Chris Solari

Detroit Free Press

Mark Dantonio delivered a message to Tyler O’Connor’s critics.

“The people that sit with their arms up in an armchair, with a big ol’ beer can or soda pop there,” Michigan State’s coach said tonight, “they’re just going to have to wait it out a little bit.”

After revisiting the tape of Saturday night’s 24-21 overtime loss that knocked the Spartans out of the national polls for the first time since 2013, Dantonio said he felt starting quarterback O’Connor “played with courage.” He saw the fifth-year senior moving the ball with his feet, adding that his receivers had a few drops on difficult throws and ran some wrong routes and MSU’s offensive line had some protection issues.

O’Connor went 21 of 35 for 263 yards with three TDs and no interceptions, but he also took two critical sacks in overtime, fumbled and struggled to make a few throws. Dantonio said Saturday night that O’Connor remains his starter.

“I’m not going to say he graded winning,” Dantonio said, “but from my perspective, he played above average, that’s for sure. I would say low winning. … That’s my perspective.”

Redshirt freshman Brian Lewerke did not play Saturday after seeing action on the last drive against Wisconsin, and junior Damion Terry hasn’t played since seeing spot duty in specific packages at Notre Dame.

“We’re a young football team, so things are going to happen sometimes,” Dantonio said of the loss. “If you have some inexperience in certain positions, we talk about how there needs to be growth. And for growth to happen, you’ve got to play. There are certain positions on our field that are inexperienced, and we’ve got some different guys that were out injury-wise. So you’ve got different guys playing in there, and this is a part of it.”

Dantonio wouldn’t discuss any of the injuries in Saturday’s game “until they get further addressed in terms of if it’s a season-ending injury.”

The 10th-year MSU head coach revived his 2012 mantra, saying that the Spartans (2-2) must “find the inches” to “claw back” from their first 0-2 Big Ten start since Dantonio’s first season in 2007. Saturday’s loss to Indiana marked the first time MSU dropped back-to-back games since 2012.

He also had harsh criticism for his program – and put blame on himself – about the Spartans’ 11 penalties for 98 yards and their personnel confusion on a few late plays.

“I think it’s staff, it’s the head football coach, it’s the players – everybody’s involved with this,” Dantonio said. Everything we do, whether we win a game or lose a game, it’s all inclusive. And we all have to do a better job than what was done (Saturday) night. …

“Attention to detail, that’s coaching. So I’ll take responsibility for that. If you’re not coaching it, you’re letting it happen. So we’ll keep moving.”

McDowell out: Dantonio confirmed that defensive tackle Malik McDowell will miss the first half of Saturday’s game against BYU (3:30 p.m./ABC). The junior was ejected against Indiana for a personal foul hit on QB Richard Lagow that was ruled targeting. Dantonio disputed the call.

“I have seen the hit, or the tackle. And I have talked to the Big Ten office about it,” Dantonio said. “There is no appeal process, so he’ll have to sit the first half.”

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