MSU's philosophy changes after 2nd consecutive loss
By Matt Bishop (Last updated: 11/03/09 8:15pm)Following two straight losses, the MSU football team has been forced to re-evaluate its goals.
Mark Dantonio
No longer in the hunt for the Big Ten title, head coach Mark Dantonio said his team is focused on making its third straight bowl appearance.
“We have to understand where we’re at,” Dantonio said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. “I don’t think we’re going to win the Big Ten championship this year. I think that’s the reality right now. We’ve lost three games in the conference. I think our goals need to be to go to a bowl game, regardless of which bowl game that is.”
Dantonio said winning out in November — the Spartans play Western Michigan, Purdue and Penn State — now is a team goal.
MSU (4-5 overall, 3-3 Big Ten) needs to win all three games to finish 7-5 and solidify a bowl appearance. If the Spartans finish 6-6, all 7-5 teams nationwide must be selected for a bowl before the Spartans could be considered.
Dantonio said trying to rebuild respect is something else he’d like to accomplish.
“Anytime you have a football team that is all of a sudden 4-5 after nine games, I think you begin to lose a little bit of respect. I think that’s natural,” Dantonio said. “And what we want to try to do is make sure we’re regaining that respect. I believe that’s a weekly challenge for every football team in America.
“When you don’t win, you don’t get the prize. There’s no prize for second place. You either win or you lose. You can say why you won or why you lost, all these different things and you can lay it out there, but it’s one or the other. We have to always deal with that and I think that’s very important.”
Depth perception
Dantonio did not release a depth chart Tuesday because he doesn’t know who’s going to be available Saturday.
“We’ve got some guys that are banged up, injured a little bit, so really until we get to practice, we don’t know who’s in, who’s out because we had some guys with some head injuries,” Dantonio said, declining to name injuries.
“So we’ve got to see where we’re at and also have to see how certain players are coming back, guys who have been injured previous.”
Dantonio added that there will be no depth chart changes in relation to how someone played.
Originally Published: 11/03/09 7:22pm
Tim
11/04/09 7:29amMD needs to re-evaluate his goals. Instead of setting them for a bowl game, which is way too lofty at this point, why not re-focus as follows:
1. Get the O line to block.
2. Get one yard when you need it..like first and goal at the one!
3. Try something other than “up the gut” on every running play.
4. Get the DB’s on the same page, assuming of course that ANY of them can read!
Really…a bowl game?? This team of perpetual underacheivers in a bowl?
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Tim
11/04/09 8:00amOne more thing………..
My only interest in watching this Saturday is to see just how really, really awfull MSU stinks up their own stadium. Statistically, these teams are about even. Not something to be proud of if you are a green koolaid drinking MSU fanatic! MSU EQUAL…that’s equal, folks..to a mid-level MAC team. WOW, how low can one head coach take ya?
Anyway, Timmy is calling this one:
WMU 35
MSU 21
Not so shocking , is it?
MD Must Go!!
Maz
11/04/09 8:30amDear Tim, You are an idiot.
Thanks,
-Maz
Lee
11/04/09 8:51amThe rest of his posts may be suspect, but I actually agree with Tim on his points #1, #2, and #3.
Seriously, Dantonio/Treadwell – STOP RUNNING UP THE GUT!!!
Also, why are our defensive secondary guys always behind the receiver in the end zone??? Are they trying to stop the guy from getting extra yardage? That’s just not being aware of your spot on the field!
Tim
11/04/09 10:45amDear Maz:
Thanks, I needed that. LOL!!
And thanks, Lee, for agreeing with me. I was, I admit, a bit harsh with point #4. But really, minus the sarcasm, are the DB’s on the same page? I agree, always behind the receiver in the end zone. And the slant vs Iowa…gimmie a break. In that situation it was going to be either a fade or the slant. In that situation why blitz, which is what we did.
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Tim
11/04/09 12:23pmFor all you, “MD is my football hero” crowd:
Brian Kelly has Cincinnati unbeaten…with MD’s kids!! MD recruited ‘em, and Kelly has turned them into winners BIG TIME. Doesn’t that say something?? Sure, MD can recruit…he’s been around some quality programs long enough to know talent when he sees it.
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spartygold
11/04/09 10:12pmCoach…If it is not your thing to get players ready to play..then make it your thing..They are often not ready..Poor coaching..I also agree..we are all sick of up the gut..4 times in a row..really..get some imagination..You only go up the gut if you have the power to do it and obviously the Spartans do not. Defensive backs look great at times and terrible..sign of an unfocused team..it is your job to focus them..