Blue By Ninety - E95: Pass Catcher, Joel Honigford.

Episode Date: October 14, 2021

Run blocker turned pass catcher, Joel Honigford, joins the boys to talk the undefeated Michigan Football team, Nebraska atmosphere, bye week and more. Crack a cold one and enjoy the show. 

This is the University of Michigan. Touchdown, Michigan! The Beats of Michigan! And they've caught extra pass. And it goes for the win! The three-pointer by Jordan Poole! Down the sideline! Peebles-John!

Touchdown, Wolverines! All right, welcome back to Blue by 90. I am Justin, joined by Jack and Kalen as always. And we have recurring guest, former run blocker, current pass catcher, Joel Hunnigford. Tight end for the Michigan Wolverines, the 6-0 Michigan Wolverines. Joel, thanks for joining us again. We love having you here.

Yeah, thanks for having me on. For sure, man, for sure. I mean, I had to emphasize it because I don't know if everyone knows it, but Joel had his first reception of his career against Nebraska last Saturday night. And we watched and we were going nuts for you. And then, you know, they just zoomed in on your face going crazy as you caught it. So I need you to take us through the moment when you caught your first pass as a Wolverine.

I'll just, like, walk you through the whole play. So I saw the play call and I was like, all right, it's like it's a pass. And I was like, all right, let's do this thing. And I wasn't like the first read. So I wasn't like too nervous. I was like, I'll just run my route, whatever. So I'm running my route and I'm looking at the coverage, like trying to decide if I should convert it or not.

And it's kind of like taking a while, the way they were looking, the way they were moving. So I was like, all right. Ended up just – I just kept going. And I turned back to look, and the ball was already on its way. I was like – I didn't have any time to think. Like, it wasn't like, oh, maybe you should catch this, maybe you shouldn't. Like, no, I didn't have any time to think like it wasn't like oh like maybe you should catch this maybe you shouldn't like oh you're lying like no I didn't have any time to think about anything

which is probably a best case scenario right for sure I just grabbed that thing and started running I was like I'd already pre-decided I was like when I catch the ball I will run straight to the end zone and like if somebody's gonna try to hit me like I'm gonna go the ball, I will run straight to the end zone. And, like, if somebody's going to try to hit me, like, I'm going to go as low as I can on them because I know they're going to try to get my legs. Like, I'm a big guy. So I was like, I'm just going to find the first person I can. I'm just going to try to run him over.

And so I just saw that thing turned out field. And then I saw, I think it was one of their linebackers. I saw him and I was like all right i'm going for him shoulder but he went even lower but got the first down uh then i like after it was done i was like i was like in awe because i really felt like i didn't know like what was going on it happened so fast and then um i stood up handed the ball to the ref I hear like everyone is like yelling my name on offense like people are like screaming my name like Andrew Stuber just started dying laughing and I like I was like I was just trying to be like nice and calm or whatever

and then Eric all comes up behind me and starts like pounding on my shoulder pads or whatever. He's like, let's go. And then I just broke and started smiling. It was so sick. And I like looked over the sideline and a coach J or tight ends coach. He was like, let's go. Well, I hope you're a, I hope your mom and dad had the DVR going, had it recorded, because they zoomed in on that smile.

So that was pretty awesome. Yeah. My grandma definitely did. That's fantastic, man. It was a very cool moment. And we could tell, you could tell through the TV, it was just like everybody was on your side, and so that was awesome. But here's the thing.

Now, I got to make sure you haven't become this, like, diva wide receiver now that you're catching balls and stuff, all right? We still need you grinding it out as an O-lineman too. I'm down for that. I'm down for both. Just as long as I get my hands on a few balls there you go all right let's transition to tight end people are like oh you know he's still just a lineman and i was like you're wrong so they're like are we wrong well guess what now you are

wrong around yeah check the stat book now yeah yeah you're in it there's uh there's no debate now and uh i mean i was i thought it was great form you caught it on the run turned up field immediately so you weren't hesitating you got that first down i was like damn that looked natural that looked real natural yeah i mean i catch a lot of balls in practice and stuff so like i know like even in like live periods and stuff, I've done all that. It's just I haven't done it with 90,000 people in the stands screaming and then millions watching on TV.

We were talking about it, too, after the game happened. I mean, that crowd sounded insane at Nebraska. Is that, like, the loudest crowd you've ever heard? Yeah, it's comparable like to Penn State whiteout that we had two years ago. Like I couldn't tell you which one was louder. It was insanely loud. Like when I was on the field, like I've never had to focus so hard on like hearing the snap count that I did, like, in this game. I could just barely hear it every time.

