MSU 2008 Football Team News

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PRACTICE | DAY ONE
Spartans open camp healthy, identified

BY SHANNON SHELTON • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • August 5, 2008

EAST LANSING -- The learning curve won't be as steep for Michigan State during this season's preseason camp. After all, the Spartans have had a year to adjust to coach Mark Dantonio, his assistants and his system.

Still, Dantonio wasn't making any assumptions when camp opened Monday.

Every player, coach and staff member on the field wore a name tag on their helmets or shirts to make others aware of their identities. It was a practice Dantonio initially used to help players get to know their coaches better, and vice versa, when he was hired in late 2006, but he decided it was a habit worth keeping.

Dantonio also continued his effort to replicate crowd noise by playing music over loudspeakers during practice. Among the artists played during the first hour were The Doors, Michael Jackson, Journey, House of Pain and Jay-Z.

"You need to start from square one every year and continue to reach back and build a foundation," Dantonio said.

That didn't mean everything was status quo for the opening of Michigan State's preseason. On Sunday night, coaches and players officially moved into the Skandalaris Football Center, part of the $15-million expansion of the Duffy Daugherty Football Building. Some work was still being done Monday on the exterior, but the interior is mostly complete.

An official dedication ceremony for the facility will be Aug. 21.

There wasn't much major news from the first day of camp, as all 105 eligible players reported. The day started with a physical test, and a practice in shorts began around 3 p.m.

"Everyone reported back in pretty good shape," Dantonio said. "I would say our older players came back in very good condition -- I'd say 95% passed the test. Our younger players, just like every younger player in America, they're finding out that they're young and there's an adjustment there. So even though they've been acclimated a little bit, there's still an adjustment."

Although Dantonio has completed more than three decades of preseason opening days as a player and coach, he said every one is special.

"I don't get butterflies anymore, but it brings back memories," he said. "I'll call my position coach from South Carolina -- I do it every year -- because it brings you back to where you started. I think the first day of practice always does that.

"Day 1 in practice, I think everyone who's ever played college football remembers that first day."

RED SHIRTS: Multiple quarterbacks wore the red jerseys that indicate they should not be hit.

In addition to Brian Hoyer and Kirk Cousins, the only quarterbacks listed on the depth chart, sophomore transfer Keith Nichol took the field wearing No. 9.

The Spartans also added a walk-on at the position: Freshman Charlie Snow (6-feet-3, 190 pounds) of Leslie Pleasant Lake practiced snaps with the other quarterbacks.

"We just have to figure out which is the guy as we move into camp," Dantonio said of the quarterback depth. "We won't know that for probably 2-3 weeks as we find out who can handle all the situations."

MORE TO COME: Players were not available for interviews Monday, but they'll speak to reporters today at media day. Assistant coaches also will be available for interviews.

Contact SHANNON SHELTON at 313-223-3215 or slshelton@freepress.com. Check out her Spartans blog at www.freep.com/sports

GO

gs78 wrote:

GO

Spartans Edged By Bears, 38-31

Mark Dell records 202 receiving yards, the fifth-highest single-game mark in school history.
Aug. 31, 2008

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BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) - Kevin Riley passed for 202 yards and two second-half touchdowns, and Shane Vereen broke an 81-yard scoring run with 4:21 left in California 's 38-31 victory over Michigan State on Saturday night.

Jahvid Best rushed for 111 yards and a score, while tight end Cameron Morrah and fullback Will Ta'ufo'ou caught Riley's TD passes in a solid debut for the Golden Bears' brand-new collection of starting offensive skill players.

Brian Hoyer passed for 321 yards, hooking up with Mark Dell for nine catches and 202 yards, the fifth-biggest yardage total for a receiver in Michigan State history. Javon Ringer rushed for 81 yards and two touchdowns for the Spartans, but they couldn't catch up in a back-and-forth second half featuring 45 total points and 503 yards of total offense.

Bryant Nnabuife returned a blocked punt for the first score as Cal won for the fifth time in seven openers under coach Jeff Tedford. Cal rebuilt its entire offense in the wake of its second-half collapse during a 7-6 campaign last year, and Riley looked sharp in his second career start along with Best and Vereen, who ran for 101 yards in his Cal debut.

Otis Wiley returned an interception 31 yards for an early TD for the Spartans, whose trip to the West Coast was a long-delayed return of Cal's visit to East Lansing in 2002. The Bears upset the nationally ranked Spartans 46-22 on that trip, propelling Tedford's first team into the rankings just three games removed from a 1-10 season.

Perhaps looking to recapture a bit of that 2002 magic, the Bears called a double pass for their opening offensive play - nearly the same play Tedford used for a stunning touchdown on Cal's first snap of his rookie season against Baylor. Vereen underthrew it, but the redshirt freshman made up for it later.

After struggling on offense for three quarters, Michigan State converted three third downs and got a roughing-the-punter penalty during a 97-yard drive that ended with Ringer's 10-yard TD run with 10:45 to play, pulling within 24-21.

Cal replied with its own lengthy drive ending in Ta'ufo'ou's scoring catch with 5:45 left. Michigan State trimmed the lead to seven points, but Vereen then broke his impressive scoring run on an innocuous first-down play.

After an apparent interception by Cal's Darian Hagan was overturned by replay, Dell caught a 29-yard TD pass with 3:09 left. Michigan State got one last chance, but Hoyer threw four straight incompletions at midfield.

