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Michigan State nose tackle Oren Wilson will serve 21 days in jail for his involvement in the November residence hall assault.

Wilson's sentence Wednesday wasn't a major surprise, as he had pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor assault and battery after admitting to kicking one person and punching another in the Nov. 22 incident. He also received 12 months probation and community service.

All 11 sentences have now been handed out to the Michigan State players who pleaded guilty to assault. Four have received jail time -- Glenn Winston (180 days), Roderick Jenrette (90 days), Wilson and Fred Smith (five days) -- while the others got probation and community service. Four players charged were reinstated last week for spring practice, while five are seeking transfers and both Winston and Jenrette were dismissed Nov. 24.

The really interesting news coming out of Wilson's sentencing hearing were the statements made by Wilson's lawyer, Andrew Abood, to reporters. Abood said that Wilson wants to return to the team and would soon reach out to Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio.

Last week, Dantonio said Wilson was in the process of seeking a transfer.

“Oren’s first choice would be to stay at Michigan State and be on the football team in fall,” Abood said. “He’s the type of guy who would be wanted in the trenches when MSU plays Michigan. He should be back on the football team.”

"My understanding -- and I haven’t heard this from inside Duffy Daugherty [football offices] -- is that everybody involved except [Glenn] Winston and [Roderick] Jenrette -- would have a chance to be reinstated to the team," Abood said. "This is Oren’s first mistake, and I believe he’s a person of character. Hopefully, he will get another chance."

Dantonio now faces an important decision. He has said he will continue to give players second chances, even after the embarrassing residence hall mess. On the other hand, he doesn't want to come off too soft on discipline, a criticism that some have already raised.

Wilson's case is unique because his involvement in the assault wasn't known until mid January, and unlike 13 other players present at the residence hall, Wilson participated in the Alamo Bowl. The other 13 players had been suspended before the bowl game.

Translation: Wilson hid his involvement from Dantonio and the coaching staff until authorities identified him. That's a pretty major betrayal of trust, as there's no way Dantonio would have allowed Wilson to play in the Alamo Bowl had he known of Wilson's role at Rather Hall.

Of all the players not returning to MSU, Wilson was arguably the most valuable. He has started 26 games at nose tackle and would anchor a young defensive line in 2010.

But if Dantonio reinstates the senior, he should expect to take a lot of heat from the outside. And if Wilson does get another chance, he likely would face a multiple-game suspension to begin the 2010 season. Anything less would really look soft of MSU's part.

Spring practice is about to get under way at Michigan State, and four players convicted in last year's residence hall assault have been reinstated to the team.

Head coach Mark Dantonio said Tuesday that cornerback Chris L. Rucker, offensive linemen J'Michael Deane and wide receivers Mark Dell and B.J. Cunningham, all of whom received probation and community service after pleading guilty to misdemeanor assault, are back on the team. Wide receivers Donald Spencer and Chris D. Rucker, suspended for being present at the Nov. 22 incident but never charged, also are back for the spring.

Dantonio confirmed that wide receiver Myles White and nose tackle Oren Wilson will transfer. White was sentenced Monday to probation and community service, and Wilson faces sentencing March 31. The status of wide receiver Fred Smith, sentenced Friday to five days in jail plus probation and community service, will be determined when his legal issues are over. Eleven current or former players pleaded guilty in the incident, and six -- White, Wilson, Ashton Leggett, Jamiihr Williams, Glenn Winston and Roderick Jenrette -- are no longer with the program.

I fully expected reinstatement for Cunningham, Dell, Deane and Chris L. Rucker, who had no prior indiscretions. White and Wilson deserved heavier punishment, potentially dismissal from the team, because their involvement in the assault didn't come to light until January. Wilson even played in the Alamo Bowl, a privilege he didn't deserve. But it's all moot now as both players will be transferring.

I spoke with Dantonio moments ago, and while I'll have a two-part Q&A with the coach this afternoon and Wednesday, a few notes and quotes for now.

