PODCAST · sports
Spartan Spotlight
by Justin Thind
247Sports reporter Justin Thind brings you exclusive news and analysis on all things Michigan State football, basketball, and recruiting. Look out for interviews with recruits, players, coaches, & more. Check out Thind’s work at SpartanTailgate.com and follow him on socials at @JustinThind.
Episodes
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Can Michigan State compete with Notre Dame? (+ Basketball Recruiting Update)
247Sports Michigan State insider Justin Thind breaks down what the Spartans will need to do in order to compete with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday, He also gave an updated look at MSU's chances of making a bowl game this year. Finally, he broke down the buzz surrounding MSU being on…
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Michigan State - Toledo Review + Looking Ahead For MSU
247Sports reporter Justin Thind is joined by Jacob Cotsonika (Sports Illustrated) to review MSU's win over Toledo. They discussed positives, concerns, top performers and much more - before looking ahead to the Eastern Michigan and Notre Dame games. They ended by looking around at how every…
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Michigan State Football 2026 Season Preview
247Sports reporter Justin Thind is joined by Matt Sheehan (LockedOn Spartans) to preview the 2026 Michigan State football season. They predicted what storylines will come to fruition, what win/loss record the Spartans will have, and who the projected starters will be on offense and defense....
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Michigan State hires Pat Fitzgerald + Signing Day Recap
Discussing MSU's hiring of Pat Fitzgerald, what it means, why it could be a big success, what there is to be weary of, and what developments have already happened from a recruiting front on this national signing day.
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Michigan State fires head coach Jonathan Smith - What's Next?
Michigan State has fired head football coach Jonathan Smith. What do the next steps look like? Justin Thind (247Sports) shares intel on the timing we can expect, another key development set to unfold, and details some potential candidates who may be qualified (Matt Campbell, Jason Eck, Pat...
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MSU Basketball Season Kickoff & Recruiting Check-In (ft. David Klein)
Justin Thind is joined by David Klein (@SpartanHoops_DK) to discuss Michigan State Basketball’s early-season win against Arkansas, MSU’s standout freshmen, the team’s ceiling, and the really bright future - given the latest with the 2026 recruiting class anchored by Jasiah Jervis and potentially...
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2025 Michigan State Season Preview
Justin Thind dives into why he thinks this Michigan State Spartans squad will make a bowl game and surprise anyone that's counting them out, while also addressing some fair points of concern. Come for the full season schedule preview, stay for deep discussion on linebacker versatility.
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Michigan State Football's June Recruiting Recap + More
Justin Thind is back with another episode, this time diving into every single commitment Michigan State landed in the 2026 official visit window, along with macroscopic thoughts on the recruiting momentum and strategy. He concluded with thoughts on new AD J Batt, Aidan Chiles' optimistic quotes…
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MSU star freshman Cam Ward joins the show!
Michigan State Basketball forward Cam Ward, a standout high school prospect who is enrolling this summer, joined Justin Thind to talk about his recruitment, his high school career, Tom Izzo’s recruiting personality, Doug Wojcik’s effort, Kevin Durant ties, and other fun topics about himself.
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Analyzing Michigan State's Transfer Portal Class
Justin Thind looks at Michigan State's transfer portal class now that the dust has settled on the winter window, including candid assessments of every pickup the Spartans made and looking at where each position group stands. After, he gives his thoughts on the resurgence of MSU Basketball,...
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MSU SIgning Day Special (ft. Corey Robinson)
Justin Thind is joined by fellow 247Sports recruiting reporter Corey Robinson as the duo analyze Michigan State's entire 2025 signing class and break down the details behind Jace Clarizio choosing MSU over Alabama, Ayden West choosing MSU over Ohio State, a surprise commitment in Leonard Ah You,...