GO

Sunday, September 7, 2008
Spartans' rout triggered by Ringer, whose five TDs fall 1 shy of record
Eric Lacy / The Detroit News

EAST LANSING -- There simply was too much Javon Ringer for Eastern Michigan to handle Saturday at Spartan Stadium.

Michigan State's running back, up for three national awards, scored a career-high five touchdowns in a 42-10 victory before 71,789 fans.

He nearly met a school-record six set by Blake Ezor in 1989 against Northwestern, but dropped the ball in the end zone during the team's first series.

"I wasn't really like, 'Arrrrggggh, I need to get that!" Ringer said of the mark. "I'm not even really enjoying this, I'm thinking about that fumble."

Ringer didn't know he was close to history until coaches told him on the sideline midway through the third quarter.

What was certain before kickoff against the Eagles was coach Mark Dantonio's goal to have a proverbial old school, smash-mouth style of game.

Dantonio told offensive coordinator Don Treadwell at halftime he wanted to pound the ball as much as possible, in an effort to invoke toughness.

It's a move, like electing to receive at California last week, which sets an important standard for the program, Dantonio said.

"We're going to push hard," Dantonio said. "That's the way this program has to be built. It's not there yet, it's the first phase and we're trying to get to second.

"We need to keep pushing hard in every aspect and that's what we'll do."

Ringer did his part with a career-best 138 yards, along with a defense that made the pivotal play of the contest: a third quarter stop at the 1-yard line during a fake field goal.

The Eagles, fresh off a 52-0 win over Indiana State, lost control from that point on, once cornerback Adam Downard was pulled to the ground.

Adam Decker and Eric Gordon halted the 96-yard drive on the play, a series engineered by Eagles quarterback Andy Schmitt while the Spartans clung to a 21-7 lead.

When cadence within the Eagles unit changed at the line as players lined up for a field goal, it tipped off MSU tacklers that trickery was afoot, linebacker Greg Jones said.

"We knew the fake was going to happen, some kind of fake," Jones said. "It was the turning point of the game."

Eastern Michigan coach Jeff Genyk, known for some trickery because of his Northwestern ties, liked his chances on the play.

While on the MSU 4-yard line, Genyk turned down a 21-yard field goal attempt because he felt his team needed a lot more to stay in the game.

"It was an aggressive call," Genyk said. "Obviously, we're coaching to win the football game."

Schmitt, a St. Johns native that thought about playing at MSU out of high school, was 11-of-23 passing for 111 yards and had the squad's lone touchdown -- a 3-yard run early in the second quarter.

The most dominant player for the Eagles clearly was linebacker Daniel Holtzclaw, who had 12 tackles, including a sack of Hoyer for a 9-yard loss on third down in the second quarter.

Holtzclaw, a projected NFL draft pick, thought his team would be ready. He sure was, with nine tackles before halftime.

The result was a surprise, especially after producing a shutout and more than 600 yards of offense last week against Indiana State.

"I think definitely we were prepared," Holtzclaw said. "It just comes down to execution, that's all I can say."

Dantonio's players spoke after the game about how the win was a true Spartan victory, reminiscent of former teams at the school that were privy to dishy paint.

It was fitting that this game marked the return of traditional green stripes on the team's white pants.

But pants are just pants, senior right tackle Jesse Miller said.

Living up to expectations and an attitudes set years ago means a lot more.

"How do I feel about going back to the way things used to be at Michigan State?, Miller said. "I'm really excited about it.

"Since I've been here, the program has been real low, underestimated, overlooked. We have to bring things back to the way they used to be."

You can reach Eric Lacy at elacy@detnews.com

Michigan State 17, Florida Atlantic 0
Game Blog: Spartans improve to 2-1

By JON MACHOTA • FREE PRESS SPECIAL WRITER • September 13, 2008

Follow along with our live game blog as the Spartans host the Owls at Spartan Stadium. And post your comments on the Spartans' play below.

PREGAME

Michigan State’s biggest advantage today could be the weather. Florida Atlantic wants to throw the ball early and often. Michigan State wouldn’t mind pounding Javon Ringer against a favorable defensive line. If the rain continues to fall, the Spartans will make it a long afternoon for the Owls.

The Owls football program is still establishing itself in only their eighth season, but Head Coach Howard Schnellenberger, an offensive guru, is certain to have a few tricks up his sleeve. If Michigan State is looking ahead to next week’s match-up with Notre Dame this game could be closer than the 17-point spread.

Mark Dantonio has made no secret of the fact he will run Ringer continuously no matter the opponent. But the Spartans would prefer to get ahead early today and save the senior’s legs for the Irish and upcoming Big Ten schedule.

Cornerbacks Chris L. Rucker and Ross Weaver, along with the rest of the Spartans secondary will get plenty of exposure as Owls quarterback Rusty Smith has already thrown for 578 yards in FAU’s first two games.

FIRST QUARTER

These are some of the worst weather conditions that a passing offense could ask for. Rusty Smith threw three times on the Owls first drive but could get only five yards. The Spartans get a scare early though. Charles Pierre takes a handoff through a huge hole in the Spartans front seven and breaks into the open field, 73 yards for a touchdown! Unfortunately for Owl fans, they cheated. Holding. Pierre did all that running for nothing.

The rain is so heavy that even the FAU defense looks dominant in its first action, stopping the Spartans on three straight run plays. The first two handoffs went for no yards and Brian Hoyer looked to pass before scrambling for 3 yards.

Schnellenberger, one of the hardest names in sports to spell, has his offense working on its second possession as they record a pair of first downs. One came by way of an 18-yard pass from Smith to receiver Chris Bonner, the other on a 16-yard run by DiIvory Edgecomb.

