Saturday, November 23, 2024

Take a peek behind the curtain and test drive the NEW StateNews.com today!

Sports | Football

FOOTBALL

Wide receiver commits

Kyle Brown, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound senior wide receiver from West Bloomfield High, said Monday that MSU would be his college of choice.Brown said he called MSU head football coach Bobby Williams Sunday to officially announce his decision.“(MSU) was the school that really fit me,” he said.

FOOTBALL

Football team adds offensive depth

With more than 20 football scholarship offers thrown his way, Joe Karaska had a tough decision at hand.On Sunday, the 6-foot-5, 325-pound offensive lineman picked the green and white, becoming the Spartans’ 15th commitment for the 2002 season.“It was kind of both me and my mom’s decision,” Karaska said.

FOOTBALL

Fans bite into tailbacks departure

Junior tailback T.J. Duckett is bolting from East Lansing - and a local favorite sandwich will probably be close behind. As the news of Duckett’s formal senior-year-skipping announcement bounced around town Thursday afternoon, fans had varying reactions.

FOOTBALL

T.J. ducks out of U for NFL

The Spartan football team will have to switch to unleaded next season, as “Diesel” will no longer be available. A sense of satisfaction and relief beamed from T.J.

FOOTBALL

U await, debate Ducketts decision

T.J. Duckett told The Associated Press he hasn’t made his decision on whether to forgo his senior season to enter the NFL Draft.The Spartan star running back will announce his decision at 4 p.m.

FOOTBALL

Should he go, should he stay?

Trust me, this is not a plea for T.J. Duckett to return next fall. Actually, I have no clue if the big guy will depart the banks of the Red Cedar for the NFL’s big bucks, but speculation has the 3,379-yard career-rusher fleeing MSU in a limo after his 4 p.m.

FOOTBALL

Spartan offense prepares for new look

The possible departure of junior running back T.J. Duckett would be a “disaster” for the Spartan football team, one top college football analyst said.ESPN college football expert Beano Cook said if Duckett takes his game to the NFL, MSU would struggle to compete in the Big Ten conference.“It’s a disaster for them - you can count on two more losses (for the Spartans),” he said.

FOOTBALL

Duckett to enter NFL draft

Spartan junior running back T.J. Duckett will be rushing out of Spartan Stadium for the 2002 NFL Draft, a person close to the MSU standout told The State News on Tuesday. And, if Duckett announces that decision as he’s expected 4 p.m.

FOOTBALL

Freshman named All-Americans

The new year brings new honors for two Michigan State freshmen. After being selected as second-team Freshman All-Americans by The Sporting News last month, offensive guard William Whitticker and linebacker Ronald Stanley made the Football News Freshman All-America teams. Whitticker received first-team honors after starting 11 of 12 games this season.

FOOTBALL

Offense rolls in 44-35 victory

With an offensive attack never seen before in MSU football history, the Spartans rolled to a 44-35 victory over Fresno State in the Silicon Valley Football Classic. The Spartans set MSU bowl game records with 44 points, 586 total net yards, 376 net yards passing and 210 net yards rushing. “We had a great game plan going into the game,” said sophomore quarterback Jeff Smoker, who threw for an MSU bowl record 376 yards.

FOOTBALL

Recruits hyped about bowl, watch postseason practice

A trip to the Dec. 31 Silicon Valley Football Classic in San Jose, Calif., may cost MSU hundreds of thousands of dollars, but the return on that investment could be the signing of some highly sought after recruits. Recruits are allowed to watch the team’s practice for a bowl game and see the team play on national TV, said Bill Kurelic, a recruiting expert from Midwest Recruiting.

FOOTBALL

Bowl packages available now

MSU fans can pick from full and land-only four-night packages for the Dec. 31 matchup with No. 19 Fresno State in the Silicon Valley Football Classic. Both packages, through the Alumni Association’s Official MSU Bowl Tour, provide lodging from Dec.

FOOTBALL

Team, fans prepare for bowl game

The semester is almost over, and the grade is already in for the MSU football team’s 6-5 regular season performance. “Even in games that we weren’t successful in, our guys showed a competitive will,” head coach Bobby Williams said.

FOOTBALL

Spartans finally dominate

So much for the notion that an 11 a.m. kickoff would lead to sluggish results. In fact, MSU’s players were so fired up in pregame warmups against Missouri on Saturday that they had to be calmed down by the coaching staff. Nobody wanted to see any more injuries to end this erratic regular season.