Season 2, Episode 6 feat. Brett Walker, Jacinto Gaspar, Eleanor Towe, and Frank Bonner II

[00:00:07] [SPEAKER_06]: Thanks for tuning in to another episode of the Blue Raider Podcast hosted by Jake Bolden, and presented by the Concec group General Contracting and Mighty Dog Reefing.

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[00:00:40] [SPEAKER_06]: Welcome back into the Blue Raider Podcast. I'm your host, Jake Bolden, and today we've got so much Blue Raider Action for you.

[00:00:47] [SPEAKER_06]: I've got Brett Walker, Sports Editor for the M2 Issue sidelines of what we're going to be talking about the M2 Issue, football match up this past weekend against Duke, as well as highlighting a little bit of women's basketball and their recruiting news that hit the conference you would say by storm

[00:01:00] [SPEAKER_06]: and really, you can see it up late as a whole this last week. And then we will have some interviews, player interviews with our cross-country stars, just into guests bar and Eleanor Towe, both talking about their midseason as we get closer to their conference USA Championship in November.

[00:01:15] [SPEAKER_06]: And then lastly, as always we will go behind enemy lines and talk with Frank Bonner the second as he is a beatwriter for the Memphis Tigers at the Daily Mimpian.

[00:01:24] [SPEAKER_06]: So again, Action Pack episode for you this week. I'm extremely excited to bring all that to you. But first before we get going, as always, I'd like to thank our sponsors.

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[00:03:05] [SPEAKER_06]: Thanks again to Mighty Dog Roofing as well as the Consecor Group for sponsoring the Blu-Rater podcast.

[00:03:11] [SPEAKER_06]: Now it is time to get into our past weekend and I'm excited to introduce our first guest of the day. He is the MTSU sideline sports editor.

[00:03:21] [SPEAKER_06]: It is Brett Walker, Brett, how's it going man?

[00:03:25] [SPEAKER_06]: I'm going to do a great job. Thanks for having me on tonight.

[00:03:27] [SPEAKER_06]: Absolutely, and so much to talk about, and as always with these episodes, I'd love to Google head and break down Mason's post game presser.

[00:03:36] [SPEAKER_06]: And we'll just hear from his opening statement from the loss this past weekend.

[00:03:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Tonight, but a good gameplay by Duke. I thought they were physical, they ran to the ball.

[00:03:49] [SPEAKER_00]: They were able to cause total of five turnovers on the day and that's a lot of turnovers when you look at it.

[00:03:57] [SPEAKER_00]: Five or actually three fumbles, one interception.

[00:04:02] [SPEAKER_00]: I thought they were the aggressor. I thought they did a good job again of slowing down or actually speeding up our quarterback like tonight.

[00:04:14] [SPEAKER_00]: I thought we ran the ball well. It was good to see the momentum of us coming out scoring.

[00:04:19] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay, man, but we found ourselves giving it right back with a busted coverage on our second play of the game defensively.

[00:04:27] [SPEAKER_00]: We have to keep fighting through the errors. There's going to be some errors, but for us, we have to minimize these things and as I look at the penalties, you know, six for 55.

[00:04:38] [SPEAKER_00]: You know, guys are playing hard, but we just need to play smarter.

[00:04:41] [SPEAKER_00]: But there were some progress tonight, and what I told our guys in the locker room was, we have to make sure for us that we grab to get better.

[00:04:50] [SPEAKER_00]: I looked at this team play and you know, you take the turnovers out of it and I think it's a different ball game.

[00:04:57] [SPEAKER_00]: You know, in terms of how you're competing and what it feels like, but you don't, okay, like you don't get a chance to.

[00:05:04] [SPEAKER_00]: So what we have to do is eliminate the mistakes, eliminate the errors, and keep pushing forward because the breakthroughs are going to come.

[00:05:13] [SPEAKER_00]: I believe that and I want these guys to continue to believe that they do.

[00:05:18] [SPEAKER_00]: I saw that in their eyes in the locker room, are they low frustrated? Absolutely.

[00:05:24] [SPEAKER_00]: But you know, you sort of keep it you kill in this, you sort of give what you are okay.

[00:05:28] [SPEAKER_00]: And we haven't done enough to earn enough right now to make to make these things sort of go away.

[00:05:34] [SPEAKER_00]: So we're just going to continue to play continue to keep pushing the envelope and what we'll do again is see if we can protect our quarterback.

[00:05:42] [SPEAKER_00]: Along with running the football.

[00:05:45] [SPEAKER_00]: Let's see if we can make sure that we defend a blade of grass because if you can do that and hold some teams to some field goals, games get tighter.

[00:05:54] [SPEAKER_06]: All right, Brett. Well, there was coach Mason.

[00:05:57] [SPEAKER_06]: A lot was said there and there's for me, the one thing that I can kind of sum up this last weekend's game and we had the same sensation on last Saturday when they lost a Western Kentucky is the early turnovers.

[00:06:11] [SPEAKER_06]: Take you out of the opportunity to compete late in the game and last week it wasn't the turnovers.

[00:06:17] [SPEAKER_06]: Well, one of them was a turnover but it was the inability to execute in the red zone this week. It's the turnovers. My biggest my biggest contention with this team is it doesn't seem like it's necessarily the same problem every week.

[00:06:27] [SPEAKER_06]: Now we have our same problems every week, but we just keep making stupid mistakes whether it's execution and sometimes it may even be personal that's putting us in those situations.

[00:06:36] [SPEAKER_06]: But we take ourselves out in the first quarter and the competitiveness of the game is evaporated before even get to have time.

[00:06:44] [SPEAKER_05]: Absolutely, Jake. I mean, it's like you talk about self-inflicted loans will drive a head coach crazy.

[00:06:50] [SPEAKER_05]: And that is just what they've been doing. It seems like every week weekend, week out. Unfortunately, you go back to Western Kentucky because Tennessee Tech.

[00:06:59] [SPEAKER_05]: Obviously, one Ole Miss was Ole Miss but then Western Kentucky was the first game where you really kind of thought you might be able to finally see what this team is all about and they took themselves out of it.

[00:07:11] [SPEAKER_05]: I mean, you have two red zone possessions inside the tin yard line in one case inside six inch yard line and you're not not able to even get a feel goal out of either of those possessions because you had the first red zone position where your dad's six inch line.

[00:07:29] [SPEAKER_05]: Four straight plays, three of them run plays. One of them was a fumble obviously in the head to Paul on top of it.

[00:07:37] [SPEAKER_05]: And that just takes you out when you can't and it's like bursting above or whatever you can't get in from the six inch line. That's what after that game.

[00:07:46] [SPEAKER_05]: That's what the quarterback Nick Badiado talked about. He says, you know, it's it's deflating whenever you can't get six inches.

[00:07:54] [SPEAKER_05]: You know, you feel like you shouldn't even be out there. So it's deflating for the team but then they rebounded against Western and they got the ball back in that exact same position later on and then we're unable to score again.

[00:08:07] [SPEAKER_05]: So I think it's you can't be understated how deflating that is and then they finally, they didn't have that problem.

[00:08:16] [SPEAKER_05]: I think they were about to correct two for two in the red zone against Duke on Saturday, but you have the opposite problem. You're in the opposite red zone trying to get out of the deep part of minus territory and you can't because you keep fumble on inside the 25.

[00:08:32] [SPEAKER_05]: So it's unfortunate to see that because I like to a lot of what they did on Saturday in the run game, but they just took themselves out of it early with those self-replicative wounds once again. And so I hated to see that.

[00:08:49] [SPEAKER_06]: Yeah, when I was prepping for this, just as I told you we sat together there in the press conference room and motions for me as a big and tissue fan or run a little high.

[00:08:59] [SPEAKER_06]: Because I want this team to be competitive weekend and we got and there just haven't quite been there these first two weeks. And again anticipating we'd be one and three in this situation.

[00:09:10] [SPEAKER_06]: I thought how we'd be one and three was just a little bit different like, you know the Tennessee tag game I keep going back four weeks, but you'd like to thank you be a little bit more competitive in that game.

[00:09:19] [SPEAKER_06]: Oh, Mrs. Ole Miss, I actually don't think we fared too awfully bad at Ole Miss. I thought they often said some good things.

[00:09:24] [SPEAKER_06]: We got put in situations where you have to go forward and forth down, latent the game just to make the score seem a little bit more respectable. So I'm not that's if there was any game I actually feel better about and might even be the Ole Miss game.

[00:09:35] [SPEAKER_06]: But the second half that you have with Duke actually, you know, you come out from that randalay and you play really well. You score on that first drive. Unfortunately, you really push a scoring draft for Duke as well.

[00:09:46] [SPEAKER_06]: But again, to the back to the competitiveness, it's just it's not there and maybe in those situations where you come out of those delays you play well because the other teams maybe not not all there. So it's even that even that's hard to gauge if that's actually truly empty issue doing well or you're just in your victim of your circumstances because of all these delays whatever it may be.

[00:10:06] [SPEAKER_06]: But I want to talk a little bit now. I wrote down the notes. I have it as the good, the bad and the ugly. And some of the good if we have to take away from this week and there is some good.

[00:10:17] [SPEAKER_06]: We ran, you know, we ran the ball for 160 yards you may give the naysayers will say, well, most of it came on two plays which you have you have a point.

[00:10:25] [SPEAKER_06]: But you still ran the ball with some level of effectiveness against a relatively good Duke front and then on the other side of the ball defensively. You hold that you hold Duke to 340 yards of offense. And again, a naysayer rightfully so we'll say well because they started majority of their scoring drives inside the red zone and have to go very far which again those are viable options and then my last third good point is your third down defense was good. You're one of the worst team going into Saturday the worst team the worst team in the country and third down team.

[00:10:56] [SPEAKER_06]: You come out you're 130 third now because you went 3 for 10 against Duke. So you held them to 7 the 7 times either at a kick of field goal or they had to punt the football which is again that's that's good. That's moving in the right direction those parts. So with those three things in mind, again I feel good that we had something positive to talk about on Saturday.

[00:11:17] [SPEAKER_05]: Yeah, absolutely. The main thing was offensively for me was the run game because I don't know I'll be honest with you. I don't know about ever in my life it team that pass blocks better than they run block consistently.

[00:11:33] [SPEAKER_05]: It's typically not typically it's easier run run blocking offensive one. Min will tell you that but on Saturday it seemed to me from the press box that they finally started to get some things together.

[00:11:47] [SPEAKER_05]: I mean they had the big run from cradle to start the game and even although you don't you don't want to highlight this but even on the place that they fumbled it. They weren't you know getting stuffed in the backfields and family.

[00:12:00] [SPEAKER_05]: They always were getting positive gains. I mean they had Terry had kind of a rough game on Saturday but even he was getting some good yardage on those on those plays. So I really like what they did in the run game because for that passing offense to have any sort of success.

[00:12:17] [SPEAKER_05]: Down the road they're going to have to set it up for the run. I mean you can't line up and have the defense already keyed in on what you're going to be able to do if you can't run the ball that makes you nick body out of the entire rest of the offense. It makes their job so much harder we can't run it and then you talked about.

