Draymond Green Reveals Why He Played in MSU Football Spring Game in 2011

Michigan State men's basketball legend Draymond Green became the butt of a joke when he displayed a rather underwhelming performance in Michigan State football's spring game in 2011.

Feb 13, 2014; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans football head coach Mark Dantonio talks with former Michigan State Spartans forward Draymond Green during the 2nd half of a game at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. MSU won 85-70. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports / Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

One of the funniest moments in the history of Michigan State athletics was when legendary Spartan basketball forward suited up for Michigan State football's spring game in 2011.

Green was notoriously remembered for his false start and getting locked up when he attempted to run a route.

Draymond Green spring game highlights go crazy pic.twitter.com/jCIlBrsFeH

— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) April 20, 2024

It turns out, the false start was not Green's fault. Green gave some insight into his involvement in the 2011 spring game during his recent appearance on the "Club520 Podcast."

"So, this is what happened," Green said. "Over Christmas Break, nobody's on campus. We still have games. And the [football] team comes and gets announced at the game at halftime -- we're at a timeout -- to announce their bowl game before they take off for the bowl game. So, they came over and announced their bowl game during the game, and I said to Coach D [Mark Dantonio] -- at the time, Coach Dantonio was the coach -- I said, 'Coach D, I want to play in the spring game.' And in my mind, I'm just like, I just want to play because I know this is my last opportunity ever in life to play football, so I just want to go out there and play a couple plays. He's like, 'All right, cool.' When I look back on it, it was all a setup. Shoulder pads was f---ed up, I didn't have good cleats.

" ... I come for the game, boom, they tell me, 'You're going to run this play, you're going to line up at tight end, this is your route.' Boom, we get to the huddle, quarterback says we're going on set hit. Bet, we're going on set hit, I got my route, I'm excited as hell, I'm ready to go. Get in my three-point stance, I ain't looking at the ball, I'm excited as s---, I'm about to go catch a pass. I forgot all fundamentals, how you look at the ball when it's snapped, no none of that. So, I'm looking ahead, and I've got this big a-- D end lined up on me, so I'm like, 'I just got to get by him and go get this pass.' The entire offensive line and the entire defensive line yells: 'Hit, hit!' I took off. False start."

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