And, like, it was insanely loud. Like, they were all screaming or whatever. It was crazy. I'm sure, especially in the second half, right, they went on that run and scored a bunch straight in the third quarter. And it was like, was there ever a moment where you guys were on your heels and you're like shit I mean are we like you know losing this momentum or how do you guys keep it together during all that um I would say like I mean this

year's team like that's something like say like the interception that's something, like, say, like, the interception. That's something that we would have, like, would have turned the tides, like, probably something we would have lost from realistically in the past. But I think it's just a lot of, like, there's, like, everybody on team trusts each other. So, like, when that happened, people weren't like, oh, geez, Cade, like, he can't do this. Like, people were like, no, like, he's got it. He's fine.

Like, it just happened like we got to move on I mean everybody throws interceptions um just got lucky enough that his was the sixth game of the season um right but no everybody like nobody wavered or anything I mean we trusted our defense and our defense trusted us like nobody it's like nothing I've ever seen before just literally everybody trusting everybody else and then us trusting the coaches and the play calling and stuff like that and the cool look I think the coolest thing for me that I that I saw from that game and I didn't even realize it until the day after is when Nebraska played Thunderstruck and you guys were going nuts on the sideline you know when that came on you guys

were down at that point yeah we were I thought that was the coolest thing ever to see like the energy that you guys still had even though you were down in the game it's like nobody was worried about it you guys had like all the faith you were to come back and win it and that like just like stuck out to me I feel like I mean like you said about like past teams you know at interception like probably wouldn't have came back from that and And it's just the trust that you guys have in yourselves to, you know, still enjoy the moment and then come back and believe you're going to win and just live that energy the entire game was so cool to see. Yeah, I mean, like, for like that, we knew that they played Thunderstruck.

They shut off all the lights, got their little light show or whatever. So we were like, yeah, we're going to make this ours. Kind of like we made jump around ours. Like, we're like, doesn't matter. We're going to make're gonna make it ours so i mean if that's something that you don't do and you let them get the momentum you know the fans going and stuff like that then it could just crush you but we're like no it's not gonna happen like this is gonna be ours so that happened we just turned it up and i i thought too you know obviously towards the end of the game moving, moving, moving, then just couldn't put it in the end zone either. And that can be kind of a momentum stopper as well.

Thank God for Money Moody. Jake Moody is the man, right? Just clutch. But, I mean, it just that's that's one of those things, too, that can frustrate guys. And they're just like, God dang it, we can't get it in, you know, and then you can, you know, that can screw some things up too. But you guys kept at it. Obviously, the defense had you guys' backs too.

So do you guys feed off of the defense as well in those situations where, like, you know, you say that trust on the offensive side of the ball, does it feel like you have the trust when they're on the field too oh yeah our defense balls out our defense is ridiculous i mean like there's so many playmakers and like they just do their job i mean we go against them in practice every day like we we understand how good they are they understand how good we are like there's like a mutual respect so

it's never like oh geez the defense is on the field it's like no defense is fine like shut them out in the first half i think right yeah so yeah i mean our defense is unbelievable so like we trusted them we were like yeah we just gotta move the ball and do our thing they're gonna do their thing so i mean they were they come off the field and they start hyping us up and like let's go offense you know why. And we do the same for them when they're headed out on the field. Like it's never like, no, come on. Like why didn't you score a touchdown? It's never like that.

I mean, we just, I mean, trust is like literally the main word of like the season. So. Yeah, I want to go. Oops, sorry. I want to go back to when we were talking, jump around and thunderstruck and stuff like that obviously that's kind of become like a thing you guys have done throughout the

season is like go to someone else's house and like steal their thunder no pun intended there do you kind of see like that's gonna be your thing going down for the rest of the season like all away games you're like all right we're making your house our house yeah I mean their noise is our noise that's what coach Harbaugh always says like their fans are our fans like you want to cheer loud okay well you're cheering for us like I mean they're not actually but like we run out at the same time as them like they're cheering they don't know who to cheer for or boo you know we're running at the same time as them like they're cheering they don't know who to cheer or boo you know we're running out the same time their team's running out it's like what do we do here it like throws them off mind games yeah and like plus like probably jump around and thumbstruck we played those songs so many times during that week because we'll like put crowd

