yeah. But moving on to your specialty, the hockey team, you're going to be the reporter for them next year as well. So are this upcoming this season, but they lost they played Notre Dame over the weekend and the away series, they lost the first game five nothing and then tied one-one, or moving on to four, three and one on the season. And what the Notre Dame series they sort of conference play at a one-on-one. They'll face Wisconsin tonight to start their four-game homestand and the two-game series versus the Badgers. This is kind of their entering into the real Big 10 play now. I just want to know what you saw from the weekend series this week after especially, it's very promising to see after a blowout loss a young team with a new coach to come back and take that game against you know, always a very solid Notre Dame opponent.
Sam Sklar 17:25
Yeah, I think you're right on there. No Deal and sincerely goaltender made his return to Notre Dame where he spent four seasons before. Then he transferred to Quinnipiac last year, and now transferred to Michigan State. And so he got the start both times in that he gave up five goals in his first start, Friday night. And so I thought it was very interesting though, that Nightingale went back to him Saturday night when he could have gotten with Pierce Charleson or something. But you saw that he bounced back, only let in one goal, and just the overall team bounced back. And that was definitely something that did not happen often. Last couple of years with Danton Cole. You know, not like it's all his fault or something.
Sam Sklar 18:07
But I think it's just something about this team. And it's something that I've just noticed, attending a couple of the games this year, and just watching them on TVs, there's something about this, this grit, or this passion, or this just desire from these players, that just feels a little different. Were there maybe I want to say that they're working harder, because, you know, I don't want to discount any of the work that was put in the last couple of years. It just feels like there's a little bit more talent, it feels like there's a little bit more skill on this team. Tanner Kelly has shooter on goal, he's got some really nice minutes, he can make some really nifty plays on the stick, he's a sophomore, Jesse Tucker, he's a guy who led the team in points last year, he's gotten off to a slow start. But it's been playing up and down the lineup too.
Sam Sklar 18:49
But I think it's just a matter of time before he sort of gets in his groove that we saw last year where he was just dishing out assists pretty much every game. But this team just also has a lot more depth. And granted, they have more players on the roster, just numbers wise. So that might be a part of it. But it's been really impressive just to see this team sort of make strides already it's obviously baby steps and nine girls had to sort of got this entire thing out there's so many new players on the team. I think they're starting to make some make some progress that you know Wisconsin who they play this weekend there to insects have not gotten off to a good start at all can't score goals. Their special teams are atrocious. Michigan State swept Wisconsin last year in East Lansing, one of their only might have been there on this week for the year. I can't remember. But it's a chance for Michigan State to pick up two wins in the big 10 on the same weekend, which would be absolutely huge and sort of making a statement because well, they didn't do that last year.
Sam Sklar 19:48
But then in January, Mitchell Lewandowski got hurt in the season fell apart. But I think that this team, just given that it has depth That won't happen this year. I don't I don't, I'm not. If there were an injury to a key player, I think that they've got enough right now to replace it. Guys like Karsen Dorwart have been playing strongly. Jamie Davidson has picked up where he has last year. And just defensively to I think this team, they're putting a lot of more pucks on net, which is something that, you know, Michigan State and really struggled with. Yeah, has with scoring goals. And it was all just like reading, grinding, physical play that, you know, now Michigan State sort of plays more of a Penn State style, I don't think it's to that extent to that, to that degree of just like pounding the net with shots. But they've been doing it and it's been leading to more goals. And that's been the most encouraging thing.
Nick Lundberg 20:48
Yeah, you said, um, if they were to get the sweep this weekend against Wisconsin, that'd be very, very big, especially for a young team to kind of take that momentum into conference play. And we know the big 10 is no slouch when it comes to hockey. So it'll be interesting to see. Follow them the rest of the season.
Nick Lundberg 21:05
But last but maybe least, at this point, we got to talk about football. So I was actually at the game in the student, of Michigan student section no less wearing my, you know, MSU shirt I was, you know, talking to my trash in that first quarter when Keon went up and just was going crazy but.
