July 31, 2007
On the general attitude heading into the football season:
Our attitude at Michigan State right now is to measure up. This is a very tough conference and we need to win back the respect of our fans at this point. It will be about how we handle adversity and diverse situations.
On Javon Ringer:
Javon Ringer, I felt when I was in Cincinnati at the time, he was probably the premier running back in the state of Ohio so we were very excited to come back and he's here.
On incoming freshman offensive lineman Arthur Ray, Jr, who was diagnosed with cancer in the spring:
Arthur Ray had surgery yesterday on a tumor on his leg. He was in surgery for 14 hours. Our thoughts are with his family. He is going to try to come to campus and go to school here in September, I believe. But he may move that back to January. But we'll find out as we move forward. But he wants to play football again, maybe in a year and a half, maybe a year, maybe two years. We don't really know but the attitude that he has displayed at first and throughout the entire process has been unbelievable.
On receiving corps:
We went through spring ball and I saw all those guys, David Williams, T. J. Williams, Terry Love. I think they all pretty much played in and out. I think we need to get better at that position. We need to be more consistent. We've got some young outstanding receivers coming.
Earning back the respect of the fans, and moving the program forward:
I think where it starts is on the first play o the UAB game, how we handle ourselves when we have success and when we have failure. There will be a certain amount of failure and also growing pains in moving forward. I understand that.
On using Michigan's football program as a measuring stick:
First of all, I have the utmost respect for the University of Michigan and many other programs in the Big Ten Conference. But I think wherever you go, you need to have a measuring stick in terms of what dictates success and not success. You need to have that measuring stick. And in our state, we need to point down the road to Michigan. I think it's a natural rivalry for us; it's been there before. I think rivalries are great for college football. And I think if you point to something, you have a chance of achieving that. That does not mean that we sit there all the time and look at Michigan. What that means is that as time goes on, and there are slow periods of time, and there are times when you may not be focusing on preseason. Right now, preseason is our focus.
I think we compete with them daily, whether it's in recruiting or whatever it is. I think that's a natural thing and I think it's good for college football. So I want our players to understand that rivalry. I want them to understand the traditions there. As I've said many, many times, we have a tremendous tradition at Michigan State. And I want to link the two; I want to link our present players with our past players. I think if they understand that they are playing there for the past players and not just the present, we have a chance to be more successful. It has a good impact on you.
We'll continue to emphasize that measuring stick. And quite frankly, I know that when we can play with Michigan, we can play with anybody in the country. So there's it is. That's the utmost respect I have for Michigan program.
On Coach Dantonio's response to Michigan State's previous reputation of having a soft defense:
We won't accept a soft defense. We have a strong defense and I expect that to continue. We have an outstanding defensive coordinator [Pat Narduzzi]. Our players believe what we have and in what we're doing right now. Our defense, we have to keep on the pressure, tackling in space, playing the ball to the deep part of the field. Attention to detail is key.
On the kickoff being moved back five yards:
I believe that when they changed that rule, I think it will have a bigger impact on the game than they thought. Not only with the kicker, there won't be as many kicks into the end zone, you have to run five more yards to cover. I think you'll see the ball coming out quicker and more effectively.
On Michigan State's schedule, specifically playing through Thanksgiving break:
We can't control that part. Whenever they schedule the games, we show up. If we have to put off Thanksgiving for a week, we can do that.
I can't really comment on that, but it is difficult to play for 12 weeks without a bye. But that's the only thing I'm going to say.
On senior offensive lineman Mike Gyetvai:
Mike is doing well. He'll be a big part of our program. He'll probably come in and we'll work him to gradually get him back to full. At this point in time, the outlook is very positive. And we're not the doctors but I know he's coming to practice and we'll probably ease him in. I think it's more or less him getting confidence again because he has to work through that.
On sophomore defensive lineman Michael Jordan, and waiting to sign him:
I wanted to see him finish something. I wanted to see him finish what he had started to do. He maintained that he wanted to come to Michigan State, and I maintained that he could have that opportunity. But because he had been in junior college for only one year, I didn't want to sign somebody then have him not come, or be able to come. I didn't want to sign him and then he didn't take care of his business at the J.C. So it was a prerequisite that he finish strong academically. I knew we took the risk of losing him but he knew where I stood; I knew where he stood. It's worked out and we're very happy to have Mike with us.
On Tom Kaczmarek:
Tom Kaczmarek is finished. He had five knee operations so he felt like it was his time now to hang up. ... That was his decision and I just think that when you make decisions like this, you have to look at what's best for the person. And that's what was best for him.
