Answering your Michigan State Football Questions and Emails…

Hondo, I am new to “Spartan Nation” but I totally love what you do. When I was in Dallas I was eating dinner at our hotel and met some great Spartans.

Hondo, I am new to “Spartan Nation” but I totally love what you do. When I was in Dallas I was eating dinner at our hotel and met some great Spartans. People really appreciate what you do, but a young man who was in the marching band two years ago said you really hurt Mark Dantonio and Spartan Football when you reported that after Coach D’s first or second season at MSU he had pulled an offer from a young man named Deon Guy when the kid never had an offer from Coach D. I’m sure there is a story and I told the people at the table I would email for a details or just a simple denial. Thanks Hondo. William Donnelley

Hi William, Thanks for emailing. I get this a lot. First of all, Dion did get an offer PLEASE CLICK RIGHT HERE TO SEE THE ACTUAL LETTER ITSELF and the story was simple. We reported about the offer before others who at the time traditionally reported on recruiting while others ignored it. Then when Mark Dantonio chose to rescind the offer, we had to report that as well. Thus, some of our critics decided that lying about Spartan Nation would hinder us and make them look better. Well, nearly eight years later we are doing well and if you clicked the link you can see his actual offer letter. By the way, not only do we have the letter, but Coach Barnett on our radio show acknowledged it as well. Thanks for letting me defend my honor.

Hondo, I would like to buy a DVD of the Cotton Bowl game to re-live the spectacular MSU WIN of 2015. So far I have not been able to find one available. If you know where I could get this please let me know and thanks for the great job that you do with your reporting of all MSU events! Nancy Patricia Anderson

I would start by contacting the TV network that aired the game. That is the ONLY way to legally obtain a DVD copy of the game IF they will make it available.

Hondo, have you ever considered an Op-ed section on the site? I was bothered by Suh being so quickly suspended, in fact I am bothered by the direction of football as a whole, but I believe it is really just a glimpse into our society. It is soft. Scott in the Carolinas

Hondo, I love Spartan Nation. As the New Year is approaching I wish you would once a week let a fan write an article for the site. Let them make opinions or thoughts. You can make it clear they aren’t speaking for you or Spartan Nation, but it would be fun. Clarissa Preun

Thanks Scott and Clarissa. I haven’t really thought about it, that is why we do the Q/A article. But, I will take it under advisement. What do you think Spartan Nation? Should I add a weekly OPED article from you the readers, viewers and listeners? Email your thoughts SpartanNationMail@yahoo.com

Dear Hondo, Harbaugh hiring at U of M will change the landscape for MSU. They will be more competitive on and off the field. They will recruit the best Michigan high school players. Good thing MSU now recruits nationally. They will beat MSU on the field in 2 years and interrupt Dantonio's dominance but not finish him. They will not change Dantonio or his way of doing business or all over success. Most importantly the hiring will make the UofM/MSU game more valuable, UofM/OSU game is now more valuable. Makes the BTN more valuable. Make UofM football more valuable. Everything will cost more. Bottom line is it not all about the money? Someone thinks so; 40 million minimum for 5 years? U of M made a big investment of which they will profit, but a great financial favor to others in the Big Ten. Lanny

Hondo, I think anytime Michigan makes improvements that it benefits MSU. Spartan Nation is at a point now that we won’t let the administration sit by and do nothing while UM makes large strides. I am not worried about Harbaugh. Keith Mann

Those are both great thoughts. I think MSU is at a place now that they aren’t living in the UM shadow. I agree with many people who do not have a vested interest that a strong UM is good for the B1G and MSU. I was at dinner once with Jim Tressel and we were not talking as media and a coach, but as friends. Since it was NOT a media session I won’t discuss many of the details out of respect for our friendship, but I will tell you the subject of Michigan came up. He told me something that day (he was still the OSU coach) that resonated on that day and every day since for me. “I love rivalry as much as anyone, but not hate. You can’t teeter totter with no one on the other side. A strong Michigan makes OSU, our rivalry, and the B1G better. I agree with him. I know this isn’t popular among a small niche’ in today’s America, but I am still a free market capitalist and I want UM undefeated every time they play MSU in any sport. I think it is great for the rivalry, the B1G, and of course, our state.

Dear Hondo: Quotes from Baylor show a distinct lack of respect for the Spartan defense. I certainly hope that the defensive coaches and players were listening. Glen in Lake Bluff, IL

I always get email like this from fans and I can tell you this with 100% certainty and NOT a guess. ">No matter how often coaches say, “We don’t read/watch/listen to the media,” they do. It’s a little secret, they make those statements and we don’t challenge them. Behind the scenes is far different and I can assure you MSU was aware of all that was said.

Hi Hondo, I have read that another defensive assistant coach will be hired. Isn't Coach Tressel also the Special Teams Coordinator? I would assume that someone would need to take over this role from him since that seems like a lot of hats to wear. Will that be a consideration when making a hire, or will another staff member take over special teams? Nathan

Considered, yes, but when you saw the ENTIRE team respond to Pat Narduzzi when he came to the field at the Cotton Bowl, that is what they will miss most. Pat’s fire. Just because people don’t express it like him doesn’t mean they don’t have it, but the men respond to his style. Trying to fill that void will be the biggest single issue heading into 2015.

Hey Hondo, I've heard you talk of how Hollis has been a big part of the success of Coach Dantonio. I've also heard that the culture in the athletic department at Michigan is broken. That leads me to my question. Can Harbaugh succeed when the culture is broken and he's been handed a terrible recruiting class? Kyle Tucker

Can he? Yes, if they let him fix it. I have been told by three different coaches that UM is prepared to sink millions into revamping their recruiting operation to doing things like Alabama and the machine they have developed that is the envy of every coaching staff in America. I’m also told that he has complete carte blanch authority to fire anyone related to football. If that is the case and he does it, he will change it. He has a long way to go.

Hondo, does he (Narduzzi) have enough respect for Coach D. not to try to sway any of the kids he (or MSU position coaches he takes with him) has recruited and have committed to play for MSU this year? I know commitments aren't binding until LOI is signed, but that's beside the point. Frank Castillo

Hondo, if Pat Narduzzi takes any coach on Mark Dantonio’s staff with him or offers any he might as well take his pants off and crap on the 50 yard line of Spartan Stadium. Doing that will make him a turn coach and disloyal? Rick Lange

I disagree with both of you and find your comments about disloyalty or a lack of respect sad. Pat knows these men not as coaches, but as friends. He did offer Harlon and Mike. Both were promoted and Harlon was given the assistant head coach title in order to offset what Pat offered. Dantonio knew what Pat was going to do and had no problem with it. There is the business side and personal and no one in the situation did a bad thing.

Hondo, I was so angry that NO MSU player won the offensive or defensive MVP award. They both went to Baylor. What a joke. Chris Graham Perry

I had a talk on the field after the game and MSU OL Coach Mark Staten and I agreed it should have been the MSU OL. I had no problem with no Spartan winning. Watch the game objectively and they did have better individual performances, but ">football is a team sport and MSU had the better team.

There you go everyone. That is your weekly MSU football questions and answers article. Make sure you send your questions to SpartanNationMail@yahoo.com and put in the subject line Football Q/A. Thank you.