8/13/2024: Mike McFeely, Bryce Lance, and Bryan Strand

the Twins and Vikings are dealing with injured Superstars an update on that plus we begin our Missouri Valley previews with a closer look at the New Kids on the Block in Murray State hot Mike begins right now hot Mike with dom ISO really really Dom I like what's doing Dom ISO jez come on Dom what do you think I am a magician yeah I'm fired up Dom what else could I say absolutely I was great to get on the field and then Dom came up to me and I'm trying to walk away from me I just wanted to enjoy myself out there hot Mike great job there's got to be some kind of intelligent question about something is coacho wdy in Fargo North Dakota can you give me a layup of something hot mik hot Mike that program is second toight on the networks of wda you know if it's not about sports I find it very hard to concentrate here's Dom ISO D ISO go Tuesday Morning welcome to the remember what everybody was healthy edition of hot Mike on wdy extra KFL TV hello sou Falls and inforum.com 13th day of August it's Unlucky 13 for those that are fans of both the Minnesota Vikings and the Minnesota Twins on this Tuesday morning with uh new that literally happened within about an hour hour and a half of one another last night uh fans of each of those franchises got punched in the gut uh it could be nothing it could be something between uh each of the injuries that were suffered uh last night which we'll uh dive into here in just a little bit welcome to the show everybody lots to get to today as uh we really get to Deep dive into the college football upcoming season we're going to talk some Dragon Football coming up later on uh in the show also the ongoing drama that's surrounding the Colorado football team as we are 16 days out from the Bison opener against Colorado we'll dive into our Missouri Valley Football Conference previews with uh each of the 11 teams will do over the next 11 shows and by the time we're done we're ready for kickoff uh for the season opener as we'll focus today on Murray State that's coming up later on in our show with some interesting local connections some buising connections on the Murray State uh football roster you won't want to miss that coming up later on uh in the show we'll also continue our high school football previews yesterday we had Morehead head coach Kevin feni in studio if you missed that you can podcast it also check it out on our YouTube page uh we'll be visiting out in Barnesville today the runners up in daa football in 2023 they lost one game that happened in the state championship game they have high hopes for a big 2024 that's coming up later on on in the show so we got practices going on all over the place you drive around anywhere you're going to see uh teams out practicing at all hours of the day either early in the morning like now or uh late at night like I know the spuds were doing yesterday it's a great time as we amp up and ramp up what's happening with the the football season so the first games for us for high school football are 10 days from today that's uh go time I guess it's week one of high school you could call it week zero um in North Dakota and uh week zero for college football is just 11 days away so it's uh it's here there's no more time to uh to be waiting around uh with that said there's no more time to wait around for us to start our show and the twins after splitting their series with Cleveland uh from out of The Frying Pan Into the Fire because it was from Cleveland to the team right behind them in the standings and only a half game back in Kansas City and the Royals have been playing some good baseball they added to their roster at the trade deadline unlike the twins what they did uh they have a superstar in Bobby Wht Jr who's fantastic to watch and if you watch the game last night you understand why the Royals are building around him because he's fantastic so this is not some chump Series this a huge every series probably is from here on out but some are more important than others this one is a biggie and they had Pablo Lopez to the twins going last night in the opener against Kansas City and lo and behold Bobby Wht didn't waste any time cracking that one out to I mean when Pablo's giving up home runs this year they are gone that one crushed so is this from Willie Castro with two on bombs this one deep to write a three-run home run that makes it a 4-2 Minnesota lead speaking of guys who hit bombs Lewis does it again how about he watched that one for a bit two-run shot off the second deck in left it's a 62 Minnesota lead it's 63 in the seventh Matt walner every time he hits the ball I swear it's scalded that one to right to score Trevor lck to make it a 73 Minnesota lead they turned it over in the ninth to Scott BL who has not pitched in three years last name of bl's not great for a major league pitcher but he gets the final out of the game twins had a solid pitching effort and they beat Kansas City in the opener 8 to3 Behind six Innings from Pablo Lopez you see now Minnesota improves to six and2 against Kansas City this season they have been really good against the Royals which is the flip side of how they've been against uh the Guardians and all the other good teams in the American League twins pound out 10 hits in the game mentioned Lopez gets the win to get to 11 and eight six Innings six hits three runs two of them earned and struck out five the big hits last night belong to Castro his ninth Royce Lewis already with 15 home runs he's played 40 games and has 15 home runs on the season Cleveland won last night they held off the Cubs so the twins remain three and a half back of Cleveland they did get some separation with the Royals though they pick a game up there so they a game and a half up on Kansas City who the Royals are five back of the Guardians as we enter play tonight in the Wild Card race the Yankees lost to the white socks last night and when I mean lost they got crushed by Chicago so the twins are just three back of the Yankees for the top wild card spot that's important because who finishes fourth will host in the first round Kansas City is two up on Boston who finally won a game they walked off the Rangers last night and Seattle who's won four in a row uh the Mariners are two games back as well those are the teams as we mentioned yesterday they are going to be in the hunt for uh this final wild card spot in the American League heading into the final 36 35 games of the regular season game two of the series is tonight former met great Seth Lugo be pitching for Minnesota it's an undecided but it sounds like zebie Matthews is going to make his major league debut for the twins tonight which we'll chat about him later on on the show he's had a remarkable ride through the minor leagues basically started in single a this year and now is in the majors and it's likely he's going to be the guy uh to pitch for the twins tonight we'll give you the full uh download on zebie Matthews coming up later on in the show now you saw on the graphic the big news yesterday out of the game was that Byron buckton left the game uh came out in the fifth inning after the twins had extended the lead he Ed exited the game with right hip discomfort buckton this according to the Star Tribune walks straight to the clubhous tunnel without taking off his helmet or dropping his Bat a tough sight for an offense of course already without Carlos kareah and Brooks Lee uh who were also out because of injuries Kare of course with the fasciitis Lee's got a foot deal they this added on with buckon after the game this is what Rocko baldelli had to say about any further explanation of what's going on with buckton there's no real latest as far as me adding anything to the conversation he came out of the game with some hip discomfort um we're going to treat it dayto day that's that's really all there is and that's all we're going to know for now and we're going to see how he feels over the next day or two and uh we'll go from there so we'll see he's been swinging the B great he's he's looked great recently so uh hopefully we get him back soon was it somewhere he reported from the field or at the plate there batted in that fifth inning well he looked fine early in the game he had a rocket in the first to bat and uh I think it was probably the first swing of the second at bat where he where he felt it and he he normally doesn't pull himself out of a game immediately even when something is bothering him so he he stayed in for a little while and then he made the decision he he knew he had to come out of the game that's the distressing part that to me what baldelli says there is accurate normally and buckton just came back after missing basically all of last week after running into the wall in uh the finale against the white socks a week ago Sunday he did didn't play most of all last week he missed the whole series against the Cubs and then was back for the guardian series and now what if he's taking himself out without any you know prodding that's where you get alarmed and again with the amount of injuries he's had throughout his career that's where you're really lurry about that that's you're worried about okay what's the deal espe considering the guys that are out of the lineup right now kareah doesn't seem like it's anytime soon Brooks Lee just went on the injured list on on Friday so he's going to be out at least for another week here the there's only so much you can do guys that you've called up granted lck's been good Lewis is hitting the cover off the ball as long as he stays healthy and he's been known to be brittle that's the part that you're worried about so that was the second bit of news on the injured front that came yesterday the first came at about 6:00 last night people are finishing their their dinner or had sitting down for supper and they find out that the Prodigy the man that the Vikings hope is going to take them finally with a Young quarterback is hurt Kevin oconnell said yesterday that JJ McCarthy would not practice in their evening practice in front of last night out with right knee soreness which is not good news and you see from his highlights on Saturday which of course started not great with a pick and then was great after that with the two touchdowns he was 11 of 18 for 17 188 yards in the game oconnell said that m Ary had reached his rep limit when they took him out of the game in the third quarter I think he played 30 reps but now this is a huge week the Vikings are leaving later today for Cleveland to start their back-to-back days of joint practices that is more important we've T this over the last three years