V-Cast: what we learned at Barnett’s first presser as Michigan State interim head coach

East Lansing, Mich. – Less than two days after Michigan State athletic director Alan Haller and interim university president Teresa Woodruff announced that secondary coach Harlon Barnett would be taking on the role of interim head football coach, Barnett was in front of a microphone at his first press conference in his new role.

Barnett, an All-American defensive back during his playing days Michigan State, has mixed feelings about taking over as head coach of the Spartans under the current circumstances, but is eager to move the program forward past an ongoing sexual harassment investigation the led to the suspension of Mel Tucker on Sunday.

After Barnett’s introductory press conference, SpartanMag staffers Jim Comparoni and Paul Konyndyk sorted through the day’s events, providing analysis and commentary in a V-Cast outside Spartan Stadium on Tuesday.

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AUDITION: Barnett indicated during his first press conference that he has always aspired to be head coach at the collegiate level, and he characterized the opportunity to coach at the school where he was an All-American defensive back a dream. Barnett acknowledged that this is not the way that he envisioned getting an opportunity to be a head coach in college. He did say, however, that he is going to pour everything he has into his chance lead the Michigan State football team.

MISSION FOCUSED: Barnett spent a great deal of time at Tuesday’s press conference answering questions about how players are handling the sudden change within their program in the wake of Mel Tucker’s suspension. Barnett borrowed a long-time Dantonio era staple, lauding the resilience of young people. He also described Michigan State players as mission focused in their preparation for Michael Penix and Washington. During his transition into the role of interim head coach, Barnett has begun meeting with players one-on-one. He met with 27 players on Monday and plans to meet individually with upwards of 20 more today. Barnett’s goal is to have conducted one-on-one meetings with everybody in the Spartan football program by the end of Sunday.

MY GUY: Barnett is excited about working with former Spartan football coach Mark Dantonio, who won three Big Ten championships during his time at the helm of the Spartan program. Barnett has a close relationship with Dantonio, who hired him as his defensive backs coach at Cincinnati. Barnett followed Dantonio to Michigan State from Cincinnati following the 2006 season. Dantonio will be serving in an advisory role for the Spartan football team as an associate head coach. Dantonio joined the team on Monday. He and Barnett began bouncing ideas of one another not long after.

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