The Owls moved all the way to the MSU 26, but on fourth down they electing to attempt another pass rather than kick the field goal into this rainy mess. Pass incomplete, MSU ball.

On third-and-six Hoyer throws a strike down the middle to former walk-on Blair White. The Spartans go back to Ringer for four yards, but it's obvious that running on this sopping field has slowed the Spartans tailback.

And the first turnover due to weather conditions has occured. A bad snap gets by Hoyer and he's unable to secure the ball. It appeared the quarteback could have easily recovered, but the slippery football went through his hands and into the stomach of an Owls defensive lineman on the MSU 30.

Spartan fans can relax. Both teams have to play in these conditions and Florida Atlantic suffers from the inclement weather, as the holder can’t get the placement on the field goal attempt. No damage done, MSU takes over on its own 13.

The rain shows no signs of letting up. Putting together a long drive through the air looks impossible. Michigan State has a huge advantage by just handing to Ringer.

Michigan State does just that. They give to Ringer on four of their next five plays. He breaks a run for 21 up the MSU sideline. That was Ringer’s longest run from scrimmage in this young season. The Spartans drive eventually stalls near midfield.

Even the passes that Hoyer has thrown well, have been difficult for his receivers to haul in. The majority of passing plays have been short, conservative throws for both quarterbacks.

The Owls go to a ground attack, but that doesn't get much. Three-and-out. The punt stops at the MSU 26.

End of the first quarter. Michigan State 0, Florida Atlantic 0

SECOND QUARTER

Ringer starts the series with a pair of carries for 16 yards. If MSU can’t get its receivers involved in the passing game, they will use them on the ground. B.J. Cunningham takes a reverse to the far sideline for 17 yards. This looks like the most effective offensive drive by either team.

The Spartans front seven are wearing out the Owls line. Ringer continues to get the call. Ringer gets the carry up the middle on first-and-10 on the FAU 21. He looked as if he would get only a few yards up the gut, but bounced outside where there is only one defender to beat. Ringer steps on the gas and there he goes. Touchdown Ringer!

67-yard drive and MSU threw only once. Michigan State 7, Florida Atlantic 0.

FAU does not look comfortable running the football, but it's passing game has been awful. Smith has thrown 14 passes and completed only three for 30 yards. If the rain continues to fall at this rate, the Owls only chance to score will be on a turnover.

ESPN2’s Pam Ward just said that Mark Dantonio is always so serious on the sideline. I can’t understand why that is so shocking to her. This is college football. How is he supposed to act on the sideline?

Ringer gets a little more than 20 yards on his next three runs, but a Hoyer fumble on third down forces the Spartans to give the ball back. Hoyer gets the majority of blame when things go wrong for Michigan State, but the ball is noticeably soaked and everyone is having a difficult time securing it.

Smith is the next victim of a fumbled snap. The Spartans recover on the FAU 32!

Just when I defend Hoyer and the Spartans look like they’re about to add to their lead, the senior throws an interception.

Smith comes close to throwing his own pick for the Owls, but Otis Wiley is unable to hang on. Even after the turnover, FAU puts nothing together on offense and builds no momentum.

Hoyer throws to Cunningham deep, but again, neither team has been able to hang on to any long passes. The worst part of the play is that Cunningham, one of MSU’s biggest offensive weapons, is down on the ground and it looks to be his ankle. He was unable to walk off the field without help from the coaching staff. He was putting no pressure on his left ankle. That isn’t a good sign for the Spartans.

Hoyer continues to struggle hanging on to snaps, making it nearly impossible for the Spartans to put together a long drive.

Even punts have become an adventure. MSU punter Aaron Bates drops the ball and is forced to quickly get off a kick that goes out of bounds. That punt went for one yard!

The poor punt does little to get the Owls back into this game. Smith continues to throw and the balls continues to sail incomplete. Halftime! Michigan State 7, Florida Atlantic 0.

HALFTIME

The weather has been the most dominant pass defender in the first half. Both quarterbacks have combined to complete only seven passes. Rusty Smith would definitely like to forget his first-half performance. Smith was 3-of-19 for 30 yards through the air. His frustration has become obvious. On the FAU final drive of the second quarter, he wasn’t even close on any of his pass attempts and was seen pushing and jawing with Spartan defenders. The MSU players seemed to ignore him like a whiney little kid who wasn’t getting his way.

Brian Hoyer just needs to hang on to the ball. He shouldn’t even worry about completing a second-half pass. As long as he doesn’t give the ball away on a fumble or interception, FAU cannot win.

Javon Ringer was the key to the first half. He was the only player that had any effort that somewhat resembled a highlight. Ringer rushed 19 times for 136 yards and the games only score. Expect plenty of Ringer in the second half.

THIRD QUARTER

This three-plays-and-punt disease has taken over both teams. I would love to see the chains move just one time in the next five minutes. Somebody make something happen!

Thank you, Javon! Ringer breaks an inside run to the outside for a 33-yard gain. That scamper gets MSU down to the Owls 12-yard line. That is about as close as the FAU defense will allow. The Owls sniff out the next three run plays by Ringer. Brett Swenson comes on and knocks through the 22-yard field goal.

Michigan State 10, Florida Atlantic 0.

Smith finally does it. He hit’s a wide-open Jamari Grant in the middle of the field for a 41-yard gain. That completion snaps a 12-consecutive incompletion streak by Smith. His previous completion came with 7:31 left in the first quarter. Florida Atlantic gets its sixth first down of the game, but nothing more. Another stalled drive and another punt for the Owls.

