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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 | |
Sod
100% laid into Stadium
Smoker on target in Spring game (4/13/02, MSU Media Relations, msuspartans.fansonly.com) With temperatures near 70, Michigan State third-year head coach Bobby Williams sent his team through an 88-play intrasquad scrimmage Saturday, April 13 to conclude spring practice. Following a scoreless first half, the Green team, comprised of first-team players, dominated second-half action in posting a 17-0 victory over the White. "I'm pleased with the progress this team made over 15 practices this spring," Williams said. "The effort and enthusiasm has been outstanding all spring. This final scrimmage gave us an opportunity to look at a lot of players under game conditions. "I'm pleased with the overall depth of this team. And our conditioning really showed today because it marked the first warm day of the spring and our guys hung in there for 90 minutes. "The only thing I wasn't happy with today was the number of penalties," he said. "We're going to closely evaluate the film and get things cleaned up." The defenses held the upper hand in the first half, with the two offenses combining for only five first downs and 105 total yards. Late in the second quarter, the Green offense came alive as it moved 38 yards to the White 40-yard line, thanks to three straight completions by Jeff Smoker (Jr./Manheim, Pa.). The drive ended on Smoker's next pass attempt as Roderick Maples (So./Detroit) made a sliding interception at the White 30. The Green team opened the second half with a seven-play, 75-yard drive and took a 7-0 lead on Smoker's 37-yard touchdown strike to BJ Lovett (Sr./Belle Glades, Fla.), who outjumped Maples in the right corner of the end zone. Smoker went five-for-five for 71 yards on the scoring drive. Smoker, who didn't return to action after the opening series in the third quarter, completed 11-of-14 throws of 137 yards. "Jeff Smoker has been improving throughout the spring," Williams said. "He's consistently playing at a high level. Jeff is leaps and bounds ahead of where he was as a quarterback at this time last year. We expect a lot from him and he demands a lot from himself." On its first series of the second half, the White team, led by red-shirt freshman quarterback Aaron Alexander (Richmond, Va.), mounted its only serious scoring threat. Alexander completed back-to-back throws to Ryan Woods (R-Fr./St. Louis) and Robert Strickland (R-Fr./Detroit), good for 10 and 12 yards, respectively, as the White team moved to the Green 32. The drive stalled three plays later and Chris Christoff's (Jr./Novi, Mich.) 47-yard field-goal attempt fell far short. Damon Dowdell (So./Detroit) relieved Smoker and directed a four-play, 49-yard drive to open the fourth quarter. His 37-yard TD toss to Ziehl Kavanaght (Jr./Brossard, Quebec) gave the Green a 14-0 lead with 7:38 left in the game. Dowdell, who saw action for both teams, connected on five-of-12 passes for 103 yards. "I'm really excited about our back-up quarterback situation," Williams said. "Damon Dowdell now has a good grasp of the offense and it shows in his confidence. And Aaron Alexander has all the tools and ability but he simply needs more work in the system." The Green team extended its lead to 17-0 as a six-play, 20-yard drive resulted in a 31-yard field goal from Dave Rayner (So./Oxford, Mich.) with 1:10 on the clock. Lovett finished with a scrimmage-best five receptions for 71 yards. Kavanaght caught three passes for 65 yards while Ben Steckler (R-Fr./Huntingburg, Ind.) had three catches for 40 yards. "Several receivers stepped up and made plays today and that's a positive sign," Williams said. "BJ Lovett, Ben Steckler and Ziehl Kavanaght all made tough catches in the scrimmage. "We've challenged our receivers all spring to make plays because we know all of the attention will be focused on Charles Rogers this fall. Our other receivers will get plenty of opportunities to work one-on-one with defensive backs and those are match-ups they have to win." The Green team outgained the White, 227-63, total yards and held a 12-3 edge in first downs. The Green defense produced three sacks, with Mike Labinjo (Jr./Toronto, Ontario), Kyle Rasmussen (Jr./Hadley, Mich.) and Greg Taplin (Jr./Hollywood, Fla.) recording one each. White linebacker Richard Bryce (Sr./East Lansing, Mich.) led all tacklers with six stops, including five solos. The White defense also registered three sacks, with Darrell Hamilton (So./Detroit), Luc Mullinder (Jr./Mississauga, Ontario) and Marc Wilson (R-Jr./Jackson, Mich.) compiling one each. Top candidates to replace four-year punter Craig Jarrett include Michael Servis (Jr./St. Petersburg, Fla.) and Matt Heppner (So./Marshall, Mich.). Servis averaged 33.0 yards on six punts in the final scrimmage while Heppner managed 37.0 yards on two kicks. "The kicking game will be our top priority when preseason camp opens in August," Williams said. "We got outdoors only six times this spring and that definitely hurt our ability to evaluate our punters and return specialists. "The one positive has been the continued development of placekicker Dave Rayner. Dave has always had a powerful, live leg but he's really improved his accuracy this spring." Five starters sat out the final spring scrimmage, including wide receiver Charles Rogers (Jr./Saginaw, Mich.), tailback Dawan Moss (Sr./Detroit), offensive tackle Ulish Booker (Sr./West Haven, Conn.), defensive end Clifford Dukes (So./Lexington Park, Md.) and linebacker Seth Mitchell (R-Fr./Brandywine, Md.). Michigan State opens the 2002 campaign on Aug. 31 against Eastern Michigan in Spartan Stadium. (4/10/02, MSU Media Relations, msuspartans.fansonly.com)--Michigan State head football coach Bobby Williams has canceled