Eastern Michigan Eagles 2024 Team Preview | The College Football Experience

the college football experience Eastern Michigan Eagles 2024 season preview episode of the sports Gamblin podcast network is brought to you by Underdog Fantasy Sign up and when you do sign up with the promo code tce s gpn to score up to $1,000 in bonus cash uh they just introduce college football basball folks we've been covering it over there so hop on over there Underdog fantasy.com promo code pce s gpn we're also brought to you by Rhythm get your 7day free travel period today by going to sports gambling podcast.com rthm that's rmm that's Sports gambling podcast.com rthm and remember as always folks too let it ride this is Mike Leech head football coach at Mississippi State and you're listening to sgn let it ride [Music] [Music] yes yes yes welcome welcome to the college football football experience Eastern Michigan Eagles 2024 season preview episode I you know if you knew the history of Eastern Michigan football if you knew the history of old p dund d which I guess I should introduce myself uh if you're wondering just who the hell you're listening to my name is Kobe swi D Bas Dan AKA pick d d That's not a pick this is a pick he was raised in the land down under where a man thinks on his feet speaks with his fists and lives by his wits when dunde happened he was a superstar and you're nothing but a chameleon lemon headed coward terrorist [ __ ] and I'm after you buddy you're going to pay for it good night yes yes yes yes yes shout out to David Thompson Google that YouTube that have fun with that video uh but I was saying before I rudely interrupted myself that uh if you know a little thing or two about Eastern Michigan well they weren't the greatest but if you know a little thing I mean for a long time they weren't the greatest and if you know anything about old p dund d here you know they're my ma team um a long time ago uh well well probably mid 90s I think we kind of me and my brother ncy Nick you know we fell in in love with college football in the late 80s early 90s but we ended up like drafting a team for each conference really but more so the Mac because it I don't know that we did it for every we kind of had it but like for the Mac like we really had our favorite teams because they were doing week night games like I remember like wasan Tate at Toledo and and you know these Eastern Michigan teams for a long while there and the 90s were [ __ ] horrible absolutely horrible but that was my team I chose and a lot of it had to do with their colors um so that's my team I have a shirt around here somewhere uh that I wore like in the past week or two but I don't know where the hell it is I Pro it's probably dirty and got got to get cleaned so I should be showing up in eastern my Eastern Michigan gear to get excited well that is my team all right in the Mac that's my team I root for emu let's go and uh I am a huge huge fan of Chris kraton I think he's one of the more underrated coaches in America I'm glad he hasn't been stolen away in a way I mean I'm surprised to tell you the truth like if you had hired me as athletic director of a university that uh was about to fire their coach one of the first guys I would say specifically like you know Vander builds or uh you know a a place where it's hard to win Chris kraton would be my short list of of of of coaches to call and even at at Big Time places because I know he could win there too but uh anyway let's dive into it because I I want to talk about Chris kraton I think he's fantastic and uh one of the things that I find just to give you an idea of what I was saying and let me just load up some slides to talk about Chris kraton who is 191 and 114 191 and 114 and 27 years is the head coach former quarterback at Kenyon coached at Ottawa at Wabash and Drake and had great success there at all those places they have they're the only team in the nation that I know that has three offensive coordinators and two defensive coordinators this is like some SEC [ __ ] back in the day just put a bunch of coaches on the staff uh when there was no requirements but uh my point that I was trying to make let me just open up this to show you the history CU yeah a lot of you people I feel like are younger than me and you probably don't remember when they were horrible uh shout out to cannabis kapper it's late but work at the factory never stops um I just want I just want I just want to go through the history here of uh of what I I'm talking about if I can find whatever page I was on um this team didn't win a lot for a long time um and I believe I'm trying to pull this up right now here we go no why is there not one page where it just shows you all of it I think I I think I may have found it now um okay let's just I just want to Rattle through this all right I'm just going to take you to like let's just go with uh 1980 right let's just start even though they had two two losing Seasons before 1980 let's just say 1980 right around where cable T well cable TV was coming out one and N in 80 0 and 11 in 81 one 1 nine and one and 82 one and 10 and 83 27 and 2 and 84 4 and seven and 85 six and five and 86 and this is uh this is like where they had a little bit of a like they had like a three I remember they played like Fresno in