Michigan State University Athletics
Spartans Kick Off Final Week Of Preseason Camp
8/21/2017 12:00:00 AM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State football kicked off its fourth and final week of preseason camp Monday before game week preparations next week. The Spartans practiced Monday at the John and Becky Duffey Practice Fields under hot, muggy conditions and temperatures in the mid-80s.
Prior to Monday's practice, MSU head coach Mark Dantonio gave an update on the team to the media.
Q. Can you give an update on camp this week?
COACH DANTONIO: We're just finishing up, going into our fourth week of summer camp which is unusual a little bit. We'll finish it out this week, but I was very impressed last week with our scrimmage, just with the excitement, the enthusiasm, the effort and the toughness that we showed back and forth as you went through the scrimmage. We went about 120 plus plays or so, so it was a good scrimmage for us. The focus now is a little bit more on Bowling Green as we get ready for game week next week. We've got fan appreciation day (Meet the Spartans) this week and also vote for our team captains and have a rehearsal scrimmage as well, so we've got some things to do this week, yet, so we just keep it moving.
Q. How do the players get through the dog days of summer? Is this one of the toughest weeks of camp because of being in practice for four weeks now and there's no game just yet?
COACH DANTONIO: Well, they have a little bit to look forward to this week because we'll give them a little bit of time off. They'll have a chance to go home, maybe watch a high school football game and things like that. We'll give them off Friday and Saturday, so that will be a positive for them. They can look forward to that and get their legs back. We'll be back at it on Sunday a little bit in the afternoon. I think they can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I think there's a positive vibe out here. We've got good music.
Q. Has giving them Friday and Saturday off been planned all along?
COACH DANTONIO: We've always done that because over the course of time, you have to get your legs back. I think that's very important coming out of camp. You've got to have your legs up underneath you to play on game day. So we've always done that pretty much for the past 10 years.
Q. What type of excitement level do you feel on this team, especially because they're kind of in a redemption mode this year?
COACH DANTONIO: Our first game has been a long time coming. I sense our excitement every day in practice, especially when we go against each other in scrimmage situations. There's a good feeling about this football team. More importantly, we're looking forward to the first game and that first opportunity. Like I said, it's been a long time coming. We've gone through some things here, and it's not been easy but I think we've maintained our composure here this summer.
Q. Can you explain what went into your thought process in not giving a preseason depth chart?
COACH DANTONIO: I think you guys know some of the guys are going to play for sure but really when you look across it all, we've got a lot of guys that are competing for that second position -- is he a three or is he a two? Really, right now when I look at our scout teams, there are a lot of guys that could go either way in that. It's still sort of being determined a little bit in that area. I think we have a good sense of where we're at, but that sort of seems to be the going deal right now. So we'll just stay with that right now and it all shakes out, but I think that's the fair thing to do with our players right now.
Q. Was there any more clarity coming out at quarterback or the receiver spot with the twos and threes that you've been impressed with?
COACH DANTONIO: Well see then we'd have a depth chart (laughing). Like I said, I think we've been pretty up front with where we're at with our guys as we've gone through this and you know I've talked a lot about Brian Lewerke, I've got a good feel for him and he's been impressive.
Q. Do you have any guys that stood out in the scrimmage that might have improved their stock in roles?
COACH DANTONIO: We've got a lot of guys but probably too many to talk about. A lot of guys took a step forward.
Q. From a health standpoint, what about any injuries that have come about throughout camp, how has that been and are there any injuries that really stand out?
COACH DANTONIO: We're pretty healthy and I'll go into injuries next week.
Q. With the competition that you just outlined, does that intensify practice at all since people are fighting for jobs?
COACH DANTONIO: Yeah I think it has. We've got a big freshmen group, so any time you have freshmen you've got an added sense of excitement. They're doing things for their first time and they are a little bit motivated to sort of get on the field their first year or to make the bus on their first year, that type of thing.
Q. You talked a little bit about the penalties at the scrimmage, were they aggression penalties or discipline penalties? What kind of things did you see?
COACH DANTONIO: Well, we had a couple of holding penalties. You know when you have a holding penalty and it's first-and-10, it becomes first-and-20 or second-and-15 or whatever it is, so it sets you behind the sticks a little bit and we cannot allow that to happen.
Q. Is Mufi Hill-Hunt working a little bit at tight end?
COACH DANTONIO: Yes, Mufi is working a little bit at tight end, he can certainly play on the other side of the ball, but we're looking at him and you know, we've got some experiments going on.
Q. What about fullback? That's a position we haven't really talked a lot about?
COACH DANTONIO: Not many people do. Collin Lucas has been very solid there and Joe Palange is a graduate transfer (from Utah State) and we're seeing if he'll catch up to speed a little bit, Max Rosenthal is a talented new guy that walked on but he's big and physical and he looks like he has a great future, so we'll see how he progresses.
Q. Let me ask you about one of the backup quarterback candidates, Damion Terry, he has had a history of injuries, is he healthy? Is he progressing?
COACH DANTONIO: That would be an injury question, you guys are trying to trick me. Must be the solar eclipse (laughing). He looks good, he's been doing a nice job.
Q. Josiah Scott is a young guy, was an early enrollee, were you impressed with his performance at the scrimmage?
COACH DANTONIO: We held Josiah out that scrimmage, but he'll be healthy and he'll be ready to go. He's been impressive.
Q. Are you going to watch the eclipse? Do you have the glasses?
COACH DANTONIO: I do have the glasses, I was going to put them on today for you but I thought no, it just wouldn't be me.
Q. How has Josh Butler been playing?
COACH DANTONIO: Josh has been playing very, very well.
Q. Because he visited with your team and I met him the other night, but what kind of impression did (motivational speaker) Damon West make on you and your team?
COACH DANTONIO: He did an outstanding job, just with our football team. He talked very real to them, and I thought they had a great experience and I think it's something every football team should see if they have the opportunity. He did a great job, he's very thorough.
