MSU injuries NOT an excuse
According to Mark Dantonio, MSU injuries are not going to be used as a crutch (i.e., excuse) for their poor play. To paraphrase:
"Injuries are not an excuse. To be clear though, we do have a lot of injuries. So if we were to lose this week, we should be allowed to claim injuries as the main reason, but we won't, because that would be excusing the loss because of injuries, which we don't or won't do, becuase we don't use injuries as excuses...but we have tons of injuries."
Link below; It's Drew Sharp and its drivel. FL;DR (freep link; didn't click): Michigan State is very injured but not going to use injuries as an excuse (Spoiler: They are setting up the injury excuse).
http://www.freep.com/story/sports/columnists/drew-sharp/2015/10/12/drew…
This has been the common narrative throughout the last two weeks. Not an excuse, but we are super injured. Just to pull some quotes from the linked to drivel:
"Pardon the pun," coach Mark Dantonio said Saturday night following the Spartans' 31-24 win, "but we can't use it as a crutch."
"He was hurting out there, and everybody recognized it," Dantonio said about Kieler's determination. "We tried to get him out a little bit, but I know that he wound up playing at the end as well. He's a tough guy, and he just kept playing."
"You keep thinking to yourself that it can't get any worse, and then it does," said middle linebacker Riley Bullough.
IMO I can see it getting worse next week. But to be clear, if it does, it has nothing to do with injuries.
October 12th, 2015 at 10:33 AM ^
Wait. Patterson is sleeping with his mother-in-law?? Does his wife know? I guess she does now.
October 12th, 2015 at 9:48 AM ^
Conklin will play. Allen will play. Price will play. Kieler will play. Scott will play. Thomas will play. This list is terrible.
October 12th, 2015 at 9:51 AM ^
Rutgers game? Just curious because I really don't think Allen will play, at least not for long if he does. His ankle did not appear to be connected to the rest of his body when they were carrying him off. Conklin will probably play but Allen shouldn't just based on how that looked.
October 12th, 2015 at 12:09 PM ^
October 12th, 2015 at 9:51 AM ^
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October 12th, 2015 at 10:02 AM ^
October 12th, 2015 at 10:06 AM ^
LJ Scott was obviosly not hurt, he was on some secret suspension. When Dantonio got desperate in the 2nd half he played him and he looked 100% Price, Conklin, and probably Kieler and Thomas will play this week.
They have had a lot of injuries but not all the season ending kind. Most of them are just for a few games which plenty of teams deal with. Michigan has missed time from Mone,Stribling,Ojamudia,Smith,Kerridge,B. Cole, D Thomas,Shallman, Mccray,J Lewis and Wheatley Jr. from its 2 deep yet you haven't heard a peep our of us because we consider this a lucky year so far.(knock on wood) They experience what most teams go through and what they have been lucky enough to avoid and they have been crying about it since week 2. Sorry but I don't give a shit. They can use any excuse they want after we take their season from them, no one will care.
October 12th, 2015 at 10:39 AM ^
October 12th, 2015 at 10:20 AM ^
Half of these people are not injured!!!!!
There is a massive difference between injury (literally not able to play) and being banged up (not 100%, but can still play).
We have a lot of banged up players too, you just don't hear about it because we are not whiny excuse-makers!
October 12th, 2015 at 12:02 PM ^
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RJ Williamson (starting S) - Torn bicep, out-for-season
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Ed Davis (starting LB) - Torn ACL, out-for-season
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Vayante Copeland (starting CB) - Neck injury, out-for-season
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Dennis Finley (backup LT) - Broken leg, out-for-season
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Darian Hicks (starting CB) - Mono, returned against Rutgers... left game with possible concussion
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Madre London (co-starting RB) - Leg injury, left Rutgers game
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Jack Allen (starting C) - Ankle injury, left Rutgers game
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Jack Conklin (starting LT) - Knee injury, missed last 2 weeks
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Josiah Price (starting TE) - Ankle injury, missed last 2 weeks
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Kodi Kieler (starting RT) - Knee injury, missed 1 week, very limited last week
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Lawrence Thomas (starting DE) - Left Rutgers game with injury
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LJ Scott (co-starting RB) - Ankle injury, only played two series against Rutgers
1-7 are almost certainly out next week, nothing released on Jack Allen yet, but it looked pretty serious when he was carried off the field. 8 and 9 will be a game-time decision. 10-12 will probably play next week.
