MSU notes: Dantonio even more coy on injury updates
EAST LANSING –- If the Mark Dantonio of Michigan week is more intense, the Mark Dantonio of Michigan week answering injury questions is probably going to be less forthcoming.
And he doesn’t exactly divulge much information as it is. Asked Tuesday whether the MSU health concern du jour –- senior center Jack Allen –- might not play Saturday for No. 7 MSU (6-0, 2-0 Big Ten) at No. 12 U-M (5-1, 2-0), Dantonio responded: “Always a chance.”
“There is a chance he will play,” Dantonio said of Allen. “There is always a chance. It's life.”
And that’s likely the extent of MSU’s injury updates until the dress list is revealed a couple hours before Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. kick. Allen, an All-American and captain, did not look like a guy who would be ready in a week after he left Saturday’s 31-24 win at Rutgers, unable to put weight on his right foot – which took hits from Rutgers defensive linemen on consecutive plays.
The same was true of starting running back Madre London, on crutches with his right foot wrapped after a third-quarter pile-up. Starting cornerback Darian Hicks got concussion tests after a shot to the head in the second quarter and didn’t return, and starting defensive end Lawrence Thomas left late under his own power with an undisclosed injury.
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The Spartans still could be better off up front if left tackle Jack Conklin (knee) returns as expected and Kodi Kieler (knee) can get healthier than he was Saturday and move back to his normal position of right tackle. And tight end Josiah Price (ankle) sat Saturday after running well in warmups and should return as well.
Dantonio also wouldn’t specify whether punter Jake Hartbarger and kickoff specialist Kevin Cronin were ailing late or if they were replaced simply because of performance. He did say in general of the injuries: “There is nothing you can do at certain times. You just deal with it.”
South Carolina chatter: Dantonio’s name predictably has appeared on some media lists of possible candidates for the South Carolina job, which is open with Steve Spurrier’s decision to retire.
Dantonio has called MSU a “destination job” in the past, with Texas reportedly interested late in MSU’s 2013 Rose Bowl season. And the 59-year-old Dantonio has said he doesn’t plan to still be coaching by age 70. But he didn’t say anything to kill speculation when asked to open Tuesday’s news conference about the job.
“Yeah, coach Spurrier has had an outstanding career there,” Dantonio said. “It's my alma mater, and we're here to talk about Michigan.”
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New face in the backfield: Dantonio activated junior running back Delton Williams for a brief stint Saturday, after it looked like Williams would be redshirting. London’s injury changed Dantonio’s mind on Williams, who was suspended for about six months after flashing a gun on campus in a road-rage incident in March.
Williams could be more active Saturday.
“I think you will see him in the mix on special teams and, you know, we'll see him in the mix as a running back as well,” Dantonio said. “Depends on how he plays and how he's practicing, how much we will see him, but that decision was made based on the situation in the game and everything that was going on. I thought it was the right decision to make.”
Quotable: MSU junior linebacker Riley Bullough, on the Spartans having to stay in New Jersey overnight Saturday because of mechanical issues with their plane: “It was crazy. We didn't know what was going to happen the entire time. We got to the airport, found out we couldn't take off, ended up hanging out there for a while. … There was no rest this weekend for us, really, but we're feeling good now.”