SB Nation - Ashton Leggett

MSU-TT in the Alamo Bowl: Suspension Impact?

grahamfiller10 — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 01:52:33 -0000

Tearing on another team's disciplinary or academic problems is usually an uninteresting pursuit that can quickly turn against you. For every Ed Martin (Michigan booster who gave 280k to Chris Webber), there's a Maurice Clarett and a Charles Rogers. So MSU's reputation, although tarnished by the fact that there are gangs of unruly Spartan football players roving around East Lansing, will remain similar to any other major program.

So will there be any REAL impact on the Texas Tech game? What does Leach need to know about Animal House 2: When Players Attack?

Here is a list from TOC of the players suspended over the incident -

Roderick Jenrette, 22, of East Lansing; conspiracy and three counts of assault or assault and battery.

Glenn Winston, 20, East Lansing; conspiracy and two counts of assault or assault and battery.

Frederick Smith, 19, Macomb Township; conspiracy and a count of assault or assault and battery.

B.J. Cunningham, 20, Lansing; conspiracy and a count of assault or assault and battery.

Jamiihr Williams, 20, East Lansing; conspiracy and count of assault or assault and battery.

Mark Dell, 20, Lansing; a count of assault or assault and battery.

Ashton Leggett, 20, Muskegon; conspiracy and two counts of assault or assault and battery.

J'Micheal Deane, 23, East Lansing; conspiracy and a count of assault or assault and battery.

Chris L. Rucker, 21, East Lansing; conspiracy and a count of assault or assault and battery.

All nine individuals are charged with conspiracy, which is a misdemeanor with a one-year maximum. The other charges are also misdemeanors, and have a 93-day maximum sentence.

You know what happens every time TO gets traded from a a team? Everyone breathes a sign of relief because the negative distraction is gone. Might that be at play here with some of these players? Probably not. Dell, Cunningham, and Rucker were healthy and would have started versus TT if not for the Night of the Long Masks. Although the secondary was generally horrendous, Rucker was an aggressive corner, which is obviously helpful if DC Narduzzi had decided to pull up his corners in bump coverage. Dell and Cunningham were #2 and #3 in reception yards for Sparty, which leads me to believe that 1) Blair White is going to be doubled, 2) we're going to see a TE in a slot position and 3) if a backup WR drops a ball early or runs a wrong route, there is going to be great wailing and gnashing of teeth (H/T: Book of Job).

Is Mike Leach giggling like a schoolgirl ~~in the hopes that Saint Nicholas will soon be there~~ because of the general upheaval that has enveloped the depth chart and pissed off some of the Spartan fan base? Probably not. Vegas will steadily increase that 8 point line for the Red Raiders and overconfidence can grow, which will give Leach incentive to push his troops. Kirk Cousins is still around with his laser rocket arm, though featuring less weapons to throw too. Adversity usually has one of two effects on individuals: Either people step up and play more minutes than usual while making plays...or they wilt under the scrutiny and added responsibility. Blair White and Keshawn Martin are talented enough to play the whole game, while MSU's tight end depth is the best in the Big Ten. Both Sims or Linthicum are quick enough to play slot.

A huge gut check is in line for Michigan State at the Alamo Bowl. Will they go out like Jim Bowie, cursing and firing until bayoneted? Or will the tumult and addition of walk-ons getting PT be too much for the Spartans to endure?

Michigan State Football Players Charged with Assault

Pete Rossman — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:46:30 -0000

From the State News:

The players are Roderick Jenrette, Glenn Winston, Fred Smith, B.J. Cunningham, Mark Dell, Jamiihr Williams, Ashton Leggett, J’Michael Deane and Chris L. Rucker.

The Ingham County prosecutor's office did state that they wanted to file charges before finals week, and here they are. The only one on that list that hasn't been mentioned in the news yet is Deane. For some reason he wasn't punished along with the other players in the altercation, I'm guessing there's a bowl game suspension in the cards (Edit: Deane suspension confirmed, check update #2 - PR). The two players who were punished by Dantonio but not charged with assault were Ishmyl Johnson and Brynden Trawick.

