No. 10 MSU (8-2 overall, 5-1 Big Ten) will return to Spartan Stadium Saturday to take on Rutgers (6-4 overall, 2-4 Big Ten) for its final home game of the 2014 season. Head coach Mark Dantonio addressed the media Tuesday and talked about senior day, off the field incidents and injuries during his weekly press conference.
Special senior class
This Saturday’s matchup against Rutgers will stand as the final home game at Spartan Stadium for 17 MSU seniors, with the class capable of achieving a prestigious honor.
Dantonio said if the senior class can win three more games it’ll match last year’s senior class as the winningest class in program history.
“There have been a lot of good things that have happened here in the last number of years, and I think they’re very much involved in their successes, big?play guys,” Dantonio said.
A few of this year’s senior class standouts are running back Jeremy Langford , wide receiver Tony Lippett , middle linebacker Taiwan Jones , free safety Kurtis Drummond and defensive end Marcus Rush .
Maintaining a classy program
MSU has been experiencing success not only on the field but off it as well, especially compared to some of its peers.
Earlier this week Michigan dismissed starting defensive end Frank Clark from the team because of a domestic violence incident that occurred over the weekend.
In light of Clark’s dismissal, Dantonio addressed the importance of creating a winning program off the field as well.
“With success comes more responsibility. We’ve said that over and over and over,” Dantonio said. “It’s how you handle success, not just on the football field but off the football field as well. So we’re constantly trying to recruit the right people, trying to build the right people once we get them here.”
MSU has managed to avoid off-the-field drama this season, with the most recent incident occurring last spring when junior wide receiver Macgarrett Kings Jr. was arrested for driving under the influence.
Injury Update
MSU saw the return of one of its key defenders Saturday, but also may have lost one of its offensive starters.
Senior outside linebacker Mylan Hicks made his first appearance for MSU since breaking his arm against Nebraska on Oct. 4.
Hicks missed four games with the injury but appeared to recover nicely, recording a couple of tackles in his return.
“You saw him moving on the field. He’s noticeable,” Dantonio said. “He’s very quick-bodied. He brings something other than just his football ability — he brings leadership, he brings excitement (and) he brings a lot of energy to our football team.”
On the flip side, MSU could be without senior starting left guard Travis Jackson this week against Rutgers. Jackson was tested for a concussion and held out for the remainder of the Maryland game after the team doctor examined him.
Jackson is still listed as the starter on the depth chart that was released Tuesday. Dantonio wouldn’t comment in depth on Jackson’s state but said the coaching staff would monitor him throughout the week.