noise into practice so like it's not our first time hearing it at the game so like wisconsin week i've probably heard jump around like 60 times before the game so it was driving me insane um so like when we got there we're like yeah this is exactly what we thought it was it's gonna be loud and people are jumping around you know guess what so are we so but yeah it's it's pretty sweet because it just, like, that way of getting momentum for them is just obsolete. Yeah, and, I mean, Cade said it in his post-game interview right on the field. He said past Michigan teams, he said no disrespect

to the past Michigan teams, but past Michigan teams would lose this game. And I couldn't agree with him more. And he took some flack for it, honestly. But I mean, what's that feeling from you guys where like, hey, it is no disrespect to former Michigan teams, but we do feel different, right? We do feel something different in this building. So have you guys taken things from past teams or your past experiences and said, hey, this is something specific we need to change? Or has it just been kind of a feeling thing all around? I don't know if there's anything specific that we said.

It was just kind of like, I mean, we have really good leadership. Like, I mean, I've been here for, this is my fifth year now. So I've been on those past Michigan teams. So, like, I understand, like, I understand, like, what leadership the guys need and stuff like that. And, like, yeah, we have four captains, but, I mean, everybody who's on the field is a leader. Like, Donovan Edwards, like, the dude can lead. Like, people are going to listen to him.

There's not anybody who's out there who's not leading the other person because at some point in time, somebody else is going to listen to them there's not anybody who's out there who's not leading the other person because at some point in time somebody else is gonna have to pick you up it doesn't matter who you are and like everyone is there for that and yeah like no disrespect to those teams at all I was on what four of them before and uh I mean I love those teams and whatnot it's just a little bit different this year and I couldn't put my finger on it exactly I mean, I guess he could tell you that we all trust each other more, which we really do, but there wasn't like anything we pinpointed that we're

like, yeah, we need to fix this and this will help us. It just kind of happened. Yeah. And you're, you know, you're talking about trust and you're mentioning freshmen, right? So I think that is a, is a huge deal, you know, when you're talking about J.J. McCarthy coming in, you know, in obviously like very important situations where you have Cade that's doing fantastic, doing great things, but, you know, J.J. comes in and does his thing too. And for those guys, you know, the stories now about how it was 4.30 in the

morning when they got back and they're still going out to the field and stuff like that. So as the senior leader, you know, between you guys, you, Vistardis, Aiden Hutchinson on the other side of the ball, Josh Ross, Brad Hawkins. How have you guys seen those young guys take this, take this by the horns and just be like hey we're not just some young guys that can't do it we're gonna do everything that these guys are doing too yeah i mean they don't the main thing for them is they don't expect anything they just they come and they do what they're told they help out where they can and then you see like after everything's over all the cameras are turned off everything like that that, everybody's left. They're going to go do more because, I mean,

they don't have the experience that all of us have and stuff like that. So that's how they make up for that. They do more work and stuff like that. And, I mean, it's not just them. We were doing more work. I mean, probably after we got back from Nebraska because everybody else was like, I'm going to bed. It's 4.30 in the morning.

But, no, they don't expect anything, but they're always ready, which is, like, huge. I mean, they're not sitting there pouting because they're not getting put in the game and, you know, hey, put me in right now, whatever, nothing like that. I mean, they're just – they're, like, they're team players. They really are, which is an unbelievable quality to have. What was the post-game meal after Nebraska?

We got Raisin Cane's. Oh, I love Raisin Cane's. It's so good. So good. I usually, whenever I go out to Vegas, I make sure to stop at Raisin Cane's all the time. So good. I've never had Raisin Cane's. What is that?

Is it like fried chicken? Yeah, chicken. Is it? Chicken tenders. Unbelievable. It's my favorite food. Love it. What was – so you go into halftime up 13-0, I believe it was, right?

You know, definitely I think from an offensive standpoint, probably a few points that you guys left on the board board you felt like you could have been up more in that situation um what was the feeling or what what were you guys saying to each other going into that second half uh and then also after that third quarter you know when they put the the pressure on you what was there a difference there is it going into the fourth two um at halftime like really what we focused on was just like it's zero zero like you can't look at this like it's 13 nothing if you do that like bad things are going to happen there they're a good football team like they're the best three and three football team in the nation 100 not really like i mean it is what it is it's not like wow, we're the best 3-3 team in the nation.