In all, the only aspect of these charges that was unexpected was the assault charge against Deane. Hopefully this can be settled quick and we can put this incident in the past. The announced charges could've been a lot worse - according to one victim's attourney 15-20 players were present, meaning that 5-10 more charges could've been filed if adequate proof existed.

UPDATE: The Detroit News has a list of the specific charges:

The players accused and the charges are:

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Roderick Jenrette, 22, of East Lansing; conspiracy and three counts of assault or assault and battery.

Glenn Winston, 20, East Lansing; conspiracy and two counts of assault or assault and battery.

Frederick Smith, 19, Macomb Township; conspiracy and a count of assault or assault and battery.

B.J. Cunningham, 20, Lansing; conspiracy and a count of assault or assault and battery.

Jamiihr Williams, 20, East Lansing; conspiracy and count of assault or assault and battery.

Mark Dell, 20, Lansing; a count of assault or assault and battery.

Ashton Leggett, 20, Muskegon; conspiracy and two counts of assault or assault and battery.

J'Micheal Deane, 23, East Lansing; conspiracy and a count of assault or assault and battery.

Chris L. Rucker, 21, East Lansing; conspiracy and a count of assault or assault and battery.

All nine individuals are charged with conspiracy, which is a misdemeanor with a one-year maximum. The other charges are also misdemeanors, and have a 93-day maximum sentence.

UPDATE #2 - Yup, Deane's been suspended, along with another wide receiver, Chris D. Rucker and defensive back Donald Spencer per The State News. On a related note, if you are an MSU student with a fast 40 time and ~~good~~ ~~decent~~ two hands, I'd start checking with the football staff about opportunities for a free trip to San Antonio this January.

Michigan State preview

BoilerTMill — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:52:29 -0000

When I saw this game on the schedule I felt it was the biggest toss-up of the year. I expected to be teetering on the edge of bowl eligibility at this point (certainly without wins over Ohio State and Michigan) but I didn't know what to think of the Spartans. Being game 11, it was hard to predict how seasons would turn out on both sides. I felt confidence about beating Indiana, but I have virtually ignored Michigan State for multiple reasons. First, the game felt far off. Second, it later felt like the game would not matter. Now that it is here, I still don't know what to think.

I am really surprised that this is the best offense in the Big Ten. I am more surprised that their defense has been so bad. Like Ben and I discussed in the podcast last night, just about the opposite was expected from the Spartans. The defense has been pretty good at home, but has struggled mightily on the road. As Ben said though, they have faced better offenses (Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Minnesota) on the road than at home (Western Michigan, Montana State, Michigan).

In short this is a huge game for both teams, though we have less of a margin for error (none) than Michigan State.

2009 Record: 5-5, 3-3 Big Ten

2008 Record: 9-4, 6-2 Big Ten

Bowl Result: lost Capitol One Bowl 24-12 to Georgia

Blog Representation: The Only Colors, The Enlightened Spartan, Sparty MSU

Series with Purdue: Michigan State leads 30-28-3

Last Purdue win: 11/4/2006 at Michigan State 17-15

Last Michigan State win: 11/8/2008 at Michigan State 21-7

Long lost brothers meet again

Michigan State offense:

This is really the best offense statistically in the Big Ten? I guess you're right. Michigan is flaky. Ohio State wins with defense, as does Iowa Most of the time. Minnesota has had one great offensive game against Michigan State. Indiana is surprisingly good. Illinois has only been good for two weeks. Northwestern is opportunistic. Purdue moves the ball, but we give it away almost as much as we score. Penn State can't score against good teams. Wisconsin is afraid to pass. That leaves Michigan State.

