EAST LANSING – A work day done, David Dowell and Brandon Sowards exchanged smiles, slapped hands and gave each other half-hugs.
Just a few hours earlier, the two Michigan State teammates barked in each other’s face in a much different manner. That’s the physical nature of football.
“It’s definitely the first day in pads – everything’s a little chippy,” Dowell said. “The coaches want to see that, so we just go ahead and bring it.”
Typically, outside access to MSU’s preseason workouts is limited to stretching, a few light individual drills and shell offensive and defensive sessions.