But they're a really good football team. Their offense is good. Their defense is good. They got big dudes on defense, on the D-line, and guys who can make plays. So, I mean, we knew that going into the game. We knew they were going to have their surge. And we knew that we weren't going to blow them out. Like, that's not all how that game was going to go.

I mean, it could have been, like, if all the chips fall in the right spots but I mean you're playing a night game at Nebraska this is like their Super Bowl I mean they got number nine at that time number nine Michigan coming in like this is their chance you know really make a statement um but so we knew what was coming like we knew we were going to hit adversity. It wasn't something that was like just kind of surprised us. So it hit and we responded the way that we did. I mean, it was kind of just the same way going into the fourth quarter. Like we knew what we had to do. We just had to do it. So that's kind of how we attack that and just trusted whatever the coaches

were going to set up for us and went out there and executed it. What was that? What was that feeling like when – I think the game was tied, right, when Nebraska had the ball with under two minutes left, and then Hawkins comes out of nowhere and just rips the ball out. What was that reaction like on the sideline? Did you know what was going on as it happened? I was kind of confused because I just saw him run with the ball. I just saw Brad Hawkins running with the ball.

Everyone was confused. I'll be honest. I was watching on TV, and I was like, what just happened? What just happened? Yeah, I was like, how did this dude just get the ball? I was like, what is going on? All right, well, we can just go win this thing now. Now we have a chance like that's what

our defense does they make plays like they're ballers and I mean they got a lot of seasoned guys on that defense which is wonderful and guys like Brad Hawkins who's like oh yeah I'm just gonna go take this right now let's go win this thing no we're all pumped but like after it happened we're like all right we need to like calm down like we still have to go win this thing like it's not won yet and so broke the huddle went out there and did our thing love it and then i mean in the locker room afterwards was it just a party or or how was uh how's everybody feeling after that uh I couldn't stop smiling, to be honest with you. That was like – you know how Rutgers game went last year?

Like, it was kind of similar feeling to that game, except now the, like, fans are packed in the stadium. Like, momentum is a real thing now. Like, it was like one of the most emotionally draining games I've ever played. I mean, it was phenomenal. It was an one of the most emotionally draining games I've ever played. I mean, it was phenomenal. It was an unbelievable feeling. Like to go in that locker room, know that you're 6-0. Like you just won a really good game.

Like I don't care about the record. Like just look at all the aspects of that game. Like we just won a – that was a wonderful win. Like we go in the locker room and like everybody was just smiling and kind of looking at each other. And we were all pumped or whatever to get the win. We go in the locker room and everybody was just smiling and kind of looking at each other. We were all pumped or whatever to get the win. Then we always, after games, we always high-five each other. It was a huge thing. We were all

going around high-fiving each other. It was just a good time. I knew everybody was hyped because watching on TV, I saw Coach Harbaugh run right past ESPN reporter Molly McGrath. Yeah. Yeah, I think he was just excited to get back in there with us.

Yeah, I was talking to somebody who was on the field after the game, and he was saying that Coach was – like he's never seen Coach like he was after that game, just like hugging and high-fiving everybody. And he just like, he gets a feeling that he hasn't liked a team and loved a team more than this one right now. And it just seems like you guys like have, it almost feels like you rejuvenated coach a little bit where like he's re-found a love for the game and all this stuff

too so do you see that in him as well um so out of my like five years now being here i'd say that he's still the same as far as like how he feels towards the team like he he has always been like truly our number one fan like always been our biggest supporter had our backs no matter what happened um i mean just the only difference this year is we're six and oh I mean it's pretty good spot to be in and like I don't know all the guys including myself like we love him he's he's the man like he loves us it's just like it's like a really good feeling like the just like the relationship between him and us and us and him is like it's like it's it's never been before. I mean, it's just, it's awesome.

How great is that six and oh feeling going into a bi-week? Phenomenal because statistically that game going into the bi-week is usually a game that like not a lot of teams win that should win. Like that's like the hardest game to win is the game going into a bi-week because like, obviously, you know, you have a bi-week. And then statistically teams play better out of the bi-week because they got two weeks of preparation and get to get their bodies back under them. But yeah, it's just, it is a wild feeling.

