Dantonio: Our guys need to keep their mouths shut

EAST LANSING - Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio is not pleased with comments made by Spartan players on Twitter while they watched Michigan's 41-14 loss to Alabama, Saturday night.

During his weekly press conference on Tuesday, Dantonio said he would address the issue with the players involved.

"I think it is disrespectful," Dantonio said. "I don't think that is something we should be doing. I will deal with that on my end."

Three Michigan State players, including starting linebacker Denicos Allen, third-string running back Nick Hill, and walk-on safety Kyle Artinian, offered critical jabs at Michigan, presumably while watching Michigan lose to Alabama on television.

"The credit goes to the person in the arena, that is the way that I look at things," Dantonio said. "Michigan has a storied tradition. I didn't see much different when we played the University of Alabama a couple of years ago. It is tough. Our guys need to keep their mouths shut. Is that blunt enough? Especially those that aren't even playing."

Michigan State lost to Alabama 49-7 in the Capital One Bowl, at the end of the 2010 season.

Saturday night, Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson struggled, with two first-half interceptions. Robinson finished 11-of-26 on the night, for 200 yards passing and 27 yards rushing.

Allen criticized Robinson on Twitter, posting: "Is this guy really a QB I'll say my mans @TommyVento16 is a better QB lol.

"S/O to my boy vento by the way."

That was in reference to Michigan State walk-on QB Tommy Vento, a fourth-stringer.

Artinian, a redshirt freshman from Grand Blanc who has never been on the field for Michigan State, Tweeted: "Bama why are you such a bully!? Let them get maybe a yard...."

Artinian also Tweeted: "DENARD IS SOOOO BAD! And it makes me feel so good."

Artinian did not make the dress squad for Michigan State's game against Boise State last Friday night.

When Robinson completed a 71-yard pass to Jeremy Gallon, Hill Tweeted: "Even a blind squirrel can get a nut ever once in a while"

When asked if he would shut off the Twitter accounts of those players, Dantonio siad

"Is there a shut-your-account-off that I can just throw a switch? I don't think there is. This is a America. But there are consequences that go along with that. I am not going to say there is not free speech in our program. But I will say what I've said all along. You can't be prideful. You need to approach this game with humility. When it becomes personal, that crosses the line.
 Again, shouldn't have to be talking about this."

Michigan State quarterback Andrew Maxwell was available during Tuesday's press conference. Maxwell, one of three team captains, said he had not yet spoken with Allen, Hill or Artinian on the subject.

"I'm sure Coach Dantonio will address it today (with the team)," Maxwell said. "We have had a lot of training on that (use of Twitter). Guys know the ramifications of it. Saturday night were a couple of instances of poor judgement. I didn't see what exactly was said, but we do know the responsibility we have as players and what we say is going to be seen by a lot of people and we need to exercise better judgement."

Michigan State will go for a fifth straight victory over Michigan, on Oct. 20 in Ann Arbor.

Dantonio on twitter from SpartanMag on Vimeo.