those are more important than the actual games because you're going up against the ones which I know a lot of number ones played this past weekend but those are seen more valuable than any and especially as a rookie you need as many reps as possible here's KO what he had to say about JJ in today um with a little bit of right knee soreness it was something obviously finished the game um threw a touchdown on his last pass uh but out of precaution you know we're going to you know continue an evaluation on him and and get some more testing done very important player obviously uh so we want to make sure we're we're smart about uh before uh before he participates making sure we you know um have a a good understanding of where he's at I'll plan on uh giving you guys an update I know we're heading out to Cleveland uh midday tomorrow he was you know obviously finished could have continued playing kind of reached a good rep number there right around 30 snaps that uh I kind of wanted to get for him and and obviously had a really positive performance uh so we you know we're you know trying to figure out maybe when it happened but uh but no he just came in with some kind of routine soreness that uh you know a lot of guys after their first preseason game sometimes come in with and uh it was it was something we want to be smart about you have any reason to think it's anything other than just routine at this point Kevin I I really don't um you know we we had a little bit of a later start today uh with the night practice so we let the guys come in a little bit later than normal so we got a little bit of a a late start on you know getting uh getting some more answers could that change your plans for both The Joint practices and then potentially the the preseason yeah if we you know his availability you know for those um you know he was going to get a lot of work you know get some more you know work with uh potentially you know the first group even tonight and so hopefully we can maintain the plans we've kind of had for him he's really done a great job throughout training camp whatever we've asked of him um just getting in there and really having high quality reps uh throughout whether it's from a learning standpoint or a performance standpoint so um like I said we'll update you guys and and uh you know hopefully have more information very shortly well that doesn't sound great either now KOC is a great way of couching things and saying that you know they don't believe they have any real reason to be worried as of yet uh and McCarthy was the talk of many of the uh talking head shows yesterday about his performance KOC was on Pat McAfee yesterday louing his uh his Young quarterback and couldn't wait to see what happens and you heard him say there about how important this week is for the back-to-back practices with the Browns to get out there potentially run with the ones you hope it's nothing um but they are going to have this guy in cellophane wrap to make sure nothing happens um and that's again why they went and had Sam darnold for clearly to be the bridge but also in case that McCarthy may be ready and then he get dinged up that you're not stuck with Nick Mullins for 16 games 17 games this season so uh you heard at the end there that uh the Vikes are set to leave later today probably by the time we're wrapping up so if there's any further update there we'll pass that along on what's going on with the Vikings young rookie quarterback and with that our poll question today for you long-suffering Minnesota fans is pretty uh straightforward and upsetting who are you more worried about as a sports fan on this Tuesday morning is it buckon or is it JJ buckton left the game with hip discomfort McCarthy didn't practice because of right knee soreness as I tweeted last night let's hope Anthony Edwards excuse me got home on the plane okay from France that nothing happens there we can't have anything else happen here these things happen in threes so nothing happens to ant that he can get back and the Wolves got some big news yesterday we know that they're going to play on Christmas they've been selected to play on opening night of the basketball season things are moving up in the Timberwolves world the fact they're playing on opening night against the Lakers in LA and then on Christmas Day against Dallas tells you the NBA thinks Minnesota is going to be awfully good this upcoming year so at least you got that Minnesota sports fans considering two of your brightest stars are both dinged up right now we got a pack show coming up for you here on this Tuesday I mentioned we are beginning our annual Missouri Valley Football Conference preview series we'll look closer at the Murray State Racers under first year Ed Coach jod Wright that's coming up here at 9:20 excited to look at uh the racers who also have Zeb Nolan on staff potentially former bison Jaden johanneson might be their quarterback in 2024 that's coming up here in just a few minutes Mike mcely will join us at 9:35 in his usual Tuesday time slot give us his thoughts he was playing out in Detroit Lakes this weekend at the pine dep pal uh he was over a dragon media day yesterday visiting with Z moner we'll chat with him coming up at 9:35 at 10:00 you'll hear from bison Jr receiving Bryce Lance it's been the talk of Camp so far about uh what he's done had a great spring and high expectations from the young man from Marshall Minnesota to be one of the buys and Playmakers of the wide receiver spot that's coming up at 10 and at 10:35 last year State Runners up in daa football is Barnesville head coach Brian strand is back with us they're on the practice field as we speak he'll join us as soon as they get done at 10:35 to give us the outlook for the 2024 version of the Dr always high expectations and figure they're going to be awfully good that's coming up at 10:35 so we got a pack show on tap here on this Tuesday we're off and rolling hot Mike is back after this on wdy extra KFL TV and inforum.com [Music] welcome back everybody Tuesday Morning Isa of hot Mike off and rolling here Mikey joining us at about 15 minutes time so we do this each and every year we look through the upcoming football season with the Missouri Valley Football Conference to go through each of the 11 teams we've already seen the preseason poll come out you've seen my preseason poll come out now to take a deeper dive uh at each of these teams and we're going to start with the newest Kids on the Block in Murray State about to enter their second year in the Missouri Valley Football Conference last year the racers well it was a struggle for them as we expected they opened up though they won their first game in League Play when they beat Indiana State of course everybody beat the sycamores last year Murray State finished with a mark of 2- n finished one and7 in conference play they won their opener and then lost their final seven including a game to North Dakota State 38-6 in Fargo their pick last this year as you look at some of the finding highlights of this team was hard to do because most of these guys aren't back not just because they graduated this is a completely new roster for Murray State they were a preseason pick of last in the conference in 2024 I did not put them last I think actually they'll finish ninth in the League this year which we'll get to in just a little bit they hire Jody Wright who comes in with some SEC experience former Tennessee assistant who has completely gutted this roster and you look at what they've done here in the off season they brought in a couple of guys who have some distinct bison connections including Zeb Nolan is on the staff now which he'll be helping out in the quarterback coach Jadon johanneson su falls kid who was on the bis and roster in 2019 and 2020 played the last couple years at Black Hill State he's got got one year left of Eligibility he transferred cuz he knows Zeb to play at Murray State he's in the mix to potentially be quarterback for the racers in 2024 Canyon Walker is one of their two all Missouri Valley honorable mentions he's back at safety at 54 tackles last season and they will get the Bison in Murray right before the end of October October the 26th will be North Dakota State's first trip to the state of Kentucky to play against the racers now get this in terms of a little bit of their background Murray State has players from Australia Canada the United Kingdom and Russia on their roster they have players from 23 different states on the roster they have a 27-year-old guy on the roster shavick Williams is a Louisville graduate defensive back he's 27 he's older than most of the guys who work on our show and he plays for Murray State this upcoming season he's hired we mentioned some intriguing guys as well to add on to his staff that includes Jimmy ogal who's going to run the offense who's used to be Jacksonville State's offensive coordinator when the Gamecock went to the National Championship to play the Bison in 2015 maded Jaylen Dickerson added Zeb Nolan so he's got guys who have got experience at high levels of football uh around him himself included that's why I think this team could be sneaky I'm not say good but they're going to beat a couple teams that you don't expect them to this is this is from football scoop all in a program toiling forward after consecutive two-9 campaigns they let Dean Hood go zero conference championships in more than two decades and with a Roger meises 61 new players on the roster 61 that's why when you look at that video from 2023 probably throw it out because most of these guy including their great tight end Cole Rusk I know Cal Manuel was a big fan of he transferred he was that good he's playing in Illinois this fall this is what Murray's schedule looks like and they they got to pay the bills so they open up with Missouri on Thursday night August the 29th that game's on the SEC network to open up 2024 so the same time the bison are playing in Boulder Murray will open with Missouri then they get Butler we've known Butler and Mississippi Valley State those are two opponents that have come to Fargo each of those games are in Murray so they get a couple home they're going to win both of those games Murray State will beat Butler and they'll beat Mississippi Valley State they are bad football teams so so automatically they're going to have as many wins as they did last year then they open conference play after a bye in Grand Forks that's going to be tough they're not going to win that game then they come home and host South Dakota they're not going to win that game so to start here through the first five games of the Season