Ringer gets his 30th carry, but FAU's defense is stacking the box and keying on the Spartan tailback. Wow, what a great idea! Start keying on the guy who has 183 yards on the ground. The rain looks to have subsided for the moment. That might allow the Owls to open things up.

FAU does get a 10-yard run from Pierre on its next drive, but just like their other drives, it's been one good play followed by several for only a few yards. The Owls don't convert on third down and are now 1-for-12 on third downs.

FOURTH QUARTER

The clearing weather allows Hoyer to air it out to his favorite target, Mark Dell. The standout wide receiver has been quiet so far, but a jump-ball near midfield goes for 47 yards and is his first grab of the game. It seems like Dell only makes spectacular catches. The rain has definitely hurt the Owls game plan, but Dell would have probably torched the FAU secondary had the field conditions been a little more favorable.

The Dell catch was enough to soften the defense as MSU goes back to Ringer and he is on his way to a career day. Carries of 17, 7 and 2 put him over the 200-yard mark and past his previous career best of 203 from the Indiana game a year ago.

More Ringer and more success. Three yards on third-and-one from the FAU 14 are topped on the next play as he finds a large hole to the right for the score. Touchdown Spartans! Ringer has 223 yards and his second touchdown. Michigan State 17, Florida Atlantic 0.

Even ahead 17 in the fourth quarter, Dantonio is not messing around. Ringer is back out there, despite his 35 carries. The Owls have no answer up front defensively. Ringer continues to barrel behind the right side of the MSU defensive line, running the clock and extending his career-high to 246 yards on the ground.

Nothing can go right for Florida Atlantic. The team finally gets a huge play, a 71-yard catch by tight end Rob Housler down to the MSU nine-yard line, but then fumble two plays later. Missed opportunities have been the story for the Owls on this wet afternoon. They probably wouldn’t be winning, but this should be a 17-10 game.

It's no surprise to the sparse few who have stuck around at Spartan Stadium, but Ringer continues to get carries. Four more rushes go for nine yards and most importantly, the clock is down to under five minutes left in the game.

It's no surprise to the sparse few who have stuck around at Spartan Stadium, but Ringer continues to get carries. Four more rushes go for nine yards and most importantly, the clock is down to less than five minutes left in the game.

Even with a cautious MSU defense, FAU's offense can't put together a single first down on this drive. The Owls still only have eight first downs.

Ringer pads his stats for one more rush, as he goes for 27 yards along the Spartans sideline.

Ringer's day looks to be over with some very impressive numbers (43 carries, 282 yards, 2 TD).

Just to show how intense Dantonio can be no matter the situation, he was seen getting in the face of offensive guard Brendon Moss with less than 30 seconds left in the game. Moss had just got an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. It was difficult to read Dantonio's lips, but the scowl on his face told you all you needed to know. The words probably wouldn't have been appropriate for print anyway.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Pat Narduzzi and the defensive staff have to be pleased with the school’s first shutout since 1999. The FAU offense rarely entered the Spartan red zone, but it was also obvious that the weather was a helpful 12th defender.

You really can't say enough about the consistency of Javon Ringer. Sure, it was Florida Atlantic, but 282 rushing yards against any Division I opponent is impressive. Also, he added to his touchdown total with two scores. He now has nine touchdowns in three games. As long as he can recover from the pounding of 43 attempts, MSU will be in great hands entering Big Ten play. I have a feeling he will top 43 before the season is over.

The rain didn't just drive away fans, but also both teams passing attacks. It would have been nice to see Brian Hoyer (5-for-15, 88 yards) complete a few more passes. The senior still has not looked consistent under center this season and the competition only gets tougher the rest of the way. Hoyer will have to complete some big passes to win next week.

Receivers Mark Dell and B.J. Cunningham both left the game with injuries, but both also returned. MSU's two most-deadly pass-catchers have to be healthy for Michigan State to be successful. Without them, defenses will stack the box and be forced to worry only about Ringer.

Go

MSU 23

ND 7


4th Quarter;

2:16 left to play

Final Score

MSU 23

ND 7

At least is okay this year.

GO

Saturday, September 20, 2008
Michigan State 23, Notre Dame 7
Defense sets tone as MSU stifles Notre Dame
Eric Lacy / The Detroit News

EAST LANSING -- Through four games, Michigan State's defense is starting to take on the personality of its heavily caffeinated defensive coordinator.

Players competed Saturday against Notre Dame with the kind of spunk and spirit that second-year assistant Pat Narduzzi preaches each day in practice.

All the blitzing, shifting and most importantly, tackling, set the tone as MSU rolled past Notre Dame 23-7 before a sellout crowd of more than 76,000 at Spartan Stadium.

"Never have a letdown, never back down," strong safety Otis Wiley said. "That's what we did."

Not unlike some of the tenacious Nick Saban defenses of the past, the Spartans hit hard and went after Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen early.

Narduzzi said last week his team played mostly a "base" defense in a shutout of Florida Atlantic. Against the Irish, it seemed more like a "chase."

"I think we caused some confusion, which was our intention," said Narduzzi, who often participates in practice drills with players.

Clausen had two passes picked off by Wiley in the first half, was sacked twice by the break and had completed just seven attempts at that point.

He was taken down by Brandon Long for a 9-yard loss on second down late in the first quarter that helped force a punt two plays later with the Spartans leading 3-0.

It was a foreshadow of things to come for the Notre Dame offense. Facing an inability to throw deep, the Irish kept the ball on the ground. The strategy didn't work: Notre Dame finished with 16 net rushing yards to MSU's 203.