The Spartans don't have a dominant running back like Javon Ringer any more, but their running game is surprisingly balanced. No one has run for more than 400 yards, but seven players have at least 100 yards rushing (compared to three such players for us). Leading rusher Larry Coyer (375 yard, 6 TD's) is a question mark after suffering a concussion a few weeks ago, but Ashton Leggett (110-4) took over the position with authority last week by running for 110 yards and 4 TD's on 14 carries. He had one carry for 0 yards previously, and that came in the season opener against Montana State. Edwin Baker (242-0) also had his best game of the season last week with 15 carries for 78 yards.

Ashton Leggett had a breakout game against Western Michigan

At quarterback we will see both kirk Cousins and Keith Nichol. Thoughts on that issue are best summed up here by the Michigan State faithful. Cousins (158-148, 14 TD, 5 INT, 2,097 yards) has been by far the better quarterback, but Mark Dantonio insists on getting Nichol (45-86, 6 TD, 3 INT, 680 yards) some work in each game. The duo has combined to be the best passing attack in the league, so our secondary will be tested. Expect Cousins to start and Nichol to play.

Nichol and Cousins like to spread the ball around, though there is one top receiver to focus on. Blair White (58-836-7) will remind Purdue fans a lot of Chris Daniels. He is one of the conference's top receivers and will be the number one option on many plays. B.J. Cunningham (41-510-3) is a solid second option as Michigan State will likely look to pass first. Tight end Brian Linthicum (18-259-2) gives each quarterback a reliable safety valve and goal line option. Keshawn Martin (12-251-3) is a speedy deep threat. He has a 91 yard score on his resume this season. Mark Dell (25-392-1) can also be a deep option.

The reason that Michgian State's passing game has been so successful is its offensive line. The Spartans have given up just 12 sacks on the year, but they have yet to see a pass rush as fierce as ours. I fear another Wisconsin game because Michigan State has a big, experienced offensive line. Seniors Brendon Moss, Joel Nitchman, and Rocco Cironi form the core, but juniors Joel Foreman and D.J. Young are hardly stiffs. This is not a tall line, but they are compact and strong. We must respond tot heir physicality better than we did against Wisconsin.

Michigan State defense:

While our defense may struggle to slow down their very good passing game, our own passing game should have plenty of room to move as long as we can avoid turnovers. Michigan State defends the run well, giving up barely more than 100 yards per game. They are giving up over 230 yards per game through the air with a whopping 22 touchdowns. Ball security could be even more of an issue. Michigan State has forced only 11 turnovers this season, so it is critical that we don't help them out with dumb turnovers like we have helped other teams all year long.

The run defense begins with one of the best linebackers in the Big Ten, if not the entire country. Greg Jones is a beast of a player in the middle. He already has 117 tackles (11 for loss) 7.5 sacks, and a fumble recovery. He loves to get after the quarterback, and you can bet he will end up wherever the ball is. Fellow linebackers Brandon Denson (54 tackles) and Eric Gordon (70 tackles) help him out. All three are the top tacklers for Michigan State.

Michigan State starts a pair of senior defensive ends in Trevor Anderson (4 sacks) and Colin Neely (2 sacks). Tackles Jerel Worthy and Oren Wilson are stout against the run, while Worthy can get into the backfield with 4.5 sacks. Wilson is a big nose tackle that will be difficult to get around in the middle of the line, but we mostly run outside anyway.

The Spartan secondary can be exploited. Corners Chris Rucker and Jeremy Ware have been disappointing this year. Each has just one interception, but more than 40 tackles. Marcus Hyde and Dan Fortener have played every game at the safety spots, but have only one interception between them. We should have some room to move in the passing game since coverage is not their strong suit.

Michigan State Special Teams:

Aaron Bates is one of the league's better punters at 42 yards per kick. Teams are averaging 8 yards per return against him, but we seem to be employing a strategy of catching the ball then falling down of late, so it doesn't matter. Michigan State is giving up 22 yards per kick return, so ATM might have some room.

Brett Swinson is one of the best kickers in the Big Ten. He has hit on 14 of 16 field goal with a long of 45. he did miss his only attempt last week from 37, so he isn't automatic. Keshawn Martin is a dangerous kick returner who has already taken one back for a score. He also returns punts, so our coverage must be better than last week.