they're two and three then they go to Tero to take on Indiana State got a sneaky suspicion there they could win they won against the sycamores last year I think they win that game so they're three and three they go home to host Illinois State as everyone knows I'm super high on the Red Birds this year they're not going to win there they're not going to beat the Bison I'm I was a little surprised that game wasn't scheduled later every team that gets a home game against NDSU likes to engage in some sort of gamesmanship and maybe play the game at night but uh they'll probably fall to the Bison we imagine that then they look at that that middle part of the schedule does a new favors Illinois State at home the Bison at home and then they go to South Dakota State they did not play the jack rabbits last year as part of the two teams that are left off the Jacks are on it this year then they're home from Mo State I've got that one start I think they beat the Bears I don't think Missouri State's going to be very good so that gives them four wins then there's their second FBS game they play at Kentucky they have to play two SEC schools they're getting about a million and a half almost 2 million bucks to play those two schools you got to for schools like Murray they got to pay the bills and then they end at Southern Illinois which they will not win that game so I say four and seven for the racers in 2024 that's a two- win improvement from last year I'm keeping my eye on this team I I like Jody Wright I know MC and I have talked about it quite a bit in the offseason seon I don't think we exactly knew the final number of 61 new guys are on the roster that might be the most turnover in the country and frankly what are you clicking to guys when you have a two and9 roster right so we'll see but uh there's our first preview with Murray State tomorrow we'll take a look at Indiana State the sycamores are not on the Bison schedule in 2024 it's a big year for Kurt mallerie they only won one football game there's no ad there there could be some if there don't win there could be some change in terod in 2025 we'll break we come back our guy Mike mcfi waiting in the wings we'll chat some dragons some golf everybody's hurt for the Minnesota sports teams back on hot Mike after [Music] this oh it's Mr MC I have seen the future and he was wearing number number five and I ain't talking about Robbie Grimley folks took out the muffins took out the trail mix took out the cookies they stole the monster cookies wow that's awesome that is so awesome let's do some [Music] broadcasting all right it's that time with our guy Mike mcy so uh I'm following sad life that I have the pine to Pal live scoring because you were playing this weekend and I saw you were ahead in your match on Saturday morning and then what the wheels came off what happened just no just just wait and I've owned up to this on Twitter I saw you you said you're not taking any questions but this is a this is a safe space I can ask you right I've had my cooling off period and I've talked to my team and they said it's fine you can so okay nobody cares but I'll but since you asked I'll I care so it's a senior Championship flight consolation match whatever big deal no big deal I'm playing a guy that's actually has a pretty accomplished history in Minnesota golf he's won like a state seniors tournament he's very good historically he's older than I am so he's not quite what he once was but really who is um so we're we're having a good match fun match you know my putting sucks as always but I'm hitting the ball okay he's hitting the ball okay he gets two ahead it's match play he gets two ahead with three holes to go okay so I'm going man I am hos here I'm not this is a toughy the next hole number 16 the little par for up the hill I hit my Approach shot this far away birdie now one down now I'm one down with two to go I go well okay it's not quite over yet no next hole tough par through theen slopes about like that y we're U uh kid got a hole in one earlier there earli in the day yeah I hit my shot hits the hill perfectly rolls down 15t away okay I make my par he Bogies we're all square we are all square 18 I looked at Dave Hassel R's name I was like go they said it was going to be good nobody thought it was going to be this good and he looked at me like I was from Mars which is fine um and so we get to 18 I hit first cuz it's my honors right down the middle of the 18th Fairway it was actually the ninth cuz we played the back first so down the ninth right down the middle he hits on right down the middle but he's older than I am so he's way shorter than I am but then he hits his next shot great shot hits it like 15 feet away I go oh boy all right now the heat's on but you know what I'm up to this because it's not about the results Dom it's about the process and I've been through this process a million times on my nightly nine hole rounds at Village Green Golf Course right I'm out on the ninth hole at Village Green in in May when it's 35° hitting a shot going last hole I need to hit the ball solid put a good swing on it the results what the results are man process process process okay so I'm ready for the moment except I'm not ready for the moment because I get over the ball and go boy he hit it really close so I better try to do this instead of hitting my usual shot that I always hit my little fade yeah I go well it's into the wind and he's he's really close and so I hit a terrible shot I scank a shot I didn't shank i i clanked a shot off to the right I short sided myself I there's no way I was going to get up and down for a par so I chipped it on had a long putt missed it tapped in for bogey all he to do was two putt 15 feet he wins I but I just but but you know what there's always next year yeah there's always next year to to win another match in the senior constellation flight very important and luckily I got over things very it sound like you moved on easily when he when he made his or I gave him the last put it's match play I said SE there yeah and I and I as I said to Dave I said that was very anticlimactic that was I was like expecting big things out of myself and that was like a total choke job total he goes ah I could tell you're disappointed that's okay we had a good match I go yeah whatever so inconsolable afterwards crawled in the bottle of Jack Daniels for the next three days and here I am I just emerged from my bed today photo by the way from this is from the Detroit from the DL look at that look at that swing man as coack said on Twitter yesterday the Tin Man has more athleticism than I do I the Tin Man is surely more flexible than I am the Tin Man is yeah I mean good I don't I don't know about that no that is a you know where that one went right that was actually hit that one really good yes I pounded that gold to kick rocks good boy that's that's a stiff golf swing right there well I appreciate you uh sharing the story there and ripping the bandaid off on that yeah it's I I needed to get through it I've moved on sure you sound I moved on it's everything's fine speaking of moving on for Minnesota sports fads uh within the span of like a half hour last night we heard that JJ McCarthy is out with right knee soreness and then buckton left the game with a hip injury like I like I I joked about like Anthony Edwards better make sure he was okay getting back from Paris like we can't these things happen in threes man yeah and yeah and I don't I don't know about the McCarthy thing I just saw it was nce soris soris you know how NFL injuries are so um so that's but that's not great want him to play yeah and he looked really good uh you know after some R after a rough start in the first preseason game um but I I hopefully it's nothing serious it's but it's just it's always something well cuz you have your hotest take of your tip you have JJ playing yeah maybe I should have rechecked the wire before before I posted that one oh wait he's actually not GNA play this year oh well that makes it tough for my hot take to come through but you're right though I mean he threw the pick but after that he looked really good if he looks like he did after the the slow start it what do you why wouldn't you start him if not week one then week six or seven just go for it speaking of ripping the bandaid off just rip the Band-Aid off it's all good the twins are uh here we are August 13th the twins are the twins three and a half that's where right they had a chance against Cleveland to to overtake them actually right they are game and a half back if they won the first and they lose the last two games and they just they just are what they now they got speaking of injuries as well boy Jo Ryan out they kare's out out they're uh patched together by chicken wire and Bubblegum and that's hopefully it can make the wild card um I I don't know if they have the pitching now to they're calling up some guy from St Paul today who has not been very good Matthews Ze old zebie and he hasn't been very good at all the miners and so we're getting down to the nitty-gritty uh we're going to talk some Dragon football here in a bit because I know you were out there yesterday um we just did our first Valley preview on Murray State which I know you and I have been keeping an eye on um what their off scene has been like with Jody Wright who I think could be I like the hire there he's got some he seems to be the guy that You' needed a place like Murray State that he has ties to the SEC and ties to some big-time coaches who could maybe say you know what son you're not going to make it at Alabama but I got an old assistant who's at Murray State maybe that's the level there they have 61 new guys on the roster including a 27-year-old defensive back so they got a guy from Russia on the team from the UK they're from all over the place but I I think honest I did not pick them last I think they're going to finish ninth in the league I think they can win coule ahead of Indiana State and mo State CU I don't think Mo State's could to be very good I don't know I don't think they are either but I boy Murray State was they were not great they were not great last year and they with 61 new guys they got our guy Zeb on the staff he can't play anymore I think he's out of Eligibility right might be but he'll probably find a way he might be in there slinging Ball by midseason suit up during practice or something one of the great stories of all time was that story in South Carolina but I I'm interested to see what happens here I know that they were a throwing addition to the league but I I guess going back to your point I applaud them that they're