Narduzzi could tell this week his group wanted to play more physical.

"Keith Nichol (a scout team quarterback) was holding his head in practice because he was watching guys flying around killing people," Narduzzi said. "He was like, 'Oh my God,' because he was scared that somebody was going to get hurt.

"That's how we play."

Apparently the defense's aggression rubbed off on the offense.

Javon Ringer gained 201 yards and two touchdowns on 39 carries, and capped his night with a 63-yard run late in the fourth quarter.

Ringer's dash set up his 1-yard touchdown run with 2:16 left, the game's final score.

"We feed off our defense," Ringer said. "They really took it to them. We need to be able to back each other up every game."

This game, however, didn't end without one last threat.

After a 26-yard touchdown pass from Clausen to Michael Floyd early in the fourth quarter, the Irish looked to score again from MSU's 23-yard line.

Down 16-7, Clausen failed to complete passes on second and third down with less than six minutes left.

The first, a near touchdown to Floyd, was broken up by Ross Weaver in the end zone.

The play bore some similarity to Michigan's winning TD pass in last season's game at East Lansing, when Weaver was unable to disrupt a throw from Chad Henne to Mario Manningham.

"I saw (Floyd) diving and thought, 'Oh I can't let this play happen again,' " Weaver said.

Like Weaver, Michigan State continues to learn from its mistakes.

You can reach Eric Lacy at eric.lacy@detnews.com

Sunday, September 21, 2008
Weis: Notre Dame was not trying to cheat
Eric Lacy / The Detroit News

Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis reiterated Sunday that his team never tried to cheat during Saturday's game at Michigan State.

The Irish lost 23-7 and had a laptop computer in the coach's box removed at halftime from Spartan Stadium's press box because it is against NCAA rules.

The laptop was being used by a student manager to record down and yardage distances during the game and was unaware of the rule, Weis said.

"You're allowed to do that, but the one area you're not allowed to do that is a coaching area," Weis said.

Weis said it was an honest mistake, but added that he takes full responsibility for the incident.

"I'll say it to whomever," Weis said when asked if he would report the incident to the NCAA. "I was unaware that the student manager was in the coaches' box, instead of outside the coaches' box."

Weis said once the student manager was told he wasn't supposed to have a laptop in the coaches' box, he put the item underneath a desk.

Spartans coach Mark Dantonio accepted Weis' explanation and shifted focus onto this week's Big Ten opener at Indiana.

"I've never seen a computer or a camera make a tackle, catch a ball or anything," Dantonio said.

Saturday's game begins at noon on ESPN.

Monday, September 22, 2008
MSU's Ringer is Big Ten's top player again
The Detroit News

Michigan State running back Javon Ringer has been named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in the Spartans' victory over Notre Dame on Saturday.

Ringer becomes the second player to win the conference's weekly award three consecutive weeks. The first was Penn State linebacker Paul Posluszny in 2005.

Ringer gained 201 yards rushing on 39 carries in MSU's 23-7 win over the Irish. He is the first player in MSU history with consecutive 200-yard rushing games. Ringer, a senior from Dayton, Ohio, had 282 yards against Florida Atlantic on Sept. 13. He has 699 yards on the season, and 11 touchdowns, for 3-1 MSU.

The Spartans are at Indiana on Saturday at noon (ESPN).

Northwestern end Vince Brown and Penn State linebacker Navorro Bowman were named co-Defensive Players of the Week, and Northwestern kicker Amado Villarreal was named Special Teams Player of the Week.

Monday, September 22, 2008
Eric Lacy: Michigan State
MSU's Ringer is Heisman candidate

EAST LANSING -- Let the "Javon Ringer for Heisman" campaign begin.

The Michigan State running back sure has earned consideration with his performance through four games:

• 81 yards rushing on 27 carries, 200 all-purpose at California;

• 135 yards rushing on 34 carries; 205 all-purpose vs. Eastern Michigan;

• 282 yards rushing on 43 carries; 308 all-purpose vs. Florida Atlantic; and

• 201 yards rushing on 39 carries, 223 all-purpose vs. Notre Dame on Saturday.

That leaves Ringer, a 5-foot-9 senior, with 699 yards rushing on 143 carries (174.8 per game) and 936 all-purpose (234.0).

Ringer's rushing average is No. 2 in the country behind Connecticut's Donald Brown (179.0 yards) and he's No. 3 in all-purpose yards behind North Carolina receiver Brandon Tate (265.67) and California running back Jahvid Best (234.67).

"Every position, we point to him on practice tape and go, 'Now that's how we want to finish, that's how we want to perform every day in practice,' " Spartans offensive coordinator Don Treadwell said. "It's no surprise he has the success he has."

But Ringer, who leads the country in touchdowns (13), knows his success hinges on more than hisperformance.

"I can do nothing without these guys carrying the weight for me," said Ringer, who brought the line to Saturday's postgame news conference. "We didn't win because of me, or Brian (Hoyer) or our receivers -- it was the guys up front."
Defense tough, too

The Spartans defense wasn't too shabby, either. Irish quarterback Jimmy Clausen felt the turf for the first time this season in the form of a sack -- twice.

And, the Spartans had two interceptions by Otis Wiley .

"We want to get the ball right back to him," Wiley said of Ringer. "When he has the ball, he makes plays and gets about three or four yards every time he touches it."

