Junior linebacker Greg Jones said this is going to be valuable experience for the defense in the fall.

“A lot of people are going to the spread (offense) now, and that’s what we are prepared for,” Jones said. “With both of those guys, being able to throw on the run is the biggest threat you can go against as a linebacker and as a defense, period. You always have to prepare extra hard for those type of guys. I think seeing them every day is going to definitely make us better.”

In Saturday’s Green and White game, both quarterbacks showed off their skills and left the defense with their hands full — racking up a combined eight touchdowns and 714 yards.

“The only thing I can take out of that is that they are on my team,” Jones said of his disappointment in the high scoring affair. “That’s the most important thing. You aren’t really happy as a defensive player, but you can say everyone was competitive and didn’t give up.”

Leading the pack for the defense was Jones for the Green team with 10 tackles and junior linebacker Eric Gordon with 11 tackles for the White team.

While neither defense was pleased with their performance, Gordon agreed the different looks of both quarterbacks is going benefit the team.

“Whoever we’re going to have to play against, I’m sure we’ll face a mobile quarterback at least once, so it helps going against them all spring,” Gordon said.

“You’ll feel like you’re going to get the sack and they’ll just pop up in the pocket or back out. They can do so much. It makes you play honest football.”

When asked which quarterback Jones thought had the upper hand at this point, his response mirrored what MSU head coach Mark Dantonio has been saying all spring about the closeness of the race.

“It’s going to be hard to call,” Jones said.

“I don’t know what he’s going to do. I wouldn’t know what to do right now, but that’s why he’s the head coach and makes the decisions.”

More discipline

One aspect of the spring game Dantonio wasn’t pleased with was the number of penalties by both sides.

The two teams each took six penalties, with the Green team penalized 55 yards and the White team 62 yards.

Two of the penalties were assessed for unsportsmanlike conduct, which came as a result of celebrations after both team’s scored touchdowns in the final minute of the game.

“What we are disappointed in is that there were legitimate penalties,” Dantonio said.

“We can’t run out on the field to celebrate like that. So too many penalties I guess, too many unforced penalties. It was the first time playing in front of a crowd, but we have to be able to omit those.”