interested in football they want to be better in football than they have been in the last 20 years I think that's what they H they say yeah I mean I I I don't know that anybody there cared what league they were in for football that's exactly right I think they just lined it up because because all the other sports were in the Missouri Valley Conference and Murray State went oh we don't automatically move over to the Valley Football Conference oh wait so I I I'm not sure that I buy that they're really into football we got to see it it's still a basketball school that's where their their interest is and that's they've been historically pretty good in the mid- majors at Murray State I agree with you though that this seems like a a good hire they let the old veteran guy have his one year Dean hood and I know that situation but it sure looks to me like they said thanks thanks the door's over there we're moving on y you're going to retire now yep um which is that's the way it works whatever um but this guy is a he's an affable fellow yeah judging by the Missouri Valley Conference media day uh he has all kinds of big-time connections he's been around and like we said no saving if if you're at Murray State you're gonna have to hit the portal oh and so I mean he just totally redid the roster like 100% redid the roster so maybe in the future it's not going to be 60 yeah I don't think you could survive getting 61 new players a year no that's just not going to work maybe half that next year right but maybe next year if they bring in 25 new guys yep and the coaches at the postseason meetings say you know what this isn't going to work here see you later they go in the Portland bring in somebody else which and then that's hundreds of teams are doing that nowadays so that's I think that's what you're going to have to do at a at a Murray State at least at the beginning it's again it's not NDSU it's not SDSU it's not un it's not USD where you can go get the high school kids think you're going to keep most of them and then sprinkle in transfers where you need yeah this is not according to according to need according right it's gonna for for the Dakota schools it's going to be different every year right UND UND this year went in Fairly heavily into the portal because had needs in certain spots especially after they lost line and so I mean Bubba historically hasn't done a ton of that but this year he had to do a little bit more in the future if you look at the way the roster made up if they can keep most of the guys in the roster they're likely to not have to go get double digit guys in the portal next year right NSU has been reticent to under Matt an to go get guys it looks like Tim palc is a little more willing to be aggressive since he just brought in a receiver wide middle of Camp correct um and I just I just think his makeup more is you know we're going to address we're going to address the issues and we have to deal with the locker room stuff but we also need to win football games speaking of that uh I know I don't want to give away your tips you want people to read it but uh the injury concerns are and I I reported this on Thursday night Friday morning on the bisen uh side of things Kelton mccassen's not practicing Colton wineski is yet to practice yet uh those are two large pieces of the bik in defense for penu B has been out has been out there's there's guys Raj Nelson wasn't practicing there are guys there that are not we get back at uh Open Access today to practice so I'm curious to see who's out there and who's not and again we need to be careful because those three guys we know are being held out specifically because of injury injury something that happened to them or in in wisneski case recovery from surgery the other guys that you said were you said a handful of guys were not practicing last Thursday when it was open we we don't know some of it was maintenance some of it was uh rest day some of that and so you got to got to keep that in mind that and that's always the case at every correct program that the the seniors aren't going to who've been there for five years don't need to practice 100% every day are we dis are we concerned now on the wisneski f I think we're starting to kind of get there right I mean he has not this is week three yep we're in week three and he has not practiced yet and I don't look close either I don't know if there's any indication and again we'll have to talk to the head coach today I don't know if there's any indication that he's that he's ready or getting close I again I don't know so I don't want to put anything out there but it just he just hasn't been practicing can I throw this at you before we go to break is that a guy that he doesn't need it maybe we we you need maybe two or three practices then go play yeah I I would think so but want you're healthy why would you not be practicing right correct that's the that's the push back on that right I mean I mean wouldn't sit out every practice no corre for the entire fall Camp I I don't think you would I just remember a couple years ago Noah gindorf was in the same I remember we were talking about this in 2022 and he was not fully healthy he went and played the first was three games and then was done was done and then did not play now does I mean wisneski has that option I'll just conspiracy theory talk here for a second he could go play maybe the first couple games then shut it down get healthy red shirt come back I I don't know you're delaying a lot of things there I don't know I think that's a total conspiracy theory I don't know that I don't either out there when it comes to that stuff but the point is he needs to practice if he's healthy then why you're not yeah I mean I think you asked me like after the first day of fall camp like should bison fans be concerned I said nah we we'll see how things go so two weeks later now now now it's now I'm kind of going y let's break we come back uh Mike was over at Dragon media yesterday we'll get his thoughts on Dragon football for 2024 we had Steve right now we're talking Look At That Swing oh my back H Senior Tour my hip hurts just looking at it we're back after this I saw this I want to save this for our left turn Thursday segment apparently will Levis is the quarterback of the Titans who likes to put mayo in his coffee has his own uh yeah I know it's he eats bananas hole as well he's a weird dude okay has his own fragrance now we're going to save that for Thursday's uh left turn Thursday I know it's a left turn all right that's a left turn uh you were out at uh dragon football media day yesterday yes I was I stopped in we had the head football coach in studio a couple weeks ago and uh he's normally pretty guarded with uh his words but he has I could sense it he he tried to decode through the coach speak he has some optimism about his 2024 Club I I'll say this uh I was there yesterday to get some stuff from him uh the quarterback uh Jack Strand and the linebacker uh ah beam BM Josiah yep there you goah beam I apologize to you Josiah for not remembering your first name but when he was when lockway was giving his opening remarks um I kind of detected that he was a little bit miffed at where the dragons were picked in the preseason coaches po um sixth is where they were picked yep and and he told me I asked him before that he said we're going to be picked six because that's where we finished last year and I kind of detect a little jab that he got in in the preseason poll and so I followed up and said so am I detecting a little little you know a chip maybe and he's no no no it's you know people just cut C and paste it's whatever it is what it is all the coach speak but I will say this there is a chip on the shoulder I think yeah of the head football coach at Minnesota State University Morehead and there is optimism so there's a chip combined with an undercurrent of optimism and when have we talked about that never whenever we talked about that we're talking about Dragon Football not Dragon Football no and so I it's it's good that's good absolutely that that they have some expectations as well that's another word him about that when's the last time they've had expectations never at Morhead State well back in the 80s when I was going to college there last 20 years they haven't had no um Thea has been this will be his 14th season and when he took over they went like two- nine the first year and one and I went back and looked they were getting beat like 75 to 10 it was bad they were a yep and so it's been a long long long build and they've been at the six and five kind of that seven and four seven and four then once in a while they'll drop to F but they've been in that near 500 range they've passed up schools like you know Mary Min not kooken no longer exists um I think Northern they've Pro they're Northern the next step for them of course is to beat they got to be duth duth B's up therei now is up there as well so if they you know if they can win one of those games this year and take care of business and all the other games they play all those teams this year by the way yes they do every single one but they they get most of them at home though but if they can just if they can knock off a duth or a mano or buiji then that gets him in the eight and three possible you have to take care of the other games as well that gets him in the eight and three territory and then you're talking borderline playoff playoffs borderline might have to go 9 and yeah in that League probably you know to to guarantee but I'm going to get maruson on the phone because how in the world they schedule Mano for homecoming yeah right what are we doing well it's yeah but what but what a victory that would be oh my gosh what a victory that would be what a homecoming victory that would be for the dragons if they were to knock off the The Mighty Mavericks be tipping over cars in South oh my God be there with them turning over cars in the college parking lot he's done it by local guys most of the time he's finding guys in North Dakota and Minnesota in about a 50 mile radius that say we think you can be good enough and maybe guys that are under recruited as well to go in there and strand is a heck of a quarterback they have their blueprint that their you know their receivers are bunch of slot guys you did the story on Gage floor last year five 10 170 lbs um they're running backs they just they're more receiver yeah Steve lockway dropped the phrase receiver RB stands for receiver back as often as it does running back you know why would you want to played an offense that throws it 70 times a game right and so you know they're always