WTKA Roundtable 10/30/2025: Just Get Me to the Bye

(No Brian this week—that was planned—and I overslept)

Things Discussed:

THE CRAIG ROSS HOUR

• Rudoph Verchow, most likely, I dunno. I wasn't there.
• Bredeson had a game—Sam explains what's going on with the blocking scheme. He's not reading on the fly; he's reading whether there's someone in the B gap, come get him!
• Run game cooking: MSU slanted into them but they had Bredeson to answer.
• Bryce: Concerned, not panicked. What's going on?
• RPOs are a comfort zone for him, but on 16 RPOs he only threw one and they were there for him.
• Coaches didn't have him prepared for nickel pressures.
• Gotta notice when the DBs are lined up over each other in the slot.

THE PART I WAS THERE FOR

• MSU was pretty bad. Aidan Chiles has regressed badly. Guards easy to push around or just get out of the way.
• Jimmy Rolder had a GAME, though some of those events were just MSU bad.
• Jyaire Hill played great, shut down Nick Marsh and that was the end of what MSU can do. He had the one failed chuck on a long throw late. Okay, –2, but didn't offset a great night.
• Young guys make mistakes. Good gameplan from Rossi against a true freshman QB, Bryce is going to have to learn to trust his pockets and see the rush.
• TJ Guy: back to TJ Dude. Important because Cam Brandt isn't playing well, Nate Marshall is Not Ready.
• DTs are fine. They rotate so much it's hard for anyone to get traction. Benny and Pierce are much better than the others, but they were able to run their defense in a way that everybody just had to hold up to doubles and let the LBs make plays. Payne is fine. Williams is fine and gets one big play a game. Pierce is hurt or else they could play him more—warrior.
• LBs if Rolder and Sullivan are out: Move Barham back? I guess you have to. Bowles didn't have a good game; the 2nd & 19 one of the things you need is for him to drop back in a "V".
• Purdue: Old USC OC, don't Wink out.