*Tony Garcia, covers Michigan Basketball & Football for the Detroit Free Press

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Jack Ebling here with my good friend Matt Sloan a
graph of Okeemists. Big summer here, Matt.

Speaker 2 (00:05):
That's right, Jack.

Speaker 3 (00:05):
We got the summer savings going on right now at
Graf Nissan and Graf Chevy of Okamist. Great deals. We're
offering zero percent financing and select vehicles up to sixty months.
If you're a Casto member. We got extra rebates for that.
We're getting fresh inventory every day. It's been a great summer.
We got great deals for you.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
Zero percent.

Speaker 1 (00:24):
Can't get much lower than that. That's exactly right, Ffacy
Matt in the gang here on West Grand River, Okamiz.
They're making friends.

Speaker 4 (00:33):
Great afternoon at Michigan and beyond and welcome to the
Drive with Jack. Spotlight Radio Network. Jack Eblin here with
my producer Boston Rob on Thursday afternoon. Seventy seven degrees
here and cloudy in mid Michigan. I'm going to get
into the eighties tomorrow, but that might be it for

(00:53):
the year. Looking at some of the temperature is going
to be very cool over the next week and a
half or so. And we have tons to talk about today,
including college football, which is now eight days away. For
Michigan State nine days for the University of Michigan. Want
to welcome in. Tony Garcia does a great job of

(01:15):
covering Wolverine for the Detroit Free Press. Tony, how are you, Jack.

Speaker 5 (01:21):
I'm well, I saw the same weather you didn't.

Speaker 2 (01:24):
I'm going to miss the eighties. But football's here, so
that is a good constellation prize.

Speaker 4 (01:31):
Yes, and a lot of times, especially with high school teams, Tony,
there's a concern about taking proper precautions for heat. I
haven't had to worry too much about that this year,
so that's a little bit refreshing. High school is also
getting underway. They're active in every other sport now except football.

(01:53):
As the Wolverines prepare for this season opener against New Mexico,
we know that more will be on the Sideline's still
not one hundred percent sure if he'll be on the
sideline for the twenty twenty sixth game opening game in Germany,
right against Western Michigan.

Speaker 2 (02:12):
Is that right? That is right, That's exactly right.

Speaker 4 (02:17):
But we know that for the first two games this
year he will be leading the Wolverines. From what you know,
from what you've heard, I was gonna say, from what
you've seen, but that's probably not appropriate. How do you
think this team's progress is progressing with a lot of
new faces.

Speaker 5 (02:36):
You know, I think they are feeling pretty good about themselves,
and I mean to be the next team that isn't
feeling good about themselves in fall camp, maybe the first
at any level.

Speaker 2 (02:48):
As we know, this is the season of optimism. But
there's plenty of reason to be optimistic. I mean especially,
I think it starts on the defense. With this team.
They are legitimately ten deep when you're talking about the
defensive tackles and the edges. Their linebackers. I just wrote
today it'll be on online in freak dot com in

(03:08):
the morning. Their linebackers might be the most underrated group.
They return a couple of four year players starters really
and Ernest Houseman and Jay Shawn Barham. They both transferred
in Houseman from Nebraska, barm from Maryland, but now they've
been here multiple years. And then the secondary. While there
are not some of the same high end faces. There's

(03:28):
no Mikey Sainer still, there's no Will Johnson. There there
are some dudes back there, Tevis Metcalf who came from Arkansas,
Jay R. Hill, who they're expecting big things from in
his second year as a starter, Zeke Berry, who can
move in and out. Mason Curtis, I think is kind
of a sleeper name in the in the safety position.

(03:50):
He's six four two five, big rangy kid. And I
think just most importantly, this is their second year under
the the defensive coaching staff. Wink Martindale was in his
first year as a DC. Last year, you had, I
mean all the way from the back to the front,
Lamar Morgan first year's defensive backs coach, Luis Pozito, first

(04:11):
year's defensive line coach, Brian jen Marie, first year's linebackers coach.
Now they all come back in that cohesion I think
really cannot be overstated. So Michigan feels good about that.
And then of course, when you have the announced the
impending announcement of Bryce Underwood, you're starting quarterback, the passing
game cannot be worse than it was last year, and

(04:32):
so when you feel that way, it seems like the
only way to go, at least at that particular spot
is up.

