Zachary Puplis

Buyer, Actor, Singer, Catholic Spartan, Full Rider, Eagle Scout, Alt Rock & Jeopardy fan, co-host of the Neutral Zone on IE Sports Radio

[Zachary Puplis @ThePuplis]

@SXMCollege @CoachNeuheisel @ChildersRadio @agehring91

“We are watching the college football version of the game of RISK. Remember world domination? Roll the dice and see if you can acquire all these pieces.”

Spot on, Coach!!!

#FullRide

[Justin Spiro @DarkoStateNews]

In the 89-year history of the AP Poll, only 2 coaches have won a national championship at 2 different schools.

The first coached Michigan State for 5 seasons.

For years, he pleaded with university leaders to invest in the football program with upgrades for its dated, dilapidated facilities.

For years, they said no.

Finally fed up, he bolted south for the SEC.

One night before his introductory press conference, the coach sat on a chair in the corner of his Louisiana hotel room.

He realized he couldn’t do it.

He couldn’t leave Michigan State.

He couldn’t leave the campus he once described as “perfect, like a national park with a school in it.”

He couldn’t leave after his best season, with so much business left to finish.

The coach told his wife they were going home.

Still in his hotel room - just 12 hours away from his press conference - the coach called M. Peter McPherson.

He told the MSU president his heart was in East Lansing, and his job wasn’t finished.

He said he would find a way, with or without a new facility.

He was coming home, if they’d have him.

McPherson said “no, thank you”, and wished his former coach well in the SEC.

The next morning, Nick Saban was introduced as head coach of LSU.

His last MSU team (1999) finished 7th in the AP Poll, the school’s best finish in 33 years.

It was the program’s only appearance in the Poll from 1991-2007.

Saban would win 7 national titles.

……….

In December 2002, the second coach called MSU inquiring about their head coaching position.

The 36-year-old wunderkind was fresh off a miraculous 2-year turnaround at Bowling Green, but still relatively unknown on a national scale.

He wanted the MSU job, and was disappointed he had not been invited to interview.

He told friends there was a sleeping giant in East Lansing. He would win at a rate they hadn’t seen since the 60s.

He would walk from Ohio to sign the contract, if offered.

Eventually, a headhunter for MSU reached out.

“Sorry, we are only talking to Tier-1 coaches in this search. We might call you if the others fall through.”

MSU eventually hired John L. Smith, Tier-1 coach.

Urban Meyer, not a Tier-1 coach, ended up at Utah.

21 years and 3 national titles later, MSU got a second chance.

In 2023, Meyer had returned to broadcasting after a short, disastrous NFL stint.

He said he was done coaching forever, but something burned him inside.

He told friends he was disgusted the last line of his coaching bio would forever be his failure in Jacksonville.

Meyer’s intrigue with the MSU job from decades earlier remained, only affirmed by their ascension under Mark Dantonio. They had been his only foil at Ohio State, twice derailing perfect Buckeye seasons.

Meyer traveled to East Lansing, covertly meeting with MSU representatives to discuss their newly opened coaching position. It would be the first of several such discussions.

Sources vary on details, but agree on a few key points:

-Urban Meyer was highly interested, but not certain he’d return to coaching

-Urban Meyer laid out a general structure of what he would need to deliver a national title to East Lansing

-MSU AD Alan Haller did not want Urban Meyer, and bemoaned the dalliance

-The dalliance was prolonged, and serious

Talks suddenly cooled and MSU moved on, to Haller’s delight.

The school hired Oregon State’s Jonathan Smith, Haller’s #1 target in the search.

For the 2nd time in his career, Urban Meyer had expressed interest in the MSU job and been bypassed for a guy named John Smith.

Multiple sources believe former MSU AD Mark Hollis would have delivered Meyer to East Lansing.

No one can say for sure…

****

Only 2 coaches in history have won national titles at multiple schools.

MSU told the first “good riddance”.

And the second “no thanks”.

[Justin Spiro @DarkoStateNews]

“You’re a cult.”

Mike Valenti bombs Michigan fans for their delusional dedication to a school they didn’t attend.

[Anonymous @YourAnonNews]

The truth hurts.

[Johni Broome Fan Account🤙 @BroomeBarn]

ATTENTION MICHIGAN STATE TWITTER:

as you may know, tickets are hard to come by in Atlanta, so making a home court advantage will be important. I have a proposal:

Us, Auburn fans cheer for you against Ole Miss, and in return you cheer for auburn against Michigan.

As common sufferers of the Payton Thorne experience, it is important to stay together. The refs robbed us of a Pearl Izzo national championship in 2019 so we need to do our part to see this happen in the elite 8.

[Jay Cuda @JayCuda]

michigan state 2000 vs. 2025
so far everything is right on schedule

[Connor Meltdowney @Connormuldowney]

since tom izzo has been at MSU…

Sweet 16s
Izzo: 16
UM: 8

Elite 8s
Izzo: 10
UM: 4

Final 4s
Izzo: 8
UM: 2

this man has broken an entire program into thinking 3 S16s in the past 6 NCAA Tournaments is a bad thing.

[Ben Stevens @BenScottStevens]

"I'm getting back to a deeper run in this tournament, or I'm going to die trying."

Tom Izzo said these words on March 23, 2024.

EXACTLY one year later, Izzo leads Michigan State to the Sweet 16 for a 16th time in his career.

Walked the walk.

[MSU Chief of Propaganda @OdellBretthamJr]

Atlanta is home to one of the largest MSU alumni bases in the world. The Spartans will be strongly represented

[joey spartan (or Salt🧂) @saltysparty]

yes I do celebrate Jan 6

[RedditCFB @RedditCFB]

Every year around this time, you’ll see a few people whining that there are too many bowl games. We’ve put together a helpful viewing guide that should resolve any complaints so that everyone can have a great bowl watching season. 🫂

[Why you should have a cat @ShouldHaveCat]

He’s clearly the star…

[NCAA March Madness @MarchMadnessWBB]

WHAT A WIN FOR THE SPARTANS🙌

No. 17 @MSU_WBasketball took the win over No. 21 Iowa!!

#NCAAWBB

[Barstool Spartans @BarstoolMSU]

MICHIGAN STATE WOMENS BASKETBALL IS ROLLIN’ RIGHT NOW

10-0

[Michigan State Content @msucontent]

Michigan State hockey is a wagon. #GoGreen

Record: 13-2-1
Preseason ranking: #4
Highest ranking: #1
Longest win streak: 9
Notable wins: #1 Minnesota, #2 Boston College, #13 Ohio State (2)
Notable sweeps: #1 Minnesota, #13 Ohio State, Notre Dame
Ranked #1 (Nov. 25. - Dec. 9) for the first time since 2007

[Big Ten Network @BigTenNetwork]

The Spartans are off to their best start in program history 🟢⚪️

#B1GWBBall x @MSU_WBasketball

[Michigan State Hockey @MSU_Hockey]

MSU's first win in Minneapolis since Feb. 8, 2020.

Four goals in the third period, rallying from a 3-1 deficit.

What a way to close out this roadie.

#GoGreen

[Melanie D'Arrigo @DarrigoMelanie]

You can’t blame voters for being uninformed when all of the news is paywalled but the propaganda remains free.

[Michigan State Hockey Hub @MSU_H_H]

🚨SPARTANS BEAT #1 Minnesota!!

5-3. 4 goals scored in the third period to complete the comeback back win!!

[Doug Clawson @doug_clawson]

The Lions won a game where Goff threw 5 INT

The Lions lost a game where Goff threw 5 TD

[Sickos Committee @SickosCommittee]

What on earth is going on with the ratio in this multipack