I can't, I can't remember the last time i felt like this say it was 2018 um it was probably the last time i felt close to this but even then like i mean i'd always been playing in 2018 and now i mean i'm a real part of the team which feels good to be a part of the team and have a impact on a team that's known and ranked eighth in the country. I'm curious, do you happen to know Oliver Martin when he was at Michigan? Yeah, we were actually really good friends when he was here. He was like, so the guys left, like me, Brad Robbins Carter Selzer Andrew Stuber Jess Bate we were all real good friends with him when he was here um but yeah so we were like real good friends with

him and like even over the years like we've talked Oliver's kind of quiet guy so you don't get much out of him but we knew him uh really well when he was here and then kind of followed him after and have talked here and there. We went up and saw him after the game and talked to him a little bit. Obviously, it wasn't great for him because we just handed them an L. But, no, he's a good dude. He's always been pretty quiet. But, yeah, he's a good dude.

Yeah, he's been all over the map now, right? So, no, but that's cool that you guys have been able to keep that connection you know and nowadays with people and the you know the transfer portal is crazy right so it's it's going to happen more and more often um but you know talking about you you guys being number eight in the country. Have you guys talked about that? Now you're getting, you know, a lot of attention and you're getting that ranking. Have you talked about trying to keep yourselves humble

and we haven't accomplished much yet, you know, and all that type of stuff? Are those conversations happening around the locker room right now? I think the main thing that everybody's saying is not to fall in love with your stuff so like obviously we have a good thing going but i mean anybody can tell there's a lot of stuff to improve on so we're not anywhere where we need to be we've done some stuff now i mean we beat wisconsin on the road we beat nebraska on the road at night. Those are big wins. We beat a good Rutgers team, the best Rutgers team they've had in a while.

But I don't really think anybody – nobody has talked about the fact that we're, like, in the top ten. No, like, it's never even mentioned in the locker room. I mean, after last season, we were just – people were down so much on us and, like, just had everything to say about how bad we were, which was kind of a big motivation. But, I mean, now we're sitting where we're at. And, I mean, mainly it's just guys focusing on each other.

And I don't really think anybody's got, like, a big head on their shoulders or anything like that because there's still so much more to prove and to improve. So with the bye week this week and then Northwestern following that, obviously it was a big game Halloween weekend, potentially a top 10 matchup with, you know, you guys going East Lansing and playing Sparty. Are you guys kind of looking ahead at that? Or do you guys have your ears, you know, ears opened up to that potentially being a top 10 matchup and getting hyped up for that? What's the focus like on Michigan State right now? Um, I mean, obviously, we realize that, like, it's going to be a big game. It always is.

I mean, even last year was a big game. Just because, I mean, it's Michigan versus Michigan State. But, I mean, right now we still have to – we have to go through Northwestern first. I mean, they're like – we've got to play them next, and so we can't take them lightly at all. We're back in the big house, which will be exciting. But, yeah, we're kind of focused on Northwestern right now, and then we'll get to Michigan State when that comes about because, I mean, if you're going to focus on a team two games from now,

the game you have next is probably not going to go how you want it to. And so we're trying to avoid that and do what we can do against Northwestern and then take on Michigan State. That was a very political answer. I liked it. That was a very political answer. I liked it. That was scripted. I can tell Coach has trained you well.

But I can tell you that I am focused on Sparty. I don't want you to look too far ahead. But I know the fans are definitely looking and excited about that matchup. So it's going to be a fun one in East Lansing. We'll be there supporting you for sure. So that'll be sweet. Let's go. And so talking about, you know,

I want to go back to the Cade and JJ thing a little bit because I think that for a lot of teams, when you have multiple quarterbacks coming in and one is the young guy, you know, and talented and Cade's more, you know, I don't want to say game manager because he can make all the throws and all the plays. But I think that that can be a distraction for a lot of teams out there when you have so much going on there.

But it does seem like you guys, you really use it to your advantage. And like you said, J.J. is not like really clamoring for playing time. He's just there when his name is called. And then also when Cade comes off, he's like, yeah, I want J.J. to succeed just as much. And so, you know, what do you guys see from leadership from both of those guys when they're in the huddle? I mean, it's just like there's just no selfishness. I mean, both those guys are all selfless and they understand what they can do for us.