Intangibles:

Purdue clearly needs this more. We're on a roll (if you remove the Wisconsin game) and playing at home with a senior class that has overachieved this year. Michigan State can afford a loss, while we cannot. They at least have the fallback of a second chance at home next week. We do not.

Michigan State has also performed poorly on the road this year. They grabbed a win at Illinois when Illinois was terrible, but it was only a hard fought 10 point victory. They gave up a ton of points to Notre Dame, Wisconsin, and Minnesota in their other road trips. I am really surprised that their defense has underperformed this season. It was supposed to be a strength while the offense replaced Brian Hoyer and Jevon Ringer. Instead, the offense has been fine while the defense has given up a ton of yards through the air.

Defensively, we want to make Michigan State run the ball. They do not have a strong running game, and many of its numbers are inflated by last week and the opener against Montana State. They have had the luxury of two laughers there, while we have had about half of one against Toledo. If our secondary can keep the passing game in check I have confidence the run defense will come around. Michigan and Wisconsin have gashed us the last two weeks, but they are much better running teams than the Spartans. Of course, Illinois was a bad running team too.

Offensively, if we can establish some balance with Ralph Bolden I think we will do very well. If we somehow get him to 100 yards I do not see us losing because the passing game will have plenty of time to work.

Keys to the Game for Purdue:

Do not let their running game get moving
Establish Ralph Bolden
No stupid turnovers
Control the clock
Get after Cousins/Nichol

Wha Happened? Week Ten

RossWB — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:00:30 -0000

I'm told there were other games going on during and after just Northwestern successfully executed their gameplan of "knock out Iowa's best offensive player" for the second consecutive season. So Wha Happened?

Nice tune, but it needs more Caruso.

Ohio State 24, Penn State 7
Sigh. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. All Penn State needed to do to ensure that Ohio State's reign of terror atop the Big Ten over the last five years (and their accompanying pratfalls in BCS games: 1-3, including two humiliating beatdowns in National Championship Games) was truly done, to drive a stake through their cold, unfeeling, blackened hearts, to send them to a Florida bowl game... was just win this one fucking game. Alas, the Penn State offense coughed up a hairball of a performance (Daryll Clark went 12/28, 125 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 20 yards rushing, 1 TD on the ground, though he didn't get much help from his offensive line or any receivers not named Graham Zug) and the Nittany Lions just never appeared to be in sync. Maybe Clark needs Creepy Sex Offender Lion to console him.

His counterpart, the boy wonder Terrelle Pryor, contributed the sort of confounding stat line that's becoming typical of his play: 8/17, 125 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, five carries, 50 yards, 1 TD on the ground. Looking at it purely in terms of black and white numbers, it's not exactly impressive stuff. And yet... he did guide them to a decisive victory and he did make some big plays when OSU needed them -- the 62-yard bomb he threw to DeVier Posey (fast becoming one of the best big-play receiver in the Big Ten) was a key play in opening up the game. It gave Ohio State some much needed breathing room and the two-score margin seemed to make Clark press even more, with predictably disastrous results against the Buckeye defense. Still, the Ohio State win did have the effect of dramatically simplifying the Big Ten title race: whoever wins next week's Iowa-Ohio State tilt will be smelling the roses in Pasadena. So no pressure or anything in that one.

Not even Mike Barweis' brutal fitness regimens can save Michigan from the knife that is Big Ten conference play.