[00:12:36] [SPEAKER_05]: You talked about the defense. I thought the defense given the situations the very bad situations that were put in on Saturday. I think I thought they played probably one of their best games of the season other than the first half against Tennessee Tech that was probably their best performance of the season.

[00:12:57] [SPEAKER_05]: Objectively because they you know I didn't feel like they missed is I feel like they tackled better which is something I couldn't say against Western Kentucky. I didn't feel like the open field missed tackles were as bad.

[00:13:11] [SPEAKER_05]: And also I mean we were back against the wall there's not a whole lot you know you can do when you the sudden change coaches will talk about it all the time sudden change for your defense it makes it so hard.

[00:13:22] [SPEAKER_05]: Just to do anything in that aspect and you said they obviously that was the lowest cards. They've allowed this year in the passing game. So I think it speaks to your development as the season goes along that you allow less passing arms to power for Duke than you did against the tech with a back and quarterback.

[00:13:42] [SPEAKER_05]: Like you said you know as an ace a year's author will say well they didn't have to go very far but I mean you play in the situations that the game puts you in and I feel like in those situations for what they had to do with they played. Significantly better than I've seen them play thus far this season.

[00:13:59] [SPEAKER_06]: Yeah I agree and going into the storyline at least I thought was how is him to issue you gonna be able to contain Jordan Moore and Eli Pancol and I don't have the stats in front of me but they were a non-factor it was unfortunately it was a tight end that we had to be game for Duke but again like.

[00:14:15] [SPEAKER_06]: You know it would appear that the film study is there the guys are making the serial adjustments to be competitive in that regard.

[00:14:22] [SPEAKER_05]: Absolutely I mean it's like you talked about what you look at the Duke receiving room and when one of them is averaging 100 yards a game and he was limited to.

[00:14:33] [SPEAKER_05]: I have the stats on me. See if I can find it on here. I mean yeah he just a non-factor hero in the stat sheet so that's good that's positive.

[00:14:45] [SPEAKER_05]: Unfortunately like you said they got gashed by that tight end but it shows that you know the knowledge is there they know what they're supposed to be there's a game plan and place.

[00:14:56] [SPEAKER_05]: It's just I feel like they those poor situations that they were put in they just never really had an opportunity to recover because I feel like in the second half whenever the offense start starting to fall over they actually very pretty well.

[00:15:10] [SPEAKER_06]: I agree and we'll move now from we're talking a good let's get back into the bad and there's a lot to really discuss there but there was a few key takeaways from this last week that I thought were vital for us to kind of talk about was was we talked about the offense the passing yards.

[00:15:28] [SPEAKER_06]: Only 120 seven is the fewest that they've had this entire season if you take away the sacks they often still at a 50 50 play calling 35 passing plays you got 34 rushing plays so by just the way the game moves you should be throwing your yardage should be higher in the passing in it should be in the running game.

[00:15:48] [SPEAKER_06]: But I think a lot of that comes from the offensive line that continues to shuffle around we're still dealing with injuries that as you already touched on.

[00:15:55] [SPEAKER_06]: The pass protection it just it just limits the ability to throw down field because of all the shuffling and again maybe I don't know if it's the fact that some of these guys are having to figure out whether playing Mateo we saw him roll over its center a little bit.

[00:16:07] [SPEAKER_06]: He also moved at guard and you also have Simon Wilson who's doing the same thing you know Ellis Adams you got Ethan Ellis both of them have been rotating through because of the lack of play that they've had.

[00:16:17] [SPEAKER_06]: There are early on in the season so a lot of guys are still feeling themselves through and then we saw Marcus Miller on the sideline this last weekend on crushes so it's going to continue to shuffle it's not going to get any better.

[00:16:28] [SPEAKER_06]: But you got to find your we got to find a way to get some success in the passing game and I think a lot of that's to do with doing better in the run game and with all this shuffling the run game looked good maybe they kind of figure out how to line up is going to fit together as we closer to conference play to see that that continue to progress and then.

[00:16:45] [SPEAKER_06]: My last note on the bad is the quarterback pressure just isn't enough and really I want to throw this into the ugly category, but I could see where you make the argument that.

[00:16:55] [SPEAKER_06]: The numbers aren't there because you've played Ole Miss you played Western and Tepu as one of the better offensive lines in the conference and then you've played Duke who I thought do going in might be the worst offensive line will play this year and if if the if our run deep in does any indication of that that's probably true.

[00:17:11] [SPEAKER_06]: But on the past protection side we weren't able to get to the quarterback we weren't we've had just two quarterback hits on Saturday and you get total of the last three weeks against Ole Miss Western and Duke we have four hits on the quarterback in total.

[00:17:23] [SPEAKER_06]: That's just not going to get the job done it's not going to allow you to be competitive when you get into conference play because as we've seen especially attack at Ole Miss is if they have a mobile quarterback this team doesn't really have a chance like you have to be.

[00:17:37] [SPEAKER_06]: Getting to the quarterback you have to you can't allow him to break and say you have to make him make quick decisions and if we're not if we're not pressuring him enough they don't have to make this quick decisions he's he's allowed to escape the pocket with these he's allowed to get five yards down field it's it's making life harder for the deep for the DBs who we've said all along.

[00:17:55] [SPEAKER_06]: Have it issues covering and it's hard to it's hard to defend a guy for five six seconds because you're not getting that pressure necessary so.

[00:18:03] [SPEAKER_06]: And and I'll go and throw the ugly in you know we touched on it already the two games first quarter you're taking yourself out of it.

[00:18:10] [SPEAKER_06]: I think if you're going to admit this this week you've got to think let's let's just stay in it at least a half time I think that would be that would be a win itself if you were within two touchdowns by halftime you're still in the ballgame and up to this point we haven't had that yet so.

[00:18:23] [SPEAKER_06]: I know that was a long wind in way of talking about all the bags are so much more I could really break down but Brett and you've talked you touched on it to yourself but tell me.

[00:18:31] [SPEAKER_06]: I mean when you talk about a few of those objectives passing games not there the quarterback hits aren't there the pressure is not there.

[00:18:39] [SPEAKER_06]: Are those reasons for concern and moving into now we have him again, but really the conference play.

[00:18:45] [SPEAKER_05]: Yeah, I think the the lack of a past rush is pretty it's pretty concerning to me because.

[00:18:50] [SPEAKER_05]: You know you walk out of the stadium and the players walk out of off the field and I don't think that's spotted a turf pill it on malik Murphy's jersey.

[00:19:00] [SPEAKER_05]: Or even any bit of blue paint from the field at all so.

[00:19:04] [SPEAKER_05]: The I don't think just you know it's like you said you know you can't compete whenever you're not even laying a hand on their quarterback and then you on the flip side you've got bodyado hit in the dirt consistently I mean he was slow to get up.

[00:19:18] [SPEAKER_05]: And that's that's another thing if you wanted to put that in the bad category he's getting roughed up a lot.

[00:19:24] [SPEAKER_05]: It seems like early on in this season.

[00:19:28] [SPEAKER_05]: Even come out at one time in which of course he went back in after they checked him out but so that's something concerning to is you're not hitting their quarterback and they're hitting yours so that doesn't that doesn't vote well for you know foot this is you think 12 games isn't a lot but.

[00:19:44] [SPEAKER_05]: It is.

[00:19:46] [SPEAKER_05]: And it wears on them it wears on the players you know you're a.

[00:19:52] [SPEAKER_05]: A third of the way through the season now but.

[00:19:55] [SPEAKER_05]: You've already got so many injuries everywhere else whether it be offensive lines specifically and then now you know you just got to keep your guys upright and.

[00:20:05] [SPEAKER_05]: And that's something that they're going to have to keep in on and you talked about the past game a little bit not having.

[00:20:12] [SPEAKER_05]: Not having the success that they had in the last couple weeks I did like.

[00:20:17] [SPEAKER_05]: Previously against Western and then in the end towards the end of the game against Tennessee tech I think Nick and a Mari Kelly are starting to maybe get it figured out a little bit.

[00:20:28] [SPEAKER_05]: But obviously that just wasn't there Saturday.

[00:20:32] [SPEAKER_05]: And of course Nick and hold and they had a few nice connections holding the wheel us but I would like to see more involvement.

[00:20:41] [SPEAKER_05]: Just depth wise from the library's silver room I think the Mari on Carter at miles Butler or two guys that can really contribute.

[00:20:48] [SPEAKER_05]: I think I think the talents there obviously I think that's just something that's going to take a little bit of time.

[00:20:56] [SPEAKER_05]: To kind of develop and then also you just talked about.

[00:21:02] [SPEAKER_05]: Not being you talk about not being able to hit the quarterback and I think that's just that's one of those things where if you're not if they're if you have.

[00:21:14] [SPEAKER_05]: You give a quarter back six seven seconds to throw the ball your DBs who like you said are already kind of a weak spot at this point in time.

[00:21:23] [SPEAKER_05]: Whenever you give them five six seconds throw the ball they're not going to have a chance so.

[00:21:28] [SPEAKER_05]: In order to give them a better chance you got to start getting back there at least some maybe once or twice a game and you don't even have to sack them you just have to get up in their face and make them feel the heat so they're not having you know.

[00:21:39] [SPEAKER_05]: That's like the week previous became built camp had the cleanest pocket one of the cleanest pockets I've ever seen and he's just he's a talented guy to where if he has a clean pocket he's going to sit back there and rip him right far I mean and that's what he did so.

[00:21:55] [SPEAKER_05]: Especially as they get into conference play that playing guys like cadence alter later on.

[00:22:02] [SPEAKER_05]: You're not going to be able to give them that much time are they're going to eat you up as the other quarterbacks have early on in season.

[00:22:08] [SPEAKER_06]: Yeah, I agree in the quarterback play has been exceptional I understand that you know Jackson Dard, Heisman favorite.

[00:22:15] [SPEAKER_06]: Cating Bill Camp as you touched on who really could be a starter in the league I think he's unfortunately had to sit behind TJ Finley unfortunately or not.

[00:22:22] [SPEAKER_06]: I think he's going to be in quite the typical Austin Reed Bailey's happy that we see it less or Kentucky he's going to be there for a while so.

[00:22:31] [SPEAKER_06]: I don't look forward to seeing these other mobile quarterbacks like one that I think of as key on Jenkins at FIU.

[00:22:38] [SPEAKER_06]: It's going to reach some had it for you so.

[00:22:45] [SPEAKER_06]: I throw this question back at you so we wrap up football here what would be considered a good effort on on Memphis on Saturday.

[00:22:52] [SPEAKER_05]: Yeah, I'm glad you brought that back up for me it's play all four quarters.

[00:22:58] [SPEAKER_05]: I talked about it in the pre game show that I want Blue Raider extra point my middle Tennessee news on Saturday one of my keys to success for MT on Saturday was to play all four quarters because to this point they have not they have not put together complete performance in any facet.

[00:23:16] [SPEAKER_05]: Tennessee tech they played a great quarter and a half and then Ole Miss is Ole Miss and then Western you know they played a good second half and then Duke they had some you know some spotty is played good early on play good in third quarter but I've just yet to put together complete performance and that is just.

[00:23:38] [SPEAKER_05]: Just heartening because it's you're sitting up there whether you're in the stands or whether you're in the press box you see what can be and then you see what is.