the Green-White intrasquad game, scheduled for Saturday, April 13 at Okemos High School, due to playing field conditions. The Spartans will conclude their 15 days of spring practice with a "controlled" scrimmage Saturday. The final spring workout will be closed to the general public. "Mother Nature simply hasn't cooperated this spring," Williams said. "We've practiced outdoors only four times over the last four weeks. We checked out the site today and there was standing water on the field as the result of the heavy rains earlier this week. Unfortunately, the warmer and dryer weather arrived too late to improve the field conditions and showers are again in the forecast for Friday. "I'm sure the fans are disappointed but the weather hasn't been favorable most of the spring. In arriving at this decision, our players' safety was the top priority and second, I was concerned about causing serious damage to the field." The annual MSU Athletics Department and Concessions "Spring Garage Sale" will be held in conjunction with Spartan Football Family Fun Day, scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 11. (4/7/02, MSU Media Relations, msuspartans.fansonly.com)--With temperatures near 40, Michigan State third-year head coach Bobby Williams sent his football team through a 91-play "controlled" scrimmage Saturday, April 6 to conclude the third week of spring drills. Williams conducted the two-hour workout on the grass practice fields behind the Duffy Daugherty Football Building. "Spring might finally be here," Williams said. "It was nice to get outside for the second scrimmage and get a good look at this football team. "The offense performed much better today than it did last week. The quarterbacks got good protection. The wide outs and tight ends made some plays down the field and we got some production from our running game. Today, the offense played with the level of consistency that we're looking for." Veteran quarterback Jeff Smoker (Manheim, Pa.) completed 10-of-19 throws for 99 yards and two scores. Smoker capped off an eight-play, 65-yard drive with a 13-yard TD toss to tight end Eric Knott (So./Detroit). He connected on two-of-three passes for 24 yards on another 65-yard scoring march. Smoker opened "red zone" drills with a 20-yard TD strike to tight end Jason Randall (So./Muskegon Heights, Mich.) and later scored on a 5-yard keeper. Sophomore Damon Dowdell (Detroit) and red-shirt freshman Aaron Alexander (Richmond, Va.) took turns running the second-team offense. Dowdell hit six-of-15 passes for 87 yards, including a 40-yard TD bomb to flanker Ziehl Kavanaght (Jr./Brossard, Quebec). Alexander connected on two-of-three throws for 58 yards, including a 42-yard completion to Kavanaght that led to a field goal. "Both Damon Dowdell and Aaron Alexander made some plays today, throwing the ball down field and scrambling," Williams said. "The most encouraging thing I saw from those young quarterbacks was their ability to come off the first receiver and find the second option. Damon and Aaron kept us away from bad plays today by making the proper checks." Kavanaght caught five passes for 148 yards and scored on a 24-yard reverse. Randall had three catches for 37 yards. "Ziehl Kavanaght has improved quite a bit this spring," Williams said. "Ziehl has been a consistent pass receiver all spring and today, he made a lot of big plays." For the second-straight week, Mike McConnell (Jr./Adairsville, Ga.) got the bulk of the work at tailback, picking up 52 yards on 10 rushes, including a 3-yard TD run. "Mike McConnell really stepped it up and made some plays today," Williams said. "Mike ran hard, made some people miss and most importantly, he didn't run the ball over. He's improved a great deal over the last three weeks. "Last year, Mike was the fourth back and never really got an opportunity to get in the backfield. This spring, he's becoming more comfortable in the offense and as a result, he's playing with more confidence. He has excellent speed and quickness. In fact earlier this spring, Mike was too fast getting to the hole, but now he's developing some patience as a runner and making good cuts. He's beginning to prove himself as a capable runner." Junior defensive end Greg Taplin (Hollywood, Fla.) recorded three tackles for losses (18 yards), including sacks on back-to-back plays. Senior strong safety Thomas Wright (Lake Wales, Fla.) produced two big plays, breaking up a pass intended for BJ Lovett (Sr./Belle Glades, Fla.) on the goal line and blocking a 37-yard field-goal attempt. Sophomore defensive end Darrell Hamilton (Detroit) had two tackles for losses (8 yards), including a 5-yard sack against Alexander that resulted in a safety. "Greg Taplin and Thomas Wright have been making big plays throughout the spring," Williams said. "Darrell Hamilton had a solid scrimmage. Darrell might be our most athletic defensive end. He ran down a number of plays from the backside today." With Mother Nature cooperating Saturday, the kicking game received special attention. Sophomore placekicker Dave Rayner (Oxford, Mich.) was perfect on six extra-point tries and connected on two-of-three field-goal attempts, hitting from 42 and 37 yards. Junior Michael Servis (St. Petersburg, Fla.) handled the punting chores. "We still have a lot of work to do in the kicking game, but I was encouraged by what I saw today," Williams said. "Dave Rayner really hit the ball well." Michigan State concludes its 15 spring practices with the Green-White intrasquad game Saturday, April 13 at 1 p.m. at Okemos High School. Admission is free. Injury Update/Additional Spring Practice Notes Sophomore defensive end Clifford Dukes (Lexington Park, Md.) will be sidelined for six-to-eight weeks after fracturing his left shoulder in the April 3 practice. With Dukes out of the starting