Speaker 4 (04:40):
I have seen some rankings, obviously just speculative, of the
eighteen Big Ten quarterbacks this year, and I've seen Rice
Underwood as high as I want to say fifth, maybe
maybe you got the fourth on one list and it's
low as ten. Do you think he's in the up
or half of Big ten quarterbacks even though he's never

(05:02):
taken a snap.

Speaker 2 (05:05):
In terms of raw talent, Yes, yes I do.

Speaker 4 (05:09):
But in terms of what I think you for twenty
twenty five.

Speaker 2 (05:14):
No, I mean, I mean I think he'll finish. I
think if he finishes in the top past, then Michigan
is going to be looking at at a very potential
college football playoff birth. But if he's middle of the
packer below, then it could be sort of an eight
and four kind of season. I mean, it really depends
what they're asking him to do. It depends how this
offensive line comes together and how much they are able

(05:37):
to lean on the run game if they can, If
they can insulate him the way they did JJ McCarthy
and use Jordan Marshall and Justice Hans is sort of
a Blake Korum and the Donovan Edwards or Hassan Haskins
or whoever you want to equate it to Claud Mullings
as well. I mean, if you can really sort of
pound the rock and take terms on the ground. Then

(05:59):
that really opens things up for breaks. But I mean,
if you're going to ask him to drop back throw
the ball twenty five thirty times a game, I think
that also opens up more opportunity for mistakes. I mean,
we saw and I know all your listeners in your
area saw Aiden Childs last year, right, I mean, super talented,

(06:20):
big arms mobile ninety of upside, but just got bit
by the turnover bug. And whether that was fumbled, whether
that was picks, whether that was the untimely decision. And
that is I mean in the Big ten, that is
the difference between make or break in some of these
close games. And I think something that people are kind
of underestimating in terms of Michigan. This year, Michigan was

(06:41):
five and one in one score games. Last year there
were three and four in the other games. And so
if you're going and now, they did not have a
quarterback who helped in any of those games. So that's
probably why they were in so many close games. But
because of the defense, because of the special teams, they
were able to come out on the right side eighty

(07:02):
three percent of the time. So if Bryce underwood is
doesn't make mistake, then I think they can continue to
sort of kind of eke some of these games out.
It's going to be about minimizing mistakes for Bryce in
year one.

Speaker 4 (07:15):
When we talk about the vaunted Michigan running game, and
we've seen that bail them out a number of times.
Certainly what Klo Mullings did against USC and Ohio State
can't be overstated. But what about this offensive line. I'm
not sure I'm seeing the same proven efficiency there. Not

(07:38):
to think that they're ever going to be bad necessarily,
but that program was used to Joel Moore Award winning
offensive lines, and I heard that one of their projected
starters are regulars two freshmen, five star tackle was injured.

(07:59):
I don't know what is is. What can you tell
me about the old line?

Speaker 2 (08:04):
Yeah, I mean you said it exactly right. I mean,
twenty twenty one, twenty twenty two, Joe Moore Award winners,
is the best line in the nation. Twenty twenty three
they were semi finalists, and ironically that was the year
they won it all. But last year you said you
don't know if they're were going to be bad, I
would say they were bad last year. I would say
that was a below average line. Last year I mean
it was really, really trying. They didn't create holes in

(08:24):
the run blocking, and the pass blocking certainly left plenty
to be desired as well. But the man you're speaking
of is Andrew Babolola. He was a top fifteen overall
recruit in the country regardless of position, a top three
offensive tackle. He was pushing Evan Link for the starting
spot at that left tackle role. Now, I think I
had said on this show, and I know I've said

(08:45):
it on others in my writing on Freak dot Com.
I mean, the expectation was for Evan Link to win
that battle early on, just because of experience, but Babelola
was so athletic he I mean, I think many people
were sort of expecting him by the middle of the season.
It's definitely factor into this line. And now nothing official

(09:07):
has come out, but I've spoke to some sources around
the program. It does sound like it's I mean it's
a knee injury. He sustained it in practice, and it
does sound like it could be season ending. So that
is a massive blow. There's no doubt about that for
the line. And now the question is how does that
shuffle things right? Because Blake Fraser, the son of Steve Fraser,

