Hawk Talk

Hawk Talk LIVE: Towels, Call-Ins & The Road to 1-0

• Tom Frank, Grey Frank, Jaden McDuffie, Kevin Clark, Steve Erxleben, Karen Simpson • Season 4 • Episode 84

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Hawk Talk goes live as Tom, Grey, and Jaden open the phone lines and dive into South River’s dominant 69–0 playoff win. Offensive Coordinator Coach Kevin Clark joins to preview a huge showdown with St. Charles, talk signing day, and explain why “1-0” is the only record that matters.

Head Coach Erk Erxleben calls in to break down the matchup, the defensive mindset, and what makes this team different. The crew hits winter tryouts, Northwestern–Michigan at Wrigley, the incoming sea of rally towels, and a brief but heated LeBron vs. Jordan scuffle. And Karen Simpson joins us to talk Rally Towels!

Plus: Jaden’s chase for a state record, student-section Santa vibes, and why Friday’s 6pm home playoff game needs every Seahawk in the stands.

🕕 South River vs. St. Charles — Friday at 6pm
 🎟 First 100 students get a rally towel

Let’s pack the place. Go Seahawks. 🦅

Hawk Talk is hosted by Tom Frank, Jaden McDuffie and Grey Frank, and brought to you by Chad's BBQ, Merrick Creative, and Maryland Remodeling Expert. Don’t hesitate to contact us through Instagram @SRHawkTalk or by email at SRHawkTalk@gmail.com. Please reach out, send updates after games, let us know about fundraisers, big events, etc. This show is only as good as what we know. So get involved! Subscribe, Listen and Share the show on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts, leave us a rating on Apple, help support the show at https://srhawktalk.buzzsprout.com, and spread the word Seahawk Nation. #WERSR

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SPEAKER_08:

Welcome back to the Ock Nation. I'm Tom Frank. I'm Grayson. And I'm Gina. And we're talking all things, South River High School Sports. Octop is brought to you in conjunction with the athletic department at South River High School. Merit Creative, your end-to-end creative agency dedicated to amplifying brands' authenticity through branding, marketing, and public relations. Chad's Barbecue and Marilyn Remodeling Expert. Well, fellas, this is the uh the first ever, first ever live call-in edition of Hoc Talk. Yeah, that's a little weird. It's kind of weird. We have some people listening and and watching. I can see people on here. Oh, really? So, yeah, we have to do that.

SPEAKER_06:

What people do we have watching? What's up, world?

SPEAKER_08:

We got a couple. We got a couple. I don't like to give the numbers away. But I have no idea how this is gonna go. But I want to test this feature out for some other shows on the uh Merrick Studios network. So why not test it right here with you guys? Perfect. We're gonna talk a lot about South River football today. We're gonna get some people up. Anyone who wants to get on, all you got to do is there's a little button at the bottom that you can hit, and then just be patient because we got to get through some stuff. But then anybody who wants to talk to this esteemed uh collection of gentlemen on this show tonight can can do so. But before we get to that, we got to introduce tonight's guest. We got offensive coordinator for the Seahawks, Coach Kevin Clark. Thanks for joining us. Absolutely. Thanks for having me. I mean, this was somewhat your idea. I kind of liked it. You reached out and I said, Yeah, let's do it. You didn't probably know it was going to be live, though.

SPEAKER_04:

Did not expect that, but when you said it, I was like, let's do it. You were in. Go for it. See what happens.

SPEAKER_08:

All right. Now, before we talk all things football, now you told me today was signing day at the high school. Is that correct?

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, big signing day. We had um four of our guys sign. Sean Cox signed for lacrosse going to St. Mary's. Um, Trent Shipley signed, going to play uh wrestle at York. Um, and then uh Nolan Hooker signed with UNBC to play baseball. Um, and then obviously, you know, we had one football guy sign today, and that was JP Simpson going to Dickinson.

SPEAKER_06:

Shout out all them.

SPEAKER_04:

Shout out all of them. And then there were two young ladies who signed today. Um, I'm not sure honestly who they were and where they were signing to.

SPEAKER_08:

But we had two ladies, they're going somewhere to do something. Jaden might know a little bit more.

SPEAKER_05:

Oh, yeah. Cassie Egger signed and uh Ala Zalepko signed, but I'm not sure. Um I'm sure I think they both signed for lacrosse. So shout out lacrosse team.

SPEAKER_08:

There we go, lacrosse team. We get we got to talk the the winter sports tryouts are coming up. If you want to try out for a sport, you gotta get your winter sports registration in by November 14th this Friday. Tryouts uh do begin on Saturday, November 15th, including boys and girls basketball, wrestling, indoor track and field, winter cheerleading, swimming, and unified bowling. Let me ask you a question, Jade. And how does that work for you with basketball?

