As the Michigan State basketball team received good news in a NCAA Tournament bid, the Spartans football program received the sort of news it surely didn't want to hear going into the weekend.
↵Two MSU football players were arrested for fighting in an Aspen, Colo., bar early Thursday morning. Senior tight end Brian Linthicum was charged with third-degree misdemeanor assault and eluding police. Sophomore linebacker Max Bullough was charged with eluding police and underage possession of alcohol. Both players were released from jail Thursday morning and are scheduled to appear in court back in Aspen on April 19.
↵The Detroit Free Press cited a AP report that said Linthicum and Bullough ran when police arrived on the scene. Police also said that a stun gun was used to subdue Linthicum.
↵Both players were expected to make meaningful contributions for MSU next season. Linthicum will likely take over for Charlie Gantt as the starting tight end. He caught 18 passes for 230 yards last year, playing in all 13 of the Spartans' games. Bullough, part of a great lineage in East Lansing, is expected to take over at middle linebacker for Greg Jones. Last year, he compiled 21 tackles, one interception and half a sack in 13 games for MSU.
↵No one from the MSU football program had a comment on the matter, as the coaches are out of town. (Head coach Mark Dantonio was in Indianapolis at the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday.) Michigan State is on spring break this week. Spring football begins in two weeks.