Coach Dantonio and Greg Jones Talk About Post Season Awards for Spartan Football

Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio On Greg Jones being selected Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year by the media: “Greg Jones possesses all of the

Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio

On Greg Jones being selected Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year by the media:

“Greg Jones possesses all of the tools, the tangibles and intangibles, that make him a special player. He’s an extremely tenacious and instinctive player. Greg plays with great effort and toughness, plus he’s strong and quick. He’s the clear leader of our defense, and when he’s going, we’re going as a unit.

 

“His selection as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year also points the way for other great linebackers to come here to Michigan State and make a statement. With the media attention this program gets and the defensive scheme that we play, great linebackers can come here knowing that they will get plenty of opportunities to make plays.”

 

On Blair White being named First-Team All-Big Ten by the coaches:

“Blair White has had an outstanding senior season, and he’s very deserving of this recognition. He has been a go-to receiver for us all year long, and he’s had a number of huge touchdown receptions. Blair is a sure-handed receiver, who runs disciplined routes, so he breeds confidence in our quarterbacks. He’s been a major contributor on offense the last two years because he plays with such consistency. You can count on Blair to show up on game day.

 

“I don’t know that I’ve ever coached a player who has grown more than Blair has during his career. We’ve had other walk-on success stories here before like Travis Key, who became a consistent playmaker at safety and was elected team captain by his peers. By being named First-Team All-Big Ten by the coaches, Blair has taken things one step further. Blair was been able to pursue excellence because he has all of the intangibles along with the raw athletic ability. He has provided great leadership for this team both on and off the field. Despite becoming a major playmaker on offense, Blair has never asked to back off of his responsibilities on special teams. He has done a tremendous job here in all aspects – on the field, off the field and in the classroom.”

 

On Brett Swenson being selected First-Team All-Big Ten by the coaches and media:

“Brett Swenson has had a remarkable career here at Michigan State, completely rewriting the record book. You begin to appreciate what Brett has done here when you look at the great kickers who preceded him: Morten Andersen, Paul Edinger, John Langeloh and the list goes on and on. He was almost a unanimous selection as our team MVP and that speaks volumes.

 

“He’s made so many clutch kicks throughout his career that I trust him explicitly when the game is on the line. Brett just doesn’t rush himself in those situations. He gets himself prepared on the sideline, so he’s extremely focused and confident when he comes in to kick. In my opinion, Brett is the finest placekicker in the country because of his accuracy and mental toughness.”

 

Michigan State junior linebacker Greg Jones

On being selected Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year by the media:

“I’m very happy to receive this honor, but it’s really a team award. The D-line did a great job this year, freeing up the linebackers to make plays. That’s the way our system works, and that’s why I love it so much. I really do give a lot of credit to the D-line, and I tell them before every game that I need them because everything starts up front. We have to win the job up front, if I’m going to have opportunities to make plays. It’s my job to help those guys out as much as I can by making the right calls. So it’s all tied together.

 

“I’m probably proudest of my consistency. I really wanted to remain consistent throughout the season. I know I had a couple of games where I didn’t reach double digits (in tackles), but in those games, the team played better and that’s most important. I want to play well each and every week, and I want to help those guys around me play better as well.”

 

On managing the expectation of being named Big Ten Preseason Defensive Player of the Year:

“I really didn’t think about it a whole lot. I thought about it a little bit after it was first announced, but all I wanted to do was go out, execute and play to the best of my ability every game. I’m excited about receiving the award, but I was simply focused on improving my play from last year. It was my goal to improve in every area of my game and become a more disruptive player, and I think my numbers support that, with more tackles and more sacks than a year ago.”