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| News Archives :: archives :: '05aug-dec :: '05mar-jul :: '05 jan-feb :: '04 sep-dec :: '04 may-sep :: '04 jan-apr : '03 sep-dec :: '03 jan-aug ::'02 aug-dec :: '02 jan-jul :: '01 NOV-DEC :: '01 jul-sep | |
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(12/30/01)--The Lansing State Journal reported that MSU completed its final contact practice on Saturday at the San Francisco 49ers training facility. The LSJ quoted Bobby Williams: "We're wrapping things up with the Thursday format from Game Week. Today (Sunday) will be our final walk-through (in San Jose State's Spartan Stadium) if weather permits. And we're really looking forward to the game on Monday. We've moved around (between different practice facilities) a little bit. But this practice at the 49ers facility was set up by Tom Izzo talking with Steve Mariucci. He said we could use their facility. And we have some Spartans out here." The LSJ also reported the team made a visit to the Pete Newell Classic to cheer on the Spartan men's basketball team on Saturday night. (12/19/01)--Riverside Brookfield (IL) senior Steve Kielp (6-6, 220-lbs) has verbally committed to play football at Michigan State. Kielp chose MSU over Illinois and North Carolina. He is MSU's 13th committment for the class of 2002. Kielp, who runs a 4.6-40 yard dash, is listed as the #14 weaskide defensive end in the nation by rivals100.com. Coach Williams' contract extended through 2006 (12/19/01)--The Lansing State Journal has reported that MSU head coach Bobby Williams has received a $50,000 annual pay raise and an extension to his contract good through 2006. Williams now has an annual base salary of $214,800 to raise his annual compensation to over $500,000. Williams also received a "rollover provision," which every year will mandate his contract length at a minimum of five years. Additionally, the entire coaching staff will receive a post season bonus equal to 1/6 of each coach's salary: just over $27,000 for Williams. Coach Williams: "The extension is huge. We are in on some of the top prospects in the country, as well as the state. Negative recruiting has been going on for years. And the news that this coaching staff is here to stay is critical. It has come up a lot this year with parents and prospects." VP Terry Denbow: "The four components of the contract are recognition of progress and momentum, as coach Williams continues to build this program." MSU Trustee Joel Ferguson: "This is the right move to help us attract a lot of players who've been sitting on the fence, watching this program. I've been watching MSU football for a lot of years. And this program is in the best shape since Biggie and Duffy, based on the quality of the kids we have and the ones we're getting." (12/18/01)--Michigan State received its 12th verbal committment with Brandon Fields (6-6, 215-lbs) of St. Johns Jezuit in Toledo, Ohio, agreeing to be a punter for the Spartans. Fields averaged 41.2 yards per punt, and chose MSU over Toledo, Bowling Green and Ivy League schools. He has a 3.6 GPA and a 1290 SAT, and is academically qualified. Fields has accepted a scholarship offer from head coach Bobby Williams. MSU's 2002 recruiting class is ranked 12th nationally by Rivals100.com (12/15/01)--Michigan State (6-5) is a five-point underdog to Fresno State (11-2) in the Silicon Valley Bowl. The Dec. 14 edition of the Lansing State Journal previewed a brief scouting report on the Bulldogs' star wideout, Rodney Wright. Wright has 91 catches for 1,331 yards and 10 TDs this season. Bobby Williams was quoted: "They are by far the best skilled team that we've faced. They have great backs and receivers and have a tremendous amount of team speed." (12/05/01)--MSU senior LB Josh Thornhill has been named First Team All-Big Ten on Tuesday. Indiana's Antwaan Randel El was named Offensive Player of the Year, Michigan's Larry Foote was named Defensive Player of the Year, and Wisconsin's Anthony Davis was selected as Freshman of the Year. My question: why wasn't Charles Rogers on the First Team? He only set a single season receiving record for MSU with over 1,200 yards -- surpassing Plaxico Burress. Other team notes: Tickets to the Silicon Valley Bowl are available for $60, $40, or $30 via 408-924-7589. MSU is on the recruiting front again, trying to land Kyle Brown (WR/DB, 6-1, 195, West Bloomfield, MI), Tim Shaw (RB, 6-1, 217, Livonia, MI), Nate Harris (LB, 6-2, 215, Miami, FL), Anthony Spencer (DE, 6-4, 240, Ft. Wayne, IN), and Fabian Washington (CB, 6-0, 170, Bayshore, FL). MSU has already received 11 verbal committments, and coach Bobby Williams currently has a #8 recruiting class nationally (Rivals100.com). Players will not sign a binding letter of intent until February. MSU is Silicon Valley Bowl bound! (12/02/01)--MSU has accepted an invitation to the Silicon Valley Bowl today, following its 55-7 rout of Missouri at home on Saturday. The Spartans will face 11-2 Fresno State at 3 pm on December 31. The 21st-ranked Fresno State Bulldogs defeated Utah State 70-21 on Saturday. Here's the link to the official Silicon Valley Bowl website: www.bowlbythebay.com Quotes in Monday's Lansing State Journal regarding the bowl invitation to San Jose: Bobby Williams: "We're just happy to be in the situation we are in. We have our work cut out for us. They have a talented quarterback and some great players. This will boost our recruiting. We have several players that we are looking at on the West Coast." Chuck Shelton, executive director of Silicon Valley Bowl: "UCLA would've given us a quality football game and assured a huge crowd. But its proximity wouldn't have allowed us to do what we have to do for this area. The ACC people were great. Some teams wanted it awful bad. But Michigan State has a great reputation nationally. And people here like the idea of having the Spartans in (San Jose State) Spartan Stadium. Michigan State wasn't really in the running two weeks ago. But once those people got active, it was as impressive as anything I've seen. Their president (Peter McPherson) was very involved. And they had a heckuva plan. Fresno State is an awful good team, one of the best in the country. We promest them an opponent from a conference with a BCS affiliation. And we'd been talking to the Big Ten (mostly about Iowa) as far back as the second week of the season. That's a great affilation for us. With Michigan State, we just don't think we can miss." (12/01/01)--EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - T.J. Duckett and Charles Rogers each scored three touchdowns Saturday as Michigan State beat Missouri 55-7 to become bowl eligible.
