News and Notes From Spartan Football…11/06/09 Edition

News and Notes From Spartan Football…  For guys like A.J. Jimmerson, this is his week. Jimmerson is coming down to his last three games (not counting a

News and Notes From Spartan Football…

 

• For guys like A.J. Jimmerson, this is his week. Jimmerson is coming down to his last three games (not counting a bowl), and he has had a rough year. Jimmerson is a super high quality kid and I am sure it had to be disheartening this season. With injuries and attrition all over the field, he needs a great week of practice, with Caper receiving a concussion last week, to get some reps in the WMU game. I, for one, am rooting for the kid.Â�� I love to see good people succeed and he is one.
• Mark Dantonio has taken a bunker mentality this week. I don’t have any issues with it, but I do have to wonder what the impression he gives his players. When I do my post-season recap, I will dig and find out. He stresses so much about staying consistent with his routine and then does this. I could really care less what it means from a media perspective, this is about his team. I can’t wait to see how they read it.
• One of my NFL buddies asked me something last week that has bothered me. The reason is that I had noticed it as others have and last night I asked Coach Ted Gill about it. I have been around a lot of NFL practices and one thing they STRESS is that if you can’t get to the QB get your hands up in the air. This team doesn’t do that well. At all! Go back and watch any game. So my friend from the NFL cited the Iowa game at the goal line and the Minnesota game he said, “On several occasions,” that it could have been very beneficial to the Spartans. I asked Coach Gill (CLICK HERE to watch the video) about it and he says that he is happy with it. I even followed up the question asking again sure that I had heard him wrong and I didn’t. I will stay away from this for now, but this subject WILL be revisited with you all this off-season.
• There have been a lot of bad calls this season, and they have been equal, in my opinion, for and against MSU. I hate the refs stink argument for losses. There is no doubt that they hurt. There is also no doubt that MSU had its chances to beat Minnesota and didn’t.
• FB Josh Rouse was injured in camp and had surgery. He is finally cleared to practice and you should see him back on the sidelines this Saturday. He won’t play because he will red shirt and be back next season. He is a good kid and I am glad that he will get the opportunity to play.  He has EARNED it.
• People in almost every Big Ten city are clamoring for the Big Ten to improve their officials. I, for one, think they could start by following the lead of the SEC. If guys stink, suspend them. These guys are getting paid and they are adults. If those kids can have their numbers called when they screw up and the coaches can get publicly excoriated, why are the officials treated like china dolls? Call them out and suspend them when they stink. I know that the term “Profit Motive” isn’t popular these days, but it is a cornerstone of American culture. With the millions that Big Ten football generates, use a bonus system. Outside of those simple things, other than full time refs this will never get fixed and the argument is mute.
• One area about officiating that can be fixed is the replay booth. It would seem to anyone with a brain that these calls should be no brainers.
• World-renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Lanny Johnson performed the surgeries on every major athlete prior to his retirement. He is praised all over the planet as the father of modern orthopedic surgery and a life-long friend. After watching Keith Nichol throw a third down pass into the ground six yards in front of his intended target, he sent me this note, “It is well known that a injury to the non-throwing arm of a QB will disrupt throwing. For instance a NFL QB can play with a shoulder separation on the throwing arm, but not the non-throwing arm. Why? The non-throwing arm is used for balance, which determines the accuracy of the throw. Case in point: Nichols terrible throw against MN. Until his left arm is well he will not throw with accuracy.” Good point that I would have never thought of.
• With only three games left (regular season) in his career, Brett Swenson is fighting now for an NFL career. His kickoffs are not long enough as of now, and at the next level, where roster spots are golden, they won’t carry a place kicker and a kickoff guy. I was talking about this with a well-respected NFL kicker who I know. He told me, “If you can’t kickoff, you can’t play in the NFL as a kicker.” Teams will take a long hard look because of his accuracy, but if he doesn’t fix the length, it could move him from getting drafted late (a kicker drafted is almost guaranteed a roster spot) to being a free agent with a tough uphill battle. Not just for the Spartan Nation’s sake, but also for one of the all time great people, let’s all hope Brett fixes this in these last three games.
• I can understand people being frustrated with some of the play calling by this staff. I agree. I am also shocked at how, in some people’s thinking, they can go from great to bums. People make mistakes. People make bad calls, but the way some have turned on the staff just shocks me. With 25% of the season remaining, calling for people’s heads and jobs is just foolish.
• This week’s honorary captain is legendary Michigan High School football coach and a man that many don’t know was a MSU football player. He is the head coach of Birmingham Brother Rice; of course I am talking about the great Al Fracassa. 
• Courtesy of MSU SID John Lewandowski I give you this. The Spartan Football Awards Banquet is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 22 at the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center in East Lansing, Mich. A reception begins at 4 p.m. with the dinner, player introductions and awards program to follow at 5 p.m. Tickets for the Spartan Football Awards Banquet are priced at $45 each, with tables of eight available for $360. Reservations can be made by sending a check, payable to Michigan State University, to: Spartan Football Awards Banquet, Duffy Daugherty Football Building/Skandalaris Center, East Lansing, MI 48824. For additional information, regarding the awards banquet, contact the MSU Football Office at (517) 355-1647.
• The Big Ten Network is televising four football games at noon ET on Saturday. In all, seven Big Ten teams will be in action on our air at the same time. To complicate matters, we have three Michigan-based teams on at the same time. Fans need to check www.bigtennetwork.com/gamefinder to get specific channel numbers for games in their area. 
• I will have a lot of little nuggets and some injury talk my scouting report and prediction article that will be up later today about 2:30 or 3 P.M.  See you then.