How MSU football can keep the Jonathan Smith honeymoon rolling; What is the Spartans ceiling?

it is game week with graham couch The Vibes are high how can they stay high through the first month of the Season all that and a lot more let's go you are locked on Spartans your daily podcast on the Michigan State Spartans part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day today's episode of lockdown Spartans is brought to you by Game Time download the game time app create an account and use code locked on college for $20 off your first purchase terms apply download game time today what time is it well it's game time folk Spartan friend Spartan family lockdown Spartans listeners thank you all so much for tuning in to lockdown Spartans your team in green and white five days a week please rate review subscribe comment below on YouTube how Mr couch is looking today I think quite Dapper Graham it's it's always great talking to you but I gotta say it's even better when it is game week Graham because here in a few days we get to talk about substance we get to talk about actual games not just you know what could happen which we will get to you had a very nice best case and worst case scenario piece recently before all that like are are you like the fan base are you just very excited to get this ball roll in here yeah I get to this point every year and I am because the story lines in a new coaching situation change a little bit but really since the spring you're just sort of speculating on possibilities for month after month after month and you get to a point where readers are ready for the game fans are ready for the game you're ready for just to WR about something and uh that's that's the best part about the uh about the opener to just wax poetically here for a hot second obviously you know I'm in a great mood a lot of State fans are we're still undefeated almost every team is outside of uh Tallahassee but nevertheless I'm happy I'm eager and like because Graham even the wins last year the few wins they had Harland Barnett took over like they felt like pulling teeth like even the wins weren't all that enjoyable and by and large no disrespect to the players kind of meaningless wins at that point of the Season well eligibility was law in the review mirror but Friday signals New Beginnings like we are all moving back into our dorms it feels like you know we're not sure what's going to happen but hey it's going to be exciting it's going to be something new let's all head on this journey together it it is truly a honeymoon phase so Graham the question is through the first four games of the Season every game ahead of the Ohio State game what has to happen for this honeymoon phas to keep going because I I think it's just as easy as three and one certainly you know not automatic two tough road games coming up but that that's where I see it at right now or is there anything else has to happen inside these games too what's what's gonna have to go down here to keep the Vibes High well I mean part of it is you just don't know enough about the other teams right and and that's in the in the new world where everybody gets a new quarterback every year year and and there's a lot of change it's hard to know like Maryland for example doesn't have its quarterback situation sorted out if they're if they're not good at that position I think they've got some weapons on offense I think they've got a staff who knows how to use them but that may not matter I mean quarterback matters right we've seen that at Michigan State when you don't have the guy you're in trouble so that could open may be an opportunity for Michigan State or Maryland could be fine there it's a road game Marland usually when they collapse it's later in the year all of a sudden that's a really tough game Boston College you know new coaching staff uh we'll get a really good feel for them when they play Florida State this weekend uh so that'll be helpful in that in that sense um but they're supposed to be you know a six and six type team and and that's what Michigan State a lot of people think is going to be so you know and then Florida Atlantic while they're coming off a 4 and8 season and and you know I tend to think Michigan state will will get this done they they do have a coaching staff who knows how to feature guys and knows how to take one great receiver and use them and move guys around and they have some speed um they've got a quarterback transfer who's who's mobile as well so and those things have bothered Michigan State in the past so it's not like it's a game where it's a definite walkover and so what I think MSU needs to be is is it at minimum like solid certain places solid at receiver solid up front you know and then they need Aiden Charles to be good and that's what it is and and and I think Aiden Charles is going to be a really good quarterback at some point but I I'm also cogent he's 18 years old he doesn't turn 19 till after the second game of the season and he's never started a college football game and you can be six foot five with all the speed and the arm in the world winning at quarterback is about making the right decisions and it's about accuracy and so those are the two things how good will he be in those you know components um early on so I think I think it starts there and defensively I think they're going to be okay defensively I really do I I mean I don't think that they're going to be this isn't 2013 you know through 15 Ms right right but I think on the back end and the linebacker they should be should be okay and then up front you know they they should have enough um to be competitive I you know we we'll see we will and like speaking of that honeymoon phase not just with the head coach but also the offensive