
10-17-2008, 06:00 AM
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Capo Regime
Administrator
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Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 40,874
Points: 17,681,788.71
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Total Points: 17,681,788.71
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DFP
Quote:
Buckeye State-bred Spartans pumped for matchup with OSU
BY SHANNON SHELTON ? FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER ? October 17, 2008
EAST LANSING -- When Mark Dantonio became Michigan State's football coach in November 2006, he was cheered by one group of MSU players in particular -- his fellow Ohioans.
"He's the person I wanted to be the head coach here," said senior defensive tackle Justin Kershaw, who is from Columbus. "I was happy. I was real close to going to the school that Coach Dantonio was at. ... It was a strange coincidence, but I'm glad it happened, and a lot of the other guys he recruited in high school were, too."
Dantonio, from Zanesville, Ohio, coached at the University of Cincinnati before joining the Spartans. Twenty-four MSU players are from Ohio, including seniors such as Kershaw, defensive end Brandon Long, running back Javon Ringer and quarterback Brian Hoyer.
But on Saturday, when No. 20 MSU (6-1, 3-0 Big Ten) hosts No. 12 Ohio State (6-1, 3-0), they'll all bleed green -- or, better yet, make the Buckeyes bleed scarlet.
MSU has its best opportunity in close to a decade to beat Ohio State, and the Ohio-bred Spartans have an extra sense of motivation to win the game.
"Being from Columbus, you hear a lot about Ohio State," Kershaw said. "They have a good program, but I'm a Spartan. ... They are the best team in the Big Ten, and in order to get that championship we have to go through them. I'm excited for this game. This is the biggest game that I think this senior class has played in since we've been here."
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