SPEAKER_05:

Hey, I hey I'm just worried about winning a state championship for football right now, man.

SPEAKER_08:

You can't play basketball until football is over. Is that correct?

SPEAKER_05:

Correct. So um, best case scenario, you know, we got a state championship, not looking ahead of anything. Say, go to state championship, you know, we win that, of course, and then that following day, they'll push that game back. So I'll be able to play, say the game till Saturday, I'll be able to play in that basketball game Saturday.

SPEAKER_08:

All right, but you will not be playing if you guys were to win tomorrow or Friday, because you do play Mount Hebron in a scrimmage game coming up, right?

SPEAKER_05:

Yeah, no, I I won't be able to do any of that. No, no practice, nothing like that. Not till football's over.

SPEAKER_08:

Okay. All right.

SPEAKER_05:

I want to know. All right.

SPEAKER_08:

Well, we got to dive in here on a recap, and and we do have our first person who has called in. So we might as well let this guy on. So let me let me let me accept him in. And there he there he is. Our first call-in guest is the one and only head coach Erk Slavin. How are you? Can you hear us? He looks a little wrong. Oh, there he is. Okay. There he is. Well, we're just about to give a recap on last Friday night at home. We took care of James M. Bennett in the first round of the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association. That's a mouthful. Football state championship. Did you even know that's what that stood for?

unknown:

Nah.

SPEAKER_01:

No clue.

SPEAKER_08:

Learning a little something today. We won 69-0 to bring our record to 10-0. Now, Corey Warren, we've got to give him a shout out. He was uh made the Capitol Gazette's top 10 athlete of the week. The junior rushed for four touchdowns with 162 yards. That's pretty impressive. On seven carries.

SPEAKER_04:

He only had seven carries? He had seven carries. We only ran 26 offensive plays. I did not realize that.

SPEAKER_08:

We were very efficient. Very efficient. That is crazy. 26 plays in the whole. So how many did they run? If you had to guess. Coach Arcs, how many did they run, you think? Not enough. Maybe too many for them. Well, give me, give me, give me a little recap of the game. You can't find any news around here anyway, by the way. I'm gonna shout out the Capitol Gazette.

SPEAKER_02:

We're up 20, 20 to nothing. So I don't they it was six minutes left in the first quarter, we're up twenty to nothing. So come to bed early. And then the thing about these kind of wins, you know, I I told our guys at halftime, good and bad, these aren't gonna happen many more times. We're eventually gonna run into somebody that you know we're gonna have to play with. So I don't know if it's gonna be this week or it's but it's eventually it's gonna happen. So it's okay. We're we're battle-tested. And you know, we proved a lot in the last couple of weeks, so it's uh, you know, we'll see. But uh I know St. Charles has got a game coming tonight or Friday night. That's gonna be a game.

SPEAKER_08:

Well, let's let's let's talk about that. Let's dive right in. So we move on to face St. Charles. They beat Chesapeake 41-0 in their first round matchup. They were unstoppable on the ground. They had, I think, what, 300 plus rushing yards? The most yards I think they've had all season. So pretty good rushing attack.

SPEAKER_04:

How do we stop? They got a pretty good rushing attack. Nine's good, five's good back there. Um, it was seven-nothing until Chesapeake punted the ball with like 10 seconds left in the first half, and they returned to punt for a touchdown and go up 14-0. Um, and then they kind of rolled Chesapeake a little bit in the second half.

SPEAKER_02:

They're a they're a big play offense. They can't really grind drive the field. They rely on nine to get big runs here and there. So we've just we've done a good job the last two days of defensive practices, limiting big plays, and you know, they gotta they're they're gonna score, they gotta get on the field. They gotta go tick for tack with us. And but we're uh I don't think they can move us. I think you know, Phil Potts, I think Kramer, I think Ivan, I think Corey, I think uh Ben Keith are are a pretty dominant front, and we've got some guys that can run to the football. So um we're gonna they're gonna try to throw uh jabs, we're gonna throw haymakers.

SPEAKER_08:

There you go. The game is at it's 7 o'clock, right?

SPEAKER_02:

6 o'clock.

SPEAKER_08:

6 o'clock.

SPEAKER_04:

All right. And might as well say it now. First 100 students that show up by 545 will get a free rally towel. A free rally towel.

SPEAKER_08:

I like it. It says one-on-one on it. Wow, you got you got your messaging on there.