lineup, sophomore Matthias Askew (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) has been moved from his back-up role at defensive tackle outside to the vacated end position. Several key players sat out the second spring scrimmage, including wide receiver Charles Rogers (Jr./Saginaw, Mich.), tailback Dawan Moss (Sr./Detroit) and cornerback DeMario Suggs (Sr./Toledo, Ohio). (4/6/02, MSU Media Relations, msuspartans.fansonly.com)-- Dates of interest: Apr. 6, 4 pm, Second scrimmage Apr. 13, 1 pm, Green & White game at Okemos High School. First Scrimmage report: Michigan State third-year head football coach Bobby Williams sent his team through an 85-play "controlled" scrimmage Friday, March 29 to conclude the second week of spring practice. Steady rain forced Coach Williams to conduct the first spring scrimmage indoors in the Duffy Daugherty Football Building. "The weather has been tough on us this spring," Williams said. "We've had seven practices thus far and six of those have been held indoors. The weather has impacted our preparation, especially in the kicking game. "I'm disappointed because we haven't gotten a lot of work done in the kicking game. It's almost impossible to evaluate the punters, placekickers and kick returners when they're practicing inside. We can't control Mother Nature but we need to get outside these next two weeks so we can work on our timing in the kicking game." The Spartan defense recorded 13 tackles for losses, including eight sacks, and forced three turnovers during the 80-minute workout. The offense managed only 39 rushing yards on 35 attempts. "The defense dominated the entire scrimmage," Williams said. "Both the first and second defense produced big plays. The offense really had a difficult time getting untracked. "We held three starters out of the offensive lineup, including (wide receiver) Charles Rogers, (tailback) Dawan Moss and (center) Brian Ottney. We had an opportunity to look at some other guys today but we didn't get a lot of offensive production." Junior defensive tackle Kyle Rasmussen (Hadley, Mich.) registered two tackles for losses (10 yards), including an 8-yard sack, while his running mate, sophomore defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson (Detroit), recorded two sacks (11 yards). Sophomore cornerback Roderick Maples (Detroit) provided two highlight-reel plays. On the third play from scrimmage, Maples read the screen pass and dropped Ziehl Kavanaght for a 6-yard loss and later during "red zone" drills, he intercepted Aaron Alexander and returned it 86 yards for a touchdown. "Our defensive front made a lot of plays," Williams said. "Both Kyle Rasmussen and Kevin Vickerson played extremely well. And the secondary is the strength of our defense. We have experience and playmakers on the back end and that's important from a defensive standpoint." Junior quarterback Jeff Smoker (Manheim, Pa.) completed nine-of-16 throws for 107 yards, including a 3-yard TD toss to sophomore tight end Eric Knott (Detroit). Sophomore Damon Dowdell (Detroit) took the majority of snaps with the No. 2 offense and connected on five-of-seven passes for 55 yards. Kavanaght (Jr./Brossard, Quebec) caught two passes for 49 yards while Knott had two catches for 28 yards. With first-team tailback Dawan Moss (Sr./Detroit) watching the scrimmage from the sidelines, junior Mike McConnell (Adairsville, Ga.) led all rushers with 62 yards on 10 carries, including a 5-yard TD run around left end. The Spartans were whistled for 10 penalties Friday and that's a major concern for Coach Williams. "We committed far too many penalties," he said. "We were flagged for false starts, illegal formations and pass interference. Those are the types of undisciplined penalties that get you into trouble. We'll certainly work to clean those things up before the next scrimmage." The Spartans have another closed scrimmage scheduled for Saturday, April 6. Michigan State concludes its 15 spring practices with the Green-White intrasquad game Saturday, April 13 at 1 p.m. at Okemos High School. Injury
Update (Photo by Ken Fowler, MSU Sports Info. Click on photo to enlarge) (3/20/02) -- Michigan State opened its spring drills by unveiling its new uniforms -- reflecting an old look. The State News reports that the new uniforms were patterned after ancient gladiators, and include three logos: the block S helmet (which remains unchanged), the Sparty logo on the top left pant leg, and the basketball "State" lettering just above the numbers on the front jersey. Head coach Bobby Williams was quoted as: "“They wanted to take the old ancient Spartan warrior uniform where they had the gladiator suit and incorporate a little bit of the present-day Michigan State Spartan uniform and put it all together in one uniform. So you have a little bit of the past, present and future in one uniform. I thought the design came out really well. We were all really excited when we saw it.” Link here for a complete text of the State News story. More importantly, here is the ES' skinny on what MSU is facing this spring:
Link
here for the Lansing State Journal view of spring practice. Spring FB practice opens Wednesday (3/16/02, MSU Media Relations, msuspartans.fansonly.com) -- Michigan State will open spring football drills Wednesday, March 20 and conclude its 15 practices with the annual Green-White intrasquad game Saturday, April 13 at 1 p.m. at Okemos Mich.) High School. Admission is free for the spring game. Third-year Spartan head coach Bobby Williams announced the complete spring practice schedule at Wednesday's Signing Day Press Conference: March 20,