coordinator because we were kicking this around on Twitter the other day there's a discourse between MSU fans Oregon State fans because they're like oh Michigan State fans are going to learn about Brian linger and how awful of an OC he is and they're sitting over here like brother we scored 15.9 points per game last year like it the only way to go is up we are thrilled just to have anyone new in the room and it seems like that quite frankly no one has a better job in America right now than Brian lingren because the bar is set at Earth's core right now is that accurate you think do you think he's got a just a sensational cushy job because we're just a starve fan base waiting for any morsel of offensive productivity here well there were a lot of Jay Johnson fans in 2021 so I mean it's yeah I have never SE I have never met an offensive coordinator who at some point the fan base wasn't frustrated with sure I mean it's just sort of um you know sometimes I think and and look they're better coordinators than Jay Johnson they're better coordinators than Dan rosar they're better coordinators than Dave Warner they're you know you can go back and back and back but those guys also you know weren't complete weren't complete Rubes right I mean they they and look at so what I would say this is like Jonathan Smith if you go back and read articles in Seattle in Washington in 2015 they weren't happy they W they gave all the other coaches a twoyear contract and he had to earn it and and Chris Peterson who was the head coach there at the time stuck up for him and said look I I know who he is as a coach I obviously they've got a produce but he's a great coach because of this this this and this the fans would have thought that and um sometimes we think we we should pick a fan to hire the coordinator and then then see how that goes um now I think lingren pretty smart guy I think they run a uh pretty you know I like their offense I like that it's different I like that they huddle up I like that there's a lot of tight end usage I think in the Big 10 that'll play uh they've got a mobile quarterback that you know I so I um but yeah he does have a situation where everything is relative to last year the whole team has that the staff has that last year was misery it was a disaster and so this year I think for for people is going to be a lot of fun um even if they're average because what you need is you need you need you get you'll get joy in small victories which you can't get when their expectations are high and you need confidence in the coaching staff and then you need to see signs of promise and I think they'll they'll get those three things and that'll make it a decent year and obviously the mood will swing if they can win a big game like at home against Iowa or something like that along the way coming off a Buy in the middle of that Gauntlet um you know if they can perform well at Michigan if they can have a moment in games that are of some national uh prominence where people go oh look what's happening at Michigan State even if they don't win it if they look like they belong on the field for a minute with Ohio State or Oregon and things like that I think people will enjoy this season and and so uh from that standpoint yeah I think I think uh again just like with the offense Everything's Relative to what you're coming off of and like not not to make this a season full of moral victories but we've thrown the stat around and I might be onor off by a point here I'm trying to memorize it against Ohio State under Mel Tucker the average score was 37-4 at halftime like just look like you belong on the field again this can't be like you know a year like a contract launch thing under Jonathan Smith it has to get better than just that but even something as little as that I think can be enough to keep the fan base like somewhat engaged energizing and believing that things can happen here uh gra speaking of the coaching staff hey they had Med availability this week I want to see if you got any nuggets of information that we already haven't gotten from Fall Camp yet but first I hate to do this to you I gotta send you to the bench because it's time to talk to people's ears off about game time yes the greatest ticketing app out there you've heard me bark up and down about game time oh God for weeks if not months and well hey it's actually almost game time here in East Lancing if you've used game time for concerts comedy shows hey even baseball games in the Detroit area you are hip to how great this app is but if it'll be your first time here using it ahead of this Friday's gave at Spartan Stadium you're going to save some money because with their Flash Deals throughout the week you're going to find great deals on seats in great locations or let's say you're not planning on going to the game but you wake up Friday you got the day off work and you want to skip over to the stadium with no tickets well yep you got it you're going to save money anyway with their last minute ticket deals guys it's game time there is no fuss about it they are not going to pop you with surprise fees at the very end and again they're going to save you money right off the bat download Game Time create an account and use code locked on college for $20 off your first purchase terms apply again create an account and redeem code locked on college for $20 off download game time today what time is it it is game time and hey guys Michigan State you know we even saying all up and down on FanDuel America's number one sports book that they are 11 and a half Point favorites 11 and a half Point favorites well I got some news for you over there they've grown to 13 and a half point favorit so if you jumped in that 11 and a half point line congratulations you just got yourself two points but if you're still feeling our Spartans mosy on over to FanDuel America's number one sports book place a nice fancy wager over there on our Spartans or any week one game possible Lord knows I will be filling my slip with all sorts of bets at America's number one sports book and to sweeten this football season now through September 22nd all FanDuel customers can bet $5 and get a three-week free trial of NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV then with the YouTube TV base plan you'll be able to watch every regular season Sunday afternoon out of Market game all you need is a Google account and a current form of payment and you can cancel at any time just visit fanduel.com lockdown to download America's number one sports book all right we're going to drag him back out here it's gram couch of the Lance State Journal the couch in the r podcast but first thanks a lot for making lock on Spartans your first listen go ahead make lock on college football your second listen of course part of the locked on podcast Network and Graham another week of media availability back-to-back day some coaches some players we didn't really get to any quotes yet this week by and large because I we've already heard everything there possibly is to hear about the only thing that I was slightly interested in is that Joe rosi he was asked who has grown the most this offseason he named Malik Spence as if there was any more room for him to grow which that's a good sign and then Chuck Brantley that's a guy who started in the scrimmages and just do some self-promotion like that's what we suspected here on the show before the scrimmage even started because we just don't do you know hysterical meltdowns here we actually do get information and share it with you people so now that I've patted my own self in the back Graham anything that you got this week that we didn't know beforehand that you think people should know you know um I I am curious to see to watch all the communication system Sy uh with the new you know that new helmets on offense and defense and and one of the things Joe Rossy talked about was he'd rather have none of the green dot helmets than than two because then you get a penalty and so that was sort of interesting that sort of yeah default is not oh we don't have one on the field it's get them all off the field you know because you don't want that sort of that sort of deal um so I thought that was interesting uh you know I'm trying to think of at this point we we've heard a lot I sat down with um with Jonathan Smith last Friday and I you know was appreciate that he was uh you know pretty forthcoming and and sort of you get you understand why he's taking this job and why he thought this was important you get the sense that he might have stayed at Oregon State if um things hadn't changed there just because he likes a certain lifestyle and the ability to build at the highest level and and uh it also makes you think maybe he wouldn't have gone to a place like Washington anyway he'd been there um you know Seattle is is a different different animal than he Lancing so you know I thought that was interesting um you know it it's he talked about how little he medals in the the the offense too so this is Brian lingren show when when the game's going on he may have suggestion here or there things like that um even though he's an offensive guy so uh that is that is something to keep in mind that I was trying to get a sense of as well now not just that brilliant piece that you had with Jonathan Smith which by the way L State Journal of course everyone already know know that by now but go ahead over there and read it if you haven't you also had a best case scenario and worst case scenario piece for Michigan State I think you put the best case scenario at The Season's end nine and three and then worst case I believe it was four and eight meant to write that down in my notes but I'm just going to the top of my head right now what I do have my notes is that for the best case scenario you listed well this is how 9 and3 happens if childes hits the ground running the offensive line comes into its own and you know a top skill position player isn't just like H decent like is becoming a really really strong option out there on the field of those three CH in the ground running offensive line coming into its own and a top skill position player emerging as like an alpha dog what is most likely do you think to start this year it's a great question hey thanks appreciate that nice you know I mean I do think I do think childes being a guy you know I like I look at the receiving core and I like some of these guys and I think Nick March obviously will be but you could even listen to linger and talk today about him he's a freshman and they're they're hoping to make plays for them but he is a freshman and um that is a rare you just don't see a lot of freshman receivers uh produce consistently it's a difficult position to do it um the line you know I I do think there's a chance that they were actually recruiting pretty decently at the with the line of the previous regime and that we the guys you're seeing up there now who are red shirt freshman red shirt sophomore second and third year guys and that's a good sign because that's probably where the of their talent was um and so maybe that happens but seeing is believing at this point with that offensive line it's just been so long and so to me it's it's the unknown with Charles and the idea that he will he could be a Difference Maker from day one and somebody who makes you know he'll make some mistakes but he'll make a lot of good reads he'll be a problem for teams in the Red Zone with his legs he'll extend drives in that sense on the contrary too you know the worst case scenario you pointed out well child's needing time very understandably so just the team lacking depth Al together and then also a lack of those different making Playmakers what should scare me the most like why why should I be losing sleep this week ahead of kickoff as if I need any extra help doing that but uh just add fuel to this fire gram if you may yeah I mean I I think it's you know it's it's an 18-year-old quarterback who could be more the same reason there's the high end could be his mistake prone is is he is big play prone and you know uh not to quote the Great Eric manini too often but he uh you know he was he was he would always say you lose more games than you win right and I think coaches feel that way and so now if you've got a team like Michigan State that's not going to dominate teams physically probably or at least the upper part of their schedule you do need different you do need some guys who take chances who make plays who who do things for you um but that would be it but and then you just have so many tossup games that we have no idea I mean the same conversations are happening around all of those teams too yep you know what what could possibly be good I like the the hire that that Indiana made is with a head coach who knows what they what they get the most out of that season um you know does Purdue with a chip on their shoulder look a little bit better than than we think is this actually the year Ruckers takes a step Maryland can be tough early on uh you know is Iowa just too seasoned for MSU and that winds up being a four game losing streak that just feels really long and and and um so I think there's a lot you know that's where it comes down to Michigan State's just you know a little bit less than a lot of teams that plays or or a little bit more mistake prone I think though you know having a guy like Tommy Schuster as a backup quarterback is a really good deal for them because I think it it takes the pressure off a one or two game injury it it um you know the Childs um you know I do think I do think there are enough weapons you know like I think Nathan Carter is going to be better this year I think he was dinged up quite a bit last year and that was just such a dysfunctional offense that he was just the only guy just kind of running into a brick wall all the time I'd like to see a healthy Nathan Carter with yeah uh with with a competent offense the kid deserves it again like such a great kid obviously voted on as a captain by Michigan State and I also thought this was really neat in your piece too that of all the guys that were voted on for Captain 25 guys got at least a single vote a dozen players got double digit votes so I don't like I think that this is just a really obvious question maybe you'll you prove me wrong here but it just seems like the program is in a lot healthier place right now just with player to player coach to player I like it truly seems like the hard reset underwent a great transformation in this off season is that is that fair you think yeah I mean it's it's a very different saff and you got to make that move you know you got to get a different type of Personality it's got to be a different type of voice and there's you know the Lamborghini stuff is over the flash is over no I don't I think m add some substance to him as a coach and I'm not and I think there were some good coaches on that staff but but when when you have a coach who's fired when they and you go through that long a SLO knowing it's going to end with the schedule they played and the way things went then the bad decisions at quarterback I mean look Sam levit starting in Arizona state for a reason I'm a believer I'm a Believer in Aiden Charles but if you told me you've got to put money on one of those two guys to be better I don't I wouldn't go either way like I think I think it it'll be close think Le was the real deal and so he should have been the guy last year once they realized that you know at a certain point maybe that season's different and got a different feel to it I don't think know that he would have stuck around or it would have um but that offense just couldn't move at the end at all and and we saw that you know obviously Penn State being the the low light of that I like I'm I swear I'm trying to like stay positive over here but guys you just walk to the Sam Lev thing just I'm gritting my teeth over here because they burnt his fourth and final game before the red shirt on what was it two passes yeah great job guys that's really highlevel Baseline uh coaching that we get right there going to stay positive G to stay positive we're we're gonna try our very best here uh grahe even though we are staying positive I got to do something I do not like doing I gotta send you to the bench one more time and God it just makes me sick to my stomach but you know what doesn't make me sick to my stomach folks it is 5our energy hey we got a long day of tailgating up ahead on Friday let's say you get started at like you know noon on a nearby golf course one of my favorite things to do okay you're out there in the sun you're having a good time and oh my God it's 7 o'clock kickoff is almost here and I'm I'm about to pass out right now we go ahead and get yourself some Five Hour Energy they need you on third down okay they need you celebrating every single touchdown don't just take a Five Hour Energy for yourself take one for the team and guys hey with zero sugar it's convenient it's portable it's just the perfect thing to throw into your pocket and even walk into the stadium with if you need one for halftime the 5 Hour Energy website has flavors Galore we're talking watermelon tropical burst grape Berry and more there is a flavor for everyone so try them all and on the site we'll stock up for the whole season they give you the option to build your own 12pack or 24pack you choose the flavors and boom it is delivered right to your door if you go to 5our energy.com that is the number 5our energy.com and get some 5H Hour Energy today use promo code locked on CFB to receive 20% off your order this offer is only valid until September 30th on one order and cannot be used with other promotions the code is not good on subscription orders go to 5H Hour Energy today all right let's drag him back let's see if he's still here actually it's Graham couch at Lancy State joural and my goodness gracious would you look at that handsome gentleman he came back for another segment once again being dragged back on the show thank you very much Graham um look this is a story that will just never die it's the Conor stallion thing of course the documentary happens and I what kind of a talking head would I be to just completely gloss over this no we're we're going to spend a little bit of time on hit and I Lon said I'm not gonna watch a single second of it it could be the only thing offered on a transpacific flight and I would just rather stare at a black screen than watch that propaganda because the Netflix Untold series their track record is Johnny Manzel the Florida under Irvin Meer documentaries and they made Johnny Manzel seem more holy than the pope and the Florida program to be better than the Vatican I it it is propaganda I don't really care to hear their side but with that said you still get two morsels of nuggets from this we've seen the clips on Twitter Harbaugh gave stallions a game ball back in 2022 he also says he can't recall being at the CMU game cutscene Dave pory huge Michigan fan says he told me he was there like caught red-handed so even when the subjects get to tell the whole story on these documentary series doesn't it seem like they kind of struck out in t-ball like how how when you get editorial discretion over your documentary do you just like like something like that slip out is this like is there any stop to the craziness here yeah well they often try to have a couple things that are a little bit negative or you know counter what they're saying just to make it look like an actual documentary because it's not a documentary these are not documentaries I mean the last like even the Last Dance which had a lot of truth to it and some criticism was not a was not a documentary that's not documentaries the subject does not have control of a documentary that is this is not journalism it's it's just a entertainment and that's you know look he's sitting down and so you take it for what it is but uh he was on the sidelines we know that because the NCAA already you know there have been reporting that he was I know that through my sources that he was on the sideline and so that's not that's not a question and um so that that lie sort of then discredits a lot of other things when he can't remember a guy who's a sharp as he is he may be weird and he may be but he is sharp right we know that about him I mean so the game ball thing I don't have an issue with I mean obviously he had a real knack for deciphering signs which is not illegal which is something you you know a lot of Team correct do and so he that was a talent it helped him and and I have no issue uh with with that at all um and obviously you know he went too far you broke the rules and I think he probably saw better ways to help the program and um you know how many people knew that within the program is is is kind of the question of hand but um yeah the idea that he wasn't there is just is is just BS I mean that's yeah like you said you know deciphering signals not illegal happens in all sports it's the way they went about it and for every Michigan fan or media member that cries oh everyone does it everyone sends a staffer to a completely random Team Sidelines to dress up in a costume and cosplay as one of their coaches to steal signals a few weeks before they play their own game like that I feel like we're being a little disingenuous here but I leave it to them to just believe because that's what they're served the time yeah and and you know I don't based on the reporting I have and and I'd love to be able to put this out in State Journal but we you know we have some sourcing standards that Netflix doesn't but the um sure what I I am not sure how much was to help Michigan and how much was to help CMU that night regardless yeah and and so like I you know I think I you know from from what I from what I know he was he was there uh to some degree on cmu's behalf whether he was there for CMU to be a freelance coach or single I don't think he burnt his entire notebook when he left maybe some of it carries to the Michigan game and let's all be honest here too not the reason Michigan beat Michigan State this year I'm not that crazy uh but nevertheless that's just you know our little two cents on that we're GNA give actually another sport some shine here to end the show here because Michigan State you know recently three-day trip to Spain they played some really solid games they lost a tough one against a very tough team they they looked good but the sports books you know not to make this a gambling segment shot Michigan State up to the second best favorite to win the Big 10 only behind UCLA this year look I thought they looked good I I think that's a little bit of an overreaction to Vault them I think it was like five or seven spots up so what's your take on that do you think they looked that good Graham where they are going to be a legitimate first or second best team in the Big 10 or what's your take after the Spain trip so the reason I think they moved up in the Sportsbook is there's just a lot of unknown and all of a sudden you had you had you had known you had something you had evidence you had a team you had a team that played and and and did look did look okay at times so I think that's what happened if somebody else that played they're just looking for information and this and and they're also thinking you know where's the the action going to be other people are thinking you know they don't want to lose money on people betting Michigan State because they're a long shot to to win the Big 10 so I I think that was a lot of it I did think they looked pretty good for August before practice really gets rolling um you know and in certain ways uh you know I thought the way Cohen Carr finished was uh tremendous I've had coaches not Michigan State coaches but other coaches say like that guy has to be on the floor yeah um you saw the finishing group against the team from Serbia the professional team which is is a legitimate you know top 32 European club right there that's a legitimate professional team that would win the Big 10 and they lost in a 48 minute game 115 to 110 and and uh I think that game is good for a couple reasons One Michigan state is a roster full of guys who want to play in the NBA and it's good for them to see that even the guys who are playing in Europe right now are better than you right that's always healthy sort of in term your own perspective and where you need to get to um I thought that um I thought Jeremy fears was really good but sorry go back to the closing lineup the fact that Booker was at the five which is something I've suspected could happen and when they were looking around at what to do at the center position I thought the flexibility there was something they were thinking about because when you start thinking about their best five or six guys it may very well include Booker at the five uh and and Don down to get the right guards and and and wings in there um I I thought kler was the best center otherwise on the trip and I don't think it was that close Okay um and I thought fears was was what you needed to see from him because he looked healthy he looked quick his best game was the first game which was a decent team way he push the ball a natural guy getting out the ball up the floor so yeah I think there's you know J n struggled to the last game and then I thought he was good in some big moments there I don't know if it's going to be an on demand score the way people sort of think of a go-to guy and that's what Tyson Walker was I don't know if they need to be that but um you so I don't there was nothing that that took place where you go uh oh and there were a lot of things you want oh that that could work out pretty well and and uh it was definitely um I think overall promising and just to point out another player too Jace Richardson I like ISO built his defense before they took off to spay I thought his defense looked really solid across the board so I think he's G 20 minut play more than 20 minutes in the final game more than the other freshman I mean he's he's um that that I thought was a sign of just sort of where uh where people's heads were at that point the the the loss that they had was the game that inspired me the most because not only again top 32 European team just like he said but this is the third game in six days and it's not like you know they're relaxing they're doing some sight scene they're doing cannonballs off catamarans and I know like they're youngan spry children basically and they have all sorts of energy but man that's still a draining trip and the fact that they hunt that close with a team that is that good like I I feel pretty high about them just wow second best in the Big 10 I was like I I like where your head is at sports books I just want to actually see a little bit of the Season before we uh go that far though that's that's just where I was at yeah no I you know I I I agree I think it's going to be a fun year though I do think it was time to turn the page on that last group I think it'll be a less frustrating Year and that you know because you know obviously AJ hogard could be frustrating for a lot of reasons but even their their better players a guy like Malik Hall could be was a frustrating player because of style of play and you know his shot wasn't always there and was yeah whereas you know the style of player that that Xavier Booker is less frustrating to watch right shooter uh length things like that just more aesthetically pleasing player in that sense I think I think that'll be a big a big thing they'll be a less frustrating team to watch and um you know but there is some pressure on this group because you Xavier Booker's probably got one year then he's in the NBA Frankie fidler one year uh you've got Jaden aens one year like you lose those three guys so the odds that you're going to be better in 2025 26 doesn't seem that likely maybe maybe they keep rolling and keeps but so there is some pressure on this year I think to to to maximize what you have there I think he just coined the phrase for Michigan State athletics this upcoming year it's a less frustrating year like going to have that at Brin on Spartan Stadium it's it's going to be great that's got a nice ring to it sell the Nike T-shirts baby let's go folks that's Graham couch you guys already know who he is uh L State Journal couch in the r podcast anything you want to shout out before we go let you enjoy the rest of your game we here Graham not really we just we'll have coverage uh you know over the weekend as we always do and uh we we appreciate people reading this appreciate you as always Graham appreciate the listeners appreciate the viewers love you all take care of yourselves the rest of this week go