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MSU/Kansas Preview + National CBB Talk (ft. Carter Elliott)
Justin Thind was joined by Carter Elliott of Sleepers Media to preview the 2024 Champions Classic matchup between Michigan State and Kansas. Before that, they took stock of what they’ve seen from MSU through the first two games and whether they’re more optimistic than before, while also…
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MSU Basketball Season Preview (ft. David Klein)
Justin Thind is joined by @SpartanHoops_DK as they break down the upcoming 2024-25 Michigan State basketball season, ahead of MSU’s matchup with Monmouth on Monday. They discuss what MSU needs to have happen in order to outperform expectations, what could go wrong and cause them to fall short…
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Michigan State loses to Michigan: Post-Game Reaction
Justin Thind gives a quick post-game recap of MSU's loss to Michigan, including a look at how it happened, what the gameplan was, and where MSU goes from here.
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Michigan/MSU Preview + Iowa Recap (ft. Matt Sheehan)
In the re-launch of the show, Justin Thind is joined by former co-host Matt Sheehan as the duo discusses Michigan State's win over Iowa, how it happened, what the recruits think about it, and what it means for the season going forward. Then, they dive into the upcoming matchup versus the Michigan...
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Spotify Live: MSU Recruiting Momentum + Preseason Talk
Justin Thind and Twitter sensation "MSU Chief of Propaganda" discuss MSU's four recent commitments of Xavier Booker, Gehrig Normand, Stanton Ramil, and Nick Marsh. Afterwards, they talk Michigan State football's preseason camp. Corey Robinson also joins mid-way through.
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Interview: How Tom Izzo landed 5-Star Xavier Booker
Justin Thind is joined by Xavier Booker's AAU coaches Chris Scott and Mike Saunders. The George Hill All-Day co-directors talk about what Michigan State & head coach Tom Izzo did to land the five-star big-man, what MSU fans can expect out of Booker, and a lot more...
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2023 Recruiting, NIL Talk, Spartan Dawg Con, & Hoops Recruiting
In this episode, Justin Thind and Corey Robinson discuss the 2023 recruiting cycle, how to make sense of MSU's standing in the NIL world, how star-studded the 2022 Spartan Dawg Con is, and all the latest developments with MSU basketball's recruiting efforts.
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Spotify Live: MSU June Recruiting Preview
A recording of the June 2nd Spotify Live room where Justin and Corey preview every recruit that is visiting Michigan State in June, before taking live listener questions regarding MSU recruiting.
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Spotify Live: Football Deep-Dive & Q&A (Post-Spring)
A recording of the 5/26 Spotify Live room where Justin Thind and Corey Robinson dove into the Michigan State offense and defense, before taking audience questions. To listen to these rooms like, follow Justin here: https://spotifylive.link/ClwISfqVlqb
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Tom Izzo versus NIL & the Portal (feat. Matt Sheehan)
In this episode, Justin Thind has a conversation with Matt Sheehan (via the LockedOn Spartans podcast) regarding Justin's latest column on Tom Izzo's internal struggle against the Transfer Portal and NIL, while diving into the frustrating 2022 Michigan State basketball offseason. This episode...
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Recap: Spring Game Recruiting Buzz
Corey and Justin dive into some of the recruiting buzz that is coming from the 2022 MSU Spring Game. From Elliot Washington to Enow Etta, here's a rundown on all the storylines.
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Preview: Spring Game Recruiting Storylines
Corey and Justin talk about all the recruiting happenings from the last month, before diving into the unprecedented visitor's list for the 2022 spring game.
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Twitter Space (3/29/22): MSU Recruiting
This is a recording of the LIVE Twitter Space that aired on Tuesday night (3/29). Hosts Justin Thind, @OdellBretthamJr, and Corey Robinson dive into every facet of MSU football recruiting and spring camp news. Then, Justin and Brett discuss basketball recruiting and the transfer portal. At the…
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March Madness Preview (ft. @SpartanHoopsDK)
David Klein from SpartanHoops.com joins Justin Thind to preview Michigan State's matchup against Davidson and a possible matchup against Duke. Then they zoom out and fill out the rest of the East region, before quickly touching on the rest of the bracket.
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Jack Ebling joins! (+ Bo Edmundson commits)
Justin Thind and Corey Robinson are joined by legendary, Lansing-area sports columnist, broadcaster, and radio host Jack Ebling. The trio discuss Magic Johnson's recruitment, funny Nick Saban stories, Mel Tucker's momentum, and Kenneth Walker's legacy. Afterwards, Corey and Justin talk about new...
