DALLAS -- From talking to a few Michigan State players, it's quickly obvious this is a loose group.

They keep things light.

That was the case a few weeks ago when Spartan linebackers Jon Reschke and leading-tackler Riley Bullough tweeted to Alabama's Derrick Henry. Fresh off the Heisman Trophy ceremony, the running back received messages expressing their anticipation for the Cotton Bowl.

"We've never been challenged like this, and we're welcoming it and excited about it,''Reschke told reporters in East Lansing, according to MLive.com. "We're going to have to hit him harder than we've ever hit anyone else."

Players on both teams reacted to Part 2 of that quote Sunday in Dallas. Most Michigan State players said the gamesmanship is all in good spirit, not meant to stir the pot.

"That's the attitude you have to have on defense," Henry said. "You have to want to hit. You have to want to be physical. We just have to get ready for them in practice all week."

Fellow running back Kenyan Drake's response was more to the point.

"You have to show us better than you can tell us," he said. "We'll see on the field."

Michigan State linebacker Darien Harris just smiled when asked about that quote.

"That's just linebacker talk," he said. "I'm sure Alabama is saying the same thing about a guy like L.J. Scott, who they saw break 10 tackles to score the game-winning touchdown in the Big Ten Championship.

"So guys get riled up. Guys get hyped up and fired up for games like this because we understand the opportunity in front of us. It's not every day you get to play a Heisman Trophy winner. When you're so passionate about the game, when you're talking about the game, sometimes your emotions get the better of you but I think it was all in good fun and respect."

Defensive end Shilique Calhoun, the king of one-liners in Sunday's breakout interviews, said it was "all fun and games." He also turned the tables a bit.

"I mean, he called us Michigan," Calhoun said referencing Henry's live ESPN interview when the pairings were announced. "You can't get no worse than that."

Henry said Sunday that he really said the full "Michigan State" on the air but nobody heard the second part. Either way, Calhoun got a good laugh from it.

"He probably doesn't know the difference. He's from Alabama," Calhoun said. "I was in New Jersey, I didn't know the difference either. I don't fault him for that. It happens. But honestly, it's all fun and games."

Michigan State defensive tackle Joel Heath had mixed feelings about the pledge to hit Henry hard.

"It's all in fun and all in football," he said. "But at the same time, you don't want to be over-cocky. You just want to be tough and go out and play football."

But does he look forward to contacting Henry?

"No comment," Heath said with a smile.

And that tweet? Bullough said Sunday he was surprised it got so much attention.

"It was just all in good fun, just good competition," he said. "Just kind of tweeting him just to let him know that we're here. You know, nothing trying to get after him or anything like that. It was all in good fun.

"And the guys that know me and Jon know we're always kind of joking around like that. As people always say, I didn't realize it was going to get that much attention being as immature as I am, which I should have known. But it's all in good fun. Just excited for the opportunity to play a back like that, someone who's won the Heisman. So just a great opportunity."