going to be short on the offensive line they just those guys are impossible to find and if you are here's a pro tip for parents and kids out there if you are 65 and can walk and chew gum at the same time you are going to get an opportunity to play on the offensive line at a division one school that's yeah that's as it might be a walk- on but get a chance you know because so the places like msum are are looking at the 61 62 kids who can move they aren't big enough to to walk on at NDSU or UND or SDSU and they're they're taking those so they struggle in the offensive line there's not a ton of speed they don't have like a couple of breakaway do they just do what they do they throw it in out schia play after play after play and that's kind of how they hope and their defense last year was pretty good I mean again this was a team that 12 13 years ago was giving up 70 points a game in some instances now they're giving up I think last year at man they gave up 24 something like that was 2421 they had a heck of a chance to win that game if they had a kicker they would have won the game as blackway told me so yep and so it's you know it's they're they're in a better spot now than maybe they've been in a long long time it's good it's good for the area for them to be relevant be good I see the cobers have a preseason All-American on their team and so it's and they got a new field over there Concordia it's going to have lights and new tra it's exciting it's all you know NDSU is it's the biggest game in town but there's also some good fo basketball being played in some other places in town great to see my man thanks for uh regaling us with your golf story I appreciate it can't wait to come in with the trophy next year we got a spot for you right here keep it right here right in front high enough to come I was going to say you block me that's fine thanks for coming by but Mike mcely joining us here in Studio we'll see them later today out at bisen uh fall Camp we'll take a break we come back speaking of fall Camp you'll hear from one of the guys that any issues counting on in 2024 Bryce Lance will join us when hot Mike returns for hour two after this this is hot Mike hot Mike on the networks of wda w here's Dom ISO welcome back everybody hour two of hot Mike rer rock and roll here on this Tuesday morning Brian barnel head football coach going to join us about a half hour as the Trojans are into day two of fall Camp last year's doublea Runners up made it all the way back to US Bank Stadium 13-1 last season high expectations as there are every year really neat uh situation on his coaching staff as well we're going to chat about that coming up uh later on in the show we are talking some bis and football in our first hour with Mike mcy and one of the guys that has emerged over the last I'd say five or six months is Bryce Lance and we we've covered Bryce extensively since his days at Marshall High School when he was getting recruited notably by NDSU that happened during his brother's rise to prominence here and obviously when Trey uh decided to leave for the NFL draft I believe was in that same window that Bryce decided to commit to come play football at NDSU and he's been under that shadow since he arrived here in the fall of of 2021 and it's been a slow progression I think he'd even ad been it you're going to hear that in his comments here in just a few minutes that he red shirted in 21 behind you know tremendous receiver group that was led by Christian Watson the last couple years he's been a special teams guy he picked up his first career catch last year in the game against Maine but still was waiting for that that chance that opportunity to get out there and then it finally happened obviously this spring with the departure of Zach matthysse now Eli green really didn't practice a whole much during the spring either with Eli's departure Bryce Lance has the opportunity and frankly he has not done growing either he is all of 6'5 that you'll see uh in our interview and he has earned rave reviews from the offensive staff and even some members of the defensive staff about what he's been able to do on the field during spring football and has carried over to fall Camp uh we had a chance to catch up during bison media day to ask him about the upcoming season expectations and also uh dealing with his big brother's big shadow of course with Trey being now with the Dallas Cowboys our conversation here with Bryce Lance you have been the talk of everybody head coach offensive coordinator wide receiver coach QB coach saying boy Bryce has had a had a great spring and we've already seen a translate from the summer into the fall when I say that what tell me what goes through your mind that means a lot man I I'm just here to do whatever my team needs me to do man I I mean I'm super blessed to be in this position and um worked really hard to get here and I'm just excited excited for the opportunity this season sure does it feel like a long time coming I mean obviously you're here it's your fourth year people think well okay he hasn't played a ton yet he's only got one catch is it frustrating is it okay just Hey I Just Gotta Buy I got to be patient yeah 100% I think that's what's so special about this program is you know you do your time you know I worked my butt off to get on special teams and and uh you know that was that was my role for the past couple years and I embraced it um I loved it and you know I'm just my only goal is just keep expanding my role in this program and do whatever I can did you ever think like maybe it's not going to happen here no honestly I didn't I think I just had a really I had uh I got faith in myself and also the staff um coach Kramer um I just knew you know they had they have faith in me for my future um and that was really beneficial to me have you grown as well have you like have you gotten taller since I think you have since you got here I don't know we don't we don't really measure ourselves around here but everyone says that I haven't measured myself taller that's a good thing I appreciate that I appreciate that well I can remember not too far from here you and your dad are over here when you're still a senior in high school watching your brother go through practice take me through that about that that whole recruiting process for yourself you're your own guy but you know what Trey's here this I think I want to be here as well yeah yeah it was uh it was kind of weird recruiting the recruiting process just because um was Co then Co yeah too so um I didn't even get the chance to do an official visit but I've been here so many times you had you knew I I knew I did know what end you was I was grateful enough to have you know a brother that went here who was pretty good um but yeah uh just you know from day one the staff treated me uh as me and they they they let me know that um so that was something I was super appreciated of um obviously they didn't ignore the L in the room like Trey was still there at that point so um but yeah I think that um they've really looked at me as my own person and that's something I've been super grateful for the times that he's been able to come back how special has that been for you personally to have your brother back and and be able to work with you as well when you come back yeah really cool man obviously you know me and my brother are really close um and we support each other till till the end so um any chance that I can go see him or he can see me is is a special moment for sure can he still come around here without getting just flooded with people can he sneak around and enjoy himself or no you know he's he's he was here this summer so you know when he's when he's out when he's out uh when he's here he definitely has a hood up a hat on he's not the biggest attention seeker so correct yeah yeah so so n it's it's good he likes visiting when he can what have you told him about how Spring ball went and getting ready for the fall for you personally what kind of conversation have you had with him yeah so in May I had a chance to go out there and work with him and um catch for him and you know always had some good talks and you know about my goals his goals and you know I I've just said you know my only goal is just to work hard and do whatever I can for this team and just keep you know keep extending my role so it's been good we've had good conversations and and I know he's always proud of me so does it seem surreal you have to take the brother part out of it that I'm catching passes from n quarterback is it hard is it hard to separate the two not hard at all because i' I've been doing my whole life so it's it's really I mean of course he's Trey but he's also a backup quarterback for the Cowboys yeah yeah super super cool situation for sure but not not hard to separate from me so brillan I talked to you yesterday he said I know who the better Lance is and he plays for us I know brayan's pretty he's got a lot of bravado to but when he says that what how much confidence that give you when you hear that oh my gosh tenfold man I mean he's a leader in our room um he knows how it's done he knows how to get stuff done so um just to hear him have confidence in me and I know he he pours confidence in me every day in meetings at practice so um just the faith he has in me means the world means the world and I've looked up to him for a long time so with Zach and Eli gone there's obviously there's uh opportunities there how much are you looking to say I can do that I can step into that role and I can be I can be the guy for cam I can be the guy for Cole yeah super happy for those guys um but yeah like I said I think I think my goal is not to you know step May necessarily step in and take someone's take someone's place but just to do what my team needs me to do honestly you know if that's if that's making a play if that's going catch a ball I'll go do that if that's going to make a block um you know take the ball and run whatever I got to do just I just want to win football games do you what are your own expectations for yourself personally for 2024 yeah you know that's a tough question just because my goal is to win like I I came here to win national championship I want to be you know last National Championship be won I was um true freshman so um I want I just want to be a part of that man that's goal I want to be a part of that I want to be up on that stage KN and I did something to help contribute what tell me the different traits everybody in the room has and what what do you bring differently to to the wide receiver room uh you're talking like personality wise personality and on