22, 23, 25, 26, 28, 29 (Note: All spring practices are closed to the general public, except for the April 13 intrasquad game.) Spartan Stadium is not available for practice this spring since the artificial turf was removed last December. Natural grass, planted last May at MSU's Hancock Turfgrass Research Center, will be transported to Spartan Stadium for installation in July. "It makes prefect sense to play the spring game at Okemos High School," Coach Williams said. "Okemos High School has great football facilities and convenient parking. The atmosphere promises to be great for a spring football game. I'd like to thank Okemos athletic director and head football coach Keith Froelich as well as the high school and district administrations for their support and cooperation in hosting this event. "Obviously, some other factors were taken into consideration before selecting Okemos High School as the site. First, our goal is to practice as many times as we can this spring on natural grass. And second, the team's move from campus to Okemos for the game makes the most sense from a logistical standpoint." Fans should note that the spring game might be canceled due to inclement weather or poor playing conditions. (3/5/02, MSU Media Relations, msuspartans.fansonly.com) -- Brandon Massey, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound defensive back from Hazelwood East High School in St. Louis, signed a National Letter of Intent Monday (March 4) to attend Michigan State and play football in 2002. With the addition of Massey, Michigan State's 2002 recruiting class includes 20 newcomers. An honorable mention all-metro defensive back, Massey anchored a Spartan secondary that allowed only 719 passing yards (51.4 per game) and three passing touchdowns en route to a 13-1 record and a trip to the 2001 Missouri Class 5A championship game. He recorded 37 tackles (21 solos, 16 assists), including a sack, and recovered two fumbles as a senior. Massey also ranked as Hazelwood East's second-leading receiver with 20 catches for 350 yards (17.5 avg.) and six touchdowns. "We're excited about signing Brandon Massey," Michigan State head coach Bobby Williams said. "He comes from a quality football program at Hazelwood East. Brandon is an outstanding athlete, with good size and speed." Massey had a season-high eight tackles in the state finals vs. Blue Springs and caught a 77-yard TD pass from Dwayne Buchanan in the fourth quarter. He scored three TDs vs. McCluer, including two receptions and a 36-yard interception return. A two-year starter for Coach Corey Johnson, Massey played safety and wide receiver. His Hazelwood East teammate David Richard, a 6-2, 230-pound running back, signed a National Letter of Intent with Michigan State on Feb. 6. An all-state track athlete, Massey finished third in the Class 4A 110-meter high hurdles as a junior and sixth in the 300 intermediate hurdles as a sophomore. He has been clocked at 4.4 in the 40-yard dash. Here is what the St. Louis Post Dispatch has to say about Massey: "Wide
receiver is Hazelwood East's quiet hero" -- By Kevin E. Boone (10/8/01) Wide receiver Brandon Massey finds himself in the midst of an athletic juggernaut at Hazelwood East High, a football program that has outscored opponents by a cumulative score of 226-25 en route to a 6-0 mark this season. There might be as many as eight Division I college prospects on the squad, led by running back/linebacker David Richard. Massey's biggest challenge? It's realizing that he is among those eight blue-chippers. In recent years, Massey's accomplishments in track and field - he finished third in the 110-meter high hurdles in Missouri Class 4A last spring - dwarfed his efforts on the football field, where he seemed merely another face in the crowd. "I think I may have been overlooked to some degree," said Massey, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound senior. But after a three-touchdown performance last Saturday in a 48-0 rout of McCluer, Massey's stock went up. Against McCluer, he scored on touchdown receptions of 3 and 20 yards from quarterback Dwayne Buchanan. He also returned an interception 31 yards for a TD. "The one thing you can count on Brandon doing on game-day is making the one or two big plays offensively or defensively," Hazelwood East assistant coach Mark Sobol said. "When he gets the opportunity to make a big play, he makes it. ... He rises to the occasion." Through six games, including Hazelwood East's 33-7 victory over Pattonville on Friday, Massey had a team-high seven touchdowns and 44 points. He was second on the Spartans in receiving with 12 catches for 227 yards. Brandon Williams led with 14 catches for 267 yards. Massey can cover the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds, the standard on an athletically gifted Hazelwood East team that also features speedsters such as Richard, Buchanan, Williams, Robert Smith, Darnell Ray, Tony Moss, Matthew Roe and George Love. Speed might be Massey's best asset. "It's evident on films that I can break long ones," he said. "I can get in good position and get a lot of yards after the catch. I'm capable of both making the catch and running with the ball." Major colleges have noticed. Among his suitors are Illinois, Kansas State, Minnesota and Wisconsin. And yet, one would hardly know that Massey is such a marketable football prospect by talking to him. "Brandon is really quiet," Sobol said. "He's really not that outgoing, and he's one of those kids in practice you never really hear talk too much." Self-effacing and humble, he doesn't exactly wear his gifts on his sleeves. "I'm a quiet, take-care-of-business-on-the-field sort of guy," Massey said. That's been his style since he began playing football at age 10 for the Florisssant Raiders of the Junior Football League. Initially, he played defense: "I was so much taller than the other kids that they put me at defensive line in JFL," Massey said. By the time he was a freshman at Hazelwood East, his speed opened other doors. That's how he migrated