(09:28):
who was on the ninety seven Michigan National championship team.
He had moved to the right side to back up
in Andrew's brigg Maybe you bump him back to the
to the left side, and then there were four people
deep at right guard. It was sort of the rotation.
I wonder if you maybe move someone like a Brady
Norton who came from Sacramento State, who was who wasn't

(09:49):
tackle at the Division two level, But they're not quite
sure he has the requisite side to play that now
out of necessity, is he going to be maybe the
second tackle? I mean, be less could be right. He's
working at right guard right now, so maybe you'd think
he'd back up the right tackle. But it's just sort
of it's just another place where you got to start
shuffling things and makes them a little bit center. But

(10:11):
I mean you really feel for him. I spoke to
Andrew a couple of times this summer. I mean, super polite.
He's a yes, sir kind of kid. I mean, unbelievably talented,
only played two years of high school football and was
a top fifteen recruit in the nation. So I mean
that's the type of athlete you're talking about, so really
tough blow, and that's kind of why I led this
conversation with I don't know. I mean, it's hard to

(10:34):
say what Bryce is going to be because so much
of it is dependent on this line. But the interior
Greg Krippen at center, G. L Hattie at left guard,
those are some familiar faces. They've started last year, so
they took their lumps, and I would expect them to
take somewhat of a step forward, but I don't know

(10:54):
that they're going to be that vintage Michigan line that
we had seen in their heyday from twenty one to
twenty three.

Speaker 4 (11:02):
Tony. I've asked a lot of Big Ten writers and
broadcasters this question, and I'm a little surprised that the
answers I've gotten. If you had a choice right now,
and you could pick a quarterback to represent your team
and to be on the field from day one, would
you rather line up with Bryce Underwood this year or

(11:24):
Aiden Childs?

Speaker 2 (11:27):
You know, I think you did ask me this one
once and it confounded me. It's a really good question.
I want to try to stay consistent. If I remember
what I was thinking, I did say Aiden Childs just
because he has taken those lumps last year, right, I mean,
he has a full year under his belt as a starter.

(11:48):
Not to mention, I mean the recks he got at
Oregon State he's now playing. I mean Bryce Underwood turned
eighteen on Tuesday, and I know Chiles is young, but
he's been in college football for two full year. He's
been a starter, He's been the guy and he has
he has been there and done that. Now, it wasn't
it wasn't what he hoped for. I mean I remember

(12:08):
speaking to him over the summer when I got to
see him and Bryce work out downtown Detroit, and there
was there was a quiet stoicism about him, sort of
like I'm ready to really show people like what the
real aident childs is. And so in that regard, I
think I would I would take aiden. But if you're

(12:28):
saying maybe two years from now, I think Bryce Underwood
does have the higher upside, but I don't know that
you're going to be able to get all of the
upside out of a true freshman quarterback.

Speaker 4 (12:40):
Yeah, Tony, I think both of these guys. Success is
going to be to some degree dependent on the offensive line,
as you suggested, But I think also it's going to
be dependent on the receiving corps. And Michigan State does
have Nick marsh there and two other players. Don't ask me,
how are on the Bolitnikoff watch list. Who is Michigan's

(13:07):
go to guy now that they don't have Coulston Lovelin,
who was really single handedly the reason I think they
beat Michigan State of yeer Ago.

Speaker 2 (13:17):
Yeah, no, I would agree with you there. There's there's
no question it's Donovan McCully. He is. They gave him
the number one jersey, which, as you know at Michigan
is a very notable thing. He he came in from
Indiana six foot five, two hundred and five pounds a
couple of years ago. I don't have the exact numbers

(13:39):
in front of me, but he had something like fifty
or sixty grabs for six hundred and forty four yards
I want to say, and maybe six touchdowns. I mean,
he's a proven guy who has who has excelled at
the Big ten level. He actually started as as a quarterback.
He was he was once the quarterback for Indiana before
he moved to wide receiver. In the year that Michigan

(14:01):
beat I mean beat Indiana at the Big House. They
beat him like forty nine to seven, forty four to
seven and something like that. Indiana went up seven to
nothing when Donovan McCauley threw a trick play touchdown, Like
they threw a lateral pass to him behind the line
of scrimmage and he threw a forty five yard bomb
down the field. So I would not be surprised if
Johnathan McCully throws for a touchdown this year. That'd be

(14:22):
maybe one of my bold predictions is that he has
a passing touchdown. But he's a big target. He's got
great body control. We saw it a little bit in
the spring game, even though he only played a quarter.
I mean he just went up and he mossed two
defenders when they were draped all over him. Had had
like a twenty one yard pickup. So I would expect
him to certainly be the alpha of this receiver room.