the field atically wise yeah uh we're a super deep room man uh when we have been since I've gone here so um you know Raja and brilin studs obviously but you know they bring that leader aspect Tyler to her as well leader aspect has been there um and just know how to get stuff done um I think I bring you know I'm just trying to honestly follow those guys because they've paved the way and they've learned from some really good leaders as well um and then they younger guys coming up um John gor has been doing really well buty Collins our true freshman have been doing really well in Camp you know it's been the first three days but you know it's a shock but they've been doing really well as well so I'm excited the opener up is against Deion Sanders in Colorado I know everybody's been thinking about it now it's here think emotions will be for that one for the opener I know it's the next game but there's a different there's a different swag with that one no yeah no 100% I mean obviously we know who we're playing um we can't ignore that but um I think we yeah that's going to be a really cool game but we've just been really focused on what we've got going on here because it's we know it's G to be something special but yeah I mean we've been you know we've been preparing all summer I mean I say since last winter so um we're excited we're excited to have the kind of spring you did how much did that springboard you into the summer workouts in Fall Camp a lot a lot man you know it's just there's such a difference then um you know knowing stuff in meetings and then doing that on the field and I think this spring I really took to that I'm like I got the chance to make some plays and um you know I've really just kind of stepped forward um in the summer as well got better um but yeah it's it's helped me a lot you feel like you've been you know doing this for since you're like your junior year of high school or even earlier tell me about that and then kind of being in being in the spotlight since basically you're sophomore year high school yeah definitely weird just because you know Marshall Minnesota's not a big T grew up grew up there um but um yeah I I remember um it was my yeah Junior I think in high school and I came home from school and there was just like a whole camera crew in my living room and I was like what's going on like I gota I think I had practice right after I was like I got to go they're like no we need to ask some questions I was like but yeah stuff like that definitely definitely a shock especially around the draft time but yeah defin it it's been cool though for sure and it when do you still have moments as a family can you still do that you go and just just have moments as before you guys yeah my mom my mom is definitely big on family time so should definitely yeah definitely definitely find time to squeeze with anytime that we can all get together you know she cherishes and um but we were we go on we try to go on many trips as we can together get together as many times times can what has Trey told you about Dallas and the opportunity obviously here we are it's August he's going to play I imagine quite a bit that how much excited is he for what's to come this month yeah he's super excited man he loves Dallas loves the Cowboys um you know he's excited for his situation there and his only goal is to compete honestly he's excited for the preseason games to show it you know how hard he's been working this offseason and you know to go produce so how much do you guys just don't even talk football when you talk you just hey just what's going on can you do that yeah we rarely talk football honestly yeah uh yeah we have a lot to talk about obviously but yeah I mean it's definitely a nice thing to have um my brother you know being playing at such a high level and you know um you know picking his brain when I need to but yeah we definitely have a lot of other stuff to talk about about football other than football last question is and this seems weird but the quarterbacks you have here one being righty one being Lefty is it different to adjust to how they throw the ball is there a different way that that they throw it or no not for me honestly I I was just telling um a different interviewer that um a lot of times I don't even look who's in I just hear the play I just got to know my job so if I got to go catch it if I got to go block you know that's what but yeah not for me no to get that first career catch last year what did that mean and just I got I want more it it was it was like I more situation but um yeah super exciting it felt kind of like a kind of a weight lifted off of my shoulders a little bit um but super cool and yeah excited to hopefully get more of those this year there's our conversation we have with Bryce Lance NDSU Junior wide receiver I thought really need in introspection there on his relationship with his brother and I think you look at expectation wise handling that maybe the best way you can no one there are reps out there reps to be earned and each of the times that we have been up to fall Camp he has stood out just as a guy that um is hard to miss he's been making plays you saw a little bit of a montage we put together during uh the Spring Showcase and he was out there making plays all over uh during that that goes on top of what he did during uh all of spring football and he's got all the physical traits there's no doubt about that now it's about can he apply that in a game situation and from what the each of the quarterbacks have told me both cam Miller and Cole Payton that that's a guy that they know they are going to count on in 2024 and the buys are going to need it at that spot knowing full well what they have lost and brillan Henderson and Raja Nelson while they're the same guy they are the same size that they need a longer bodied position wide receiver to go and make catches and make make plays and he fits that uh Bill to a T and we'll see that is uh one of the many you're looking at all the question marks that are out there for bisen football in 2024 offensive line is clearly at the top I think cornerback is clearly up there as well uh wide receiver in running back now or Tim pal has said it he's echoed it several times we're looking who's going to be the Playmakers uh we need to know and that's why I think it's probably that high on the old uh the old checklist of okay where concerns or questions heading into 2024 that's got to be up there and uh we'll see uh I wanted to share this before we go to break is Eric and I were just doing this a couple weeks ago NDSU football just tweeted out the amount of guys that they have in the National Football League so we can save this now I can throw away my Post-It note that I have in the uh in my office these are the 18 guys that are in fall camps or training camps around the NFL headline as you see with lipkey Watson Cordell Cody maau Chris Bor with the Ravens jabil with the Vikings Josh Hayes who remember was drafted by his hometown Buccaneers Nas Jensen in his second year with the Panthers Zack Johnson who just signed off a UFL Championship with the Browns Jake kubis is having a heck of a camp he's got a great chance to make the Giants 53 man roster we know Trey Lance with Dallas Jaden price led the the Falcons with tackles in their preseason opener against Miami Dylan Raiden's hoping for big things with the Titans Easton stick started the game with the Chargers Jaylen sundell signed with the Seahawks trying to make their team Michael tutsy back for a second year with his hometown Colts Spencer Wy had a sack for the Packers in their preseason opener and Carson Wentz who played a handful of snaps in the Chiefs preseason game I imagine we'll see more of Carson in uh week two of the NFL preseason this coming weekend that is you just go ahead and post that everywhere if you're NSU football if that's not the best recruiting tool and think of this guys just for a second before we go to break they were all probably teammates at one point outside of probably Bor because Bor graduated in 17 most everyone else was on the same team Carson was obviously earlier too but think of that lipy Wat Volson M were all on that same team 2019 with jabril Cox with Josh Hayes with nas Jensen with Zack Johnson Jake kubis was a red shirt Trey Lance was the quarterback Jadon price was a red shirt freshman Raiden was a senior sundell was on that team tutsy was on that team waji was on that team again I will make the claim 2019 greatest Bison team ever assembled that graphic proves it again otherwise we'll break got a couple emails to get to a couple more more info we'll give you the uh the inside on zebie Matthews who's going to make his major league debut for the twins tonight against the Royals we're back on hot Mike on this Tuesday morning right after [Music] this welcome back everybody hot Mike rolls on here on this Tuesday morning Ryan strand going to join us in just a few minutes Barnesville head football coach email comes in got a couple of this on the Dom your pops is probably burned in his Yankees cap after the drubbing by the white socks uh I did not text him on that I know he's watching the show I think so I don't need to say anything but uh yes the Yankees became the first team to lose to the White Socks by 10 runs Chicago hadn't beaten anybody by 10 runs yet this season frankly Chicago hasn't beat anybody period that was their 29th win of the season last night um they beat the Yankees 12-2 I'm going to stay away for now because I know what I when I've rubbed in anything about the Yankees in August that normally has come back to bite me in the you know where so but I imagine he was not thrilled with how the baseball game turned out last night uh against Chicago speaking of uh baseball we mentioned uh earlier on the twins injury front the not great news on Byron buckton uh I have not heard any update there the twins did make a roster move as they have promoted zebie Matthews to the major league roster he will start for the twins tonight and that kind of puts a period on one of the most fastest rising guys I can imagine uh that the twins have had he said his family was in shock it already happened in terms of being called up he's 6 foot5 225 lbs ER of 2.60 with 114 strikeouts and seven walks in 97 minor league Innings this season the twins had an opening the rotation of course after injuries to Joe Ryan and Chris Paddock and with a double header last Friday Matthews earned his fourth promotion of the year think about this he had four starts at Cedar Rapids that's Class A 10 outings at Double A Witchita four starts you seeing here for the Saints now he's