EAST LANSING — J’Michael Deane has been around Michigan State for five years, which means he’s been around for four games against Notre Dame.
As the Spartans’ starting right tackle this season for the first time in his career, it’s the first time he’ll actually play against the Fighting Irish.
“I’ll finally be on the field cracking heads with them, and like it’s, I can’t even put into words how excited I am to go out and play in a big game like this and show what I got,” Deane said.
Michigan State plays Notre Dame in a nationally televised game 8 p.m. Saturday at Spartan Stadium. And after a 2-0 start with wins against teams the Spartans were expected to beat, things have been turned up a notch in East Lansing.
Mark Dantonio, who has a 2-1 record against Notre Dame in his three seasons as head coach at MSU and has been a part of nine games against the Irish as a Spartans assistant or head coach over the years, closed practices for the week.
He talked about it being a big game and said the score always seems to be close.
“I think the games are so close because they are recruiting a lot of the guys we’re recruiting and there’s parity in college football,” Dantonio said. “It’s also a game of great emotion one way or another every time”
Deane was the Spartans’ offensive lineman of the week after the season opener against Western Michigan, which was just his fifth career game.
The 6-foot-5, 312-pounder from Toronto said everything about the ND game is special.
“Great things happen at night, and we’re going to come out on fire, first play to the last play, give Notre Dame everything we got and, hopefully, come out with a victory,” he said.
Deane and the offensive line, coupled with the running backs, have been the most successful aspect of the team through two games.
The Spartans have rushed for 522 yards without Larry Caper, last year’s leading rusher who will play this week after missing the first two games with a hand injury.
Expect the Spartans to run some more against Notre Dame.
“Ever since I’ve been here, it’s pound green pound, run the ball,” Deane said. “The team that rushes the ball the most, most of the time seems to win the game.”
Sophomore running back Edwin Baker, who has rushed for 300 yards, said he owes all his success to Deane and the offensive line.
“J. Michael and the guys up front have been tremendous, doing a tremendous job,” Baker said. “The chemistry is great, they are trusting each other and they are opening holes much better than last year. I’m giving all credit to them.”
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Notre Dame allowed 288 yards rushing last week against Michigan in large part because Wolverines quarterback Denard Robinson ran for 258 yards on 28 carries.
The Irish play a 3-4 defensive alignment, and Deane said the key for him is to help move out the three down linemen.
“If you can move them out, our backs are pretty talented,” he said. “Edwin (Baker) tells us just give him a little space to get through. That’s what we’ll be getting reps on in practice to get ready to do. Get on their three downs and give the backs some room.”
[url]http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2010/09/spartans_offensive_lineman_jmi.html
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