http://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/i...state_answer_for_fa.html#incart_story_package
By Dan Duggan
NJ.com
PISCATAWAY — In his postgame press conference after last season's45-3 loss at Michigan State, Rutgers coach Kyle Flood downplayed a fake field goal the Spartans called early in the third quarter while leading 35-0.
"I don't concern myself with the above and beyond," Flood said in the postgame press conference. "It's our job to defend the plays. It's their job to call the plays that they want to call."
But when the Scarlet Knights returned to Piscataway that night, Flood delivered a different message to the team. Flood told the players that Michigan State would have to answer for the unnecessary trick play, according to two people who were in the Rutgers locker room when the coach delivered the message.
Rutgers gets its shot at revenge on Saturday night when the fourth-ranked Spartans visit High Point Solutions Stadium (8 p.m., BTN). Rutgers players said the play hasn't been emphasized this week, but they haven't forgotten about it, either.
"I try not to remember, but I remember that," wide receiver Janarion Grant said. "It was crazy."
PLUS: What will receiver Leonte Carroo's role be against Michigan State?
The Spartans were in complete control of the game at the time of the fake. Holding a 35-0 lead, they took the opening possession of the second half and drove to the Rutgers 24-yard line.
Faced with fourth-and-5, Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio sent the field goal unit onto the field. But instead of attempting a 42-yard field goal, Dantonio called for a fake. The holder pitched the ball to kicker Michael Geiger, who ran 23 yards before stepping out at the 1.
Grant felt Michigan State was trying to send a message with the trick play.
"It was like we don't know how to play football and we don't know how to tackle or anything like that," Grant said. "So that was kind of frustrating."
Dantonio defended the decision to run the fake while up 35 points after the game.
"It was go for it on fourth down or fake it," Dantonio said. "That would have been a long field goal and we were just trying to play the game at that point. We had not scored at that point in the second half."
Michigan State actually failed to score off of the fake, as running back Nick Hill fumbled on the next play and Rutgers recovered. The fake wasn't Michigan State's only unorthodox play. The Spartans also gave a handoff to senior offensive lineman Connor Kruse on a drive late in the fourth quarter.
If there was any question the Spartans were trying to make a statement in the blowout win, then-defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi removed all doubt with his postgame comments.
"I think it will make a statement a little bit there, maybe next year," Narduzzi told MLive.com of the potential recruiting impact the result would have in New Jersey. "Any time you go to someone else's state that you played, you can say, 'Look at the score' and I think it will help pull some kids out of there that might have stayed home."
Flood won't be on the sidelines Saturday as he serves the final game ofhis three-game suspension for violating a university compliance policy. But the coach's message after last year's game about paying back Michigan State hasn't been forgotten.
"They basically showed us up and kind of treated us like we were real sorry, like a sorry team," Grant said. "But that happens. We just have to prove them wrong."
By Dan Duggan
NJ.com
PISCATAWAY — In his postgame press conference after last season's45-3 loss at Michigan State, Rutgers coach Kyle Flood downplayed a fake field goal the Spartans called early in the third quarter while leading 35-0.
"I don't concern myself with the above and beyond," Flood said in the postgame press conference. "It's our job to defend the plays. It's their job to call the plays that they want to call."
But when the Scarlet Knights returned to Piscataway that night, Flood delivered a different message to the team. Flood told the players that Michigan State would have to answer for the unnecessary trick play, according to two people who were in the Rutgers locker room when the coach delivered the message.
Rutgers gets its shot at revenge on Saturday night when the fourth-ranked Spartans visit High Point Solutions Stadium (8 p.m., BTN). Rutgers players said the play hasn't been emphasized this week, but they haven't forgotten about it, either.
"I try not to remember, but I remember that," wide receiver Janarion Grant said. "It was crazy."
PLUS: What will receiver Leonte Carroo's role be against Michigan State?
The Spartans were in complete control of the game at the time of the fake. Holding a 35-0 lead, they took the opening possession of the second half and drove to the Rutgers 24-yard line.
Faced with fourth-and-5, Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio sent the field goal unit onto the field. But instead of attempting a 42-yard field goal, Dantonio called for a fake. The holder pitched the ball to kicker Michael Geiger, who ran 23 yards before stepping out at the 1.
Grant felt Michigan State was trying to send a message with the trick play.
"It was like we don't know how to play football and we don't know how to tackle or anything like that," Grant said. "So that was kind of frustrating."
Dantonio defended the decision to run the fake while up 35 points after the game.
"It was go for it on fourth down or fake it," Dantonio said. "That would have been a long field goal and we were just trying to play the game at that point. We had not scored at that point in the second half."
Michigan State actually failed to score off of the fake, as running back Nick Hill fumbled on the next play and Rutgers recovered. The fake wasn't Michigan State's only unorthodox play. The Spartans also gave a handoff to senior offensive lineman Connor Kruse on a drive late in the fourth quarter.
If there was any question the Spartans were trying to make a statement in the blowout win, then-defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi removed all doubt with his postgame comments.
"I think it will make a statement a little bit there, maybe next year," Narduzzi told MLive.com of the potential recruiting impact the result would have in New Jersey. "Any time you go to someone else's state that you played, you can say, 'Look at the score' and I think it will help pull some kids out of there that might have stayed home."
Flood won't be on the sidelines Saturday as he serves the final game ofhis three-game suspension for violating a university compliance policy. But the coach's message after last year's game about paying back Michigan State hasn't been forgotten.
"They basically showed us up and kind of treated us like we were real sorry, like a sorry team," Grant said. "But that happens. We just have to prove them wrong."