the California Bowl uh 10 and2 and 87 63 and one and 88 and 73 and one and 89 after this like that fouryear stretch where they won four you know four straight winning seasons which credit to them but let's be honest the rest of the 80s were [ __ ] um they hit this rough patch two- n in 90 37 and one and 91 one and 10 and 92 four at 7even and 93 five at 6 and 94 now they did have a six and five season that's their only I think their only winning season pre Chris kraton uh since 1990 or 1989 uh 3 and 8 and 96 four and seven and 97 3 and 8 and 98 4 and seven and 99 3 and 8 and 2000 2 and N 2001 3 and N again 02 3 and N again and 03 four and seven and 4 4 and seven and 05 1 and 11 in 2006 4 and 8 and 07 3 and n and 08 0 and2 in 09 2-10 in 2010 now they did have a six and six season in 2011 but they didn't make a bull that year uh two two and 10 in 2012 2010 uh I'm sorry 2013 20 uh geez I can't even talk 2013 2-10 2014 2-10 2015 1 and 11 and then as as our president once said uh I think tyde turny I see as I remember I was raised in the desert but Tide's kind of turn it's easy to see a tide turn did I say those words did I say those words that Chris kraton's fantastic because and Chris kraton to be to be honest like his first two years he was part of that he was two and 10 and one and 11 his first two years at Eastern Michigan but since then seven- six bowl game five and seven missed out on a bowl game but they were actually pretty good that year seven and six bowl game six and seven bowl game covid season two and four okay what's Co next year seven and six bowl game next year nine and four bowl game next year six and seven bowl game they've been to six bowl games in eight years and one of those years was covid that they didn't go unbelievable this is a [ __ ] unbelievable coaching job and no one talks about it except me after a few whiskies at a bar in Yip salani all right or wherever really anywhere I'll be in [ __ ] Cancun he was say these [ __ ] Mayan aren't these Mayan temples fantastic did you see what Chris kraton did last year [ __ ] killed it um a guy's an unbelievable coach I think he's criminally slept on and they get destroyed in the portal often now it is interesting here Max Crosby the Las Vegas Raider unfortunately should be Oakland Raider um donated a bunch of money to build a field there and and get new Turf and I think they're getting rid of the track and uh at nerson at Ry nerson at the factory the the stadium there um but also I know Charlie Batch who's in Alum as well they he was part of a collective that tried to get Caleb Williams believe it or not off of him I think $3 million for one year and he turned it down or something something like that if that was true that was a headline my point is is like they're starting to get some traction starting to get some traction here um I'm encouraged folks uh look I want to talk more about all this but uh want to tell you that the college football experience is part of the sports gague podcast Network and uh look it's football season merry football merry football I walked through the grocery store here in Los Angeles say marry football they look at me like I'm a I'm like another [ __ ] crazy methed out homeless person here in Venice Beach but I still say it marry football um because it is football season and that's the merriest of the [ __ ] Seasons if you ask me uh what to let you know that because it's football season we feel like we should be marry and you should be marry right we're gonna give you 10% off everything in the merch store with the promo code football you can get a pck dund d t-shirt an ECU We Believe t-shirt a an old school college just regular college football experience t-shirt or college basketball experience or college baseball or a sports gamling podcast or my pal CJ Sullivan the BET detective t-shirt my point is we have a lot of cool shirts you could check out get on over there use the promo code code football sports gambling podcast.com just click merch store or get the sgn app which is free to download in the App Store and Google Play Store so check it out um back talking emu football my favorite the factory I will make a trip there at some point I dig the fact I'm I you know I love football I think more than the average human being I think uh most people know that um I love the fact they play at the uh at the factory there I think that's that's great and I love the fact that they're they're fixing this thing you know what I mean Ryan nerson Stadium shit's been been around since like the 60s the Detroit Wheels used to play there in the original world league in the early 70s Rocky long the legendary uh create the creator of the 335 defense believe it or not no one no one talks about that enough too um he played for the Detroit Wheels when they played there uh it's just it's cool it's a cool stadium so um anyway uh three offensive coordinators is [ __ ] crazy to me but uh they have a pat like Mike patski or p patosi is the uh is the passing coordinator the other ones are the running coordinators a lot of cooks in the kitchen but hey Chris kraton I'm not questioning [ __ ] all right uh 2dcs as well he's done an unbelievable job and I still think the the Hons was a cool name they should do to honor that I still don't understand why we run from