• Dantonio, on the off-field problems Michigan State has faced: "You’re going to fall down at times. We have the same problems that society has in a lot of ways, and because we live in a fishbowl a little bit, there's going to be higher consequences, more public scrutiny and things of that nature. But you do always have to believe in your young people. That helps them grow, and that’s what we’ll do."
• During the winter, Dantonio put a greater emphasis on the team's Unity Council and held 90-minute weekly seminars for players that featured guest speakers, including former players and a criminal justice professor. "We talked about the law, talked about our players’ rights, talked about consequences," Dantonio said. "When you make a decision, it’s not a quick fix judiciously. Our players need to understand that. It’s not over and done with when you do make a mistake. We're just trying to educate and be proactive, and I think it draws our team together."
• The big personnel news of the day is Keith Nichol's move from quarterback to wide receiver. Nichol remains an option at quarterback, but with greater depth behind Kirk Cousins this spring, he has a better chance to make big contributions at receiver. Nichol played some wideout during the Alamo Bowl but will spend much more time there this spring. Dantonio said Cousins has earned the starter's tag entering the spring after a solid sophomore season. Nichol is listed as both a first-team wide receiver and a second-string quarterback on the team's spring depth chart. "Keith is an outstanding athlete," Dantonio said. "He's played quarterback for us and he should continue to be thought of in that light somewhat. He would always be able to move back in there. ... But I also think that he can be an outstanding wide receiver, as proven in bowl practice. ... He needs to get on the football field for us."
• Dantonio identified offensive line and kicker as the two most critical areas to develop in spring ball. The Spartans lose three starters on the offensive line, including standout center Joel Nitchman, as well as first-team All-Big Ten kicker Brett Swenson.
• Some wonderful news about Spartans offensive lineman Arthur Ray Jr., who has kept his dream of playing football alive after battling bone cancer. Ray is finally off crutches and able to run and do individual drills. "His bone is healing," Dantonio said. "He hopes to play in the near future, within maybe a year. We'll have to petition for that. We would have room for [Ray on the roster]. That's something the doctors have to decide on. Me, personally, and our entire football staff, are thrilled to have Arthur out there every single day. ... I can look at him now and say there is a possibility [of him playing]." There are plenty of folks rooting for Ray, myself included.
• Defensive end David Rolf is transferring to be closer to his family. Defensive tackle Cameron Jude's status is unclear as he works through academic and personal issues.
• Defensive tackle Jerel Worthy doesn't appear on the spring depth chart because he underwent offseason shoulder surgery and will be limited in practice

Here's the saddest thing about Glenn Winston's tumultuous tenure at Michigan State.

If you Google his name and "sentenced" and "six months in jail," you come up with two separate sets of entries.

For the second time in his young life, Winston was sentenced to six months in jail Monday for his role in the November residence hall fight. Winston pleaded guilty last month to two misdemeanors -- conspiracy to commit assault and battery, and assault and battery -- and to violating his parole from a previous assault conviction.

He served four months in jail last summer for his role in an off-campus assault that left Spartans hockey player A.J. Sturges seriously injured. Michigan State reinstated Winston to the team on the same day he was released from jail after serving a reduced sentence.

Eleven current or former Michigan State players have pleaded guilty in the Nov. 22 incident at Rather Hall, which took place following a fraternity (Iota Phi Theta) potluck function. Three players -- Winston, former safety Roderick Jenrette and current wide receiver Fred Smith -- have received jail time and probation. Winston and Jenrette, the two reportedly at the center of the incident, were dismissed from the team Nov. 24. Smith has been indefinitely suspended.

Seven players have received probation and community service, including wide receiver Myles White, who was sentenced Monday. White, by the way, tells The State News that he intends to transfer from Michigan State.

Nose tackle Oren Wilson is the last player waiting for a sentence, which will be handed down March 31. Head coach Mark Dantonio is expected to rule on the players' status after all the legal proceedings have concluded.

I keep thinking back to Dantonio's surprising decision to reinstate Winston in August. I'm not against second chances, and Winston, who comes from a very rough background, absolutely deserved one. But Michigan State took an enormous risk in bringing him back to campus, especially since his actions directly impacted another student-athlete (Sturges). As we now know, the decision totally backfired on Dantonio.

Helping Winston get a fresh start at another school might have been the more prudent choice.

Three days after Winston's reinstatement, Sturges issued a statement to ESPN.com that read in part: "While I hope what happened to me will never happen again, I am afraid the precedent set by this decision will only enable similar incidents in the future. With no formal athletic standards or means to deal with student athletes convicted of a violent crime, this cycle will continue."

Less than four months later, Winston was at the center of a similar incident, another assault involving Michigan State students that left an even larger stain on the football program.

Michigan State has some work to do to remove that stain. Spring practice begins Tuesday.

