A lot to like, a ways to go

EAST LANSING - Dan Enos, a coach for the White team, called out the first two offensive plays in the locker room, moments before Saturday's spring game.

Pat Narduzzi, a coach for the Green team, had sneaked into the room. He called the two plays back to Enos, yelled "Thanks!" and ran out.

That got 'em ticked off and fired up on the White side.

Over in the Green locker room, honorary coach Tom Izzo delivered a fiery pep talk, complete with language not fit for publication as if the Final Four was at stake.

"They're making you the underdog in this game, but I was once told anytime you put a jersey on you've got a chance to be a difference maker!" Izzo said. "So let's go out there and be a difference maker!"

Cheers erupted. The Green and White teams took to the Spartan Stadium field with as much fervor as can be expected for an intrasquad game - and then they treated an estimated 27,000 fans to a heck of a contest.

In the end, the Green "underdogs" pulled out a 23-21 win on a 31-yard field goal from reserve kicker Matt Haughey with 1:18 left. Green safety Otis Wiley picked off White quarterback Brian Hoyer to seal it, on a route miscommunication between Hoyer and freshman tight end Garrett Celek.

Izzo and Green head coach Dan Roushar got Gatorade baths. The Green side celebrated their pending steak dinner, while the White side rued a Tuesday meal of pork and beans. Both came together at midfield and agreed that the second spring ball under head coach Mark Dantonio was more productive than the first.

"We're getting rid of the thinking, you know what I mean?" sophomore linebacker Greg Jones said of a defense that looked fast up front - while being victimized downfield by the stars of the day, MSU's receivers.

"I thought we had pretty good execution from all three of our quarterbacks, we caught the ball in traffic very well, we had a limited amount of turnovers," said Dantonio, whose second season begins Aug. 30 at California. "(We had) a couple offsides penalties that we need to take care of, but we held onto the football. I thought we played hard and it came down to a competitive situation in the end, and that's what you like to see.

"I like what's going on, and I like our attitudes."

Both sides battled Saturday, trading the lead five times. Neither team could run (39 attempts for 64 yards combined), the product of a clear defensive advantage in the trenches - and the absence of senior running back Javon Ringer, who had shoulder surgery in the offseason and was held out of contact drills this spring.

"I think the way you look at it is, defensive line is a strength for our team," Hoyer said.

Offensive line, meanwhile, remains a question. MSU must replace four key contributors from last season in Pete Clifford, Kenny Shane, Mike Gyetvai and John Masters.

Junior Rocco Cironi has cemented himself at the critical left tackle spot with a solid spring, but the entire line has yet to mesh. It didn't help that senior guard Roland Martin missed the last half of spring after surgery to remove a bone spur in his ankle.

"Are we far enough along?" said Roushar, the winning head coach, whose full-time job is MSU offensive line coach. "No, we've got a long ways to go."

Dantonio, like Hoyer, said "I think you have to look at the defense" when explaining why there was little room to run and so much pressure on the quarterbacks.

That pressure didn't stop all three passers from hitting for big plays downfield. Hoyer was 13 of 22 for 208 yards and three touchdowns.

Redshirt freshmen Kirk Cousins (12 of 19, 196 yards, one touchdown) and Nick Foles (10 of 15, 99 yards) both played impressively and stayed deadlocked in the race to back up Hoyer in the fall.

At receiver, the big question is who will replace the production of NFL-bound Devin Thomas.

Thomas watched on the sidelines as Mark Dell (six catches, 120 yards) B.J. Cunningham (six catches, 97 yards, one touchdown), Chris D. Rucker (three catches, 90 yards, two touchdowns) and Blair White (four catches, 86 yards, one touchdown) made play after play.

"Our receivers were killing out there today, we all played well," said Cunningham, a redshirt freshman who showed size and sticky hands. "Devin Thomas was a big loss, but we have some guys that are ready to fill his shoes and step up."

Defensively, linebackers Jones and Eric Gordon had 17 tackles, three for losses, between them. Brandon Long had two sacks and Justin Kershaw had one.

It was a sloppy game at times, with 17 penalties for 131 yards between the two teams. But it was still a good show for the fans, a display of fierce competition from the Green and the White.

"It feels good," Jones said. "Both (teams) went through adversity and kept playing."

Contact Joe Rexrode at jrexrode@lsj.com.