Spartan Speak

Lansing State Journal sports reporters Graham Couch and Nate Atkins recap Michigan State's 48-31 win over Western Kentucky on Saturday night. 

Host Phil Friend is joined by State Journal columnist Graham Couch and sports storyteller Nate Atkins as we discuss: Commitment of 4-star ATH Dillon Tatum MSU's offensive woes vs. Nebraska MSU's strong defensive performance vs. the Cornhuskers How the Spartans match up with Western Kentucky Reactions to first MSU basketball practice Predictions

Lansing State Journal sports columnist Graham Couch and Detroit Free Press beat writer Chris Solari deliver their instant reaction to Michigan State football's 23-20 overtime win Saturday night in Spartan Stadium. 

Michigan State football is ranked 21st after beating No. 24 Miami last weekend, and the 3-0 Spartans aim to make it 4-0 with Nebraska coming to town Saturday night. Detroit Free Press beat writer Chris Solari and Lansing State Journal columnist Graham Couch have plenty to say about both games in this week's podcast: How MSU beat Miami, including dietician Amber Rinestine Nebraska's offense vs. MSU's defense Payton Thorne and MSU offense's progress Connor Heyward's transition to tight end Nebraska's defense "The Woodshed" MSU basketball lands commitment from Jaxon Kohler Predictions for MSU-Nebraska

The Michigan State football team has looked pretty good in its first two games, defeating Northwestern and Youngstown State. But the Spartans have a tough test Saturday against Miami. Can they go on the road for a noon start and beat the Hurricanes and star QB D'Eriq King in the Florida heat? Or are there shades of last year's Iowa game, where the Hawkeyes routed MSU after an 0-2 start and the Spartans were coming off an impressive win over Michigan?  Host Phil Friend is joined this week by fellow Lansing State Journal sportswriters Graham Couch and Nate Atkins. 

Michigan State led wire-to-wire in a dominant 42-14 victory over Youngstown State on Saturday. Detroit Free Press beat writer Chris Solari and Lansing State Journal sports columnist Graham Couch break down the Spartans' win from Spartan Stadium.

The noise around Michigan State football is nothing but positive after the Spartans handled Northwestern in its season opener. Detroit Free Press beat writer Chris Solari and Lansing State Journal sports columnist Graham Couch get into all that and more in Thursday's episode. This week's topics: An air of positivity for the Spartans Kenneth Walker MSU linebackers Quavaris Crouch, Cal Haladay MSU's offensive line Payton Thorne Youngstown State preview Transfer portal MSU football, men's basketball benefit from NIL deal Predictions

We're three days out from Michigan State football's home opener against Northwestern, and Mel Tucker still hasn't officially named the starting quarterback. But the QBs of the Spartan Speak podcast, Detroit Free Press beat writer Chris Solari and Lansing State Journal columnist Graham Couch, are here to get you ready for MSU's season opener.  This week's topics:  MSU has its new AD: Alan Haller Anthony Russo or Payton Thorne at QB? Northwestern preview/analysis Predictions

For the first time since late April, Spartan Speak makes its return! Not only that, we'll be in your podcast feed weekly, if not twice a week during the football season.  Host Phil Friend is joined by the Jimmy Page and Robert Plant of the podcast - Detroit Free Press beat writer Chris Solari and Lansing State Journal sports columnist Graham Couch - as we get back into the swing of the college sports season.  This week's topics:  Emoni Bates commits to Memphis Michigan State's unexpected and untimely AD search continues Who will start at quarterback and running back for the Spartans? 