Five current or former Michigan State players involved in the November residence hall fight learned their fates Friday, and two received jail time.

Former Spartans safety Roderick Jenrette was sentenced to 90 days in jail, while current MSU wide receiver Fred Smith was sentenced to five days behind bars. Smith also received 18 months probation and 150 hours of community service.

Two other current players, cornerback Chris L. Rucker and offensive linemen J'Michael Deane, received 12 months probation and 150 hours of community service. Former Spartans defensive end Jamiihr Williams received 18 months probation and 15o hours of community service. Rucker, Deane and Williams all had pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and battery.

Eight of the eleven players who pleaded guilty in the Nov. 22 assault at Rather Hall now have been sentenced, with Jenrette and Smith the first to receive jail time. Former running back Glenn Winston, dismissed from the team with Jenrette on Nov. 24 and reportedly at the center of the incident, will be sentenced Monday and faces up to a year in jail.

Current MSU receiver Myles White also will be sentenced Monday, and current nose tackle Oren Wilson will be sentenced March 31. Seven players involved in the fight remain with the team but indefinitely suspended.

Michigan State starts spring practice Tuesday, and it will be interesting to see how head coach Mark Dantonio handles the suspended players. Team spokesman John Lewandowski released a statement last week saying Dantonio wouldn't make a final ruling until all the court cases are concluded. Wilson's is the last one to wrap up.

I still expect the majority of the seven suspended players to be back with the team. Wilson and White could face the toughest penalties from the team because of the delay in the coaching staff learning of their involvement.

Here's a rundown of the 11 current or former players involved in the Rather Hall fight:

• WRs B.J. Cunningham and Mark Dell: Still on the team but suspended; pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and battery; had conspiracy charge dropped; sentenced to 18 months probation and 150 hours of community service last week.
• RB Ashton Leggett: Transferred to Illinois State; pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and battery; had conspiracy charge dropped; sentenced to 18 months probation and 150 hours of community service last week.
• S Roderick Jenrette: Dismissed from the team Nov. 24; pleaded guilty to misdemeanor aggravated assault and misdemeanor assault; sentenced Friday to 90 days in jail; will begin serving sentence in April.
• WR Fred Smith: Remains with the team but indefinitely suspended; pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit assault; had misdemeanor assault charge dropped; sentenced Friday to five days in jail, 18 months probation and 150 hours of community service.
• CB Chris L. Rucker and OL J'Michael Deane: Both remain with the team but indefinitely suspended; pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault; had conspiracy charge dropped; sentenced Friday to 12 months probation and 150 hours of community service.
• DE Jamiihr Williams: Left the team; pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault; had conspiracy charge dropped; sentenced Friday to 18 months probation and 150 hours of community service.
• RB Glenn Winston: Dismissed from team Nov. 24; pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor assault and violating his probation; will be sentenced Monday.
• WR Myles White: Remains with the team; pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault but had conspiracy charge dropped; will be sentenced Monday.
• NT Oren Wilson: Remains with the team; pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor assault; had conspiracy charge dropped; will be sentenced March 31.

The final three Michigan State players charged in the Nov. 22 residence hall incident have pled guilty to assault.

Nose tackle Oren Wilson, cornerback Chris L. Rucker and wide receiver Myles White each entered the pleas Thursday as part of agreements with the prosecutor's office. Wilson pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor assault and battery, telling a judge he kicked one person and punched another at Rather Hall. Both Rucker and White pleaded guilty to one count of misdemeanor assault and battery.

The more serious charge of conspiracy was dropped against all three men. They await sentencing next month.

Wilson wasn't charged in the incident until Jan. 26 and was allowed to play in the Alamo Bowl on Jan. 2.

All 11 current or former Michigan State players charged in the incident have now pled guilty. Head coach Mark Dantonio has indefinitely suspended the seven players still with the team, and they're not participating in the team's winter conditioning program.

Dantonio is expected to make a final ruling on the players' status after the legal process concludes.

The two players reportedly at the center of the incident, running back Glenn Winston and safety Roderick Jenrette, have been dismissed from the team.

The sentences are scheduled to come down in mid to late March. Michigan State begins spring practice March 23.

Two more Michigan State players have pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and battery in connection with the Nov. 22 residence hall incident that has cast a dark cloud over the program.