And they can understand they understand how uh each other can help the team so it's like i mean we're not going to put one or the other in in a bad spot like they're we're going to put them in like a situation we think they can succeed in and i mean kade's a baller like he does what he does and jj does the same like they they're two different types of quarterbacks and you know they kind of got their own thing about the way that they play and we use that to our advantage and I mean the main key of that is both those guys are real selfless so I mean Cade's like all right yeah you know JJ needs to go in like you want to put him in fine that that's fine like make it

happen let's win this game like however we need to I mean Cade's Cade is a very good leader like I mean especially for what is he like two three years younger than. I mean, Cade's a very good leader. I mean, especially for, what is he, like two, three years younger than me? I mean, I'll follow that dude. I'll follow that guy into war. I don't care. Plus, he throws me the ball, which I like. I was wondering if you were, I know you said you weren't the first read on that play, but if you were a little nervous that he was going to call a different tight end in there like you did with that that other play i don't know me and him have been talking about it like that's that's my game plan right there like that's that's kind of how i like

to play you know i'm saying run across formation see what happens from there i can tell you're starting to change you're you're you got one catch and you're starting to change already he's like doing this with his lips a little bit doing all that I love it but listen I'm the same old me I just got a little swag now I can carry a little bit more and I think now that I have caught a ball and ran with it for a first down, I might say now Cade's got a little confidence in me. He's like, you know what? This guy can't catch the ball. They can dump it down to you if they, if so, that,

that when he goes to his second read, he might, you know, he's going to go to that a little bit quicker. If, if you're in the game, I like it. I like it. Which I know, I know we have some people listening to this. We might have some insider bet tips. You know, leading receiver, leading receiver, Joel Honigford versus Northwestern. Put your money on it.

Yeah. If you go out and have like 10 catches for a hundred yards, I'm going to be like, Oh my God, this dude is it's over. He he's, his head is not going to make it through the doorway when he comes back. Yeah. Literally no chance of that happens. My money run blocking though. No doubt about it. There you go. I mean, Hey, you gotta do mean hey you gotta do it it's gotta it's gotta happen right um yeah which i did notice though i mean you guys ended up going with uh not to get

into the playbook too much i know that but um you know you ended up going with a ton of double tight end formations but not like getting too tight right you? You had multiple tight ends in, but one was tight, one was wide and things like that. So my question is like, are you guys going at this offense with a really dynamic approach? Like any, you could hit it any different way with all the weapons you guys have with all your receivers, your slot guys, the tight ends, the running backs,

you know, going out for passes too. Do you feel like you guys, like, whatever the defense throws at you, you guys can counter with a bunch of different ways? Yeah, I think we just got a lot of versatility. I mean, like, guys like Eric All and Luke Skinemaker, like, those dudes can get out and run. They also can step in line and smash. Like, there's just a lot of versatility.

The running backs aren't afraid to block, and their receivers, like, whatever – realistically, like, whatever somebody's asked to do, like, they're going to do it, which is, like, huge because, say, like, if the receivers couldn't block, then that limits the playbook a little bit. I mean, there's things that we can't do, but our receivers couldn't block then that limits the playbook a little bit i mean there's things that we can't do but our receivers can't block so it opens things up and you know i feel like our guys are real versatile and they're willing to accept any job that they need to do to help us out which is pretty sweet and me the same it was great to see all the tight ends get like some time out there to i know kind of later in the game you guys were doing that like block for a second or two and then run out like a delayed

route kind of deal and uh you started picking up a lot of receptions late in the game and i know i was going crazy in my living room like let's go you Yeah, we were all pumped because, like, I mean, we hadn't – I don't even know how many games it was until we really had a reception in the tight ends. And then we'll be playing against Nebraska and we all three – I have one. I think each of those guys, Luke and Eric, both had two each. So we were all pretty pumped about that.

We were like, let's go. We still have a tight end touchdown, which is okay because we're still 6-0. But that's to come. You're looking for that. You're looking for that. I would love that one in Northwestern. Maybe at Sparty. If you score at Sparty, I'm going to be in the stands going absolutely ballistic.

I'm going to be in the stands going absolutely ballistic. I'm going to be on the field going ballistic. Love it. Love it. Love it. All right. I mean, so, again, you're 6-0. You're moving forward here. You guys are feeling good.

Is there – how much fun are you guys having in practice now? You know, you guys have talked about the difference in practice with music and things like that. You know, do you guys feel just like you're feeding off each other's energies more and more each week and it's just like let's keep this thing rolling and you guys are just excited? Are you like – I'm sure we've talked about this before where, like, practice can be – you can dread practice sometimes

if your body's not feeling good or doing – but are you guys just, like, pumped to be out there at all times right now? Oh, yeah, we love to be out there. I mean, it's so fun. And, like, there's just, like, jumping around and, like, pumped. Like, it's also nice like you're six and oh you're able to be a little looser like there's some freedom there I mean there's a fine line of loose and and not taking things seriously but not everything is as uptight

and whatnot so we can get out there and you know we can just play football we don't have to worry about like oh don't screw this up don't screw this up. Don't screw this up. We can just go play football. I mean, we're 6-0. We're able to be a little bit looser. We've deserved that, which is nice. But at the same time, we're like, it doesn't change the intensity of practice and how we practice. It's just, I mean, the dudes are just having fun. You can see it too.

