MSU football learns teamwork, serves meals to homeless in S.F.

SAN FRANCISCO — Dimitri Douglas has yet to play in a college football game.

But he and a number of other young Michigan State players learned a valuable lesson in teamwork and giving back.

About 30 Spartans and football staff members served meals and bussed trays at St. Anthony’s Dining Room on Saturday morning as they took a break from preparing for Monday's Redbox Bowl against Oregon.

The assembly line approach to helping the community resonated.

“You have your different positions, you gotta execute your job to the best you can do,” said Douglas, a freshman offensive lineman from Saline. “I mean, it’s just a team thing. It’s a team responsibility. And all the people who do work here did a great job of explaining everything to us and helping us out along the way.”

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Typically during bowl week, MSU has done local outreach at children’s hospitals, homes or schools. Longtime strength coach Ken Mannie — who helped distribute food and clean tables on Saturday — said helping to serve meals to those in need was different — and provided a different perspective of community service.

His players agreed.

“It’s just huge for our team to be able to give back to the community in San Francisco,” said David Kruse, a freshman linebacker from Lowell. “It really puts into perspective of how lucky we are.”

St. Anthony’s Dining Room is located in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco. It is the epicenter of Golden Gate Avenue, which is lined up and down with people sleeping on the sidewalks under blankets, tarps and tents even during the late morning hours.

Giving out meals is one of a number of services the charity provides. The dining room tries to provide a sit-down restaurant atmosphere and serves about 2-3,000 meals per day to impoverished and homeless Bay Area residents, many of whom were lined up before doors opened at 10 a.m. PT for an early lunch of spaghetti, bread, vegetables and other items.

A number of Spartans manned the food line and scooped out meals, with staff members delivering more than 500 trays to the needy filling the tables. That included massive freshman offensive lineman James Ohonba — with a smile drawn on his nametag —plopping cupcakes on the plates.

When people finished eating, other MSU players cleaned up and chatted with them. One even asked Douglas, “Hey, where’s the quarterback at?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Douglas sighed and chuckled later. “I think everyone here is very appreciative of our help. They expressed that to us and cracked some jokes. …

“It’s a great experience giving back. As football players, we’re in such a privileged position. So it’s always great to give back and help people out. It’s just an awesome experience to come out here and help people from a different community than your own.”

Injury revealed

MSU sophomore Antjuan Simmons revealed via Twitter on Friday night that he suffered a broken vertebra in his neck during last year’s Holiday Bowl win over Washington State.

“It’s crazy man... a year ago today I broke a vertebrae,” Simmons wrote. “I can still run, catch, tackle and play this amazing game thank god! Don’t take it for granted cause it can be gone at the snap of a finger!”

Simmons got hurt with about 4 minutes left in the third quarter of the Spartans’ 42-17 win over the Cougars. He darted across the middle of the field and drilled Washington State’s James Williams, lowering his shoulder into the running back’s midsection while running at full speed to make the stop. Simmons then rolled on the ground and had to be helped off and did not return, eventually missing all of MSU’s spring practices.

The 6-foot, 220-pound Ann Arbor native finished his true freshman season with 34 tackles.

Simmons has played in all 12 games this season at linebacker and on special teams, logging 29 tackles and an interception. He also got one carry at running back during the Spartans’ loss at Nebraska.

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One last go

Khari Willis has accepted an invitation to play in the Reese’s Senior Bowl, but the MSU captain is focused on making one final college memory first against Oregon’s high-scoring offense and quarterback Justin Herbert.

“I think first things first, I’m more excited to play against this offense and this quarterback more than anything,” Willis said. “I think there are a lot of opportunities there, to be able to go up against one of the best in the nation.”

The fourth-year safety from Jackson posted career highs with 81 tackles and eight pass breakups this season, adding a pair of interceptions and a forced fumble. He earned second-team All-Big Ten honors per Pro Football Focus College and third-team honors from the league media and Athlon Sports.

“As far as my personal goals, those are kind of put to the side right now,” Willis said. “After the game, I’ll take those a little more seriously. But it’s a blessing to be able to go to the Senior Bowl.”

The Senior Bowl is Jan. 26 in Mobile, Alabama. Willis will be joined there by running back LJ Scott, who opted to turn pro and not return to MSU for a redshirt fifth season after missing most of this fall with an ankle injury.

Special visitor

MSU had a familiar face at Thursday’s practice when Raiders linebacker Shilique Calhoun stopped by Laney College in Oakland, where the Spartans have been working out all week.

The collegiate defensive end should be proud of the legacy his understudies are producing this season, with MSU ranked No. 1 in the nation in run defense at 81.3 yards per game.

“That’s the first thing I think I learned when I got here to Michigan State,” said junior defensive tackle Raequan Williams, who was Calhoun’s teammate in 2015. “Shilique drilled that into every D-lineman — the main goal is stop the run at Michigan State. We take pride in that, and that’s something we’re gonna do all the time.

“He was just being Shilique, that happy smile. It was great to see him.”

The Spartans also went to see Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors’ 110-109 overtime loss to Portland on Thursday night. The former MSU All-American forward, NBA champion and All-Star talked with the team on the court at Oracle Arena after the game.

Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari. Download our Spartans Xtra app for free on Apple and Android devices!