Wide receivers B.J. Cunningham and Mark Dell, both of whom started games this season, entered the guilty pleas as part of an agreement where the more serious charges of conspiracy to commit assault were dropped against them. Both players are scheduled to be sentenced March 8 and face up to 90 days in jail, though it's unlikely they'll receive jail time.

Former Spartans running back Ashton Leggett reached a similar plea agreement Jan. 14, and his lawyer told the Lansing State Journal that the prosecutor is not seeking jail time.

Dell admitted to punching Michigan State student Brent Mitchell after a potluck function held by the Iota Phi Theta fraternity at the residence hall. Mitchell was briefly hospitalized after the incident. Cunningham admitted to kicking someone during the assault.

Both Dell and Cunningham were suspended in December and missed the Alamo Bowl, though they were allowed to attend a team meeting earlier this month. Cunningham ranked second on the team in both receptions (48) and receiving yards (641) in 2009, while Dell ranked third in both categories (26 receptions, 449 yards).

Iota Phi Theta national president Karl Price told me that the potluck event was over by the time the football players arrived. The fraternity's internal investigation identified three victims -- one Iota Phi Theta member and two other MSU students -- as well as five or six eyewitnesses at the residence hall.

"Apparently, this group came in with the specific purpose of looking for Iotas," Price said. "The only reason they knew Mitchell was an Iota was because he was wearing a [fraternity] shirt. From what I understand, at least four of them jumped on him."

Price said there have been previous incidents between the Michigan State football team and Iota Phi Theta members in the past, but nothing in recent months or involving these players in particular.

According to a Michigan State team official, there has been no status change for both Dell and Cunningham. Five other current players and one player planning to transfer from MSU have pretrial hearings in February. If more guilty pleas are coming, it'll be interesting to see how head coach Mark Dantonio handles things.

Several of the players involved in the assault aren't coming back to the Spartans, and Dantonio has dismissed Glenn Winston and Roderick Jennrette, the two players reportedly at the center of the incident. But Dantonio likely will face some heat if he reinstates everyone.

The problems at Michigan State continue as two more football players have been charged with misdemeanor assault and conspiracy in connection with a Nov. 22 incident at an on-campus residence hall.

Junior defensive tackle Oren Wilson and redshirt freshman wide receiver Myles White both face assault and conspiracy charges. Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio on Tuesday indefinitely suspended both players from all football-related activities. Both Wilson and White must turn themselves in for arraignment.

"As with the previously suspended players, their status with the team will be re-evaluated on a case-by-case basis as their legal issues are resolved," Dantonio said in a statement issued through the school's sports information department.

Eleven players now have been charged in the incident, which took place during a fraternity potluck function held the same night of Michigan State's team banquet. Four other players were suspended from the team for being present at the residence hall, though none faces charges.

Wilson started for Michigan State in the Alamo Bowl on Jan. 2, while White was suspended for the game for an unrelated incident. Dantonio, through a spokesman, said he didn't know Wilson and White were present at the residence hall until being notified of the forthcoming charges late last week. Though the suspensions were announced Tuesday, the punishments went into effect last week.

Dantonio handed down suspensions or dismissals for all the other players identified as being at the residence hall before the Alamo Bowl. Players were given opportunities to come forward about their involvement in the incident, but both Wilson and White declined to do so. MSU police in early December identified 10 suspects in the assault and were hoping to identify five more. Now we know that all 15 suspects were football players.

Still, it's troubling that more than two months have passed before Spartans coaches knew Wilson and White were involved.

Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings told the Lansing State Journal: "MSU Police has wonderful investigators and to me, it was never a question of if these two individuals were going to be identified, just a question of when."

Here's the breakdown of what's happening with the 15 players:

• Running back Glenn Winston and safety Roderick Jenrette, who face charges and had previous legal issues, have been dismissed from the team.
• Running back Ashton Leggett pleaded guilty Jan. 14 to two counts of misdemeanor assault as part of a plea agreement in which a more serious conspiracy charge against him was dropped. Leggett since has transferred to Illinois State. Defensive end Jamiihr Williams, who also faces charges, will transfer as well.
• Brynden Trawick and Ishmyl Johnson, who were suspended for being at the residence hall but not charged, are transferring.
• Five players who face charges -- cornerback Chris L. Rucker, offensive lineman J'Michael Deane and wide receivers, Mark Dell, B.J. Cunningham and Fred Smith -- had their pretrial hearings postponed earlier this month. Dantonio allowed them to attend a team meeting several weeks ago, but their ultimate status will be determined after the legal process concludes. Wilson and White both are now in the same boat as these players.
• Donald Spencer and Chris D. Rucker were suspended but not charged and attended a team meeting earlier this month.

