The biggest conversations coming out of the first day of the Big Ten media days in Chicago include a controversy-riddled Michigan State.
By Adam Hensley
CHICAGO —Since three then-Spartans faced third-degree criminal sexual conduct charges, things have been tense at Michigan State, to say the least. Donnie Corley, Josh King, and Demetric Vance have all been dismissed from the football team, but there is no changing the past.
Linebacker Chris Frey compared the situation in East Lansing to the trouble surrounding Baylor.
“I think no matter where it’s at and who does it, it tarnishes the reputation, the name, and the brand of a team,” he said. “With that being said, it’s our job as a team to put that behind us and rebuild our name and our brand.”
Even though the players facing sexual assault charges are no longer with the team, Michigan State took extra steps to educate its players on the subject.
Frey noted that every year, the Spartans have sexual-assault education classes right before camp begins. This year, however, things have changed.
“We’ve had three- or four-, maybe even five-hour-long classes,” he said. “We’ve had different people come in and talk to us about sexual assault. As a team, we do realize how serious of an issue that is. In the situation that we’ve been put in, the guys who are on the team, they know what’s right and what’s wrong. We’re looking forward to the future.”
The criminal activity surrounding the Spartan squad wasn’t the only issue heading into the upcoming season, coming on the heels of a disappointing 3-9 campaign in 2016.
Running back Gerald Holmes said this off-season “definitely” feels like the longest one the team has experienced.
“The wait will be worth it,” Holmes said. “[The goal is] to make sure the team isn’t too focused on the outside things.”
Past and present Hoosiers collide
Indiana head coach Tom Allen called the Hoosiers’ season-opener against Ohio State the biggest in school history. Never has an Indiana squad faced a conference opponent, let alone a football powerhouse, in the season’s first matchup.
The competition doesn’t end between the lines, however.
Ohio State hired former Indiana head coach Kevin Wilson as its offensive coordinator following Wilson’s stepping down from his position with the Hoosiers. Allen, previously Indiana’s defensive coordinator, was named the head coach.
“He’s a great football coach; he has a great offensive mind,” Allen said. “He’s going to do a great job. [Ohio State’s] system wasn’t broke … [but] I think he’s going to have a chance to make them better.”
Under Wilson’s command, the Hoosiers ranked third in the Big Ten in total offense, putting up 426 yards per contest. Indiana’s aerial attack ranked second in the conference in yards per game as well (273.8).
“Whatever he chooses to do, your guess is as good as mine,” Allen said. “As I would say, the Good Lord has a sense of humor. You think about how this has played out. To be able to have this as our first game, my first game as the head coach, [Wilson] hired me — it’s an interesting matchup for sure. It’s not about him and me, it’s about Indiana versus Ohio State.”
Keeping it local
DJ Durkin hasn’t been the head coach at Maryland for long, but he wants to keep the local ties strong on his team.
The coach stressed the local talent in the area and praised the high-school coaches for gearing their players up for a smooth transition from high school to college ball.
“I really feel like in our backyard there’s a strong group of talent every year, year in and year out, that if you do well in your backyard, you can survive and win a lot of games, win championships with,” Durkin said. “I don’t know if that’s the case everywhere.”
Other schools have relied on home-grown talent in the past to build success, and linebacker Jermaine Carter Jr. noted one school in particular that resembles Maryland’s push for local athletes: Miami.
“I’m from the area, so when a guy from D.C. or Maryland commits, it means a lot to me,” he said. “I think it changes the dynamic of the team. If everyone from the area comes together, it’s a different bond. [With] guys in the past, everyone in Florida would go to Miami, they [were] kind of like brothers.”