(14:45):
And then beyond that, it is a host of people.
I mean you could make I mean you could make
the case for a number of people. I would maybe
pick Marlin Klein, who is sort of the Colston Loveland light.
He was Loveland's backup last year just because Michigan need
their tight ends, so frequently you got guys like Fred
Moore and Morgan who are now juniors. Andrew Marsh was

(15:08):
the highest rated freshman wide receiver recruits that Michigan's brought
in some sonomon people's jones. In twenty seventeen, they added
a speedster from Umats and Anthony Simpson. They got Kendrick Bell,
the younger brother of Ronnie Bell. I mean, there's just
a lot of options here, so the number one is
pretty clear. After that, it's sort of just pull a
name from a half.

Speaker 4 (15:30):
Okay, I'm just looking up Donovan McCully and you're absolutely right.
Is freshman year, he was thirty five for eighty two passing,
so that's probably about forty five percent, four under seventy
five yards, two tds, two interceptions. But looking at his

(15:50):
receiving after he switched before the twenty twenty two season,
birt Hear he had sixteen catches for one hundred and
sixty nine yards and a score, and he was just
learning the position. Then in twenty twenty three you could
see the upgrade. Forty eight catches for six hundred and
forty four yards. That's not a ton, but it's still significant.

(16:13):
A six touchdowns all big tent honorable mention, and then
he went in the transfer portal. But he came back
left when Tom Allen was fired, came back when Signetti
came in, and then he left Indiana again midway through
the season. And last year he had two catches for

(16:33):
twenty one yards because he talked about what happened there.
Was he injured.

Speaker 2 (16:39):
Yeah, I think he got a little bit banged up
Week one. I don't know that it's anything that would
have kept him out the entirety of the season, but
I mean, as you remember, Signetti brought in all of
James Madison with him, right, it was it was a
new system. I think he sort of felt like, I mean,
he was ready to transfer out initially, then kind of
got loud back into the idea of what it could be.

(17:02):
But then once he got banged up and realized he
wasn't going to be one hundred percent, I think he
was really he was like, all right, maybe maybe a
greener pastors are out there for me, and he was
ready to commit somewhere else, and so he's looking to
I mean, he's like he understands what it means to
wear the number one in ann Arbor. I mean guys

(17:23):
like Anthony Carter, guys like Marquise Walker, like Braylon Edwards.
Of course, I mean there was from ninety nine to
two thousand and eight or to two thousand and seven.
In those in those nine years, Michigan had a thousand
yard receiver eight of those nine years. Since two thousand
and seven, there has been exactly one one thousand yard

(17:44):
receiver for Michigan, and that was Jeremy Gallen in twenty thirteen.
So it has been a long long time. It's been
twelve years in a row, one time in the last
seventeen years after doing it eight of nine. So he
knows the expectation that he is supposed to be the
alpha of this.

Speaker 4 (18:02):
You mentioned Indiana parallel here, and I think this is interesting.
I'm curious which team is going to win more games,
Not which one has a better team, or which one
won last year or any of that, but which team
might win more games, Michigan or Indiana. Indiana has a
cake schedule again Tony Old Dominion Tennathaw State and Indiana State,

(18:32):
and the Big Ten schedule is not particularly rigorous either.
I think Michigan has a fairly favorable Big Den schedule,
but does have that game against Oklahoma and in Norman,
that's probably pretty close to a coss up. Are you
convinced that Michigan's going to have more wins at the

(18:53):
end in Indiana?