I mean, everybody's smiling out there. And nobody's, you know, dragging heels to get out there or whatnot. So it's a good time. Who's been are there any like jokesters or class clowns on the team that are like always keeping people loose? Is it you? Is it you? I look, you am a little bit. Not like in the game. I'm like a completely different person in the game i don't really say much the only time where i guess i broke character i guess you could say was when i

caught that pass that was like i just started smiling so much but um yeah i like to mess around i'm a pretty loose guy i like to mess around. Donovan Edwards is a really funny dude. All the tight ends are pretty funny. Yeah, I don't know. I think everybody's got a little something to them to stay on their comedy toes. Keeps everything interesting. Any pranks on the team for other players? Have you guys pranked any coaches?

Anybody feeling comfortable enough to do that? No, not yet. Usually. So we have like the freshman locker room, and then we have the varsity locker room, which is like everybody's not a freshman. So the freshmen are not allowed to come into our locker room and so even if they try like when I was a freshman if we tried to go into the varsity locker room

they would come into our locker room and like pull all of our stuff out of our lockers and like kick over the trash cans and stuff thankfully we haven't had any incidents with that because they've been very respectful uh which is nice but that's about the only prank that you'll get out of us to be honest with you and uh from the coaches too are there any coaches who are like the guys they're the guy that's like keeping things lively and uh and always joking too uh really all of them i mean all of them have their like own little things that like they like throw in there spark things up uh I mean I'm in meetings with coach Jay every day I love that guy he's the man I mean he's a he's a funny dude uh but he also like knows a lot about playing tight

end he's helped me a lot he's helped me so much along with the other dudes but uh coach jay's a good yeah i mean all of them like coach weiss coach harbaugh even is a is a funny dude and he likes to have fun too at the right time so i think just like the energy has been up more now than ever has been before yeah i mean people i think with coach harbaugh too they only see him in like the press conference where he's very focused on talking football right and there will be a couple times that he breaks but I'm sure you know seeing him behind uh behind closed doors is that you probably get a little bit different coach I'm sure yeah I mean he's still the same guy for most of the time, but he also loves to have fun and mess around with us. I mean, he's,

he's the man, like everybody loves that guy. Like, he also works out like crazy. Like the dude is like always working out. So like, he's so skinny now. Yeah. He's ripped. Let's go. That's my coach. I love it. I love it. We'll need a uh we'll need a reenactment of that uh there's that one photo i think it was a satellite cam like when you first started with michigan and

he's kind of a little pasty a little flubbery uh do you know that picture i'm talking about yeah he's like catching the ball yeah yeah we got to recreate that now. Get him a little bit of tan. Make sure his six-pack is looking good. Oh, yeah. I remember I heard an old story from, I think it was Jake Butt, who said they were practicing running wheel routes or something, and Harbaugh was like, that's not how you do it. And then he went to run a wheel route, and we're like, oh, and Mike pulled his hamstring and went off.

Oh, my God. Oh, yeah, went to run a wheel route and went like, oh, and, like, pulled his hamstring and, like, limped off. Oh, my God. Oh, yeah, that did happen. Yeah, I remember that. Kind of messed up his hamstring for a little bit. He's good now. He's full speed. He's pushing sleds now. Yeah.

By the way, when Hassan hurled that dude, were you like, what just happened? Like, that was the most insane play that he hurtled him and then continued on for 20 more yards. Oh, yeah, I knew that was going to happen. I know. I literally watched that play, and I saw him running. I was like, okay, there's one single dude running at him right now. I like there's no doubt in my mind he is about to hurdle this guy and sure enough he did and then he ran for the 25 yards after and I was like yeah that's what about exactly how I

thought it's gonna go that's incredible I kind of knew it was coming I just I don't know I just know Hassan yeah but I was still pretty hyped after it i mean he just hurtled a dude and ran 25 yards after and i was like let's go it's insane and and i mean people think to obviously you you think blake's like the super athletic speedy one between the two of them right but he made everybody know that uh he's just as athletic oh yeah hasan's kind of a a quiet dude but uh you, you don't really notice him. I mean, you notice him in the games, but Blake is obviously like –

