It’s officially rivalry week. Michigan State football will head to Ann Arbor this weekend to face off against No. 4 Michigan under the lights, and there is a lot of intrigue in this one, as the Wolverines will look to topple an MSU team led by Mel Tucker for the first time, and Michigan State will look to ruin the Wolverines’ college football playoff dreams.
Below, we compiled the quotes from Jim Harbaugh about the game and about the rivalry, as reported by Isaiah Hole of WolverinesWire.
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Focus level on MSU during bye week
We were practicing, walking through lifting. I thought Ronnie Bell said it well earlier in the week. ‘I mean, just focus on being where your feet are at.’ And I thought our guys did a tremendous job of that throughout the week.
What stands out about this Michigan State squad?
A lot of things. A lot of really good things. It’s a really good team. Dangerous and in a lot of ways. I think the quarterback is really good.
Physical team that runs the ball well, really good off the play-action pass. Probably the best receiving corps we’ve played. Defense, it’s very opportunistic. They have guys that have a knack for getting the ball out and making big plays. Special teams, more of the same. The returner’s outstanding. So it’s a big challenge, our team knows that. We’ve all been preparing to get ready for this game.
What makes the rivalry so intense?
I think everybody wants it so bad that everybody wants to win. Players, coaches, fan bases, you know, it’s at about as high a level it can be.
How do you approach a game like this?
In the way that you expect to be prepared at 10 out of 10 for every game you play, right? I mean, if you’re not, then what are you doing? But no matter what, if maybe that has somehow decreased over the weeks then you back up, no doubt that it’s where it’s at this week — and for both sides. Old cliche: throw out the records, is very true. It doesn’t matter. Both sides. But both sides just want it that much.
Is it any easier to get his team's attention this week given MSU's struggles?
Yeah, no question. Our guys really want to win this. I’m not gonna lie to you, I really want to win it. No doubt that if you pulsed every player and every coach on both sides that they’d tell you the exact same thing.
Is there any bulletin board material?
Just really wanting to win this game. It’s enough.
On the pass rush
Yeah, keeps getting better and better. Love the way we’re trending there in the pass rush, the run defense, getting guys to the ball. I mean that’s one that I see us getting better and better. Every team has a ‘get back coach,’ gets guys back on the other side and we’ve instituted a ‘get to coach’ — let’s get to the ball. Can we get five guys? Can we get six? Can we get seven or eight? Probably not gonna be able to get 10 or 11 because somebody’s really far away from the play or playing the backside of the play. But I think that’s what pursuit, that’s what takes your defense from being a really good defense to being a dominant defense. Getting as many many guys pursuing to the football and that’s where a lot of those turnovers are coming from, and big plays.
So that’s been a focus, to just try to take us to another level defensively.
On Andrel Anthony
Andrel, he’s been really coming to the fore much more as — he’s hitting his stride. So I continue to feel like he’s going to become more and more part of every game. Making a big play a game that’s kind of what you come to expect from Andrel. And he’s just a phenomenal player. Doing everything right as always. More, you know, just can’t say enough good things about him.
Will he play with 'vengeance' being an East Lansing native?
Vengeance? No, I wouldn’t use that word. He just always plays the game right. Always gives it everything he’s got. And he’s always ready to play each and every week and playing — like all the guys on the team. Like I said earlier, go talk to all of them. On both sides, I think you’re gonna find that everybody really wants to play well, everybody wants to win this game.
How much did last year's team coalesce because of the loss at MSU?
This team, and last year’s team, there’s a real great attitude, there’s a great culture that’s here. And could probably sum it up as everybody bleeds blue, everybody’s pulling the same direction. And there’s been a real cultural momentum from last year to this year.
Erick All's Status
He won’t be back this year. And he had a surgery that he needed. And that was successful. And we look forward to really just rehab for Erick, but, yeah, he won’t be able to play this year.
How has the rivalry changed from when he was a player?
I really haven’t seen that much of a change. It’s always been a red letter game, big game. It was then, it is now. Used to highlight it as a red letter game, Michigan State was always one, it was one you wanted to win. It was for the state championship. And even conference championship implications every year. I mean, it’s the same now. We’ve told you how we feel about it. It’s one of our four major goals. And so I really don’t think it’s changed all that much.