that shouldn't we honor Native Americans I didn't am I crazy I don't know um but uh anyway best wins and this is another test to Chris kraton short of the UCF win which did happen when they were in the Mac but I put it on there because they could still talk [ __ ] and say yeah we beat we beat you when you're in the Mac you're nothing the other four are all in Chris kraton's tenure over the past five years [ __ ] incredible he's won at ruers when they're in the Big 10 he's won at Purdue when they're in the Big 10 he's won at Illinois when they're in the big I mean well obviously they're in the Big 10 but I'm saying he won at Arizona State he's the guy who got Herm Edwards fired I mean I believe he's a phenomenal coach and and hardly anyone notices um let's talk about this team let's let's really talk about this team they're 17th in scoring offense the season ago that wasn't very good I'll be honest last year's team made a bowl I actually think it was the worst Craton team like there was a year was 5- seven and missed a bowl that that team was actually really good they just lost every game by like a field goal like that team was probably if they played Back That season they're probably like an eight- win team it was just horrible luck last year's team made a bowl I don't I think it was the worst team they've had in some time but he still made a bowl and that's impressive uh and the stats kind of reflect how bad they were in my opinion 117th in scoring per game 129th in yards per game they made a bowl game with the fourth worst offense it's incredible uh 122nd in in passing yards uh uh 112th in rushing yards all of these are in the back half of the mac and the only one they were dead last in was yards they were dead last in the mac and yards and they still made a [ __ ] bowl game they got wax in the bowl game though like I said I don't think they were a very good team but still to get to a bowl game to get that collect that check move on build that continue to build that culture and that rep for hey you come you come here we go bowl games we compete in in the postseason year after year get those extra practices too um they only have four returning starters on the offense um JB Mitchell at the receiver spot uh I don't even know how to pronounce this Jer or is that J how do I pronounce that uh their tight end is back and two offensive lineman Mickey rolinski is back I love when youever you do the Mac you get a rinsky in almost every team or a sanduski or or I guess not sanduski always like a Polish name it's fantastic uh Right Guard Carson Lee is back Jesus Gomez is back at the kicker spot but only four starters so you would think red flags but if the offense was complete ass last year I'm not going to panic too much because you could just do what you did last year and still make a bowl but let me tell you something I think the Mac is worse than last year and when I say worse I think it's a lot worse than last year Toledo who went 11 and one and probably should have went 12 and0 uh they lost their entire offensive line their quarterback their running back to the portal and graduation all of them gone Ohio lost their whole goddamn team gone right even Miami Ohio that returns a lot and is a preseason favorite they took some hits in the portal uh Mar Mo lanquist Buffalo left Pete limo comes in so they're in a transitional phase Lance Taylor's building up Western Michigan um Central Michigan starting quarterback Jay Bower heads out to Sam Sam Houston State leaves them high and dry um my point with all of this is that the conference is a little down this year compared to last year in my opinion we'll see I mean I they could make me look like an idiot maybe they rebound but I think it's down and meanwhile and coaching stability I think will pay off which is why I kind of think Chris kraton's in a good spot here now they got and I thought and correct me if I'm wrong chat I know the chat's always by my side here but uh we saw Max crowby donate some money and and we saw Charlie bats is colle part of a collective that tried to get Caleb Williams it failed but when I look at what they did in the portal I tend to think they and I I'm just I have no no one's told me this I just tend to think that they have money because they went out and got some guys well first off they lost Austin Smith who did start a couple games he heads out to Austin pet the governors Cameron McCoy heads out to Jackson State and he was he came in from Cincinnati running back Jaylen Jackson heads out to Iowa State that's a little bit of a hit tight end Andreas uh pas yeah I think pass to Arkansas Zack kti to Southern Miss but a lot of these ones are are going to a step down trying to get some opportunity elsewhere can't blame them right um look what they brought in Cole sniders pretzels from uh Buffalo who started like he started at ruter he started at Buffalo and now he's here I like this get uh he started like over 25 games or something in college football then they got Drew vato from Minnesota as well but here's what I really like unfortunately you know I I hate the [ __ ] pack but to raid the [ __ ] pack is always a good thing you know what I mean because these guys are looking for better opportunities they realize Raleigh North Carolina well I like Raleigh but just