Darius Snow will join Coach Tucker later in the show:

A short feature on Jayden Reed, and some insight on his feelings for Thorne's dad:

Usually this time of year guys are on the ice for captains practices. Would love to swing by lunchtime if they guys were skating. Anyone know if they are ?

Looks like he is getting another chance - claimed by the Giants.

2024 MSU commit Nick Marsh moved up one spot to No. 41 in today's updated rankings.

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Full rankings below:

Don't know if anybody got this one but MSU has added a verbal commitment from Austin Oravetz, a 5-9, 170-pound defenseman from Canonsburg, Pa.

He'll be 19 on Sept. 26. so he's a 2003

Has played for USHL's Dubuque and is now with Green Bay.

Numbers indicate he's an offensive D-man with 45 and 53 points with his U-16 team.

Shot by Dane Robison:

In one of the previous posts inspired me to share this: I've been chatting with Mark Dantonio and Lynn Henning in recent weeks. Expect a comprehensive piece in the Detroit News sometime before the WMU game. The premise of the story could focus on what Mark Dantonio accomplished to put Mel Tucker in position to advance the game/program/Spartan status.

It's really hard to build a top ten football program - particularly if you are not Alabama, Ohio State, Notre Dame et al. Let's face it, Mark Dantonio inherited a program deep in the ditch. It's really, really hard to transform such a beleaguered program into a top 10 power - especially when our track record was not that stellar coming off the mid-1960s glory years.

Saban had potential. Then he bolted. I thought Bobby Williams was the guy. I was wrong. Bobby simply was not ready for prime time. John L. Smith was a disaster....a total mismatch for MSU and the Big Ten.

We ended up in a deeper ditch. So Mark Dantonio came in.....it could not have been easy to recruit top talent to MSU given what happened after Saban left. But....Dantonio not only pulled the program out of the ditch, he
coached the Spartans to a helluva lot more wins over michigan than what we could have expected. And he coached the Spartans into the national playoff round with back to back top 10 finishes.

He put MSU back into the national spotlight. (True, recruiting should have soared with all the national attentional and acclaim. It did not - but that's another issue)

It sure was easier for Mel Tucker to pick up the pieces and build a more sustainable program given where Mark Dantonio had taken us. That's one of the storylines in the upcoming feature/retrospective.

Borrowing from a Spartan friend....."It Ain't Easy Being Green"

Duffy probably stayed past his prime....Denny Stolz was a good successor - but Woody Hayes blew the whistle on some chicken-crap stuff - and he had enough stroke to put the Spartans in the penalty box. The consequences infllicted pain and set us back. Rogers had potential but didn't hang around.

George Perles should have been the next hire. Not Muddy Waters, as good a guy and Spartan legacy as he was.
Perles then finally got his opportunity. But Perles simply invited too many distractions along the way.....and he could not sustain. Then Saban....potential, for sure. But he moved out too soon.

Mel Tucker seems to be the perfect coach to build on what Mark Dantonio restored - and to keep MSU in the top ten. He understands recruiting. Recruiting is like mother's milk when it comes to developing and sustaining a top tier program. He is unrelenting and taking the Spartans national.

The Big Ten conference expansion is taking us national - and the new TV deal will take us from coast to coast across all time zones and reaching 4 of the top 5 TV markets - with the 6th (San Francisco area) a possibility if the Big Ten conference expands in the out-years.

MSU deserves to play in the land of giants considering our history in the 1950s and 1960s.

We've had enough sleep

COMMITS​

Friday, August 19

3⭐ OT Stanton Ramil
Thompson (AL) Vs. Buford (GA) | 5:00pm ET

4⭐ OL Clay Wedin
Carrollwood Day (FL) at Calvary Christian Academy (FL) | 7:00pm ET

3⭐ CB Eddie Pleasant
Carrollwood Day (FL) at Calvary Christian Academy (FL) | 7:00pm ET

4⭐ LB Jordan Hall
IMG Academy (FL) at Venice (FL) | 7:00pm ET

4⭐ WR Demetrius Bell
McGavock (TN) at Clarksville (TN) | 8:00pm ET

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NOTABLE 2023 RECRUITS​

Friday, August 19

4⭐ Edge Jayden Wayne
IMG Academy (FL) at Venice (FL) | 7:00pm ET

4⭐ DL Tomarrion Parker
Phenix City Central (AL) vs. Hewitt-Trussville (AL) | 8:00pm ET

3⭐ OT Taliafi Taala
Alta (UT) at Westlake (UT) | 9:00pm ET

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NOTABLE 2024 RECRUITS​

Friday, August 19

4⭐ DL KingJoseph Edwards
Buford (GA) vs. Thompson (AL) | 5:00pm ET

4⭐ ATH KJ Bolden
Buford (GA) vs. Thompson (AL) | 5:00pm ET

4⭐ DT David Stone
IMG Academy (FL) at Venice (FL) | 7:00pm ET

4⭐ DB Charles Lester III
Riverview (FL) vs. Tampa Bay Tech | 7:00pm ET

4⭐ OL Ben Roebuck
St. Edwards (OH) vs, Central Catholic (OH) | 7:00pm ET

3⭐ OL Deontae Armstrong
St. Edwards (OH) vs, Central Catholic (OH) | 7:00pm ET

3⭐ OL Devontae Armstrong
St. Edwards (OH) vs, Central Catholic (OH) | 7:00pm ET

4⭐ OL Luke Hamilton
Avon (OH) vs. Stratford (SC) | 7:00pm ET

4⭐ RB Anthony Carrie
Carrollwood Day (FL) at Calvary Christian Academy (FL) | 7:00pm ET

4⭐ QB Jake Merklinger
Calvary Day (GA) at Islands (GA) | 7:30pm ET

4⭐ ATH Boo Carter
Chattanooga Christian (TN) at McCallie (TN) | 7:30pm ET


Saturday August 20

4⭐ DB Zion Ferguson
Grayson (GA) vs. Marietta (GA) | 7:00pm ET

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I will post livestreams. clips, and more in this thread as I see them. If anyone knows the time of the IMG vs. Venice game, I can't seem to find it listed anywhere, post it below please.

From Landmark, Manitoba. 72pts in 42 games last season. Headed to SJHL next season.

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I wish one of you “in the know” would do us all a big favor and publish/pin a Hockey Big Board at the top like is done for football. Following hockey recruiting feels like a crap shoot….and you never know exactly when someone is coming in…or who may be leaving. If possible, give us a list of those players committed, those being recruited…and probable year they arrive. I personally would find that invaluable. Thanks.

Don't shoot the messenger... here are the new offensive position rankings:

- Brennan Parachek moved up two spots from No. 23 to No. 21 in the tight end rankings.

- Stanton Ramil, Demetrius Bell, and Cole Dellinger maintained their position rankings.

- Clay Wedin went from No. 11 to No. 13 OT... Though he should be ranked as an OG.

- Bo Edmundson went from No. 15 to No. 17 QB.

- Kedrick Reescano went from No. 5 RB to No. 10 RB.

- Johnathan Slack went from No. 23 to No. 28 OG.

I asked for one thing to happen somewhat early on - recruiting momentum/splashes.

This staff is doing that early on.

For the first time in a long time it feels like the program has positive momentum.....

The process begins to separate those who the staff think can fill the positions. Hopefully no injuries.