Sam Sklar 21:24
Did you get anything thrown at you?
Nick Lundberg 21:25
No I, the thing that really changed the game from my perspective was that failed fourth down conversion on fourth and one and I just everything from that play what they've been through. Yeah. Oh, the one in the beginning when they were knocking on the drive when they.
Sam Sklar 21:25
They were on like the 15th. (Of course they were)
Nick Lundberg 21:32
Yeah, exactly. And then they ran that delayed handoff and just got stuffed and Thorne actually said he could have sneaked it if like he was looking into it. But I was like, I'm a very big fan of the QB sneak. So that kind of annoyed me when he said he was thinking about it and didn't do it. Because it seems like it always works. But that's just me. But I feel like that really changed possession the game and then obviously, their online is probably the best in the country. And Blake Corum has a very, very good running back and the deep in our defensive, just our defense in general, they played okay, for the most part, the offense didn't help them at all excited that first quarter. And I mean, they did what they could do against just you know, they were just Michigan's just a better team.
Nick Lundberg 22:24
But the big storyline was the fight afterwards. Now we know that a total of eight players have been suspended with Jacoby Windmon and Angelo Grose kind of headlining as the guys who have played the most this year who have been suspended. But it's going to be interesting to see how they handled these, this indefinite suspension from all of these guys, and what happens with them with the future of the program.
Sam Sklar 22:46
And it's just so tough because it really overshadows the entire game and what happened, and it's just like we've always been talking about over the last few days, but I mean, it's, it's a big deal, because Michigan State is not, does not look good because of that. Yeah, pretty much all the videos that have come out from the tunnel have been pretty damning toward Michigan State and have been frustrating and sad. And it's a lot of emotions as Michigan State student, as a person who covers a team, as you know, people who listened to this podcast, I'm sure you're all feeling a whole ton of emotions about and maybe just confusion about, you know, what is going on. And obviously, I think Michigan State is the bulk of the blame. And I think they've handled it pretty well, so far, suspending those eight players indefinitely. Until those investigations are complete, it will be interesting to see if anything happens on the Michigan side, just because we only have really puzzle pieces right now of different videos and different angles of different times of what actually happened in that locker room.
Sam Sklar 23:51
You know, just from the outside, there hasn't been like, we don't fully know why this happened is a big thing. Obviously, there were tensions boiled up from the rivalry, you know, it gets chippy in the game and things like that. But one I think the one big clue is how did this start? Like you obviously we see. I think it was (correction: Gemon Green) running a locker room with the Michigan State players, which obviously is an issue of itself, but it doesn't warrant a beat. Yeah, is the thing. And so what happened between that time of him running in with the Spartans, and him getting, you know, jumped by like five players. Yeah, as the big thing for me.
Nick Lundberg 24:32
Yeah, um, I just wanted to say that, I mean, there is a lot to blame on the Michigan State side, but looking at it from a neutral perspective, you see a guy on a Michigan team run in and just kind of start to you know, you know, talk your talk and tensions are high obviously, from the game in there. Michigan's fired up as well. So, I mean, it's, it's kind of just it was a snowball effect of him, you know, just wanted to go in there and mess up some things and but that doesn't excuse is the fact that you don't just jump someone like eight guys can just just throw like throw helmets and stuff at the sky, just because he's talking trash in your face like that doesn't excuse it, but I do feel like there's some blame to be put on the Wolverine side as well. But I mean, I'm kind of I've been seeing it all over Twitter these past couple days. And it's just some of these takes like from journalists and fans alike, it's just been very, they seem like a lot of times to be very uninformed, and just, I'm excited for this kind of phase of it needs to be handled. And I feel like you said, Tucker, and the university has done it the right way so far, who knows what will happen going forward with some of these guys, if they'll be kicked off the team if they'll just be sort of suspended only for this year?