(11/29/01)--MSU's chances for a bowl game have dwindled to just a few possible choices: the Motor City Bowl, Tangerine Bowl, and Silicon Valley Bowl. More likely than not, MSU will probably stay home for Christmas. MSU a TD fave over Mizzou; Smoker questionable (11/27/01)--Michigan State has been listed as a 7-point favorite over the 4-6 Missouri Tigers this weekend. Spartan QB Jeff Smoker has been listed as questionable for this weekend's game. Smoker, quoted in today's Lansing State Journal: "With this possibly being the last game I definitely want to be on the field. [The hit in the Penn State game] was close to being a penalty, it was one of those things where he hit me right after I released the ball. It was one that could have gone either way. There is definitely a line where you're able to go out there and still do stuff and yet if the injury is too bad it could affect your play. You hae to be able to make a decision between the two." Senior QB Ryan Van Dyke will be out Saturday, but has not ruled out a possible return for a last game if MSU advances to a bowl game. Also quoted in the LSJ is a discussion about all the young players receiving experience due to injuries: Coach Bobby Williams -- "We've used so many freshmen this year. Next year we look to return quite a few young players with a lot of experience. The team has lost 19 players this season. We're paying for it right now, but down the road it's going to pay off." Freshman LB Ronald Stanley -- "Coming in at first was kind of overwhelming, but once you're in there you grow and mature. I knew coming in that I had a chance to play." Freshman DL Kevin Vickerson [who replaced injured freshman DL Matthias Askew] -- "After I got the first couple snaps under my belt I got the feeling for the game tempo. I go against offensive linemen every day (in practice), so it was basically the same thing except faster. [On next year]: Experience-wise, we'll know how to handle games and tough situations. We just have to learn how to finish. This isn't doing anything but teaching us to be leaders on the field." MSU recruits play solid in HS final (11/26/01)--MSU standout recruits QB Drew Stanton and WR Agim Shabaj had big days in leading Farmington Hills Harrison to its second consecutive Division 3 high school championship. Both players, who will suit up for the green and white next year, were mainstays in Harrison's 28-6 win over Fruitport on Saturday. Stanton completed 14-of-18 passes for 210 yards, 2 TDs and no INTs. He also ran for 49 yards on 11 carries and scored one rushing TD. Shabaj caught five passes from Stanton for 96 yards, including a 10 yard TD pass in the first quarter. Shabaj added six yards on four carries. MSU's stock plummets after 42-37 loss (11/24/01, MSU Media Relations, msuspartans.fansonly.com)--Joe Paterno enjoys Penn State's rivalry with Michigan State - he just wishes the games weren't quite so exciting. Once again, the game for the Land Grant Trophy was an offensive showcase, with Penn State rallying for a 42-37 win to extend Paterno's major-college victory record to 327. "I'm never comfortable in games like this," Paterno said. "It's just not my style to win games where we give up 37 points. We played lousy defense in the first half, and I let them know about it. We picked it up after halftime." Penn State trailed 31-14 in the second quarter, but scored 28 straight points behind freshman quarterback Zack Mills. "I just came in the game and tried to make some plays," said Mills, who replaced starter Matt Senneca after one quarter. "I love situations like that, because you are so far behind that there isn't any pressure on you." Paterno said the rainy, windy conditions helped make his decision. "I just thought we should see what would happen," he said. "Zack throws a tighter spiral, and that's good on a windy day." Mills, who has replaced Senneca in several games this year, threw for 240 yards in his three quarters and ran for a touchdown. "Zack did a great job, just like he has all year for us," said Eric McCoo, who ran for three short-yardage touchdowns for Penn State. "That doesn't mean that Matt wouldn't have done it, but Zack got the opportunity and played a great game." The win kept Penn State's bowl hopes alive, with the Nittany Lions (5-5, 4-4 Big Ten) needing a victory next week at Virginia to become bowl eligible. "We're not thinking about a bowl yet," Paterno said. "We've still got to beat a tough Virginia team." The Spartans (5-5, 3-5) lost for the third time in a row since their emotional 26-24 win over Michigan. They need a win over Missouri next week to avoid missing out on postseason play for the second year in a row. "It was a very, very disappointing loss," Spartans coach Bobby Williams said. "Now our whole season comes down to one game. We're down to that, and we'll be looking forward to next week." Even after losing the advantage, Michigan State had a chance to regain the lead, facing third-and-7 at the Penn State 14 with just over 2 minutes to play. But Bruce Branch knocked a third-down pass away from Charles Rogers at the goal line, and on fourth-and-7 linebacker Deryck Toles stopped Rogers 2 yards short of the first down. "They ran a shallow crossing route, because they knew we would be playing back," Toles said. "It was designed for Rogers to catch the ball short of the sticks and run for the first down, but we had been studying them all week and we knew they liked that play. I saw it all the way, I made the hit and I wasn't going to let go." After pulling to 31-21 late in the first half, Penn State outscored Michigan State 21-0 in the third quarter. "They really went after us," Williams said. "They hit some big plays against us in the first half and again in the third quarter. We got away from man defense and went to more zone, but they still hit a couple long passes." The Nittany Lions began the run with Mills' 64-yard touchdown pass to R.J. Luke. A 38-yard pass to Bryant Johnson and a pass interference penalty drawn by Johnson set up scoring runs for McCoo of 2 and 1 yards in the quarter. "If this is like basketball, you have to give Bryant assists on those two touchdowns," said McCoo, whose three touchdowns totaled just 5 yards. "He got the ball down there and I just had to punch it in." Michigan State's defensive collapse overshadowed outstanding performances by T.J. Duckett and Rogers. Duckett rushed for 126 yards while Rogers had eight catches for 191 yards and two touchdowns. "That Rogers is one big-time receiver," Paterno said. "We wanted him in high school and today you can see why." Michigan State Head Coach Bobby Williams: "It was a very, very disappointing loss. It's unfortunate that the game came down to the end because we really fell apart in the third quarter. We had some things going our way for the most part and the momentum really changed. I thought our guys really fought back and really had a chance to come back and win the football game. Now our whole season comes down to one game. We're down to one game and we'll be looking forward to playing that game next week." On what changed when the score was 31-14: "They really went after our pass coverage. They hit some plays against us and gave up several big plays in the first half and second half and third quarter by way of pass." "We changed the coverage up a little bit. We got away from the man principle and went to more zone concepts. They still hit a couple long passes against us in the third quarter in zone coverage." On momentum swing: "We had two other opportunities because we got the ball on the plus side of the field twice after that. The defense came back and played well and got us the ball back. We had two other opportunities to get the ball down there but we just didn't come up with the plays." On Penn State: "They're a good football team. They have been playing well the past few weeks and they fought back and played well today." Penn State Head Coach Joe Paterno: "We only thought about this game. MSU played real good against us." "In the end we had some dumb plays like six guys on the line of scrimmage, the lousy punt and loss of good field position." "Our defense was lousy. That's not to take anything away from Michigan State they have some good skill players, the two wide outs, tailback, tight ends and quarterback. They (PSU defense) were not aggressive, we made mistakes." "I thought he (Stewart) was taunting him (Smoker). One of the coaches let me know Stewart was just concerned that he (Smoker) was hurt. I guess they played together in the high school. He (Stewart) played alright, not quite as well as I wanted." "Mills had a great first series. He has a tight spiral and that was in the back of my head all week when I heard the weather report. He's pretty good. MSU was all around him." "This is a pretty predictable group (Penn State). They play hard, most of the time I have something to gripe about. Mostly when the guys hear me they work hard although I was disappointed in the defense in the first half." "We made some plays, I mean we have become a pretty good offensive football team. We're not great but we're good. We made some pretty great throws downfield, made some good catches and we were running it good in a couple of places. There were some great throws, but they were also unfortunate because there were a couple of Michigan State kids around. We were hoping to have Mills throw into the wind during the third. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't."
