Coach, this team, although the results, uh, not going our way at the moment, they are still fighting very hard.

Yeah, you know, every opportunity to win that game Saturday, it's what's so disappointing.

You know, and you look from play one to the last play, there were...

We, we charted about 15, you know, kind of one play.

If we made...

If we won on this one play, we turn the game around and it's a completely different outcome.

So, uh, proud of the guys fighting and resiliency, but, uh, that's not what we're, we're, we're striving for and that's not the standard.

Um, what emotions, uh, do you have this week, if any, leading up, uh, to this tilt against your alma mater?

Speaking of calls, going for the two points instead of the tie, what was your mindset there and would you make that call again?

Would I make the call again based on the situation we were in? Each kind of situation, you know, determines what direction we're going to go.

Going into the game, you know, we talk about those scenarios.

We study analytics and we were neutral going into the game means it's a 50-50 coaches toss up.

meaning me, coach, not our coaches, my decision.

And where our health was on defense at that point in the game, I really felt like let's go try to win the game with three yards away.

And, you know, we didn't execute the play.

What emotions do you have this week, if any, leading up to this tilt against your alma mater?

To take that a step further, the players must also improve as well, correct?

Yeah, for sure.

Yeah, I mean, absolutely.

And I think, number one, it's a mindset and it's, it's an attitude in the way you attack the week.

But, you know, we've gotta play winning football on Saturdays, and, you know, that's converting [laughs] on...

You know, number one, we're in way too many third downs and fourth downs, so we've gotta convert and continue to move the ball and score points offensively.

And then, you know, we had our hands on the ball three times on Saturday And that's now two weeks in a row that, you know, we just gotta keep pounding the, the, the stone, the rock, however you wanna say it.

Yes

To take that a step further, the players must also improve as well, correct?

Yeah, for sure.

Yeah, I mean, absolutely.

And I think number one, it's a mindset and it's, it's an attitude in the way you attack the week.

But, you know, we've got to play winning football on Saturdays, and, you know, that's converting on... [laughs] You know, number one, we're in way too many third downs and fourth downs, so we've got to convert and continue to move the ball and score points offensively.

And then, you know, we had our hands on the ball three times on Saturday, and that's now two weeks in a row that, you know, we just got to keep pounding the, the, the stone, the rock, however you want to say it.

Eventually it breaks.

[laughs]

No

... you know, I think offensively we had, I think four or five drives of eight plays or more.

We gotta score points.

You know? You, you, you, we were cleaner, we didn't turn the ball over, which is p- a positive and a step in the right direction.

Um, you know, we didn't have the catastrophic negatives.

I think two of our negatives happened in our last drive, of the three that we charted.

So that's, uh, you know, exponentially better than it was the week before.

know-Positive conversations or some of them, you know, a little bit demoralized? How are the captains helping in those conversations?

You've got to have your number called and perform.

Yeah, well, we were down.

You know, we lost – Corner and pregame, we lost two corners early in the game.

And all of a sudden, A.B.' 's out there.

And, you know, there was some really good plays by him and some that he'd like to have back.

So, you know, we're building this thing.

And, you know, I know there's a lot of disappointment.

Coach, talk about the challenges with this Badger team.

But, you know,

we're sitting there in the third quarter with a drive.

We're, again, inside the 30.

And that's where our issues have arisen offensively.

you know, we're throwing for almost 68%.

Um, you know, it's the, it's the issues.

It's the sacks we're, we're giving up and taking, it's the turnovers that were, were preventing us from putting points on the board and then giving away possessions.

Coach, talk about the challenges with this Badger team.

But my question to you, having been around the Big Ten for a while, does the intensity level with any given football team go up dramatically once the Big Ten schedule begins?

You know, you'd like to say no. You'd like to hope that you approach each game the exact same way with the same mindset and same, you know, consistency of preparation.

But the reality is, is yeah, you know, the opener of the year, the Big Ten opener, your first Big Ten game on the road, you know, all those things are big games.

Your rivalry game, they're all big games just because they are.

And, you know, hopefully we'll continue to put together two more days of really good on the field prep.

I thought you know, yesterday the guys came with a workmanlike mentality, uh, and, uh, you know, that kind of, we're in the heart of the grind right now.