Obviously, this remains a messy situation for Dantonio and Michigan State, which could be without a sizable chunk of the roster when spring practice begins.

Former Michigan State running back Ashton Leggett pleaded guilty earlier today to two counts of misdemeanor assault and battery, while a more serious charge of conspiracy to commit assault was dropped against him as part of a plea agreement.

The pretrial hearings for the eight other current or former Michigan State players facing assault and conspiracy charges were postponed today. Leggett, who appeared in six games for the Spartans in 2009, since has transferred to Illinois State.

He apologized for punching two students during a Nov. 22 altercation at a campus residence hall and told a judge that the players "didn't fully know we'd jeopardize our future like this."

An attorney for Spartans cornerback Chris L. Rucker told reporters that his client will plead not guilty to the charges. The attorney for former Michigan State safety Roderick Jenrette, one of two players dismissed from the team after the incident, told reporters that prosecutors have offered his client a plea deal.

Don't be surprised if several players agree to the same terms as Leggett, who could face up to 93 days in jail and $1,000 in fines but also might avoid jail time.

It will be interesting to see how Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio reacts after the legal process has concluded. The suspended players still on the MSU roster attended a recent team meeting, and the coaches "will make decisions based on what happens at a later date."

As the Detroit Free Press' Drew Sharp writes today, Dantonio can't afford more mistakes from these players. The coach got totally burned by reinstating Glenn Winston last summer -- a very questionable decision at the time -- and needs these players to stay out of trouble.

Mark Dantonio wanted to put a positive spin on today's season wrap-up news conference, but the Michigan State coach couldn't avoid the elephant in the room.

The recent wave of player suspensions and dismissals remains the top story around Michigan State, though linebacker Greg Jones' return to school is significant as well. Dantonio has reinstated seven players suspended following a Nov. 22 assault at a campus residence hall, five of whom are facing misdemeanor assault and conspiracy charges.

The suspended players who remain at Michigan State were allowed to attend a recent team meeting when the squad assembled following winter break.

"They have been outside of the football facility and everything to do with football for the last six or seven weeks," Dantonio said. "And at this point in time, we are going to welcome them back into that environment for clarity purposes. They are on our football team."

Four suspended players, including two who face charges stemming from the residence hall incident, have transferred from Michigan State. A total of nine players were charged Dec. 10 with misdemeanor conspiracy to commit an assault and battery as well as misdemeanor assault and battery. Two of those players, running back Glenn Winston and safety Roderick Jenrette, have been dismissed from the team.

"We are not doing anything as a team right now," Dantonio said, "but at least to sit in a team meeting room for our initial meeting back, they were welcomed to be in there, and then we will make decisions based on what happens at a later date."

Here's a look at where everyone stands:

• The following players who face assault and conspiracy charges have been reinstated: cornerback Chris L. Rucker, offensive lineman J’Michael Deane, wide receiver Mark Dell, wide receiver B.J. Cunningham, wide receiver Fred Smith.
• Wide receivers Chris D. Rucker and Donald Spencer, who were suspended for being at the residence hall but never charged, also are back with the team.
• Running back Ashton Leggett, who was suspended and charged, has transferred to Illinois State. Defensive end Jamiihr Williams, who was suspended and charged, has transferred to Northeast Mississippi Community College.
• Linebacker Brynden Trawick and nose tackle Ishmyl Johnson, who were present at the residence hall but never charged, also have transferred from Michigan State.
• Wide receiver Myles White, who was suspended for a situation unrelated to the residence hall assault, also is back with the team.

The players facing charges are scheduled to appear in court Thursday morning for pre-trial hearings. Ingham County prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III told the Detroit Free Press that no plea agreement is in place at this time, though that could change.

Michigan State will have quite a few open seats on the team plane as it takes off for San Antonio on Sunday morning.

And when offensive coordinator Don Treadwell assembles the Spartans' wide receivers to begin final preparations for the Valero Alamo Bowl, the meeting room might feel a little empty. Fourteen Spartans players aren't making the trip to the bowl game, as 12 have been suspended and two, running back Glenn Winston and safety Roderick Jenrette, have been dismissed from the team.

