EAST LANSING — Mark Dantonio made his own future clear. The final two games of the regular season will give Michigan State football a better glimpse at what’s ahead for his program.
The Spartans (4-6, 2-5 Big Ten) need to defeat Rutgers (2-8, 0-7) on Saturday and Maryland the following week in order to qualify for a bowl.
It’s a delicate balancing act right now, almost a Catch-22 for Dantonio and his staff. Play the trusted veterans to beat the Scarlet Knights and Maryland and get the bowl berth and extra practices, while also giving experience to freshmen and other inexperienced backups to prepare them for bigger roles next season.