Michigan State football, Alan Haller let Michigan control the narrative

Following what can only be described as another black eye in the rivalry, Michigan and Michigan State football have spoken out about what happened in the post-game scuffle on Saturday night.

Michigan State AD Alan Haller submitted his side of the story to the Big Ten, hoping for some sort of punishment for the Michigan players involved in what looked to be a kicking or stomping of a Spartan player and staffer on the ground. He wouldn’t answer questions about if anyone was injured or what exactly happened or who it happened to and then hours later, the Big Ten ended its “investigation” and — shocker — somehow found nothing.

With the Big Ten denying Haller’s submitted evidence and attempt at “holding Michigan accountable”, it was the perfect chance for the Wolverines to control the narrative and spin the whole situation however they wanted.

And spin they did.

On Wednesday, MLive dropped this article which is probably the least surprising narrative that could have come from the Michigan side of things. Mullings, who appeared to be using his legs on a downed Spartan staffer and player, was simply “trying to be a superhero”.

Gross.

Michigan coach: Kalel Mullings ‘trying to be a superhero’ in MSU tussle https://t.co/YjLjnj437B

— MLive Sports (@MLiveSports) October 30, 2024

If you watch the video back, there’s just no possible way that he was doing anything positive in that situation with one of his own guys pulling him away and a Michigan State staffer pushing him back and appearing to yell something at him. Someone on the Michigan State side has to know something specifically and they’re not saying it which is frustrating, especially since Haller seemed so confident that punishments would be levied on Michigan.

“I’m sure it’ll all come out,” Haller said following his meeting with the media on Monday regarding the situation.

And somehow, I doubt that. Instead of calling out what happened and who was involved, Michigan State has accepted the Big Ten’s ruling because it’s final and the Spartans are no longer trying to hold Michigan accountable. Haller let the Wolverines control the narrative.

It’s time he speaks out or else this is just going to keep happening (see: locker room incident in 2018).

No more bending the knee in order to remain professional. Michigan State can only be painted as the villain so much.