Cousins forgives Detroit writer

EAST LANSING - Mark Dantonio on Tuesday angrily refuted the suggestion that redshirt freshman quarterback Kirk Cousins was involved in a fight earlier this month involving Michigan State athletes.

Detroit News columnist Rob Parker, speaking about the fight Sunday night on WDIV-TV in Detroit, said, "The one name that is being thrown out there big time is backup quarterback Kirk Cousins" based on anonymous sources.

Cousins' mother, MaryAnn, said Kirk stayed with the family in the Kellogg Center on the night of Oct. 18, after MSU's home loss to Ohio State. The altercation happened early in the morning of Oct. 19.

"It's just so ridiculous," MaryAnn said. "It's almost too ironic that they'd be implicating someone like Kirk."

The Cousinses will not consider a lawsuit.

"That's not who we are as people," said Don Cousins, Kirk's father. "That's not what we're about as Christians."

Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III said Tuesday that he's still waiting for some witnesses to be interviewed before issuing charges in the fight, which took place at an off-campus house party on Center Street.

Kirk Cousins' name, Dunnings said, has not crossed his desk.

"According to all the information I have on this investigation, there was no Kirk Cousins involved in the situation," Dunnings said, before adding: "We are still gathering information."

Reached on his cell phone, Parker had no comment. However, he later said on WXYT 1270-AM that he heard the Cousins rumor from three separate sources.

"I take offense to that, his family takes offense to that, he was with his family all night, and I think that borders on slander," said Dantonio, who mentioned Parker's name several times.

"Here's a young man who's done everything right," Dantonio said of Cousins, a backup from Holland, "and he's thrown under the bus by someone who has no credibility in my mind."

Don Cousins called Parker on Tuesday. Parker eventually called back, Don and MaryAnn said.

"He was so apologetic, and he said, 'I formally ask for your forgiveness,' " MaryAnn said. "God calls us to forgive him."

MSU athletes from the football and hockey teams were involved in the incident, and one Spartan hockey player, sophomore A.J. Sturges, was hospitalized for two nights with a head injury.

Dunnings said he hopes to get all the information and make a decision on charges this week.

Dantonio reiterated that he won't comment on possible players involved until charges are issued.

"I discipline or we discipline internally, and when things come to a head and people make charges and those types of things, and police are involved, that's when I'll talk about things," he said.

Dantonio did say that freshman offensive lineman Ethan Ruhland did not travel to Saturday's 35-21 win at Michigan because of knee surgery, not because of any kind of discipline.