The Three Most Interesting Things The Players Said: Sept. 8, 2021
The players were available for interviews for the first time since the Northwestern win last Friday and all of them stressed that it's a new week and a new opportunity to show Spartan fans they are a new and improved football team from a year ago.
Kenneth Walker III
"We have to focus on the next thing that's coming up and that's Youngstown, we can't keep focusing on Northwestern because that's in the past."
Walker had one of the most explosive games most of us have seen from a running back at Michigan State in recent memory but that's in the past for Walker. He talked about it being something to build off of and that's important. He showed he's a team guy and he had the hot hand last Friday but knows this week it could be someone else with team's starting to game plan for him. He just wants to win.
Payton Thorne
"Protecting the ball is probably the most important thing to do on offense."
One of the most important things for a starting quarterback to realize is the turnover margin and how it can affect an outcome of a game. Thorne understands just that. After the team threw 11 interceptions last year in just seven games, Thorne had zero in week 1 against Northwestern. Winning the field position battle can go a long way as the season goes on into some tough Big Ten East matchups.
Cal Haladay
"My family was excited, I got a bunch of people watching from my hometown and they were excited and proud."
Cal Haladay didn't know going into fall camp he was starting. He actually didn't start practicing and taking reps with the starters until after the second Spartan scrimmage. He didn't tell his own mother he was starting until the day before the game. These are the kind of hard nosed guys that come in and prove everyday why they should be on the field that gives teams edges in games. He comes from a small town in Pennsylvania and a tight knit family and is showing why he belongs playing in the Big 10 and at Michigan State University.