Jim Harbaugh accuses Michigan State of planning pregame scuffle
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh was still furious with the Michigan State Spartans a full 48 hours after a pregame scuffle that he accused them of planning.
It started before the game, when Michigan State’s traditional pregame “Spartan walk” took place with Michigan players already on the field for warmups. This started a scuffle, and so infuriated Wolverine linebacker Devin Bush that he tried to deface the Spartan logo on the field.
Harbaugh doubled down on his criticisms Monday during his bye week press conference, claiming Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio and his program planned the walk to coincide with Michigan’s warmups and start an incident, referring to it as “an orchestrated stormtrooper march.”
Well Jim Harbaugh just doubled down on calling Michigan State "bush league." Pulled out a piece of paper and read an old quote from Mark Dantonio: "It's not a product of the team. It's a product of the program."
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) October 22, 2018
Harbaugh: "I see where they’re using the word juvenile. I think that’s trying to brush it under the carpet (coaches were there). Coach Dantonio was right behind it. That had all the ear-markings and evidence of an orchestrated stormtrooper march."
— angelique (@chengelis) October 22, 2018
Harbaugh was asked if he had any issues with Devin Bush tearing up the MSU logo at midfield, said "I don't blame Devin."
Said MSU pulled "one right out of the Pistons playbook" in terms of egging on a situation.
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) October 22, 2018
Harbaugh pretty clearly accusing Michigan State of planning this. Said U-M called ahead and asked them when they were doing their walk. They were given a time. MSU was late. "We were trying to not be out there when they were doing their traditional walk."
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) October 22, 2018
Harbaugh thinks UM and MSU athletic directors need to talk about this situation
— Cody Stavenhagen (@CodyStavenhagen) October 22, 2018
Michigan ended up winning 21-7, and did not hide their jubilation afterward. Dantonio had firmly rebutted Harbaugh’s claims after the game and will likely do so again, but the Michigan coach isn’t prepared to let this go, even if he got the victory.