The Spartans defense held opponents without a touchdown nine consecutive quarters before Clausen hit Michael Floyd for a 26-yard touchdown in the fourth.
What's past is past

This game seemed light years from the 2006 debacle in which Notre Dame scored 19 in the fourth quarter for a victory at Spartan Stadium.

Linebacker Adam Decker is glad this squad finally can move on from that dark moment.

"Hopefully now we can put some of the past losses to rest and everyone can forget about them," Decker said. "It's just another step we took to help moves this program to where it needs to go."
Laptop glitch

Irish coach Charlie Weis reiterated his team never tried to cheat during the game.

A laptop in the coach's box was removed at halftime because it is against NCAA rules. It was being used by a student manager to record down and yardage distances during the game who was unaware of the rule, Weis said.

"You're allowed to do that, but the one area you're not allowed to do that is a coaching area," he said.

Weis said it was an honest mistake, but added he takes full responsibility for the incident.

You can reach Eric Lacy at eric.lacy@detnews.com

Spartans Top Hoosiers, 42-29, On The Road

Brian Hoyer throws for 261 yards, two touchdowns, in the victory.

Sept. 27, 2008

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) - Michigan State can win games with its supporting cast, too.

Javon Ringer rushed for 198 yards and scored one touchdown Saturday, while Brian Hoyer ran for one TD and threw for two more to lead the Spartans past Indiana 42-29.

It was a wild, wacky game for the Old Brass Spittoon. There were two safeties, three replay reviews, a blocked punt, and Hoyer and Hoosiers quarterback Kellen Lewis each threw career-long touchdown passes.

But the strangest, and most important play, came late in the third quarter when Indiana's backup quarterback, Ben Chappell, connected with Terrance Turner for a 97-yard touchdown pass that appeared to give Indiana the lead. Instead, right guard Cody Faulkner was called for holding in the end zone, giving Michigan State a safety and a 36-29 lead.

Indiana (2-2, 0-1 Big Ten) never recovered from the nine-point swing, losing its second straight game.

Michigan State (4-1, 1-0) hasn't lost since its opener against California.

But nothing went according to the script.

All week the buzz surrounded Ringer, who had rushed for 200 yards in two straight games and had a record three straight conference offensive player of the week awards. But Indiana (2-2, 0-1) stuck to its game plan, forcing Ringer to carry 44 times and barely prevented him from topping 200 again - much of that coming when the Spartans were trying to protect a fourth-quarter lead.

Hoyer had no problem playing the feature role. He finished 14-of-26 for 261 yards, scored on a 1-yard plunge to wipe out Indiana's 7-6 lead and hooked up with Mark Dell on a 14-yard TD pass and Charlie Gantt on an 82-yard score before the first half ended.

Michigan State never trailed again but struggled to put away the Hoosiers.

Marcus Thigpen scored on TD runs of 6 and 78 yards and caught a 79-yard TD pass from Lewis. He finished with 113 yards rushing and 94 receiving, while Lewis was 12-of-21 for 177 yards despite missing more than a quarter with a left leg injury.

They'll probably be ranked next week

Spartans Halt Hawkeyes

A late defensive stand helps MSU to a 5-1 start

Oct. 4, 2008

Final Stats | Quotes | Notes | Photo Gallery | Final Stats (PDF) | Highlights

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EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Michigan State's defense made a key fourth down stop in the fourth quarter to lift the Spartans to a 16-13 win over Iowa on Saturday.

Shonn Greene gained 157 yards on 30 carries for the Hawkeyes. But with 2:16 remaining in the game, linebacker Adam Decker stopped him on fourth-and-1 from the Spartans 21-yard line to seal the win for Michigan State (5-1, 2-0 Big Ten).

Iowa (3-3, 0-2) passed up what could have been a game-tying field-goal attempt to go for it on fourth down.

Michigan State running back Javon Ringer was held in check. He entered the game as the nation's No. 2 rusher and tops in the Big Ten at 179.4 yards a game. But Iowa held him to 91 yards on 25 carries.

Greene entered the game ranked sixth in the nation averaging 133 rushing yards, second in the conference behind Ringer.

Brett Swenson's 25-yard field goal gave Michigan State a 16-3 lead with 9:32 left in the third quarter.

Iowa then started its rally.

Trent Mossbrucker's 33-yard field goal cut the Michigan State lead to 16-6 with 3:18 left in the third. Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi connected with receiver Andy Brodell on a 31-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 16-13 with 8:47 left in the game.

Iowa entered the game allowing just 10.2 points per game, fewest in the Big Ten. But Michigan State got just enough from Ringer, and the threat of the run helped set up the passing game.

Michigan State quarterback Brian Hoyer made a play action fake that did enough to freeze Iowa's linebackers and allow tight end Charlie Gantt to slip behind coverage for a 4-yard touchdown pass, giving Michigan State a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter. The score was set up by a 52-yard Hoyer pass to B.J. Cunningham, also off a play action fake.

Swenson made field goals of 29 and 32 yards to give Michigan State a 13-0 lead late in the second quarter.

Mossbrucker kicked a 25-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, trimming Michigan State's lead to 13-3.

Iowa committed three turnovers in the first half. Two came deep inside Michigan State territory and took away scoring chances for the Hawkeyes. The other led to a Michigan State field goal.

Last season, Iowa erased a 14-point deficit and beat visiting Michigan State 34-27 in double overtime.

Spartans Down Wildcats, 37-20

Javon Ringer ran for 124 yards and two touchdowns.

Oct. 11, 2008

AP Photo Gallery

EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) -- Javon Ringer ran for 124 yards and two touchdowns to lead No. 23 Michigan State to a 37-20 win over previously unbeaten Northwestern on Saturday.