to track and field, a sport in which he had never participated before high school. "I've always been naturally fast," Massey said. "My (football) coaches said I shouldn't be sitting around the house in the offseason (so) I just came out for track" Massey finished sixth in the 300 intermediate hurdles as a sophomore before taking third last year in the 110s, fueling speculation about his college sport. "I see myself as a football player, but I like track," Massey said. "I've kept my options open for maybe a dual scholarship in track and football." (2/20/02)--The Lansing State Journal reported today that standout junior college LB Derrick Pope has decided to join the Alabama Crimson Tide. Pope cited family reasons to join the Tide, despite the fact that NCAA sanctions will hinder the program for the next five years. LB juco recruit to wait until after Fla visit to announce (2/18/02)--Michigan State football fans expected to hear word on Monday (Feb. 18) as to whether or not standout junior college All-American LB Derrick Pope (Garden City, Kansas) would spend his final two years playing for the green and white. Pope stated he will wait until after he makes a Feb. 22 visit to Florida to make a decision. Pope, who at 6-3, 225-lbs, runs a 4.45-40 yard dash, is a five-star LB (highest rating) as listed by Rivals100.com, and the #4 overall junior college recruit. Pope, who previously committed to Alabama, has reconsidered as a result of recent NCAA sanctions placed on the Tide (two year bowl ban, scholarship limitations and a five-year probation). Michigan State and Arkansas are strong candidates for Pope, as well as his new found interest in the Florida Gators. Pope was in attendance earlier last week at the MSU vs. Ohio State men's basketball game… the Izzone cheered and echoed Pope's name while in attendance, prompting Pope to tell the Lansing State Journal, "that was pretty cool." This would be a huge lift for the Spartans, as Pope would immediately fill in the slot vacated by Josh Thornhill. His size, strength and speed would be a great compliment to solidify a fairly strong corps of Monquise Wedlow, Mike Labinjo and Seth Mitchell. MSU
adds two more recruits, ranks #20 (2/6/02)--Michigan State added two additional commitments for the fall, formally bringing its total to 19 for the class of 2002. MSU's class is ranked #20 by both CNNSI.com and CBSSportsline.com. The Spartans added RB Jerramy Scott (5-10, 185) of Jupiter, Fla. Scott runs a 4.5-40 and was ranked as the #18 all-purpose back nationally by Rivals100.com. Last year, Scott had 10 INTs on defense and averaged 12 yards per touch (rush, rec) on offense. MSU also will receive the services of juco transfer TE Matt Walters (6-2, 240). Walters, who played at Scottsdale (AZ) Community College last fall, runs a 4.6-40. He received a 3-of-5 star rating from Rivals100.com and is rated as one of the best tight ends out of juco. For a complete listing of the 2002 class, check out the ES' recruiting section. CNNSI.com reports its top25 recruiting classes as follows: 1. Texas, 2. Ohio St., 3. Miami, 4. UCLA, 5. Tennessee, 6. Michigan, 7. Oklahoma, 8. Virginia, 9. Texas A&M, 10. Georgia, 11. S. Carolina, 12. Colorado, 13. Southern Cal, 14. Notre Dame, 15. Florida St., 16. BYU, 17. Washington, 18. Penn State, 19. Florida, 20. MICHIGAN STATE, 21. Auburn, 23. Kansas St., 24. Rutgers, 25. Mississippi St. CBSSportsline.com reports their top25 as follows: 1. Texas, 2. Ohio St., 3. Florida St., 4. Tennessee, 5. Miami, 6. UCLA, 7. Mississippi St., 8. Southern Cal, 9. Virginia, 10. Oklahoma, 11. Florida, 12. Georgia, 13. Notre Dame, 14. Stanford, 15. Michigan, 16. S. Carolina, 17. Auburn, 18. Texas A&M, 19. Boston College, 20. MICHIGAN STATE, 21. Washington, 22. Arkansas, 23. Nebraska, 24. Virginia Tech, 25. Colorado. Here are the top 20 classes rated by Tom Lemming for ESPN.com: 1. Texas, 2. Ohio State, 3. Miami, 4. Tennessee, 5. Virginia, 6. UCLA, 7. S. Carolina, 8. Michigan, 9. Southern Cal, 10. Florida St., 11. Notre Dame, 12. Penn St., 13. Oklahoma, 14. Georgia, 15. Texas A&M, 16. Nebraska, 16. Colorado, 18. LSU, 19. Illinois, 20. Arizona, 20. Washington. Ntl Letter of Intent Day Has Arrived! (2/6/02)--Today, high school seniors must make their written declarations of where they intend to play NCAA football. As it stands, Michigan State figures to land at leaast 16 recruits -- with the hope of 22 -- and rank among the nation's top 25 incoming classes. The Spartans are still holding out on prized recruit WR Larry Fitzgerald of Valley Forge (Penn.) Military Academy. Fitzgerald, who is 6-4, 212-lbs, was forced into junior college as a freshman due to academic difficulties. He is expected to decide between the Spartans and Pittsburgh. Earlier this week: RB Nate Schiccatano (Bloomsburg, Penn.) chose Notre Dame over MSU and RB Michael Johnson (from Virginia) chose Virginia over the Spartans. WR Agim Shabaj (Farmington Hills, Mi.), who has been wavering between MSU and Georgia, is expected to become a Spartan today. ESPN College Football Analyst Chris Fowler will host a "National Letter of Intent Day" special tonight at 6 pm. Recruiting update; Shabaj wavering (1/30/02)--Heading into the final week of recruiting, Michigan State's incoming recruiting class is currently ranked #25 nationally by CNNSI.com. However, that ranking could drop if Farmington Hills standout Agim Shabaj decides to attend Georgia instead of MSU. The Lansing State Journal quoted Shabaj: "Right now I'm confused. I like both [MSU and Georgia] a lot. I am confused on where to go." Although verbally committing to MSU, recruits can change their mind until signing a national letter of intent -- signing day is Wednesday, Feb. 6. This week, MSU has lost out on three prospects: RB Tim Shaw (Livonia), who has decided to attend Penn State; LB Nate