Junior tight end Eric Knott is listed as questionable for the upcoming Rutgers football game after an MRI revealed Tuesday that he had sprained a knee, MSU assistant athletic director John Lewandowski said.
When Agim Shabaj caught his second pass on Saturday, he had visions of Ronald Stanley.Not on the field, but in his head.As he latched onto the short pass, he looked up and saw no one in front of him.
They might have begun as a question mark, but by the time the game was over, they were the heroes.The MSU defensive line shut down Western Michigan's offensive star and abused its quarterback.
Throwback jerseys are in, so the MSU football team decided to take the fad one step further - with a throwback name.In honor of the school's 1,000th football game, the Spartans will go incognito, removing the logos from their helmets and going by the name Aggies on the scoreboard, Sports Information Director John Lewandowski said.
His leg might have been broken, but his love for the game was not.Tyrell Dortch, filled with energy and anticipation and nearly two years removed from the last time he saw game action on the Spartan Stadium grass, darted onto the field Saturday afternoon seemingly with new life.
Former MSU football captain Brian Ottney died from a "seizure-like episode" early Monday in Long Beach, Calif., said Lt.
He was the quarterback and the conductor. After guiding MSU to an emotional win in his return to the Spartan offense, Smoker took his just reward, standing atop the band director's ladder and leading the remaining fans from the 27th consecutive sellout home game in a victorious rendition of the school's fight song. "It's the coolest thing I've ever done outside of Michigan a couple years ago," the senior signal caller said.
Should he play or should he go? Senior quarterback Jeff Smoker will walk onto the field Saturday amid many questions - the first being, should he? His coaches think the signal caller, who was suspended last season after admitting to a substance abuse problem in October 2002, should be allowed to don a Spartan uniform again. "Jeff has done everything we've asked," offensive coordinator Dave Baldwin said.
The swagger is gone and the expectations went with it.So is his favorite target and his pristine image.As well as the complete coaching staff, his two top running backs and his whole comfort zone.The passing records seem a forgone conclusion, but for MSU quarterback Jeff Smoker, there is so much more to prove.What's real is the nervous twitch of his eye and a no-name receiving corps that could easily let him down.As Smoker addressed reporters for the second time since being reinstated to the football team, he tried to emphasize that he was concentrating only on this week's game.When the Spartans take the field against Western Michigan at 3:40 p.m.
Tyrell Dortch has seen plenty of adversity in the past two seasons, but MSU football head coach John L.
The MSU kicking game took a hit Tuesday when senior punter Jason Daily injured his ankle during practice. Daily, the starter last season, lost his job earlier in fall practice to redshirt freshman Brandon Fields.
MSU football head coach John L. Smith isn't worried about naming starters less than a week before the season opener.
Three of last season's four football captains were benched, suspended or jailed.The 2002 captains - quarterback Jeff Smoker, center Brian Ottney, safety Thomas Wright and running back Dawan Moss - are a stark contrast to the humble disposition displayed by this year's group, a bunch of linemen and a linebacker."Last year the guys didn't follow through," senior captain Paul Harker said.
After sitting out his freshman season at MSU for academic ineligibility, "Tarzan" will be suiting up as a wide receiver for the Spartans this fall."Tarzan" is just a description for sophomore wide receiver Matt Trannon.
MSU will look like a very different team on offense this season. Gone are offensive stars, including All-American receiver Charles Rogers and the top two running backs Dawan Moss and David Richard.
A new aggressive approach on the defensive side of the ball has the MSU football team puffing up with confidence. Last year, the MSU defense that ranked 83rd overall out of 117 Division I-A teams was hard-pressed to stop the run or sack opposing quarterbacks.
It used to be a weekly routine for Jeff Smoker - talk football with reporters after practice. But in his first appearance after being reinstated Wednesday as a member of the Spartan football team, the senior signal caller seemed withdrawn and not amused with questions that circled around a substance-abuse problem that led to a suspension last season. Smoker looked so caught up in relief of being back on the squad since October that he headed for the locker room without realizing he had left behind his helmet. Nevertheless, Smoker remained willing to reprove himself and handle the attention of being a quarterback. "I learned to just move on and realized that I was responsible for things that happened last year," Smoker said.
Staring out at MSU's practice field with bloodshot eyes, panting and swatting flies from his sweaty head, junior defensive tackle Brandon McKinney survived the Spartans' first full day of football practice Wednesday under new head coach John L.
Three of last season's four football captains were benched, suspended or jailed. The 2002 captains - quarterback Jeff Smoker, center Brian Ottney, safety Thomas Wright and running back Dawan Moss - are a stark contrast to the humble disposition displayed by this year's group, a bunch of linemen and a linebacker. "Last year the guys didn't follow through," senior captain Paul Harker said.
Detroit - As Charles Rogers stepped out from behind a closed door on Ford Field's concourse level, camera bulbs popped and hundreds of heads turned to catch a glimpse of the Saginaw native and former Spartan star clad in Honolulu blue and silver. "It's nice for me, being a prospect from Michigan," said Rogers, while sitting down to sign autographs.