the you know NC State's campus you know they realize it's not fun so they head out to Eastern Michigan Delbert Mims III Porter Rooks coming in I will say this about and I'm I joke but Dave Claus or Dave Clawson Dave doran's program there I do buy into the culture and I do buy into that these guys are probably going to be hits in the Mac they also bring in Tyler Walton from the Ohio Bobcats they get zel Griffin from UNLV who played in the Mountain West Championship a year ago and they load up on the tight end spot with Hans Bobby I'm your white knight lilis from Boston College also Jonathan odm from Florida and then Blake bustard from Wayne State Jack story from hope Logan bednard from Harvard look I know the O Line's obscure but to bring in Florida Boston College 2nc State a UNLV Minnesota and Buffalo transfer I can tell you this I preview every Mac team that [ __ ] ain't happening to every school right so I think they really won the portal in the offensive side of the ball let's talk about the defensive side of the ball but before we do that I want to let you know at the college football experience Eastern Michigan season preview it's brought to you by Underdog fantasy yes Underdog fantasy pickup gives you a chance to win a th000 times the amount of money you enter or you could play Fantasy Football the right way with baseball yes bball Mania is live with $15 million in prizes we did a best ball live draft on this very feed go check that out uh we also talked dropped a DFS episode today where we covered some of that so go check those out you can now use specials and boost on all Flex entries so sign up and when you do sign up with the promo code TC gpn to claim your special pick plus first- time deposit offer up to $1,000 in bonus cash Underdog fantasy.com promo code TC s gpn all right we are back uh so I'm making my case that I think they might have a little bit more money or they're they're getting some guys that I feel like other schools aren't getting right now uh in the Mac maybe I'm full of [ __ ] we'll see but 67 this is this the defense was was clearly the best unit 67th in the nation scoring per game which was in the top half of the Mac uh 92 in yards 46 in pass defense see respectable pass defense even though it was ninth in the Mac the Mac had some good defenses the season ago uh the rush defense was shitty though 119th second to last in the Mac they got to improve that um they do return five starters on the defensive side of the ball two in the two in the uh defensive line Joey zalinski see there we go there that's what I'm talking about zalinski it's [ __ ] Tommy Boy zalinsky uh what's the what's the What's the phrase again I make I make uh wins for Eastern Michigan univ University because that's who I am and that's who I care about I'm Joey zalinski playing defensive end for Eastern Michigan come out to the [ __ ] Factory this year and watch us dominate maxtion I'll take a guaranteed piece of [ __ ] uh what is I don't know I'm just talking out of my ass you know what I'm talking about Tommy Boy where he says like I could take a [ __ ] in a box label it guaranteed uh Joey zalinski make a little coin in the pocket but being the [ __ ] something like that horrible impersonation uh pton price back at the defensive tackle spot they also bring back linebacker Justin Jefferson uh and two in the secondary dayquan white quintavius scandit pitcher or pitcher Jesus Christ punter Mitchell to Tomac it's another one it's another one there uh I make car parts for the American man because that's who I care about and that's who I am get yourself out to the factory this this year we're going to dominate Max Crosby's donating money use it to wax down your marbles some [ __ ] like that blame it on me Dan acro's a [ __ ] genius you ever had Dan acro's vodka Dan acro's vodka is pretty good it's like a big it looks like it's like out of Indiana Jones like a big ass skull highly recommend check it out uh Dan aro's actually an an interesting dude he's like big U UFO believer big alien believer and I kind of am too he's convinced me he sold me and uh now that the US Navy and arm what am I talking about anyway um five starters back on the defensive side of the ball and your punters back they lost some guys Micah Coleman going to Cincinnati Alex Merritt going to Texas State those are are hits I the big one here is Kempton shine going to Virginia he's a dog also Josh mccardy to pit this is what I mean they do get raided a little bit so clearly they don't have that much money but um lost about four guys of sub of you know of quality guys from a season ago but they kind of replenish them they go out to Arizona State and bring in uh a defensive lineman also Jefferson Adam from Iowa State I I like how they go to the Deep ranks of uh Indianapolis University for Dylan Shelton to the linebacker spot also JT killan from Coastal Carolina I mean I I still I think they kind of lost the portal on the defensive side of the ball but I still think they brought in like a better class than most Max schools if that makes sense um maybe I'm full of [ __ ] but I just feel like they they did as far as like from Power five teams I think they brought in brought in more um it doesn't always mean wins though just it's just intriguing to me um but I'm going to