“Mitch was actually coached in the high school and junior high by Jay’s dad there in the Twin Cities”, he said.
Advertisement
Mark Dantonio knew the question was coming, so he had his witty reply at the ready.
Once again, Wisconsin may have to lean hard on a defense that last season ranked first nationally by allowing only 13.7 points per game.
“I don’t know”, he said, shaking his head.
“I don’t think you ever want that, but I do think at times you need. just like in the fields, you’ve got to pull the weeds sometimes”, he said. “Just reaction to game, to running out into the Shoe in front of 110,000 people”.
Before any opening statements, each coach began by sending their condolences to Michigan State and Nebraska, as well as the Foltz and Sadler families. Michigan State is 36-5 the past three seasons. The Buckeyes return only six starters from a year ago, although one is star quarterback J.T. Barrett.
Smith had been out of the college game since 1995, but jumped back in when he got the chance at IL.
“It’s easy to walk around when you’ve won”, Dantonio said.
MSU’s Bullough talks about how the program has changed since 2012. It comes down to two evaluation factors now. I mean, if you look at other conferences who have experimented much longer than we have, you had a 10- or 12-year run by the eastern group in the SEC and then a 10- or 12-year run by the west. “I can’t tell you why”. We were not going to drag it out.
If there’s a consistent measuring stick for that, it’s the MI game.
Although Penn State’s sanctions have been lifted, including the four-year bowl-game ban and a reduction of scholarships, Franklin has still done damage control. So what’s No. 2?
The 6-foot-1, 208-pound Peppers, who also played high school ball for two years at Don Bosco, is one of the conference’s most versatile players: He’s lined up at eight positions for MI.
Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said he has seen strength and conviction from Mike Sadler’s family and those close to them in the days following the former Spartans punter’s death in a vehicle accident.
With a full offseason to work with the program, Harbaugh could take MI to the next level in 2016 and is a +175 co-favorite to win the Big Ten title this season.
Best “My bad:” Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald used part of his opening remarks Monday morning to welcome Chris Ash (Rutgers), D.J. Durkin (Maryland) and Tracy Claeys (Minnesota) to “the Big Ten head coaches fraternity”.
Among the most significant changes, the Big Ten has expanded the replay rule on targeting calls.
Best kerfuffle: The Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, like the Big Ten offseason, offered a protective bubble for news, and little was broken. Michigan State’s offense is a blank slate. Iowa went 12-2 SU and 7-6-1 ATS last season.
“You have to be poised to win the game in the end, and you have to learn how to do it”, Dantonio said.
There’s no doubt that has happened.
“The big thing for us each and every year we want to win every game just like every team does”.
This isn’t a two-way race. Michigan State is moving on from a three-year starting quarterback in Connor Cook who helped take the program to new heights.
Advertisement
Mark Dantonio came to the Big Ten media days with a heavy heart, due to the death of his former punter, but with an upbeat attitude in regards to his Michigan State team’s chances to maintain its perch at the top of the league.