SPEAKER_06:

Of course.

unknown:

Of course.

SPEAKER_06:

And Jane, is it is it really Christmas themed? It is Christmas themed. The people wanted it.

SPEAKER_08:

Why are we doing a Christmas theme?

SPEAKER_05:

The people wanted it, Tom. I don't know, man.

SPEAKER_08:

The people asked for it and you delivered.

SPEAKER_05:

I did deliver, you know. I'm I'm I'm I'm one of the students, you know. I'm a deliverer, you know.

SPEAKER_08:

Just call him dominoes because he delivers. So what else what else do we know about St. Charles? I mean, you guys haven't, let's be honest, you haven't been really pressed in in a in a tight game in probably seven weeks. Six weeks. Six weeks? Yeah. Six weeks.

SPEAKER_01:

Six weeks.

SPEAKER_08:

Urbana. How do how do you how do you get these guys ready for for what could be what I think will be a tight one?

SPEAKER_04:

Well, we we were 7-7 against Chesapeake, looking back at it at halftime, and then we jumped on them in the third quarter. So that one was tight, and we had to make some adjustments. But yeah, I mean, going back to Urbana, it's just staying focused, staying on the next play, I think, right? Are they gonna get some plays? Yes, they have some good kids, right? But it's about limiting those big plays that they might get, right? Keeping them from scoring on them, and then offensively, right, staying ahead of the sticks, allowing ours to run what we run offensively.

SPEAKER_02:

We've done it, we've done a good job of not flinching and not panicking, you know, no matter what happens. You know, we were down 10-0 against CETO in the year and you know came right back from that. It was, you know, our kids have been very resilient. Uh, and also we don't, we don't um we don't quit on them. Right? Things go a lot like we want to. It's not like, oh, it's it's you or it's that. It's we just keep on moving on and they find ways to make plays, and then the ball rolls from there, and it's a snowball effect. We go from you know down seven to up 35. It's really, you know, just have confidence in them and and be positive. And you know, our kids play hard, they play smart, they um they're coachable, and um it's the reason we're 10 0 right now. Them.

SPEAKER_08:

Yeah. What do you what do you say to these guys, Jay? And they pretty you can get pretty high on yourselves very quickly with a 10 0 record. How do you keep yourselves grounded?

SPEAKER_05:

I mean, to be honest, we don't even honestly we I haven't heard 10 0 come out of anybody's mouth on our team. I'm not even gonna lie. It's always 1-0, 1-0, 0-0. That's literally it. And I feel like we play against the reason why we do so well in gaze is because we play against the best team we're gonna see all week during scout team. So they give us the best look, and then we don't, you know, Friday's usually easy because of it. So I mean, we're not gonna change anything we do for St. Charles. Anybody we play, we just gotta keep doing what we're doing. Shout out to all those Wombats. Listen, Wombats. Yeah. Our scout team.

SPEAKER_08:

They're getting you ready every single week.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, I tell our offensive linemen going up against Zach Pilpot and Jack Kalilla and uh Pumba every week, or they're gonna be some of the best D-linemen they face.

SPEAKER_08:

That's true. So as you guys look at this bracket, and I'm not telling you to look ahead at all, but any surprises uh from round one when you looked at the full bracket?

SPEAKER_02:

Randolstown losing in the well, and not in our classification, but Randallstown losing in the first round was kind of kind of surprising.

SPEAKER_05:

Yeah, that was crazy. Oh, I did not know that. Lost to South Carolina. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04:

The one that surprised me a little bit was Meade beat Duncan six or seven versus two, beat them 35-12. And Meade was the second season.

SPEAKER_02:

They yeah, Anormo County shot up. Actually, I'm also kind of surprised Crawlton lost to Saverne Park.

SPEAKER_05:

Yeah, I am too.

SPEAKER_02:

That offense they run is geared for November, December. Huh?

SPEAKER_08:

Oh, and that's that's in that's in uh the 4A, right? Yeah. 3A, 4A.

SPEAKER_04:

3A, 4A.

SPEAKER_07:

Okay.

SPEAKER_08:

What is the 3A4A? Why do we have four?

SPEAKER_04:

And now they get old Mill again.

SPEAKER_02:

Why do we have a the original design of the playoffs? The original design of the playoffs was four classifications, 4A, 3A, 2A, 1A, and you had to qualify for it. So I I've been the head coach of two 7-3 teams that made the playoffs because everybody else was nine and one. So uh a few years ago, they went to a design where we're gonna have basically a play-in game. Week 10 will be a play-in game. Some schools dropped out. Cainesville High School dropped out, uh, Centennial High School dropped out. Um, because they don't old North County dropped out. They didn't play it, they didn't play it last week. That's why Broadneck and um and Glen Burney had a had a week one bye. But um, so these teams just decided they didn't want to play out. No, it's six classifications, and you know, everybody likes the playoffs, quote unquote, but you gotta play in. And um there's some good things about it, there's also some bad things about it.