say they lost the portal on the defensive side of the ball you can't take hit hits some of those hits are gigantic that the corner that went to Virginia it was a beast um I don't know so so let's check out this win total four and a half don't insult me don't [ __ ] insult me Chris kraton hasn't had a four- win season since his first two years well I mean Co they didn't they played like four games so you throw that year out but you look at at what they've done it's it's this is insulting this is an insulting line the guy okay if you he had to build up Eastern Michigan so his first two years two and 10 and one and 11 in his first two years but if you look at his whole damn career 24 years of coaching 24 years of coaching college football those two years building up eastn Michigan were the only two losing Seasons well he said if you throw out the co throw out the co he's only had three losing seasons ever if he throw out Co and one of those was a five and team that was really good actually that should have went eight and five or something but I this is blindly I'm like this is a slam dunk [ __ ] out of here [ __ ] out of here this a slam dunk I don't even think it's that crazy to take that plus 3,000 on the MAC Championship just because the league is down someone's got to win these games I'll Trust coaching continuity um going to go game by game on the schedule here but before I do that I want to tell you that the college football experiences brought to you by Rhythm have you ever wanted to create your own sports betting model for uh football do you even know what a sports betting model is sgp's proud partner rhythm is the number one AI powered sports betting platform that helps provide betters of all levels the ability to build custom predictive betting models in seconds and you can get pred predictions for betting on money lines spreads totals and props get on over there claim your free 7-Day trial period today by going to sports galling podcast.com rthm look the Rhythm model love Delaware State plus 40 I did too so we cashed in on that uh build your own model and get ready for week one college football folks once again sports ganling podcast.com rthm that's rmm that Sports gambling podcast.com rthm all right yeah I mean my first thought is get the [ __ ] out of here with this four and a half all right um and they open up at UMass I had a hard time with this game I took UMass but I have no [ __ ] feel on this I have no like there is a feel goal game I kind of think Don Brown's Building UMass quietly to a better program and I think next year Don Brown's team will make a bowl game this year I think they're still be sputtering but they're they're they look more athletic when you watch them they're more physical and athletic than they've been in a long [ __ ] time that's a very winnable game for Eastern Michigan I think week two is winnable call me crazy I showed you you the sheet Chris kraton's beaten what five power five schools got Herm Edwards fired Washington was calling up Idaho State looking for offensive lineman I don't know about Washington this year obviously we have to favor Washington especially if it's a cross country trip in Seattle that Stadium gets lit too but I think it's a I think it's a winnable game you're looking for you're looking for you looking for a crazy dog for week two of course we should watch week one before I really say this but it could happen it could happen you got a quarterback that's starting 26 games I think 20 something like that now I mean he's not amazing but he's serviceable right uh I can't wait to watch these games man um let's just say one in one one and one they're home to Jacksonville State and Rich Rodriguez who's replacing a lot now I took Jacksonville State to win because that [ __ ] speed that speed the Jacksonville State has Eastern Michigan struggles with that so I'll say loss there so one and two after three St Francis the red Flash come to town who watch out they did play who was that akan two years ago really tough took them to overtime but I think Eastern Michigan will beat St Francis that's the second win they go to to Kent State week five there September 28th I got him beaten Kent State I got him three and two at the first bye-week the win total is four and a half folks uh they come out of the byee and and what a great by we because um they're home to Miami Ohio who won the MAC last year that's when you want to get the by week obviously I got a favor of Miami Ohio but I think wouldn't shock me I mean this game what was this game a year ago this was like a [ __ ] I don't think this was a blowout a year ago it's like a 13o no they didn't play a year ago did they they didn't play okay um I mean this team's in every goddamn game that's another thing about Chris kraton even your losses for the most part like during his tenure there it's always like a one- score game for the most part last season was the worst they were in a while but still seveno loss to Northern Illinois uh three-point lost to Central Michigan they're in those games I'm I'll say they lose to Miami Ohio but I love getting them at home but give me them to get to get central then two home games there they go one and one that's uh boom that's your fourth win right there and then they head to akan why should I