Wisconsin wide receiver Isaac Anderson is tackled by MSU senior cornerback Jeremy Ware during MSU’s 38-30 loss Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis.
Looking to limit distractions during his team’s biggest week of the season, MSU head coach Mark Dantonio has limited media availability to the football team’s leaders and has closed practice for the third straight week.
As his squad looks to begin a comeback from a 1-3 start Saturday against Michigan, Dantonio simply said, “It’s Michigan week.”
“We don’t need a lot of outside things that are going to confuse the issue for us,” Dantonio said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. “We need to group ourselves together. People in that room know what’s going on in that room in terms of what we’re doing, in terms of why there’s a problem. We need to focus on dealing with that problem and we need to come out completely focused and we need to come out with great team solidarity in everything that we do and we will.”
U-M head coach Rich Rodriguez also closed his practice this week as the Wolverines look to continue their hot start with a fifth straight win behind freshman quarterback Tate Forcier.
“He’s shown great composure when the game’s on the line, especially for a true freshman,” Dantonio said. “There’s definitely a run-pass threat with him. If something’s not there, he’s got some wiggle.”
Crowded chart
MSU’s newest depth chart features 10 “OR” starters out of 22 positions, including three players — redshirt freshman Caulton Ray, freshman Larry Caper and sophomore Glenn Winston — listed as co-starters at running back.
Only sophomore Trenton Robinson is entrenched in the defensive backfield at free safety, while field cornerback, boundary cornerback and strong safety all have “OR” starters.
All told, X receiver, left guard, center, quarterback, running back, defensive tackle, SAM linebacker, field cornerback, boundary cornerback and strong safety have “OR” starters.
“Competition is something we like to see,” Dantonio said.
“Guys have game experience. How they play in every single game, or as the game continues on, if they’re playing well, they’re staying in, sometimes we just want to play guys to allow them to grow, too. A lot of our players have game experience so that should be a positive for us. A couple guys are nicked up, so you see either/or, that type of thing, and in other situations we play them. You see guys out there playing 30 snaps, so I think it’s fair to say we could play either/or, or that we could start either of them.”
At left guard, sophomore Joel Foreman missed the Wisconsin game with a knee injury suffered at Notre Dame. Dantonio said he could’ve played in an emergency. Senior Joel Nitchman moved from center to fill in.
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