October 12th, 2015 at 10:53 AM ^
October 12th, 2015 at 1:16 PM ^
Are you asking about half their starters or a quarter of their two-deep, or have you left half of their injuries out of your post?
October 12th, 2015 at 9:21 AM ^
October 12th, 2015 at 9:35 AM ^
No Bleacher Report?
October 12th, 2015 at 11:22 AM ^
No Pants?
October 12th, 2015 at 10:35 AM ^
Do not talk about MGoBlog?
October 12th, 2015 at 10:41 AM ^
October 12th, 2015 at 9:23 AM ^
October 12th, 2015 at 9:24 AM ^
Be ready for an all out war.
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October 12th, 2015 at 9:27 AM ^
I think Sparty is going to be shell-shocked at what they see on the field.
October 12th, 2015 at 9:44 AM ^
I just hope to see Peppers come off the edge and bury Cook into the ground with a thunderous sack.
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October 12th, 2015 at 10:03 AM ^
October 12th, 2015 at 11:21 AM ^
October 12th, 2015 at 9:50 AM ^
If NW and Sparty played today, I believe NW would win. Sparty is the most overrated top 10 team in recent memory.
October 12th, 2015 at 9:54 AM ^
you may want to stock up on some booze early this week. I admittedly have been surprised by some of State's struggles but I think this game is going to be a knock down drag out war.
October 12th, 2015 at 11:28 AM ^
October 12th, 2015 at 9:24 AM ^
LeVert and Walton being hurt last year wasn't allowed to be an excuse, nor was the fact that MSU was missing Payne and one or two other dudes the year before. No one remembers who wasn't playing.
October 12th, 2015 at 9:59 AM ^
Payne was out. Dawson was out because he punched a wall. Appling played but he had a messed up wrist which most doctors would have diagnosed as "sucks at shooting."
Also, McGary was out but Dick Vitate chose not to mention it because, ya know.
October 12th, 2015 at 9:24 AM ^
October 12th, 2015 at 10:38 AM ^
October 12th, 2015 at 9:25 AM ^
I have Dantonio's exact quote...
"We just didn't play well, hats off to Michigan...they came out and took care of business. But I'm proud of my guys, we're battling through a number of injuries and the guys that played...played hard. We'll look to improve on this and get better next week."
It's just too easy.
October 12th, 2015 at 9:26 AM ^
I didnt know it was possible to say 'injuries' six times in three sentences.
October 12th, 2015 at 9:50 AM ^
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October 12th, 2015 at 9:27 AM ^
"Pardon the pun, but we can't use it as a crutch..."
- heh, brilliant, really. "I'm not going to talk about injuries, but, yo: injuries, y'all. And look how endearing and subtle I am in doing it!"
October 12th, 2015 at 9:31 AM ^
You know what, we've had - and have - injuries, too. Bryan Mone, Mario Ojemudia, De'Veon Smith, Drake Johnson, Channing Stribling, Joe Kerridge, Brian Cole, Chase Winovich, Dymonte Thomas, Wyatt Shallman, Mike McCray, Tyrone Wheatley Jr., and I'm sure a bunch of other guys I'm not remembering.
MSU's injuries have been more damaging this season, but 1) that's why depth is an important part of football and 2) it's not like MSU has been downplaying its success in recent years because it stayed relatively healthy. Injuries happen.
October 12th, 2015 at 9:32 AM ^
October 12th, 2015 at 9:45 AM ^
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October 12th, 2015 at 9:35 AM ^
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October 12th, 2015 at 9:37 AM ^
We won't use Devin Gardner on one leg the past two years as an excuse either. Or Jake Butt on one leg. Or Drake Johnson on one leg. Or Jabrill Peppers on no legs. Or Desmond Morgan on no legs. Or Amara Darboh on a torn ACL in preseason. Or ______ ... You get the point.
Injuries are a part of the game. Deal with it.
October 12th, 2015 at 11:04 AM ^
Mone, and Ojemudia, and Pipkins, just 3 starting quality dlineman...
October 12th, 2015 at 9:38 AM ^
October 12th, 2015 at 9:41 AM ^
October 12th, 2015 at 9:44 AM ^
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October 12th, 2015 at 9:45 AM ^
October 12th, 2015 at 12:27 PM ^
has nothing to do with it. This is Michigan football and Jim Harbaugh is our coach!
October 12th, 2015 at 9:46 AM ^