Then-sophomore running back Javon Ringer rushes downfield at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, on Sept. 16, 2006.
While Pittsburgh will come to Spartan Stadium looking to avenge last year’s loss to MSU, the Spartans are looking to get a little retribution of their own for head coach Mark Dantonio.
In Dantonio’s three years as Cincinnati’s head coach, he never beat its Big East opponent Pittsburgh — losing 33-15 in 2006 and 38-20 the year before.
“It goes for us as much as it goes for coach, we need this win as much as he does,” junior quarterback Brian Hoyer said Monday.
“It’s definitely a motivational factor … you’re playing for the coach because he hasn’t beat (Pittsburgh head coach Dave) Wannstedt yet.”
Hoyer admitted that as a player, there are some losses that are hard to forget.
“Coming from my standpoint, I know the teams that we lost to last year, we want to go back and pay it back to those guys,” Hoyer said. “So you know those guys are going to have a little extra motivation coming in here knowing that we beat them at their place last year.”
Dantonio said he has not addressed his team with the fact Pittsburgh may be looking for some payback.
“I think every year is a separate year,” Dantonio said.
The Spartans defeated Pittsburgh 38-23 in 2006, and MSU returns a number of their players who went up against the Panthers last season.
“I think that’s huge,” Dantonio said.
“I think that shows that they have confidence … when you’ve succeeded before, you know there’s possibilities of succeeding again.”
Linebacker shuffle
Senior linebacker SirDarean Adams started against Bowling Green and is listed to start against Pittsburgh, but he still does not have a lock on the job.
He will continue to compete with redshirt freshman Jon Misch, who started the season opener against UAB.
“I think it’s still week to week right now,” Dantonio said.
“That’s up to them, that’s not up to us. We’ll play the guy who’s getting the job done, who’s best suited for it.”
A number of different players have seen playing time at the linebacker position, and Dantonio said that is benefiting the team.
“The nice thing is we are able to roll our linebackers in there a little bit and keep everybody somewhat fresh,” he said.
Injury update
Dantonio said senior safety Nehemiah Warrick is “day-to-day” with a lower-leg injury he suffered three minutes into the second quarter of Saturday’s game against Bowling Green.
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Senior offensive lineman Mike Gyetvai is still out nursing a bum shoulder that was surgically repaired.
