Dantonio on Lawrence Thomas being listed as a starting defensive end and Demetrious Cox being listed as a starting cornerback:
Dantonio said "just felt like at this point in time, rather than putting a redshirt freshman" at No. 1 DE, it was the right thing to do in putting Lawrence Thomas as the No. 1 boundary DE, opposite Shilique Calhoun .
"He (Thomas) is very athletic and active," Dantonio said. "He has played out there and has done a great job there in the past.
"We have depth at defensive tackle, so whether it be Damon Knox or Malik McDowell, who is in there, they're both starters along with Joel Heath. Calhoun gives us five players that have played a lot of football up there. We have to roll our players.
"And Cooper and Sweat, we've got guys that can play there (defensive end). I think it's a good situation."
Cox started the second half of the Cotton Bowl at cornerback. It's not a major departure for him to move from safety to cornerback.
"We are just going to put our best football players on the field," Dantonio said. "RJ Williamson and Montae Nicholson are both good players as well. Right now, DayDay (Cox) would be the guy (at corner) along with Vayante Copeland possibly and Darian Hicks can go in there as a starter as well."
Dantonio said "just felt like at this point in time, rather than putting a redshirt freshman" at No. 1 DE, it was the right thing to do in putting Lawrence Thomas as the No. 1 boundary DE, opposite Shilique Calhoun .
"He (Thomas) is very athletic and active," Dantonio said. "He has played out there and has done a great job there in the past.
"We have depth at defensive tackle, so whether it be Damon Knox or Malik McDowell, who is in there, they're both starters along with Joel Heath. Calhoun gives us five players that have played a lot of football up there. We have to roll our players.
"And Cooper and Sweat, we've got guys that can play there (defensive end). I think it's a good situation."
Cox started the second half of the Cotton Bowl at cornerback. It's not a major departure for him to move from safety to cornerback.
"We are just going to put our best football players on the field," Dantonio said. "RJ Williamson and Montae Nicholson are both good players as well. Right now, DayDay (Cox) would be the guy (at corner) along with Vayante Copeland possibly and Darian Hicks can go in there as a starter as well."