Michigan State quarterback Brian Hoyer added two short touchdown passes as the Spartans never trailed. Michigan State (6-1, 3-0 Big Ten) scored 17 straight points in the first quarter with the help of a pair of Northwestern turnovers.

The 5-foot-9, 202-pound Ringer had his fifth straight 100-yard game and went over 1,000 yards for the second straight season. The bruising Ringer, who leads the nation with 14 rushing touchdowns, carried the ball 35 times.

Both teams came in undefeated in the Big Ten. Michigan State left tied for first with Ohio State and Penn State, which played Saturday night at Wisconsin. Northwestern (5-1, 1-1) had been off to its best start since 1962.

Northwestern's Tyrell Sutton rushed 23 times for 139 yards and caught six passes for 44 yards.

Already leading 7-0 on Hoyer's 3-yard scoring pass to Garrett Celek, the Spartans started their next two possessions in Northwestern territory thanks to turnovers. After Sherrick McManis fumbled a kickoff at his 25-yard line, Michigan State got a 26-yard field goal from Brett Swenson.

Michigan State safety Dan Fortener picked off C.J. Bacher on the Wildcats' next drive, returning it 21 yards to Northwestern's 34. Four plays later, Ringer bounced outside and scored from 13 yards out to make it 17-0 with 2:34 to play in the quarter.

Hoyer completed 14 of 20 passes for 169 yards.

Sutton ripped off a career-high 66-yard run in Northwestern's first drive of the second half. Bacher then hit Rasheed Ward for a 6-yard touchdown pass to make it 24-14.

The Wildcats tried an onside kick, but were penalized for interference. That gave the Spartans good field position, which they didn't waste. Ringer ended the quick drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to keep Michigan State's lead safe.

Swenson set a school record with the second of his three field goals. His 42-yard kick in the third was his 14th consecutive field goal, breaking Paul Edinger's 1997 record.

Bacher went 34-for-61 for 283 yards and two interceptions.

Spartans have 6 wins

They are bowl eligible

Saturday, October 11, 2008
No. 23 MSU 37, Northwestern 20
Spartans trounce Wildcats, earn bowl eligibility
Eric Lacy / The Detroit News

EVANSTON, Ill. -- The list was long, but Mark Dantonio tried to cover everyone Saturday after No. 23 Michigan State rolled past Northwestern 37-20.

Everyone from Heisman Trophy candidate Javon Ringer to third-year walk-on Jesse Johnson earned praise in a well-rounded performance at Ryan Field.

"Guys just kept making plays, guys just kept responding," Dantonio said of his team, which also became bowl-eligible with the victory. "That's what we felt we had to do."

A year after the Wildcats embarrassed MSU at Spartan Stadium, it was the visiting team's turn to flex its newfound muscles.

Nobody showed more brawn than Ringer, whose 127 yards rushing and two touchdowns controlled the tempo. But Ringer made it clear that although his team was pleased with its success, the Spartans are nowhere near satisfied.

"We're not complacent, we're not settled, we're not relaxing," said Ringer, who gave MSU a 17-0 lead with a 13-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. "We still have some big tests left this season. We're expecting big things."

Ringer's 1-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter proved to be the pivotal moment for the Spartans (6-1, 3-0 Big Ten). The score led to a 31-14 lead and came after a failed onside kick attempt by Northwestern (5-1, 1-1). Johnson recovered the onside attempt and helped draw a 15-yard catching interference penalty, giving the Spartans the ball at the Wildcats 32

Johnson's play energized his teammates.

"It's fun to be in that kind of game, you see so many guys making plays and just want to congratulate everyone," free safety Danny Fortener said.

Northwestern ran 30 more plays than Michigan State, but also had more shaky moments. C.J. Bacher and Tyrell Sutton, however, were plenty dangerous.

Bacher made an eye-popping 61 pass attempts, completing 34 of them for 283 yards and a touchdown. Bacher also had two interceptions. Sutton ran for 139 yards and caught six passes for 44 yards.

Bacher scrambled 4 yards for a touchdown early in the second quarter, cutting the deficit to 17-7. Sutton had a career-best 66-yard run, setting up a third-quarter Bacher touchdown pass to Rasheed Ward.

Amado Villarreal added two field goals for Northwestern in the second half.

Spartans kicker Brett Swenson made field goals of 26, 46 and 34 yards, giving him a school-record 15 straight field goals. The streak surpassed Paul Edinger's 13 during the 1998 season.

Brian Hoyer passed for 169 yards and two scores, completing 14-of-20 attempts.

Hoyer's 3-yard touchdown toss to Garrett Celek was the game's first score. Hoyer also threw a 7-yard TD pass to Andrew Hawken in the final minute of the first half.

Dantonio pointed to Hoyer's play as another reason why he likes the team's mind-set heading into the beef of the Big Ten schedule.

"When you get on the field and experience success, you grow as your confidence grows," Dantonio said. "You don't starting thinking about the bad things that could happen. You think about how you can make a play.

"That's what's happening with this team."

You can reach Eric Lacy at elacy@detnews.com. You can reach Eric Lacy at elacy@detnews.com

GO

Michigan State Fight Song

Historical montage of Spartan football



Michigan State University - Fight Song

I have to admit this team isnt to bad at all.

Monday, October 13, 2008
Michigan-Michigan State to kick off at 3:30
Detroit New staff

ANN ARBOR -- The Oct. 25 Michigan-Michigan State football game at Michigan Stadium will kick off at 3:30 p.m. and be broadcast on ABC, the Big Ten confirmed Monday.