"I kind of did the same thing to my shoulder as I did before. It's not any worse or anything. I don't think it's quite as bad. "It's definitely disappointing, especially after all you put into the game and for how hard we worked during the week. We had another great week of practice. We had a great first half. It's just disappointing when you're out there and play hard and don't come out with a win." On the offense: "We had that fumble and a few other times when we didn't convert on third down, which was big. You've got to be able to do that. A lot of times in the first half we were staying out of third downs. We were moving the ball so quick." On missed field goal: "It wasn't huge. It definitely wasn't the game but it was important. It's always important to get on the board the first half of the game and the first drive of the second half." On injury: "I just have to wait and see how it feels. It still hurts. I can move it enough to move in there and throw the ball. I took them that far, I just wanted to finish it off." On Paterno and what he said: "I talked to him before the game. I didn't get a chance to talk to him after the game. He got off the field pretty quick. He just said hi and that I was having a great season and to just keep up the good work." On next week: "Like the other week, it will depend on how it progresses. If you ask me if I'm going to play, it's the last game of the season - we've got to win. We've got to try and get a chance to go to a bowl game, and I'm going to be in there." T.J. Duckett: On rushing records: "It feels good, but right now there's more important things to deal with rather than that sort of thing. You look at that thing when the season's over and you're where want to be." On the important things: "Getting to a bowl game and winning. It's a big game next week and we just have to come back and find a way to win. Our heart has to grow each week. We've had some tough losses these past few weeks. We'll find out what we're actually made of in this last game with our back against the wall. We have to come out and play hard." "We were moving the ball well. It felt good. I don't know what happened. It just stopped. It just went away. The passing game was making big plays. (Charles Rogers) was having a bit day, (Jeff Smoker) was one point and Herb (Haygood) and (Chris) Baker were making catches. We were moving the ball." "We're down a little. What's left of our heart and our fire has to come up next week."
"The only person I have to look at is the person in the mirror and know what I did. I feel like I could have done some things better to make a difference. "We've been here before. I've been here before twice. At least we can convey it to the younger guys what we have to do next week to win. We can't lose focus, we just have to pick up the pieces and move on." "I don't think we can necessarily satisfy ourselves. Whatever happens now, we just know that we could have done better. I thought getting this win might make some things right and maybe get a little respect back - at least finish out with a winning season." Herb Haygood "We didn't play well in the third quarter. Coach always preaches to us that we have to play 60 minutes and today we didn't. I tried to get everybody up and tell them we have a quarter and a half to play. We lost three games we should've won. I don't know what's happened. We've got to win next week." Charles Rogers "I don't know what (Penn State coach Joe) Paterno told the boys at halftime, but they came out real physical and changed up their coverage." "The
team is shocked right now. There's a lot of people with their heads down.
But there's one game left. It's do or die." MSU favored by 1-1/2 over JoePa (11/20/01)--The current line for MSU's post-Turkey day game vs. Penn State is a 1.5 point favorite over the Nittany Lions. The game will begin at 3:30 pm this Saturday (Nov. 24), and will be televised on ESPN. In other news: After missing the Purdue contest, Sophomore QB Jeff Smoker (sprianed shoulder) plans to start for MSU on Saturday vs. Penn State... Junior RB T.J. Duckett (sprained ankle) will practice this week and is expected to be healthy vs. Penn State... Senior QB Ryan Van Dyke will not seek a medical redshirt for a possible sixth season after breaking his jaw mid-season vs. Minnesota. "It's time to move on. I have other things I want to do," stated Van Dyke in the Lansing State Journal. Van Dyke could be ready for the season finale vs. Missouri... Senior CB DeMario Suggs, however, plans to apply for a medical redshirt. Suggs broke his ankle in practice in early October. State fumbles away 24-14 game to Purdue (11/18/01, MSU Media Relations, msuspartans.fansonly.com) --Montrell Lowe ran for 121 yards and two touchdowns and backup quarterback Kyle Orton led Purdue on three of its four scoring drives in a 24-14 victory over Michigan State on Saturday. Orton replaced the ineffective Brandon Hance on the final drive of the first half. Hance was 7-for-12 for 65 yards but couldn't get Purdue near the red zone. Orton, who attempted 19 passes in three games, went 6-for-9 for 61 yards. Nearly all of his completions went for double digits and came on scoring drives. Purdue (6-3, 4-3 Big Ten) trailed 7-0 in the third quarter when Orton led an 11-play, 84-yard drive that ended with a 10-yard TD run by Lowe. Orton had two completions of 16 yards and one of 15 on the drive. Michigan State's T.J. Duckett fumbled on the second play after the kickoff and the Boilermakers converted on a 42-yard field goal by Travis Dorsch. A 13-yard completion from Orton to Taylor Stubblefield set up a 2-yard run by Lowe to make it 17-7 on the first play of the fourth quarter. Hance returned for one play on Purdue's next possession, was sacked and then booed off the field. The Spartans (5-4, 3-4) were without starting quarterback Jeff Smoker, who sprained his left shoulder in the Spartans' 37-28 loss last week to Indiana. Backup Ryan Van Dyke was out with a fractured jaw, so the Spartans turned to Damon Dowdell, who had thrown one pass this season. Dowdell finished 24-for-45 for 304 yards and two interceptions. He broke a scoreless game at halftime with a 7-yard TD pass to Charles Rogers in the third and scored on a 1-yard run in the fourth. Rogers had seven catches for 108 yards. The Spartans trailed 17-14 late in the fourth when defensive tackle Craig Terrill recovered Dowdell's fumble and scored from 12 yards out. On Michigan State's next possession, Dowdell's pass was intercepted by Joe Odom. Dowdell's pass also was picked off by Stu Schweigert to end the game. Dowdell was hindered by poor field position most of the first half, as twice the Spartans started inside their own 8. Seven of Dowdell's nine first-half completions, out of 21 attempts, were for double-digit gains. Any momentum Michigan State built in the half was squashed by missed field goals of 45 and 37 yards by Dave Rayner. Dowdell also lost a fumble on Purdue's 29 after he was stripped by right tackle Matt Mitrione. Purdue avoided its first three-game losing streak since the 1996 season, when it twice had three-game losing streaks under Jim Colletto. Purdue coach Joe Tiller moved into third place on Purdue's career victory list with 39. Noble Kizer (42) and Jack Mollenkopf (84) are ahead of him. Smoker