Harris, who will attend Miami-Florida; and RB Damien Rhodes, who will attend Syracuse. Current top-25 rankings by CNNSi.com are: 1. Texas, 2. Ohio St, 3. UCLA, 4. Michigan, 5. Miami-Fla, 6. Colorado, 7. Oklahoma, 8. Tennessee, 9. LSU, 10. S. Carolina, 11. Virginia, 12. Texas A&M, 13. USC, 14. Penn St, 15. BYU, 16. Washington, 17. Georgia, 18. Notre Dame, 19. Auburn, 20. Rutgers, 21. Mississippi St, 22. Arizona St, 23. Florida, 24. Stanford, 25. MSU. Rivals100.com lists their top-10 teams as: 1. Texas, 2. Ohio St, 3. Oklahoma, 4. UCLA, 5. Georgia, 6. Tennessee, 7. Kansas St, 8. Colorado, 9. S. Carolina, 10. USC. Michigan State is listed as having the #7 WR class in the nation, with #65 overall David Richard (RB, St. Louis, Mo.) and #100 overall Kyle Brown (WR, W. Bloomfield, Mi.) joining the Spartans. Verbally committing to MSU by position rankings are: #2 FB David Richard (St. Louis, Mo.), #6 pro-style QB Drew Stanton (Farmington Hills, Mi.), #12 C Brian Bury (Marion, Oh.), #15 strongside DE Clifton Ryan (Saginaw, Mi.), #16 weakside DE Steven Kielp (Riverside, Ill.), #24 DB Derron Ware (Los Angeles), #24 DB Ashton Watson (Huber Heights, Oh.), #26 all-purpose RB Jaren Hayes (Lebanon, Penn.), #31 WR Agim Shabaj (Farmington Hills, Mi.), #33 WR Matt Trannon (Flint, Mi.), #36 OT Kyle Cook (Macomb, Mi.), #38 OT Joe Karaska (Southfield, Mi.), #58 DB Carols Alexander (Akron, Oh.), The Spartans are anxiously awaiting word on whether or not standout RB Nate Schiccatano (Catawissa, Penn.) will attend Penn State or MSU. He is listed as the #22 RB in the nation by Rivals100.com. (1/27/02)-- Michigan State University has announced that hockey coach Ron Mason will step down at the end of this season to become the University's 16th athletic director. The announcement was made shortly after the Spartan hockey team defeated Ohio State, 5-1, on January 26. Mason, who will begin his new job on July 1, stated his first assignment will be to fill the hockey coaching vacancy that he will leave. When asked by the Lansing State Journal what his players thought, Mason stated: "I would imagine they would be [shocked]. It's only human nature. But they'll respond because we're in this together. We're trying to win a championship." Current A.D. Clarence Underwood, 68, is retiring. Mason, at 62, is college hockey's winningest coach with 916 victories. (01/22/02)--The Michigan State Spartans have received a huge boost now that West Bloomfield standout WR Kyle Brown has announced he will attend Michigan State this fall, according to the Lansing State Journal. Brown, 6-1, 195-pounds, runs a 4.4-40 yard dash and is considered one of the top wideouts in the nation. Brown had considered Purdue, Oklahoma and Southern California but decided to stay close to home. His sister is currently a junior at MSU. Academically, Brown expects to be eligible for the fall but is currently awaiting word from the NCAA clearinghouse. Athletically, Brown is recovering from a torn ACL which occurred in the third week of the season. He stated he feels he is at 80-percent and expects to be completely recovered in time for Spring drills. Brown is the Spartans' 16th commitment, of which MSU seeks 22 new recruits for the upcoming fall. Midwest Football News rates Brown as one of the top 15 receivers in the nation; CNNSI.com ranks Brown as the #39 player in the country; the Lansing State Journal recently listed Brown as the #2 player overall in Michigan. MSU's recruiting class is considered by Rivals100.com and Midwest Football News to be between #15 and #20 nationally. Huge OL committs to MSU; recruiting update (1/15/02)--As reported by the Lansing State Journal, the Spartans received their 15th verbal committment of 2002 with a decision by 6-5, 325-pound lineman Joe Karaska of Southfield (Mich.) Lathrup HS. Karaska is listed as the #38 OL in the country by Rivals100.com. He has ballooned in the offseason to 340 pounds, but Spartan coaches informed him they would like him to report in the fall around 300 pounds. Karaska's mom, Patricia Giebel, is a MSU alumni, and was instrumental in his decision. Karaska turned down more than 20 scholarship offers to attend MSU, including offers from Indiana and Wisconsin. Other recruits on the horizon that are on MSU's wish list are running backs Nate Schiccatano (Penn., ranked #22 by Rivals100.com), Damien Rhodes (N.Y., ranked #19) and Tim Shaw (Livonia, Mich.), as well as LB Nate Harris (Miami, Fla., ranked #4). As of January 1, 2002, Rivals100.com's position listings show the following as committed to MSU: #2 fullback David Richard; #6 pro-style quarterback Drew Stanton; #12 center Brian Bury; #15 strongside defensive end Clifton Ryan; #16 weakside defensive end Steven Kielp; #24 safety Derron Ware; #24 defensive back Ashton Watson; #26 all-purpose back Jaren Hayes; #31 wide receiver Agim Shabaj; #33 wide receiver Matthew Trannon; #36 offensive tackle Kyle Cook; #58 defensive back Carlos Alexander; #60 offensive tackle Nathaniel Webber. As of January 15, 2002, this is Rivals100.com top 10 overall: 1. Texas, 2. Colorado, 3. Ohio State, 4. UCLA, 5. Tennessee, 6. Arizona, 7. Oklahoma, 8. Michigan, 9. Mississippi State, 10. LSU. Link here: Rivals100.com (1/12/02)--The Lansing State Journal reports that MSU has landed a prized FB and two of MSU's top recruiting targets have the Spartans on their minds. FB David Herron (6-1, 230) of Warren, Ohio, has chosen to attend Michigan State. Herron runs a 4.7-40; he chose MSU over Ohio State and Iowa. WR prospect Kyle Brown (6-1, 195-lbs) of West Bloomfield, MI, is ranked the No. 39 player nationally by CNNSI.com, and has been personally courted by MSU, Oklahoma, Purdue and USC. Brown is rehabilitating a torn ACL in his left knee, but expects to be ready for the incoming 2002 class. Also, Miami (Fla.) Edison linebacker Nate Harris