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Sports | Football

FOOTBALL

Stanton to start at Iowa; provides leadership for Spartans

Megan Homanick
September 28, 2004

For the first time all season, no quarterback questions were asked to MSU head coach John L. Smith at his Monday press conference. Sophomore Drew Stanton is MSU's starting quarterback for Saturday's game against Iowa. Stanton is still recovering from the effects of his knee injury, but said for the first time in five weeks he did not have to get fluid drained out of his knee.

FOOTBALL

Cool comeback

Bloomington, Ind. - As MSU's offense battled inconsistency and turnovers in the first half against Indiana, its defense held firm, eventually carrying the Spartans to a comeback win against Indiana. Sophomore quarterback Drew Stanton, with his spectacular running performance, was the face of MSU's 30-20 win, but the defense made his triumphant story possible. Coming out of the locker room at halftime, MSU (2-2 overall, 1-0 Big Ten) was losing, 20-7.

FOOTBALL

A hard day's night

Megan Homanick
September 20, 2004

The MSU offense turned the ball over six times, the wide receivers dropped passes and an offensive touchdown wasn't scored until the last minute of the game. "I told the team that we are all going to come in tomorrow morning to look at film from this game, and we are going to be very ill," MSU head coach John L.

FOOTBALL

QB continues family's tradition

The family business. It's a phrase that suggests a particular family's specialty, cultivated through years of hard labor and dedication. MSU redshirt freshman quarterback Stephen Reaves is now beginning to make a name for himself in his family's business - football.

FOOTBALL

Receivers key in rivalry with Irish

The MSU-Notre Dame rivalry has a way of putting wide receivers in the limelight. Charles Rogers, Herb Haygood and Arnaz Battle are among the receivers whose names recently have been carved into history. As the Spartans attempt to beat the Irish for the seventh time in eight years at 7 p.m.

FOOTBALL

Smith names Reaves starter

Megan Homanick
September 14, 2004

MSU head coach John L. Smith named redshirt freshman Stephen Reaves as his starting quarterback for Saturday's game against Notre Dame. For now. "That's the way it is today," Smith said.

FOOTBALL

Central running back ties 90-yard run record vs. 'U'

Megan Homanick
September 13, 2004

In the 2004 Central Michigan football media guide, running back Jerry Seymour lists former Detroit Lion and recently-inducted Hall of Famer Barry Sanders as his sports hero. The way Seymour danced around the Spartans' defense Saturday, he certainly showed a hint of Sanders' improvisational running style.

FOOTBALL

Stanton leads the battle for 'U' No. 1 quarterback

Paul Day
April 28, 2004

By now, Jeff Smoker is a day away from departing to St. Louis to pursue a career in the NFL. With Smoker gone, a vacancy has been left in the MSU football team's lineup at quarterback, and three potential starters have submitted their résumés to head coach John L.

FOOTBALL

Spartans try free agency

Paul Day
April 27, 2004

After the 2004 NFL Draft ended Sunday, two former Spartans were contacted by pro teams and will pursue careers in the NFL this weekend as free agents. Offensive guard Joe Tate has signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and linebacker Mike Labinjo is working on a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. Tate said he has signed a free agent contract with the Jaguars for the league minimum. "It's great to get an opportunity to continue playing," he said.

FOOTBALL

Green-White game showcases squad

Paul Day
April 26, 2004

The MSU football team concluded spring practice Saturday with the Green-White Spring Scrimmage at Spartan Stadium in front of about 16,000 fans. The two-hour, 115-play scrimmage was a game of two stories for the offense and the defense.