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Twitter Space (1/31/22): MSU Recruiting
This episode is the archived recording of January 31st's Twitter Space featuring Justin Thind, @OdellBretthamJr, Corey Robinson, and others. The 2-hour open forum was centered around every aspect of the Michigan State football program, featuring extensive segments on the recent recruiting…
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Brandon Jordan, Junior Day, New Crystal Balls
In this episode, Corey and Justin talk about the impact that new MSU pass rush specialist Brandon Jordan is already having, the epic Junior Day that just took place, and 3 new 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions they are putting in.
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Portal Numbers, Germie Bernard, & Effrem Reed
In this episode, Corey and Justin discuss Germie Bernard's flip to Michigan State, including some behind the scenes details, and then provide some much-needed insight on why MSU hasn't been able to land any portal commitments in the last couple weeks. Lastly, they give their thoughts on the…
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Early Signing Day Recap (ft. Stephen Brooks)
In this episode, Justin Thind and Corey Robinson are joined by Stephen Brooks as the 247Sports trio recap everything that happened in the last 48 hours before signing day. They discuss the recruitments of Kiyaunta Goodwin, Armani Winfield, Caleb Coley, Zion Young, transfer Khris Bogle, and more....
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New Portal Pickups + Big Visit Weekend
Corey and Justin start by discussing the two new transfer portal pickups for Michigan State, Jacoby Windmon & Aarron Brule, along with portal target Khris Bogle. They analyze how they can see them fitting in the defense next year and what they bring to the defense. Then they discuss Kiyaunta...
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Insight on Mel Tucker’s Extension (ft. Brian Mosallam)
In this episode, Justin & Corey are joined by Spartan Dawg & MSU trustee emeritus Brian Mosallam, who was in the inner-circle of the Mel Tucker contract extension process. He talked about the two donors, Mat Ishbia and Steve St. Andre, that made the extension happen. He also gave insight on what…
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Jalen Berger, Transfer Portal, Penn State WIn
In this episode, Justin & Corey are joined by their colleague Stephen Brooks to break down the win over Penn State, Mel Tucker winning COTY, the addition of Jalen Berger, the pursuit of Jahmyr Gibbs (Georgia Tech), and overall transfer portal needs.
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Penn State Preview & Ohio State Recap
In this episode, Corey & Justin talk about the blowout loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes and the injuries that are currently plaguing Michigan State. Then, they discuss this weekend's matchup against the Penn State Nittany Lions and what MSU will need to have happen in order to win. At the end…
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Game Preview: Ohio State
In this episode, Justin and Corey preview the Michigan State-Ohio State game. The noon showdown in Columbus is for all the marbles, as the winner would simply have to win their final game of the year to go play for a Big Ten Championship in Indianapolis, and possibly the College Football Playoff....
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Game Recap: Maryland
In this episode, Corey and Justin recap the Maryland game and dive into the performances by the defensive backfield, offensive line, the RB's, the WR's, and more. They also touch on the recruiting updates from this past weekend, including Kentucky commit Alex Afari and Wisconsin transfer Jalen...
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Maryland Preview & Purdue Recap
In this episode, Corey and Justin recap the Purdue debacle and then look ahead to Michigan State's game against Maryland.
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Game Preview: Purdue
In this episode, Corey and Justin preview the keys to the game against Purdue, discussing why it truly is a trap game and not just something people are needlessly paranoid about. David Bell, George Karlaftis, and Purdue's third-down defense are just a few reasons why the Boilermakers could make...
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MSU Basketball Season Preview
In this episode, Justin and Corey are joined by David Klein (SpartanHoops.com) to break down the upcoming Michigan State hoops season. The trio cover a wide array of topics from the excitement regarding the newcomers to the expectations revolving around the returning impact players. Specifically,...