[00:23:46] [SPEAKER_05]: And what it is is a team that just hasn't been able to put it all together yet and I think when they can.

[00:23:52] [SPEAKER_05]: It can be a pretty, you know, competent competitive football team but they just haven't yet.

[00:23:56] [SPEAKER_05]: And so I'd like to like you said see him hang with Memphis scare him a little bit Memphis is coming off of very heart breaking loss.

[00:24:04] [SPEAKER_05]: So they're going to be ticked off to say the least but I think it's like Coach Mason said in his post game presser and his opening statement you know.

[00:24:13] [SPEAKER_05]: Blue Raiders are ticked off to you know I think they they know what know what opportunities they may have missed and I think I think it's going to be a good game on Saturday.

[00:24:22] [SPEAKER_05]: I hope that M.T. comes out and maybe stun Smith fits a little bit early on and I just like to see him hang with them and just play a good complete game and maybe scare the tigers a little bit in the liberty ball on Saturday.

[00:24:36] [SPEAKER_06]: That'll be something we all have eyes on is you conclude your non-conference play you want to again be competitive have something to kind of hang your head on as you move into conference play you got that we can have break.

[00:24:46] [SPEAKER_06]: And then you go down to Rust and play with the tech who actually looks a lot better on paper than I had given them credit for so a lot coming down the pipe for them and the season kind of hangs in the balance for them but.

[00:24:57] [SPEAKER_06]: As I as I tease at the beginning we're going to shift our attention over to a program that really.

[00:25:02] [SPEAKER_06]: We know I have all the confidence in the world and they have continued to build that confidence in us with their signing class.

[00:25:09] [SPEAKER_06]: It was announced this last week two more signings that's Nicole Dominguez if you haven't already heard she's six foot 10 and that's not a typo she's six foot 10 inches tall she's a sinner from to I'm probably going to get this right but wrong but I think it's 10 or right Spain is where she's from.

[00:25:26] [SPEAKER_06]: But she's international at obviously she's a part of the U 17 Spain's Fibre World Cup team bronze winning only had six of you look at only had six and a half points per game six revenge per game.

[00:25:38] [SPEAKER_06]: But she's sitting behind OKK who is a W and the eight prospects. She's a little unfair when it comes to minutes plays she also was battling a little bit of a high ankle sprain.

[00:25:47] [SPEAKER_06]: And I'm a midst as she'd in play the whole world cup but I mean anyone who's six foot 10 is got to be competitive and we look at the film and if you haven't I encourage you to check out either my Twitter account, Applewator pod or go to bill middle dot com we have all the highlights there that we kind of put together from her game for games there at the people who took this last year.

[00:26:09] [SPEAKER_06]: But then I love about this signing in particular is one you have this question mark of what's going to happen when Boulder able leaves issues you graduated so you don't really have this dominating presence anymore quote unquote because after this you lose grandma you lose ball to rate but the only center that's truly on your loss true center that's on your roster is me, she may since you've got to have someone else in there to work with her and this is this is that pickup six foot 10 you did the job but when I watch.

[00:26:38] [SPEAKER_06]: film on her she's very headsie I like her IQ one thing about big players that always aggravates me and bread I'm sure if you've watched enough basketball you would agree your six foot 10 dribbling the ball that's a long way that basketball is got to go to the floor and back to your hands there's a lot of players shorter than you those hands are going to get that ball it makes it so easy and I love.

[00:26:57] [SPEAKER_06]: Nostia as much as the next person but when she first got here she kind of had that problem herself was.

[00:27:04] [SPEAKER_06]: She felt she had to dribble and make a move when I watch Nicole on tape she's very smart when she has the ball it's a turn it's a shot she's already doing that step through that we see.

[00:27:15] [SPEAKER_06]: Nostia do really well so it's like the pieces are there for her to be a great player and then when you.

[00:27:21] [SPEAKER_06]: You tee that up with the developmental abilities that the insults have in this coachy staff have with players that are six foot 10 we're historically a great program for bigs you fit her into our type program I think this girl has the ability to take the world my soul much like build a rave has these last two years.

[00:27:38] [SPEAKER_05]: Absolutely I mean you put that kind of size in any and you can put you could put her in the WNBA right now and she'd be just stagger over everybody else so it's just.

[00:27:50] [SPEAKER_05]: I think you mentioned it in the in the pre show notes that whenever she arrives here on campus she will be the tallest division one women's college basketball player and so you put that kind of presence on the court under the net.

[00:28:03] [SPEAKER_05]: That makes it very hard to stop and at the very least even if she's you know getting attacked by these smaller players that opens up the lanes for for foul shots and just.

[00:28:15] [SPEAKER_05]: You know makes it hard for anybody to defend even even teams that have those taller players to compete with that they don't like I said tallest will player in D one so nobody's going to have the kind of size to compete with that.

[00:28:30] [SPEAKER_06]: Absolutely and she comes from a five out system for those in our basketball minds that's basically like a spread offense in basketball terms they move quickly when she plays for Spain so she's not even really playing a system that fits her well.

[00:28:41] [SPEAKER_06]: But that does that does breed excellence for her because she knows how to move quickly which when when you again watching tape she gets up and down the floor she's not a typical like I'll make fun of Charles Bassie because he's a Western Kentucky guy.

[00:28:53] [SPEAKER_06]: But he was the tallest guy in D one when he was a Western Kentucky whatever was four or five years ago, but the kid can only play two minutes at a time because he couldn't get up and down the floor so.

[00:29:04] [SPEAKER_06]: I'm impressed with her and I don't want to I don't want to spend a lot of time on her for a lot of good reasons, but I don't want to shy away from the other sign he who's also a six foot force center.

[00:29:11] [SPEAKER_06]: Jenna McClendon she's from throughoutville, Christian Academy and Deedsville, Alabama just south of us here.

[00:29:17] [SPEAKER_06]: Someone that in my opinion slits under the radar when I watch film on her very high energy ball player with with her.

[00:29:26] [SPEAKER_06]: I like to put her as a player comp to Courtney Whitsin because someone something about Whitsin that a lot of people don't understand is her game doesn't necessarily translate to a stat.

[00:29:34] [SPEAKER_06]: She you know, Courtney will get her rebounds and Courtney will get her three pointers up and she'll make a good percentage of them Jenna doesn't have the three point look at Courtney Whitsin has but she has the energy about her she is going to get on the floor and make plays.

[00:29:48] [SPEAKER_06]: She's always gonna be a present she's very physical that's one thing I like to see out of a six four girl I don't know how she's looked under the radar.

[00:29:53] [SPEAKER_06]: But I think when we see what Jenna becomes in a few years off of this ACL surgery and see how our senior season goes this year.

[00:30:00] [SPEAKER_06]: I think I think she's going to be a steel for this class and this class in general, I think we have a lot of great scientists but she could she could potentially be a steel.

[00:30:08] [SPEAKER_05]: And you talk about you compare there to Courtney who is now in a assistant coaching role for the blue Raiders, and I think that's just so important that whenever Jenna gets here she can learn from someone who's similar to her archetype right?

[00:30:20] [SPEAKER_05]: Who's been there who's had that same kind of high energy that she has.

[00:30:26] [SPEAKER_05]: So I think that's so important for her to be able to kind of feed off her and just learn from her wealth of experience here as a bullet writer and

[00:30:35] [SPEAKER_05]: high energy if it's with the program. I mean this is a high energy program,

[00:30:40] [SPEAKER_05]: a very proud program that the insoles of milk here in middle to the sea so

[00:30:46] [SPEAKER_05]: excited to see what she can bring. You said come in off an ACL injury so

[00:30:51] [SPEAKER_05]: you know hoping obviously everything healing wise gets good with that and excited to see what she can bring to the table and she gets here in Murphy's bro.

[00:30:58] [SPEAKER_06]: Yeah pure speculation on my part I don't reach out to Jen or anything but it looks like she's going to be playing her senior season.

[00:31:03] [SPEAKER_06]: So that's always good to kind of get your feet underneath as well as you get back into college because you know you want to show up in shape and that's always something that's

[00:31:10] [SPEAKER_06]: that can hinder you when you have ACL is you kind of tend to fall out of shape for nine, 10 months whatever that we have is.

[00:31:17] [SPEAKER_06]: So highlighting that that class 20 25 class so all these girls will not be here until next season but you got Carson Swaney the first commit five 11 point guard from Maribble to the sea. She goes to Heritage High School

[00:31:28] [SPEAKER_06]: May see five for the five 11 small forward in Go Mar and Mississippi now that's one of the big big signings that made some noise.

[00:31:36] [SPEAKER_06]: Mississippi gave her player the year as well as a miss basketball winner and then you got Blair bogus who's from Wayne County small school here another one that probably gets overlooked because of the school that she goes to but.

[00:31:47] [SPEAKER_06]: She's a miss basketball winner and actually beat out current Lady Raider Savannah Davis for that miss basketball award two years ago so a near 20 point for game score I would anticipate she's going to do that again this year.

[00:31:58] [SPEAKER_06]: But she's six foot as a lot there to you and the curse in Burhols was another recent sign he's the five eight point guard from Kansas another player that when I spoke with Matt in so.

[00:32:09] [SPEAKER_06]: He said that she's she's the real deal she's in she's kind of the first true point guard we're bringing in outside of J. to Harrison who's already on roster and Courtney Blakely for that matter Blakely will be gone after she graduates this season.

[00:32:20] [SPEAKER_06]: So you got a lot of these these ball players here that all come from winning programs there's not really one on this list that you know place for a stinker if you will that's something that the archetype that insult loves is even once players that know how to win ball games it knows what it takes to be a part of a winning program so that's always important when you look at the roster turnover for next year.

[00:32:41] [SPEAKER_06]: I'm I myself might be a little scared because you're losing jailing Gregory you're going to lose bolder Raiba you're going to lose your new your new signers with a arena or reggae and then Courtney Blakely's I just said and then jade a granum who you know we'll see what kind of contribution she makes this year but she's a center so you're losing some size you're losing a lot of production at the top there.

[00:33:04] [SPEAKER_06]: I don't people don't know Alina or reggae yet but they will when this season's over she's going to be just as much of a contributed this team as Courtney Whitson was and as bolder Raiba is so I think.

[00:33:14] [SPEAKER_06]: This this I'm sad to see these people go but in context of this signing process coming in I feel pretty good about where this team could be maybe not necessarily in 2025.

[00:33:23] [SPEAKER_06]: I do still have some talent and I'm sure they're going to add some with the portal just to maintain that competitive level that there are at but you got to be excited for what this team and what this future is with this signing group.

[00:33:35] [SPEAKER_05]: Absolutely, I mean after the after this success that had last year I think that's going to carry over regardless of any any signing class is going to carry over into this year.

[00:33:45] [SPEAKER_05]: They're bringing a lot of that talent back and I saw I think this year is a given to be successful and then you talk about 2025.

[00:33:54] [SPEAKER_05]: It's just interesting to me with the inzos and recruiting they will have somebody from Spartan Tennessee just right down the road from Murphy's Barrow and then they'll also go take a trip overseas and get somebody from Spain so they're just bringing around all of this.

