Polls show Ringer may be in contention for Heisman

Don’t expect to see building-sized billboards or YouTube.com campaigns featuring MSU running back Javon Ringer for the Heisman Trophy from the university any time soon.

Four weeks into the 2008 season, Ringer has started to accumulate Heisman supporters as fast as he has racked up yards on the ground. Despite Ringer’s 699 yards rushing and nation-leading 11 touchdowns, MSU head coach Mark Dantonio said he won’t be pushing for “Ringer for Heisman” stickers or buttons.

“He’s going to get the exposure, that’s number one,” Dantonio said. “Number two is my belief is you always put the team first. You don’t want to focus on one particular person and say we’re going to go out there and run you 40 times, regardless of the situation, just to run you 40 times.”

While relatively unheralded for the Heisman heading into his senior season, Ringer now ranks eighth in the ESPN Experts Poll for Heisman, which is decided by a panel of analysts, former players and coaches. On Sports Illustrated’s Web site, analyst Gene Menez places Ringer sixth on his Heisman list.

Ringer was featured on ESPN’s “College GameDay” last week and figures to have plenty of media appearances down the line — as long as his team continues their winning ways.

“The best thing we can continue to do is win and surround him with good players and good people that are all going toward the same goal, and that’s the way he is too,” Dantonio said. “The more success we have as a team, the more exposure there is.”

Containing Kellen

Until Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor starts more than one game and Illinois quarterback Juice Williams finds some modicum of consistency, Indiana junior Kellen Lewis remains the Big Ten’s most dynamic dual-threat quarterback.

“(Lewis is) as likely to take off as he is to pass it,” Dantonio said. “He has the ability to take it the distance and that makes him a very dangerous player.”

MSU defenders learned this early in last season’s Homecoming game against Indiana, when Lewis gashed the Spartans for a 59-yard run on the Hoosiers’ first play from scrimmage.

To prepare for Lewis’ explosiveness, scout team quarterback Keith Nichol, who is sitting out this season after transferring to MSU, and freshman wide receiver Mitchell White will mimic his tendencies this week.

Secondary success

Despite losing two starters and opening with four pass-heavy teams, the MSU secondary has held up admirably, thanks in part to an unforeseen depth in the defensive backfield.

Freshman Johnny Adams, junior Jeremy Ware and senior Mike Bell — none of whom start – have all seen playing time in nickel packages and situations with three safeties. Junior Danny Fortener has drawn rave reviews at free safety, filling in for senior Kendell Davis-Clark, a cornerback who moved to safety when junior Roderick Jenrette took an indefinite leave of absence.

“We’ve got seven or eight guys and I think that’s what you have to have,” Dantonio said. “You want to be in a situation where if somebody goes down, you have experience there.”