Michigan State athletic director Alan Haller has requested that the Big Ten review what happened in the postgame altercation on the field at the end of Saturday’s loss at Michigan.
“I was out on the field immediately,” Haller said Monday. “I didn’t see any of the things that I’ve since seen on videotape. I did call the commissioner (Tony Petitti) immediately after the game. I thought the sportsmanship policy should be applied. I requested that the Big Ten look at this.
“I do believe we had a staffer and a player in the scrum. I’m waiting on the conference to look at that and they tell me what they saw.”
Michigan tight end Colston Loveland and Michigan State defensive end Anthony Jones pushed, shoved and butted helmets, triggering a skirmish with the rivals throwing punches as the final seconds ticked off the clock Saturday night. Michigan players left the nearby sideline to join the scrum and Michigan State players rushed over to join the fray.
Video appeared to show Michigan running back Kalel Mullings making a stomping motion while surrounded by bodies but it’s unclear what was on the ground near him.
“I haven’t thoroughly looked at every angle and all that,” Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith said Monday when asked about what he saw. “It was a lot of bodies out there. We had a staff member that was in the fray of it and a player in the fray of it, and that’s what we’re hoping (the Big Ten is) looking into.”
The last time the teams met at the Big House two years ago, a melee broke out in the tunnel with Spartans hitting, kicking and using a helmet to hit Michigan players.
Seven Michigan State players were later charged with crimes and the Big Ten fined the school $100,000. Michigan was reprimanded for failing to provide adequate protection for personnel of both home and visiting teams when entering and leaving the venue.
“I don’t think that situation should have been a criminal incident and I don’t think this should be as well,” Haller said. “This is a sportsmanship policy situation and the conference will look at it. It’s my wish that the same standard that everyone is held to, that they be held to the same standard.”
Michigan coach Sherrone Moore addressed the skirmish in his Monday news conference.
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“The postgame skirmish, just unacceptable, not how we carry ourselves but we will address that internally,” he said. “That’s not how we represent the University of Michigan, the Block M or the winged helmet. We will take care of that so it will never happen again.”
Moore told his players in the locker room that what happened was unacceptable and planned to deliver the same message Monday.
Moore said that the conference had not contacted him regarding the skirmish.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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