[00:34:11] [SPEAKER_05]: Just this you know diverse group of basketball talent to really just find fit them into the winning culture that they built built here in middle Tennessee and I think another key thing for that talent whenever they get here is.

[00:34:28] [SPEAKER_05]: If it's anything if 2024 is anything like 2023 for MPSU and they're going to be plenty of opportunities for those younger players to get into games whether that be you know late late games with fallouts or more specifically what I was thinking is in count in some of the conference play MTSU.

[00:34:49] [SPEAKER_05]: They gave out some they handed out some pretty big blowouts and that you know if that happens again that opens a door for some that younger talent to kind of get some experience and that experience is crucial.

[00:35:00] [SPEAKER_05]: Especially in those road environments that they may that they may face and I think that's just.

[00:35:10] [SPEAKER_05]: Critical for them to get that now so that whenever the time whenever the bulk of the roster is overturned and the keys are handed to them in 2025 I think experience now will greatly benefit the blue redders in 2025.

[00:35:25] [SPEAKER_06]: Yeah, right I think the experience it's going to be gained this year just because of how dominant this team is going to be because that don't there's not going to be a fall of all go ahead and make that prediction now this team is going to play some excellent talent but even even looking at some of these teams that are going to play they're going to be the better team on the floor.

[00:35:41] [SPEAKER_06]: The only games you might be able to make an argument for is Iowa State and Kansas State but you're got the benefit of being on a neutral floor Kansas State isn't really necessarily a neutral floor, but I still I still I still I still give them benefit of the doubt as something that insults always done as these girls are ready.

[00:35:58] [SPEAKER_06]: And I'm excited to see what this group does this season as well as this group that we just spoke about for the 2025 signing class so.

[00:36:06] [SPEAKER_06]: I will wrap that talk up there I don't want to spoil too much women basketball talk because if you're excited about Lady Raiders basketball look ahead and two weeks I'll actually have our basketball preseason preview with the one and only Rick in so so a lot of exciting news to be had there as well as discussing this current roster.

[00:36:23] [SPEAKER_06]: But Brett I appreciate you taking the time out of today to talk a little football that I'll ask about with us but before we sign off your at MTU side line to the sports editor this year let the people know you know where they can find you because you're you're in a lot of different mediums as well.

[00:36:38] [SPEAKER_05]: Yeah absolutely we are.

[00:36:40] [SPEAKER_05]: We're print medium first but we're online only so you can find us at mtSU sidelines.com.

[00:36:46] [SPEAKER_05]: We're posting consistently and we're not just football we're football we're basketball.

[00:36:51] [SPEAKER_05]: We're anything tennis we've got it had a tennis article go up last week so just if you that well balanced diet of anything mtSU sports related you can find us there.

[00:37:00] [SPEAKER_05]: Also of sports isn't your company sidelines has lost miles of news so you can find anything campus related on there we're on Twitter we're on Instagram.

[00:37:12] [SPEAKER_05]: On TikTok as well I believe so follow us there and then I'm also involved with middle Tennessee news for a

[00:37:19] [SPEAKER_05]: MTSU football pregame show I alluded to earlier blue at Raider extra point you can find that on Facebook and on YouTube on Saturdays for home games for MTSU.

[00:37:30] [SPEAKER_05]: So think our next broadcast will be the Liberty home contest later on down the road so make sure you check that out as well.

[00:37:38] [SPEAKER_06]: So in your your handle on Twitter is at bwalker 2004 that's correct.

[00:37:45] [SPEAKER_06]: That's it's I assume 2004 is your birth year? Yes yes I had a birth that just just this past weekend.

[00:37:52] [SPEAKER_06]: If that makes any blue Raider fans out there feel old you're listening to someone born in this

[00:37:58] [SPEAKER_06]: This century talking blue Raider athletics but Brett it's great talking to you and we'll catch you on the next one

[00:38:05] [SPEAKER_05]: Thanks Jake thank you so much for having me

[00:38:11] [SPEAKER_06]: The BRP is proudly partner with rivals network affiliate go middle dot com subscribe for premium content for all the inside

[00:38:17] [SPEAKER_06]: Scuse button to issue athletics recruiting or join our free forums to discuss today's episode in all things blue Raiders

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[00:38:41] Internets

[00:38:42] [SPEAKER_06]: Joining us now on the blue Raider podcast as a part of our player interviews that we do every week

[00:38:47] [SPEAKER_06]: We are revisiting the cross country track and field side of things and joining us today

[00:38:51] [SPEAKER_06]: Our two distance runners and first on tap force is just sento gas bar. He is a junior college transfer from Iowa

[00:38:57] [SPEAKER_06]: Western coming all the way from Portugal welcome to the show just into

[00:39:02] [SPEAKER_02]: Hello guys, yes my name is just in the guest with from Portugal and I'm a cross country running in the distance right now

[00:39:12] [SPEAKER_06]: Absolutely and

[00:39:13] [SPEAKER_06]: Just into before we came on I was asking you a few questions there a little bit about your journey here

[00:39:17] [SPEAKER_06]: I want you know let the fans know because with with this this team in particular the program that is a track and field

[00:39:22] [SPEAKER_06]: There's a lot of international players and and they all have these unique different stories so for you

[00:39:27] [SPEAKER_06]: You're a little bit different from the ones that we spoke into in the past you went to junior college before you got here

[00:39:32] [SPEAKER_06]: So tell us a little bit about the story of how you got to Iowa Western and then how you got from Iowa Western here to Murprisborough

[00:39:38] [SPEAKER_02]: Okay, so basically I had one of my goals after I finished high school in Portugal

[00:39:43] [SPEAKER_02]: I always want to come to America and be part of the your guys

[00:39:48] [SPEAKER_02]: Program in America basically I always Western reached out to me and

[00:39:55] [SPEAKER_02]: Because I was first of all I was not eligible on an edible and see the ballad because of some like

[00:40:01] [SPEAKER_02]: school stuff and

[00:40:04] [SPEAKER_02]: I always helped me on their process to after come to end to a to a school in NCAA after I choose MTSU of course

[00:40:12] [SPEAKER_02]: year now and yeah, I passed two years on Iowa Western thinking general studies improving my times too

[00:40:19] [SPEAKER_02]: I had a great time there too great coaches great teammates great environment too

[00:40:25] [SPEAKER_02]: And yeah after I came here and really happy now

[00:40:30] [SPEAKER_06]: And I will Western for those that don't really know much about junior college track and field crossing country

[00:40:35] [SPEAKER_06]: That's that's a really that's a prestigious program when it comes to junior college

[00:40:38] [SPEAKER_02]: Yes, definitely yes

[00:40:40] [SPEAKER_02]: Western is one of the biggest I can say yes definitely one of the biggest junior college on the country

[00:40:46] [SPEAKER_02]: Really good in every sport like we are really good in football like winning I don't know

[00:40:51] [SPEAKER_02]: I don't lie by thing three years in a row

[00:40:55] [SPEAKER_02]: Tracking field we always on on like fighting for top three

[00:41:00] [SPEAKER_02]: Current like the team now is ranking in first on cross country so that's awesome

[00:41:05] [SPEAKER_02]: Yes, he's a definitely a really prestigious and really success so successful junior college team for sure

[00:41:12] [SPEAKER_06]: In part of that I bring that up is because of you and your participation

[00:41:16] [SPEAKER_06]: I know that you you qualified for the National Championships in cross country indoor outdoor track and field and all three

[00:41:23] [SPEAKER_06]: Opportunitys I should say that you were there at Iowa Western tell me what it was like competing at such a high level at the junior college level

[00:41:32] [SPEAKER_02]: Oh, it's it's awesome. Yes like

[00:41:35] [SPEAKER_02]: Sometimes I feel like people think like junior college don't have like a really good level

[00:41:40] [SPEAKER_02]: But they're completely changed my mind and like junior college now with days

[00:41:46] [SPEAKER_02]: I feel like he's so competitive and they have such a young talent too

[00:41:52] [SPEAKER_02]: Like going to cross country nationals indoor and outdoor like I will live I was able to be all American

[00:42:01] [SPEAKER_02]: Like just three times like I I was on cross country indoor on the mile and don't the half mayor tone too

[00:42:10] [SPEAKER_02]: And yes, I think that's it because like the level now on junior college is really good

[00:42:15] [SPEAKER_02]: Like we have some good distance and not just even distance but like trekking field in general really good

[00:42:23] [SPEAKER_06]: And I know when you're there at the junior college levels because because racing is is so much different than like what most fans would see at football or basketball

[00:42:30] [SPEAKER_06]: Like you're competing against those division one schools at some of your meets you're all running the same race now

[00:42:35] [SPEAKER_06]: Maybe your times count differently. You're not necessarily going one V1 against those type of schools

[00:42:40] [SPEAKER_06]: But now that you've transitioned here to MTSU and and you're kind of in your your finding your way at the division one level

[00:42:46] [SPEAKER_06]: What are some things that you're kind of learning a little bit about your preparation that maybe is changed from your time at Iowa Western

[00:42:53] [SPEAKER_02]: I

[00:42:54] [SPEAKER_02]: To be honest with you, I think it didn't it didn't change but because like in Iowa

[00:42:59] [SPEAKER_02]: We was a really competitive school like as year two like we all always know our like rivals and we always paying attention on them

[00:43:09] [SPEAKER_02]: Like because when you get when we get on the big stage is like conference regional things stuff

[00:43:14] [SPEAKER_02]: We kind of know where we are our rivals and we know like what schools we need to be thin stuff

[00:43:22] [SPEAKER_02]: But yeah, it's it's a little bit different but I think the mind I think it's a little bit different

[00:43:28] [SPEAKER_02]: Like school wise more and competitive wise like

[00:43:32] [SPEAKER_02]: goals is like the same

[00:43:35] [SPEAKER_06]: Absolutely well you had your first race this last weekend

[00:43:39] [SPEAKER_06]: You're the Southern showcase and you ran a time a little bit off of your your typical pace but tell me a little bit about

[00:43:44] [SPEAKER_06]: Your first your first race what are some things you gather there oh yes

[00:43:50] [SPEAKER_02]: I ran there on national's two from junior college

[00:43:55] [SPEAKER_02]: Last year I did 24 19 this time I did 25

[00:44:01] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, we can say was a little a little bit off of my PR

[00:44:05] [SPEAKER_02]: But was in two two different times of the season one was on like where we supposed to be on our peak of shape

[00:44:13] [SPEAKER_02]: Was last year when I did 20 24 was two months ago was in November and now we are still a little bit early on the season

[00:44:20] [SPEAKER_02]: I would like don't give me wrong. I would like to do like to do a little bit better

[00:44:25] [SPEAKER_02]: But I think was a good start and it's like a

[00:44:30] [SPEAKER_02]: Good beginning for the rest of this what we have for the rest of the season for sure

[00:44:36] [SPEAKER_06]: Yeah, I like how you put that because again when you talk about distance racing and you do a season of it

[00:44:41] [SPEAKER_06]: There's a way to go about it. You don't want to peak

[00:44:44] [SPEAKER_06]: Clearly you kind of want to prepare yourself for the end of the year. So as you're preparing for your moving towards your next race and you're gonna close

[00:44:50] [SPEAKER_06]: her that that conference championship in November

[00:44:52] [SPEAKER_02]: What does the season look like for you so like now like as I said we basically a little be still building

[00:45:01] [SPEAKER_02]: You know like we don't want to peak too early because we want to get on conference in regionals

[00:45:06] [SPEAKER_02]: That's the basically that two most important traces on fall on this semester

[00:45:13] [SPEAKER_02]: And we want to be on the peak of our shape so do we don't want to peak too early

[00:45:18] [SPEAKER_02]: So now we still building with still doing a lot of mileage like this week with it three workouts

[00:45:25] [SPEAKER_02]: And we're going to compete in Missouri next week like we are with a big volume now

[00:45:31] [SPEAKER_02]: For like after when we get kind on that time-lime of regionals and conference

[00:45:37] [SPEAKER_02]: We start tapering for getting fresh our energies like 100% and ready to fly

[00:45:46] [SPEAKER_06]: Absolutely and you tease a little bit about going into like indoor outdoor season. I know you're running it all

[00:45:51] [SPEAKER_06]: You do you do a little bit of the shorter long distance like you mentioned on the indoor you'll do the mile

[00:45:55] [SPEAKER_06]: Yeah, I know when you get you do you've done the half marathons

[00:45:58] [SPEAKER_06]: I want to know from you as someone that's done all the racing

[00:46:01] [SPEAKER_06]: Is there a particular event that you prefer over the others?