SPEAKER_08:

I kind of like it. You let everybody in.

SPEAKER_02:

Let's see what happens. Well, I mean, like in our situation, we've got eight teams in our region, we don't get a buy. And not that I think we wanted a buy. I I'm not a big believer in the buy, does a lot for you, you know, because you take a whole week off, you might get healthy, but you get at a rhythm. And we've been at a good rhythm since we started, so I don't want to break that at all. But um, you know, and then once again, like you know, Broadneck and and Glenn Burney had a bye this week. I bet you one goes down next this this coming Friday. You never know. We'll we'll see.

SPEAKER_08:

Do you ever wonder, do you ever or do you agree or disagree? Because there is some people who think that the private schools and the public schools, because there are states, I think Pennsylvania is one of them, where they mix the two. Yes. Would you would you ever be for or against that?

SPEAKER_02:

Um, you know, in states like Pennsylvania, there are recruiting rules too. So we don't have those here. So I don't know if we want to go play a bunch of scallywags from Spaulding or St. Mary's where they can recruit people. And, you know, if you let us recruit, then fine. We'll then let us do it. Let's let's go open open enrollment and we'll start it. We're recruiting everybody. So that's fine. But um, we can't abide by the same rules they do. They're not playing with us.

SPEAKER_04:

I agree. If they went school choice in Maryland, then it would make sense. But until we do get school choice, then it's kind of difficult for the public to truly compete against the top echelon or the private.

SPEAKER_08:

And so in so in Pennsylvania, it's more open school choice?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. No, they don't have to do like recruiting rules. Like uh like uh like like Bishop McDevitt, for instance, from Harrisburg, they can't go out and recruit kids. They gotta get who they and I grant they can do some things to bring kids in, but that's academically. Um but they have a pretty good rel uh you know relationship and a pretty good uh resume as a as a good program. But um they can't go out and do what you know, spawning to math that people like that do.

SPEAKER_08:

I didn't realize that. What what do we expect on Friday night? It's gonna be a high scoring game, it's gonna be a low scoring game, it's gonna be tight. We come in, I I I checked this. I think it'll be a little close. It's the top two defenses, I believe, in the state. I might be wrong there, but I'm just gonna say it anyway.

SPEAKER_04:

Um we've only given up 99 points in 10 games. Yeah, 9.9 games.

SPEAKER_08:

And they they're at 10.5.

SPEAKER_05:

That's about to go up. Yeah.

SPEAKER_08:

Hey, it's gonna be interesting though.

SPEAKER_04:

No, I mean, I'm expect they they're athletic. They run around defensively, but I think I do think our athletes are better watching it. Um, I mean, always take our guys over anyone. So I it's a playoff game, a second round playoff game. You gotta expect it to be a little tight and then see where the chips fall.

SPEAKER_02:

I I think personnel wise, if Seed and Randallstown made it their own made their own team together, this is what they would look like. They they do some things that both schools seem to have in common, but um, it's also a playoff game. So you're gonna get there, like I told our kids last week, I said, I don't care how good Bet it is, you're gonna get their best because they're gonna be done. They don't have any they have a they have a they have a puncher's chance. Now I guess we didn't get it because we blew them out, but um this week, definitely we're gonna get their they're gonna arrive here whenever they get to the school and they're gonna think they got those beat already. And they're in for they're in for a they have no idea. Nobody down there plays like we do.

SPEAKER_08:

You had a couple comments.

SPEAKER_02:

It's the only one, you know. Smack has its own schedule, so they don't ever play out of out of the smack. Yeah. And there's good football down there, don't get me wrong, but you know, we're a different style, we're a different beast all together. Grayson, what do you say to the students to get them to come out and be loud?

SPEAKER_06:

You gotta show up, you never know. This could be the final game. You just gotta show love to the seniors, you know. Everyone's gotta show out in their Santa outfits. So we're going Santa outfits with uh elves.

SPEAKER_08:

You could be elves with Christmas themes. With uh with the uh rally towels.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04:

First 100. What's the vibes around school with Grace and Jane? I'm not in there, so what are the kids talking about?

SPEAKER_06:

Oh well, I mean, honestly, I'm only in there till 11 every day, but it seems it seems that's right. There's ready for Friday.