he's like jumping around and real shifty and whatnot. You wouldn't really expect that from Hassan. He's more of a downhill runner. He's running dudes over and whatnot. But he's probably one of the more slippery guys I've ever seen play football what'd you think about uh what'd you think about Blake's uh touchdown celebration with the corn I actually did not see that until after the game I was on the plane and actually me and Blake sit in the same row together um we have a seat in between us but we sit in the same row and I was like looking on Twitter or whatever I saw the video i was like no way he did this like how did

he how would he have thought to do that like i mean i know that the corn house here's like like in the middle of the game i have no idea and uh i was like i showed him and i was like dude i had no idea you did this he's like like, he looked at me. He's like, yeah, the fans were pissed. Did he say he's like such a wholesome guy? Sorry, go ahead. He's like, he's like such a wholesome guy. He's like always smiling or whatever. He was like, looked at me with a big smile. He's like, yeah, the fans were pissed.

So funny. like looked at me with big smiles like yeah the fans were pissed that's so funny do you know did he say if he had that like he had to have had it rehearsed a little bit right it wasn't like it just totally spontaneous i didn't ask him what his uh what his inspiration was but uh i don't know what made him think to do that i forget what he told somebody i forget what he had told them but uh i think he knew he was going to do it before the game or at least had the had an idea of it and then uh rippling off in the game was so funny that's awesome that it that was it was iconic for sure in that moment the camera was right in his face too it was perfect it was perfect so what are you gonna do when you score your touchdown though

you gotta have oh yeah yeah i don't know i mean because here's the thing i can't do too much because i get a fly thrown on me get a a penalty, and it's like, all right, well, you're never getting the ball again. All right, so I can't do too much. But I also can't do nothing because then it's like, all right, what is this? So I don't know. That's something I got to think about. I think I'm going to have, like, if slash when it happens,

I'm going to have most of the offense just run right at me because it's going to be my first touchdown and that was a lineman, so the linemen are going to be freaking out. They'll probably be laughing no matter what point in the game it is. I don't really know what's going to

happen. It's going to be pretty funny when it does happen, though. Might be the perfect time to break out that shotgun, Sally. I've been waiting for that all year long. Oh, yeah. I won it in the spring game. Yeah. Yeah.

That was awesome. That was awesome. By the way, we asked Dan Valari this, and I want to know if you know it. But you know the origin of Mike Hart and MSU? He's the one who originally said that they were the little brother. Yeah. Okay. All right.

Valari didn't know it. So I wanted to make sure somebody knew it, but he was like, yeah, I'm going to ask him. I'm going to ask him. But we were just joking or wondering, like, if that had been talked about in the building at all since he's been a coach. Nobody has really said anything. I think we may have showed it once, but nothing lately about it.

I'm sure it will come out during that week. Yeah, I was going to say, I mean, he's 4-0 against them, so I'm sure he's got a little bit of sauce that he can – special sauce that he can give you guys. Oh, yeah. It'll be all over social media too, that's for sure. Yeah, 100%. Totally.

All right, man. Well, thanks again for joining us. We appreciate it. That is pass catcher Joel Honigford, tight end, no longer offensive lineman, sweet hands. Here you go. But we appreciate you.

You know, plug your Instagram and Twitter again. I know you're not super active, but go ahead and plug it. Yeah, so Instagram is Joel underscore Honigford59, plug it yeah so uh instagram is joel underscore hunting for 59 and then uh twitter is j-a-h-o-n-i-g 59 as well so hit me up there you go there you go i just door dashed uh some it's just wings by the way so that's for the offensive lineman and the stardust and all those boys i'll let steve or not i live with them so I'll let them know. All right. Perfect. Perfect. There you go. But thanks again, man. Thanks for coming on. You know, we'll probably have you on again,

hopefully before the end of the season. We appreciate you giving us some insight and, and a few laughs. I like the laughs more than anything. So thanks for coming on. Yeah, thanks for having me. Hopefully next time we talk, I got six points to my name. So there you go. That's right. There you go. Manifest it, manifest it. Come on. Absolutely. All right. And then for us, you can follow us at blue by 90 on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook,

at blue by 90 Podcast on YouTube. We will see you later this week. Go Blue. Go Blue. Go Blue.