is also considering MSU. The prospect made 121 tackles and 18.5 sacks in high school as a senior. Harris, ranked as the #23 linebacker nationally by ESPN.com, is also being recruited by Miami-Florida. Harris commented to the Lansing State Journal: "The only reason I would stay home is to spend a lot of time with my newborn baby." Harris' mother would like him to attend MSU. Duckett: "I have decided to enter the NFL draft" (1/10/02)--Today, junior Spartan RB TJ Duckett stated: "I would not trade my three years at Michigan State for anything. However, I have decided that for me it is time to move on. I have decided to enter the NFL draft. I am very comfortable with my decision." Head Coach Bobby Williams stated, "if we had to play tomorrow," to-be senior RB Dawan Moss (5-10, 260) will be first string and freshman Mike McConnell (6-0, 205) would back up. However, Williams also said "we will have help come fall." Presumably, Williams was referring to incoming tailback David Richard, one of the top running backs in the nation (St. Louis, MO; 6-2, 220, 4.5-40). Moss ran for 93 yards on 25 carries (3.7 average) this past fall. Duckett announced his decision at 4 pm today at a media news conference at MSU's Clara Bell Smith Student-Athlete Academic Center. Duckett was joined by head coach Bobby Williams and several MSU football players, as well as nearly 100 media from across the country. Duckett to announce at 4 pm today (1/10/02)--Junior Spartan tailback TJ Duckett will make an announcement at 4 pm today in the Clara Bell Smith Student-Athlete Academic Center as to whether or not he will stay for his senior season or forfeit his final year at MSU and enter the NFL draft. There has been much publicity around Lansing the past few days. According to the Lansing State Journal, Duckett is quoted as saying: "I have not made a decision. I know there is a lot out there. But it won't be final, and everybody won't know for sure until I tell them what I'm going to do." His brother, Tico, stated on Wednesday that Tuesday reports from the Detroit Free Press and the State News -- which predict Duckett will go pro -- were not factual and that "I hope someone doesn't lose their job." Lansing based NFL agent Charles Tucker stated: "I have not talked with TJ. If he asked my advice, I'd say he should stay, to tell the truth. There is always the chance of injury. But if it were me, I would take that chance. Even if he is hurt, he could get insurance for as much as he'd make as a second-round pick." MSU trustee Joel Ferguson stated: "I would not be surprised if the media was pleasantly surprised. Everything I hear makes me believe he hasn't decided completely. I think he really wanted to wait to see what the NFL said. But there's a problem when he sees what happened to (Northwestern RB) Damien Anderson." Duckett reportedly is weight the options of: completing his degree; the fact that his brother, Tico, was injured often in his final season which in turn hindered his NFL chances; MSU as a possible Big Ten favorite if he returns; and, of course, money. The NFL reportedly informed Duckett he likely would be a late first-round or a second-round pick if he enters the NFL draft. Many scouts believe Duckett could be a top-5 pick with a solid senior season. You can read more from a link here to an interesting article published by The Sporting News. Duckett likely to go pro on Thursday (1/8/02)--Junior Spartan tailback TJ Duckett will likely announce his intentions to enter the NFL draft this Thursday (Jan. 10), according to sources close to Duckett. The Detroit Free Press stated that The threat of injury likely was a major factor in Duckett's decision to leave school. His brother Tico, one of the best tailbacks in MSU history, went undrafted after he battled injuries his senior season. The Freep quoted draft analyst Joel Buchsbaum, an associate editor at Pro Football Weekly:"I think he would be very well-advised to stay in school another year. He had an inconsistent junior year. He was very good in some games, very mediocre in others. He's got tremendous physical potential. If he stays and develops, he could be a top-five pick. This year, it's how high someone will go on potential rather than production. (Duckett) needs to develop his skills further. To become a great pro, he needs another year." The Lansing State Journal quoted his brother, Tico, a former MSU tailback as well: ""He can't please everybody. If he decides to stay, people will say, 'He should have left.' If he goes, they'll say, 'He should've stayed and tried to win a national championship.' It was a tough decision," said Tico, a Lansing businessman. "And we're trying to keep it sealed until Thursday. I just gave him the same advice I did in recruiting: 'Here are your options and your opportunities. Here's what happens if you do A. And here's what happens if you do B. But it's your life. I've lived mine.' " TJ to announce future by Tuesday (1/5/02)--WILX-TV sports director Tim Staudt announced yesterday that, according to head coach Bobby Williams, junior RB TJ Duckett will announce no later than next Tuesday, January 8, his intentions of whether or not he will return for a senior season or be available for the NFL draft. Additionally, Staudt reported that offensive lineman Paul Harker, who suffered a shoulder injury and a siezure mid-season, is expected back next fall. Also, RB/CB Tyrell Dortch, who suffered a sever fracture of his leg during the Wisconsin game, will redshirt next season in an attempt to return to the squad in 2003. Henry, Foster to return next season (1/4/02)--The Lansing State Journal reports today that cornerback Cedric Henry and receive Shawn Foster are on schedule to have their eligibility restored for next fall. Henry and Foster were both ruled academically ineligible before the 2001 season began. Receiver Marcus Waters, also ruled ineligible, has withdrawn from school and is not expected to return. Also, senior cornerback DeMario Suggs, who broke his ankle before the third game of the season, is expected to petition the NCAA for a sixth year of eligibility. MSU whoops up on Fresno State, 44-35 (1/2/02, MSU Media Relations, msuspartans.fansonly.com)--- In the week leading up to the Silicon Valley Football Classic, Michigan State sat and stewed while Fresno State and star quarterback David Carr got all the attention. "I wanted to throw up before the game," linebacker Josh Thornhill grumbled. Instead, Charles Rogers and Jeff Smoker led the Spartans to a 44-35 victory on Monday while putting on an offensive show as impressive as anything Carr and his corps of receivers accomplished this season. Rogers set
