SPORTS
'Four' your information: More wins mean higher expectations for FAU
1. Florida Atlantic’s win total has improved in each of the last three seasons. In 2005, the Owls were 2-9.
FOOTBALL
Unsung heroes
Jesse Johnson remembers the day vividly. He was 5 years old and sitting with his grandfather in section eight, row 142, seats one and two of Spartan Stadium, when he let everybody in the row know they were sitting with a future MSU football player.
FOOTBALL
Breakdown: Owls offense presents threat to MSU
Smith is no pushover — he’s a legitimate Division I quarterback who has garnered the attention of NFL scouts.
FOOTBALL
Former walk-on makes impact on special teams
If MSU linebackers/special teams coach Mike Tressel was given a blank sheet of paper and asked to draw up the prototypical special teams player, chances are he could do it pretty quickly.
FOOTBALL
Youthful Adams stands out in experienced secondary
In a secondary filled with veteran cornerbacks and safeties, freshman Johnny Adams knows he’s low on the pecking order — and his teammates aren’t afraid to remind him either.
FOOTBALL
Boleski's powerful leg is weapon for Spartans
Every now and then, a TV analyst or newspaper columnist makes a wise-crack about kickers. By noting that kickers don’t hit, don’t get hit and simply stand on the sidelines kicking footballs into a net, they try to make a point by saying kickers aren’t football players.
SOCCER
Baum preaches defense after letdown at New Mexico
Until Sunday’s 4-2 loss against UC Davis, the MSU men’s soccer team hadn’t given up four goals in a game since Oct. 12, 2003. Strong defensive play is something head coach Joe Baum has always stressed to his teams while serving at MSU, and he isn’t satisfied with his squad giving up seven goals in two games this weekend.
VOLLEYBALL
Renewed defensive focus boosts Spartans heading into first home match
After starting the season 0-3, the MSU volleyball team began to work more on teamwork and defense, something head coach Cathy George said helped the team slow down the action on the court. The change worked, as the Spartans moved to 3-3 on the season last weekend, winning the Delaware Invitational.
SPORTS
MSU ready for season's home meet
When the cross country team competed in the Jeff Drenth Memorial 5K two weeks ago, it was looking for an idea of how competitive it will be this year.
FOOTBALL
Dantonio stresses consistency before Saturday's game
After two weeks of nagging injuries, the MSU football team’s defensive line is back to full health and ready to take on another stout opposing offensive line this week.
SPORTS
MSU hires new coach for women's tennis team
Simone Jardim has been hired as the new head coach of the MSU women’s tennis team.
FOOTBALL
Lions lose longtime fan after debacle
After putting two seconds of thought into the Detroit Lions’ 34-21 embarrassment against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, I have decided to rescind my fanship from the only NFL team I have ever known.
FOOTBALL
New faces cherish first game at Spartan Stadium
Games like Saturday’s football home opener against Eastern Michigan are the reason junior defensive end Trevor Anderson joined head coach Mark Dantonio in transferring to MSU two years ago.
SOCCER
Spartans move to 5-0 with shutout win
It wasn’t quite as high scoring or dazzling as games in the past, but the outcome was just the same — victory for MSU. The Spartans women’s soccer team held off Loyola 2-0 on Sunday afternoon at DeMartin Soccer Stadium at Old College Field — extending their overall record to 5-0, a feat only achieved three other times in the program’s 22-year history.
SOCCER
Dynamic duo
It started off as something she could only hang her head about. Junior forward Lauren Hill started to realize that her first-game suspension — from a red card in last year’s finale — would give her the motivation and appetite to come out in game two hungrier than ever.
FOOTBALL
Eagles unable to claw past Spartans
MSU’s string of dominance over the Eastern Michigan football team continued Saturday, when the Spartans topped the Eagles 42-10 at Spartan Stadium. MSU holds an 8-0 lead all-time in the series. With an eye on the Eagles, here are a few more notes stemming from the game.
SPORTS
Spartans drop first game of young season, 3-1
The No. 10 MSU field hockey team suffered its first loss of the season Sunday, falling 3-1 to No. 18 Syracuse. The game was a defensive struggle for most of the day. Scoring didn’t begin until the 25th minute when freshman back Angie Lucik scored the first goal of her MSU career on a rebound of a penalty corner.
FOOTBALL
Ringer's early workload is a bit excessive
In case you didn’t get the message, MSU head coach Mark Dantonio wants to run the ball this season. Dantonio made that point abundantly clear once again Saturday, when he opted to run the ball on 52 of his team’s 68 plays from scrimmage.