SPEAKER_02:

Coach, did you ever have a schedule like that? No, I could never have pulled that off. My mother would have made me take any class possible to keep on Pete Mean School. 8 o'clock and 3 p.m. every day. Yeah, I took all kinds of class I didn't need. I took computer math, whatever the heck that was. I took accounting. Yeah, I took it. I don't even know what it was.

SPEAKER_04:

I took a personal finance class my senior year. Oh, I took a women's studies course my senior year in high school. And we'll be right back.

SPEAKER_03:

Welcome to Merrick Studios, where stories take the mic and culture come to life.

SPEAKER_08:

We're not just a network, we're a family, bringing you smart, soulful, unjectured conversations.

SPEAKER_03:

And this season, we're bringing the heat at our biggest lineup yet. Whatever you're into, music, sports, business, we got you covered. Merrick Studios, where the conversation starts and keeps going.

SPEAKER_08:

Check out our full lineup, including Unglossy with Bun B, Jeffrey Sledge, and myself, Tom Frank. Now streaming at wearmerkstudios.com. Now, back to the show. We have uh Mr. Klengel trying to get in. We have some other parents trying to get in. They they have they have questions for you guys. They they want answers. So we'll see if they get in. While we're waiting for them, though, I got a question for you, Jade, because I saw something that popped up that kind of caught my eye. What's up? Northwesterns playing Michigan at Wrigley Field this weekend.

SPEAKER_05:

Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_08:

What do you think of that?

SPEAKER_05:

Bell it's about to be handed out to Michigan. It is what it is. Hey, um, nah, I feel like it's gonna be a good game. I feel like um we've had a couple close games with a lot like Oregon was a close game for a minute, lost by like 10-15, and then um I think it was Nebraska. Some, you know, it was it was a close game. We should have won that game. I agree with some of the officiating, but I'm not trying to like have somebody hear this. So it may already be on the bad side of college officiating. But um, yeah, no, I think we have a good shot. You know, they have a lot of hype, ranked 21st, I think. Uh, if Aless Coxman is in here, like just mute him because he's gonna be talking about Michigan.

SPEAKER_08:

I can already see Sean in the chat. Um, basically, he's he's put he's trying to play a bet with you right now.

SPEAKER_05:

I mean, we can do it, man. Like, I'm not on the team yet, so I can bet all I want. So we can do it.

SPEAKER_08:

That's right, you've got to watch that pretty soon.

SPEAKER_05:

Yeah. Um, so I think Michigan, uh, this could be a good game. Don't get me wrong. Michigan's a great team, great, great quarterback, getting paid like$15 million. So I saw I got Northwestern pulling out with uh uh 30, 30, 34, 24 win. 10 point win right there.

SPEAKER_08:

I'm I'm gonna be pulling for Northwestern, I'm not gonna lie to you. What do you guys think? Playing at Wrigley Field? I would love to go to that game. How cool would that be to go watch a football game at Wrigley?

SPEAKER_05:

Sick. The environment's gonna be very good. I visited there, it was cool. The field was crazy. Being on the field was nuts. It's awesome. Let's not get into MJ plus Brown right now. Yeah, I don't know if we can do this tonight. Yeah, my last song. There might be there might be there might be children watching. There might be children watching children.

SPEAKER_04:

The only person anyone's ever compared to is Michael.

SPEAKER_05:

Therefore, he is the date. You don't want to do this. Stop. Just stop talking. Let's stop.

SPEAKER_08:

Hey, we got time. Uh nobody else can seem to get in, so whatever you guys want to talk about. I haven't I haven't handed it over to Jaden and Gray in a while, so here it is. I'm I'm Team Jordan. Oh, I'm definitely Team Jordan. There's not even like it's not even a comparison, it shouldn't even be a conversation.

SPEAKER_05:

Let me I can love V3 y'all if y'all are. It's a conversation.

SPEAKER_04:

I would like to think that if we won V3D, we would win. You wouldn't, though. You couldn't cover all three of us.

SPEAKER_08:

It'd be dominant.

SPEAKER_05:

Stop it, man. To stop it.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, I know because I got five pounds to give.

SPEAKER_08:

He's got five, I got five. Like the old, like the old coach club, the old mix, man.

SPEAKER_02:

I used to like like Charles Oakley and like uh Anthony Mason. They just the Jordan rules. They used to beat the shit out of Jordan.

SPEAKER_08:

Yeah, see, the the guys these days, you can't even touch you. Like I come any I come anywhere close to Jaden in a game, they're gonna call foul.