So we gotta, we gotta embrace it, lean into it and, uh, just keep getting better.

Is that accurate?

i i do coach thank you so very much

that's pretty cathartic uh Yeah, well, I mean, you know, when you go on the road and play a very good team, you can't beat yourself, and that's what we felt like we did, and, you know, we went to work right away on it this week.

We should play hard.

We should win.

Those are the things that you should expect to see from us every weekend and week out, and, you know, we've just got to play cleaner football.

We can't give up those explosives.

We can't make some critical mistakes on offense.

But my question to you, having been around the Big Ten for a while, does the intensity level with any given football team go up dramatically once the Big Ten schedule begins?

That's the trust factor you get with Graff of Okemos.

All right, great.

Good afternoon.

Thanks for being here.

Uh, briefly looking back, uh, to the Notre Dame game is like, like I mentioned, you know, on, on Saturday post game is pretty much what I saw as we did our breakdown, just too many, too many mistakes to give ourselves a chance to be the top five team on the road.

Um, you know, we have the ball driving to start the fourth quarter and not to, you know, sustain that drive and put points on the board, obviously shorten the game and, and gave us, uh, you know, no opportunity to win.

Uh, but we went down there to win the game and we didn't accomplish that mission, uh, So now it's back to work this week and excited to get into Big Ten play.

But what specifically led to him? seeing the field a lot more often against a pretty tough opponent.

So important in this team, Coach, that's got 50 new faces for the young guys stepping up, and they surely are.

Yeah, no doubt.

We need everybody.

And that's been the theme since I got here is everybody's going to be eligible now with the new five-year rule.

So earn your opportunities through the way you work, your attitude, and then how you practice.

And, you know, you mentioned Jaden Savery.

He's been outstanding since the moment we got here.

Sir, let's just go down there and play, shall we?

So important in this team, Coach, that's got 50 new faces for the young guys stepping up, and they surely are.

Yeah, no doubt.

We need everybody.

And that's been the theme since I got here is everybody's going to be eligible now with the new five-year rule.

So earn your opportunities through the way you work, your attitude, and then how you practice.

And, you know, you mentioned Jaden Savery.

He's been outstanding since the moment we got here.

Sir, let's just go down there and play, shall we?

That's the trust factor you get with Graf of Okemos.

Thanks everybody for being here.

Greatly appreciate you taking the time.

Again, wanted to start with a huge thank you to our students and to our fans.

To start off the first two games of the homestand and the season packing Spartan Stadium was just an absolutely outstanding atmosphere.

We had a bunch of recruits there and that was the first thing they talked about was the atmosphere.

So provided a huge boost for our players and our program and just really appreciative.

But how have you felt, I guess, about the return on investment in that phase of the game? And when you're playing a team that's so highly regarded, how much more emphasis is there on winning on the margins?

Talk about that and the ride to Spartan Stadium Friday, Coach.

Yeah, it was great.

Yeah.

I would have liked an 11 AM kickoff instead of an eight.

Uh, so it was a long day for all of us, but, uh, yeah, no going from, uh, the Scandalaris football center over, uh, to the Kellogg center, uh, and then starting the Spartan walk was, uh, was absolutely surreal.

Just so thankful for the Spartan nation.

Uh, the building was electric and, uh, what a great way to start with a win.

jumping

Uh, there was absolutely no panic by the Spartan home team, was there?

Yeah, no. Yeah, absolutely not.

And, you know, the game shouldn't have been that close.

We go five for five in scoring drives, you know, in the first, first half.

But, you know, with, you know, four of those being field goals, you know, it's a completely different conversation that we're having here this morning if we just finished our drives offensively.

You know, from an identity standpoint, I agree.

I, I think it's a little too early to tell.

Right

That's the trust factor you get with Graf of Okemos.

Just want to, again, reiterate just how electric the atmosphere was in Spartan Stadium on Friday night.

Thank our students.

And they were in the building early.

And to start the year off that way was awesome.

The fans were incredible.

On the Spartan walk, the band, as always, is just absolutely spectacular.

I'm curious for you as a Big Ten coach's perspective, I don't know how much of it you've watched, What have you seen from the MAAC teams, and obviously with another MAAC team on the schedule here this Saturday, what have you seen from them and why this has kind of been a trend, I think, earlier on in

But by all accounts, sir, you are good to go.

