Michigan State Head Coach Mark DANTONIO HOPES SENIORS GO OUT ON A WIN!

Tampa – Yesterday seventeen Michigan State senior players and possibly one or two under-classmen had their final practice as Spartans. Coach Dantonio met with the seniors then they each addressed the team before leaving the practice field at Jesuit High School just blocks from Raymond James Stadium the site of the Outback Bowl.  

For Mark Dantonio and the seniors it was an emotional experience considering they have been together for four years and most for five. Captain and DB Trenton Robinson and WR Keshawn Martin both have been four-year starters. This senior class that produced 36 victories hopes to leave the program with a hurdle of 37 on it for future Spartan classes to aspire.

Dantonio said this class led by three-year captain Kirk Cousins has done much to change the culture at Michigan State and they have raised the bar for future teams. “It was emotional yesterday because once the bowl game is over the staff that has spent such close contact with the players will no longer see many of them until the MSU Pro Day in March.  Today at the stadium we take our last team picture. I have a lot of love and respect for this class. We watch 18 your kids come in and grow maturing into 23 old men, over the most important period of their lives,” said Dantonio who looks to gain his first MSU bowl win in five tries. 

There is speculation that All-American DT Jerel Worthy will forgo his final year of college eligibility and enter the NFL draft. Defensive Coordinator Pat Narduzzi and Dantonio both said they will speak with NFL scouts and GM’s to determine Worthy’s draft status. Dantonio said that after gaining information he will sit down with Worthy to discuss his options. “We will need to see where he would be picked and if he will be a first rounder with a ten million dollar guaranteed contract. He will need to weigh that against a value put on coming back for his senior year, improving as a player and possibly raising his draft stock even higher.” 

In a game that will feature two of the best defensive teams in college football many think it will be a low scoring affair. Michigan State has the leading defense in the Big Ten and fifth ranked nationally giving up only 272.7 yards and 17.5 points per game.  

The Georgia Bulldogs allow only 268.5 yards and 19.6 points. Mark Dantonio said, “There are good skill players playing in the game, explosive RB’s, WR’s and TE’s.  Our Big Ten Championship game was a 42-39 game, I can’t say how it will go and that is why we play the games.”  11th year Georgia head coach Mark Richt has guided the Bulldogs to 11 straight bowl games and a 7-3-bowl record.  Richt said “turnovers and big special team plays can affect the scoring but taking them out of the equation thinks it could be a 17-14 type game.”

Michigan State hopes to avenge a 16-12 loss to Georgia in the 2009 Capital One Bowl in Orlando, gaining their first bowl victory since the 2001 Silicon Valley Bowl. Dantonio mentioned that similar to 2009 he hopes to be able to get some playing time for sophomore QB Andrew Maxwell but will wait to see how the game flows.  

A bowl victory would give the program a top ten ranking and momentum heading into the 2012 season, while sending out the senior class with back to back eleven win seasons and a new school record 37 career victories.