“HBO actually asked us to do that this season, do a “Hard Knocks” this season," Dantonio said. 

"But I sort of passed on that because I didn't really want to put ourselves in that situation. I think it's a good show. I've watched it and I think it's well done. But we just passed on it right now because I want our players to concentrate on what we have to do here and not on a camera. I want us to be us and I just didn't feel like at this point in time that that was something that we should do.”

TV shows that follow football teams are nothing new, but they have come a long way since the likes of MTV’s “Two-A-Days.” The “Hard Knocks” of the world still follow players’ personal lives to an extent, but the behind-the-scenes action is much less “Laguna Beach” and much more real, intense football.

The Big Ten Network launched its version of the show in August, “Scarlet and Gray Days,” which followed the Ohio State Buckeyes’ training camp this season. The show set a record for the highest-rated August original programming in Big Ten Network history, according to BTN.

Senior linebacker Darien Harris said the show was a tremendous opportunity. However, he said the team did not need anything distracting them from its goal.

“But at the end of the day it does show us that is where our program is at, that we got opportunities like that and we are out there in the public and in the national eye,” Harris said. 

“Regardless of if we did it or not, it’s still really beneficial to the program and it is really impressive to see where we’ve come."

Senior center Jack Allen said he was indifferent about the idea from the start.

“I don’t know, that stuff is kind of weird when you have people following you around all day,” Allen said. “It would be a cool experience, but at the same time I’m kind of glad that he did that.”

Despite turning down the show for now, Dantonio said, “Maybe in the future, but I just didn't feel like that was something that we should do right now.”