Speaker 2 (18:54):
Well, well, I'd be curious if you're willing to I'd
vote for you to read me Indiana schedule because as
they give you some time to pull it up. I mean,
I see four potential losses for Michigan. I mean, certainly
four potential losses Oklahoma, Nebraska on the road, USC on
the road, and Ohio State, and now I mean depending

(19:16):
on how they fare early in the season or even
how Michigan State looks. I mean, I don't think that
it is entirely impossible by any means that Michigan State
wins that game. Now right now, I'm certainly picking Michigan
to win the game, but you just sort of wonder.
I mean, it feels like Michigan State really let one

(19:36):
slip away there last year, and now maybe if Jonathan
Smith has learned a little bit more about that rivalry,
if MSU does sort of have these receivers they think
they have, if Aiden Child does take the step if
the offensive line is improved. The game is in East Lansing,
and it hasn't mattered much the last couple times, but
historically it has, so I mean, I mean there's case.

(20:00):
I mean I did a best case, worst case scenario
for Michigan football that's going to be coming out on
free dot Com I think later this week or early
in the next as part of our preview series. And
I mean I could see Michigan going anywhere from seven
and six if the wheels fall completely off to there

(20:22):
is a scenario where they are eleven and zero going
into the Ohio State game in the last week. I mean,
it is I mean, there is that much unknown, and
there's not that many times I see a team with
a four game swing. But I just think Oklahoma is
such a toss up, Nebraska is such a toss up.
USC is such a toss up that it really could

(20:43):
go either way. And that's why I sort of end
up split in the middle, and I think they end
up about nine to three.

Speaker 4 (20:49):
Yeah, I agree with you. You mentioned the home field advantage
not mattering as much as some people would think. They
didn't naturally a film well their way. They don't have
a chance in this series. I think the away team
in Michigan, Michigan State had done pretty well. Certainly two
years ago Michigan came in and just ransacked the place.

(21:13):
Last year, Michigan State controlled the game and figured out
how to lose it. And twenty twenty Michigan State went
in and the COVID year, I guess we can't count
that entirely. Twenty twenty one was the one year where
maybe it mattered. It was that that classic Kenneth Walker game,
and if that had been played in Annabor, I think
you might have a different outcome. But let me give

(21:35):
you this Indiana schedule quick. I mentioned the three they
I'll be stunned if they're not three and oho after
hosting Old Dominion, Tennesaw State and Indiana State, then the
mean of their Big ten schedule is right at the
stun They host Illinois, and I think Illinis dances to

(21:56):
be pretty good this year. Really on the road at Iowa.
That's another what Jerry and I will calls match up.
Then they're going to get their most likely loss. I
would think they're going to go to Oregon. Then it
gets a lot softer. They get Michigan State coming in,

(22:16):
Ucla coming in, They're at Maryland. They do have they
do have a game at Penn State, so that's another
loss you assume. And then it finishes up with a
probable win over Wisconsin and then beat down of Purdue.
So yeah, they could be eight and four nine and
it sounds like they would have very similar records in Michigan.

Speaker 2 (22:40):
Yeah, yeah, I can I can see four losses. I mean,
just if things shake the wrong way, they could start
zero and three in the league. Illinois should be pretty good.
Everybody knows how tough it is to play at kennt
and then good good luck with Oregon. Yeah yeah, that
would be something for Kurt Signetty.

Speaker 4 (22:58):
I don't think he would because people to google them.

Speaker 2 (23:02):
Yeah, that's right. Yeah.

Speaker 4 (23:06):
So the fallout now we're a weekend from the Committee
on Infractions report, What do you think.

Speaker 2 (23:22):
I think that I mean, I mean, I would have
thought that Michigan would not have appealed given that the
sentence was avoided everything like the two major things that
they wanted, keeping the national title and then being fully
eligible for the College Football Playoff moving forward. But as
it turns out, as fans and alumni supporters like Dave

(23:47):
Portnoy like to say that Michigan. I think he was
like smoking, like Michigan will smoke like a pack of
twenty million dollars or something. Evidently the administration feels a
little differently about protecting their twenty or thirty million, because
I mean, they are willing to go to They're willing
to appeal this and and sort of run this thing

(24:08):
down down the line. And so I mean, I guess
I don't even know what to think anymore, you know.
I mean I'd spoken to people who had said very
close to the situation, who had said, you know, we
just can't wait. So this whole thing is behind us.
We're trying to like' like, we're pretty optimistic about the
way that this verdict is going to go, and then
put it to the side. Then I thought they got

(24:30):
that optimistic verdict, and yet here they are sort of
still running it. I mean, I would think that's like
a Michigan legal Council think the NCAA has does not
have a good record in the last decade or so
going to court. Maybe they feel good about that, but
that's where it stands. Maybe they're trying to get your
own more his game back in twenty twenty six. There's

(24:53):
I mean, there's a number of reasons that they could
want to do something like.