Questionable for Purdue (11/13/01)--The Lansing State Journal today reported that QB Jeff Smoker is questionable for the Purdue game. Smoker has been batted around like a rag doll the past two games, and he took a vicious hit with 2 minutes left and the Spartans driving for a potentially winning score. Smoker was planted into the turf and now has a sprained left shoulder that, at the very least, is keeping him out of practice this week. He couldn't even lift the arm on the last drive, and it most assuredly had an impact on the final INT. Freshman Damian Dowdell, the Spartans' #3 QB, is being groomed for the job vs Purdue. ES figures: watch a lot of running against the Boilers if Dowdell starts. However, the LSJ also reports that senior Ryan Van Dyke, who broke his jaw and suffered a concussion at Minnesota, could be available if he receives medical clearance to play this week. Smoker's status removes the MSU-Purdue game from the odds-makers in Vegas. Spartans shredded by Indiana, 37-28 (11/12/01, MSU Media Relations, msuspartans.fansonly.com)-- Antwaan Randle El passed for a mere 51 yards and no touchdowns Saturday against No. 22 Michigan State. No matter. The fifth-year senior ran for 149 yards and a score in Indiana's 37-28 victory. The Hoosiers (3-5, 3-3 Big Ten) amassed 489 yards on the ground, including a 251-yard, three-touchdown effort by running back Levron Williams."We were prepared to play Michigan State, and we've got the best running game in the Big Ten," Williams said. "We can do this to anyone." Randle El became the NCAA Division I-A career rushing leader among quarterbacks, and fullback Jeremi Johnson added 96 yards and a touchdown. "We feel like we can move the ball on anyone," Randle El said. "The only thing that can stop us is our own stupid penalties and turnovers." "It's (the record's) a huge accomplishment, but I'm only going to celebrate until 4:30 tomorrow," Randle El said. "After that, it's all about Penn State (next week's opponent). I can enjoy this after my career." Michigan State (5-3, 3-3), which was coming off an emotional 26-24 win over Michigan, had won the last four meetings against Indiana. "We didn't play with the fire that Indiana did," Michigan State coach Bobby Williams said. "They had a lot more emotion than us." Indiana entered the game as the Big Ten leader in rushing offense, scoring offense, total offense and turnover margin. The Hoosiers took control of the Old Brass Spittoon, which has been awarded to the winner since 1950. Randle El held the Spittoon in his arms during a postgame news conference. "We've been talking about winning this Spittoon all week," he said. "There's a lot of tradition in this thing, and we weren't leaving the field until they gave it to us." Michigan State still needs one more win to become bowl eligible. Indiana kept its bowl hopes alive, but will need to win its three remaining games to be eligible for the postseason. Indiana, ahead 31-28, had a first-and-goal from the Michigan State 1 with less than 6 minutes remaining. Randle El pitched the ball late to Williams on the option. Broderick Nelson hit Williams as he caught the ball, forcing a fumble recovered by linebacker Josh Thornhill. "We've got to look like the dumbest team in America," Indiana coach Cam Cameron said. "Our flanker lines up in the wrong spot, and his guy made the play. If we line up right, we just walk in." Michigan State drove to midfield, but Jeff Smoker's pass was intercepted by Herana-Daze Jones with less than three minutes to go. Williams completed the scoring with a 22-yard run with 2:02 left. The Spartans pulled to 31-28 in the third quarter when Smoker hit a leaping Herb Haygood in the end zone from 13 yards out. Smoker completed 20 of 30 passes for 288 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Smoker, who took several hard hits, sprained his left shoulder and was in a sling after the game. Adam Braucher's 31-yard field goal gave the Hoosiers a 31-21 lead at 10:48 of the third quarter. He missed a 21-yarder late in the quarter. Indiana took a 28-21 lead into halftime thanks to an 80-yard touchdown run around the left end by Williams with 2:11 remaining in the second. Indiana evened the score at 21 when Johnson took a quick hand-off from Randle El and ran up the middle for a 19-yard touchdown run about two minutes earlier. Smoker connected with Charles Rogers on a 19-yard pass to give Michigan State a 21-14 lead at 7:05 of the second. Smoker's first touchdown pass of the game, an 18-yard strike to Haygood, gave the Spartans a 14-7 lead at 7:17 of the first quarter. With Indiana down 14-7 in the second quarter, a pooch punt by Randle El was touched by Michigan State's Duron Bryan and recovered by Michael Hanley at the 17. Five plays later, Williams took an option pitch from Randle El and ran into the end zone untouched on a third-and-goal from the 1-yard line. Randle El ran Indiana's third play from scrimmage around the right side and raced down the sideline for a 57-yard touchdown to put the Hoosiers ahead 7-0 at 11:20 of the first quarter. It was his longest run of the season. T.J. Duckett answered with a 17-yard touchdown run around the right side to make it 7-7 at 9:39. A week after a 211-yard effort against Michigan, Duckett had 98 yards rushing on 17 carries against the Hoosiers. Michigan State Head Coach Bobby Williams: "It was definitely a disappointing game today. We just didn't play with the fire that Indiana played with. I felt they played with a lot more emotion than we did. We just made entirely too many mistakes today, too many for us to overcome. (Indiana) really played well; they executed well. (Antwaan) Randle El is a good quarterback. Levron (Williams) is a good running back and they did a good job today. We've been hit with injuries all year long, it finally caught up with us today. We're playing with a lot of young players in there - a lot of true freshman are in there playing." On coming off the big Michigan victory: "That is what everybody talked about. We had an opportunity today to do some things but we just couldn't overcome the mistakes. We had far more penalties than we've had for several weeks, some assignment errors, some critical mistakes that we haven't been making - we made them today." On practice earlier this week: "I thought we had pretty good practice. We knew it was going to be tough to prepare for this team with the offensive weapon, we knew that. Our defense came up with two stops at key times, but we just gave up too many big plays." Indiana Head Coach Cam Cameron: "It was a great job by our players and coaching staff. No more no less. I just can't say enough. You just play and play and play and play for 60 minutes. That's the story in my mind. Everything doesn't always work out like you script it. The bottom line is you have to score one more than the opponent or you got to hold them to one less. We don't care which one it is." Josh Thornhill: "It was disappointing to come out and lose to a team that you really feel you shouldn't be losing to. It's disappointing. We just didn't come out ready to play, that's the bottom line - we just weren't ready to play. The opening drive it wasn't there, the same energy wasn't there. Give credit to them. They are good players. I am not going to make excuses. We'll look at the film on Monday and see what happened. " Q: What do you say to the team this week? A: "Same thing we tried to say last week - forget about it. It's time to move on to Purdue. We have 12 quarters of football left this year. The season is still in our hands. Nothing's over. This isn't the last game of the season. We have another game next week, an opportunity to play again. " Jeff Smoker: "You have to come to play every week in the Big Ten. I thought we had a pretty good first half, didn't finish it off the second half. They came out and seemed to be more fired up than we were. We seemed to let up a little bit and didn't get the job done. It was a tough one. We played all right early but we dropped off in the second half. We didn't finish the job. They came ready to play." On where Smoker hurt his left shoulder: "On the play near the goal line. It felt like I flew for about 20 yards. I just remember getting lifted off my feet and flying pretty far and landing on my shoulder. On getting sacked against Michigan vs. Indiana: "I might have got sacked a lot last week, but a lot of them weren't direct hits. One or two of those today were good direct hits, that's the difference. It was the one down where we were close to our goal line on the south end. I play actioned to the one side and went to roll back and it was that one right there." On next week's game at Purdue "We've got to forget about this, move on, and learn from our mistakes. We got a game against a good Purdue team. We got to get ourselves prepared." T.J. Duckett "We started slow today and just couldn't finish in the end. I really can't say too much. Next week we'll have to start quicker." "They played a great game, I can't take anything away from them. We just couldn't match up with them." Charles Rogers "Indiana came out and was hungrier. They wanted this game more than we did and they showed it. We knew they were an explosive offense. Randle El made some tremendous plays and that was the end result." Herb Haygood "We did not play well today, we left too many plays on the field. We should not of lost this game. As an offensive player, I think we have to control the clock. If we can do that (controlling the clock) and score points at the same time, we'll be better. They kept our offense off the field." Thomas Wright "We didn't come to play today. This is very disappointing. On stopping the option "They have so many options. Randle El is a good player and he made the right decisions. We had to get some guys running to the ball and we didn't have that." (11/5/01)--USA Today has named MSU running back TJ Duckett the national college player of the week for his performance vs. Michigan. The Big Ten has also named Duckett co-Big Ten player of the week along with Randel-El of Indiana. USA Today states: "T.J. Duckett earned USATODAY.com's National Player of the Week Award with a day to remember in Michigan State's 26-24 victory over archrival Michigan. He ran for 211 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries, and also caught three passes for 19 yards. The last reception was the most important — a 2-yard touchdown catch on the final play of the game to give the Spartans the victory." MSU #22; 7-point fave over Indiana (11/5/01)--Las Vegas casinos lists Michigan State as an early 7-point favorite over Indiana. The Hoosiers (2-5, 2-3) are coming off a 56-21 annihilation of Northwestern. MSU has moved up to #22 in the AP Poll and #23 in the ESPN/USA Today Poll. Michigan dropped to #12/#13. Illinois is ranked #14/#15, and Purdue is ranked #24 in the ESPN poll only. MSU downs UM on last second pass to Duckett (11/4/01,
MSU Media Relations, Jeff Smoker, scrambling and off-balance, lobbed a 2-yard touchdown pass to Duckett on the last play of the game as Michigan State beat Michigan 26-24 on Saturday, likely ending the Wolverines chances of playing in the Rose Bowl for the national championship. Duckett, who ran for 211 yards and added 19 receiving yards, found an opening in a crowded end zone, just beyond a couple leaping Wolverines. And Smoker spotted him in the nick of time. "I was jumping up and down in the end zone, waving my arms," Duckett said. "It's a big win for our program." After the catch, Duckett was swarmed in the end zone by his celebrating teammates in front of a cheering student section. There was no extra point attempt, and officials did not immediately explain why. There were seven lead changes between the Spartans (5-2, 3-2 Big Ten) and Wolverines (6-2, 4-1) and neither team led by more than seven points. Michigan State, with one time out left, started the winning drive at Michigan's 43 with 2:09 left. On a fourth-and-16 from the 50, an incomplete pass turned into a first down for Michigan State when cornerback Jeremy LeSueur was called for a personal foul for making contact with receiver Charles Rogers' face mask.
When Michigan coach Lloyd Carr was asked about the officials ruling that a second should remain on the clock, he wouldn't answer it directly. "Our players deserve better," Carr said. "I'm sure the Big Ten will do the right thing, but that won't change the outcome." Marquise Walker caught nine passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns for Michigan, with all but 44 yards coming in second quarter. John Navarre was 14-of-27 for 195 yards and three touchdowns. He had two interceptions - on consecutive possessions in the third and fourth quarters. Smoker was 15-of-35 for 183 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Rogers caught six passes for 86 yards and drew three pass interference penalties along with the personal foul on the game-winning drive. "Those are as good as catches because they gave us great field position," Rogers said. "I came to Michigan State to win games like this. I wanted to be a part of something new. They used to win these games, but things are going to change." Michigan set a school record with 12 sacks, led by Shantee Orr's five sacks, which tied a school record. The Wolverines looked as if they might survive their visit to East Lansing. Holding a 20-17 lead with six minutes left, Smoker fumbled the snap and Grant Bowman recovered the ball at the Spartans' 38. Calvin Bell ran 21 yards on a reverse and Navarre threw a 20-yard TD pass to backup quarterback Jermaine Gonzales on a third-and-13 with 4:44 left. "We felt like we had it won, but it doesn't matter what the score is until there's zeroes on the clock," Michigan's Dave Petruziello said. Michigan State was the first to score, thanks to a fake punt. On a fourth-and-11 at Michigan's 31, punter Craig Jarrett threw a pass to Rogers, who drew his first of three pass interference penalties, all in the first half. Smoker threw a TD pass to Rogers, inches over cornerback Marlin Jackson on a third-and-11 at the 17. Michigan's Hayden Epstein kicked a school-record 57-yard field goal on the ensuing possession to make it 7-3. The Wolverines took a 10-7 lead on Walker's first of two touchdowns early in the second quarter on a third-and-5 at the 14. On the next possession, Michigan State went ahead 14-10 on Duckett's 2-yard run. Rogers drew a pass interference penalty in the end zone on a third-and-4 from the 12, a play before the TD. Michigan responded with an 80-yard drive capped by Walker's 32-yard touchdown reception, which gave the Wolverines their 17-14 halftime lead. MSU-UM Post Game quotes from coach Williams (11/4/01,
MSU Media Relations, On the MSU
offense: After the
game: On the final
play: On Michigan
penalties: (11/2/01)--The Oakland Press and The State News today report that standout Flint Northern football and basketball star Matt Trannon will officially announce he will committ to Michigan State. The press conference is scheduled for 2:30 pm today. Here's the bit from the Oakland Press: "EAST LANSING - The Michigan State Spartans scored a major recruiting blow Thursday, getting a verbal commitment from Flint Northern’s Matt Trannon. He is expected to announce the decision today at a 2:30 p.m. press conference at Flint Northern. A source close to the Michigan State program said Thursday that despite being torn between Michigan and MSU, Trannon has decided to go with the Spartans. He is expected to play both football and basketball in college, choosing MSU over Florida, Michigan and Tennessee. After playing in the Adidas ABCD camp over the summer, a Fall report by Prep Spotlight Magazine said Trannon is “The best athlete in America. (He) plays hard and just out-athletes most players.” The Adidas camp is regarded by many as the top summer basketball camp in the nation. Trannon is one of the biggest catches in the state in both football and basketball. He is ranked as the No. 1 power forward in Michigan by Prep Spotlight, as well as the state's No. 1 wide receiver. The recruiting website Rivals.com lists Trannon as the No. 17 basketball player in the country, and the No. 47 football prospect in the nation. Standing 6-foot-7 and weighing 195 pounds, Trannon averaged 18 points, 11 rebounds and five assists per game as a power forward. As a wideout in football this season, Trannon racked up 558 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. He runs the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds. Flint Northern will play at Lake Orion in the division I state high school playoffs. The game will be at 7:30." One day 'til U-M gets its butt kicked! (11/2/01)--Last night on ESPN's Thursday Game Day, Lee Corso was interviewed about tomorrow's Michigan-Michigan State Game: "isn't it amazing that 31 of the last 32 games has been won by the team that ran for the most yards. But I don't know if that will be the case this year [with U-M's Marquise Walker and MSU's Charles Rogers]. What I can tell you is its gonna be a fantastic football game." Quotes in today's Lansing State Journal on the Big Game Saturday between Michigan and Michigan State: Michigan coach Lloyd Carr: "There's no question this game has an intensity about it. The only guys who don't understand that are the ones who haven't been to East Lansing. And we have a number of players who haven't. The older guys have to let them know what its like. I don't think I need to tell them anything. The reason that many players come to Michigan or go to Michigan State, particularly those in this state, is to play in this game. I don't htink there is any more intense rivalry in college football. And if they don't know what it's all about, it't too late for me to explain it." U-M tight end Shawn Thompson: "The last time I played in this game was in 1999. I think everyone remembers what happened. We've just go to do what we've already done. Washington and Iowa were tough environments, so we're prepared. Playing here has always been a dream of mine. But it's two great programs. What more could you ask for? I've alwasy been a Michigan fan. But I'm from Saginaw, which is pretty much split. And I have buddies who went to Michigan State." U-M quarterback John Navarre: "It was an intense crowd and a back-and-forth game (in 1999). When it was in their favor, the fans were very loud. And they're going to be, because they love their team up there. It's just as loud as any other stadium." The ES says: Navarre, wake up? Back-and-forth game? We kicked your ass in 1999. MSU was up by 21 points before Michigan finally woke up, but by then it was too late. Michigan got its ass kicked... the score (34-31 MSU win) did not indicate the wood that MSU laid on the Wolvies. That eing said, we'll kick your ass again tomorrow! Go GREEN! (10/31/01, USAToday.com): USA Today features Michigan State in its Spotlight this week as its national "Team To Watch." Here's the text: Never a team to get much national attention, Michigan State is quietly having another solid season in East Lansing. However, if there's one school that will provide Bobby Williams' squad an opportunity to get in the spotlight, that school is intrastate rival Michigan. The Wolverines, who are the lone unbeaten left in Big Ten play, visit their neighbor Saturday. And Michigan State looks poised to possibly upset the Wolverines as it did two seasons ago. Jeff Smoker has taken over the controls at quarterback after sharing time with Ryan Van Dyke before his teammate was injured. The sophomore was extremely impressive in last week's defeat of Wisconsin, throwing for 326 yards and three touchdowns. Not only would a victory provide the satisfaction of spoiling its rival's season, it could vault Michigan State into the rankings and set the stage for a strong finish. (10/29/01)--Stardust casino in Las Vegas lists Michigan as an early 6.5-point favorite at Michigan State for this Saturday's game. Michigan, now ranked #6 nationally in both polls, will play the Spartans at 3:30 pm EST. The game will be televised nationally on ABC-TV. MSU kicks Wisconsin's ass, 42-28! (10/27/01, MSU Media Relations, msuspartans.fansonly.com)-- SERIES - Today's game marked the 42nd meeting between Michigan State and Wisconsin. MSU holds a 25-17 lead in the all-time series following today's game, including a 13-10 all-time mark in games played in Madison. It was MSU's first victory in Madison since a 20-7 win in 1991. CONTINUING HIS MARCH - With a first quarter catch, senior tight end Chris Baker extended his streak with consecutive catches to 18 games. Baker started his streak with two catches in the 2000 Citrus Bowl against Florida. ON THE CAREER CHART - Senior tailback T.J. Duckett moved into a tie for 10th place on MSU's career rushing TD chart with 21st career rushing touchdown in the first quarter. Duckett's one-yard TD run tied the game at 7. Duckett had a then season-long 43-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter to give the Spartans a 21-14 lead. Duckett's touchdown was the 22nd rushing touchdown of his career. The Kalamazoo, Mich., native surpassed Steve Smith (1977-80; 21) and Charlie Baggett (1973-75; 21) for 10th place with 22 career rushing TDs. Duane Goulbourne (1992-96) and LeRoy Bolden (1951-54) hold down the eighth position with 23 career rushing TDs. He finished the game with 23 carries for 186 yards, including a career-long 68-yard run.. It was his 10th career 100-yard rushing day and his first since the Northwestern game. THREW THE AIR - MSU entered today's game with nine touchdown receptions and now has a total of 12 touchdown receptions through the first six games this season. In comparison, MSU had a total of 10 touchdown receptions for all of 2000. Jeff Smoker finished 13-of-20 with a career-best 326 yards and three touchdown passes. He also scored on an eight-yard run. Smoker's 326 yards passing was the most by a Spartan quarterback since Bill Burke passed for 400 yards vs. Michigan in 1999. INTERCEPT THAT BALL - Sophomore cornerback Tyrell Dortch picked off his first career pass in the endzone late in the first quarter. Dortch, who made the transition from tailback to cornerback due to injuries, left the game with 7:03 in the second quarter with a broken right lower leg. Junior cornerback Broderick Nelson picked off his team-leading fifth pass of the season in the endzone in the third quarter. Senior strong safety Duron Bryan picked off his first career pass with 1:09 remaining in the fourth quarter. MSU finished the game with three interceptions and now has 11 on the season. In comparison, MSU had just 12 interceptions all of last season. DRIVING DOWN THE FIELD - MSU put together its three longest touchdown drives of the season vs. UW. The Spartans had two drives of 91 yards and one drive of 87 yards. MSU's second quarter touchdown drive was a seven play, 91-yard drive which resulted in a five-yard touchdown pass from Jeff Smoker to Charles Rogers. The Spartans also put together a four play, 87-yard series that culminated in a 12-yard touchdown pass from Jeff Smoker to Herb Haygood to give MSU a 28-14 lead. The Spartans also put together a 3 play, 91-yard drive as Jeff Smoker hit Charles Rogers for a 87-yard touchdown pass. The 87-yard touchdown catch tied for the third-longest in school history. SPARTAN QUICK HITS - Senior tight end Chris Baker started his 41st consecutive game today, while senior linebacker Josh Thornhill started his 34th straight game. The 41 games is the longest such streak on the team. Charles Rogers caught his team-leading fourth touchdown reception late in the second quarter from Jeff Smoker. Rogers catch tied the game at 14. Rogers finished the game with five catches for 206 yards. The 206 yards were a career best. It also was MSU's first 200-yard receiving game since Plaxico Burress finished with 255 yards against Michigan on Oct. 9, 1999. MSU's 42 points were the team's most points since the season opener when the Spartans scored 35 against Central Michigan. It was also the most points the Spartans have scored since Oct. 2, 1999 when MSU put 49 points on the board against Iowa. Freshman kicker Dave Rayner was a perfect 6-for-6 on PAT attempts. Head coach Bobby Williams picked up his first career Big Ten road victory. The Nov.
3 Michigan State-Michigan football game will be played at 3:30 p.m. EST
on ABC.
The score is usually high, a key factor in Sorgi's 0-3 career mark as a starter. And although he didn't start last Saturday at Illinois, the Badgers' 42-35 loss certainly falls in the same category as his starting assignments. "Pretty much every game I've been in has been a shootout game where you've had to score points to win, and I always come up a little short," said Sorgi, whose career starts include a 30-24 overtime loss to Purdue last season and losses to Oregon (31-28) and Fresno State (32-20) earlier this season. "We have put points on the board, so that's a plus if you're looking at that." Still, that silver lining doesn't do much for Sorgi, who would much rather have seen those shootouts result in victories. Sorgi may get another chance as a starter Saturday when the UW hosts Michigan State at Camp Randall Stadium. Starter Brooks Bollinger injured his groin and hip against Illinois, and UW coach Barry Alvarez said Monday that Bollinger's status is day-to-day. "If we practiced (Monday), he wouldn't be able to go," Alvarez said. "But he has shown some improvement." That the Badgers' offense hasn't skipped a beat when Sorgi has been called upon on a moment's notice is comforting to the UW coaching staff. "I thought he played well in the second half," Alvarez said of Sorgi, who completed 10 of 20 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns against the Illini. "I thought he had a rhythm. I thought he was playing with confidence, throwing the ball on time, putting the ball where it had to be, had control of the huddle. I thought he handled himself very well." That hasn't always been the case this season for Sorgi, who returned to his backup role once Bollinger (concussion) returned to action after the Fresno State game on Sept. 8. Sorgi played sparingly in games against Penn State and Indiana, threw two interceptions against Western Kentucky and didn't leave the bench against Ohio State. "After the Michigan State game last year and then after the Purdue game, I had nothing but confidence," said Sorgi, who made a name for himself last season when he rallied the Badgers to a 13-10 victory at Michigan State after Bollinger was injured. "And then going into this season, I had nothing but confidence the first couple games I played. "And then things, for the first time since I've been here, really didn't go my way. And you could kind of see it when I was out there, I really wasn't in control of how I should have been. "And then this last game against Illinois, I got my control back, got my confidence back. I started seeing things. I stopped rushing myself when I was back there. I think if I just take that into every game every week, I'll be alright." Home woes: Much of the talk last week was about how good of a road team the Badgers have been in recent years. Conversely, the Badgers have been average at home of late. The UW has lost five of its last eight games at Camp Randall Stadium, a place once considered one of the toughest environments in the nation for visiting teams. That may not be the case anymore, says Alvarez, who was told as much by a visiting coach that he chose not to name. "I had one coach tell me after one of our games how hard they prepared to come in here because they understood how hostile of a place to play (it was), and they didn't find it the case," Alvarez said. "They felt it was pretty easy." Official concern: Alvarez said he called David Parry, the Big Ten Conference's supervisor of officials, Monday morning to discuss a few questionable calls made during the UW-Illinois game. One topic that came up was an apparent fumble by Illinois' Walter Young that was called an incomplete pass. The Illini ended up scoring the winning touchdown later in the drive. "There was just a number of things that I wanted to review with him, and he was anticipating the call," Alvarez said. McGrew out for season: Alvarez said senior rush end Delante McGrew will have surgery next month and will be lost for the season. McGrew injured his knee early in the loss to Illinois. Alvarez said he expects two other injured defensive linemen, seniors Chuck Smith and Ben Herbert, to play against Michigan State. (10/23/01)-- The Lansing State Journal offers up the following quotes in today's paper: Damien Dowdell: "I really didn't think [being the #2 QB] would come this week. I just have to be prepared. It definitely helps that I have some experience going into it." Bobby Williams: "Having Damon in the game gives our offense another dimension in that he can run the football." [on problems with the running game]: "One of the biggest problems is our attitude. As an offense we are lacking the attitude that we can run the football." Morris Watts: "You better have a plan for your backup QB. Because he is one play away from being on the field a lot. Damon is always a threat if he takes off scrambling. But he can also be a pocket QB, with the ability to sit back there and make reads. When you get a young QB, they ar going to see every blitz that was ever drawn up." [on problems with the running game]: "It's frustrating but I'm not giving up on where we eventually want to be. Offensively, we'll be a better football team when we run the ball better than we are now." Brian Ottney: "It's ridiculous that we're not running for 200 or 300 yards every game with the talent we have. We have no choice but to get better. There's no reason for it, and we have limitless potential." Aaron Alexander: "Practice was much more difficult today. There is a lot of emotion being in there and I felt the intensity of the game." Injuries: QB Ryan Van Dyke is out three weeks with a broken jaw, QB Jeff Smoker is probable with a sore ankle, OG Joe Tate is questionable with a sprained ankle, DT Josh Shaw is probable with a sprained ankle. Badgers favored by 5 1/2 over MSU (10/22/01)-- The early line out of Las Vegas casinos lists Wisconsin as a 5 1/2-point favorite over the Spartans this weekend. Wisconsin, at 4-4 overall and 2-2 in the Big 10, comes off a 42-35 loss at Illinois. MSU, which was favored by 3 1/2 at Minnesota, lost 28-19 and is now 3-2 overall and 1-2 in conference. Wisconsin has won its last two games against MSU and is 2-2 at Camp Randall stadium this year (wins vs. Virginia and W. Kentucky; losses vs. Fresno St. and Indiana). Van Dyke breaks jaw; out 3 weeks (10/22/01,
MSU Media Relations,msuspartans. Van Dyke suffered the injury on a 16-yard completion to Little John Flowers midway through the third quarter. After releasing the football, he took a shot to the helmet by Minnesota defensive tackle Dan Kwapinski and defensive end Tony Dupree. Van Dyke also suffered a mild concussion on the play. "Ryan Van Dyke will be sidelined for a minimum of three weeks," MSU Assistant Athletics Director/Head Trainer Jeff Monroe said. "After three weeks, we'll evaluate the healing process and reassess his playing status. "I'm pleased to report that Ryan had no lingering affects from the concussion." The 6-foot-5, 223-pound Van Dyke had appeared in all five games as a backup this season, completing 37-of-67 throws (.552) for 569 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. He threw for a season-high 233 yards in a 27-26 loss at Northwestern. Van Dyke hit nine-of-15 passes for 149 yards and two scores in leading Michigan State to its fifth-straight win over Notre Dame, 17-10. "I feel so badly for Ryan Van Dyke," Spartan head coach Bobby Williams said. "Ryan was on pace to have the best season of his career. I hope he gets another opportunity to get back on the field. "Despite this setback, Ryan still has an important role on this team as a leader. I know he'll be out on the practice field in a supporting role for Jeff Smoker and Damon Dowdell. Ryan is the consummate team player." (10/21/01)--Minnesota scored 14 unanswered points after trailing MSU 17-14, and ran for 322 on the Spartans to defeat MSU 28-19 at the Metrodome on Saturday. MSU's offense failed to convert of several key opporunities in the fourth quarter while Minnesota literally ran the ball down the Spartan's throat to come away with the victory. Special teams the talk of the town (10/16/01)--The Lansing State Journal today reports on MSU's quest for consistency on its special teams unit: "feast or famine." Special teams head coach Sal Sunseri: "It is very frustrating. The kids know what's going on and they know when they make a mistake. You can't do that. You have the ups and downs that change the momentum of a football game. We address it every single day. The success of our return teams is a really good system that we have. Numbers-wise you can block everybody and get one-on-one with the kicker. And you hope your athlete returning is better than the athlete kicking the ball." Herb Haygood on his success returning kicks: "I think we just have more playmakers and more people who are willing to block. They make it real easy on me." Other MSU notes: Offensive lineman Paul Harker continues to remain out indefinitely until he can improve his shoulder strength. Until then, Harker is assisting offensive line coaches. ESPN regional television has picked up the MSU-Wisconsin game in Madison on Oct. 27. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:10 EST. MSU 4-pt favorite over Gophers (10/15/01)--Stardust casino in Las Vegas lists MSU as an early 4-point favorite over Minnesota for this Saturday's game in Minneapolis. There is no TV for the game. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:10 EST. Spartans nipping at top-25 | |