[00:46:06] [SPEAKER_02]: Yes definitely yes

[00:46:07] [SPEAKER_02]: First of all I love road races. I love like half marathon stuff. I never did a marathon

[00:46:13] [SPEAKER_02]: But after college for sure there will be on my calendar and but the second I love cross country cross country so fun

[00:46:22] [SPEAKER_02]: I think

[00:46:23] [SPEAKER_02]: The way cross country is like the team wise and stuff I love cross country not a

[00:46:30] [SPEAKER_02]: Contract track is is really important for time wise too is my last favorite, but we still need to do and

[00:46:36] [SPEAKER_02]: I know it's super important

[00:46:40] [SPEAKER_02]: Yes

[00:46:40] [SPEAKER_06]: Do you ever do you ever wish that like because you're obviously really talented at the distance running what about like the 100 meter?

[00:46:46] [SPEAKER_06]: 200 meters that ever like something you've ever thought like man. I wish I was really good at something like that

[00:46:51] [SPEAKER_02]: Yes, I thought there a lot of thumbs let me tell you because

[00:46:55] [SPEAKER_02]: 200 meters is my favorite race like I feel like the feeling yes if you have you have like

[00:47:01] [SPEAKER_02]: Going on the curve and get outside of the curve with them which speed is such a good feeling

[00:47:06] [SPEAKER_02]: I will love to be a sprinter too

[00:47:10] [SPEAKER_02]: But you know I want a little bit short with more resistance than speed so we we work with what we have so yeah

[00:47:19] [SPEAKER_06]: Tell me about field events. Do you ever is there ever been a field event you like like like say the long jump high jump

[00:47:23] [SPEAKER_06]: If you ever even laid eyes on something like that

[00:47:26] [SPEAKER_02]: To be honest with you, I like to watch but I will not probably see myself doing probably the

[00:47:33] [SPEAKER_02]: I jump I find like really interesting the thing they do

[00:47:37] [SPEAKER_02]: But probably not I like to run that's my my stuff pressure

[00:47:42] [SPEAKER_06]: And I want another thing about you that I did do a little research is you're not just a runner

[00:47:46] [SPEAKER_06]: You're also a surfer. I see that all over your Instagram you love you love the surf

[00:47:51] [SPEAKER_02]: Yes, yes, unfortunately it's like a little bit of our I can say a little bit

[00:47:56] [SPEAKER_02]: Our culture I leave like 15 minutes to the beach show like every time I have a chance to go

[00:48:01] [SPEAKER_02]: Surfered friends. I love to do it. Yes, surfing is my second passion

[00:48:07] [SPEAKER_06]: Do you have I mean I know you live in closer to the golf your little bit closer to the Atlantic Ocean

[00:48:12] [SPEAKER_06]: Is there a surf that you prefer have you had the opportunity to do it since you've been in America?

[00:48:17] [SPEAKER_02]: And now yeah

[00:48:18] [SPEAKER_02]: I already like less less semester on the end of this semester

[00:48:22] [SPEAKER_02]: I had opportunity like when we finished school to go to Costa Rica for two weeks and I love it there too

[00:48:29] [SPEAKER_02]: Was really good

[00:48:30] [SPEAKER_02]: I didn't ever chance to surf in America yet. I want to go to California one day

[00:48:34] [SPEAKER_02]: I didn't have the chance yet, but one day

[00:48:38] [SPEAKER_06]: Absolutely, I've been told yeah you've got to go to the Pacific side

[00:48:41] [SPEAKER_06]: I'm told the golf definitely not but the Atlantic not so much either so but yeah

[00:48:46] [SPEAKER_06]: Just since I would spend a pleasure having you on

[00:48:48] [SPEAKER_06]: We wish you the best of luck the rest of the way it as well as you're qualifying

[00:48:52] [SPEAKER_06]: For hopefully regionals and national's coming up for sure. Thank you

[00:48:58] [SPEAKER_06]: All right joining us now is our second distance runner from the cross country team

[00:49:03] [SPEAKER_06]: She is a sophomore distance runner in specific coming from Vendale Vendaya. Oh, hi, is that right Eleanor?

[00:49:10] [SPEAKER_06]: Vendale Ohio we just practiced it and I thought I'd get it, but I didn't but joining us now is is sophomore distance runner

[00:49:17] [SPEAKER_06]: Eleanor towel

[00:49:18] [SPEAKER_06]: How you doing?

[00:49:20] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm doing wonderful how are you?

[00:49:22] [SPEAKER_06]: I'm great and one thing about Eleanor that I've noticed as I've done a little bit of research

[00:49:27] [SPEAKER_06]: For this interview in its specific is I've yet to find a picture of you ever not smiling

[00:49:33] [SPEAKER_06]: And I think at the testament to you because you're talking about distance running

[00:49:35] [SPEAKER_06]: Yeah, there's the last post that they had about you you're smiling while running and myself could never imagine

[00:49:41] [SPEAKER_06]: Myself doing something like that so I have to compliment you on your cheerful attitude

[00:49:45] [SPEAKER_06]: For a sport that is cross country because I can imagine it's very demanding

[00:49:50] [SPEAKER_04]: Thank you. I appreciate that yeah, I love to run

[00:49:53] [SPEAKER_04]: I wouldn't be doing it if I didn't so yeah, this one of my passions

[00:49:58] [SPEAKER_06]: Absolutely well, Eleanor

[00:49:59] [SPEAKER_06]: Talking about your freshman cross country season you finished 11th as an individual at the the cross country championships

[00:50:06] [SPEAKER_06]: You know what are kind of some expectations you've set for yourself you're in your sophomore year

[00:50:10] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, for my sophomore year. I'm always trying to improve so

[00:50:14] [SPEAKER_04]: I definitely want to win conference again with the team and contribute and you know get the best placing that I can

[00:50:22] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, definitely want to work with the team again this year

[00:50:27] [SPEAKER_06]: And you're run this last weekend at the the Southern Showcase

[00:50:30] [SPEAKER_06]: I've got it down. It's four seconds off your five kpr

[00:50:32] [SPEAKER_06]: I mean, that's got to be an excellent start for you. How did you kind of grade yourself out and how things went out there in a Huntsville?

[00:50:39] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, I tried to run it the same as I did last year

[00:50:43] [SPEAKER_04]: And I'm happy with my time. I feel like I'm I'm right there, you know, right where I was and so I

[00:50:49] [SPEAKER_04]: I hope to keep improving and keep working on myself

[00:50:54] [SPEAKER_04]: Get good sleep that's something I struggle with sometimes

[00:50:58] [SPEAKER_04]: But yeah, I definitely am trying to lock in this season

[00:51:02] [SPEAKER_06]: Yeah, the sleep is an aspect that I think most people don't really think about because it's it's vital to the recovery of of running and really any kind of

[00:51:12] [SPEAKER_06]: Here from you though is you're in a unique situation your freshman or your work freshman moving into your sophomore

[00:51:17] [SPEAKER_06]: You kind of a year under your belt because being a student athlete in college is totally different than it is in high school

[00:51:23] [SPEAKER_06]: What are kind of some of those tidbits to expand upon maybe this sleeping thing?

[00:51:26] [SPEAKER_06]: But what are some of the things you've learned from a freshman year that you could take into the sophomore campaign to again improve your your game as a runner?

[00:51:35] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, I've definitely noticed that

[00:51:38] [SPEAKER_04]: Rest in recovery is huge like making sure I'm going to like the physical therapy and seeing my trainer

[00:51:46] [SPEAKER_04]: Also nutrition is definitely always important, but yeah, mostly getting good sleep is is the main thing

[00:51:54] [SPEAKER_06]: Absolutely and and tell me this last spring you've got your you got a win under your belt at the 1500 meters

[00:51:59] [SPEAKER_06]: There at the Brian Clay invitation was which is huge for you. I just asked to send to the same question

[00:52:04] [SPEAKER_06]: I want to know do you prefer the shorter distance step the shorter longer distance stuff than what you're running like the four in the five k right now

[00:52:11] [SPEAKER_04]: I would say yes. Yeah, my favorite race is the 1500 so that's like right at the mid distance, you know

[00:52:19] [SPEAKER_04]: So that's that's my favorite

[00:52:21] [SPEAKER_06]: And as far as training for something like that because that is a spring outdoor track event the 1500 meter that we touched on just for those that aren't good with the metric system

[00:52:30] [SPEAKER_06]: That's just shy of a mile

[00:52:31] [SPEAKER_06]: But when you're training for something like that how does you know performing throughout the cross country season prepare you for that outdoor season?