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Game Recap: Michigan
In this episode, Justin and Corey recap the game, talk about Kenneth Walker's Heisman moment, discuss what that means for MSU's future portal recruiting, talk about some post-game recruit reactions, give current UM players some credit for battling, and then laugh at everything about the way the...
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Game Preview: Michigan (ft. Jay Greene)
In this episode, Justin Thind and Corey Robinson are joined by #SD4L (Spartan Dawg 4 Life) founder Jay Greene, The former Spartan defensive tackle shared some insight on the Mel Tucker-LSU noise and his first-hand observations of the second-year head coach at practice, before diving into the...
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Mid-Season Recap
In this bye week episode, Corey & Justin look back on the first 7 games of the season. They reflect on their preseason predictions and how the Spartans have compared with those expectations, before diving into the good and the bad on both sides of the ball. They also dive into Kenneth Walker's...
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The Mel Tucker-LSU Noise
In this episode, Justin Thind and Corey Robinson discuss the Bruce Feldman report that some LSU donors are interested in Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker. They evaluate just how meaningful the report is, whether LSU's Scott Woodward would even target Tucker, the myriad of reasons why Tucker...
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Game Recap: Indiana
In this episode, Corey Robinson and Justin Thind discuss the win against Indiana, the trajectories of the OL and the cornerbacks, and what these observations mean for the rest of the season.
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Catch us on The Spartan Beat!
Spartan Spotlight co-hosts Justin Thind & Corey Robinson are taking over The Spartan Beat! Catch them live on the Spotlight Media Network every Thursday from 2-3pm. Each episode will also be uploaded to the popular streaming services after it has aired, so make sure to subscribe to the Spartan…
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March Madness Bracket Breakdown
Justin Thind is joined by David Klein (SpartanHoops.com) to give you pick-by-pick predictions for every game in the 2021 NCAA Tournament. They also go on tangents of Nate Oaks' Michigan State connection, Penn State's hiring of Purdue assistant Micah Shrewsberry, the mess that is Indiana…
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Transfer Portal Recap + 2022 Snapshot
Justin Thind & Corey Robinson talk about the first 7 transfers that the Michigan State staff has landed via the portal. They share their thoughts on each of the guys, then outline how they'd like to see the rest of the transfer spots be utilized. Afterwards, they breakdown how the national...
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Gavin Broscious Commitment Interview!
MSU's newest commit, Arizona OG Gavin Broscious, joined Corey & Justin to discuss his decision to join the Spartans' 2022 recruiting class. He talks about his thoughts on Michigan State, Coach Chris Kapilovic, the overall recruiting process, his parents' involvement, and much more! (This…
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Kevin Wigenton: In-Depth Interview
2021 MSU commit Kevin Wigenton joins Corey & Justin for an in-depth, 30+ min interview in which he discusses a wide array of topics. The NJ OL dives into his recruitment, what makes Coach Chris Kapilovic and Coach Mel Tucker different than other coaches, how much film he watches in his spare…
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Kris Phillips Commitment Interview (+ Recruiting Recap)
2022 MSU OL commit Kristian Phillips joins Corey and Justin to discuss his announcement, what he liked about the staff, his Detroit background, his first experience with football, and his amazing reception from the MSU fanbase. After the interview, the two Rivals.com insiders break down the 4...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
247Sports reporter Justin Thind brings you exclusive news and analysis on all things Michigan State football, basketball, and recruiting. Look out for interviews with recruits, players, coaches, & more. Check out Thind’s work at SpartanTailgate.com and follow him on socials at @JustinThind.
HOSTED BY
Justin Thind
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Spartan Spotlight have?
Spartan Spotlight currently has 51 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Spartan Spotlight about?
247Sports reporter Justin Thind brings you exclusive news and analysis on all things Michigan State football, basketball, and recruiting. Look out for interviews with recruits, players, coaches, & more. Check out Thind’s work at SpartanTailgate.com and follow him on socials at @JustinThind.
How often does Spartan Spotlight release new episodes?
Spartan Spotlight has 51 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Spartan Spotlight?
You can listen to Spartan Spotlight on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Spartan Spotlight?
Spartan Spotlight is created and hosted by Justin Thind.
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