SPEAKER_05:

Jordan got no left, so I don't even want to hear that. Alrighty. And he said it himself in the interview, I can flip receipts, bro. Ridiculous, bro. Yeah, Grayson, I don't know. You I sat there and watched Jordan's game. I've watched like 10 games. Dude was not that nice, bro. Dude was not no, don't talk about you huge. No, when we say he's levels ahead of LeBron, it's not even close. We all know LeBron's a better player. Let's stop. Let's stop. You picking LeBron first overall pick, you're not picking Jordan. No, I'm not. As a rookie, come on. Picking Jordan. I'm taking Jordan every day. You're taking Jordan, the 22-year-old, that got bounced from the Sweet 16 where LeBron was 18, led the NBA in every damn near every stat?

SPEAKER_06:

LeBron's gonna leave my franchise. LeBron doesn't know what is amazing. Amazing athlete.

SPEAKER_04:

Wasn't it Jordan as a freshman who they gave the last shot to in the national championship? With James Worthy on that dude. LeBron does not know what college is.

SPEAKER_03:

LeBron does not know what college is. Yes, he does. It's called the Miami. He skipped the rank. Miami? Yeah. How many rings he won? That's only two. Only two. Oh my face, man. You know what he did? You know he carried to the finals at Cleveland? He won it, though? It's true. As a 20-year-old? Hey, let me okay. If he's if Jordan is so good, right? Before he retired the first time, they had 58 wins, right? He left that year. They had 56 wins. LeBron on the Cavs before he left had 57 wins. He left, they had 19 wins. Make that make sense. LeBron's a 40 win difference. Jordan was a two-win difference. Make that make sense. Different era. Different. Oh, now it's a different era. Okay. Different players. Come on, Tom. Yeah, different. Stop, Tom. Come on, man.

SPEAKER_08:

I'm always going with Jordan. All right. I gotta ask Coach Irkslavin this because I haven't talked to him in a while about the commanders. What's happening?

SPEAKER_02:

I'm gonna sign off right now. No, it's that bad. It's pretty bad, man. I mean, Joe Witt's out of defensive coordinator. Dan Quinn's gonna call it the rest of the year, which probably means that there'll be another guy calling defense next year. Um you got guys getting penalties and getting kicked out of games. And I mean, last week I might I don't know how much lower we can get. When Daron Payne's getting penalties and get kicked out of the game, I that's and even the even the people coming the game, like, what are you talking? Why are you talking trash? You're down, you're down by multiple touchdowns. What could you be tossy talking about? That's a culture thing. And and I think that the the Dan Quinn culture was great last year. And everything's great when you're winning. Now we're gonna see where it really goes when you're losing. So and gotta get healthy, gotta get, you know, Jane Daniels back, but it's a throw to who. Debo Samuel's not a vertical guy. He's a he's a five yards make it 17 kind of dude. And as we got the holes that we had have been exposed. That's just my opinion. And Coach Clark can can pop in too. He's he's in the club too, but um last week was a little embarrassing, my opinion. It was awful.

SPEAKER_04:

No, defensively, I mean, you see, we don't have a corner that can cover anything. I don't know if you have a scheme. I don't even know what we run. This yeah, I don't know if the scheme's there. We don't have a pass rush. I mean, they're sitting back there all day long. Um, and then offensively, you're just so banged up. The offensive line isn't great. You're banged up at receiver, there's no separation. I mean, it's just hard to give Zach Ertz credit.

SPEAKER_02:

He's the guy that comes every week and tries to make it better. You know, love him. I also do think my opinion is is this McLaurin deal. I I think that might have bit a few people. Getting rid of Brian Robinson was a was a problem. I know he was he was hurt a little bit, but yes, I mean he's a physical runner, big runner. Um and I mean obviously not having Eckler either. Eckler's kind of a difference maker too. Um I understand this builduse, he's he had a good training camp, but I just don't know. I think it's kind of a flash in the pan. And he almost got a good one.

SPEAKER_08:

Well coach, we're gonna we're gonna try something. We're gonna try something here. We're gonna kick you out as as as as one of our guests. We're gonna see if that allows anybody else. Jane, you like that? I get to kick coach out of the room. Uh and but thank you for jumping on and testing this out with us. And good luck Friday night. We need we need to have we need to do this show again next week and the following week and the week after that. So don't don't don't let me down. Well we got all right. Thank you, coach. See ya. Oh, and I think that is working now. Oh.

SPEAKER_00:

Hey guys.

SPEAKER_08:

Oh, there we go. Now, now we're working here.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I have to switch over from my iPad to um a a laptop.

