Dantonio Takes Swift Axe to Winston and Jenrette

OK, so maybe in this case we should rush to judgment. Seems pretty clear to me.

Mark Dantonio has dismissed both DB Roderick Jenrette and RB/KR Glenn Winston from the football team for a violation of team rules. Both players are connected to the assault that took place on Sunday night at Rather Hall, just 90 minutes after the football banquet ended.

Good for MD for not putting up with any shenanigans and giving them the boot -- both were promising players for the Spartans, but obviously they couldn't get their act together outside as students or community members. The football team doesn't need these guys around, nor that type of demeanor. Actually, both have missed the last half of the season - Jenrette played a great game vs. Michigan before he broke his foot... and, Winston tore his ACL in the Illinois game.

Dantonio's response was swift and easy, as it didn't take him long to give them the boot. Winston owes the Spartan nation an apology, but particularly coach Dantonio. Dantonio stuck his neck out and gave him a second chance after Winston's 180-day stint in jail for assaulting Spartan hockey player AJ Sturges. Maybe Sturges was right: Winston should have spent a year in jail. My guess is he just might with this stupid act.

Sez the ES? What a couple of dummies, not to mention thugs. Good for coach Dantonio to get this embarassing trash off the Spartan team.

And, let us be clear. It's a free country - coaches can't stand guard over their players 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, or lock them in a closet, and coaches shouldn't be expected to. Athletes are people and need to take personal responsibility for their actions as well as respect the university for the opportunity to be a team member. If they don't have the value set to behave like adults and respect others, they should not be on the team. Dantonio guessed wrong on these two, but he also believes in giving people a chance. Winston and Jenrette had that chance and blew it -- Dantonio's swift response was the right move and he didn't hesitate. It will also help the team move on toward concentrating on the bowl game by quickly putting this mess behind them.

Injuries and redshirts

Injury update: Roderick Jenrette played his ass off on Saturday vs. Michigan, easily the best game of his career; his coverage helped to stymie Tate Forcier... Unfortunately, late in the game he broke his foot and he was certainly missed on the last drive of regulation when scUM tied it up.

QB Kirk Cousins rolled his ankle pretty good vs. the Yellow Bellies, and you could see him limping around during the game. Keith Nichol played his best game as a Spartan in relief; but, Cousins will be fine.

Redshirtin': Sophomore wideout Fred Smith and junior OL Antonio Jeremiah will be redshirted. Both haven't lived up to expectations and other talent has moved up the ladder. Speaking of that, true frosh Blake Treadwell played on the defensive line vs scUM for a significant time period. His redshirt is G-O-N-E, at least for now.