Yeah, for sure.

Yeah.

You know, this this journey started, you know, for me personally in December, but really, you know, for our entire program in January.

And, you know, our guys have done a really good job of building relationships and and being really intentional with that process.

You know, the amount of time they spent together.

We put them in Case Hall during camp for a week, and the guys, you know, the seniors especially enjoyed it because they're never going to have to do it again.

And I think that is rather rare in campuses around the country, sir.

First and foremost, thanks everybody for being here.

Literally just got off the practice field.

So thanks for taking the time and excited to get everything started here with the opener against Toledo.

Exciting time for everybody.

You can just feel the energy on campus.

It's been fun to see the way our volleyball team has started the season, field hockey, men's and women's soccer.

And just how much is different, maybe the same? Or are you even processing any of that?

Yeah, I haven't thought a lot about that.

They're making friends.

Just wanted to start by inviting, uh, everybody out to, uh, all of our fans out to Meet the Spartans night, uh, here this Wednesday.

It's gonna be from 4:00 to 6:00 in Spartan Stadium.

Uh, the event's free.

It's a great time for the community, and have all of our little fans and, and big fans come out [chuckles] and interact with our guys and, and, and the team.

So our team will be signing, uh, autographs, and, uh, there'll be activities around the concourses.

So know it's gonna be a great event, so look forward to meeting everybody in the greater Spartan Nation community here, uh, in the greater East Lansing area, and look forward to seeing everybody Wednesday between 4:00 and 6:00.

... as opposed to knowing he's going to be there.

I was wondering what you-- the value you see in former leaders of this program being able to still have a voice?

Yeah.

I'll, I'll start with Coach Manny.

I mean, I've, I've had the utmost respect for him and the job that he did here.

Uh, he had a great connection with our strength staff at Northwestern and, um, you know, it, it was funny, he'd always come talk to me pre-game, and I thought he was distracting me.

[laughs] I thought it was like a really good Jedi mind trick telling me how much he appreciated and respected us, and then, uh, try to butter us up a little bit, and then after the game, he would do the same thing.

I'm joking, obviously, but...

What's that been like for you?

They're making friends.

First of all, thank you so much for being here this morning, uh, for practice and then, you know, covering our team as we embark on the '26-'27 season.

Uh, it was great to be back on the field with the guys.

Uh, JoEl Welsh and his staff did an absolutely terrific job getting our guys ready to go for today.

Uh, you know, and that's kind of what the summer's all about.

It's not only about preparing the guys, you know, for, for the whole season, but, you know, most importantly from a health and safety standpoint of getting them the right amount of volume, high intensity and things over the summer.

And JoEl and his staff did a terrific job, but as always in summer work, the credit goes to the players and, uh, their commitment to improvement, their commitment to getting in, in great shape, uh, wa- was very evident, uh, today as things started off.

Um, is there anything that you're learning about kind of taking over a program that-

Right

... you know, who's really making the decisions? Because, you know, if you took football out of kind of the ecosystem of college athletics and put it over on the side, kind of all looks the same, right? And this football thing is very different.

Now we get plugged into it, and that's why everything can't get finalized and changed, because no other sport looks and acts like us.

Nothing else generates the revenue, the fans.

So the, the list goes on and on.

Doesn't mean we're better, it just is.

And so, uh, before we start talking about what this should be or that should be, someone's gotta be in charge.

Like, who are some of the guys that our audience at home should know and really be excited about?

And do we not have that anymore, Pat? Is that it?

No, no, because once it left the hands of the Department of Land, it came known as Queerty.

Well, they siphoned all of us out gradually, so they did.

And never, not to be replaced.

So at the moment now, I'd say they have no workman actually to do anything in the wood now for themselves.

And who did...

And you have one fella covered in maybe clay or flannel carriage just driving around in a van just seeing what's to be done here and there timber-wise.

Yeah, do you think we need to look at the whole thing again in terms of how this is managed?

Haven't lost a game yet.

No, right.

So, um, you know what? I, I and we collectively have to back that up.

We've gotta continue to instill that in our guys.

It's the way we've gotta pl- perform and play.

And that's what this group is all about.

That's why all these guys are back.

Yeah, yeah.