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Sports | Football

FOOTBALL

Moss arrest just one of many negative incidents

A day after Dawan Moss was arrested and dismissed from the MSU football, details of the incident have become clearer.Early Sunday, the co-captain was charged with second-offense drunken driving, fourth-degree fleeing and eluding and resisting and obstructing a police officer.

FOOTBALL

Players, fans opinions differ over removal

The news of Bobby Williams’ termination swept threw campus like wildfire. After weeks of pleading from fans and alumni for MSU Athletics Director Ron Mason to fire the third-year head coach, some Spartan followers finally were granted their wish. While fans who booed and held signs at recent home games that said “Fire Bobby Williams” were satisfied, players on the team didn’t take the news well. Many members of the football team, who learned about Williams’ firing minutes before Mason’s press conference, were visibly upset by his termination. Junior defensive lineman Luc Mullinder was one of the players who showed frustration over the evening’s news in the lobby of the Clara Bell Smith Student-Athletic Academic Center. “I don’t want to hear this shit, man,” he said while trying to be calmed.

FOOTBALL

Watts to become interim coach

In the midst of a season full of disappointment, suspensions and substance abuse, Athletics Director Ron Mason announced Monday the firing of head coach Bobby Williams.“I’ve terminated Bobby Williams as our head football coach, effective immediately,” Mason said at a press conference following Monday’s practice.The Spartans’ 23rd head coach was notified of the decision only moments before the press conference and didn’t speak to the media.Since taking over the football team at the 2000 Citrus Bowl, Williams is 16-17 at the helm of the MSU football team.

FOOTBALL

Trustee says race played role in dismissal

An MSU trustee issued a statement Monday alleging officials treated Bobby Williams, the university’s first black head football coach, differently from his white predecessors. Williams, one of only four black coaches in Division I-A football and the first black coach of any MSU revenue sport, was fired Monday night by Athletics Director Ron Mason.

FOOTBALL

MIDDAY UPDATE: Campus reacts to firing of Williams

After Monday’s announcement that Bobby Williams will no longer be MSU’s head football coach, students and trustees are making their feelings known.MSU Trustee Joel Ferguson released a statement following the announcement that said he felt Williams was not given a fair opportunity to build a program.Ferguson, who is the only black member of the Board of Trustees, cited the two coaches who preceded Williams, George Perles and Nick Saban, were given at least four years to develop a program.Following the firing of Williams there are now only three black coaches in Division I-A football.The Black Student Alliance will hold a meeting at 6:30 p.m.

FOOTBALL

MIDDAY UPDATE: Spartan arrested, dismissed from team

Dawan Moss has been dismissed from the MSU football team after Lansing police arrested the senior tailback early Sunday and charged him with his second drunken driving offense, fourth degree fleeing and eluding, and resisting and obstructing an officer. “Dawan Moss has been dismissed from the team following his arrest this weekend,” MSU head football coach Bobby Williams said in a written statement released this afternoon.

FOOTBALL

SPORTS UPDATE: Spartans fall to rival Wolverines

Ann Arbor - The battle between intrastate rivals failed to measure up to last year‘s classic, as the Spartans failed to keep Saturday’s contest close against Michigan, losing 49-3.Last season, Michigan and MSU battled it out until the last play, needing every tick on the clock to decide a winner.

FOOTBALL

Welcome to the house the Wolverines built

Ann Arbor - University of Michigan alumni and students pride themselves on its presence.It’s estimated that 880,000 pounds of reinforcing steel was used in its construction.It’s almost impossible to miss the giant block “M” on the back of its scoreboard when driving down Main Street in Ann Arbor.They call it the “Big House.” And for good reason.Michigan Stadium is the largest stadium in college football with a capacity of 107,501.

FOOTBALL

Another Spartan suspended

MSU Sports Information announced late Thursday that junior defensive end Greg Taplin is suspended for Saturday’s game against Michigan. Spartan head coach Bobby Williams didn’t address the media or release a statement regarding the suspension.

FOOTBALL

Smoker rumors unconfirmed

One week after the indefinite suspension of junior quarterback Jeff Smoker, Spartan fans are still in the dark as to what “team rules violation” actually means. Attempts by The State News to reach Smoker on campus or at his parents’ home in Manheim, Pa., have not been successful.

FOOTBALL

Dowdell struggles at start, rallies in second half

It was a different quarterback taking the snaps, but the result was the same for MSU. The Spartans (3-5 overall, 1-3 Big Ten) dropped their third consecutive game 42-24 against the Wisconsin Badgers (6-3, 1-3) in front of a national television audience Saturday night. And Saturday’s spotlight was firmly fixed upon sophomore signal caller Damon Dowdell following Thursday’s announcement that junior quarterback Jeff Smoker was indefinitely suspended for violating unspecified team rules. “I thought he came in and stepped up to the challenge,” senior strong safety Thomas Wright said of Dowdell.

FOOTBALL

Downward spiral

The MSU football team practiced differently, had a new quarterback under center, and preached about showing toughness, but nothing changed. In an attempt to separate itself from the Big Ten’s cellar, the Spartans (3-5 overall, 1-3 Big Ten) turned in another dismal performance in a 42-24 loss to Wisconsin at Spartan Stadium on Saturday night.

FOOTBALL

Fans waver on support for Smoker

Football fan support continued to seesaw at Saturday’s loss to Wisconsin in Spartan Stadium. Some students carried signs and wore shirts with written jabs at junior quarterback Jeff Smoker, who was nowhere to be seen after head coach Bobby Williams suspended him indefinitely Thursday for violating unspecified team rules.

FOOTBALL

Smoker suspended indefinitely

Junior quarterback Jeff Smoker was indefinitely suspended Thursday for violating unspecified team rules and will not play in MSU’s nationally televised game Saturday against Wisconsin. “I can’t really go into any detail as far as what the extent of the problem was,” MSU head coach Bobby Williams said.

FOOTBALL

First-teams battle it out during practice

After two straight losses and countless questions regarding a lack of toughness, MSU head coach Bobby Williams decided this week was the time to mix things up in practice.So for the first time all season, the Spartans’ first-team offense squared off against the first-team defense on the practice field.“We get real excited when we get to go against the first-team offense,” sophomore linebacker Ronald Stanley said.