DALLAS – One of biggest questions asked of Michigan State going into this football season was: Who’s going to fill the emotional void from a coaching standpoint?
Head coach Mark Dantonio had promoted Harlon Barnett and Mike Tressel to serve as co-defensive coordinators in place of Pat Narduzzi, who left to build his own program at Pittsburgh and took his renowned fiery temperament with him, but could they inspire the troops in a similar matter?
When defensive lapses cost the Spartans statistically and on the scoreboard in the first half of the season, the wisdom of having two coordinators was also questioned, even though it had worked splendidly for MSU’s offense with Dave Warner and Jim Bollman since 2013.