[00:52:39] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, getting good mileage and like getting a good base

[00:52:42] [SPEAKER_04]: Is definitely important for even the shorter distance because that'll help you with your endurance and

[00:52:50] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, it's definitely good to have a lot of mileage coming into track season

[00:52:56] [SPEAKER_06]: Right and and

[00:52:58] [SPEAKER_06]: Well get a little bit more personal about you know you and what you do. I know that you're in school right now

[00:53:02] [SPEAKER_06]: You're a music major. I'm sure you can tell me a little bit specifically like what that major is outside of just the broad term of music

[00:53:08] [SPEAKER_06]: But I know that you released your first single this last spring of it

[00:53:12] [SPEAKER_06]: I think it was in May baby don't lie. Tell me a little bit about that that hobby that side hobby that you do

[00:53:18] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, music is my my other passion

[00:53:21] [SPEAKER_04]: I love to create and to come up with melodies and I write a lot

[00:53:26] [SPEAKER_04]: And one of my favorite things to do also is collaborate with other people. I just love you know inspiring each other and

[00:53:34] [SPEAKER_04]: Seeing you know to create of minds come together and so yeah, I released my first single in May and

[00:53:43] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, it was it was really fun and it's just something I enjoyed doing singing as well

[00:53:50] [SPEAKER_04]: So yeah, so I plan to continue doing that and I'm actually working on an album right now looking for a producer

[00:53:57] [SPEAKER_04]: So yeah, I have a full album written and I'm looking forward to maybe releasing that and sometime next year

[00:54:05] [SPEAKER_06]: Well there you go. There's your plug need a little

[00:54:07] [SPEAKER_06]: Producing help for anyone out there listening or knows we were to point L and orange the right direction

[00:54:11] [SPEAKER_06]: But you did the whole nine yards with with the song released

[00:54:14] [SPEAKER_06]: It wasn't just something that you kind of threw out there you did it you did a video shoot

[00:54:17] [SPEAKER_06]: That work for it so you know I mean as far as the work goes into it is that one of the things that you're feeling yourself through you

[00:54:23] [SPEAKER_06]: There's a lot more to it than what most people think of just singing into a microphone

[00:54:27] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, that's definitely something I realized myself because you know

[00:54:32] [SPEAKER_04]: I don't I didn't think a lot about marketing in the beginning but you know learning a little bit more about music

[00:54:38] [SPEAKER_04]: Business like that's a huge part of it and yeah, it's just really it's cool to

[00:54:43] [SPEAKER_04]: You know go through the motions and like experience, you know and learn new things while you're kind of doing it

[00:54:50] [SPEAKER_04]: And I feel like now I kind of have an idea of what to do in the future too

[00:54:54] [SPEAKER_04]: So yeah, I was kind of winging it on my own when I first released it

[00:54:59] [SPEAKER_04]: But yeah, I'm definitely excited to continue and maybe even the other people to

[00:55:06] [SPEAKER_04]: Work together with in the future

[00:55:09] [SPEAKER_06]: Absolutely and to draw parallel in my world I did the same thing

[00:55:12] [SPEAKER_06]: I started this podcast back in December and I thought it would be super easy

[00:55:15] [SPEAKER_06]: But the more I want to keep you know increasing the production value or or make a better product is

[00:55:21] [SPEAKER_06]: You're kind of pointing to the marketing side of things. How do you portray that to people?

[00:55:24] [SPEAKER_06]: It's always something you're constantly trying to fill your way through and then also trying to find the people that that kind of like your stuff

[00:55:29] [SPEAKER_06]: Again, you're trying to try to market to those people and put out a good thing

[00:55:33] [SPEAKER_06]: That's that's interesting to hear and again your student athlete that student side of it

[00:55:38] [SPEAKER_06]: Your music student, you know

[00:55:40] [SPEAKER_06]: It would be accurate to say that you're trying to get into the song writing that that aspect after college

[00:55:46] [SPEAKER_04]: Definitely yes

[00:55:47] [SPEAKER_06]: Yeah very very cool last question I had here just kind of a dumb question on my part to something I think about

[00:55:53] [SPEAKER_06]: I don't run

[00:55:54] [SPEAKER_06]: But if I did I I walk I walk on a treadmill for what that's worth

[00:55:58] [SPEAKER_06]: I always have headphones in and I think it's something that is so intriguing about runners

[00:56:02] [SPEAKER_06]: Especially at NCAA or I think across all all brands of track and field and cross-rener

[00:56:08] [SPEAKER_06]: You can't wear headphones and you're running for 25 30 minutes

[00:56:13] [SPEAKER_06]: What in the world do you think about for that amount of time?

[00:56:16] [SPEAKER_04]: Well, that's a good question. You know, I honestly try not to think of anything because sometimes you're just you just trying to finish but

[00:56:26] [SPEAKER_04]: Yes, sometimes

[00:56:28] [SPEAKER_04]: I don't think of anything or I try not to or I'm thinking of how much it hurts and trying to get through it

[00:56:36] [SPEAKER_06]: Yeah, that's what I thought in my head. I was like if I was running for that amount of time

[00:56:40] [SPEAKER_06]: I'd have to fill my thoughts with something

[00:56:41] [SPEAKER_06]: But I don't even know what I would think about I guess maybe you're thinking about your splits

[00:56:45] [SPEAKER_06]: I like I said I've got no idea but that's I like it's in per I don't know

[00:56:49] [SPEAKER_06]: It's more of a mental game. I think running. I'm sure you could attest to that

[00:56:53] [SPEAKER_04]: Yes, yeah

[00:56:54] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, you try to fill your mind with something or try not to think of anything at all. That's me

[00:57:00] [SPEAKER_06]: Absolutely well I could said silly question on my part but I just there's these are questions

[00:57:04] [SPEAKER_06]: It a lot of a lot of us don't experience that we'd like to know but

[00:57:07] [SPEAKER_06]: Illinois

[00:57:09] [SPEAKER_06]: Illinois we appreciate you coming on and joining us today again at sophomore distance runner

[00:57:14] [SPEAKER_06]: Illinois town we look forward

[00:57:15] [SPEAKER_06]: To the rest of your season as well as your outdoor season when you run that 1500 meter you love so much

[00:57:20] [SPEAKER_04]: Thank you so much. I appreciate it

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[00:57:53] [SPEAKER_06]: college podcast community on the internet. As always it is time to go behind enemy lines

[00:58:00] [SPEAKER_06]: This week the raiders will go to Memphis short little trip three hours down to Memphis Tennessee

[00:58:05] [SPEAKER_06]: And then we face them in this tigers but as always we'll bring on a guest to kind of talk about

[00:58:09] [SPEAKER_06]: Are upcoming opponent and joining us this week is from the daily

[00:58:13] [SPEAKER_06]: Mimpian he is the Memphis Tigers beat reporter going into his fourth season covering the tigers

[00:58:17] [SPEAKER_06]: Joining us on the BRP is Frank Bonner the second Frank has a go in

[00:58:22] [SPEAKER_06]: All right appreciate you have me know absolutely and thanks for joining us

[00:58:26] [SPEAKER_06]: One of the hot topics right now. I would note where the anyways is that it was announced on Monday

[00:58:31] [SPEAKER_06]: Yesterday that the tigers would be staying in the AAC is that kind of something that has taken you by

[00:58:36] [SPEAKER_06]: Surprise what's kind of the feeling there in Memphis about that news? No no really I'm always taking some people

[00:58:42] [SPEAKER_01]: Buster prize over here in this market

[00:58:45] [SPEAKER_01]: I just think that at this particular time

[00:58:48] [SPEAKER_01]: There are too many question marks surrounding that right like the money value that was being thrown out there is that legit right in terms of I'm

[00:58:56] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm much money each school was gonna get

[00:58:59] [SPEAKER_01]: The travel like the geographical footprint from Memphis

[00:59:04] [SPEAKER_01]: Doesn't really match up

[00:59:07] [SPEAKER_01]: Will there be you know will there be a

[00:59:11] [SPEAKER_01]: Enough money to offset the travel cost that's gonna be for your Olympic sports and then in all this and that so

[00:59:20] [SPEAKER_01]: It sounded nice and theory, but I just think all the logistics that have to go into that Memphis decided to

[00:59:28] [SPEAKER_01]: To bow out and just stay what they were

[00:59:30] [SPEAKER_06]: Would it be inaccurate to say that they may be holding out for something like the AACC or big 12 some sort of merger there in the future

[00:59:38] [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, yeah, that's that's what they think about that though is that

[00:59:42] [SPEAKER_01]: That can't be the only reason why you said no because you don't know of that's ever going to come and so they're had in my opinion right there

[00:59:51] [SPEAKER_01]: There has to be more reasons other than that as to why you said no because you know

[00:59:56] [SPEAKER_01]: Memphis has been waiting for a big 12th invitation for some time now that may never come if you look at the AACC

[01:00:04] [SPEAKER_01]: It looks like they may be on the verge of patching things up with Florida state and Clemson so

[01:00:10] [SPEAKER_01]: Some of the dominos in the AACC may not fall the way that you felt they were gonna fall so right there

[01:00:17] [SPEAKER_01]: You know that can't be the only reason why you said no and if that is the only reason why you said no

[01:00:21] [SPEAKER_01]: That would be a mistake, but I don't think that is the only reason why

[01:00:25] [SPEAKER_01]: Memphis decided not to join

[01:00:28] [SPEAKER_06]: Look at stuff I think that was obviously like I said no word. These are something that's worth talking about everyone had a lot of eyes on Memphis

[01:00:33] [SPEAKER_06]: Especially with how well the team has done the program the the the path they've been on in the last decade

[01:00:38] [SPEAKER_06]: And to move into the match of this week and Ryan Silverfield

[01:00:42] [SPEAKER_06]: He's going into his fifth full season there as ahead coach the Tigers

[01:00:47] [SPEAKER_06]: He's well on his way what it looks like to be a second straight year double digit wins

[01:00:50] [SPEAKER_06]: Tell me about the expectations for this team this year. I think maybe prior to this last week and a lot of people thought Memphis could maybe

[01:00:57] [SPEAKER_06]: With boys he stayed there as a potential G5 auto bid winner. So what's kind of the expectations moving for the rest of the year for the Tigers?

[01:01:05] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, the expectations heading to the year

[01:01:08] [SPEAKER_01]: Even now or what they were

[01:01:10] [SPEAKER_01]: you know

[01:01:12] [SPEAKER_01]: the

[01:01:14] [SPEAKER_01]: Preseason ACAC champion right I think that is their goal to to win the the league and in potentially

[01:01:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Compete for spider in the cause football playoff, right?

[01:01:24] [SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, they lost a navy on which hurts their cause football playoff chances

[01:01:29] [SPEAKER_01]: But that door isn't completely shut and then if you look at the conference they still have

[01:01:35] [SPEAKER_01]: Roll games at Tulane at UTSA at South Florida and all those teams are supposed to be

[01:01:43] [SPEAKER_01]: You know in the upper echelon and competing for the conference and so Memphis still even with the navy loss

[01:01:49] [SPEAKER_01]: Memphis still has a chance to

[01:01:51] [SPEAKER_01]: win the league as far as a cost football playoff is concerned

[01:01:55] [SPEAKER_01]: You have to see how other things shake up right what happens with boysy

[01:02:00] [SPEAKER_01]: Boysy you and LV still play each other, right? So one of those teams are guaranteed to have a loss

[01:02:05] [SPEAKER_01]: Boysy already has a loss against Oregon and you've got Liberty who's still undefeated JMU is in the mix

[01:02:11] [SPEAKER_01]: And so we'll see what happens with how how that navy loss impacts the college football playoff situation

[01:02:18] [SPEAKER_01]: But as far as the conference championship

[01:02:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, that's that's still on table for Memphis and that doesn't that doesn't go away after just one loss

[01:02:27] [SPEAKER_06]: Does that navy loss spell vengeance for for the Raiders? I mean you got you can't feel good knowing Memphis lost that game

[01:02:34] [SPEAKER_06]: And you just have to anticipate that silverfield is gonna you know

[01:02:37] [SPEAKER_06]: He's not gonna call the dogs off this Saturday

[01:02:39] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, right after a loss like that you do

[01:02:42] [SPEAKER_01]: Expect Memphis to kind of be

[01:02:45] [SPEAKER_01]: Refocus or whatever words you want to use and and and protecting home

[01:02:50] [SPEAKER_01]: Field was middle Tennessee coming to a Simmons bank Liberty Stadium so yeah, especially for that defense right?

