Michigan State University
Green-White Spring Game
White Defeats Green in Spring Game, 9-3
4/25/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
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EAST LANSING, Mich. - Before a Michigan State spring game record crowd of 48,000, the White defeated the Green, 9-3, Saturday afternoon at Spartan Stadium.
More important than the score, MSU head coach Dantonio was pleased with his team's effort during the game.
"Spring is over, so we put our compass towards the future," said Dantonio. "I thought our spring game went well. Great crowd. Very excited about the crowd. I thought everyone came out and did a nice job. (We also) had 1,700-plus kids at our youth clinic (in the morning), so that is the biggest ever. Our players did an outstanding job trying to make it a like moment for young people.
"As far as the game, it is tough to say as you watch it form the field because you get a different feel for it. As you watch it on film you usually get a different feel. I thought our guys played hard. I thought the hitting was very, very good...Everyone played. (Connor) Cook was crisp, especially early. I thought the play calling was pretty good early."
Cook completed 11-of-22 passes for 105 yards for the White, while senior DeAnthony Arnett led the receivers with five catches for 51 yards. Playing for the Green, junior Tyler O'Connor was 6-of-16 passing for 51 yards and one interception.
Red-shirt freshman Madre London had 70 rushing yards on nine carries for the Green, including a game-long 50-yard gain in the third quarter. Sophomore Gerald Holmes rushed for 48 yards on 11 attempts for the White.
"I was impressed with Gerald Holmes' ability to tough it out," said Dantonio. "He got some tough yards, very tough yards. I thought he ran pretty effectively. Madre London had the big run and showed some good speed. He played like a freshman a little bit in there at times, but he's going to be an exciting back to watch as we go forward."
Riley Bullough led all players with seven tackles for the Green, including one sack, while teammate Shilique Calhoun had three tackles, including 2.5 sacks. Mark Meyers and Montae Nicholson each had five stops for the White.
All-America center Jack Allen scored the game's lone touchdown on a 3-yard run in the first quarter. Allen lined up in the backfield on the first-and-goal play and scored the TD for the first points of the game. A failed two-point conversion attempt on a fake point-after try kept the score at 6-0.
"We don't have a lot of rules in these spring games, except don't breakout new concepts," Dantonio remarked, as the previous play before Allen's touchdown was a lateral to offensive lineman Donavon Clark for 15 yards. "Anything in the past that we've done is open and the book is open and anything that they can create that is new is open, that book is open too."
"It's something I'm going to hold on to forever," Allen said after the game. "I'll be able to say I scored a touchdown in the spring game. But it's just surreal, really. Fat guys don't usually get to carry the ball. I get to touch it every play, but usually just for a half of a second and then it's gone."
All-America center Jack Allen scored on a 3-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter.
The White took advantage of an O'Connor interception late in the second quarter to take a 9-0 lead into halftime. Evan Jones picked off O'Connor at the Green 25-yard line and returned it 6 yards to the 19. Kevin Cronin connected on a 30-yard field goal four plays later to increase the White team's lead to nine points.
The Green got on the board in the third quarter as Cronin, who kicked for both teams, made a 32-yard field goal with 1:49 left in the quarter. The field goal was set up by London's 50-yard run on a third-and-1 play from the Green 34; London appeared to be stopped at the line of scrimmage, but busted loose from the pile and escaped for the longest offensive play from scrimmage of the day as he was pushed out of bounds at the White 16.
Early in the fourth quarter, the White team's punt was blocked by Nick Tompkins and Monty Madaris picked up the ball and ran it into the end zone for an apparent touchdown, but an illegal block on the return nullified the touchdown. The Green had to start its drive on the White 40, but couldn't take advantage of the good field position and went three-and-out.
The Green got the ball back one more time to try and take the lead, but again went three-and-out on its next drive.
The White ended the game on a nine-play, 43-yard drive that ran out the clock. Dantonio thanked the fans multiple times in his post-game press conference for the great turnout for the spring game.
"I thought it was a great crowd, and we just keep trying to climb the ladder as we move forward," he said. "It was an excitable crowd. Very appreciative of people taking their day and coming out and doing this, and I just want to send that message out to all of our Spartans. I thought it was a great crowd, so it was impressive."
