‘Off-kilter’ MSU routed in 1st game without Tucker

• Tom VanHaaren, ESPN Staff WriterSep 16, 2023, 10:32 PM ET Close ESPN

• staff author Signed up with ESPN in 2011
• Graduated from Central Michigan

In its very first game given that head coach Mel Tucker was suspended, Michigan State suffered a destructive 41-7 loss at home to Washington on Saturday.Interim head coach

Harlon Barnett took over on Sunday after Tucker was suspended amidst an ongoing investigation into claims that he sexually harassed sexual assault awareness speaker Brenda Tracy.Barnett said the suspension was abrupt and the

week was different than what anybody in the program has had to handle but that he thinks the group did everything right in moving on to concentrate on the game versus the Huskies.Editor’s Picks 1 Associated”There were a great deal of different things that happened, but it’s going to all settle down this week,”

Barnett told press reporters after the contest. “I got some things in my mind I want to do as far as me training and try to stabilize us again. Whereas this previous week, we were off-kilter a bit.”The Spartans’ defense quit 713 lawns of offense to Washington, a record for any Michigan State team. Barnett stated he didn’t recognize it was a record. However he said he is going to remember it and everything that happened in the game without reasons for what diversions may or might not have been out there this week for his team.He said he acknowledged the trouble of the week but that he believed his team prepared as finest it could for a strong challenger. He discussed he didn’t wish to focus much on the previous or what had occurred with Tucker however rather on how he can galvanize the team moving on and return a sense of normalcy for his players. “We are a week away from what happened,”Barnett said.” So, those people, that runs out their system; we played the game, played a really excellent group. Therefore, I think they’re ready to go and

comprehend that all of our goals are still in front of us, so that’s a good idea.” Senior offensive lineman J.D. Duplain stated the Spartans players “bought in” to Barnett– who has been with the Michigan State program an overall of 15 seasons throughout his career

— which there was no hesitation that they would trust him the remainder of the method.” Our team purchased in to Coach Barnett; we trust him totally,”Duplain said.”We had excellent unity entering into this weekend, guys were purchased in. I think everybody was mission focused. We just made a lot of mistakes.

And we’re going to return and view film, we’re going to gain from it, because the best teams, they gain from games like this. “Senior pass receiver Tre Mosley echoed Duplain, stating the players did what they might to restrict distractions without Tucker.”The very first day when it came out, it was a shock to everybody. However after that, we did

a great job carrying on since we had an opponent to get ready for, “Mosley stated.”We couldn’t live in the previous or begin to sob, because

Washington didn’t care what was going on with us in our program. So, we needed to go out there and prepare for this game.”Despite the loss, Duplain and Mosley stated the team is eager to return to work and attempt to repair the concerns with Maryland next on its schedule.With or without Tucker, Michigan State (2-1 )is progressing. And regardless of being thrust into the role, Barnett stated he is all set to take the training duties head on now that he has more time to prepare the team.

“There are ups and downs, there are valleys you hit in addition to the mountaintops,”Barnett stated.”This is a valley moment. The good thing about it is you can constantly return from a valley moment if you genuinely think and trust

and then begin to work on the things that need to be worked on.” So, valley moment right now, but we’ll return up to the mountain.”