The wide receiver group has been hit especially hard as four suspended players -- B.J. Cunningham, Mark Dell, Chris D. Rucker and Myles White -- play the position. Cunningham and Dell rank second and third on the team in receiving, having combined for 1,090 receiving yards, 74 receptions and five touchdowns.

Cunningham started nine games, while Dell started the final three regular-season contests. Their presence will be missed Jan. 2 against Texas Tech in a game where Michigan State likely needs to throw the ball a lot and put up points.

"We've talked about all season how at a lot of positions, we feel one of the strengths of our team is depth," Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins said. "We have lost some guys, and it's going to test our depth. There are guys who haven't had opportunities yet to play in games, who we know work very hard year-round behind closed doors when no one else is really watching.

"They're guys we know we can count on, come the bowl game."

Cousins knows what he's got in Blair White, a first-team All-Big Ten receiver who leads Michigan State and ranks third in the league in receiving average (73 ypg). The Spartans also can turn to sophomore Keshawn Martin, who, in addition to becoming a threat on returns, has 14 receptions for 325 yards (23.2 ypr) and four touchdowns.

After those two, though, it's slim pickings. Michigan State can turn to tight ends Charlie Gantt, Brian Linthicum and Dion Sims, but it needs more production from the wide receiver position.

So who steps up? Cousins thinks sophomore walk-on Brad Sonntag could emerge.

"He's got a lot of upside," Cousins said.

Sonntag and redshirt freshman Milton Colbert are listed as the backups to White and Martin on Michigan State's pre-bowl depth chart. Neither Sonntag nor Colbert has caught a pass this season.

"We're still tinkering with all that," Cousins said. "We don't have a set plan yet, and we're still figuring out what would be the best matchups to use. And we're a team that likes to use our tight ends, so we always want to get them the football, too."

If only quarterback Kirk Cousins had known, he could have stopped them.

As a co-captain for Michigan State, Cousins would have stepped in and tried to prevent his teammates from going to a residence hall shortly after the team banquet on Nov. 22. But like Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio and many others, Cousins had no idea what was about to take place.

An alleged assault at the residence hall has resulted in the dismissals of running back Glenn Winston and safety Roderick Jenrette, as well as the suspensions of 11 other players. Nine players face assault and conspiracy charges and none will travel with Michigan State to the Valero Alamo Bowl, where it will face Texas Tech on Jan. 2.

"That reflects on you as a leader," Cousins told me Friday. "When guys on the team are not necessarily acting the way you want them to, the blame can fall on you. It points back to, 'Who are the leaders and where are they at a time like that?' It's not the first time we've faced adversity this season. It certainly won't be the last, and we're just going to keep growing from it.

"But it tests me as a leader in making sure I'm doing my job the right way."

Cousins certainly second-guessed things after finding out what had happened at Rather Hall.

"That's going to go through your mind, how easily it could have been prevented if someone had just shared information openly," he said. "But at the same time, there's 105 guys on this team and you can't be everywhere at once. But I do feel the chemistry on this team is very good, compared to other teams I've been on, so it was a little surprising in that sense."

The captains didn't hold a players-only meeting to address the incident, leaving it to Dantonio and the coaches. But Cousins has been pleased with the team's performance in bowl practices so far.

Few are giving a shorthanded Spartans team much of a chance against Texas Tech, but Cousins and his teammate don't mind being the underdogs.

"There's no pressure on us," Cousins said. "There aren't great expectations on us, and I'm kind of used to that. I don't think a whole lot of people expected much out of me when I came here, and I don't think a lot of people expected things out of Michigan State.

"I like having that back-against-the-wall mentality."

As the rumor mill turns ...

• Dismissed Michigan State football player Roderick Jenrette could have his burglary case reopened in Florida, Joe Rexrode writes in the Lansing State Journal.
• Minnesota will decide whether or not to grant head coach Tim Brewster a contract extension following the Insight Bowl against Iowa State, Marcus Fuller writes in the (St. Paul) Pioneer Press. Brewster's future could come down to the team's performance in Tempe, Tom Powers writes in the Pioneer Press.
• Joe Paterno is disappointed in the way things ended for his friend Bobby Bowden at Florida State, Andrea Adelson writes in the Orlando Sentinel.
• The Columbus Dispatch's Ken Gordon is taking nominations for Ohio State's all-decade team.
• Miami provides the perfect litmus test for Wisconsin after a 9-3 season, Max Henson writes in The Badger Herald.
• College Football News names its All-Freshman teams for offense and defense, which include several Big Ten players.