in the majors that's quite the uh the move up now mcely made the point about this his stats in St Paul aren't going to blow anybody away he's 24 years old at a 5.68 earn run average and four starts in St Paul gave up four home runs but had pretty good control at Triple A he totaled 23 strikeouts in one walk in 19 Innings that's the number that stood out to me he's only thrown seven walks all season long and if you're a rookie trying to earn a spot or just even make a spot start no walks so he will be the guy that'll start tonight and you you can look at this one of two ways he's in his third uh or St Paul was his third minor league uh stop that was the twins is his fourth different stop of the year so you can look at this two separate ways either excited twins have a young guy in the system that especially a pitcher they think highly enough that can maybe come in throw strikes and stay there other side is how could they possibly be in this spot after last year seeing the success they had knowing they had two front-end guys in Lopez and sunny gray that they were willing to roll the dice we said it right after the season was done with damaged goods like Paddock and not go out and acquire a Frontline starter at least a guy that you knew could throw strikes and eat up Innings hoping that Randy dobnak was going to be the life preserver that's the part that I side with I'm I'm in infuriated on that frankly and I shouldn't be because i' we've been down this road so many times before with the twins that we know the M Mo of the club is that they're they're going to cut payroll spending after they had a great year and made a profit by winning a playoff series and then the owner comes out and says yeah we're going to cut team payroll and now you're left you know ham and eging it together in terms of a starting rotation bayy obber is Imagine where this team is without Bailey over I never would have thought that in March of saying those words out loud but without over where where is this team they're 10 games under 500 probably instead of where they're at and In Contention to potentially win the win the division make the postseason that's a crazy and now Joe Ryan's down and Ryan's I thought been just as good as obber he's been really solid and he may not Pitch again at all in 2024 so what are you trotting out there now you have Pablo Lopez you got Bailey over what do they got after that and there's no lefties anywhere they can't find a lefty anywhere to throw as a starter the fact they're entertaining Rich Hill Rich Hill is the same age I am and everybody here thinks I'm old Rich Hill is potentially going to get a job maybe with the twins haven't we been down this road before just that's upsetting we'll see fingers crossed we'll see what zie Matthews does at his major league debut tonight in game two against the Royals we're do for a break we come back Brian strand will join as Barnesville head football coach what do the Trojans have in store for 2024 after nearly another state championship we're back on hot Mike right after this welcome back everybody hot mic rolls on on this Tuesday Morning WD extra KFL TV and sou Falls in forum.com we are in the full swing of things we got North Dakota High School football practice going Minnesota began yesterday we visited with Kevin feny here in studio uh also customary for our next guest we do this each and every year uh to chat uh out in Barnesville where the Trojans are expected of course to be good off a state runner-up finish last year uh once again at US Bank Stadium they've become that's like their second home is US Bank Stadium longtime head coach of the Trojans Brian strand friend of the show uh joins us right off the practice field uh on this Tuesday morning great to see you uh how did practice number two Go went well went well you know it was actually uh the weather was cooler than it was yesterday so that was kind of nice and uh this morning was just a special teams practice so it was a real short brief time so and then we'll go tonight again oh go two days huh we're still doing that I like that well you you can do it every other day if as long as it's a no padded no anything type practice practice in the morning so tell me yesterday getting ready to start you still what are the emotions you still get the butterflies nerves excitement what were the emotions yesterday before practice number one you know it's just different the whole time we had Camp the end of July and uh you know we lost one of our coaches last at the end of May um Nate Strand and he uh did a lot for us so it was just it was a lot of emotions a lot of different things going on um you know it's a brand new bunch of kids so you know it's it's getting to know them it's getting you know trying to figure out what we're going to be good at um I always tell everyone we're going to shotgun spread this year so they better get ready and prepare for that um we're g to Zing it more times than ever before but uh no the the group we've got is a real strong group um I think that we've got the team to beat again in our section anyways um I think we'll be right there competing with Holly Park Rapids should be be good pel can graduate a lot but Eli does a fantastic job over there so I imagine they will just bring them all back again you know so they're always stuff let me tell you something here fen's throwing it 30 times a game if you start throwing it 30 times a game I'm done I'm out of here if I start seeing your offense do that I'm that that probably won't happen as long as I'm you mentioned uh the photo over your left shoulder there of your nephew um cousin or cousin sorry excuse me just tell me how how odd it is ises it how different does it feel even now in the early stages the camp him not being there you know we've got you know Phil trollbridge myself and Nate have been together yeah this is my 20th year coaching um Nate coached with with me for 15 um of those years he came in the season of 2010 so 14 years 14 Seasons um you know he was one of my best friends and it's just we did everything together we went to coaching clinics we did a lot of stuff and you know when you get a a hole like that and I know other staffs go through it it just you know we've got I mean we've got four paid coaches we've got five volunteers and our and our volunteer coaches are absolutely outstanding so I mean we all do our own thing um we trust each other you know so it just leaves a hole it just kind of you know the emotion part of it you know his son had been a manager from first grade to sixth grade last year and now he starts football this year so he won't be around and it's just you know it's just like anything else it's change I'm not a real good person on change you know hence why we run the ball as much as we do we we we find things that work for us yeah um so it's just uh yeah it's it it it's one of those things it's just it's different it'll never be the same it's just different to see the outpouring I think you knew it but the amount of people that he connected with he touched how how much did that mean to you to see that after he passed me you know I mean just seeing the you know everyone that came to funeral and the week and the area coaches that came in you know pully was there and you know Pelican guys and it's just you know you build that that friendship type deal going over the years and you know um it's special and it's just you know it just it went so fast I mean he found out March 5th and he was gone about the 21st of May I mean it was just it was just quick um so you know it's like I said it'll never be the same it'll be different we got to find you know we're going to do different things to honor him throughout the year we're going to wear stickers on the helmets and we're gonna probably do our tackle cancer night is against Pelican Rapids this year they lost a coach last year uh to battle of cancer and now you know obviously with Nate we figure that's a good time and we'll probably do something before the game to talk about him and honor him and things like that and uh you know it's just and it always affects the kids you know it just right you know he coached baseball as well and he was around and you know it's just it's tough to say it's just it's different and you got a hole so I know how much family means to you two of your sons are on your staff now for 2024 tell us about that my son's a freshman so yeah he's he'll be there too and Michael's been helping now I see this is at least his third year that he'll be that's great on the sideline and and him and Adam bring such a high Dynamics as far as you know things you know one of the best stories is we're walking off the field and Michael and Adam are complaining because one of our back didn't see something correctly and are just feeling Nate just steps in would you two just shut up you two have Vision that nobody else has had and you're complaining that someone else didn't see this three lane cutback that you were supposed to make just shut up you know and uh but no he he brings a ton Robbie actually moved back home for a little bit last uh winter because he's finishing his business degree through Valley City business Ed degree third generation business ed teacher that's fantastic is actually the JB basketball coach for dgf so I said well if you're GNA continue to live here you're gonna ear earn your keeping you're gonna coach against those guys for one time Robbie was a fantastic quarterback yes uh led us to a state runner up in 2010 oh man um y old I am 2010 good lord I can't only count I remember that vividly and and he's just he's a great coach so I just said you know the last time you're probably going to have a chance to coach with me and Michael and Coach your brother um that's awesome you don't have a choice here so everyone in dgf land he doesn't have a choice to coach against you that that's his yearly rent fee for me so and again I I just think he's such a great coach he he he works well with kids he relates to kids um so he's going to have help on the quarterback his so that's fantastic learned a little bit you got to be over the moon on that to have them all together this this will never happen again right right it happened the last time it happened actually was when Nate had to take us had to take a year break because he was having surgery um which led up to his cancer actually end up but he uh Robbie came in and filled in for that year and did a fantastic job and so yeah man that's just awesome I appreciate you sharing that um high expectations always off of what happen last year tell me on on this year's team I know it's different you