Disheartening hearing about last year, but it should pay dividends this year.
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Don’t expect a repeat of last year’s Michigan vs. Michigan State game, at least if cornerback Vincent Gray has his way.
A year ago, the heavy underdog Spartans came to The Big House and fired downfield time and time again, exposing the first-time starting cornerbacks in their second game. After the opening foray against Minnesota, the Wolverines apparently were feeling themselves a bit, so when MSU came to town, expected to bow down before the mighty maize and blue, it caught the Michigan contingent off-guard when they didn’t acquiesce.
“We were rolling last year and kinda looked past them a little bit,” Gray said. “What happened happened. We’ll never look past them again. We just can’t wait to get our heat back this Saturday.”
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Michigan and Gray were perpetually victimized by receiver Ricky White, who had 8 catches for 196 yards and a touchdown. Gray says that the Wolverines were so unprepared a year ago, that the secondary didn’t even know who White was before the game.
This year, no matter who the Spartans line up at receiver, Gray says that won’t be the issue this time around.
“I didn’t know who he was, no,” Gray said. “The preparation for the games, in general, has been way better from a personal standpoint and the secondary as a whole. I feel like we’ll be prepared for anybody they match us up against. We talk about nameless, faceless opponents all the time. I feel like the way we prepare for games, we prepare for route concepts and people, I don’t think there’s anyone who, (if) we do what we’re supposed to do, no one can really run past us.”
For Gray, he feels like there’s a world’s difference between his level of play from this time last year until now. Again speaking of preparation, he feels much savvier about the game, aided by defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald and his multiple coverage concepts compared to Don Brown’s near-exclusive running of man coverage, previously.
“I know football at a way better level than I did a whole year ago,” Gray said. “My preparation going into this game is gonna be way better. I’m excited. I’m excited for the challenge that this game is gonna bring. I just can’t wait to showcase what we can do in the secondary.”
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Even with the loss, Gray says he wouldn’t change a thing about last year’s game. Because it taught him mental fortitude and helped mold him into the player that he is now.
“I feel like last year’s game helped me a lot mentally,” Gray said. “Helped me attack the game better mentally. It helped me prepare better for games. And I feel like it helped me in my overall process to become a better football player. It motivated me, it humbled me and I’m glad it happened — I’m blessed it happened.”
So, this year, if Michigan State QB Payton Thorne rears back and looks to hit any in his cadre of receivers — led by Jalen Nailor, Jayden Reed, and Tre Mosley — Gray and the other cornerbacks will be ready.
“They love deep passes and we love defending them,” Gray said. “I can’t wait for this challenge.”
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