Answering your Michigan State Football Questions and Emails …

Answering your Michigan State Football Questions and Emails … Hondo, I was watching the BCS countdown show and was very disappointed in what I saw. The guys

Answering your Michigan State Football Questions and Emails …

Hondo, I was watching the BCS countdown show and was very disappointed in what I saw. The guys on that show have already assumed that OSU is going to the Rose Bowl against Oregon. Just tired of MSU not getting any respect nationally and thought you would be a great person to vent to. Thanks for listening! Tod Smith

Just win baby. That will shut a lot of mouths.

 

Before this year you always heard that Langford had great ability but he needed the light to come on. Obviously, it has. What specifically is he doing now that he wasn't doing before? Kevin Burke

He is much more engaged. He knows his play book, his assignments, and he works as hard in practice as he does in the games.

 

Hi Hondo, I have to ask, do you expect Don Treadwell to be wearing Green & White in some coaching staff capacity next season? It would be a shame to let another program scoop him up. John Birmingham, MI

We must first see if there is a change on staff. If there is a change on offense, of course.  You can’t assume, however, that he would take the job. I do not think that is a given. We shall see.

 

Hondo, I really appreciate Spartan Nation. I went to MSU and I spent all four years in the student section…Became a season ticket holder until I got married. My wife thinks we should raise our children in a non-violent atmosphere so she doesn’t allow me to go to football games. Spartan Nation makes me feel like I am there when I am at work. You’re the best. Ryan.

Let me start by saying thank you for the kind words. Secondly, children need a father. Please ask your wife for your testicles back.

 

Hi Hondo, I'm embarrassed and very concerned about the salary of our head coach and the entire coaching staff.  According to the BTN, the following institutions pay their coaches more: Purdue, Northwestern, Iowa, Nebraska, Penn State, UM, Ohio State, TCU, Kansas, Wake Forest, Missouri, Boise State and even Kentucky.  Dantonio ranks 51st out of 126 other schools.  He ranks one notch ahead of Southern Methodist.  Holy Crap-what is going on here? How can we expect to keep good coaches & assistants with this terrible pay scale?  Obviously, something needs to be done here.  I thought when the trustees authorized an additional four million dollars to the athletic department that for sure this salary discrepancy would be addressed.  Do you see MSU stepping up to the plate and doing the right thing or not? I mean seriously a small (student body) school like Northwestern paying their coach more.  The program has been restored but I don't see it staying up if we don't pay coaches what they're worth.
-Doug Wegener

The four million was for the year budget of the football department. They have been so poorly funded for so long that they have to take care of many things. Dantonio continually refuses the raises because his staff has been so terribly paid and he wanted more money for them. MSU must pay his staff first, he won’t keep taking raises until the men that work for him are taken care of.  That is called integrity and why he gets flooded with resumes anytime people think he may have an opening. Spartan Nation has learned that Dantonio & his staff will be getting raises at the conclusion of the season.

Hondo, there sure has been a lot of speculation about coach Narduzzi and his potential opportunities. Do you hear anything about some of the assistant coaches receiving any attention?  I know everyone needs to always strive to upgrade, but I sure hope we can keep them all together. Thanks Clancy

If people don’t want your assistants neither do you. That is a rule I was taught by an NFL GM. Yes, Narduzzi is wanted, but there is interest in Barnett, Tressel, and Burton that I know of. Also, I have heard about Salem on the offense.

 

Hi Hondo, You have covered the likelihood of Riley Bullough moving back to defense...what about Jamal Lyles? Where is his long-term future? I have been impressed with his hands and how he snatches the ball out of the air when he gets opportunities. And DE looks pretty stacked going forward with Bane and Rush back next year along with Heath, Cooper, LT, and Bulldozer. Thanks, Nathan Husted

I asked Coach D about that yesterday and he is a gifted athlete and his future (what side of the ball) is not yet decided.

 

 

Hey Hondo, Is Aaron Burbridge hurt? He has not played since early in the year and after being the "go to" receiver last season something must be up with him. Is he gonna redshirt? Steve

No, on the redshirt. He has to play and practice at a high level and he isn’t. He is healthy, now it is up to him. The guys ahead of him are playing well, he has to show if he wants it or not.

 

 

Hi Hondo, Why do we continue to attempt so many sweeps when they take so long to develop that opponents often cover them? Also, we seem to have gone away from passing to our ends. And not to pick on one call but that "wildcat" on 3rd down looked foolish to me. Tim San Diego

Wildcat was not a good choice. I am concerned, and I know Coach D is, about the TE use or lack thereof. That has to develop for sure. I don’t have issues with the sweeps. I like what they are trying to do on the perimeter to keep the D spread.

 

 

Hondo, in this age when NHL and MLB TEAMS have salary caps, why can't (or better yet, won't) the NCAA institute a team-wide or university-wide salary cap for coaches? Each school gets so many dollars to pay its coaches, all of 'em or divvy it up by sport. Think about it, ticket prices would fall, parity would improve, and coaches would be more loyal to their schools instead of jumping at the latest new contract. Sincerely, Randy Schaetzl

I hate this idea. So, schools can tank it like the Royals in baseball or the Marlins. We have schools that do that now and suck off the wallet of the power schools that make money. I am a free market capitalist. Why would ANY of the BCS schools share with schools that don’t have a following or a fan base that cares? BTW, there is NO real cap in the MLB. We should talk more about this on the radio show. Email me if you want to come on and discuss this. Not enough room here to answer.

 

 

Hondo, is the relationship between Coach Dantonio and Coach Narduzzi more of a friendship or your typical employer-subordinate relationship? Dan Wadowski 

They are close. They do an excellent job of keeping those relationships separate.

 

There you go everyone. That is this week’s question and answer article. If you have a question never hesitate to email atSpartanNationMail@yahoo.comand put in the subject line FB Q/A