were already alluding to that the expectations don't change how do you do you even have to address that with the team before start I was gonna ask yeah do you even you even mention that kids down because we've got a younger group that probably hasn't been as involved in the wait room as they need to be um I always say our weight room is the one thing that I think separates teams um our kids really buy into it I mean we had we had we had four kids kids that went over 300 lb on the bench press yesterday and we had probably another 15 to 18 kids that went over 200 you know so I mean I think that's the one thing that kind of separates teams because they're so invested in it uh we got some younger kids right now that have not bought into it as much as they probably should have we just talked to about I said you know I mean the tradition is it's tough to build but it can fall pretty dang quick unless you guys get your butts in gear and I said you know everyone's there to help you and know but you have to put the work in if you expect to be good yeah you know and I think any good program has that staple Caledonia I mean they're crazy I mean they just the way they they left and get after it I mean it just but that's their expectation no and you know the time that you lower expectations is when things start to slide and we don't want things to slide how do you feel now handling when you guys come in when you're when either you're hosting a team or you go somewhere you guys are the the big Bad Bull everybody knows Barnesville is really good how do you how do you handled that over the years expectation wise that's changed where you guys were the upand comers now you're long time established how is that you're even you when you're talking to guys and getting ready for a game like hey everybody would love to beat us how do you handle that now you say that I mean you know you just say that you you're the game that everyone circles and they want and um you know for us it it was Holly for years yeah and still is I still find that game against Peter one of the most competitive things because you know the respect is there for him and his staff and they do things they do things the right way they work hard um he's positive I mean I I had a chance Last Summer Nate and I went over to the East and sick camp and worked it and to watch Peter in action um and how he handles things and how he goes about the business um it's very easy to see why that they win a lot um so to me it's it's always Holly we have Holly week you know and regardless of how good either team is I mean we're going to treat that as it's the section title game you know and um Park Rapids is a little bit like that Pelican has definitely been there yep um you know and we treat every week about the same we kind of go about our business we watch the film we do things and we make sure our kids don't ever Overlook no matter who we're playing I don't I I think I think our coaches do a good job I think the kids do a good job we are focused on that team throughout the weekend it doesn't matter if they're coming in 0 and8 or whatever else it can happen you can lose all right so now you're going to get mad at me because I'm going to ask you a question about the state tournament that's overlooking because you're getting all way there but the change has gone in now for seating on that and it's going to North South for this upcoming year for the quarterfinal round so it's no longer you know you already predetermined section versus section so how big a deal is you've been I I've been clamoring for this for years what do you think of this now going into effect for this fall you know I I see positives I still think that it's virtually impossible you know barnel could have the weakest schedule in the world and be 8-0 but really good but how does anybody else know about how good the teams are that we're playing you know yep uh Moose Lake is always in it um you know the state champs have been in it for a few years now um o has been dominant for a while you know but it's hard to judge you know I mean you don't want to run the score you know things like that but it's like well you got to show your dominance on teams so you don't want teams to score you know you don't want team to score you don't want to be given up points because in the end they're going to judge you and it's a big difference between if you're the one seed or the three seed or the you know wherever you fit correct and then they're going to redo it again when we go down to US bank right US Bank they're going to re so I mean you don't really know but I mean if I know that I'm going to match up with Section seven I'm going to spend a lot of time trying to find online film on Moose Lake and we're we gonna have them broke down before we get to that game with the expectation that we're going to play them yeah you know now it's different you're you're gonna find on on basically on Saturday morning who you're playing and now exchange film that's going to be a busy weekend if we were to get there I mean that's a big gi they're very good teams around too I I it's a it's a step in the right direction they just got to take the next one in my opinion right to go one through eight I just just rip the Band-Aid off and do that like that that's what everyone else again that's that's virtually so hard because of because of the field availability and again football there's there're such a small window of games that you're looking at and then you got to figure out who was good on someone's schedule how did they do against that good team was somebody hurt that's that's vital you know we don't have 25 games to judge on we've got 10 maybe 11 games if they played a full section so I mean there's never going to be a perfect fit yes one through eight would would be perfect but it's like anything else yeah and it's the seating part of it it's great to see you as always I really appreciate you sharing the story uh on Nate and heads up we will be televising the Barnesville dgf game will be on wdy extra coming up to start the season so I I always appreciate the fact you you always schedule those kind of teams and uh people around the area love to see it so it's good to see them man good luck this year we'll talk soon all right yeah take care Brian strand head coach of the Barnesville Trojans last year's State Runners up in doua football and they will be awfully good again and uh our game of the week series will begin actually this week we're starting on Friday night with soccer to get you started and then uh every Friday after that we'll have a high school football game sometimes up to three in one particular Friday August 30th the first weekend of Minnesota high school football will bring you our Barnesville dgf from Glendon which will be a dynamite football game there's uh tease for our first soccer game coming up on Friday between West Fargo and Cheyenne we'll be bringing you soccer volleyball uh this fall it's not just football we're going to have a few other sports happening on extra throughout uh the fall months part of a huge year of high school sports we got on tap we'll take our final break we'll come back we'll wrap things up answer our poll question and get you ready for a busy sporting Tuesday hot Mike wraps right after this all right wrapping things up here on this Tuesday morning tomorrow you'll meet one of nsu's newest men's basketball commits for the class of 2025 Riley Massie from St Louis will join us tomorrow on the show it's also Buys in media Zone Wednesday Jeff colpack will join me in studio uh have a full recap of today's uh open media practice we'll see what uh kind of Intel we get uh from North Dakota State today as the Bison enter week three of fall Camp they had their first scrimmage this past Sunday so uh we'll try to glean some uh info and wisdom from the head football coach uh you can catch up that tomorrow on uh on the bmz looking forward to that mentioned off the top of the show the injuries that uh befell each of the Vikings and the twins with Byron buckon leaving the game last night uh with a hip soreness we had JJ McCarthy not practicing for the Vikings yesterday with right knee soreness uh that led to our poll question of who you're more concerned about either is it Byron buckon or JJ McCarthy uh the viewers spoke here 63% on buckton which probably is makes sense he's been hurt way more frequently than anybody else on the Twins roster uh McCarthy getting 37% of the vote and we'll see uh hopefully with updates coming up here in the not too distant future especially on the Vikings and McCarthy because they're leaving for Cleveland uh later this afternoon as they have their joint practices with the Browns and former Viking offensive coordinator Kevin stefansky who's of course the head coach of the Browns uh anticipation of the game coming up on Saturday in Cleveland and the way that things were looked like they were progressing is that you'd imagine if McCarthy had the kind of game he did practice well that he was going to play quite a bit more in the game against Cleveland coming up on Saturday but now if he's dinged up um can't imagine that if he can't go on if he can't make the trip that's not a good sign so we'll uh we'll find out hopefully with some uh updates there the you know how much the NFL loves to share about injury updates so we'll uh we'll wait and see what's going on on that as I mentioned earlier zebie Matthews set to make his major league debut with the twins which is the perfect segue to get you ready for what to watch what's coming up [Music] tonight game two of the set Royals and twins 6:30 tonight on B Sports North The Royals are throwing former met great Seth Lugo tonight as we mentioned Matthews makes his major league debut those are always fun to watch whether it's good or bad um it'll have people's attentions but like David Festa made his debut uh earlier this season now the twins with another pitcher uh breaking into the major leagues that's coming up tonight we'll have a full recap of that tomorrow tennis tonight the Cincinnati open one of the best hardcore hardcore events out there 6 o00 tonight on the tennis channel you've got some of the best players in tennis there Braves and Giants coming up tonight as well 8:45 on the MLB Network to the teams fighting for a playoff position in the National League that's coming up tonight as well our thanks to Mike mcy to Bryce Lance and Brian strand if you missed any of the show you can podcast it later today at inforum.com you can watch a full replay on wdy plus thanks so much for watching Everybody we'll see you back here tomorrow [Music] no