Can MSU 'move forward as a program' against Ohio State?
Paul Konyndyk | Associate Editor
Mark Dantonio views Michigan State's home finale against Ohio State as an opportunity to move the program forward amidst at disappointing '16 season.
Michigan State hasn’t been a three-touchdown underdog in a game against Ohio State since 1998, which also happens to be the last time a sub .500 Spartan ballclub beat the Buckeyes in a game with national implications.
“We've always gone into a game planning to win,” Mark Dantonio said during his weekly press conference on Tuesday, “and we need to understand the things we need to do to win a football game and we're going to play, in this conference, you are usually going to compete at the highest level pretty much week in and week out."
Dantonio served as defensive backs coach under Nick Saban in ’98 when Michigan State shocked the No. 1 ranked Buckeyes in Columbus.
“(We) didn't play a bowl game here and we went down and played the No. 1 team at Ohio Stadium, at Ohio State, and won,” Dantonio said. “Didn't go to a bowl game that year. Everybody seems to remember it, so, I guess that's something. But, I think the biggest thing is, is playing the next game and always getting ready for your next challenge, and that's this one, and it's a big challenge that we have standing in front of us.”
More recently, Michigan State has won two of the four meetings with the Buckeyes during Urban Meyer’s tenure as head coach.
“We’ve got 28 players from Ohio on our football team as well as quite a number of coaches with an Ohio background, so a little bit of extra motivation on this end,” Dantonio said. “We've played them well the last couple years, the last four years, 2-2 against them.”
Tailback LJ Scott (right) is one of 28 Ohioans on Michigan State's 2016 roster.
Robert Hendricks
It remains to be seen whether this Michigan State team possesses the mental toughness, grit, and playmaking ability on both sides of the ball displayed by the Spartans in recent wins over the Buckeyes.
“Players made plays in the game,” Dantonio said. “In both respects, the ‘13 game and ‘15 game, our guys came ready to play. They were focused. Other team was focused -- Buckeyes were focused, too. I thought we played well. We made plays on the field, big plays in the game. Last year, (Aaron) Burbridge making a big catch a couple times, big runs, defensively played very well. They are a tough team, very tough, difficult team to prepare for offensively and defensively. They bring a lot to the table, but, you know, if you're playing well -- if you're going to win this conference, you got to play well against the good teams in this conference, and traditionally they've been very, very good.”
During a season filled with disappointment, however, a win over Ohio State would help move the program forward and build momentum for the future.
“We've led in every football game, and every football game, I think has been pretty competitive,” Dantonio said. “We are where we are, but this is a way to move forward, you know, as a program. So, you know, you got to just -- you got to get yourself ready to play at highest level.”
Senior Send-off
Michigan State seniors like Demetrious Cox are hoping for a memorable final game at Spartan Stadium.
Saturday’s game will be the last played in Spartan Stadium by members of Michigan State’s senior class. Dantonio is grateful for the contribution his program has received over the years from RJ Shelton, Riley Bullough, Tyler O’Connor, and other seniors.
“They've done a great job,” Dantonio said. “The guys who have been with us, they all have two Big Ten championship rings, they all have a Cotton Bowl ring. They've all been to the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, then a Rose Bowl and two Cotton Bowls, and one playoffs, so they've had distinguished careers.
“When you get to this year, high expectations, a lot of things enter into where we're at. We won't go into that. But obviously didn't end the way they wanted it to end, but their attitude and their passion for the game and their commitment, really has allowed us to move forward every single game. Every single practice, whether you practicing last year, getting ready to be 10-1, really -- after this week, we were 10-1 last year -- or this week, the practice is really, if you walk out on the practice field, they're no different. The mentality, the effort, the -- the intangible things, there's no difference, and that's senior leadership, and that's just senior interaction with our young players. So they've done a great job. I know it's been a disappointing year. I know it's -- in a lot of ways, you can look back and say we should have won this game, that game, this game, that game, but we are just sort of where we're at. We have to deal with that and hopefully this period of time in their life helps strengthen them for later disappointments in their life where they have challenges in their life and have to be able to go through them in order to come out the back end.”
McDowell's status uncertain
Junior defensive tackle Malik McDowell was not listed on Tuesday’s depth chart. McDowell, who did not play against Rutgers last weekend, has been out since suffering an ankle injury during the second half of Michigan State’s road loss to Illinois.
“Right now, he's probably out, but we'll see,” Dantonio said. “I don't want to list him as number two, so that's why we listed him as such. So, he'll either start for us or be able to play. We'll see as the week goes.”
Sixth-year senior Brandon Clemons has played more on the defensive line than offensive line as a two-way player this season. Against the Buckeyes, however, the versatile senior will start at right guard, as Michigan State shuffles it’s front five following an injury to Tyler Higby last weekend.
“He played right guard last year against the Buckeyes as well, so, he's played in games,” Dantonio said. “I mean, he's been a guy that played in a lot of football games for us, and he’s started in games for us offensively and defensively. So you think a guy like that has been extremely valuable and really has been totally unselfish in the way he's gone about his business.”
