Harlon Barnett on Michigan scoring with eight seconds left: 'I'm not surprised'

Michigan State interim head coach Harlon Barnett was well aware of Michigan’s desire to keep scoring and scoring late even though the game was already out of hand.

In the 49-0 loss for the Spartans, the defense remained on the field with eight seconds left, trailing 42-0. Naturally, the game is over at that point right?

Well, the Wolverines punched one last touchdown into the end zone to cap off the blowout. Barnett wasn’t surprised and he’ll remember that one for later.

“I told our guys on the headsets, ‘I said they’re gonna try, they’re trying to score,’” Barnett said Monday. “I’m not surprised, not surprised. Not at all … (I will) definitely (remember that). I always remember. I’m gonna remember everything about that game.”

It’s been tough sledding for Barnett and the Spartans since he took over for the fired Mel Tucker. Barnett is 0-5 as interim head coach amid turmoil, transfers and injuries.

Nothing’s really clicked for Michigan State. Not only that, the Spartans played their in-state rival amid the latter’s sign-stealing allegations.

“I got a call Wednesday night from our athletic director Alan Haller, and he had got a call from the Big Ten and the Big Ten had got a call from the NCAA from how I understand what happened,” Barnett said. “That’s when I found out.”

Barnett was brought into the discussion to see what kind of impact the sign-stealing might have and whether he felt his team could go forward with the game.

He didn’t see much issue with it, despite the obvious inconvenience and disadvantage.

“I was asked what could we possibly do to them, this that and the other, what you think?” Barnett said. “I said what I said, but I wasn’t really expecting much to come from it to be honest with you. At one time somebody did mention possibly not playing the game, but I’m like let’s play the game. Play the game. It don’t get you till it get you, just remember that.”

Barnett will remember the game, as the players probably will as well. What life lessons can all parties involved take away from a rough night?

“You gotta be a man,” Barnett said postgame. “Being a man is taking responsibility in everything that you do, and accountability. That’s a life lesson in itself. You live long enough, you’ll go through some things in life that’ll make you say ‘It’s just life.’ 

“You know, all you can say is ‘It’s life.’ Somebody asks ‘What’s wrong?’ ‘Life.’ You never want to turn anything down. This, too, shall pass at some point in time, based on my faith. I don’t know when, but it will pass at some point in time. I’m believing it, I’ll never lose faith in that. Just where we are right now.”