Dantonio Calls Out Fans For Leaving Early: 'We're Trying To Develop A Culture Here'
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
CBS DETROIT - In one of the most anticipated Big Ten matchups of the season, Michigan State led Nebraska, 27-3, heading into the fourth quarter Saturday at Spartan Stadium. The 21st-ranked Cornhuskers staged a furious comeback attempt, however, and the Spartans ended up winning by less than a touchdown.
Many Michigan State fans did not stick around for the end of the game, and athletic director Mark Hollis called them out, noting on Twitter his disappointment and embarrassment regarding empty spaces in the student section. Head coach Mark Dantonio agreed with the athletic director's sentiments.
"I support what Mark Hollis said," Dantonio said. "We're trying to develop a culture here. When you don't get what you want at the end of the game, you have to at least people know that that's not what you want. You have to at least let people know.
As a program, we are prepared to make the changes that will fill Spartan Stadium with Spartan fans that want to be there.
— Mark Hollis (@MarkJHollis) October 6, 2014
"We didn't have them there at the end of the game, and at the end of the game we needed them there," Dantonio continued. "I don't think there's anything wrong with asking why ... We feed off our fans. Our players feed off our fans. They just do ... I'm very appreciative of the people who were there and appreciative of the people who stayed."
The game started at 8 p.m. and did not end until after midnight. While Dantonio acknowledged the time frame, he said the team still would have liked fans to stay.
"It was a late game, but you want a night game, you want a primetime game, everybody wants that," Dantonio said. "There's a price to pay and a sacrifice for those, too."
Throughout the majority of Dantonio's tenure, the Spartans have presented fans with an excellent product on the field. Last season the Spartans won the Big Ten championship and the Rose Bowl, and this season Michigan State has lost just once, on the road against 12th-ranked Oregon.
While six undefeated teams remain in college football, Dantonio expressed confidence that Michigan State can still make the four-team playoff.
"It's all about winning football games," Dantonio said. "If you win, you're going to advance. If you lose by a couple, chances are you don't. Somebody reminded me, 'Hey, we have won 19 out of the last 21 games here. We're 19-2.' So we just keep marching on, we'll be fine.
"I think that if you just continue to win, good things will happen," Dantonio added, "and I can just look back at last year, and there's a great indication in terms of what went on because last year at this time I think we had the same record but we weren't even in the top 25, so we somehow advanced by winning games."
This weekend the Spartans travel to Purdue, where the Boilermakers have a 3-3 record that includes a three-touchdown loss to Central Michigan. Purdue won Saturday, however, on the road against Illinois.
"I think they're staying the course," Dantonio said. "Usually when you stay the course and you allow yourself to - or people allow you to critique what you're doing, you can get better. I think that's what they're doing. They seem to play up to their competition. Maybe when they're favored they play down a little bit. I don't know. But they seem to play up to their competition, and you watch the Notre Dame game, you watch the Iowa game, you watch this past game, you're impressed by what they've done."