Purdue 38, Michigan 36
Life among the peasants sucks, doesn't it, Big Blue? It was a lot easier when you were a member of the aristocracy and teams like this just rolled over for you. Shame the peasants don't do that when you're down rolling around in the filth with them. The numbers for Michigan are grisly: losses to middling Purdue teams in back-to-back years, five consecutive Big Ten losses (which is actually worse than any losing streak they had in-conference during last year's horrorshow of a season), and eleven conference losses (and counting) over the past two years -- with games against Wisconsin (in Madison) and Ohio State (in Ann Arbor) still to come. Losses in both of those games would lead to perhaps the grisliest stat of all: a second consecutive season without a bowl game. The culprit, as it has been pretty much the entire season, was largely the GERG-led defense. The LOLverine defense conceded nearly 500 yards of offense (494, to be exact) for the second straight week, with most of the damage coming through the air: Joey Elliot went 28/39 for 367 yards and a pair of touchdowns (and a pair of interceptions). RichRod may or may not be burning up on the hot seat this year, but it would be stupefying if Greg Robinson was back as defensive coordinator next year.

Meanwhile, Danny Hope's maiden voyage on the SS Boilermaker continues to be a long, strange trip. Three weeks ago, they had a season-defining upset of Ohio State in West Lafayette. A week ago, they got blanked by Wisconsin, 37-0, in a game in which virtually nothing went right. And now they go into Ann Arbor and pick up their first win there since 1966. And all this is after the crazy first part of the season, in which they lost a series of nail-biters and bizarre, turnover-filled games. Yet in spite of all the ups and downs they've endured this season, Purdue finds themselves still alive for a possible bowl game (they just need wins over Michigan State and Indiana), which would be a helluva way to cap off Danny Hope's crazy first season.

BHGP salutes Tiger Woods for his stance on gophers.

Illinois 35, Minnesota 32
Remember what we wrote about Adam Weber's offensive explosion last week?

But what to make of the TRY FIGHT WIN HEAVILY PENALIZED Gophers a week after losing their top offensive weapon (Decker) and nearly getting shut out in back-to-back games by Penn State and Ohio State (only a garbage-time touchdown against OSU's reserves prevented that ignominious fate)? Was this an aberration? A sign that the Gopher offense may not be quite as woeful as we thought? Considering that Weber hadn't thrown for a TD pass since the Wisconsin game 28 days ago and that he nearly doubled his season total for TD passes in one game, we lean towards the former explanation.

Yeah, we're gonna go with "last week was a mirage" for $1000, thanks. Weber's first half this week:

5/17, 74 yards, 0 TD, 1 fumble, 1 pick-six ("That's an interception returned for a touchdown." (c) Pat Harty).

Now that's more like the Weber we've come to know and love this season. All told, the Golden Gopher offense managed only 288 yards (just 66 on the ground) against an Illinois defense not previously known for its stopping power. Meanwhile, the Save the Zooker's Job Tour continued with... yet another win? Huh. That still doesn't sound right. Juice Williams' ankle got tweaked, but Jacob Charest proved to be an able fill-in (10/19, 195 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT) and Jason Ford tacked on 82 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. With the win, the Illini retain their unlikely bid for a bowl appearance and a desire for revenge by proxy demands that this corner of BHGP will be cheering them on when they take on that other Big Ten team from Illinois next week. And, fuck, if you can't root for a mustache like this you have no soul.

Don't pretend you care about this game.

Wisconsin 31, Indiana 28
John Clay ran wild in the first half (15 carries, 134 yards, 1 TD), but got concussed; freshman Montee Ball came in and picked up right were Clay left off (27 carries, 115 yards, 2 TD), including the game-icing touchdown with eight minutes to go in the game. It was classic Wisconsin football: 294 punishing yards on the ground and just enough passing (194 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT) to keep the opposing defense honest. The only difference between this week and last is that the defense was a bit looser and let Indiana get enough points to keep it interesting. Indiana is now in "win or stay home during bowl season" mode for the final two games; sadly next week involves a trip to Happy Valley to play a pissed-off Penn State team. Ouch.

Your recommended daily dose of surreality.

Michigan State 49, Western Michigan 14
Sparty jumped out to an early 21-0 lead and never looked back, ensuring that Western Michigan wouldn't add a Big Ten scalp to their collection for a third straight year. WMU had no answers for the Spartan offense -- Kirk Cousins dissected their pass defense (22/25, 353 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT), while Ashton Leggett gashed them on the ground (14 carries, 110 yards, 4 TD); all told, Sparty rolled up 602 yards of offense. With the win, MSU moves to 5-5, needing just one more win to get to bowl eligibility. A difficult game with Penn State awaits at the end of the season, so next week's game at Purdue could be a virtual elimination game for bowl contention.

