Starting safety Jenrette out for MSU

EAST LANSING - Roderick Jenrette proved to be one of the biggest defensive stars in Michigan State's 26-20 overtime win over Michigan on Saturday.

As it turns out, it will be the junior safety's last action for a while.

Jenrette broke his right foot late in the fourth quarter and will miss a significant amount of time, coach Mark Dantonio said Sunday night.

Jenrette - a 6-foot-1, 205-pound native of Tampa, Fla. - had four tackles and a pass breakup against the Wolverines in his second straight start at strong safety.

"We may get him back toward the end of the season, but we'll see," Dantonio said. "Roderick Jenrette played a tremendous football game, I thought."

The loss of Jenrette means more shuffling in the defensive backfield. Junior Marcus Hyde started the first three games of the season at strong safety and has 24 tackles, two of which came Saturday.

"We've had guys who've been able to play in and out of our situations, (so) we've got guys with a lot of experience," Dantonio said. "For the long haul, it's good - it makes us stronger."

GOOD TO GO: Quarterback Kirk Cousins injured his right ankle in the first quarter Saturday, but Dantonio said the sophomore will be fine.

Cousins said he tweaked the ankle on a 7-yard run to the U-M 1, where he was hit by four players. It set up Larry Caper's first touchdown run on the following play, which was fourth down.

"I thought Kirk showed a great demeanor and heart playing through his injury a little bit," Dantonio said. "(He) couldn't continue to play at the end of the game and be as effective, (was) very unselfish and said, 'Hey, let the other guy go.' "

Cousins finished the game 15-of-21 passing for 152 yards and threw two interceptions, both of which came after contact was made by a defender. Cousins was also the teams leading rusher with 75 yards, including a 41-yard run.

Fellow sophomore Keith Nichol was 5-of-8 passing for 68 yards. He played the final drive of regulation and led the Spartans' scoring drive in OT.

SECOND CHANCES: Sophomore Glenn Winston - after being suspended from the team due to a fight which occurred last year and having served four months in jail this summer - scored his first career touchdown on a 15-yard, fourth-quarter run.

"I think he's a good guy for sticking by me," Winston said of Dantonio after the game. "I brought a whole lot of negative attention, but I just say he's a real good guy."

On Sunday, Dantonio talked about his relationship with running back Winston, who made his first career start against U-M:

"(I'm) not naive. I've said this before - you gotta win football games here, but you also have to see yourself as a mentor. Some people come with more opportunities and some people have a strong father figure and others sort of find their way through.

"When he had the problems - and I feel terrible for all parties involved in this - when it's your son you do what you can for him and you try and get him squared away and you try and help him and bring him back.

"I look at our players, in some respect, as my children. And so I think that he deserves a second opportunity if he's paid his debt, and I believe he has. I believe he's paid a very big debt. ... I've just tried to treat him like I would want to be treated."

MAKING MOVES: Dantonio said he'll give redshirts to sophomore wide receiver Fred Smith and junior Antonio Jeremiah. Jeremiah will redshirt due to a position change from nose tackle to offensive line.

Meanwhile, true freshman Blake Treadwell made his collegiate debut at defensive tackle Saturday and was in for 15 plays.

The East Lansing High grad is the son of MSU offensive coordinator Don Treadwell and is also Dantonio's godson.

"I would assess his play as a solid B, especially as a freshman," Dantonio said. "He'll continue to play, and he's gonna be a very good football player."