a Michigan State record with 270 yards receiving and also caught two of
Smoker's three touchdown passes for 72 and 69 yards during the Spartans'
phenomenal first half. He and Smoker, both sophomores, showed Michigan
State's future is every bit as bright as Fresno State's present. "When
you've got a good quarterback like Jeff Smoker, (numbers) like that just
kind of happen," Rogers said. "Me and him became real close
this season. We kind of read each other's minds, and next year, it's going
to be even better." While the
Bulldogs came into the game with a five-game winning streak and the glory
of their breakout season, Michigan State finished eighth in the Big Ten
and barely qualified for the postseason. None of it
mattered when the Spartans (7-5) started work on a first half in which
they gained 405 yards and scored 37 points, capitalizing on four big plays
for the bulk of their production. "All
week, all we heard was David Carr, this and that," defensive end
Nick Myers said. "It was like we weren't even down here for the bowl
game. ... Our guys showed they can play a little bit, too." In a matchup
of two potent offenses that combined for 1,146 total yards, Smoker and
Rogers outdueled seniors Carr and Rodney Wright, who even bested the Spartans'
stratospheric numbers. Carr passed for 531 yards to Smoker's 376, while
Wright finished with 13 catches for a school-record 299 yards and two
TDs. "It's
been a special season, and I'm really going to miss this football team,"
Wright said. "I just kept telling myself before the game that I wanted
to be remembered. I just wanted to go out with a bang." After Fresno
State (11-3) pulled within two points in the final minutes, the Spartans
made one last scoring drive to clinch their second postseason victory
under coach Bobby Williams, who became the only coach in school history
to win his first two bowl games. "Our
success is in our preparation, in how we get our players ready for games,"
Williams said. "It showed today." T.J. Duckett
rushed for 184 yards and two scores as Michigan State overwhelmed the
Bulldogs, who finished with their first loss in four games against teams
from BCS conferences. "I told
the guys after the game that it was a small blemish, but it doesn't tarnish
the season that we had," coach Pat Hill said. "Michigan State
just made big plays. There were some great athletes on the field today."
Fresno State
fell to 0-4 in bowl games during Hill's otherwise successful tenure. In the first
quarter alone, the Spartans had the longest rush in the school's bowl
history, the second-longest pass in their bowl history, their longest
field goal of the season and their first defensive touchdown of the year
when Monquiz Wedlow recovered a fumble in the end zone. With a 69-yard
TD pass to Rogers 3:05 before halftime, Michigan State went ahead 37-21.
The teams combined for 752 total yards in the first half. Trailing
37-28 with 6:52 left, Fresno State's Bryce McGill blocked Craig Jarrett's
punt and returned it to the Spartans 16. Two plays later, Paris Gaines
caught a screen pass and ran through several blocks for a TD. But Michigan State came alive once again for a 77-yard drive. After a 43-yard reception by Rogers, Smoker hit Ivory McCoy for a 5-yard TD with 1:59 left. Post-game Quotes Spartan
head coach Bobby Williams "We
are talking about taking this program to the next level and I challenged
this team today and it started today by finishing the season off on the
right note and setting the stage for next season." On the Spartans
running game: On Fresno
State's quick start: On the Michigan
State defense: On quarterback
Jeff Smoker: On the high
scoring game: On the big
plays of WRs Rogers and Wright: On the play
of the MSU offensive line: Sophomore
wide receiver Charles Rogers How much
did you benefit from the attention Fresno State's defense had to give
T.J. Duckett? Talk about
the production you had in your first full season: On the future
of the MSU football program: Junior tailback
T.J. Duckett Talk about
the two big fourth-down plays you were involved in - one you went all
the way and the other time you got stopped short. "We
tried to get it and didn't make it. On fourth-and-1, you've just to do
what you can. If there's nothing there, you've just got to put your head
down and run. One time, I didn't make it. The other time, the whole defense
jammed inside, trying to stop the ball up the middle so I just tried to
bounce the play outside and run (for the end zone)." Talk about
the improvement of the offensive line: Sophomore
quarterback Jeff Smoker On playing
against Fresno State QB David Carr: On the future
of the MSU football program: Senior defensive
end Nick Myers Fresno State
passed almost every down so how tired was the defense at the end of the
game. On all of
the pregame attention focused on Fresno State's David Carr: Senior linebacker
Josh Thornhill On all of
the pregame attention focused on Fresno State's David Carr: |
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