MSU-Western Afterglow Thread

KJ@theonlycolors — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:39:51 -0000

More photos » by Al Goldis - AP

From zero to four touchdowns in 60 minutes.

Browse more photos »

Well, that's how you do that. Michigan State jumped out to a 35-0 lead at halftime, took the foot off the gas a bit in the third quarter, but came back to finish the game with a 5-TD lead, 49-14.

Ashton Leggett is your breakout star with 110 rushing yards and 4, count them: 4, touchdowns. (Kudos to Rick, BTW.) Kirk Cousins put up a nearly flawless stat line: 22-25, 353 yards, 2 TDs. Keith Nichol didn't do much with his playing time: 6-10, 30 yards, 1 TD.

The defense held Western to 211 yards, 80 of which came on one play.

Elsewhere, losses by Michigan and Minnesota would seem to help our bowl positioning (to a lesser extent, the Northwestern win hurts). We're now tied for sixth in the league in overall wins and tied for 5th in conference wins. I, for one, wouldn't mind playing up in a bowl game this year. We know we have the ability to compete with higher-ranked opponents. And a solid bowl match-up would provide some renewed meaning to this otherwise racked-with-regret season.

Full game recap later today or tomorrow. Until then, here's the place to discuss all of today's big-time football action.

Non-Context-Associated Statistics From an Artificial Competitive Environment!

KJ@theonlycolors — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 21:58:18 -0000

"Jumping" into the lead? (Some fabulous
pun, eh? Photo credit: MSU FB page.)

Add one data point to the NICHOL side of the Great Spartan Quarterback Battle of 2009 Scale:

Kirk Cousins 13 of 30, 127 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception
Keith Nichol 17 of 26, 241 yards, 3 touchdowns, 0 interceptions

The low completion percentage (43.3%) is surprising for Cousins, given that accuracy is supposed to be his strong point (74.4% completion percentage is his limited playing time last season). The media wasn't allowed to watch the scrimmage, so we don't have much in the way of context from what was termed a "situational" scrimmage. Here's the coachspeak context:

"I don't think you can read anything into those things," Dantonio said about the comparative statistics of the two quarterbacks. "We had couple drops, and we were throwing to all receivers. They're working with the ones (first-string) and working with the twos, and that type of thing.

"We were sending different pressures at them and they're active. They've got to throw hot in certain situations and so you ask yourself, `Did they make good decisions?' And for the most part I think they did."

Still, this is the first shred of real information we have on the quarterback battle since the Spring Game (which was a dead heat statistically), and you have to think it creates a slight edge for Nichol. If Cousins doesn't outperform Nichol statistically, it's hard for me to see Dantonio not going with the guy with more upside (read: athletic ability), given the three-year window he's looking at to compete for a Big Ten championship with whoever emerges as the starter. Plenty more data points to come over the next 2-5 weeks, though.

In terms of the other big skill position battle, Ashton Leggett was the statistical leader among the running backs, gaining 93 yards on 10 carries. (No stats were reported for Baker/Caper; apparently there was a separate freshmen-only scrimmage yesterday.) But 63 of those yards came on one run. Subtracting that run, the overall results for the running game aren't very encouraging: 100 yards on 35 carries. That's just 2.86 yards per carry. That figure could, of course, be just as much a function of bad run blocking and/or good run defense as it is of poor running back play.

This relates what I'm going to call KJ's Iron Law of Intrasquad Football Scrimmrages:

All statistical results from intrasquad football scrimmages can be characterized in one of only two ways:

OFFENSE GOOD! DEFENSE BAD!

DEFENSE GOOD! OFFENSE BAD!

The statistics indicate option 2 was the case today by a small margin (although the offense did win 73-61 using whatever jury rigged scoring system the coaches came up with), with Nichol's stats being the main bright spot on offense.

