To hit or to be hit, that is the competition. Well, at least for two Spartans running backs.
Junior Tyrell Dortch and sophomore Jaren Hayes have been moved from taking hits on offense to laying hits on defense in the early stages of spring football. In only a few days of practice, which started on Saturday, Dortch and Hayes have taken reps as the Spartans next potential bandit - a linebacker-safety hybrid. Last season, senior Monquiz Wedlow, an undersized linebacker, handled most of the bandit duties in the position's inaugural run.
Dortch and Hayes, like Wedlow, are small - 5-foot-10 and 5-foot-9, respectively. MSU football head coach John L. Smith said their vertical shortcomings will not count against their chances to be productive on defense because he knows what Dortch and Hayes have been capable of on offense as smaller backs.
"You always want to get bigger, stronger, faster, regardless of the position," Smith said. "But we can't do much about that. They're going to fight, and they're going to battle. Sometimes the big heart makes up for not having a big body."
It might seem odd for offensive players, productive ones at that, to move away from their natural position, but both players have played defense before. For Dortch, his last days on defense were in college, while Hayes last played defense in the Big 33 - a Pennsylvania versus Ohio high school all-star game.
Despite their respective successes on defense, Dortch faced adversity while running corner in the Spartans' 2001 campaign. In the second quarter of the sixth game of the 2001 season at Wisconsin, Dortch jumped up to defend a touchdown pass to Badgers receiver Lee Evans. The tailback turned cornerback landed awkwardly, breaking his right lower leg.
Last fall was Dortch's comeback campaign from the Wisconsin injury. It was a season in which Dortch saw time back on offense and openly stated his distaste to ever play on defense again. But this spring, Dortch has said he is willing to do anything for the team, especially after the Spartans were embarrassed by Nebraska, 17-3, in the Alamo Bowl. Dortch has added that he no longer thinks about his nearly career-ending leg injury.
"That's over with. All the questions and doubts, that's in the past now," Dortch said. "I'm just trying to have fun in my last year, trying to get a Big Ten Championship."
For Hayes, he might want to find a tape of the Big 33 game. Smith said he plans to continue to look at Hayes in the bandit spot, but he might move him outside to defensive back down the road.
It's uncertain if Hayes will be excited about yet another position move. When Smith first called Hayes into his office to tell him about moving to bandit, he was skeptical.
"At first I was like 'Oh my God. This is just crazy, we're starting all over again,'" Hayes said. "But I've gotten better at it. I'm much more relaxed, and I'm trying to get everything down, so we'll see."
What Hayes said he would really like to see is a final position in the fall, one he can stay at. But for now, Dortch and Hayes plan to continue competing to be the Spartans' next bandit, as they both are willing to do anything to help their team win.
For Smith, he will continue to evaluate his talent through the spring.
"I think they are excited about being over there, and we're excited about having them over there and we'll have to wait and see," Smith said.
