With the Big Ten’s expansion east No. 10 MSU (8-2 overall, 5-1 Big Ten) is getting the opportunity to play against teams they haven’t seen in many years, and a chance for some recruits to play local teams that aren’t from the midwest.
This week as MSU takes on Rutgers (6-4 overall, 2-4 Big Ten), junior defensive end Shilique Calhoun will get the chance to take on his hometown team.
Calhoun is from Middletown, New Jersey, which is about 25 miles down the New Jersey Parkway from the Rutgers campus.
“Coming to Michigan State I didn’t have the opportunity to play against guys I played against in high school,” he said. “It’ll be nice to go against a couple of hometown guys.”
Like players from Michigan or Ohio, Calhoun said the Rutgers game is an important one to him and it is up to him to make a statement in the game.
“I chose to come here,” he said. “Of course it’s going to be a statement game for me, to show people why I decided to come here.”
Rutgers joined the Big Ten midway through Calhoun’s career, and he said he was hoping to go home instead of the Scarlet Knights coming to East Lansing.
“As soon as I heard they were joining the Big Ten I thought, man, I hope we play at Rutgers,” he said. “Even playing here will be a special moment for me.”
Calhoun recognized that a lot of players have a game on the schedule that allows them to face an opponent from their home state. Calhoun said he’s learned a lot from the players from Ohio and how they approached the Ohio State game a few weeks ago.
“It’s a state game,” he said. “I know the Ohio guys have Ohio State and the Michigan guys have (U-M), and finally we have our moment, too.”
Calhoun also addressed the possibility of him not coming back for his senior season at MSU and leaving for the NFL Draft. The game Saturday is senior day and Calhoun said that was more important than his decision to go pro or not.
“I don’t want to take anything away from the seniors,” he said. “This is about the seniors. This isn’t about me or if I’m leaving or staying. This is about making a statement to the Big Ten and sending the seniors out with another home victory.”
Calhoun said he has not made his decision on next season yet.
“You know what happens when you assume,” he said with a smile.
