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Last year before the Michigan vs. Michigan State game, MSU had its players walk together with their arms locked down the field, and an altercation happened between them and former Michigan linebacker Devin Bush, and current linebacker Josh Uche as MSU head coach Mark Dantonio was seen smiling as it happened.
There was lots of talk after the game about the incident and both sides took jabs at one another. This year though, the talk has been quiet and quite respectful from both ends. Dantonio even said Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh was a Hall of Fame football coach. While Harbaugh praised Dantonio with his way of motivating players.
Besides saying Harbaugh is a Hall of Fame head coach, Dantonio had more to say about him and the Michigan football team.
“I think he does a great job,” Dantonio said. “I think he’s truly committed to every single play on the football field. He’s going to think outside the box. … You have seen him do different things in the past that create adjustments for you, and then you’re going to have to adjust within that football game. Is extremely competitive, intense. But you know, I think most coaches are.”
There hasn’t been much trash talk between the two schools this year, as both schools seem to want to move on from last year’s antics.
“I’ve chosen just to try and be respectful towards the rivalry and I sort of take the high road,” Dantonio said. “And, I think our players have tried to do that, as well. I’m sure there’s something going on always, but that’s the nature of this game a little bit too.”
Dantonio knows how intense the rivalry is between the two schools and how much the Spartans build it up in East Lansing.
“You’re going to compete against them in everything that we do, whether it’s recruits in the state or everything on the field, or on the basketball court or whatever it is, the hockey rink,” Dantonio said. “It’s the way this is built here.”
The players even know it as safety David Dowell added to what Dantonio had to say about the Wolverines.
“The one thing we talk about, even in the offseason, is do something every day to beat Michigan,” Dowell said.
Quarterback Brian Lewerke also spoke about the Wolverines as he’s played them three times already, and has been on both sides of the spectrum.
“Every game has had its ups and downs,” Lewerke said. “We’ve had games where we played well and games where we played bad and you kind of take what each gives you, I guess, and try and play well every time you go into the game.”
“It probably wasn’t until the first time I played back in ’16,” Lewerke said. “In ’15 I wasn’t part of that crazy game. I didn’t travel and didn’t really play in it, so I wasn’t really quite sure yet. But the first time you get game experience, that’s when it really hits you.”
Lewerke wants to finish his career with a winning record against Michigan, as he is 2-2 during his time in East Lansing.
“Obviously, a win would be incredible,” Lewerke said. “I’m sure that’s what everyone in our senior class would say coming into the last one. So that’s what we want to be able to do is get a win.”
Michigan takes on Michigan State at noon on Saturday in Ann Arbor and the game will be broadcasted on FOX.
