EAST LANSING - The bulk of Mike Tressel's coaching career has been spent at field level.
On the turf, shoulder-to-shoulder with the players, just feet from the action.
That seemed likely to change after he was promoted to Michigan State's defensive coordinator in the offseason. The man in charge of calling the Spartans' defense under coach Mark Dantonio had traditionally done so from the press box, but that isn't a mandate.
Tressel called Michigan State's defense from the sideline in the season-opening win against Utah State, was in the press box the following week for a loss at Arizona State and has been back on the field each of the last two games.