[01:02:56] [SPEAKER_01]: Because the defense had been playing really well for the first three games and then

[01:03:00] [SPEAKER_01]: They kind of collapsed against an navy and so they're probably gonna go on to this game against middle Tennessee

[01:03:06] [SPEAKER_01]: Looking to be dominant again looking to you know force takeaways and in so on

[01:03:12] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I do think middle Tennessee is gonna get a version of Memphis that's looking to kind of get their get back after a lead down

[01:03:19] [SPEAKER_01]: In a necklace

[01:03:21] [SPEAKER_06]: Yeah, and we'll go ahead and and start talking about the defense there you got seven returners on defense

[01:03:25] [SPEAKER_06]: They allowed 28 points for game in 2023

[01:03:27] [SPEAKER_06]: They were expected to be a lot more competitive this year like we saw up to that navy game

[01:03:32] [SPEAKER_06]: What needs to happen for this group to to continue to be great because I think the navy game is going to be an outlier because you don't face the triple option that often

[01:03:39] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, right. I do think

[01:03:41] [SPEAKER_01]: I think what happened in that game a little bit is obviously you go into this navy game

[01:03:47] [SPEAKER_01]: Focus on the triple option and then run or whatever, but maybe put in some past wrinkles

[01:03:52] [SPEAKER_01]: I mean they even threw a double pass to the quarterback right and so I'm I do think that kind of food

[01:03:58] [SPEAKER_01]: Memphis awful a little bit in their game plan

[01:04:00] [SPEAKER_01]: Just navy's ability to have success through the air. I mean, they didn't throw it 30 times or anything

[01:04:06] [SPEAKER_01]: But when they did throw it they threw it well

[01:04:09] [SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, you're going toward more of a

[01:04:12] [SPEAKER_01]: Conventional offense and that defense and it still feels talked about it

[01:04:17] [SPEAKER_01]: And it's pressure today about how much pride that defense has right? So they've got good side

[01:04:22] [SPEAKER_01]: They've got good guys with pride on that side of the ball also. I think Jordan Hanks is the new

[01:04:27] [SPEAKER_01]: Defensive coordinator is gonna get those guys ready to play

[01:04:30] [SPEAKER_01]: You know, there

[01:04:32] [SPEAKER_01]: Some of the guys a little banged up Elijah hearing who dressed

[01:04:36] [SPEAKER_01]: He dressed and warmed up against navy but didn't play

[01:04:40] [SPEAKER_01]: And so we'll see if he's back and if he is that would be a big boost for the defense

[01:04:46] [SPEAKER_06]: I'm sure you feel confident and Memphis's ability to outscore just about any team

[01:04:51] [SPEAKER_06]: Even if the defense is playing half as well as I need to the offense is one of the best in the AC as well

[01:04:56] [SPEAKER_06]: As in the G5 in general, a lot of that's to do with the quarterback set in again

[01:05:01] [SPEAKER_06]: 3000 plus yard

[01:05:02] [SPEAKER_06]: Pastor last year he's gonna be up for the bidding as far as the AAC offensive

[01:05:07] [SPEAKER_06]: Player of the year what about sets game makes him so dominant and makes him so tough to stop?

[01:05:13] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I think for one Seth he's he's very poised right

[01:05:17] [SPEAKER_01]: If you look at how that navy game went down

[01:05:21] [SPEAKER_01]: You know, he was able to

[01:05:23] [SPEAKER_01]: Put together a comeback and it ended in an in an interception right and so that obviously he would prefer to have that pass back

[01:05:30] [SPEAKER_01]: but

[01:05:31] [SPEAKER_01]: Seth

[01:05:32] [SPEAKER_01]: In the good and in the bad he's gonna be pretty even killed right you he's not very gonna let his emotions get the best of him one way or the other

[01:05:40] [SPEAKER_01]: And what that does is that allows him to

[01:05:42] [SPEAKER_01]: Stay focused on seeing the field, you know and having the game slow down form a little bit

[01:05:48] [SPEAKER_01]: And so

[01:05:48] [SPEAKER_01]: When you've got to fall your quarterback in the same system him and cramsy have been

[01:05:55] [SPEAKER_01]: Together for what three years now

[01:05:58] [SPEAKER_01]: There's a lot of trust and there's a lot of familiarity there and so I just think that combination has allowed Seth

[01:06:04] [SPEAKER_01]: To do some pretty big things here at Memphis

[01:06:07] [SPEAKER_06]: What are some of those names that blue radar fans should be looking out for some of his targets that he'd be hitting on Saturday?

[01:06:13] [SPEAKER_01]: obviously, you know the

[01:06:15] [SPEAKER_01]: Rock Taylor the receiver who had a breakout year last year

[01:06:20] [SPEAKER_01]: You know he's a guy that had a good game

[01:06:23] [SPEAKER_01]: Against Navy right he had a hundred yards

[01:06:25] [SPEAKER_01]: Kobe Drake had a hundred and two yards against against Navy right and Kobe Drake is another guy who's been in the program

[01:06:31] [SPEAKER_01]: for for some time he was in the program as a walk on in 2019 when

[01:06:37] [SPEAKER_01]: Norville was there so you know he's a guy who's really familiar and um it's really come on

[01:06:43] [SPEAKER_01]: As a

[01:06:44] [SPEAKER_01]: legitimate threat

[01:06:44] [SPEAKER_01]: Especially in like third-down situations you got a near blank of sea who can

[01:06:48] [SPEAKER_01]: Take the top off of these fences with the speed that he has and then Memphis is an offense that uses its tight ends and the passing game in a way that

[01:06:57] [SPEAKER_01]: You don't necessarily see from a lot of calls football

[01:07:00] [SPEAKER_01]: teams today

[01:07:01] [SPEAKER_01]: So you know tight in Anthony Lanfear

[01:07:05] [SPEAKER_01]: Tight in a Britain Doyle or seems like every time bringing touch the ball he's catching in in the end zone, right?

[01:07:10] [SPEAKER_01]: So those are some of his weapons and then they use their running backs out of the backfield, right?

[01:07:15] [SPEAKER_01]: You know you'll expect to see Mario Anderson catch a pass or two or or or so on and then they've had some issues in the run get or not issues

[01:07:23] [SPEAKER_01]: They've had some injuries and they're running back wrong

[01:07:27] [SPEAKER_01]: Sentence Smith you know in the game one who started the season opener went down for the season

[01:07:34] [SPEAKER_01]: Greg DeWosier

[01:07:36] [SPEAKER_01]: Is out for at least a couple of weeks is what Ryan Silkshoves said and so now you've got

[01:07:41] [SPEAKER_01]: Mario Anderson who's the starter you got Brendan Thomas who

[01:07:44] [SPEAKER_01]: In 2021 he had a really strong year, right?

[01:07:49] [SPEAKER_01]: And then in his career he's battling some injuries and he's been used it's kind of like a short yardage back

[01:07:54] [SPEAKER_01]: But then against Navy

[01:07:56] [SPEAKER_01]: They needed him and he ran for over a hundred yards so

[01:07:59] [SPEAKER_01]: We'll see if Brendan Thomas can keep that up and so those are some of the the weapons that

[01:08:04] [SPEAKER_06]: The Memphis offense has that it's supposed I know something that has been a challenge for them and really what is makes

[01:08:12] [SPEAKER_06]: Sett Hanna against game so

[01:08:14] [SPEAKER_06]: Impressive is that the run game hasn't necessarily been up to par to allow

[01:08:18] [SPEAKER_06]: Silverfields to run a more balanced offensive approach, but looking at the numbers anyway Mario Anderson Jr

[01:08:24] [SPEAKER_06]: The guy that you just spoke about at the running back room has come taken over that starting position

[01:08:27] [SPEAKER_06]: He's the South Carolina transfer

[01:08:29] [SPEAKER_06]: You know he is had the numbers that would be

[01:08:32] [SPEAKER_06]: I would say that would that would open up the the offense of playbook and obviously open up the playbook for Hanna can define more of those targets

[01:08:39] [SPEAKER_06]: So tell me a little bit about his game his first year there in Memphis and how that's gonna be able to try to transform that that tiger offense

[01:08:46] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, Mario Anderson

[01:08:48] [SPEAKER_01]: They're gonna need him. They're gonna need him big especially you know I talked about the injuries and they're running back room right and so that running back room

[01:08:55] [SPEAKER_01]: Was deep at one point now. It's a little thin you know because of injuries right and in Mario Anderson as a guy who

[01:09:02] [SPEAKER_01]: He played he ran against defenses in the SEC when he was at South Carolina right so he's coming here and

[01:09:08] [SPEAKER_01]: Finding his way and if you look at what he did last week, you can see him

[01:09:13] [SPEAKER_01]: You know getting more comfortable with the Memphis officers as it goes on and so you know I expect him and Brandon Thomas to be the the two running back to you'll see

[01:09:22] [SPEAKER_01]: This week against middle Tennessee, but yeah

[01:09:25] [SPEAKER_01]: Memphis is gonna need Mario Anderson. It continued having games like he had last week

[01:09:30] [SPEAKER_01]: Because the depth is no longer there the way that it was

[01:09:34] [SPEAKER_06]: Well as we kind of closed up our topic here of the preview for this upcoming Saturday

[01:09:40] [SPEAKER_06]: I think a lot of people already anticipate Memphis to win a lot of especially being a road game for MTSU

[01:09:46] [SPEAKER_06]: What is it that Memphis is gonna do on Saturday? It's just gonna make it too tough for the Blue Raiders overcom

[01:09:53] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, for when I think offensively

[01:09:56] [SPEAKER_01]: They're gonna try to be explosive right especially if

[01:10:01] [SPEAKER_01]: You know rock Taylor and Kobe Drake if they're

[01:10:04] [SPEAKER_01]: You know healthy enough to to be the players that they they were last week

[01:10:10] [SPEAKER_01]: Demere they're probably gonna try to use his speed get to run gang going so there's there's

[01:10:15] [SPEAKER_01]: Memphis can overwhelm the Memphis offense can overwhelm you with talent

[01:10:20] [SPEAKER_01]: And so I think that's probably what they're gonna try to do and then defensively like I said

[01:10:25] [SPEAKER_01]: They're gonna they're gonna try to get back to the roots of what they were in the first three games

[01:10:29] [SPEAKER_01]: So I do think that defensively they're gonna they're gonna be ball hawkers right they're gonna

[01:10:35] [SPEAKER_01]: Gonna be play a little bit more fire after what happened against Navy and

[01:10:39] [SPEAKER_01]: Anybody who I talked to about the Memphis defense. I'm really high on this line back her group

[01:10:43] [SPEAKER_01]: We'll see if for last year hearing plays or not, but even if he doesn't I mean they still got channeling Martin

[01:10:50] [SPEAKER_01]: You know Hudson Bryce Edmundson and so they've got

[01:10:54] [SPEAKER_01]: A pretty strong line back her group that I think and um

[01:10:57] [SPEAKER_01]: Carry this deep the defense can carry this defense back to being where they wore the first three weeks