Nick Lundberg 25:47
If I mean, they're Michigan some of Michigan's players like Gemon Green is looking to press charges for a concussion, which I mean, I'd have to look into that situation more to be to have a full form of full opinion but.
Sam Sklar 25:47
Did you see Keon Coleman's Instagram post?
Nick Lundberg 26:01
That was Yeah, I love Keon man, Keon is one of the funniest people and just yeah, that was good. I mean, I don't, I don't like I mean, you lost. And you're posting that, which to me is kind of like not the right timing, I guess. But it was still funny. He's still a great, great player, a funny guy. But I'm just excited to kind of just be done with all this. And it's just been a lot hearing so many uninformed takes and people's opinions. Like it just doesn't matter.
Nick Lundberg 26:07
But moving on, they'll face number 14, Illinois this weekend, who are surprisingly actually could be the potential Big West champions which going into the season no one.
Sam Sklar 26:41
I think they will be. (Go Green!)
Nick Lundberg 26:42
Yeah, no, no one really thought that they had a chance. But for MSU it's a road game. And they're three and five on the season. And like it honestly, if they lose this one, I really think their bowl hopes are just out the window.
Sam Sklar 26:57
Yeah, and it's gonna be interesting having those eight players gone. And it's also interesting because all eight of those suspended players are defensive players, two of them obviously been key impact players who are starters, the rest of the guys have kind of just been rotational pieces or depth pieces. Illinois for Illinois, it starts with that defense. Xavier Henderson and Payton Thorne both said that Illinois defense, they don't really change a whole lot like they're almost not like schematically, super challenging, but they're just talented. And I can't remember if it was Henderson or Thorne, but one of them said that he thinks that one of the Illinois corners is one of the best in the country. And so they really interesting to see him play. I haven't really watched a whole lot of Illinois, so that'll be an interesting matchup versus what that quarterback going up against probably Jayden Reed, even now, given how Keon Coleman sort of ascended seeing what he if he matches up against him.
Sam Sklar 27:54
But getting that running game going, it's just gonna be every single week. It's just been like, ever since the power five opponents have come into play. It's just been like, really, really rough. It's just like here, yards here, three yards here. Yeah. incomplete pass ponds. We definitely saw that against Michigan. I thought that Jay Johnson should have been in the run a little bit earlier. I think that no, although it was a close game, because Michigan State's defense kept holding Michigan to field goals. It was pretty obvious that the passing game was what was working. You know, finding Keon Coleman finding Jayden Reed was more early in the game. It was working and they're moving the ball down the field.
Sam Sklar 28:32
And also another thing that we talked about earlier, but that fourth and one something else that caught my eye is Peyton Thorne was talking about to place before that on on second down, he had to read that subject and Reed was in a mismatch. He had a guy covering him who's not a coroner, and he recognized it but he didn't end up checking out of it. And he looking back at the film realized that he should have done that because he had almost like a one-on-one matchup or something, I guess, with someone that usually wouldn't be covered and Jayden Reed, yeah. And that, you know, I don't exactly remember what happened on that play. But it ended up leaving June the fourth and one which they decided not to keep the field goal went for it didn't get it. And the rest is history. So that was that was just another interesting part of that is, you know, a lot of fans, I think are quick to blame, like Jay Johnson for like, oh, how do you call that play and stuff like that. But like, it doesn't fully just not him? Obviously, he's a lot to blame like that. counterplay on the fourth one was head scratching, and obviously also poorly blocked. Yeah, you had no chance at all. But you know, Payton Thorne took some responsibility for it too, which I think was nice to see in his.
Nick Lundberg 29:33
Yeah, it's gonna be interesting. Seeing the adjustments that come out with against Illinois, but so we'll see. We'll see what happens this weekend. But thank you, Sam, for coming on. It was a pleasure. As always.
Sam Sklar 29:53
Thanks for having me this is fun, I appreciate it!
Nick Lundberg 29:55
Of course. And thanks, everyone for listening. We'll see you next Friday for another edition of Sports Roundtable, peace out.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai