Michigan State University Athletics
Spartans Provide Perspective on Postponement of 2020 Fall Season
8/27/2020 7:10:00 PM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Four members of the Michigan State football team – center Matt Allen, quarterback Rocky Lombardi, cornerback Dominique Long and linebacker Antjuan Simmons – met with the media on Wednesday to answer questions about the postponement of the 2020 fall season.
A transcript of the call is below:
Senior CB Dominique Long
On the transition to adapting to having Coach Tressel and Coach Barnett on defense...
So actually, it brings about familiarity, me especially already having Coach Barnett my freshman year. I kind of know his tendencies, his ways and his coaching style. And that's one of the reasons why I came to Michigan State in the first place, so it's very comfortable for me, the transition has been pretty smooth so far. We are going on to the best of our abilities and there has been a really smooth transition so far.
On the feelings and emotions after finding out the season was postponed...
On that day, we already heard a lot of rumors going on about possibilities of the season canceling, and they're pretty legitimate rumors to my understanding. So, the news was like, in a way, kind of expected. But regardless, the team atmosphere was just like, regardless of what happens we want to push through every day as if we have a season tomorrow. We want to keep pushing, keep working, because regardless, we're going to put in the work and whenever that season comes, wherever we get the opportunity to showcase what we have, we're going to do it to the best of our abilities. We have high goals; we have high expectations. So either way, we're going to work our hardest every day, and try to showcase our talents and accomplish our goals. So when we got the news, obviously people are going to be bummed out a little bit, like we came up here, we took the risk, and we ended up not having the season. But at the end of the day, I think that nobody can be really too mad at the decision made because safety should be a top priority. So we understand why they did what they did, but when the time comes, I think we'll all be ready to play. That's the mindset that we all have.
On being a senior and the possibility of coming back beyond the spring...
So I'm pretty sure it came out, the information, that either way, whether we play this season or not this year, they are going to give us a year of eligibility. So either way I'm going to attack the season like it's going to be my last I'm going. Like I said earlier, I am showcasing all the talents that I have and as a team, we all plan to do the same thing. Just attack every day like it's going to be our last, because you really never know with this situation. It is so fluid. If the opportunity comes next year, if it's a possibility if we don't have a season this year, I'm definitely going to stay another year. And you know maybe get another year toward my master's (degree), or what have you, but definitely go and play at least one more season and showcase what I have.
On trying to break through for more playing time on defense...
It's all about mindset on special teams. You just have to know what you're doing and then just attack it full speed. Obviously it's competition based to just knowing and having the confidence that the man next to, you know, is not as good as you. It's just confidence-level wise, I feel like I have to be like the best man on the field, and I have to perform that way. If I had that mindset, then it would translate on the field. And that's another thing to kind of roll into your next question, that I'm going to take towards corner as well, just having that mindset like the man across to me is not as good as me So, I'm just going to keep working every day. This delayed season is an opportunity for me now to work on any possible weaknesses that I have, to get my body right and to train and to perfect my craft. So, this whole time is just going to be used to for me to perfect my craft, try getting that starting job and try to compete with all the starters across the nation.
On assessing his career so far and balancing football and working toward a mechanical engineering degree...
So to answer your first part of that question, I would say I've done some good things on special teams, but I'm definitely thinking that there's a whole lot more that I could showcase skill-wise on defense as well. So I am just going to keep working, try and work for that starting job. Perfect my craft defensive-wise: my techniques, just having knowledge about everything and just being fast paced so I am not overthinking or anything like that.
And then to answer your second part of the question, honestly, it's a struggle from time-to-time managing school and football. Just have to set myself kind of a strict schedule of when I'm going to study for class, what assignments I have to do, and just try to complete those on time. And, basically that's really it. Just making sure that I get a good amount of sleep too. My freshman year I kind of struggled with that a lot, sleeping, so I had to set certain times, okay I want to go to bed at, you know, "X" hour this time tonight, or I want to go to bed earlier tonight or out to wake up at certain time so I go to bed earlier, just stuff like that. Like I said, just setting time for when to study and when to focus on football, just having a real set schedule for everything. You just have to be very diligent in that regard.
On getting another year to showcase abilities at safety...
You could look at it in a negative sense that the season was delayed or whatever, but there is also a lot of positive things that could go into it, like you just said, this is another year for me to showcase my opportunity, to showcase what I can do. It's more time for me to work on what I need to work on, perfect my craft. So we can look at it that way, like, I'm just going to use this time to, you know, really put my best foot forward, and there's no excuse not to showcase my best effort or showcase my talent.
On how well online meetings helped prepare for time on the field...
I feel like it actually translated really well, you know, repetition is key. So we just kept getting it down and our starting coverages and everything and our responsibilities and our technique, so I feel like during camp everything kind of translated really well on both sides of the ball from what I can tell. It was excellent route running, excellent play calling. On defense, we were all working on technique pretty well. The coverages kind of like flow and there was good communication out there. So it was five days that we had at camp, but those five days were spot on, were really good football from what I can tell and from what the film told. So everything went really good in that regard, translated really well. But those five months, kind of helped out for sure.
On focusing on just playing safety this season...
So I kind of feel like it was a blessing for me to switch from corner to safety all that time because now I have a really good perspective on what everybody in the defense is doing. When you are a safety, you have to communicate to the linebackers at certain times, how to fill in gaps and everything. So now that I've been back and forth from corner to safety, I feel like a very knowledgeable corner. You just know all the responsibilities of the defense. So, I mean, more knowledge, more power right, so the more you know, the more confident you could be in playing out there. I feel like it was a blessing and now that I have all that knowledge I could just hone in on corner and just focus on my responsibilities there. I could just play that much faster.
On how Michigan State set its mindset following the postponement of the season...
I feel like that is the culture that we have. We're trying to take everything from a positive mindset. Of course we want to play, but at the same time, the decision was made for a pretty realistic reason. There is good reasoning as to why our season would be delayed. Football is a contact sport, so of course we're going to be like, 'you know, that's the easy way to spread a virus' in a sense. So I feel like if we all just take a step back and just realize, especially since they gave us another year of eligibility back, there is almost, in my opinion, no reason to refute it heavily, but I just thought we all just came together and we talked about it and we kind of looked at everything from a positive, and if not positive, then a neutral standpoint. Of course you want to play, but there's some other things that can come along with it too, especially with us a young team, like we've been saying throughout this call, is that it gives us more time to come together and just work on our technique and work on just building that community here, growing stronger bonds and all that.
On how instrumental Coach Tucker has been in keeping a positive mindset...
I feel like he's done a fantastic job of doing that, of pulling us all together. We have Zoom meetings with special guests, just keeping us all together, and he will just mention at the end of the call, just staying positive and staying neutral. I feel like he's done an excellent job in bringing us together and he's trying to keep us focused because there's so many, obviously so many things, to be distracted with. So many things could just pry us away from the football mindset, but I felt like he's done a fantastic job of just continuing to pull us all together and asking people how they're feeling and how everybody's doing. I feel like he's done everything to the best of his abilities.
On reaction of having Harlon Barnett back on the staff...
So when I received that news I was very excited. Once again, just the whole idea of familiarity. I know he's a fantastic man, on and off the field. And when it comes to coaching, he keeps it real with you…So he's definitely going to get on you, and so I feel I already have been getting better throughout the process of him coaching me throughout this short time. So, I'm really excited to see where we could go throughout this year.
On impressions of Coach Tucker and his style of defense…
So my impression of him is I feel like he's been doing everything right. We have a great coaching staff and great strength staff. The type of defense we're running right now, I obviously can't go into the specifics on everything, but right now, we've been pounding it in and so, you know, we could comprehend it, it's not like too much, it's not overbearing. And I feel like it's the type of defense that we can play real fast and get after people; can't go into specifics obviously, but I feel like it's a defense that we can all get and communicate what we need to communicate. We can just play fast and relentless.
Senior LB Antjuan Simmons
On emotions and thoughts with so much going on in college football and Big Ten and the future, and secondly, where he stands on everything...
First of all, I want to say thank you guys for having me on. I'm honored to be here, I enjoy coming on here, having the privilege to talk to you guys and speak for the team. To answer your second question first, I wanted to play, I firmly believe that everybody wanted to play, it's just the fact that the (Big Ten) Conference couldn't give us everything we needed and provide us with everything we needed to have a safe environment that we could play football and that's how I took it, so I understand where Commissioner Warren, and the rest of the Conference was coming from with postponing the season. (First question) On the thought of the future and stuff, I'm all Michigan State right now, I have every intention, as of right now to play my final season, be here with my team and go on my last run with the guys.
On how difficult it was being in a state of flux for senior year...
Yes, definitely, I was excited; I felt like I had one of my best off-seasons, so it was a little devastating, but at the same time, I feel like I'm at a point in my life where I can handle just about anything that gets thrown at me, whether it's football related or just in life in general. Just take everything with a grain of salt, and look at how you can get better, or find a way to improve or make the most out of your situation.
On Coach Tucker talking to the team about decisions and how to mentally prepare for spring…
You just keep doing with you've been doing, what I've been doing, and that's just taking it one day at a time, being here on campus, going to the workouts, working out with everybody and stuff, being with the coaches, going to the meetings and stuff. Just taking one day at a time. I mean, every team within the Conference is going to be doing that or something along those lines until we figure out officially what we're going to do on the spring, or in the fall. But like I said, I'm excited. I'm excited for whatever the future may hold, I'm just going to take it one day at a time and whatever happens, happens. I feel that's pretty much how you have to be in this situation, you can't get too fixated on one thing happening or another because it's a lot of uncertainty right now and things are changing by the second, so you've got to be willing to adapt.
On transition to Coach Els as linebackers coach and other players that have stood out so far as being fellow linebackers next to him when back on field...
Coach Els has been a great, great addition; we love Coach Els in the linebacker room, he brings energy, focus and he shows up ready to go every single day. I'm talking about, even on the days off, he's texting us like 'you guys better be doing something, you guys better be finding a way to get better.' He's on top of us, he's making sure we're getting better, developing, and he's also on us about being great men as well. He's always talking about being a great husband, great father, and things like that.
As far as young guys, Chase Kline has really made huge improvements. He's had a good fall camp with all the workouts. He's really looking like a dude for us, looking like he's going to be a guy for us. Noah Harvey, returning back, and Jeslord Boateng, and all the young guys, they're all going good, they're all learning the system. Everybody's going good, but Chase Kline is really starting to make a name for himself within the program, so I'm excited to see what he's going to do in the future.
On looking back to August 11 when the decision came down and what remembers about that day and what he did once found out when season was postponed...
I honestly, I just took it as just a day that they just canceled the season on. I mean, like I said it's heartbreaking and it's a little disheartening, but at the same time you can't hang your head or be down. I gave myself 24 hours just to feel down about it, but after that, it's time to move forward. You've got to move forward, you can't continue looking back in the rear view (mirror), talking about how we could do this or we could do that. That's just not the nature of the situation right now, you know you've just got to take it with a grain of salt and figure out what you can do to make the most out of your situation.
On operating and ways to benefit from all this adversity with everything going on...
The way that we're looking at it is we have more time to have those meetings, just to develop relationships with the coaching staff and the rest of the staff, all the new faces in the building and it just gives us more time to connect, refocus, really zone in even more and figure out the futures, the paths, and the things we're going to do to get the program to the next level. So when the season does come around, we're ready to go, and we can hit the ground rolling a hundred miles per hour.
On what the summer has been like since Memorial Day with the George Floyd situation, with Jacob Blake recently and how has Coach Tucker's perspective, particularly as a Black man in a leadership role, been for the team and what he's told them about the current climate socially around the country...
Prior to camp, Coach Tuck had a meeting every week, whether it's football, not like specifically football related stuff, but it was things that was pertaining to football, like mental things that pertain to the game, and just ways we could get mentally stronger, but it wasn't just that though most of the time he had guest speakers. Like I'm sure you guys saw that we had Governor (Gretchen) Whitmer, we had Al Sharpton; he had multiple other guest speakers come on. Sometimes there were times where he had one every day, every other day, putting a new voice in front of us, a new face being able to come on and educate us, make sure we're getting the knowledge that we need to make an educated decision; he wasn't overbearing about it, he wasn't 'this what you need to believe in and this is what you have to do,' it was that he provided us with the proper education and the proper tools and he let guys, I wouldn't say decide for themselves, but he gave us that option to choose what to believe and encouraged us to do our research and our due diligence and educating others and having our heads on right. So I definitely have a lot of respect, and my respect and everything I have for Coach Tucker has just grown over the time, and everybody on the staff as well, they're all great, great guys and great people to be around. They're going to demand us to be good football players and they're going to demand us to be great individuals as well.
On planning on watching any college football if they do play and if will be difficult for him and guys on the team to see that if it happens...
Yeah, I think it'd be difficult, but also entertaining at the same time. I mean this is going to be the first fall that I'm sure every college football player within the (Big Ten) Conference has gone without having a season in the fall. So I think it'd be a huge, huge adjustment for all of us, we'd be able to watch the games and be a fan. But at the same time it's kind of, I guess a smack in the face or a let down, because, you could be out there playing, we could very well be out there playing, just like they could, but like I said, you've just got to take it with a grain of salt and make the most out of your situation.
On being able to gage from the guys of both ends of the spectrum about playing or not and the guys in the middle...
I mean we had guys all over the place; at the end of the day, guys showed up, did what they had to do. Guys chose to make their decisions. We had that option to opt out, or if we're going to be here, we had to be completely locked in and couldn't be 'you're hanging out here and doing this and that.' It was a lot of guys in that (middle) group, but it's just constantly just making sure guys are understanding the situation, making sure they have the information they need and the proper information to make a decision. I think that was the main problem, it was just the fact that the information was just taking so long to get to us, which was the issue, I think people would have been fine with either decision, whether we canceled it or had a season, it was just the fact that it came August 11 instead of before camp or at the beginning of August. Everybody would have had time to prep, instead of having the whole conference in practice going through workouts and doing everything they're supposed to be doing for getting ready for the season, and then at the snap of a finger, we're told that we can't go, we're not having the season.
On what life was like during the team's 14-day quarantine and isolation and what was sentiment when you heard it was going to be shut down for a little bit...
It was hard, of course, it's going to be hard, because you start up and you're feeling like you're about to get your feet completely in the sand or you're about to completely dive into the pool, and get going, then as soon as you're starting to build up, it's 'all right, we've got to take a break for two weeks.' It was just hard constantly going through that; for myself, I went through that multiple times throughout the summer, unfortunately, but, just like I said, you've got to make the most out of your opportunities. Even though I was locked up, I still found ways to run, work out, be in my playbook and do things like that, and spend time with my dog just finding ways to keep my mind going and staying positive because if you don't, you can fall behind real quick. You will look up and you either went one, two or three (days), or maybe a week without working out, and you're like, 'yeah I've got to get back in shape, I've got to get back going.' It's real easy to do that in those situations and, unfortunately, at that time, we didn't have the time to do that, nobody had the time to do that. I'm sure other programs, there were guys or teams when they were quarantined, they were finding ways to do something as well, whether it's going out for a jog, or doing full body workouts in their dorms or apartments wherever they were at the time.
Redshirt Senior C Matt Allen
On his memories of Aug. 11 when the decision to postpone the season was made...
It was definitely kind of a sad day. We were out at practice, and we were hearing rumors and things like that about the season getting canceled, and then at about period 11 out of a 20-period practice, Coach Tucker pulled us all into The Weave (indoor building), and it was kind of like suspicious because we've never done anything like that, so we were kind of expecting the worst. Then he came out and said that the season (has been postponed), and a lot of guys were kind of in shock at first, and they didn't really believe it because you see the rumors on Twitter and stuff, but you don't know how accurate it is and things, so when the news actually hit, it was real, and it was like 'wow.'… a little bit stunned, but you got to keep moving forward and keep getting better every day. Afterwards, I really just went out and got some food and kind of just hung out with my roommate Connor Heyward for the rest of the day, and that was really it. We had a team meeting later that night with our parents, and Coach Tucker explained what was happening, and Coach Novak came on and just said that we're jumping right into the next phase, and so that next day, we were already up and at it, and my group worked out at 7 a.m. But August 12th, we were already back in the building, getting ready for a spring season.
With the NCAA giving another year of eligibility, thought of playing in the spring and then the fall potentially...
Honestly, whatever happens, happens. I'm planning on playing, whether that's in the spring, or in the coming fall, depending on what it is, I'll be here ready to play if the coaches let me. So I'll be ready to go, and I know everyone else on the team will to. I'm just, like I said during the summer and stuff, I'm working as if we're playing tomorrow. So I'm just going to try and stay ready as much as I can, stay on top of workouts, and really, just stay ready for the season. I know the rest of the team is doing the same thing.
On if he was going to play in 2020 if there was a season…
I definitely wanted to play this fall. With guys opting out and things like that, that's their decision to make. At the end of the day, if that's what they thought was best for them, then I'm OK with that, because I know everyone's goal at the end of the day is to try and make it to the NFL and complete a dream that they've been working as hard as they could for, for about 15-16 years now. If they thought that was the best route for them, then I wasn't upset with them at all, because I know that either way I'm going to be cheering them on, whatever they choose to do. It's just nice to get them back in the building and ready to go, and working out with the team again. I've always just been totally in I would say; there was a little bit of doubt at first, just how things were going to be, but after seeing the way that Coach Tucker and the rest of the staff handled things, and handled all the protocols and things, I felt really safe in the building and I thought we really were going to be able to finish a season this year, but the Big Ten had to make a decision, and I think it was the right decision at the end of the day, just to keep everybody healthy and safe. I'm bummed obviously that the season got canceled, but I'm still looking forward to a season in the spring, or a season in the fall (2021). Whenever it comes, I'll be ready.
On how his brother, Brian (center for the LA Rams), handled getting COVID-19 in the spring…
Yeah, it was a little bit tougher watching him go through it just because he was out in California the whole time with the Rams and the Rams training staff, just getting back healthy. When I first heard the news, I was a little bit shocked and pretty nervous, just to see how he was doing, but after I found out, I just called him right away and just asked him how he was and things, and he said his biggest symptoms were that he couldn't smell out of his nose, and he had a little bit of trouble breathing, but other than that, they thought he was doing all right. So just getting a little reassurance from him that he was OK, and that he was going to be OK, I had faith in the Rams training staff that they would get him back to 100 percent as fast as they could, and luckily he was there with them to be able to recover the way that he did. It stinks that he got it, but I'm just thankful that he's safe now. So thankful that it's over with.
On if his brother, Brian, getting COVID-19 in the spring affected his thought process on playing, or his teammates…
The biggest way it affected my teammates was that really they were all concerned about how he was doing, because Brian was here before, obviously, so he had a lot of the same teammates that I had right now, so they were really just concerned about how he was doing and making sure he was staying safe and things like that. I just told them what he told me, so it kind of gave them a little reassurance just in knowing that he was going to be OK, and that even though he had it, he was going to be OK and everything. They just felt just a little bit more calm about the situation I would say.
On dealing with the safety protocols and finding if players tested positive…
It was definitely difficult at first…But the coaching staff has taken all the right precautionary measures to make sure that we're as safe as we could possibly be. As soon as those guys tested positive, right away, those pods that were working out, all of them got shut down. And they tried to do a little bit of contact tracing, just to make sure that we were following all of the necessary measures to make sure that everybody in the building was as safe as possible and as healthy as possible. Every time we would walk into the building, we had to get screened, and they'd ask us a certain number of questions on just like how we're feeling today, do we have a stuffy nose, congestion, if we had symptoms; even if a guy just tested negative, except he said he had a running nose that day, then he got sent home for the day. So I was just very happy with the way that Coach Tucker and his staff handled things in making sure that we did the safest thing possible to keep the season moving along as best as we could, until it unfortunately got shut down.
On if the players opting out and personally dealing with COVID with their families made the decision to postpone the season more understandable from a safety perspective…
Yeah, we definitely had some just team talks and trying to figure out how guys felt about the whole process. I'd say the biggest concern was just that guys didn't have the answers. Coach Tucker would be with us in meetings and he'd be answering questions to the best of his ability, but the same questions that we would be asking, he would be asking the Big Ten too, and they just, at that time, didn't have answers for us, and so that gave guys a little bit of anxiety, not knowing what was going to happen in the future, but at the same time…for the players, if the season does get canceled, or doesn't get canceled, just look at this as an opportunity to get better, and better yourself as a football player, and better yourself as a person, whether that be the two-week period where we were in quarantine, or studying up on the playbook, or finishing up school, the best that you could, summer school, just having extra Zoom meetings with the coaches and things like that, but just with all this down time and stuff like that, realizing that there's still a lot of work to do and still a lot everybody can improve. Just staying hungry, and trying to be the best that we can be. I know guys on our team, their families were affected by it, and I'd say the biggest concern with that was just guys were nervous because they didn't want to stay up at school and then go home one weekend and get tested positive, and then accidently give COVID to their whole family. The biggest part of that I would say is just not being able to see their family as much, just because I know some people have sick relatives or sick grandparents, and just not being able to go home and see your family, that would probably be the biggest stresser for everybody. But it takes what it takes, and we did everything we could to play a season in the fall this year. It's unfortunate we couldn't.
On seeing the schedule get released, then a week later the season getting shut down…
It was a little bit…there were still rumors out that the season was going to get canceled and things like that, so when they released the schedule, it kind of gave us a little false hope I would say, and just that everybody was getting ready for the season in the fall and starting to get excited about playing football again and be back in Spartan Stadium, and then when they came out with the news, it was kind of another punch to the stomach, just took the air out of us for a second. But right after they told us the news, we had that team meeting, and Coach Tucker and Coach Novak said that we were getting right back into things the next day; so just being able to stay on top of things, Coach Tucker is still a new coach and there's still a lot of things that need to be implemented into the offense and defense, and looking at it as more of a blessing in disguise, then necessarily like a curse, because like I said, this is his first season, so being able to just have that extra time is really a blessing in disguise, and I'm just really grateful to be able to have another five months with the new strength staff and an opportunity to get bigger and better, and another five months to work with Coach Kap and the rest of the offensive staff and try and get as mentally prepared as I can for the season.
Redshirt Junior QB Rocky Lombardi
On what it's been like waiting to get turn to be starter and now waiting, and reaction to season getting postponed...
When it first got canceled, I was obviously disappointed, because I've been waiting for this job for a long time. I feel like I've been a good enough player to play in the Big Ten for a couple years now so it was kind of heartbreaking for me but at the same time, I think it's good for our team, which is going to obviously end up being good for me. And then the NCAA with what they just came out with the eligibility thing, I think that that's going to be the right move, because that's going to end up helping me and helping everybody else who's going to go through this tough time.
On taking over role as leader of the quarterbacks room as the guy that's been in program for a while...
Yeah, for sure. I think I've done a better job of leading for sure. The older I get, the easier it is to lead, the better you know the guys, the more you know their strengths and weaknesses and how to talk to them, so it definitely helps. I think that even with the short amount of practices we did, I think we got a lot of good stuff and a lot of good communication between the players-coaches and players-players. So, it was good, it was a good couple days.
On how different it's been with a completely new offensive staff coming in and new terminology and how his experience has helped him pick it up...
I think it's a combination of that and just kind of my background knowledge of being in a coach's household for so long, I just kind of get it naturally, but it's tough for some guys to pick up just because it's completely new but at the same time, if you've been in a system before... I've really been in two systems with (former MSU offensive coordinators) Coach Warner and Coach Salem, although it was very similar, there was different verbiage and it was different, so that definitely helped me pick up the system a lot quicker than most people probably would have.
As the quarterback, what have been the challenges of the last few months, not just learning the playbook but also timing with the receivers and time together...
To answer the first part of the question, the toughest part was getting that timing down and throwing with receivers, because you start all this quarantine stuff and you're supposed to be by yourself and you can't go outside and all that, so it's kind of like, 'who can you throw to?' If you're an o-lineman, you can do footwork inside, or whatever, but I can't just go out there and throw it in the living room. It doesn't work like that, so it was tough to get out there and get some guys going but thankfully, when I was able to go home for quarantine, it was pretty relaxed there. You didn't have to stay inside, didn't have nearly as many regulations as they did here, so I got pretty fortunate there…I'm able to get out with my guys now and it's been good. It's been good to kind of get out with the guys and you've got to do it on your own time because of all the stuff going on right now, but I do as much as I can.
On views of the quarterback position based on the couple practices and if was able to take step forward during the shortened camp...
In my head I'm always going to view myself as the starter, I've said this for three years ever since I started playing (here), but I'm always going to practice and prepare like I'm going to be the starter every week. So, for me, the quarterback job's not really on my mind, I can't control anything outside of myself; so, for me it's just everyday going in there and 'how can I get better? How can I improve on the things that I didn't do well yesterday?' So it's more about controlling what I can control and making sure that I'm on top of my game.
On what he liked about what he was able to improve on during the couple days of practice and over summer workouts...
It was good to get back out with all the receivers because that's not something that I've been able to do over quarantine, with everybody all at one time. It was so good to figure out how fast everybody's moving, how quickly they're getting out of breaks, that kind of stuff, so it was good for me, the best thing out of camp was just again that chemistry.
On planning on watching any college football if they do play and if will be difficult for him and guys on the team to see that if it happens...
Yeah it'll be weird, just because obviously, I don't even know if the Big Ten's ever been pushed back out of the fall, but I'll definitely be watching it. It is going to stink that I'm not playing, but it'll be kind of nice that I'll finally be able to get to watch college football; you know the worst part about playing college football is you don't get to watch anybody else, so it'll be fun to watch some of the other conferences go at it, and watch some of those guys and learn from them. But at the end of day, it'll be kind of sad, but hopefully we're looking forward to the spring season.
As gets older in his career how he expects to be more improved from previous seasons and if felt was able to demonstrate those improvements in the few days of practice...
I feel like I've taken a step every year, as you should, just getting older and getting better, more mature, but for me personally, my goals are just to get smarter with the offense and defensive identification, especially. (New offensive coordinator) Coach Johnson has really focused on defensive ID, coverage recognition, all that kind of stuff, which I feel like I've been good at but I'm really trying to take that next step into perfecting that and being able to read safeties, leverages, footwork, and eyes and all that, so that's kind of like my first step and then beyond that, just to go out there and be calm in the pocket and just have fun.
On what it's been like to work with new offensive coordinator Jay Johnson and with the new wide receivers that have emerged during working with them...
Coach Johnson has been awesome. I got to meet Coach Johnson for a week, I believe, before we all left for this quarantine break, so it was really good to kind of get that personal connection with him and then throughout the Zoom meetings, it was much easier to kind of get to know him and get to know his coaching style. Coach Johnson has been awesome, really smart. I've been blessed with some really good coaches here over my whole career, and Coach Johnson is no different. He's done a good job teaching us, teaching the receivers, just making sure that everybody is on the same page, and then, aside from that, he cares about us personally too, so he's been able to take care of us. He's learning guys' names and hometowns and all that, going above and beyond, so it's been awesome.
With the receiving room, we've got a lot of young talent, I feel like we always have a lot of young talent in the receiving room, but Tre Mosley's been looking really, really good, and Jayden Reed's fantastic. With just a lot of young guys, I don't even know, we have like two senior receivers, maybe three, but everybody's been looking good, smooth, running out of cuts well. You can tell that that room did a really good job working out over quarantine.
On how different or similar will the offense look on the field versus system running previous during his time here...
Honestly, it's a little bit of a tough question to answer because everybody's offense to an extent is similar, everybody runs basic concepts: curl flat, middle flood concepts, all that kind of stuff, inside zone, outside zone. So it's really going to come down to how does he (offensive coordinator Coach Johnson) call it? In what order does he call it? What are we calling second-and-long? What are we calling third-and-short? All that kind of stuff, so I'm not 100 percent sure how similar or different it's going to look, but I am really excited about the new terminology and the freedom that the offense has given the QB room especially.
On his overall opinions on the spring season in terms of preparation for it and any worries looking ahead to fall 2021 season with the recovery time between spring and fall...
Preparation wise, I think it'll be really good for us, we've been talking all day about the new coaching staff, the new offense so that's, it's quite a bit different, just for guys to pick up a whole new system. So in order to improve on that, you get an extra six months or whatever it is, I think will be really beneficial for us; I thought we've already done a really good job preparing for it. I feel like we would have been ready this fall, but with an extra six months, I feel like we could really take that next step into mastering our offense and once you do that you can get a lot more comfortable. And then for the going into the fall, it's a little tough for me to answer because the position I play is a little bit different than most other positions where I don't take the physical beating that Matt Allen would or others would, so I mean I feel like I can go every week. There's no physical limitations to myself in my position, but for other positions that answer may be different.
On not having a fully padded practice since December due to everything and how much guys miss that as a team and desire to get back to normalcy with football practice doing that...
I'm excited to get back in full pads, it's always a little bit different energy; because it's been so long, those helmet practices we did almost felt like full pads because it's so intense and Coach Tucker does a really good job of running the practices, making sure it's high tempo, but also safe at the same time. So, I'm really excited to get in pads, I'm excited to see guys hitting, and seeing guys getting fired up out there, because when you're in helmets, sometimes you don't get that same energy, that same physicality, that you would obviously with full pads on.
On differences between workouts from previous years and guys breaking usual habits from past routines to strive for safety with all the new guidelines in place...
It is different, I think. Personally, the hardest part for me was I don't get to see everybody every day anymore. We're coming in in pods, we're working out in small groups, so I don't get to make those connections and say hi to everybody as much as I normally would. I think that's the biggest thing for me is I'm trying to keep a personal connection with all my teammates and it's hard when you only work out with 10-15 guys. But other than that, really, the workouts are probably pretty similar to what they would be if we're in a full team, it's just in smaller groups, so the workouts, themselves, it's not a huge change, but being able to interact with everybody I think it's a really big deal, so that's definitely been challenging for me.
On being able to gauge from the guys of both ends of the spectrum about playing or not and the guys in the middle...
It was tough because everybody has a different opinion on it, there are guys who didn't want to play, there are guys who really wanted to play, or there were guys who were a little bit indifferent, and then there were guys that were just trying to keep everybody together. So for me personally, it was just kind of about taking the next step and taking it day-by-day. There's nothing that we can control with this coronavirus stuff…we have no real input on what the Big Ten Commissioner says, so it's just like, 'how can we just continue to improve,' because we're going play one day, maybe it's not this fall, maybe it's not this spring, but, eventually we're going to play. So how can we keep improving, how can we stay focused on the task at hand?
On the new NCAA eligibility rule with him being a junior this spring and next fall, and what it means to him...
Yeah, I mean that's pretty much the way I understand it and I think it's good, I think that's the best thing that the NCAA could have done for everybody, just because some people are scared to play just because of the health issues and all that, but if guys do want to sit out this year, to give them an extra year, I think is the right thing to do.
A transcript of the call is below:
Senior CB Dominique Long
On the transition to adapting to having Coach Tressel and Coach Barnett on defense...
So actually, it brings about familiarity, me especially already having Coach Barnett my freshman year. I kind of know his tendencies, his ways and his coaching style. And that's one of the reasons why I came to Michigan State in the first place, so it's very comfortable for me, the transition has been pretty smooth so far. We are going on to the best of our abilities and there has been a really smooth transition so far.
On the feelings and emotions after finding out the season was postponed...
On that day, we already heard a lot of rumors going on about possibilities of the season canceling, and they're pretty legitimate rumors to my understanding. So, the news was like, in a way, kind of expected. But regardless, the team atmosphere was just like, regardless of what happens we want to push through every day as if we have a season tomorrow. We want to keep pushing, keep working, because regardless, we're going to put in the work and whenever that season comes, wherever we get the opportunity to showcase what we have, we're going to do it to the best of our abilities. We have high goals; we have high expectations. So either way, we're going to work our hardest every day, and try to showcase our talents and accomplish our goals. So when we got the news, obviously people are going to be bummed out a little bit, like we came up here, we took the risk, and we ended up not having the season. But at the end of the day, I think that nobody can be really too mad at the decision made because safety should be a top priority. So we understand why they did what they did, but when the time comes, I think we'll all be ready to play. That's the mindset that we all have.
On being a senior and the possibility of coming back beyond the spring...
So I'm pretty sure it came out, the information, that either way, whether we play this season or not this year, they are going to give us a year of eligibility. So either way I'm going to attack the season like it's going to be my last I'm going. Like I said earlier, I am showcasing all the talents that I have and as a team, we all plan to do the same thing. Just attack every day like it's going to be our last, because you really never know with this situation. It is so fluid. If the opportunity comes next year, if it's a possibility if we don't have a season this year, I'm definitely going to stay another year. And you know maybe get another year toward my master's (degree), or what have you, but definitely go and play at least one more season and showcase what I have.
On trying to break through for more playing time on defense...
It's all about mindset on special teams. You just have to know what you're doing and then just attack it full speed. Obviously it's competition based to just knowing and having the confidence that the man next to, you know, is not as good as you. It's just confidence-level wise, I feel like I have to be like the best man on the field, and I have to perform that way. If I had that mindset, then it would translate on the field. And that's another thing to kind of roll into your next question, that I'm going to take towards corner as well, just having that mindset like the man across to me is not as good as me So, I'm just going to keep working every day. This delayed season is an opportunity for me now to work on any possible weaknesses that I have, to get my body right and to train and to perfect my craft. So, this whole time is just going to be used to for me to perfect my craft, try getting that starting job and try to compete with all the starters across the nation.
On assessing his career so far and balancing football and working toward a mechanical engineering degree...
So to answer your first part of that question, I would say I've done some good things on special teams, but I'm definitely thinking that there's a whole lot more that I could showcase skill-wise on defense as well. So I am just going to keep working, try and work for that starting job. Perfect my craft defensive-wise: my techniques, just having knowledge about everything and just being fast paced so I am not overthinking or anything like that.
And then to answer your second part of the question, honestly, it's a struggle from time-to-time managing school and football. Just have to set myself kind of a strict schedule of when I'm going to study for class, what assignments I have to do, and just try to complete those on time. And, basically that's really it. Just making sure that I get a good amount of sleep too. My freshman year I kind of struggled with that a lot, sleeping, so I had to set certain times, okay I want to go to bed at, you know, "X" hour this time tonight, or I want to go to bed earlier tonight or out to wake up at certain time so I go to bed earlier, just stuff like that. Like I said, just setting time for when to study and when to focus on football, just having a real set schedule for everything. You just have to be very diligent in that regard.
On getting another year to showcase abilities at safety...
You could look at it in a negative sense that the season was delayed or whatever, but there is also a lot of positive things that could go into it, like you just said, this is another year for me to showcase my opportunity, to showcase what I can do. It's more time for me to work on what I need to work on, perfect my craft. So we can look at it that way, like, I'm just going to use this time to, you know, really put my best foot forward, and there's no excuse not to showcase my best effort or showcase my talent.
On how well online meetings helped prepare for time on the field...
I feel like it actually translated really well, you know, repetition is key. So we just kept getting it down and our starting coverages and everything and our responsibilities and our technique, so I feel like during camp everything kind of translated really well on both sides of the ball from what I can tell. It was excellent route running, excellent play calling. On defense, we were all working on technique pretty well. The coverages kind of like flow and there was good communication out there. So it was five days that we had at camp, but those five days were spot on, were really good football from what I can tell and from what the film told. So everything went really good in that regard, translated really well. But those five months, kind of helped out for sure.
On focusing on just playing safety this season...
So I kind of feel like it was a blessing for me to switch from corner to safety all that time because now I have a really good perspective on what everybody in the defense is doing. When you are a safety, you have to communicate to the linebackers at certain times, how to fill in gaps and everything. So now that I've been back and forth from corner to safety, I feel like a very knowledgeable corner. You just know all the responsibilities of the defense. So, I mean, more knowledge, more power right, so the more you know, the more confident you could be in playing out there. I feel like it was a blessing and now that I have all that knowledge I could just hone in on corner and just focus on my responsibilities there. I could just play that much faster.
On how Michigan State set its mindset following the postponement of the season...
I feel like that is the culture that we have. We're trying to take everything from a positive mindset. Of course we want to play, but at the same time, the decision was made for a pretty realistic reason. There is good reasoning as to why our season would be delayed. Football is a contact sport, so of course we're going to be like, 'you know, that's the easy way to spread a virus' in a sense. So I feel like if we all just take a step back and just realize, especially since they gave us another year of eligibility back, there is almost, in my opinion, no reason to refute it heavily, but I just thought we all just came together and we talked about it and we kind of looked at everything from a positive, and if not positive, then a neutral standpoint. Of course you want to play, but there's some other things that can come along with it too, especially with us a young team, like we've been saying throughout this call, is that it gives us more time to come together and just work on our technique and work on just building that community here, growing stronger bonds and all that.
On how instrumental Coach Tucker has been in keeping a positive mindset...
I feel like he's done a fantastic job of doing that, of pulling us all together. We have Zoom meetings with special guests, just keeping us all together, and he will just mention at the end of the call, just staying positive and staying neutral. I feel like he's done an excellent job in bringing us together and he's trying to keep us focused because there's so many, obviously so many things, to be distracted with. So many things could just pry us away from the football mindset, but I felt like he's done a fantastic job of just continuing to pull us all together and asking people how they're feeling and how everybody's doing. I feel like he's done everything to the best of his abilities.
On reaction of having Harlon Barnett back on the staff...
So when I received that news I was very excited. Once again, just the whole idea of familiarity. I know he's a fantastic man, on and off the field. And when it comes to coaching, he keeps it real with you…So he's definitely going to get on you, and so I feel I already have been getting better throughout the process of him coaching me throughout this short time. So, I'm really excited to see where we could go throughout this year.
On impressions of Coach Tucker and his style of defense…
So my impression of him is I feel like he's been doing everything right. We have a great coaching staff and great strength staff. The type of defense we're running right now, I obviously can't go into the specifics on everything, but right now, we've been pounding it in and so, you know, we could comprehend it, it's not like too much, it's not overbearing. And I feel like it's the type of defense that we can play real fast and get after people; can't go into specifics obviously, but I feel like it's a defense that we can all get and communicate what we need to communicate. We can just play fast and relentless.
Senior LB Antjuan Simmons
On emotions and thoughts with so much going on in college football and Big Ten and the future, and secondly, where he stands on everything...
First of all, I want to say thank you guys for having me on. I'm honored to be here, I enjoy coming on here, having the privilege to talk to you guys and speak for the team. To answer your second question first, I wanted to play, I firmly believe that everybody wanted to play, it's just the fact that the (Big Ten) Conference couldn't give us everything we needed and provide us with everything we needed to have a safe environment that we could play football and that's how I took it, so I understand where Commissioner Warren, and the rest of the Conference was coming from with postponing the season. (First question) On the thought of the future and stuff, I'm all Michigan State right now, I have every intention, as of right now to play my final season, be here with my team and go on my last run with the guys.
On how difficult it was being in a state of flux for senior year...
Yes, definitely, I was excited; I felt like I had one of my best off-seasons, so it was a little devastating, but at the same time, I feel like I'm at a point in my life where I can handle just about anything that gets thrown at me, whether it's football related or just in life in general. Just take everything with a grain of salt, and look at how you can get better, or find a way to improve or make the most out of your situation.
On Coach Tucker talking to the team about decisions and how to mentally prepare for spring…
You just keep doing with you've been doing, what I've been doing, and that's just taking it one day at a time, being here on campus, going to the workouts, working out with everybody and stuff, being with the coaches, going to the meetings and stuff. Just taking one day at a time. I mean, every team within the Conference is going to be doing that or something along those lines until we figure out officially what we're going to do on the spring, or in the fall. But like I said, I'm excited. I'm excited for whatever the future may hold, I'm just going to take it one day at a time and whatever happens, happens. I feel that's pretty much how you have to be in this situation, you can't get too fixated on one thing happening or another because it's a lot of uncertainty right now and things are changing by the second, so you've got to be willing to adapt.
On transition to Coach Els as linebackers coach and other players that have stood out so far as being fellow linebackers next to him when back on field...
Coach Els has been a great, great addition; we love Coach Els in the linebacker room, he brings energy, focus and he shows up ready to go every single day. I'm talking about, even on the days off, he's texting us like 'you guys better be doing something, you guys better be finding a way to get better.' He's on top of us, he's making sure we're getting better, developing, and he's also on us about being great men as well. He's always talking about being a great husband, great father, and things like that.
As far as young guys, Chase Kline has really made huge improvements. He's had a good fall camp with all the workouts. He's really looking like a dude for us, looking like he's going to be a guy for us. Noah Harvey, returning back, and Jeslord Boateng, and all the young guys, they're all going good, they're all learning the system. Everybody's going good, but Chase Kline is really starting to make a name for himself within the program, so I'm excited to see what he's going to do in the future.
On looking back to August 11 when the decision came down and what remembers about that day and what he did once found out when season was postponed...
I honestly, I just took it as just a day that they just canceled the season on. I mean, like I said it's heartbreaking and it's a little disheartening, but at the same time you can't hang your head or be down. I gave myself 24 hours just to feel down about it, but after that, it's time to move forward. You've got to move forward, you can't continue looking back in the rear view (mirror), talking about how we could do this or we could do that. That's just not the nature of the situation right now, you know you've just got to take it with a grain of salt and figure out what you can do to make the most out of your situation.
On operating and ways to benefit from all this adversity with everything going on...
The way that we're looking at it is we have more time to have those meetings, just to develop relationships with the coaching staff and the rest of the staff, all the new faces in the building and it just gives us more time to connect, refocus, really zone in even more and figure out the futures, the paths, and the things we're going to do to get the program to the next level. So when the season does come around, we're ready to go, and we can hit the ground rolling a hundred miles per hour.
On what the summer has been like since Memorial Day with the George Floyd situation, with Jacob Blake recently and how has Coach Tucker's perspective, particularly as a Black man in a leadership role, been for the team and what he's told them about the current climate socially around the country...
Prior to camp, Coach Tuck had a meeting every week, whether it's football, not like specifically football related stuff, but it was things that was pertaining to football, like mental things that pertain to the game, and just ways we could get mentally stronger, but it wasn't just that though most of the time he had guest speakers. Like I'm sure you guys saw that we had Governor (Gretchen) Whitmer, we had Al Sharpton; he had multiple other guest speakers come on. Sometimes there were times where he had one every day, every other day, putting a new voice in front of us, a new face being able to come on and educate us, make sure we're getting the knowledge that we need to make an educated decision; he wasn't overbearing about it, he wasn't 'this what you need to believe in and this is what you have to do,' it was that he provided us with the proper education and the proper tools and he let guys, I wouldn't say decide for themselves, but he gave us that option to choose what to believe and encouraged us to do our research and our due diligence and educating others and having our heads on right. So I definitely have a lot of respect, and my respect and everything I have for Coach Tucker has just grown over the time, and everybody on the staff as well, they're all great, great guys and great people to be around. They're going to demand us to be good football players and they're going to demand us to be great individuals as well.
On planning on watching any college football if they do play and if will be difficult for him and guys on the team to see that if it happens...
Yeah, I think it'd be difficult, but also entertaining at the same time. I mean this is going to be the first fall that I'm sure every college football player within the (Big Ten) Conference has gone without having a season in the fall. So I think it'd be a huge, huge adjustment for all of us, we'd be able to watch the games and be a fan. But at the same time it's kind of, I guess a smack in the face or a let down, because, you could be out there playing, we could very well be out there playing, just like they could, but like I said, you've just got to take it with a grain of salt and make the most out of your situation.
On being able to gage from the guys of both ends of the spectrum about playing or not and the guys in the middle...
I mean we had guys all over the place; at the end of the day, guys showed up, did what they had to do. Guys chose to make their decisions. We had that option to opt out, or if we're going to be here, we had to be completely locked in and couldn't be 'you're hanging out here and doing this and that.' It was a lot of guys in that (middle) group, but it's just constantly just making sure guys are understanding the situation, making sure they have the information they need and the proper information to make a decision. I think that was the main problem, it was just the fact that the information was just taking so long to get to us, which was the issue, I think people would have been fine with either decision, whether we canceled it or had a season, it was just the fact that it came August 11 instead of before camp or at the beginning of August. Everybody would have had time to prep, instead of having the whole conference in practice going through workouts and doing everything they're supposed to be doing for getting ready for the season, and then at the snap of a finger, we're told that we can't go, we're not having the season.
On what life was like during the team's 14-day quarantine and isolation and what was sentiment when you heard it was going to be shut down for a little bit...
It was hard, of course, it's going to be hard, because you start up and you're feeling like you're about to get your feet completely in the sand or you're about to completely dive into the pool, and get going, then as soon as you're starting to build up, it's 'all right, we've got to take a break for two weeks.' It was just hard constantly going through that; for myself, I went through that multiple times throughout the summer, unfortunately, but, just like I said, you've got to make the most out of your opportunities. Even though I was locked up, I still found ways to run, work out, be in my playbook and do things like that, and spend time with my dog just finding ways to keep my mind going and staying positive because if you don't, you can fall behind real quick. You will look up and you either went one, two or three (days), or maybe a week without working out, and you're like, 'yeah I've got to get back in shape, I've got to get back going.' It's real easy to do that in those situations and, unfortunately, at that time, we didn't have the time to do that, nobody had the time to do that. I'm sure other programs, there were guys or teams when they were quarantined, they were finding ways to do something as well, whether it's going out for a jog, or doing full body workouts in their dorms or apartments wherever they were at the time.
Redshirt Senior C Matt Allen
On his memories of Aug. 11 when the decision to postpone the season was made...
It was definitely kind of a sad day. We were out at practice, and we were hearing rumors and things like that about the season getting canceled, and then at about period 11 out of a 20-period practice, Coach Tucker pulled us all into The Weave (indoor building), and it was kind of like suspicious because we've never done anything like that, so we were kind of expecting the worst. Then he came out and said that the season (has been postponed), and a lot of guys were kind of in shock at first, and they didn't really believe it because you see the rumors on Twitter and stuff, but you don't know how accurate it is and things, so when the news actually hit, it was real, and it was like 'wow.'… a little bit stunned, but you got to keep moving forward and keep getting better every day. Afterwards, I really just went out and got some food and kind of just hung out with my roommate Connor Heyward for the rest of the day, and that was really it. We had a team meeting later that night with our parents, and Coach Tucker explained what was happening, and Coach Novak came on and just said that we're jumping right into the next phase, and so that next day, we were already up and at it, and my group worked out at 7 a.m. But August 12th, we were already back in the building, getting ready for a spring season.
With the NCAA giving another year of eligibility, thought of playing in the spring and then the fall potentially...
Honestly, whatever happens, happens. I'm planning on playing, whether that's in the spring, or in the coming fall, depending on what it is, I'll be here ready to play if the coaches let me. So I'll be ready to go, and I know everyone else on the team will to. I'm just, like I said during the summer and stuff, I'm working as if we're playing tomorrow. So I'm just going to try and stay ready as much as I can, stay on top of workouts, and really, just stay ready for the season. I know the rest of the team is doing the same thing.
On if he was going to play in 2020 if there was a season…
I definitely wanted to play this fall. With guys opting out and things like that, that's their decision to make. At the end of the day, if that's what they thought was best for them, then I'm OK with that, because I know everyone's goal at the end of the day is to try and make it to the NFL and complete a dream that they've been working as hard as they could for, for about 15-16 years now. If they thought that was the best route for them, then I wasn't upset with them at all, because I know that either way I'm going to be cheering them on, whatever they choose to do. It's just nice to get them back in the building and ready to go, and working out with the team again. I've always just been totally in I would say; there was a little bit of doubt at first, just how things were going to be, but after seeing the way that Coach Tucker and the rest of the staff handled things, and handled all the protocols and things, I felt really safe in the building and I thought we really were going to be able to finish a season this year, but the Big Ten had to make a decision, and I think it was the right decision at the end of the day, just to keep everybody healthy and safe. I'm bummed obviously that the season got canceled, but I'm still looking forward to a season in the spring, or a season in the fall (2021). Whenever it comes, I'll be ready.
On how his brother, Brian (center for the LA Rams), handled getting COVID-19 in the spring…
Yeah, it was a little bit tougher watching him go through it just because he was out in California the whole time with the Rams and the Rams training staff, just getting back healthy. When I first heard the news, I was a little bit shocked and pretty nervous, just to see how he was doing, but after I found out, I just called him right away and just asked him how he was and things, and he said his biggest symptoms were that he couldn't smell out of his nose, and he had a little bit of trouble breathing, but other than that, they thought he was doing all right. So just getting a little reassurance from him that he was OK, and that he was going to be OK, I had faith in the Rams training staff that they would get him back to 100 percent as fast as they could, and luckily he was there with them to be able to recover the way that he did. It stinks that he got it, but I'm just thankful that he's safe now. So thankful that it's over with.
On if his brother, Brian, getting COVID-19 in the spring affected his thought process on playing, or his teammates…
The biggest way it affected my teammates was that really they were all concerned about how he was doing, because Brian was here before, obviously, so he had a lot of the same teammates that I had right now, so they were really just concerned about how he was doing and making sure he was staying safe and things like that. I just told them what he told me, so it kind of gave them a little reassurance just in knowing that he was going to be OK, and that even though he had it, he was going to be OK and everything. They just felt just a little bit more calm about the situation I would say.
On dealing with the safety protocols and finding if players tested positive…
It was definitely difficult at first…But the coaching staff has taken all the right precautionary measures to make sure that we're as safe as we could possibly be. As soon as those guys tested positive, right away, those pods that were working out, all of them got shut down. And they tried to do a little bit of contact tracing, just to make sure that we were following all of the necessary measures to make sure that everybody in the building was as safe as possible and as healthy as possible. Every time we would walk into the building, we had to get screened, and they'd ask us a certain number of questions on just like how we're feeling today, do we have a stuffy nose, congestion, if we had symptoms; even if a guy just tested negative, except he said he had a running nose that day, then he got sent home for the day. So I was just very happy with the way that Coach Tucker and his staff handled things in making sure that we did the safest thing possible to keep the season moving along as best as we could, until it unfortunately got shut down.
On if the players opting out and personally dealing with COVID with their families made the decision to postpone the season more understandable from a safety perspective…
Yeah, we definitely had some just team talks and trying to figure out how guys felt about the whole process. I'd say the biggest concern was just that guys didn't have the answers. Coach Tucker would be with us in meetings and he'd be answering questions to the best of his ability, but the same questions that we would be asking, he would be asking the Big Ten too, and they just, at that time, didn't have answers for us, and so that gave guys a little bit of anxiety, not knowing what was going to happen in the future, but at the same time…for the players, if the season does get canceled, or doesn't get canceled, just look at this as an opportunity to get better, and better yourself as a football player, and better yourself as a person, whether that be the two-week period where we were in quarantine, or studying up on the playbook, or finishing up school, the best that you could, summer school, just having extra Zoom meetings with the coaches and things like that, but just with all this down time and stuff like that, realizing that there's still a lot of work to do and still a lot everybody can improve. Just staying hungry, and trying to be the best that we can be. I know guys on our team, their families were affected by it, and I'd say the biggest concern with that was just guys were nervous because they didn't want to stay up at school and then go home one weekend and get tested positive, and then accidently give COVID to their whole family. The biggest part of that I would say is just not being able to see their family as much, just because I know some people have sick relatives or sick grandparents, and just not being able to go home and see your family, that would probably be the biggest stresser for everybody. But it takes what it takes, and we did everything we could to play a season in the fall this year. It's unfortunate we couldn't.
On seeing the schedule get released, then a week later the season getting shut down…
It was a little bit…there were still rumors out that the season was going to get canceled and things like that, so when they released the schedule, it kind of gave us a little false hope I would say, and just that everybody was getting ready for the season in the fall and starting to get excited about playing football again and be back in Spartan Stadium, and then when they came out with the news, it was kind of another punch to the stomach, just took the air out of us for a second. But right after they told us the news, we had that team meeting, and Coach Tucker and Coach Novak said that we were getting right back into things the next day; so just being able to stay on top of things, Coach Tucker is still a new coach and there's still a lot of things that need to be implemented into the offense and defense, and looking at it as more of a blessing in disguise, then necessarily like a curse, because like I said, this is his first season, so being able to just have that extra time is really a blessing in disguise, and I'm just really grateful to be able to have another five months with the new strength staff and an opportunity to get bigger and better, and another five months to work with Coach Kap and the rest of the offensive staff and try and get as mentally prepared as I can for the season.
Redshirt Junior QB Rocky Lombardi
On what it's been like waiting to get turn to be starter and now waiting, and reaction to season getting postponed...
When it first got canceled, I was obviously disappointed, because I've been waiting for this job for a long time. I feel like I've been a good enough player to play in the Big Ten for a couple years now so it was kind of heartbreaking for me but at the same time, I think it's good for our team, which is going to obviously end up being good for me. And then the NCAA with what they just came out with the eligibility thing, I think that that's going to be the right move, because that's going to end up helping me and helping everybody else who's going to go through this tough time.
On taking over role as leader of the quarterbacks room as the guy that's been in program for a while...
Yeah, for sure. I think I've done a better job of leading for sure. The older I get, the easier it is to lead, the better you know the guys, the more you know their strengths and weaknesses and how to talk to them, so it definitely helps. I think that even with the short amount of practices we did, I think we got a lot of good stuff and a lot of good communication between the players-coaches and players-players. So, it was good, it was a good couple days.
On how different it's been with a completely new offensive staff coming in and new terminology and how his experience has helped him pick it up...
I think it's a combination of that and just kind of my background knowledge of being in a coach's household for so long, I just kind of get it naturally, but it's tough for some guys to pick up just because it's completely new but at the same time, if you've been in a system before... I've really been in two systems with (former MSU offensive coordinators) Coach Warner and Coach Salem, although it was very similar, there was different verbiage and it was different, so that definitely helped me pick up the system a lot quicker than most people probably would have.
As the quarterback, what have been the challenges of the last few months, not just learning the playbook but also timing with the receivers and time together...
To answer the first part of the question, the toughest part was getting that timing down and throwing with receivers, because you start all this quarantine stuff and you're supposed to be by yourself and you can't go outside and all that, so it's kind of like, 'who can you throw to?' If you're an o-lineman, you can do footwork inside, or whatever, but I can't just go out there and throw it in the living room. It doesn't work like that, so it was tough to get out there and get some guys going but thankfully, when I was able to go home for quarantine, it was pretty relaxed there. You didn't have to stay inside, didn't have nearly as many regulations as they did here, so I got pretty fortunate there…I'm able to get out with my guys now and it's been good. It's been good to kind of get out with the guys and you've got to do it on your own time because of all the stuff going on right now, but I do as much as I can.
On views of the quarterback position based on the couple practices and if was able to take step forward during the shortened camp...
In my head I'm always going to view myself as the starter, I've said this for three years ever since I started playing (here), but I'm always going to practice and prepare like I'm going to be the starter every week. So, for me, the quarterback job's not really on my mind, I can't control anything outside of myself; so, for me it's just everyday going in there and 'how can I get better? How can I improve on the things that I didn't do well yesterday?' So it's more about controlling what I can control and making sure that I'm on top of my game.
On what he liked about what he was able to improve on during the couple days of practice and over summer workouts...
It was good to get back out with all the receivers because that's not something that I've been able to do over quarantine, with everybody all at one time. It was so good to figure out how fast everybody's moving, how quickly they're getting out of breaks, that kind of stuff, so it was good for me, the best thing out of camp was just again that chemistry.
On planning on watching any college football if they do play and if will be difficult for him and guys on the team to see that if it happens...
Yeah it'll be weird, just because obviously, I don't even know if the Big Ten's ever been pushed back out of the fall, but I'll definitely be watching it. It is going to stink that I'm not playing, but it'll be kind of nice that I'll finally be able to get to watch college football; you know the worst part about playing college football is you don't get to watch anybody else, so it'll be fun to watch some of the other conferences go at it, and watch some of those guys and learn from them. But at the end of day, it'll be kind of sad, but hopefully we're looking forward to the spring season.
As gets older in his career how he expects to be more improved from previous seasons and if felt was able to demonstrate those improvements in the few days of practice...
I feel like I've taken a step every year, as you should, just getting older and getting better, more mature, but for me personally, my goals are just to get smarter with the offense and defensive identification, especially. (New offensive coordinator) Coach Johnson has really focused on defensive ID, coverage recognition, all that kind of stuff, which I feel like I've been good at but I'm really trying to take that next step into perfecting that and being able to read safeties, leverages, footwork, and eyes and all that, so that's kind of like my first step and then beyond that, just to go out there and be calm in the pocket and just have fun.
On what it's been like to work with new offensive coordinator Jay Johnson and with the new wide receivers that have emerged during working with them...
Coach Johnson has been awesome. I got to meet Coach Johnson for a week, I believe, before we all left for this quarantine break, so it was really good to kind of get that personal connection with him and then throughout the Zoom meetings, it was much easier to kind of get to know him and get to know his coaching style. Coach Johnson has been awesome, really smart. I've been blessed with some really good coaches here over my whole career, and Coach Johnson is no different. He's done a good job teaching us, teaching the receivers, just making sure that everybody is on the same page, and then, aside from that, he cares about us personally too, so he's been able to take care of us. He's learning guys' names and hometowns and all that, going above and beyond, so it's been awesome.
With the receiving room, we've got a lot of young talent, I feel like we always have a lot of young talent in the receiving room, but Tre Mosley's been looking really, really good, and Jayden Reed's fantastic. With just a lot of young guys, I don't even know, we have like two senior receivers, maybe three, but everybody's been looking good, smooth, running out of cuts well. You can tell that that room did a really good job working out over quarantine.
On how different or similar will the offense look on the field versus system running previous during his time here...
Honestly, it's a little bit of a tough question to answer because everybody's offense to an extent is similar, everybody runs basic concepts: curl flat, middle flood concepts, all that kind of stuff, inside zone, outside zone. So it's really going to come down to how does he (offensive coordinator Coach Johnson) call it? In what order does he call it? What are we calling second-and-long? What are we calling third-and-short? All that kind of stuff, so I'm not 100 percent sure how similar or different it's going to look, but I am really excited about the new terminology and the freedom that the offense has given the QB room especially.
On his overall opinions on the spring season in terms of preparation for it and any worries looking ahead to fall 2021 season with the recovery time between spring and fall...
Preparation wise, I think it'll be really good for us, we've been talking all day about the new coaching staff, the new offense so that's, it's quite a bit different, just for guys to pick up a whole new system. So in order to improve on that, you get an extra six months or whatever it is, I think will be really beneficial for us; I thought we've already done a really good job preparing for it. I feel like we would have been ready this fall, but with an extra six months, I feel like we could really take that next step into mastering our offense and once you do that you can get a lot more comfortable. And then for the going into the fall, it's a little tough for me to answer because the position I play is a little bit different than most other positions where I don't take the physical beating that Matt Allen would or others would, so I mean I feel like I can go every week. There's no physical limitations to myself in my position, but for other positions that answer may be different.
On not having a fully padded practice since December due to everything and how much guys miss that as a team and desire to get back to normalcy with football practice doing that...
I'm excited to get back in full pads, it's always a little bit different energy; because it's been so long, those helmet practices we did almost felt like full pads because it's so intense and Coach Tucker does a really good job of running the practices, making sure it's high tempo, but also safe at the same time. So, I'm really excited to get in pads, I'm excited to see guys hitting, and seeing guys getting fired up out there, because when you're in helmets, sometimes you don't get that same energy, that same physicality, that you would obviously with full pads on.
On differences between workouts from previous years and guys breaking usual habits from past routines to strive for safety with all the new guidelines in place...
It is different, I think. Personally, the hardest part for me was I don't get to see everybody every day anymore. We're coming in in pods, we're working out in small groups, so I don't get to make those connections and say hi to everybody as much as I normally would. I think that's the biggest thing for me is I'm trying to keep a personal connection with all my teammates and it's hard when you only work out with 10-15 guys. But other than that, really, the workouts are probably pretty similar to what they would be if we're in a full team, it's just in smaller groups, so the workouts, themselves, it's not a huge change, but being able to interact with everybody I think it's a really big deal, so that's definitely been challenging for me.
On being able to gauge from the guys of both ends of the spectrum about playing or not and the guys in the middle...
It was tough because everybody has a different opinion on it, there are guys who didn't want to play, there are guys who really wanted to play, or there were guys who were a little bit indifferent, and then there were guys that were just trying to keep everybody together. So for me personally, it was just kind of about taking the next step and taking it day-by-day. There's nothing that we can control with this coronavirus stuff…we have no real input on what the Big Ten Commissioner says, so it's just like, 'how can we just continue to improve,' because we're going play one day, maybe it's not this fall, maybe it's not this spring, but, eventually we're going to play. So how can we keep improving, how can we stay focused on the task at hand?
On the new NCAA eligibility rule with him being a junior this spring and next fall, and what it means to him...
Yeah, I mean that's pretty much the way I understand it and I think it's good, I think that's the best thing that the NCAA could have done for everybody, just because some people are scared to play just because of the health issues and all that, but if guys do want to sit out this year, to give them an extra year, I think is the right thing to do.
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