SPEAKER_08:

Fellows, let's welcome Football Mom, Miss Karen Simpson. We wanted to get you on because you are the official announcer of the towels. Yes.

SPEAKER_00:

You have the towels with you. I don't. I have a University of South Carolina rally towel um just because I, you know, took one when I was at an SEC game a couple years ago. But yeah, the parents have been really trying hard to um just get some um good um spirit. And just we've noticed the student section. Gray, we feel like you are really rocking it this year and your whole team. Um, we love just the energy of the student section, and the parents wanted to try to give back to the students as well. So the first 100 students um will be getting a rally towel um when they enter. So try to get there by 545 students. And then after that, anyone can purchase a rally towel. We're gonna have um, we'll have them for sale. A few of us will be up um where you scan your ticket. So one towel is five dollars. Um, I think we're also doing five for 20. So um just another way to get some good energy in the stands.

SPEAKER_08:

How many, how many students do we usually get in a game? Do you think it's over a hundred or under a hundred? I have no idea.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, I I will go out on a limb though and say that this year it's super energetic. So um, you know, I have um a daughter that's a sophomore in college right now, and I think we've just seen the trajectory of um just school spirit come back, and I'm super proud of the class of 2026 for for getting um so much energy.

SPEAKER_08:

Wow. Shout out to the whole class. Yeah. Well done.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, very well done.

SPEAKER_08:

Well done. Well, that's exciting. I'm I'm gonna look forward to seeing those things uh waving around. That's gonna be fun. Yeah, we're gonna be able to do that. Man, you gotta get the everybody fired up this week.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah. I think Cling will just comment and say there's roughly about 250 that show up to a game on average.

SPEAKER_08:

250. All right. So you got to be the first 100 to get a towel. Now, how about like me? Do I get a towel?

SPEAKER_00:

Well, you're not a student, but you can purchase a towel.

SPEAKER_08:

Oh, I have to purchase my towel. Okay, all right. Fair enough. Fair enough. Yeah, just trying to get a freebie here. I know. Well, thank you for doing that. I think that's awesome. Yeah. Um, and I think that's gonna make, I mean, just from the players' perspective, seeing all those tows going crazy, I think that's gonna be awesome.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, and we're excited.

SPEAKER_08:

All right. Well, thank you for jumping in. Sorry it took you so long to figure this thing out. We're testing it out. We're testing it out. We'll be good. We'll be good by by the state championship. This call in will be going off the off the hook. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Sorry I'm not bringing any controversy to your discussions with different teams and things like that.

SPEAKER_08:

You have no opinions on this stuff?

SPEAKER_00:

I'm a peacemaker.

SPEAKER_08:

All right. Well, thank you very much. Thank you for joining us. So yeah. Have a great one. All right. I think I've I've figured it out. I think I've figured out how to bring people on and exit people now.

SPEAKER_05:

Jaden, any last words? I mean, I was thinking about I want to be able to go into the announcements and speak. And just try to get everybody going in the morning, like just like screaming to it. Let's get it going. Felt like everybody get everybody hyped, make sure everybody's gonna be.

SPEAKER_08:

Well, who runs morning announcements?

SPEAKER_05:

I don't got we don't got like, it's not like middle school where you're watching it or not. It's like over the speakers. I don't know. This there's just one kid that has a cool voice that does it, but so you don't get to see the people, you're just watching it? No, you yeah, you're just listening, all ears.

SPEAKER_08:

All right. Well, we have Clingle said, come in his office. Mr.

SPEAKER_04:

Clingle said, let's do it.

SPEAKER_08:

Hey less, I'm there. Let's get get on there and get everybody at this school for the out for this game. You gotta do it. This is this is a big one. You guys are gonna come in here. They they want to beat you guys bad.

SPEAKER_05:

I would too, honestly. So yeah. I think this is gonna be a good game. Can't wait. They've been chatting a little bit, so have they? Yeah, man. I love social media. Social media. Stay away, and then the only time I touch it is when I do my dance at the end of the game, you know, when we get in that circle.

SPEAKER_04:

So and I'll give our guys props. They stay off of it for the most part, which is pretty good. You don't want to add people to the fire for anybody else. They already have enough easements to try to beat us. I like it.

SPEAKER_08:

And then the last thing I see from Klingo here is ask Mr. Yor to ride the roller coaster with students. I don't know what that means.

SPEAKER_03:

I don't either.

SPEAKER_08:

What does that mean, Jane?

SPEAKER_05:

I wish I knew. I I mean acting principal. Oh yeah, he's the new uh he's our um interim principal right now, Mr. Yor.

SPEAKER_08:

Okay.

SPEAKER_05:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07:

Mr. Yor.