Paul Konyndyk | Associate Editor
Mark Dantonio views Michigan State's home finale against Ohio State as an opportunity to move the program forward amidst at disappointing '16 season.
Michigan State hasn’t been a three-touchdown underdog in a game against Ohio State since 1998, which also happens to be the last time a sub .500 Spartan ballclub beat the Buckeyes in a game with national implications.
“We've always gone into a game planning to win,” Mark Dantonio said during his weekly press conference on Tuesday, “and we need to understand the things we need to do to win a football game and we're going to play, in this conference, you are usually going to compete at the highest level pretty much week in and week out."
Dantonio served as defensive backs coach under Nick Saban in ’98 when Michigan State shocked the No. 1 ranked Buckeyes in Columbus.
“(We) didn't play a bowl game here and we went down and played the No. 1 team at Ohio Stadium, at Ohio State, and won,” Dantonio said. “Didn't go to a bowl game that year. Everybody seems to remember it, so, I guess that's something. But, I think the biggest thing is, is playing the next game and always getting ready for your next challenge, and that's this one, and it's a big challenge that we have standing in front of us.”
More recently, Michigan State has won two of the four meetings with the Buckeyes during Urban Meyer’s tenure as head coach.
“We’ve got 28 players from Ohio on our football team as well as quite a number of coaches with an Ohio background, so a little bit of extra motivation on this end,” Dantonio said. “We've played them well the last couple years, the last four years, 2-2 against them.”
Tailback LJ Scott (right) is one of 28 Ohioans on Michigan State's 2016 roster.
Robert Hendricks
It remains to be seen whether this Michigan State team possesses the mental toughness, grit, and playmaking ability on both sides of the ball displayed by the Spartans in recent wins over the Buckeyes.
“Players made plays in the game,” Dantonio said. “In both respects, the ‘13 game and ‘15 game, our guys came ready to play. They were focused. Other team was focused -- Buckeyes were focused, too. I thought we played well. We made plays on the field, big plays in the game. Last year, (Aaron) Burbridge making a big catch a couple times, big runs, defensively played very well. They are a tough team, very tough, difficult team to prepare for offensively and defensively. They bring a lot to the table, but, you know, if you're playing well -- if you're going to win this conference, you got to play well against the good teams in this conference, and traditionally they've been very, very good.”
During a season filled with disappointment, however, a win over Ohio State would help move the program forward and build momentum for the future.
“We've led in every football game, and every football game, I think has been pretty competitive,” Dantonio said. “We are where we are, but this is a way to move forward, you know, as a program. So, you know, you got to just -- you got to get yourself ready to play at highest level.”
Senior Send-off
Michigan State seniors like Demetrious Cox are hoping for a memorable final game at Spartan Stadium.
Saturday’s game will be the last played in Spartan Stadium by members of Michigan State’s senior class. Dantonio is grateful for the contribution his program has received over the years from RJ Shelton, Riley Bullough, Tyler O’Connor, and other seniors.
“They've done a great job,” Dantonio said. “The guys who have been with us, they all have two Big Ten championship rings, they all have a Cotton Bowl ring. They've all been to the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, then a Rose Bowl and two Cotton Bowls, and one playoffs, so they've had distinguished careers.
“When you get to this year, high expectations, a lot of things enter into where we're at. We won't go into that. But obviously didn't end the way they wanted it to end, but their attitude and their passion for the game and their commitment, really has allowed us to move forward every single game. Every single practice, whether you practicing last year, getting ready to be 10-1, really -- after this week, we were 10-1 last year -- or this week, the practice is really, if you walk out on the practice field, they're no different. The mentality, the effort, the -- the intangible things, there's no difference, and that's senior leadership, and that's just senior interaction with our young players. So they've done a great job. I know it's been a disappointing year. I know it's -- in a lot of ways, you can look back and say we should have won this game, that game, this game, that game, but we are just sort of where we're at. We have to deal with that and hopefully this period of time in their life helps strengthen them for later disappointments in their life where they have challenges in their life and have to be able to go through them in order to come out the back end.”
McDowell's status uncertain
Junior defensive tackle Malik McDowell was not listed on Tuesday’s depth chart. McDowell, who did not play against Rutgers last weekend, has been out since suffering an ankle injury during the second half of Michigan State’s road loss to Illinois.
“Right now, he's probably out, but we'll see,” Dantonio said. “I don't want to list him as number two, so that's why we listed him as such. So, he'll either start for us or be able to play. We'll see as the week goes.”
Sixth-year senior Brandon Clemons has played more on the defensive line than offensive line as a two-way player this season. Against the Buckeyes, however, the versatile senior will start at right guard, as Michigan State shuffles it’s front five following an injury to Tyler Higby last weekend.
“He played right guard last year against the Buckeyes as well, so, he's played in games,” Dantonio said. “I mean, he's been a guy that played in a lot of football games for us, and he’s started in games for us offensively and defensively. So you think a guy like that has been extremely valuable and really has been totally unselfish in the way he's gone about his business.”