There you have it: All the news that's (barely) fit to print.

Know thy Opponent takeover: The Only Colors

BoilerTMill — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:03:07 -0000

Pete from the noted Michigan State blog The Only Colors agreed to stop by this week and answer some questions about Michigan State. The Spartans present our most difficult test within the conference outside of Ohio State, yet last year's game was unexpectedly close. Here is what Pete had to say about the Spartans.

The Only Colors is the only SBNation source for Michigan State.

Hammer & Rails: Michigan State must replace its two most important offensive positions in quarterback and running back. Who is coming in and why are they better than Hoyer and Ringer?

The Only Colors: Roll a die. Throw darts at a dartboard. Read tea leaves. Any one of those methods would be a valid guess, as Dantonio has let little slip about who will be the starting QB, and any one of seven players could see time at RB. Redshirt sophomores Kirk Cousins and Keith Nichol are both in the running for the QB spot, and both of them bring different traits to the position. In short, Cousins has the game experience from last year, but Nichol's the transfer from Oklahoma with the cannon arm and 4.5ish speed. Both of them will be better than Hoyer in making big plays that might help the Spartans steal a game or two this season; the flip side of this coin is that few were better than Hoyer at knowing when to take a sack. Whichever QB starts will likely cost the Spartans a game this year due to an ill-advised decision, but that's the price a team pays when breaking in a new quarterback.

As for running back, Dantonio's looking to settle on two starters. The front-runners currently are redshirt sophomore Ashton Leggett (5'11", 230 lbs.) and redshirt freshman Caulton Ray (5'9", 185 lbs.). The only reason any of these running backs might be better than Ringer is that at the end of games, they'll be fresher. It's not as if Ringer wore down significantly in the 4th quarter last year (look at the Michigan game if you need proof), but I feel the offense might be more effective if the load is split evenly between at least two RBs.

H&R: One of the worst insults in a Big Ten rivalry is the whole Big Brother/Little Brother Michigan fans have going against you guys. What do you have to do to gain respect against the Wolverines?

TOC: The same thing any team has to do in any rivalry to gain respect - win. I think some of the fire has been added back to the rivalry since the win last October; it's tough to remember how much it stinks to lose to your rival when you've won six years in a row. That said, there's going to be some subset of Michigan's fan base that will never respect the Spartans.

H&R: Michigan State gets a huge break in not having to play Ohio State this year. Despite the newcomers, do the Spartans have what it takes to win the Big Ten?

TOC: No, as the offense isn't there yet. If MSU had received this schedule in 2011, I'd say yes, as whoever the QB and RBs will be would have had a full year to take their lumps. They'll drop a few games this year as they gain experience (most likely losses: Penn State, then Iowa, then Illinois), then have to go through a horrendous schedule (@PSU, @Iowa, @Michigan in a rivalry game) in 2011. MSU got a few breaks to win nine games in 2008, I'm not sure if they'll receive the same breaks this year.

H&R: Defensively, this looks like a very strong team. especially with Greg Jones at linebacker. How much of a difference will that unit make for the defense as a whole since it seems to be the heart of the defense and Jones is one of the best in the country.

TOC: It's going to be the unit that could bail MSU out of some games. The defensive line is lacking some experience (and mass for that matter, one of the DE's that might start is around 225 lbs.), thus it might fall on the linebackers to stop runs around the line of scrimmage. As for Greg Jones, he did a stellar job stepping into the MLB role about halfway through last year. With the experience he has at that spot now, All-American consideration isn't far fetched.

H&R: Your non-conference schedule is sneaky tough with a game at Notre Dame and two very good MAC teams in Western Michigan and Central Michigan. Do you see a stumble in any of those games, especially since you own Notre Dame Stadium?

TOC: Possibly at Notre Dame. As good as Central is, their defense is suspect. They gave up more than 50 points to Eastern Michigan last year, and while LeFevour is as advertised and will put up points, MSU will put up more. