Lastella Report: FAU vs MSU preview with Stephen Brooks of MSU 247, CFB talk & more!

welcome in everybody it's a new week it's week one of CFB season you're tuning in to the bleacher Brothers Sports Network Robbie lella here alongside my co-host Christian prochia and we're joined tonight by a special guest Stephen Brooks of msu247 Stephen how's it going doing well guys I'm sure it's probably the same feeling that you all have I like just that you can feel the excitement you can feel the football season really coming so you know I'm just ready to get after it I hear you man it's been a long summer uh both uh you guys had the full-blown uh coaching staff uh change so that must have been a whole a whole Bol load of coverage going on with that we just had about about a half a roster fli down here so everything that goes on with that uh definitely changed things a little bit but uh the coaching staff completely new up there at MSU it's probably probably a whole new regime team uh how's that been so far the transition from Tucker uh to uh to Smith uh for you just in terms of dealing with media and stuff like that yeah that I think you're starting to feel the the shift of the culture you know that obviously wasn't gonna be something that happened overnight um I I was I was still covering the program Mark Antonio was here last couple years and when that change over from dantonio to Tucker happened I described it as like going from the field of like a family run like sort of corner store almost some sort of family business that type of environment to like Wall Street Fortune 500 type of environment with Tucker um and I think you can you can extrapolate that a lot of different ways of course I think now they're shifting a little bit back to some of that I mean that Jonathan Smith's put a huge premium on like connectedness chemistry I mean it's basic fundamental stuff but like he felt the need to really Hammer these things like just knowing your teammates you know knowing these got where they're all from intermingling different parts of the roster that type of stuff he really feels like one of his first goals has to be like building that sense of Team first and and and why wouldn't you right he's got 60 something new players I think I think it's 62 61 maybe from the 20123 roster to the 2024 roster now of course some of those guys were here in Spring some just got here in the summer but uh regardless he's basically got a brand new roster as well so that that's one of the main differences um and I think in other ways there are um you get some Vibes about him and his staff as well that are similar to like the mark Antonio era just in terms of like they're really like so one example is they keep mentioning how often there's little kids running around the office right like the staff is encouraged to bring their families around um it's he's not Smith's not a guy that wants to see them all all the coaches in the office you know till 1 2 3:00 am every night like work life balance that stuff's important doing things being being more than a football coach and I think that trickles down to their relationship with the roster and the players and and the feeling that the players have being a part of the program so those are a couple angles I guess where things are starting to feel different and of course the next four months are going to really reveal a whole lot more differences yeah you know I mean the culture you mentioned it that that's kind of what we've seen down here with the FAU as well uh last year was a lot of uh the last regime's guys and so this year has been uh or this offseason was kind of about getting in Herman's guys in here and what you've talked about you know seeing that sense of Buy in and cultured shift uh it's really kind of started to shift down here as well from our perspective Christian I don't know if you you that it kind when he was talking it kind of just sounded like Herman uh with everything that goes on with with trying to connect everything uh which I think is which I think is very important and a and a way to start to build the program but um in terms of offseason uh additions how did that go uh for MSU obviously they probably had some departures but was was Jonathan Smith able to bring in a decent am out whether it was high school or or portal yeah I don't have the correct the full numbers here in front of me I can try and pull them up as I'm talking a little bit but um yeah huge huge turnover like I mentioned uh so we have him at 247 with 24 incoming transfers and 38 outgoing um now you know that's you get some you know you get some Walk-Ons in there and you get some guys that you miss so I don't think those are dead on the number accurate but it gives you a good idea and as I said 61 62 something type of new players when you include the Freshman as well so yeah a whole bunch of new names um it's been the hardest spring and summer camps that I've ever covered because like normally it's like okay I gotta learn 15 20 new numbers or something now it was the whole you know I had the roster with me the whole time I'm like okay and then guys change numbers like oh who's number three now you know I've had never had that type of trouble at the practice field just trying to understand who I'm looking at right that's the amount of turnover we dealt with here so um at the top you know three guys follow him over from ER from Oregon State they will be th that's Aiden Charles the quarterback and and he's got the most Buzz about him 247 ranked him as the number two available transfer quarterback was a four-star kid coming out of high school was one of the biggest recruits that they signed out at Oregon State uh in the programs history and uh obviously has a great deal of faith in Jonathan Smith and Brian lingren the offensive coordinator the quarterback's coach who followed him here um so and and he was good enough where they had they had dju last year you know a veteran guy that was their but child still played in nine games and they prescripted they prescripted um a series at least about almost every game for him so as a 17year old true freshman I guess he turned 18 in the middle of season but they thought he was good enough that like we got to throw him into the fire and get him some reps here um and now you know he comes in here he's an unquestioned starter Tanner Miller the center is the other one he's going to be starting he's a all Pack 12 guard for him at Oregon State and Jack Ving was a second Team all Pack 12 I believe tight end LED them and touchdown catches with eight last year he'll definitely be their starting tight end so you've got a little bit of a core offensively there via the transfer portal um and then you know like I got you know 100 names here like I said we could list off then the other big thing to note though is uh defensive tackle they lost two of their start they're two starters uh in the April window so Simeon Barrow goes to Miami and Derek Haron goes to Oregon um and those were two guys that I think have NFL ability I think have all conference you know all big 10 were they still around type of ability so those were the biggest losses by far personnel-wise um not one but both your starting D tackles so that's a bit of an area of unknown I guess we'll call it now I don't you know I can't say it's a weakness yet but those were those were two of their 10 best players at least maybe two of their five best players that walked out the door yeah I mean we heard Jonathan Smith in his press conference today he talked about um having Five Guys rotate there in the interior so it kind of sounds like he's confident in the depth that he's brought in if uh if can play Five Guys especially in the trenches uh that's something that Tom Herman believes in the you know he's brought I don't know if it's five but there's definitely at least four three or four guys that he can rotate in the interior so uh that that's that's that part of the transfer portal you bring you're able to bring in a lot of talent you just you may not know who's going to be that guy right away especially if they're all kind of standing out a little bit but um you talked about childes and everything that that he brings to the table um and that he played in in a couple of games last last year um and and and he was named a captain which I think is really important is there kind of a sense around uh East Lancing that that he could be that that future guy that that long-term four-year face of uh East Lancing absolutely absolutely I mean he was he was the big you know people were excited when they hired Jonathan Smith uh I don't think he was like a super well-known name unless you're like a real you know junky like I assume you guys are you know yeah like you know in terms of being Deep In The Weeds of college football but he had done some good things and built a good program out there and I think once people got familiar with him there was excitement but really Aiden childes uh coming over was like the wave of the off season um I mean you look at a guy that's that's played in nine games already but has three years of Eligibility left he's got the Prototype frame at like 64 he can he's a true dual threat he can move around very much in that Modern Mold of what you want at the quarterback position and he's going to be already in year two in this offense when you're in year one in this program trying to get things going so yeah uh I think he has star potential um you know he is 18 right now he'll turn 18 I think or 19 I'm sorry next month but we're still talking about a young kid who's never started a game um but and so with that can obviously come some some mistakes and some errors and things like that but I definitely think I think he's got the potential the potential to be one of the top three quarterbacks in the Big 10 this year and then I think but that's a scenario where I would say where like Michigan State's hitting its ceiling and like everything's going right there's development around him on the offense and he's leading uh you know leading the ship there but I'm a big believer in his ability I think it's just about how soon he's really going to be able to be consistent put it all together but I'm betting that's sooner than later I think he's I think he's gonna be a big time name probably within college football at least by next year and maybe by the end of this year yeah you know I I it seems like he has like a path to success there with the people coming over with him especially jacking um and so probably my only question with with that would be in terms of the wide receiver position M you have monor Foster Junior back but outside of that is it kind of like a bit of a a tossup as to who's going to step up is the two uh you know is is there a chance I I saw Marsh highly rated he saw some of his film he looks looks really athletic is there a chance he potentially sees the field early this year yeah receiver and so like when just to just to reverse just a tiny bit like um I think like if they're going to hit their ceiling if they're going to be this this team that's maybe better than a lot of us think um I think it's because Aiden Charles is able to to lift The Supporting Cast I think I think the receiver group's just okay and maybe I'll be proven wrong but I think they're just okay I don't think they're bad necessarily I don't think there's a star yet in that room you mentioned Nick Marsh is a four-star freshman you're definitely going to see him Friday night maybe even snap one um he's really you know really coming along quickly and he's just a different guy you know he's like 63 he can run he's just a different build in different sort of specimen that they have in that room I don't know you know so I think he can be a star one day as a go-to featured guy but right now I don't know if they have a receiver that can carry the passing game necessarily I think it'll probably be a by committee thing I mean monor Foster is an experienced guy but he's been around for a while he's never really been he's never really stepped forward to to demand that number one role he kind of is that by default now um and we'll see how that goes I'm a big believer in Brian lingren their offensive coordinator I think he does a really good job of putting players in positions to succeed as as Elementary as that sounds um people that have watched Michigan State especially offensively last couple years uh will know that that's not a given apparently all the time you know so I think the play calling and the sequencing and just the differences I mean they run some stuff that not a lot of people run in college football anymore so I think that is going to lift that room to maybe better than they appear to be talent-wise but that's kind of the Outlook I think I don't know if I don't think they'll have a thousand yard guy I'd be surprised by that I could see like three or four guys kind of similar in numbers by the end of the year and that would be like Monto Foster Nick Marsh would be in there Geron Glover is going to be their other starter a kid from the Sarasota area I believe down there Riverview High School I think it was and then Jack Val of course will get in there they'll get some tight end targets of course but yeah I think receiver when you look at the offens the offense as a whole is one of the bigger unknowns maybe one of the bigger weaknesses and uh yeah that's kind of where that's at the biggest one would be the offensive line I don't know how much you guys want me to touch on that but that that's the biggest question mark with that side of the ball for sure well I mean yeah I I don't know I I did a little bit of research it's kind of tough with offensive line because you never know who's the guy sometimes they bring in a guy from a a lower level school but that doesn't necessarily mean like he's not going to be able to contribute so I mean offensive line it's important for Aiden child in in this year and especially in this first game because you know he's a mobile guy they're going to need to kind of hold up on the outside if not you know the FAU might Blitz a little bit so I the offensive line something that that's really a big concern is he not going to is he going to be having to run around a lot I don't know about run around a lot because well they they lost well first of all they lost four starters from last year and they just they could not run the ball it was one of the programs worst rushing Seasons I mean they they they're averaging under a 100 yards a game it was one of the worst rushing seasons ever um like seriously in like maybe 40 50 years or something I'd have to look that up but it was it was bad um they could actually pass protect decently but again a lot of that person has turned over just as a program the offensive line has been a problem here for a long time and it's what's kept them from from doing some better things on the especially offensively they've had you know some decently talented teams and some good skill guys going back to like 20 2018 you know really is when the decline happened they have the 10- win year in 2021 with Kenneth Walker and he was able to you know he was able to mask mask some things and they did have some some decent talent but for the better part of like six seasons the offensive line has been a major concern concern and now you're you're starting a whole bunch of new guys here they brought up Luke Newman as a transfer from Holy Cross um so at the FCS level he was an all- American but you're making a big jump now to the Big 10 um he'll probably start at guard for him uh Tanner Miller like I said comes over from Oregon state is the center Christian Phillips looks like to be the Right Guard he's a returning guy was a Mel Tucker recruit and the same thing with Ashton leppo so two firsttime starters basically on the right side um an FCS guy that you're you're hoping pans out we've heard good things about newmana and then um and that's what that's looking like but it's just it's been a it's been a weakness long enough that you kind of just assume it will be until you see it's fixed because different players different coordinators different coaches have all come in and it's been this this um weakness you know for the program for a while so I think that's the thing like when I talked about if child is the dude day one then they can exceed expectations if the offensive line is not where it needs to be then that's how that's when we start talking about like worst case scenarios in in right around the floor of what this team can be this year yeah and you you well you mentioned Kenneth Walker and you think about Levon Bell and and the rushian culture that goes into it I mean Nate Carter had a pretty decent year last year nothing crazy but you know they bring in uh they get they bring back Carter and then they also bring in um Lynch Adams I think it was from UMass he had a big year last year at UMass so I think that that that in itself says something to me especially running the ball I've never heard of UMass having a big rush game so uh he that that's kind of that sneaker name to me where I was looking at the the the potential options and that's like a guy who could contribute in the past game could get some snaps at running back what's going on in the running back room is it is it potentially his job to steal from Carter no no I don't know no they love Nate Carter um that's like the one constant thing that we've heard since January with anybody basically in the program they love Nate Carter and he was just named a captain too and I think he's he's he's underrated within the scope of the Big 10 like you said I mean for him to as somebody who watched every game last year for him to turn out 800 yards behind the line he was playing behind um was was no small feed so uh I think having a sidekick though like KRON Lynch Adams is gonna help him because we saw you know Carter was banged up a little bit last year he played through some things plays hard gives it at all you know he's not going to be a guy that wants to come off the field but I do think he's better when you can keep him around like 20 carries and give you know 10 to the next guy and keep him fresh but uh they love him they love how he can fit into this scheme and the wide Zone stuff that they like to do and all the bootlegs and play action off of that I mean that's so critical like I'm saying the offensive line if they can't get some Traction in the Run game really philosophically everything they want to do starts to crumble so it's going to be very very important that that uh unit gets put together and quite honestly you know you read between the lines some comment you we talked to the coordinator Brian lingren today on offense and he's like yeah it's a work in progress and it's like you don't really love hearing that in in game we for week one but I I tip my cap I respect the uh the honesty it's it's much more transparent than we've been used to around here but I think that's a real question and when you mention just real quick like Aiden Charles uh it's gonna be a different world for him I think behind this line because the guys that he was playing with at Oregon State he had four first or second Team all Pack 12 offensive lineman in front of him um last year so it's I don't think it's going to be that way this year one of them was Tanner Miller the center that comes over but four of those dudes up front were all conference last year uh helping him out helping him get his feet wet and so things are going to be different for real this year so I'm I'm looking at your guys' um transfer portal class right now damn y'all brought in five quarterbacks uh some two or two are true freshman one's a transfer and one is child so it should be four well because I'm seeing Charles levit Shuster Hower and Kim like Hower left right okay Hower left Kim left and levit left um okay so it's just Charles and Shuster yeah so right after the season all three scholarship quarterbacks left when Smith was hired I believe he had zero well within about a week or so he had about he had he literally had zero scholarship quarterbacks he was able to go get two in that first Freshman Class um so two true freshmen that they able to get sort of late in the cycle Charles of course comes over and then Tommy Schuster is a kid they got from the portal uh FCS player sixe guy like the textbook backup he's a kid from Michigan wanted to come home was a record Setter at North Dakota not North Dakota State regular North Dakota but played a bunch of games there set a bunch of records for him and uh now he's going to come home and be the backup to you know the guy with all the hype so they have a great deal of trust in him I think it's one of those sneaky underrated uh transfer pickups this year was was Tommy Schuster so now um You you spoke a little bit about Coach Smith and um his previous stop at Oregon State being able to bring a couple guys over being in the media how do you feel about just him like bringing over guys that he trusts in in the words of Dion from last year bringing over his Louis baggage like what what is that like building the hype around this team yeah it's interesting I mean he he did keep a he did leave a couple bags behind I won't you know because like Damen Martinez was at Miami was with him you know you would have loved to yeah if you're I think you would sure sure and so uh the balen the receiver who ended up at Texas would Lov to have him I think there's a corner who went to USC I think so there was more out there but I just think it's I don't really have an opinion on it I just think it's a reality of of the era you know so it's like what type of Coach can I get what can he do for me over five years but also who can he bring with him today I mean they're in they are drastically we just talked about the quarterback room if they if they didn't have Aiden Charles here I mean that the the Outlook would be gloomy and it's not great already I mean they were picked 16th out of 18 in the Big 10 the Vegas win totals are like four and four four and a half to 5 and a half which obviously tells you they think they're going to win you know four or five or six games uh they were hardly on any of the watch lists which I know is is not a great indicator but when you put it all together there's just uh the opinions are pretty low as is if they didn't have Aiden Charles and as I me Elling and Miller are going to be sort of pillars to the offense too they'd be in uh much worse shape so I just think it's part of the era and like I said when you're hiring a coach now it's all you you have to look at these things like who else can he come with not just oh is he going to get the you know normally the question is can he bring the coordinator can he bring this key recruiter on staff can you bring all these guys now it's like what's that running back doing over there is he gonna come too you know can I get the quarterback as well as well so I just think it's like I said reflection of where we are right now and then I'm looking at the linebacker core a little um y'all poached a guy from Michigan that's um with uh Bridgeman uh being able to snag a guy who has experience at the highest level um OB viously winning a national championship um having him kind of have like a defensive like perspective what is what is that like yeah they're really interesting that so they did a swap basically but Michigan definitely got the better end of it uh starting MSU one of their starting safeties a kid named jadden Mangum transferred to Michigan in the spring and that was like the ground shook you know around here like you just don't do that like and so it was a big Kuru on Twitter you had former players speaking out and disavowing this kid and everything he had his brother jumping in to fight him back it was it was a whole deal um but he's a starter and and would have been a second-year starter here I think he's got like all League potential and they got Bridgeman on the back end who I think you know is promising but a guy hasn't played much I don't know if he actually got on the field if he did it wasn't much so in terms of a player for player swap MSU lost that one um but it is weird it's very weird and it's just one of the reason many reasons I think that you know if we keep going down this path then then it's good to see you guys I think you guys look fairly young like I worry about the younger Generations loving the sport the way me and others did like with how weird this all is when there's no loyalty when you can cross sides when money rules everything and now we're going into a whole new podcast I understand but uh to the point they did restack their linebacker room a lot that's the best unit uh definitely on the defense maybe on the team um Bridgeman I don't think factors in though but uh the two transfers of no are GE Turner from Wisconsin who was named a captain he's just your classic big 10 downhill linebacker I mean might as well have the neck roll and all that stuff like 250 pounds basically coming at you in the a gap like that's the Big 10 linebacker that's Jordan Turner uh and then the other one is Wayne Matthews who's kind of the opposite from Old Dominion I think he was a top 10 tackler in the country last year and he's like the 2024 linebacker to Jord Turner is the 80s linebacker Wayne Matthews is like the 2024 in the sense like he probably would have been a safety 20 years ago um plays pass coverage very well one of the highest graded pass coverage backers I think in the portal um just moves well in space will allow them to sort of shift between their base in a nickel look because he can go play in space and go cover guys so um those are the two additions then the returners C how and Jordan Hall really complete their top four and those guys are all going to rotate in there and play a lot and then I just wanted to say I mean you know if we I was in there asking Tom Herman a couple days ago about the kicking position that's probably all I need to know to tell you we I love college football I got to get to the bottom of everything even if it's the kicker position you had something else uh basically I wanted to touch a little bit more on Wayne Matthews him coming from Old Dominion obviously Old Dominion isn't the uh the hottest football hot bed in the country no no shade to the monarchs but being able to have a guy really stand out like that and him be like the one Shining Light on a defense full of ducks um but having him come into this program and really be a quote franchise Cornerstone what what are you guys expecting him in a very talented Big 10 with a very talented Big 10 Back Field across the board yeah I I thought he would be a lock to start as we get closer to game one I'm not so sure he will but I I do expect to play a lot he's definitely a guy that gives you a lot on special teams um but like I said he's different so this linebacker room they've got a lot of experience and they're all kind of different it's like you got a different tool for every situation and like I said with Matthews he's that hybrid guy to where he can play their Sam spot out in space where he's basically G to be like a slot corner you know he's going to be on your your slot receiver or a tight end who split out or something and they'll feel comfortable doing that with him I think that's the value with him is like you can play uh four your regular 43 and you know be heavy in the box with him but also you don't have to substitute if they were to shift or get somebody in there on you quick and and they were to spread you out and go three or four wide or whatever I think you can you can get by with him and it's not a massive liability if he has to split out into space and cover somebody and that was uh one of the soft spots of this defense the last few years those intermediate routes 10 to 15 yards their linebackers just getting thrown over the top of their heads all the time I don't think they had a lot of guys that were Supernatural at it like athletically and and Matthews has demonstrated that he can do that so um I think that's a value with him we lost Christian but no I saw Matthews in the he he put up big numbers uh at Old Dominion so that that that definitely could be a contributor but in terms of the defense overall in game one what are you kind of looking for to kind of see out of the defense in terms of improvement with FAU pass rush is something that we want to see I mean they didn't really have much production with that so is it is it pass rush is it better coverage with the DB unit what what are you guys or I mean what do you think the uh the staff is kind of looking for uh in that first game from the defense I think first of all you know the basic stuff like clean clear communication no penalties all that of course the regular stuff just get that across you know get that off the board early but uh yeah I would say the D the interior D line for me because as I said those those two guys that they lost in the portal the two tackles were some of their better players and so I like the guys that they had sort of as backups I don't know how much I'm going to like them as starters and then even behind them guys three four five you hope to get to at that rotation um you know I don't think you know with all due respect I don't know how much of a great gauge fa will be with their o line like in terms of deciding whether MSU is gonna be okay year long at that point but like I always say in these type of games you can't really prove that you're good um but you can prove that you might have a big red flag on your hands so if they were getting blown up through the middle of the line of scrimmage that would be an issue the other place would be in the back end you just want to see some something that makes sense like some competent coverage some some some receivers not running wide open chunk plays you know held to a minimum because they were in the 2021 season with kth Walker we talked about they were dead last nationally in passing yards allowed per game uh the next year they were dead last in interceptions with two and one was from a linebacker so even though Mel Tucker was a DBS guy under Nick Savin for most for a lot of his career the defensive backfield never came together here and so they've added some transfers there as well at the corner position brought some guys back I think that are promising there and safety as well the returners um are sort of a good core of talent there so I think you just want to see in this new defense with Joe Rossy from Minnesota um something that looks like it makes sense like they're all on the same page on the back end that there's not two or three major busts um and guys are just running wide open because it's it's just been really really easy to throw the ball on Michigan State for four years now yeah that that I smiled when you mentioned Mel Tucker was a DBS coach cuz that's what was the the most surprising thing to me about Michigan being or Michigan State uh being bad over the past couple of years was was It was supposed to be a defensive first thing and that just it didn't work out at times so it it it's definitely something that I'm going to watch out for too to kind of see if that that old kind of defensive culture is kind of reinstated which you mentioned at the beginning is is the case but looking at the offensive side of the ball winding down here um do how Unleashed do you think they'll let Aiden child be in game is it is are we going to see the full version of him running outside of the pocket throwing on the Run uh doing you know option plays everything that goes into the Dual threat side of things or is it maybe a little bit reserved in game one I think with him you'll see a glimpses of just about everything just because I do think you know he's going to run into trouble a couple times where the pocket's just not there you know I do think he's going to pull the ball a couple times on some reads and rpos and stuff so I think you'll get a good sense of the full Aiden child's experience but in terms of the offense I do expect it to be pretty vanilla I mean look they're going into a big 10 game next week which is not normal you know for for the Cadence of a season and how you build up to things so um I do expect them to try to be as vanilla as possible while still of course trying to win the game um and not put themselves you know into a sweaty fourth quarter or anything but yeah I do think that there'll be an effort on both sides to try to be as basic as possible um for a variety of reasons I mean these are brand new systems on both sides they got the helmet thing going on now for the first time new staff new operations just it's all new so just because of that I think things would be paired down but also yeah you're looking at a big 10 game next week on the road uh you know not that they're looking down this far but Ohio State at the end of the month things like that so I do think if they can um they'll try to stay fairly basic in in the schemes and Concepts that they show well Stephen uh thank you we've gone overtime and I really appreciate uh you get we went in depth love it we're talking about the offensive line we didn't get to special teams but uh we'll have to we'll have to get to that another time uh but I I appreciate it a lot I think uh I think we talked about a lot a ton of good uh a ton of good info and I think the people are prepped on Michigan State now so I really appreciate it and look forward to seeing you on uh on Friday good good good deal yeah thanks for having me on guys hopefully somebody learned a little bit hope I didn't ramble too much uh special teams or Specialists are good real quick punter is one of the better ones in the Big 10 kicker has a huge leg uh little in little inconsistent but massive power on his leg there you go I mean fa's got a four-way kicker competition I don't know if it's decided yet I'm still Tom Herman I might have to call him up tomorrow we'll see but uh Steven Brooks 247 everybody thank you so much we're going to take a quick break here on the bleacher brother Sports Network when we come back me and Christian are going to talk um UF the state battle we'll be right back e e welcome back everybody just after 8:30 here on the bleacher Brothers Sports Network if you missed our FAU Michigan State recap make sure to hit that rewind button here after we post this after the fact Stephen Brooks of Spartan 247 was amazing ton of great info diving into the Spartans FAU MSU on Friday on Saturday though the big matchup Christian's got his canes I'm taking the Gators in that matchup you know no no no no nothing going on just a just a little bit of a a friendly uh rivalry Affair uh we're both celebrating uh the loss for FS you no just kidding that was a good game that was was a really good game um I think FSU could be decent uh this season I think they could still make the college football playoffs that's what's crazy but it's going to take it's going to take a lot uh from the nolles but um UF Christian it's the battle cam Ward versus Graham MZ what's going on Christian what are you thinking bro it's Gator season it is gator hunting season it is Gator hate week down here in the right parts of the Town unfortunately you know the saying there's the good which is the canes the bad which is whatever the hell you're wearing and then you got the ugly which is them boys that lost all the way out in Ireland so I I was raised properly you know who I rock with all all I'm gonna say is it's killig Gator season and we eatting Gator bites it's sunbo Billy is going to lay down an egg Graham HS for an interception game to to a secondary that's honestly questionable you are going to have Ben Hill Griff Stadium chanting for DJ lagway by the end of the game you know F you know UF hasn't lost a home opener in like 30 something years okay unless DJ lague gets in that game and then they waste a year of his eligibility he he's not they're not winning listen I think cam Ward's very talented I think Damen Martinez is very talented in the backfield but it's the coaching it's the execution it's everything that goes into football that's I don't necessarily know at least after last season you know I mean I'm not saying that's the culture of um football they've obviously had many winning seasons and and and before that championships uh but it it it it just seems like last year was a very disconnected season where the team it it just didn't seem like Miami like of what and so I don't know I mean the talent has been upgraded for sure but why why are people supposed to buy and that the culture side of it is different well here's the thing and I'm gonna be honest there is three words for why the canes sucked last year Tyler Van Dyk that dude is ass we really we really out here thought that Tyler van djk was going to win a Heisman at some point during his um career Tyler and T dubbed Tyler van turnover for all the right reasons that dude was making the stupidest Stevie Wonder picks every game I I swear I have never seen a more incompetent quarterback so Wisconsin y'all have fun with that I can play quarterback better than Tyler van djk full honesty cam Ward is going to light up the Gators cam Ward is winning the highman this year gentlemen don't care what anybody says Damen Martinez thousand yard rusher best running back in the ACC I like him over the running back from UNCC argu wall Xavier rreo breakout Year Xavier rreo is going to lead the country in Targets this year and I think jacobe George is going to have a solid year I think I think the canes are going to get a little crazy they're gonna get JoJo Trader some action early I really like that uh a Royo is one of the best tight ends in college football I really like what he's going to bring to this offense because I say it all the time with high school but it's even more true with colleges tight ends are a diamond dozen um unless you're Iowa you really probably don't have a good tight end but I think or Michigan State wrestling is gonna be nasty or Michigan State but I think Brandon a Royo is one of the top tier tight ends in college football then when we go defensively also their offensive line is a freak Show um suzu uh Francis mauigoa is going to FR Francis maloa is in a Le offensive lineman even as a true freshman last year he's going to make an even bigger jump he guys he got taller I it might be because I'm short as hell but that dude got taller from the last time from the end of last year to when I saw him that dude got taller um then when we flip defensively Ruben Bane is in my opinion the best Edge rusher in the ACC I like him over Patrick Payton just because Patrick pton got absolutely neutralized in Dublin and then over the middle I really like Kiko Francisco Maui Goa I think that Kiko is going to have a big year and he honestly I I could see Buck kiss award for uh for Maui Goa going at the end of this year I'm really high on Miami um I'm saying all this only to get my heartbroken at the end of the year I know it's coming but guess what Kane's The Natty baby kanes are winning the ACC for the first time in program history they're winning the conference for the first time since they in a basketball conference and we are going we're going all the way this year I I've got the canes over anybody I don't know about that gr Graham Merz is not beating the seventh four CL the seventh four crew I'm not even I'm not even a big Gator fan I mean I used to be back in the day that's why I own this shirt I've had this shirt since I was in high school now it finally fits me it was really big back in the day but anyway I I was a fan when the Gators were putting up points um now it's just like it's been pretty it's I mean you know the same things I said about Crystal bolb can be easily said about sunbell Billy uh the culture there is horrendous uh everything that goes on with nil is atrocious um I'm surprised recruits still commit there they just got naan Montgomery the other day congrat so it's like that that I mean you know I'm assuming I I'm praying I hope he doesn't get defrauded I'm I'm hope I think I'm sure they've got that eradicated now but it's still everything that goes into UF football over the last couple years has been horrendous and it's like I just don't know if if if they don't win this game the season is already headed down a dark path you could probably you could probably put Sun Bell Billy on the hot seat if they lose this game Sun first off like like you said the loser of this game you can pretty much chalk up the remainder of the season honestly Florida it only gets worse from there Florida does have one of these uh unfortunate worst strength of schedules going into this year pretty much anybody good Florida is playing them whether it's the canes UCF Florida State uh any team in the um SEC y'all y'all literally got Bama Georgia Miss missou Texas um Tennessee like yeah y'all are going through a gauntlet I'm not going to lie Sun Bel Billy will be some belt Billy was on the hot seat well before um well before this game will be played honestly in my opinion especially after all the nil stuff came out um I think that kind of dissuaded a lot of people if they throw up a bad egg against um the U I think someb Billy's days are numbered especially losing a couple um or struggling in a couple close games or losses because the quote unquote easiest team on Florida's schedule is Samford and if you remember two years ago they struggled heavily with arguably a better um offensive core because I believe Richardson and uh Slick Rick um Ricky peol were still at UF back then and they struggled against um some team in Alabama that's not one of the good ones um CU damn even Auburn's better than them which is saying something um actually I think Auburn's going to be good this year but that's besides the point but yeah I think some Bel Billy's days are uh numbered I've been putting on Twitter a lot recently he'll he'll be gone by week five and I think Graham MZ will be benched for DJ lagway at some point during the year um but like you said the future is bright for um UF football you've got lague who I think if y'all can secure him and not uh drop ship and hit the portal I think lagway is going to be a very good quarterback bringing in Vernell Brown and naan Montgomery is huge um spoiler I am trying to work on getting nay onto my show New Era prep nightly every uh Monday and Wednesday night make sure you tune in to that show as well bring him on every Monday and Wednesday night no uh he wishes but yeah I'm working on that uh nay please text me back um but yeah so I I think nay is easily the best player y'all got in your recruiting class because that dude is electric I love watching nay play you throw up a jump ball 11 out of 10 times Nan's coming down with it and that's a fact we've seen it with the pads on and in the seven on seven circuit there's honestly no player electric like nan no I mean he seems really talented and that's the thing that UF is kind of missing is a playmaker on the outside I mean they have eug Wilson who's solid I guess KH coming into this year I really like him coming into this year yeah I mean they they really don't have anyone else to throw it to I mean Andy Jean played a little bit in his uh last season and now he's a red shirt freshman that's that's a name to kind of watch for same thing with Marcus Burke um so but the names at the receiver position outside of Wilson are kind of like who exactly so it's kind of like I I'm the offense it it I like UF in this game just because it's the home opener the defense is is pretty solid um but the offense could lose them this game they could it could and and that's the thing is I honestly hate your guys' offense I think Graham Merz is one of the most overhyped quarterbacks going into this year if I had to give my top three um it's Merz Byron Brown from USF and uh Carson backck I do not think uh Beck is a good quarterback but that's a uh conversation for another day that dude is literally Jimmy G with national championship ranks um but that's what you get at Georgia you just get a bunch of system quarterbacks that can dump off a bunch of balls to they're very talented uh probably drunk driving receivers uh but don't drunk Bennett what did he have like four interceptions in the game the other day three something like that yes and they somehow still won that so that's not even a testament to him being a good quarterback that just shows that Dallas is already in mid-season form but yeah like you said I think um uf's offense especially because isn't like your entire running back room uh being duct taped together I don't know I I don't don't don't rote me in with them I haven't followed I haven't I haven't followed UF football heavily in like uh in a couple of years I follow it sparingly um but Mont like I think montal Johnson is still the running back um I haven't heard to I mean might like I'm not following it close enough to know if he's like injured he has he's not out he's not out for the season I would have heard that but I'm not following the practice reports but Montreal Johnson should be the running back um what what I've heard over the past couple uh weeks one losing etn is huge especially losing him to an SEC rival uh with Georgia I say rival very Loosely um but yeah losing him to Georg is big and then so you're already losing arguably one of the better backs in college football and then from what I've read is I believe running backs now one and two are pretty heavily dinged up going into this game so y'all are literally gonna need Graham Merz to win you this game and I honestly don't think he can I think he's gonna get be the one getting Stadium pulse because end of the day cam Ward's been in this situation before um like I I love cam Ward what he brought at I think that he is I'm saying this biasedly but I think Grant Merz is one of or not Grant Merz I think cam Ward is one of the top quarterbacks in college football going into this year I'd give him top five honestly I really like um I really like cam Ward I really like Nico coming in this year Jackson Dart Drew all from Penn State it's going to be another guy that's really going to blow up this year um and then uh Avery Johnson from Kansas State and then Quinn yers those are honestly my uh top handful guys in college football uh going into this year but I think that cam Ward is honestly going to light this up I'm expecting a 100 yard rushing game from Damen Martinez and a one and a 115 rush or receiving game from Xavier rreo and one of the receivers well two scores I'm telling you that now I thought you were about to say cam Ward was rushing for 100 yards I was like CHR I I can see a 35 Yer uh 35 performance from him which is solid yards or yards it's three first downs so I'll take that but guess what guys there is a cat five hurricane rolling into Gainesville and they're not ready they did th those poor rednecks did not put up their hurricane shutters they they're gonna get blown away we'll see what happens we'll see what happens I don't know I kind of I I I'm I I want to let me let's pull up brought to you by Hard Rock Sports Book uh do we have a partnership with them before we start promoting yeah actually y sports betting I I don't think I don't think I don't I don't know if we do or we don't but this that's where I'm getting the uh that's where I'm getting these stats from so I'll shout them out anyway and it's the only book we can bet on in Florida anywh who so uh I'm trying to find it where is it I I do a high school show guys I'm technically not allowed to promote gambling on my show well well I can't oh okay there we go I don't know I well FAU has now gone up from 13 and a half yeah so they're now fau's now 13 and a half points so Florida is two and a half Point underdogs at home vers Miami that's tough uh Miami is two and a half Point favorites the over 53 and a half uh in that game give me the over and give me Florida plus two and a half throwing your money away my boy just hit my cash you combine them together over plus two and a half parlay it put in the bundle it's not loading so I I can't tell you what everybody oh it's a plus 220 parlay so if you if you get that it's a just hit my cash app Plus 220 parlay Florida Miami uh my other pick I like I like North Texas over South Alabama uh North Texas is fivepoint underdogs to South Alabama uh I think North Texas is a better football program they get Chandler Moore is coming over from um TCU um they bring back Ridge tahada at DB who uh that can lock up their best player on the outside um and I think I think I I think rice wins that game potentially by double digits it's gone up to five and a half five and a half is insanity I don't rice is 10 and a half Point favorites over Sam Houston State I will take Sam Houston State in that one plus 10 and a half um thought we were supposed to be like promoting the conference well I mean I'm not saying no I think rice will win but I think Sam Houston State keeps it close so I think they cover plus 10 and a half in that one uh and I think the under 49 a half hits I don't think rice or Sam Houston State are going at it Robbie before we really get um dragged down this rabbit hole because unfortunately the little degenerate gamblers we are um we we'll be talking about this for a minute so I want to Circle back to something we might have a little bit of a hate uh hate week going but we can all agree about one thing my friend and that is that Saturday afternoon was the greatest day ever watching Florida State fly out to Dublin and absolutely getting shmacked DJ longal out here like filling out his LinkedIn resume on the field let's talk about that game because that one made me so happy I think I think I think with it's tough because I thought FSU had a pretty good game plan other than the passing the Run and defensively sound uh other other than that I I don't think the pass game was working I don't think I don't think the game plan uh to throw the ball not past the line of scrimmage was the way to go I think they should have tested I think they should have tested Georgia Tech secondary a little bit more because the way they they they played into Georgia Tech's hands they had the running the Run game uh and and and it was it was over after after Georgia Tech established a run game it was going to be hard for FSU to win that game credit to them for almost coming back but that was a that was a bad effort performance to have especially after all the drama at the end of last year to come out and get bullied in the Run game not what you want to see and and and that's the thing especially first off maybe the college football playoff committee was right maybe Jordan Travis was the reason that this team was good like may maybe Jordan Travis is was the sole reason of why FSU was a uh contending team but in all seriousness they if you looked at my preseason poll going into this year Florida state was definitely not the number 10 team I did not think that FSU was worthy of that um going into this year I honestly think that there are three ACC squads better than Florida State and that's M or four actually Miami Louisville North Carolina and NC State I think are all more sound programs going into this year and that's solely because I do not believe that DJ longal is a good quarterback I said that when he was at Clemson I really said it wasn't when he was at Oregon State and now that he's at Florida State I really stand by that statement because like you said bro did not throw past the line of scrimmage absolute is that his fault though or was that the game plan because if my problem they lost I it it but if that was the game plan that's that's that's poor coaching on Mike norvell's part or let's the offensive coordinator's name that's technically a coordinator's fault I forgot the offensive coordinator's name at the moment but it'll come to me but that's whose fault it is not not necessarily DJ's uh because he executed the passes that he was told to run if you think about it he was accurate but they weren't hard throws so and that's the thing is like you said they didn't get ballsy they weren't really trying to air it out they had one deep strike which honestly should have been a catch it's just the timing between the receiver and DJ was a little off but end of the day y'all lost to a bunch of Engineers do I think Georgia Tech is going to be a very solid football team yes yes I do does Miami deserve that getb after what the hell happened last year yes yes they do and please can we kneel the ball when when the game's already in hand can we please kneel the ball this time like like please guys come on but in all seriousness let's keep talking canes I like Miami at a solid nine a nine win season from the canes I think loss at Louisville will probably happen the Florida State game is honestly a toss up and then they'll probably lose a trap game at some point no it will not be against Florida give me the canes ACC Champions this year Miami versus Louisville for the ACC Championship yeah I'll take I'll take Virginia Tech before I take uh I'll take Virginia I'll take Virginia over uh exactly who's who's on Virginia nobody but I'll take them over Miami uh I I'll allow the I'll allow the Virginia Tech just because they have a really solid quarterback I like drones I think he's honestly he's a very very good quarterback I like Boston College for the same reason I think both of them have very solid quarterbacks I'll also give a little shout out to my good friend Davi V fort out at U Virginia Tech I think he's going to tear it up in the next year and a half yes he is the yes Davi Belfor the same uh Belfort as vetor Belfor the UFC fighter but fair enough yes I think that um VT is a program that has a big upside in the next couple years NC State's another one big upside in the next couple years and uh there's somebody else I wanted to say give me Florida State in a couple years when I think um Luke chrom hook uh takes a starter job when um Florida state gets their uh Palm Beach kids really uh developed I think Ricky Knight will be a great corner for them Jaden Parish will be a great linebacker and Amari Williams will be the best defensive player in all of college football in the next year and a half I'm expecting big things from those three especially going into the next couple years we shall see week one almost Upon Us starts this Thursday uh for our friends in the chat asking about FAU predictions I got more FAU content for you guys coming tomorrow from the owls nest inside the burrow podcast me and my co-host Drew schula who was too cool to join us tonight uh we'll go every go over everything related to the game uh tonight was more just MSU side of things uh huge shout out uh to Steph Brooks for coming on with us uh and we will talk everything predictions and everything MSU versus FAU tomorrow on inside the burrow guys thank you so much for tuning in to the bleacher Brothers Sports Network lella report I will see you guys back here next week if you want to see me before then you got to tune in to inside the burrow on F Au alest for Christian procha Stephen Brooks I'm Robbie lella we'll see you guys next week