The Greater Lansing Food Championship, hosted by Lansing State Journal sportswriter Phil Friend, will be an annual food tournament determining the best of what Greater Lansing has to offer when it comes to food. In 2020, we did the best restaurant, won by Soup Spoon. In 2021, we’ll pick the best menu item to be found in Lansing’s restaurants via a 32-item knockout tournament. Phil will be joined by different State Journal staffers in each podcast to pick which food advances to the next round until there can only be one. The podcast is just part of the package, as we’ll have articles and videos, too, which can be found at lsj.com.  Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lansing State Journal sportswriters Phil Friend and Nate Atkins break down Michigan State's 2021 recruiting class: the three scholarship players - Max Christie, Jaden Akins and Pierre Brooks - and walk-on Keon Coleman, who will be in East Lansing on a football scholarship.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lansing State Journal sports columnist Graham Couch and Detroit Free Press beat writer Chris Solari are in the football mood, as Michigan State has seen EIGHT players enter the transfer portal (and one player commit to MSU) since Saturday's spring game.  Graham and Chris discuss the player exits and what it means for the program. Then, they delve into the spring game, the QB battle between Payton Thorne, Anthony Russo and the rest of the depth chart. We end with NFL draft talk, and where Shakur Brown, Naquan Jones and Antjuan Simmons might get drafted.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lansing State Journal sports columnist Graham Couch and Detroit Free Press beat writer Chris Solari have a lot to get off their chest in the month since our last recording.  The MSU basketball team has seen six players depart since the loss to UCLA in the NCAA tournament, with Foster Loyer, Thomas Kithier, Rocket Watts and Jack Hoiberg departing via the transfer portal, Aaron Henry declaring for the NBA draft and Joshua Langford deciding to forego his final year of eligibility to retire from basketball.  We then preview Saturday's spring football game, with what to watch for when it comes to the quarterbacks and depth chart as the Spartans will conduct more of a practice than a game. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Detroit Free Press beat writer Chris Solari and Lansing State Journal columnist Graham Couch convene shortly after Michigan State's overtime loss to UCLA in the NCAA Tournament First Four game to discuss what went wrong for the Spartans inside Mackey Arena on Thursday night.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Detroit Free Press beat writer Chris Solari and Lansing State Journal sports columnist Graham Couch are both a little befuddled as to how Michigan State ended up in a First Four game instead of, say, Syracuse. But the Spartans are in the tournament and start their journey Thursday night.  We'll talk about the selection committee's decision to put MSU in the play-in game, preview Thursday's game against UCLA, and make our predictions for both that game and the Final Four. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Detroit Free Press beat writer Chris Solari and Lansing State Journal sports columnist Graham Couch have plenty to talk about after Michigan State's win over No. 2 Michigan in the regular-season finale.  With the Spartans firmly in the NCAA tournament, we look ahead to the Big Ten tournament, previewing Thursday's game vs. Maryland while also predicting who will lift the trophy in Indianapolis.  We also discuss what seed MSU should expect when the NCAA tournament starts next week.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Detroit Free Press beat writer Chris Solari and Lansing State Journal columnist Graham Couch react to Michigan State's decisive 69-50 loss to Michigan on Thursday night by figuring out what scenarios would land the Spartans in the NCAA tournament.  They also discuss the Rocket Watts situation - he sat out most of the second half after not making a hustle play that sparked the Wolverines - and predict Sunday's rematch with Michigan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week's Spartan Speak podcast was spent largely talking about Michigan State basketball's future, after it looked like the Spartans weren't going to make the NCAA tournament following a loss to Purdue. But in the last week, MSU has come to life with wins over Indiana and No. 4 Illinois and are back on the bubble. On this week's podcast, Chris Solari of the Detroit Free Press and Graham Couch of the Lansing State Journal discuss how the Spartans have turned their season around, preview the final five games of the season and whether or not they make the NCAA tournament. Then, LSJ sports storyteller Nate Atkins grinds the tape and offers his analysis of MSU 3-star football and basketball recruit Keon Coleman, plus discussion of incoming football transfers Ben VanSumeren and Chester Kimbrough. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Detroit Free Press sportswriter Chris Solari and Lansing State Journal sports columnist Graham Couch have a lot to get off their chest as the Michigan State men's basketball team sits 4-9 in the Big Ten after losses to Iowa and Purdue and seem very unlikely to play in the NCAA tournament for the first time in more than 20 seasons.  Chris and Graham discuss the Spartans' problems, what's up with the rotations and how they can finish the season before looking to next season, including Enoch Boakye's decommitment, Emoni Bates, Max Christie, Jaden Akins, Pierre Brooks, "the brand" and what MSU's team might look like next season. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lansing State Journal reporters Nate Atkins and Phil Friend react to Wednesday's recruiting news, with Rayshaun Benny flipping from Michigan State to Michigan and the Spartans getting a commitment and signature from Keon Coleman.  Then, they discuss the five transfer players Mel Tucker has brought into the program - QB Anthony Russo, RBs Kenneth Walker and Harold Joyner, OL Jarrett Horst and DE Drew Jordan. That's followed by a discussion on the 2021 class as a whole, which under-the-radar players they like, position analysis and their favorite players.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.