GREEN & WHITE

Dantonio on Kirk Cousins, 2017 recruits and emojis

Joe Rexrode
Detroit Free Press
Mark Dantonio texted Kirk Cousins to congratulate him on being named the Washington Redskins' starting QB.

EAST LANSING – Mark Dantonio got his “shout-out” in to recruits – Tuesday was the first day of allowable contact for 2017 prospects – and he did the same for his former players in the NFL.

College coaches often like to blend those subjects, of course, and Dantonio was speaking a day after Washington coach Jay Gruden declared former MSU star Kirk Cousins his starting quarterback and called the Redskins “Kirk’s team.”

“Kirk getting the starting nod from the Redskins, I think, is phenomenal,” Dantonio said of his starting quarterback from 2009-11. “I think he's probably earned that position. They don't hand those things out. We're very, very excited for him and Spartan nation because they all follow Kirk and wish him the best. I was texting him the other night, congratulating him. We've got a lot of guys.”

Dantonio also mentioned quarterback Brian Hoyer, MSU’s starter in Dantonio’s first two seasons (2007-08), who was recently named the starting quarterback for the Houston Texans.

“A lot of guys performing in the NFL,” Dantonio said. “Exciting time for those guys.”

As for contacting recruits, Dantonio was asked if he liked to employ the use of the “emoji” when texting.

“No, not too many,” Dantonio said. “I only started doing that with one guy because he'd send them to me. I like the guy crying-laughing.”

Later in the press conference, Dantonio’s phone started ringing.

“Probably one of those recruits,” he said with a smile as he looked at the phone.