take akan over Eastern Michigan what did they play last year it's a double overtime game this is what I mean kraton lives by the he this is he's like Kirk ference in that regard like every game's a [ __ ] three-point game in the Mac um I still think they're better than akan but I it wouldn't shock me if they lost they're also home to Toledo on November 2nd all you need is one more win at this point whether it's akan so after after home to Toledo they get a byee then they're at Ohio uh Ohio lost everybody then they're home to Buffalo and then they're at Western Michigan who everyone's high on but they're going to be Buffalo or akan that's you beat Buffalo and aan that's that's what six wins you're bowling and they're good for an upset most kraton teams upset teams like I know last year's like I said wasn't that great but you go back to the year before they won nine games one out Arizona State they beat the [ __ ] out of Western Michigan uh look La the year they lost nine games or I'm sorry the year they won nine games they uh they lost to Toledo by three who won the MAC that year that's what I'm saying they're in the mix for all these games this team is going over this a [ __ ] lock this is a lock who I don't even know for sure that they have like a fullon 100% like a game that's 100% a loss I tend to think you know Washington and Jacksonville State are like in that mix but let's talk about this road schedule this is why you should lock this this road schedule Kent State what did they do last year oh one and 11 H I'm talking Road schedule in conference by the way um can't State one and 11 oh akan what they win two and 10 oh Ohio okay they won 10 games but their whole goddamn team's gone Western Michigan 4 and eight I mean need I say more it's a great schedule the over's hitting they're going to a [ __ ] bowl game they I guarantee you they go to a bowl game I guarantee you they go to a bowl game wouldn't shock me and I I'm looking forward to watching that UMass game this weekend because I I could totally see that I don't and let's be honest plus 3,000 to win the MAC Championship let's just let's W walk through this with me yes they get Miami Ohio yes they get Toledo yes they get Ohio if we had to power rank let's just use the the the the odds to win the championship in the Mac right now Miami Ohio is the is the odds on favorite to win the Mac Toledo 2 Bowling Green three Western Michigan four right northern northern Illinois is five um they get they don't get Bowling Green right they get uh Toledo and Miami Ohio and Western Michigan guess what though Miami Ohio and Toledo come into the factory I mean every game in the max is like a three-point game so they could clip those teams I'm not just going to automatically say that oh they'll dominate them no they're get they're they're gonna get one of them I guarantee they're gonna get either Miami Ohio Toledo or Western Michigan team's gonna go to a bull write it all right uh folks and and let's if you really think about that if you clip Toledo or Miami Ohio at home you're probably you're going to be contention for a MAC Championship but you need to not slip up because it is the wacky Mac I actually kind of like the schedule the fact you get Buffalo akan and Kent State it's worth a Sprinkle it's worth a Sprinkle um I'm on the over I think that's the best play you can do though right now because I don't know I mean it's a nice it's a favorable schedule though your road games are [ __ ] um can't wait to watch the um game paying this is why you pay close attention to the UMass game that shit's going to matter um yeah load up give me that over uh and way over if you could find a five where the odds are even better take the over on that uh folks that's our show see that 35 minutes of action should I do one more chat do you guys want to do one more because I have one more and it's a team called New Mexico state you want to do one more tonight I think we should do one more I think we should do one more let's do one more give me 10 minutes I'll start the page New Mexico state next folks we're breaking down all 134 teams in college football um subscribe to the college football experience youtube.com colge foot uh slth college experience uh give us a follow it's uh you know the home to all of our stuff the college basketball experience college baseball experience uh FCS college football experience all of those come together as one youtube.com/ thee colge experience um also subscribe to uh or follow us on Twitter at tce on gpn I'm on Twitter at the CBD also uh yeah check out the stadium heads podcast we talk about the history of college football stadiums we love Ryerson Stadium there the factory we love Max Crosby giving money back to the football program to build this thing I think it's fantastic this that's the how the engine should work run you know what I mean it's how it should run uh yeah check out the sports gambling podcast give me a follow on Twitter at tce on S gpn uh till next time which will be in about 10 minutes this is the college football experience Eastern Michigan Eagle style fly fly cash that over Chris kraton's going bowling don't insult me you better start thinking about yours anded we out of here Sho we can R shoot and the whole looking and the looking with the [Music]