What Mel Tucker said about Michigan football before in-state rivalry matchup

Michigan Wolverines football will host Michigan State Saturday night at The Big House in what Spartans head coach Mel Tucker, who’s 16-11 as MSU’s head man, called “not just another game for us.”

Ranked No. 4 nationally and undefeated at 7-0, Michigan is a 21.5-point favorite over the 3-4 Spartans, a nearly identical spread to the 2020 game, which MSU won, 24-21, in front of no fans at The Big House.

“Just play complementary football for 60 minutes, be tough, be selfless, be disciplined,” Tucker, who posted a 5-7 record at Colorado in 2019 before leaving for Michigan State, said Monday when asked if the Spartans can take anything from the 2020 contest. “Take care of the football. The week before we played that game, we turned the ball over 7 times. We didn’t turn the ball over that week. We were able to get the win.

“We’re preparing to go down there and play a game. It takes intentional focus, it takes toughness, discipline, being selfless. That what it takes. Whether you want to call it circle the wagons or a bunker mentality or taking it to the mattresses or us against the world — whatever you want to call it — it is what it is. Nothing has changed, it’s always going to be that way.”

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It’ll be an electric environment in front of more than 110,000 fans Saturday night, and Tucker said the Spartans are simulating crowd noise at practice during the week. He and his team are planning on embracing the environment and opportunity against one of the nation’s elite.

“This is what big-time college football is all about,” said Tucker, who’s 2-0 against Michigan. “This is not for everyone, but this is what you love to do. So when you get an opportunity and coach on a stage like that, it’s special. Not everyone has an opportunity to do something like that, to perform in front of the world. Lay it on the line and put it all out there. That’s what our players expect to do when you come here to Michigan State, to play on national TV versus great teams on a huge stage.

“… Certainly, it’s a great opportunity and I’m looking forward to seeing our guys play their best 60 of the season.”

Preparing to play Michigan is a 365-day venture in East Lansing.

“When it’s in-state, it’s different,” Tucker said. “You’re fighting over the same recruits, you’re traveling in the same circles with the alums — workplaces divided, households divided, things like that.

“There are bragging rights you talk about every single day. There’s not a day that’s gone by since I’ve been here it hasn’t come up about this game. When you’re in close proximity like that, I think it just adds to the intensity of it.”

Mel Tucker talks Michigan run game

Michigan has a Heisman Trophy contender in junior running back Blake Corum, and another weapon out of the backfield in sophomore Donovan Edwards. The Maize and Blue rank tied for seventh nationally with 241.7 rushing yards per game, and are fresh off a 418-yard day on the ground against then-No. 10 Penn State.

“They have a good line,” Tucker began. “They’re well-coached. Their backs run hard. They can make you miss, they can run you over, they play hard. The receivers block, and the tight ends block.

“They’ll formation you. They’re going to shift and they’re going to motion, make sure you’re sound and make sure you can fit the runs. Make sure you’re in position. They have a good scheme and they have good players.”

Michigan State has been susceptible to giving up big runs this season, too, allowing nine carries of 20-plus yards and five of 30-plus yards. Corum and Edwards each had 60-plus yard touchdown runs against the Nittany Lions, and the former slots tied for third in the country with 15 rushes of 15 or more yards.

“They have really good players, so when you’re in a position to make the play, you have to be able to make that play,” Tucker said. “Just generally speaking, versus the run, we have to set edges and build a wall inside. You have to have gap integrity and make sure the ball doesn’t run through your gap. Then we have to make sure we don’t leave it up to just one guy so we can’t go one-for-one on blocking schemes.

“We have to be able to secure our gap, our initial responsibility, then once the ball challenges your gap, you have to violently shed and finish on the ball so we can get population on the ball and finish on top. Don’t leave it up to one guy, we have to do a really good job on perimeter runs, which is on the edges with whoever the support guy is.”

Mel Tucker on ‘really good’ Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy

Michigan sophomore quarterback J.J. McCarthy has the nation’s highest completion percentage (77.1) and has thrown for 1,297 yards and 9 touchdowns with 2 interceptions. He’s also third on the team with 147 rushing yards and a score, and he has the ability to extend plays with his legs.

“He’s a really good player,” Tucker said of Michigan’s signal-caller. “He’s very confident, hyper competitive. Has got a good arm, he believes in his arm and arm strength. He’s accurate with the ball. He’s very mobile, so he can extend plays, have really good designed quarterback runs for him to take advantage of his speed and quickness.

“They do a really good job from a scheme standpoint to make sure they take advantage of what the defense gives them in terms of whether it’s free access or short, quick throws, screens. They do a great job of protecting him when they want to take shots down the field, so they step up and help clean the pocket and be efficient.

“He’s got a lot of good players around him. He’s a good player with good players around him with good scheme. They play hard and they’re well-coached. I think that’s why they’re playing at a high level.”