[01:11:02] [SPEAKER_06]: Yeah, the Elijah hearing that you've mentioned a local product for Murphy's Merrow anyways from her

[01:11:06] [SPEAKER_06]: But Ohio school went to UT Knoxville. I think I know that there's a lot of eyes at least locally here

[01:11:11] [SPEAKER_06]: They're looking to see his return and make some contributions there, but

[01:11:15] [SPEAKER_06]: Fall back there on that what what would have to happen for him to issue to have an opportunity to win on Saturday as well

[01:11:21] [SPEAKER_01]: What would the Tigers have to fall to her on? I think obviously

[01:11:27] [SPEAKER_01]: They would have to create extra possessions. I think right you got a

[01:11:31] [SPEAKER_01]: Force of fumble um, you know get enough pressure to make sets make a bad decision and get it turn over right like I think if

[01:11:38] [SPEAKER_01]: I think of middle Tennessee once to have a chance to win the game

[01:11:41] [SPEAKER_01]: They're gonna have to force turnovers to get extra possessions

[01:11:44] [SPEAKER_01]: I mean that's kind of to keep that Memphis offense off of the field

[01:11:49] [SPEAKER_01]: um

[01:11:50] [SPEAKER_01]: Before in the Navy game it was it's been really tough to run the ball on the Memphis defense outside of the Navy game and so

[01:11:58] [SPEAKER_01]: It's middle Tennessee can establish some type of of run to

[01:12:03] [SPEAKER_01]: Keep the defense from kind of stifling what they're trying to do. I think that'll help them

[01:12:09] [SPEAKER_06]: So Lily will again ladies and gentlemen that in sprank boner the second from the daily

[01:12:13] [SPEAKER_06]: Infient Memphis Tigers beat writer for the football team been there for three going on four seasons now

[01:12:19] [SPEAKER_06]: Frank I appreciate you taking the time and joining us to tell us a little bit of the Tigers. All right you take care

[01:12:27] [SPEAKER_03]: Did you know the blue radar podcasts has an online store?

[01:12:30] [SPEAKER_03]: You can now support your favorite podcast by checking out our selection at our website

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[01:12:45] [SPEAKER_06]: Thanks first sticking around to the rate of wrap up portion of our episode

[01:12:49] [SPEAKER_06]: We will review this last week in blue radar athletics as well as look ahead to the upcoming schedule for all of our

[01:12:55] [SPEAKER_06]: Athletics in the ball season and we will kick things off as always with our football team a drop there

[01:13:01] [SPEAKER_06]: 17 match with Duke at home this last weekend

[01:13:05] [SPEAKER_06]: But I'd like to highlight Jaden flip credo for his 12 carries

[01:13:08] [SPEAKER_06]: 125 yard touchdown for performance this Saturday look forward to seeing him continue as that running back room has

[01:13:15] [SPEAKER_06]: A little bit thin but it's obviously for his to stand out in

[01:13:19] [SPEAKER_06]: The Raiders will travel to Memphis this Saturday kickoff is slated for 630 pm

[01:13:26] [SPEAKER_06]: Lady Raiders soccer got their conference USA season underway on Thursday night against the FI U Golden Panthers

[01:13:32] [SPEAKER_06]: They dropped that contest two to four started out really strong at a one-o-half time lead

[01:13:36] [SPEAKER_06]: But it came down to FI use storming back there in that late second half I do want to give a shout out to

[01:13:45] [SPEAKER_06]: Panthers as well as my own lobarji

[01:13:47] [SPEAKER_06]: We've got her sixth team leading six goal on Thursday night so they will look to continue

[01:13:53] [SPEAKER_06]: They're scoring ways at least as they travel all the way to our past so this Thursday at

[01:13:58] [SPEAKER_06]: 7 pm and they have a second road fixture there and lost cruisess in a Mexico facing off against the aggies of

[01:14:04] [SPEAKER_06]: New Mexico state a very conference USA favorite new Mexico state lady aggies at that and they will that fixture on Sunday will start at

[01:14:13] [SPEAKER_06]: 2 pm

[01:14:16] [SPEAKER_06]: Lady Raiders had two matches in Charlottesville Virginia facing off against a very talented Virginia Cavaliers

[01:14:23] [SPEAKER_06]: Team they lost their first match one to three and had a really good second match had a opportunity to win that one up two sets to one

[01:14:30] [SPEAKER_06]: But the lady calves come back and win the fourth and fifth set to still want away from the rate from the lady Raiders

[01:14:36] [SPEAKER_06]: And I would do want to shout out loud Janssen for her weekend as she got her 100 career service ace

[01:14:43] [SPEAKER_06]: Well, as her career 1000 big against Virginia that first match so the little rock transfer has

[01:14:49] [SPEAKER_06]: Proving big for the lady Raiders last year as well as this year. She's a vital part of their success

[01:14:54] [SPEAKER_06]: That they will have this year in conference USA and they've got one more non-conference game until they get to that point

[01:14:59] [SPEAKER_06]: And that is tonight at 6 pm at alumni Memorial Jamazium

[01:15:03] [SPEAKER_06]: But they face off against Alabama and in and then their conference USA schedule begins this weekend on the 26 at San Houston state in Huntsville

[01:15:12] [SPEAKER_06]: Texas and that first match that's 6 30 pm on the 26th and then they will have their second round of

[01:15:18] [SPEAKER_06]: Matches the next day at 6 30 pm also

[01:15:22] [SPEAKER_06]: Lady Raiders golf was in Franklin Tennessee this last weekend at the Mason Rudolph championship

[01:15:27] [SPEAKER_06]: Where the team finished 15th at a 17 now do want to shout out to Ella Manley the young gun finishing tied for 38 at one stroke over par

[01:15:36] [SPEAKER_06]: Abby Lee was at four over

[01:15:38] [SPEAKER_06]: Laney Campbell eight excuse me nine strokes over Kindle Manard 11 over and Nicole Johnson at 18 over

[01:15:46] [SPEAKER_06]: The women's golf program will take a week off and then the following weekend

[01:15:50] [SPEAKER_06]: They will be in Denver, Colorado taking part in the Iran more enter collegiate

[01:15:56] [SPEAKER_06]: Minstonis has four competitors currently in Tulsa Oklahoma competing at the ITA All-American Championships

[01:16:02] [SPEAKER_06]: This is a drop in as they are still going there

[01:16:06] [SPEAKER_06]: Rossus Lovhout helping her the new South Alabama transfer

[01:16:09] [SPEAKER_06]: He won the alone writer to win their round of 128 in the pre qualifying and advanced to the round of 64 where he

[01:16:17] [SPEAKER_06]: Unfortunatilent dropped that match up so for the week he's so far as one and one I believe that as it is a two match guarantee

[01:16:23] [SPEAKER_06]: Andre Horach and Karim Alhamman both lost their first pre qualifying matches however

[01:16:29] [SPEAKER_06]: They did win in the constellation bracket and they are now currently sitting in the round of 32 awaiting for their schedule

[01:16:35] [SPEAKER_06]: Time so as of Monday evening we don't know when they will be back on the court

[01:16:40] [SPEAKER_06]: But obviously stay tuned to Twitter

[01:16:42] [SPEAKER_06]: As they will keep us up to date there as well as next week's radar wrap-up. I will have a good wrap up on their IT All-American Championships

[01:16:49] [SPEAKER_06]: The team itself they will be in Nashville this weekend at the Belmont and Vites that will be the 27th through the 29th this weekend facing a few other teams as well

[01:16:59] [SPEAKER_06]: But say tuned for that in our next week's radar wrap-up

[01:17:05] [SPEAKER_06]: Women's tennis they had their fall season finally began up in Miami of Ohio or at the invite there

[01:17:11] [SPEAKER_06]: Always take these scores with a grain of salt as they're mixing up some rosters mixing up some some pairings and doubles and stuff like that

[01:17:18] [SPEAKER_06]: So they face the host red hocks and a doubles only match dropping that one one to two and then against Xavier

[01:17:26] [SPEAKER_06]: The alone singles one went to

[01:17:28] [SPEAKER_06]: At least Shattruden who got the singles went over pinter gas of Xavier and then the laterators were swept by Louisville

[01:17:37] [SPEAKER_06]: 0 to 6 but they will have a few weeks off until they make a return back home as they will host the ITA regionals

[01:17:44] [SPEAKER_06]: From October 10th which is a Thursday all the way to a Monday

[01:17:48] [SPEAKER_06]: There after and actually to preview next week's episode we will have laterators women's head coach

[01:17:55] [SPEAKER_06]: Theo Bailey Duval we will be on to discuss that ITA regionals as well as look ahead to the laterators remaining fall schedule and a little preview of what they have to come in the spring

[01:18:06] [SPEAKER_06]: So exciting to hear from coach Bailey Duval as we preview all of the all of that's coming ahead

[01:18:12] [SPEAKER_06]: Lastly cross country is back in action this Friday epic gone's Creek Columbia Missouri

[01:18:18] [SPEAKER_06]: Just central already touched on him running that race before it is one that they run in the past so they still continue to

[01:18:24] [SPEAKER_06]: peak as they get closer and closer to

[01:18:27] [SPEAKER_06]: Hopefully repeating at the conference championships in November and that will do it for the

[01:18:34] [SPEAKER_06]: Raider wrap up portion of our episode so I appreciate all of our guests on Brett Walker as well as

[01:18:40] [SPEAKER_06]: Just sintogaspar, Elinor Tau and of course the daily mimpians

[01:18:44] [SPEAKER_06]: Frank Bonner the second to preview the

[01:18:47] [SPEAKER_06]: Memphis Tigers

[01:18:48] [SPEAKER_06]: If you're not already following us on our social media is at Twitter Instagram Facebook tick-tock

[01:18:54] [SPEAKER_06]: Applirator pod

[01:18:55] [SPEAKER_06]: If you're listening on your favorite streaming service

[01:18:58] [SPEAKER_06]: Don't forget to go over to YouTube if you want to watch the visual presentation

[01:19:01] [SPEAKER_06]: But of course subscribing and like in the video over there because a lot for the algorithm of course it helps me out

[01:19:06] [SPEAKER_06]: Attremendously when you do that so if you don't mind go over there give me a subscribe give me a like and all that good stuff

[01:19:13] [SPEAKER_06]: Next week as I already previewed we will have lady raiders head women's coach

[01:19:17] [SPEAKER_06]: Tao Bailey do ball as well as we will have Sam doubt and return

[01:19:21] [SPEAKER_06]: It's a buy week for football next week so we will wrap up what happens at Memphis the non conference slate as well as wrap up all that's going on

[01:19:28] [SPEAKER_06]: And fall sports as some of them will enter into conference play as we already touched on with volleyball with soccer

[01:19:35] [SPEAKER_06]: And then we got a little bit of tennis stuff when the course will talk football the same as always this time of year. So again

[01:19:41] [SPEAKER_06]: Thanks for tuning in. I appreciate you listening. Thanks to our sponsors M.D

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[01:19:57] [SPEAKER_06]: Roops, but again, thanks for tuning in. I appreciate you and I will see you guys again next week and until then go blue