Hook-and-ladder play gutsy call that worked for MSU

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State Coach Mark Dantonio had the guts to call a trick play better suited for flag football rather than the end of a Big Ten football game.

Facing third-and-18 from their 32 late in Saturday's game against Iowa, the Spartans launched a hook-and-ladder play designed to penetrate the Hawkeyes' zone defense. Michigan State tight end Brian Linthicum ran an 11-yard curl route, and quarterback Kirk Cousins completed the pass. Linthicum promptly pitched the ball to wide receiver Blair White, who was trailing the play. White then raced 27 yards down the right sideline before he was pushed out at the Iowa 30 by safety Tyler Sash.

“I just felt it was the right time in the game to do that because I knew they would be playing soft on third and 18,” Dantonio said. “They were good enough ... they were going to allow us to catch an 8-yard pass and that's what had to happen and we had to have some room to catch an 8-yard pass and then get it out cleanly. So I thought that was an opportune time to do it. So I made the call to do it, and it worked.”

Iowa players - both offensive and defensive - initially were surprised and later amazed with the play's success.

“That hook and ladder, gosh dang, that was a (gutsy) call. That worked,” Iowa tackle Bryan Bulaga said. “That was an awesome play. I was never even thinking that, and they go and pulled it out. That was awesome. It wasn't awesome for us, but it was just awesome.”

“That was a great play on their part,” Iowa defensive tackle Christian Ballard said. “It was a great play call by their coaches. We were playing a little loose on third and 18.”

Michigan State Offensive Coordinator Don Treadwell said the Spartans had worked on that play in practice. He gave Dantonio credit for calling the play.

“We had it all practiced, but he felt that was the right time to call it and obviously he knew what he was doing,” Treadwell said.

“The good thing is we had practiced it enough that it looked like it had a chance to be well-executed like it did. Give all the credit to Coach D on that.”

Michigan State scored two plays later on a 30-yard pass from Cousins to White to take a 13-9 lead, setting the stage for Iowa's final drive to win, 15-13, on a 7-yard scoring pass from Ricky Stanzi to Marvin McNutt as time expired.