Speaker 4 (24:56):
This, and Tony, thanks for your time. Really appreciate it.
We'll talk to you again in game week of course.

Speaker 2 (25:05):
Thanks Game Day and.

Speaker 1 (25:07):
East Lansing just got taste here. One North Kitchen the
Bar is your go to for unbeatable tailgate packages, perfect
for fueling up before kickoff. Sink your teeth into Juicy
Burger's Hearty wraps, or warm up with our famous One
North Chili, a fan favorite on crisp Fall days by
the Red Seed. Ordering is a snap just called David
at five one seven nine hundred four MSU to get

(25:30):
your crew game ready. Open at ten am on weekend
so you can grab your spread and go. One North
Kitchen and Bar. We're great food and spartan spirit. Callide
go Green.

Speaker 6 (25:46):
Apply today to become a school bus driver or bus
attendant with Dean Transportation. This summer, Dean is seeking compassionate
people to join their family led business. Dean is now
hiring through multiple roles throughout the area that offer paid training,
weekday and flexible hours, school breaks off, and most important,

(26:07):
an opportunity to make a difference in your community. Learn
more and apply at Dean jobs dot com. That's Dean
jobs dot com.

Speaker 7 (26:17):
So it's been a while since you've had your jewelry
cleaned and inspected? Right where will you go and who
will you trust with your most valuable and treasured heirlooms?
At meadow War Jewelers for locations in Lansing Ocamists Jackson
and Portage. Jewelry isn't just our job, it's our passion.
Each and every piece entrusted in our care is thoroughly

(26:39):
inspected by our trained staff against damage or normal wear,
and we offer you, our customer, the highest level of
quality on repairs and custom designs. Whether it's worn out prongs,
channels or shanks, it's all handled with incredible care. Meadow
Our Jewelers and Lansing ocamist Jackson and Portage want to
help you preserve your memories and offer you options on

(27:03):
creating new ones. Coming today for the cleaning and inspection
of your jewelry. We continue to work hard every day
to earn your confidence and trust of what jewelers.

Speaker 1 (27:17):
Jack Kavlin here with my good friend Matt Sloan a
graph of opemists big summer here, Matt.

Speaker 2 (27:22):
That's right, Jack.

Speaker 3 (27:22):
We got the summer savings going on right now at
Graf Nissan and Graft Chevy of Okemists great deals. We're
offering zero percent financing on select vehicles up to sixty months.
If you're a CASTO member, we got extra rebates for that.
We're getting fresh inventory every day. It's been a great summer.
We got great deals for you.

Speaker 2 (27:41):
Zero percent.

Speaker 1 (27:41):
Can't get much lower than that. That's exactly right, Dopacy,
Matt in the gang here on West Grand River, okamtz.
They're making friends.

Speaker 8 (27:50):
Are you passionate about college sports? Foster Swift Sports Talk
is your go to podcast dedicated to addressing the hottest
topics in college athletics, including recruiting practices, NIL, the trade,
portal collectives, and revenue generation.

Speaker 2 (28:03):
Join us as we bring you insights from student athletes,
college head coaches, administrators, and other industry leaders as they
share their experiences in this rapidly changing arena.

Speaker 8 (28:12):
Our mission is to share information and help educate student athletes, parents, coaches,
and other stakeholders with the knowledge, resources, and strategies they
need to make informed decisions and maximize each college athlete's
potential for long term success. Check out our latest episode,
where we're joined by Cole Moore, the general manager for
Michigan State Football, to discuss revenue sharing NIL in the

(28:33):
upcoming season. Like and subscribe to our YouTube and Facebook
pages to watch all of our episodes, or you can
give us a listen on any of your favorite podcasting
platforms by simply searching Foster Swift Sports Talk. Until next time,
I'm your host, Dave Russell