Answering some of you MSU questions!

Hondo
I know he is in the "Dog House" and the receivers who did play did a
great job, but what is the latest on T.J Williams? I heard he will play a role but any idea if that means he will play this week or just be a practice player? He is a special talent I just hope he can work he way back into good graces because he will make the offense that much better. Thanks!
Chad

Spartan Nation member in Ohio

Hi Chad!
I think that a decision has yet to be made about TJ. He is a good kid that just
has to earn it back. I am confident he will but Mark is playing his cards close to
the chest on this one. Again I doubt that a final decision has been made.
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Hi Hondo,
How many football seasons will Spartan fans (and administration) give MD to go
bowling? I imagine they will turn on MD before they did with JLS, just because
everyone is fed up with loosing.

Robert

Hi Robert. Like I have said unless there is cheating or off field corruption he has
to get a five year ticket. That said, unlike JLS Mark is doing everything off
of the field right. He is doing the alumni and booster as well as fan functions
and that buys a coach time. MSU has no choice but to let this play out and I think
they will. A lot of the frustration with JLS was off field and they lack of discipline
on it was his downfall. This is a very good question and I hope all the Spartan Nation remembers that this is a marathon and not a sprint.

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Hi Hondo:

I will confess I was not familiar with Phil Steele prior to your postings but it is obvious that he is knowledgeable about college football, plus your high opinion of him carries some weight for me. Seeing his power rating for the Spartans of 122.43 was surprising and a bit-disheartening, if his opinion is worthwhile. Based on Phil's prediction assessment of Division One schools, here are two observations:
1. The Spartans should compile a 3-9 record this season with only
one Big 10 victory.
I'd like to think he is simply out of touch but listening to your interviews with him it is apparent that he does a great deal of research and makes careful analysis. From this, I'm suddenly dreading this season, I had high hopes for at least a 6-6 finish with a strong

foundation for coming years (of course the latter can still happen). Hondo, give me more hope!
Tim Price
Tim! Phil is a good friend and he is recognized nationally as the #1 college football
analyst in the nation. That said, he would tell you that he has a surprise team
each season. He can look at what has happened and what a team has back. I can tell you that his low prediction is based on pure unbiased thought. He also thinks that Dantonio is a great coach and if the players buy in it could be a lot better. He
had to factor that how many of these players would buy in. I said that my honest
analysis was 4 wins but my Spartan Nation green Kool Aid made me predict 6. Either way he can't be at all practices for all teams and he had to look at a track record and what was on campus. Hey, he is a Buckeye and he love Mark so being wrong will not offend him.
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Hondo,
1. TJ Williams is he the best WR on the team?
2. BG looked good in their opener - is this the best non-conf team MSU plays this season?
3. Who replaces Carr after this season?
Thanks, keep up the good work!

Bill in Cleveland

Hi Bill!

1. I don’t think he is. I do believe he is very talented and one of the best, but I am very hesitant to call him the best.
   
2. I think that talent wise they are not the best. However they are the best “team” that MSU will face for sure.
   
3. If I am UM (and thank God I am not) I send a plane full of cash to the Bayou and don’t come back without Les Miles. That said, I can tell you that UM has a track record of being cheap and I do not think they will spend the money that it would take to get Miles.
   

Thanks to you for reading.
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Hondo,
Great call on Jehuu being the one MSU player that people would be talking about at the end of the season. You nailed it when he got the 4 TD’s. Who else really impressed you that maybe others were not talking about?
Stacey
Stacey,
I think for sure it was Joel Nitchman. He not only played well, but when I watched the film (four times) you saw that on several plays he dominated. He has some things to improve but he has very good technique and is explosive off of the ball. I think he has to get better with his lateral foot movement and at center he has to be more vocal as the line leader but he in my opinion has a great future ahead of him. That is a name that Spartan fans will not soon forget.
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Hondo,
I loved your article about the Missile. Reading about him being so moved by a young fan. I have to ask this, if he weren’t so small would he have even been noticed?
Carl
Carl,
 I can answer yes. Good players get noticed. MSU has others guys that are small, and they certainly don’t get the publicity. The issue is that Jon is a great kid that is a very good football player. His size adds to the story but even if he were proto-typical NFL size his play would get him noticed. I just find it incredible that this young man is such a great story but also such a great kid. His success almost surprises him and that is very refreshing.
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Hondo,
I have to give you props, ever since Bates committed to MSU before he even signed you said that he would start and he did. Great call. Is there any hope for Boleski to actually get the ball in the end zone?
Steven
Thanks for the props Steven. I want to say this however about Bates. Ed Wagner is a kid that as his backup you can’t slight him. He is a good kicker and is in my opinion one of the hardest workers on this team. Bates is the better punter, but don’t discount Wagner as a kid and if something should happen to Bates he would do a fine job. As far as Boleski that is a pretty ignorant comment. Todd has done very well at MSU and the reason his kicks lacked depth was because he was injured. I have no issues Steven with people being critical but at least attempt at being informed when someone like Todd has earned it.

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Hondo

I heard you on a local radio station here doing an interview about MSU. I thought you were on drugs when you talked about Devin Thomas. Since I don’t live in Michigan it was still nice to hear someone talking about MSU however. Anyways he looked great, what did you see that others didn’t?

Harold
Devin is very talented but I think what really sticks out with him is that he listens and takes coaching. So many kids at this level have parents or family in their ear telling them how good they are. Devin listens and you don’t see him having to be told things twice. The staff loves how he is teachable and another great strength is that he isn’t afraid to ask questions. His is not to prideful to ask questions in team meetings and that shows that he isn’t trying to be cool, he is trying to be a football player.
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Hondo,
You have given Nick Foles a lot of love. How good can he be?
Christian
Great question! Nick’s potential is truly up to him. He has all of the mechanics to be a true star. I predict that when his time at MSU is done, he will be remembered as one of MSU’s all time best. Amazingly his parents deserve all of the credit because this young man came in and has been nothing but humble and teachable. Foles talent would tell you that he is a star, but his character with that talent guarantees it. I have a story here on the site and on TV coming about him the week before the ND game.
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Hondo,
Hoyer looked fantastic on Saturday but can he play that way when the level of competition goes up?
Nick
I will say this Nick. Hoyer will not struggle when the level of competition gets better.  He has all the tools and more importantly he has complete command of the offense. To his credit he totally ingested the scheme and the direction of the program when MD came in and several of his teammates have acknowledged that his embracing of the new staff and his work ethic was inspirational to them. I can also give you this nugget. MD when he was at Cincinnati loved Brian (who played in Ohio at St. Ignatius) and was thrilled to have him here when he got to MSU. A lot of kids have to wonder when a new coach comes in how they fit since they aren’t really “his” kids. Hoyer had the luxury (along with Justin Kershaw) of being a guy that Dantonio was already sold on and Hoyer has done NOTHING to change their opinions of him since.