Spartan Nation Mailbag: Rivalries, Recruiting Standards, & MSU Football

Spartan Nation publisher Hondo S. Carpenter, Sr. is here to answer all your questions regarding Michigan State football.

Here at Sports Illustrated's Spartan Nation, we endeavor to be one of the fans' most interactive sites.

With that in mind, we present your weekly Michigan State Football questions and email.

Hondo, with Jim Harbaugh taking a pay cut, does that put more pressure on Mel Tucker? Zach Moore

Of course, it does. Everything that happens at Michigan State and Michigan impact the other.

Especially in East Lansing. The Spartan fan base, right or wrong, is fixated on Michigan.

I also think it has to impact Michigan. It tells you what Michigan thinks of Jim Harbaugh, and in my opinion, what he thinks of himself. Regardless of wins or losses, Harbaugh has the cash registers on fire in Ann Arbor; I think he made a mistake.

I think Harbaugh took the cut because his options outside of Ann Arbor were not as spectacular as some would think.

Hondo, how big is the loss of Mike Tressel? Luke Fickell was my guy, and I will never forgive Michigan State for not getting him. Landon Price

Nick Saban likes turnover in his staff every year.

He thinks it makes teams fresh to bring in new ideas and voices. That hurt MSU in the past. Mike is a very good man and coach, but anytime you have the money that Tucker has, you get to bring in new voices and ideas when a staff member leaves.

It isn't a bad thing.

Hondo, what is the biggest thing you have learned about Mel Tucker since he arrived? Karen W.

His commitment to recruiting. His approach is a massive upgrade to what the Spartans had since they won the Rose Bowl. That is the biggest.

Hondo, was it you or someone else who said MSU had offered the job to others before landing Mel Tucker? If it wasn't you, is that true? Thank you, Mike T.

I did; Mel Tucker was not the Spartans' first choice. That is not a big deal. He ended up being "The choice," and that is what matters.

Do you have a question you want to see printed in next week's question and answer article? Please email it to me at SpartanNationMail@yahoo.com 

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