Grinz on Green Blog: Spartan Gameday Notes

Oct. 28, 2016

By Steve Grinczel, MSUSpartans.com Online Columnist

EAST LANSING, Mich. â€" If Michigan is any kind of archrival, it will bring out the best in Michigan State Saturday afternoon in Spartan Stadium.

That's the way it's generally been since the series began in 1898, although either team's best hasn't always been good enough to defeat the other.

The Spartans have enjoyed the upper hand while winning seven of the last eight games against the Wolverines. However, there's no one in MSU's camp that doesn't believe extending its current win streak over U-M to four games would require maximum effort and attention to detail even if the Wolverines weren't undefeated and ranked No. 2 and the Spartans weren't 2-5.

"You like to think so," co-offensive coordinator Jim Bollman said when asked if this was the type of game that could bring out the best the Spartans have to offer for 60 minutes. "Certainly, any rivalry game like that is going to bring out a little extra (from you) on both sides of the ball." Bollman then added a caveat.

"And from your opponents, too," he said.

Bollman has experienced the rivalry from the inside out as an MSU assistant coach from 1995-97. After leaving the Spartans for coaching stints with the NFL Philadelphia Eagles ('98) and Chicago Bears ('99-00), Ohio State ('01-11) and Boston College ('12), Bollman accepted an offer from head coach Mark Dantonio to return to Michigan State in '13 as co-offensive coordinator.

"Oh, this is a great one," Bollman said of the rivalry. "This is my 18th (MSU-Michigan) game. I don't think there are any games quite like it. It's a lot of fun to coach in and a privilege to be part of it. A lot of guys coach their whole lives and don't get a chance to be in games like this."

GoG Notes & Quotes: MSU co-defensive coordinator Harlon Barnett faced Michigan four times as a Spartan defensive back from '86-89.

"My energy is already up and we'll be ready," said the former All-American. "My favorite memory about playing in this rivalry is from 1987 in (Spartan Stadium) over there when we had seven INTs in one game. So it was good."

John Miller, father of Spartan defensive back Grayson, set a school record with four of those interceptions and Barnett had one in the 17-11 victory that propelled MSU to Big Ten and Rose Bowl Championships.

The Bullough family has been part of the rivalry since patriarch Henry and the Spartans opened the 1952 season with 27-13 win in Ann Arbor. He would later coach against the Wolverines as an assistant under Duffy Daugherty (1959-69) and George Perles ('94) and watched sons Shane and Chuck play against them from '83-86 and '88-91, respectively. Henry will be cheering for a grandson, or two, to beat Michigan -- Max ('10-13), Riley ('13-present) and Byron ('15-present) -- on for the seventh straight season.

"Well, it means a lot to me," said Riley. "I've been watching this game ever since I can remember, obviously been a Spartan fan my entire life. Growing up, it seems like it was Michigan's game. They were in control of the series when I was young, but that's kind of turned in the last few years, so to kind of be a part of that has meant a tremendous amount to me.

"This game is huge for us this week and our entire season. So we're going to go out and play hard and do everything we can to get a win."

Linebacker Joe Bachie and defensive back Kenney Lyke are the newest newcomers to the playing group. Both were pressed into duty as true freshmen last week at Maryland.

"They did a good job," Barnett said of Bachie and Lyke. "They're good football players â€" tough, physical, aggressive, smart â€" and they'll be good Spartans for a long time. We told (Bachie), ‘Be prepared, man, because we're going to use you,' a few weeks ago. Good for him â€" he got out there, didn't panic and did a good job for his first game action.

"Best players play is always our thing, so whoever's playing best this week in practice is who we'll play how we'll roll."

Offensive line is probably the toughest position to break into for a true freshman, but Tyler Higby and Thiyo Lukusa have justified their playing time.

"I think those guys are working at it and steadily improving," Bollman said. "Those guys are going to be major contributors."