FBGP"s 2016 East West Shrine Game Practice Awards: West Team
EAST LANSING Linebacker Darien Harris, one of three Michigan State players in today"s East-West Shrine Game, said he"s ready to get back to some real football after a week of training in St. Petersburg.
"It will be a physical game out there, and it will be a real game, not like the NFL Pro Bowl where guys are out there laughing," said Harris, one of three captains on the 12-2 Big Ten champion Spartans last season.
"I think it will be enjoyable for the fans to watch," Harris said of the 4 p.m. game at Tropicana Field (TV: NFL Network). "For us, we"re going out there to compete and win the football game. It"s a blessing I get to play another football game at the college level and wear the Spartan helmet again."
Harris and offensive lineman Donavon Clark will be on the East team, while safety RJ Williamson will be playing for the West.
Harris played outside linebacker for MSU, so he has worked this week to show NFL scouts that he can also play inside linebacker, a spot he played during the Spartans" win over Stanford in the Rose Bowl.
"About 80 percent of my snaps at Michigan State were from outside the box, and talking to coaches after this season, they like how I revolutionized that "star" linebacker position," Harris said. "So this week I"ve looked forward to lining up over the guard and center. I"m showing that even though I"m a little undersized at 221 pounds, I can play inside the box."
Clark split his time between right guard and right tackle last season, but he projects inside at the next level, according to Spartans" offensive line coach Mark Staten.
"Donavon Clark is a big athlete, who doesn"t let the little things bother him," Staten said in the school"s all-star game press release. "He has the ability and skill set to play all five offensive line positions. Donavon should project as an interior guy in the NFL. He"s also a great teammate. It didn"t matter if you were a younger guy or an older guy, Donavon always greeted you with a smile and knew how to make you laugh."
Williamson was enjoying the most productive season of his career before suffering a torn biceps muscle against Purdue on Oct. 3 and missing the next eight games.
Co-defensive coordinator Harlon Barnett said the 6-foot, 216-pound Williamson improved throughout his career.
"He"s a very intelligent player, who"s rarely caught out of position," Barnett said. "His intelligence also allowed him to make a lot of big plays for our defense throughout his career."
SPARTANS NOTES
Harris defends Cook: Harris said inan NFL.com interview this week that the questions about Connor Cook"s character are "a mystery" to him and other Michigan State players who "loved" their quarterback inside the locker and felt he was "the best quarterback in the country." Harris was in the same signing class with Cook in 2011 and said he knows his family well. "For how close and tight-knit the team was," Harris said, "it"s been kind of blasphemous, the amount of things that have been said about him."
Senior Bowl Spartans: MSU two-time All-American center Jack Allen, 2015 Big Ten Receiver of the Year Aaron Burbridge and defensive lineman Lawrence Thomas will take part in the Reese"s Senior Bowl activities in Mobile, Alabama, next week leading up to that Jan. 30 all-star game. Cook withdrew weeks ago, and ShiliqueCalhoun pulled out Monday. Harris said he"s been training with Calhoun in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and that Calhoun was disappointed his wrist hadn"t healed enough to play. "He was looking forward to competing, but it was best for him to let it heal," Harris said. "He had a pretty significant brace he had to wear on that brace every game we played." Cook, of course, finished the season wearing a brace on the shoulder he injured against Maryland on Nov. 14.
Heisman worthy: Harris said he gained a great deal of respect for Navy"s record-setting quarterback Keenan Reynolds, who is looking to play as a tailback or receiver at the next level. "He was definitely worthy of being up for the Heisman," Harris said. "I"d put him with the best of the best, Playing against (Marcus) Mariota was an experience, but I could say the same thing about playing against Keenan Reynolds with his ability to get on the edge and get up to speed in a short window, and also his toughness and physicality."
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Source: http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2016/01/michigan_state_notes_darien_ha.html