Tickets still remain for the Spartans' 3:30 p.m matchup Saturday against Ohio State at Spartan Stadium.

As of Monday afternoon, two seats together could be purchased on msuspartans.com for $70 apiece.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Believers back for Spartans
Some still have doubts with the Buckeyes looming
Eric Lacy / The Detroit News

EAST LANSING -- It didn't take long for college football analyst Gerry DiNardo to decide Michigan State would be successful.

Seeing Mark Dantonio direct a positive, unified and intense fall camp last year prompted DiNardo, a former head coach at three colleges, to declare, "The Spartans are back."

"I was literally on the field for 10 minutes," DiNardo said. "It was very obvious to me. I believed it then and I believe it now."

It's easy for fans to feel good about Michigan State this season. The team is 6-1 (which means bowl eligible), undefeated in conference play and ranked 20th by the Associated Press.

But with six games left, the ranked Spartans still have plenty of heavy lifting to do, starting Saturday when the No. 12 Ohio State Buckeyes come to East Lansing. It's the first of several tough games for the team with the 11th-most difficult schedule nationwide, according to the NCAA.

"If they don't keep building on this and fall down here at the end of the year, then what's the point?" said ESPN analyst and former Buckeye Chris Spielman. "They have a chance.

"If I were a Michigan State fan, I would have cautious optimism."

All season, coaches and players have claimed this is a different MSU team than those in the past that had a tendency to blow leads, let alone championships.

Further changes in the culture began with grueling offseason workouts designed to help the players finish games.

Dantonio calls this team "special" because it often challenges itself and doesn't believe in first-, second- and third-stringers.

Because of injuries, 59 of the 70 players who were in uniform played in Saturday's 37-20 victory over Northwestern.

"When you involve a whole football team in making plays, there's a good feeling, a cohesiveness," Dantonio said. "That's what we have right now."

Breaking free from the burden of past collapses is evident to Ray Bentley, also an ESPN analyst, who has covered four of MSU's games.

"There's an overall toughness that permeates the team," said Bentley, a former Central Michigan linebacker and Grand Rapids native. "When you get that, guys often find a way to play better than they are."

Throughout this 6-1 start, the Spartans have appeared to get the most out of a roster that has more depth than in past seasons.

Javon Ringer isn't the only player who deserves praise, even with 14 touchdowns and more than 1,000 rushing yards.

A secondary beset by injuries has remained productive because of the play of backups such as Danny Fortener, Jeremy Ware and Johnny Adams.

Starting tight end Charlie Gantt, receiver Blair White, who was used primarily on special teams in 2007, and fullback Jeff McPherson, once without a position, have been pleasant surprises.

Spielman said he believes the confidence MSU players exude comes from Dantonio.

"Mark has a presence and sets a standard," Spielman said. "I think those kids were craving that type of leadership. The best compliment that I could give Mark is that I would love for my son to play for him or a guy like him."

Seeing unlikely heroes emerge has energized the fan base, said Trevor Barnes, founder of Spartantailgate.com.

"We're certainly seeing a whole different product than what we've normally seen in the past," Barnes said. "They're tired of that 'Same Old Spartans' stuff that everybody talks about."

You can reach Eric Lacy at elacy@detnews.com

Ohio State 35

Spartans 7


14:41 left in the 4th quarter



This one is over


Poor Spartans

Spartans Fall Short Against No. 12 Buckeyes

Kirk Cousins throws for 161 yards and a touchdown.

Oct. 18, 2008

Final Stats | Quotes

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Terrelle Pryor ran for a score and threw for another in the first half, helping the Buckeyes build a four-touchdown lead on the way to a 45-7 win Saturday over No. 20 Michigan State.

The freshman quarterback finished 7-of-11 for 116 yards and a TD and had 72 yards rushing on 12 carries, including an 18-yard for a score early in the game. Pryor showed poise and touch when he threw before sitting on the big lead with handoffs. When he ran, Pryor displayed speed and power by running past defenders and stiff-arming some to the ground.

Ohio State's Chris "Beanie" Wells had season highs with 31 carries, 140 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

The Buckeyes (7-1, 4-0 Big Ten) entered the game tied with Penn State and the Spartans (6-2, 3-1) atop the conference.

Ohio State led 28-0 midway through the second quarter and made a big play to end Michigan State's comeback hopes early in the fourth.

After allowing backup quarterback Kirk Cousins to drive the Spartans down the field for a TD to open the second half, Malcolm Jenkins' sack forced Cousins to fumble and defensive end Thaddeus Gibson scooped up the football and returned it 69 yards for a touchdown.

The Buckeyes kicked a field goal and returned another fumble for a TD.

The Spartans were off to their best start since 2003, but seemed to show they're not ready to be a contender in a conference dominated recently by the Buckeyes.

Ohio State is shooting for its fourth straight Big Ten title and perhaps a third straight appearance in the BCS national championship game, winning five straight since getting blown out at USC.

Pryor helped the Buckeyes score 21 points in the first quarter against a team that hadn't allowed a point in its first four home games this season and was giving up less than 17 points a game overall.

He was 5-for-5 for 86 yards in the first quarter and ran for 62 yards on four carries, including a 32-yard gain.


Michigan State quarterback Brian Hoyer didn't start the second half against because of an injured right hand, but returned in the fourth quarter.

Hoyer finished 5-of-13 for 27 yards and an interception. Cousins was 17-of-24 for 161 yards with a TD, interception and fumble.