SPEAKER_05:

Alright, Mr. Yor.

SPEAKER_07:

We need to get Mr. Yore on Hoctalk. No, he's a cool guy. Yeah. I don't think I've ever met Mr. Yore. You've never met your own principal? Well, this is acting.

SPEAKER_05:

He he just came the other day. Like literally two days ago. He stands in front and gets some up.

SPEAKER_07:

Alright, then I want to be the first one to have him on.

SPEAKER_04:

Was he at Chess Peak Peak before? He was at Test Peak. I think he was at Chess Peak before. He was. I interviewed with him actually for um uh all at one position.

SPEAKER_05:

Really? Mm hmm. Yeah, he's at the he's at the crib now.

SPEAKER_04:

Okay, so roller coaster is where he stands in front of the crowd and to get the height, he acts like he's on a roller coaster. So, like hands up, left, right, back. I like that. I like that.

SPEAKER_05:

Yeah, he seems like he'll do it. He's s he's real jolly and stuff, so I like him.

SPEAKER_08:

So, Gray, I think that you need to get the acting principle. Up in front of everybody and do the roller coaster.

SPEAKER_06:

I think I have to.

SPEAKER_08:

I'll be looking for that. I'll be looking for the towels, and I'll be looking for at least one touchdown from you.

SPEAKER_06:

I want to look like Pittsburgh on Friday with the terrible towels.

SPEAKER_08:

Are they going to be blue? Are they light blue or are they white?

SPEAKER_06:

Light blue.

SPEAKER_08:

They're light blue. Ooh, I like that. I like that better.

SPEAKER_04:

One and oh in the back.

SPEAKER_08:

Yep. This is a great idea. Whoever came up with it, fantastic.

SPEAKER_04:

While we're on here, I will like to add this because Jaden won't say it. This past week, he just tied a state record for scoring in 18 consecutive football games going back to last season. Only 18? Receiving. Well done.

unknown:

Thank you.

SPEAKER_08:

Yes.

SPEAKER_04:

Well, let's make it. We would like to get him one more this week so that he's 19 and he's in a class of the last.

SPEAKER_08:

Yeah, let's make it 19.

SPEAKER_05:

Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Hey, just win the game first.

SPEAKER_08:

Win the game. I don't care if it's seven-nothing. You guys got to win the game. But if it's seven-nothing, make sure you get the touchdown.

SPEAKER_05:

I got you.

SPEAKER_08:

Any parting words, Coach Clark? What do we have to do to make sure we win?

SPEAKER_04:

We got to play our I call it Seahawk football. We have to play Seahawk football. I tell them that before the game. We don't need anything more from them than what they've done all year long. If they show up fired up, they show up ready to play. We have the crowd behind us. They feel that they're in a they feel the energy from them and they play energetic. I think we got a good shot at winning the ballgame. But we just have to play our brand of football.

SPEAKER_08:

We need good football. We need a loud crowd. We need cheerleaders. We need a band. We need everybody getting fired up. We need the acting principal up with Grayson in front of the student section doing the roller coaster. We need the kids to kick the field goal at halftime. Are we still doing that? We need it all. We need it all to come to pla to come together. It's only going to get harder every single week from here on in. Yeah. Alright. All right, gentlemen. Thank you. This has been our first live and not our last one. We're going to do one of these every week until you guys are crowned champions or not.

SPEAKER_05:

Don't even say that.

SPEAKER_08:

I didn't say it. I just I ended it wrong. Otherwise. Yeah, there you go. All right. Six o'clock, Friday night, St. Charles at South River. Be there. Be there. First 100 get get a towel. The rest of us have to buy one, apparently. But we're going to be loud and we're going to be we're going to we're going to go at it. All right. Jaden, good luck. Coach. Good luck.

SPEAKER_04:

Hey, thank you.

SPEAKER_08:

Get everybody fired up. Yep. Until next time. This is Hawk Talk. Make sure you follow us at Instagram at SRH Talk. Please send me up updates, scores. And if you're listening uh after the fact, make sure you're back here. We're going to do this again next Wednesday. Get prepared. Get on. Let's get ready to roll. Thanks to everybody out there who's watching. Thank you. Thank you guys for doing this. Loved it. I'm your host, Tom Frank. I'm Grayson. And I'm Jaden. That's Coach Clark. And until next time, we'll hear we'll hear a cheer from our South River cheer team. Go seehawks.

SPEAKER_01:

Go blue. Go white. Ready? Go blue. Go white. Go seehawks and fight.

SPEAKER_07:

We'll see you next week.

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Tom Frank

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