Here's the latest on the mess at Michigan State, as nine players were charged Wednesday with misdemeanor conspiracy to commit assault and battery as well as assault and battery in connection with a Nov. 22 fight at a campus residence hall.

The conspiracy charges carry a maximum penalty of one year in jail, while the assault charges carry a 93-day maximum sentence.

Charges were filed against the following players: safety Roderick Jenrette, running back Glenn Winston, wide receiver Fred Smith, wide receiver B.J. Cunningham, defensive end Jamiihr Williams, wide receiver Mark Dell, running back Ashton Leggett, offensive tackle J'Michael Deane and cornerback Chris L. Rucker.

The investigation is ongoing, and more charges could be filed.

Deane is one of three new suspensions the team announced today. Wide receivers Chris D. Rucker and Donald Spencer are the others.

None of the players will travel with the team to the Valero Alamo Bowl on Jan. 2.

I'll have more on this Thursday, especially the involvement of Winston, who has been down this road before.

Tough times for Michigan State, indeed.

Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio spoke today about the need to regain respect after a "time of crisis" that has resulted in the indefinite suspensions of eight players and the dismissals of two others (running back Glenn Winston and safety Roderick Jenrette). None of the players will be back for the Spartans' upcoming bowl game.

Dantonio also hinted that further disciplinary action could be taken, pending the result of an MSU police investigation into a Nov. 22 fight at a residence hall.

"I'm going to react to what's there," Dantonio said. "Our integrity will not be questioned in terms of how we handled this situation."

The residence hall fight has been connected to an altercation the previous night at an East Lansing nightspot, but Dantonio was kept in the dark about the whole thing.

"There was no inkling," he said. "There was nothing. And again, that's part of the disappointment because obviously, there was more than one person that knew about this, and this could have been easily prevented with just a little bit of a tug on the shoulder. It didn't have to be me, but they could have gone to anybody in our program.

"That's why when you go to the level of suspension for the others; this could easily have been prevented. It wasn't like we weren't meeting that day. We had a 3:30 p.m. team meeting. We also had a feelgood banquet, to celebrate our football team and celebrate our seniors, so it's a disappointment [no one came forward]."

A few other notes:

• Dantonio reiterated that Winston and Jenrette won't be back with the team, but he still will give players second chances in the future. Winston and Jenrette are still enrolled in school, and Dantonio hasn't explored the possibility of revoking scholarships and doesn't sound like he will.
• Dantonio is hopeful the personnel losses won't affect Michigan State's bowl situation. "We have obviously earned the right to go,' he said. "And we have represented ourselves very well in our last two bowl games. And if you check our track record, there have been no problems, none. We have competed and played very well, and we have played very competitively in the past two games against two very good football teams."
• He explained his reasons for the suspensions: "They put themselves at risk by going there, and given the opportunity that they had to immediately come to me and tell me that there was a problem; it didn't happen. So it was two reasons, and either one, either one, is sufficient enough to be in this situation -- to be suspended."

The bad news continues for Michigan State, which will be without eight suspended players for its upcoming bowl game.

Head coach Mark Dantonio told reporters today that the eight players won't be traveling or playing in a bowl, and neither will any other players identified by police as being present during a Nov. 22 fight at a residence hall. Dantonio already has dismissed running back Glenn Winston and safety Roderick Jenrette.

The group of suspended players includes starting wide receivers Mark Dell and B.J. Cunningham, starting cornerback Chris L. Rucker and running back Ashton Leggett, who has played more down the stretch. Police have found 10 suspects in the incident, and are trying to identify five more.

"The opportunity to play on this football team and in a bowl game is a privilege, and not a given right," Dantonio said. "With that said, all those present at the incident in question will remain on indefinite suspension and will not make the trip nor play in the bowl game."

Michigan State could be going to either the Valero Alamo Bowl or the Insight Bowl if the Big Ten sends two teams to BCS bowls, as many project. Alamo Bowl CEO Derrick Fox told ESPN.com this week that the ongoing investigation into the fight at Michigan State could impact the selection.

"It's something you certainly factor in," Fox said. "It's really just a matter of trying to find out, 'Is 10 [players] the max? Will 10 actually become six? Will some get reinstated, or will this become 40?' Because then, obviously, it can make an impact on the overall thing."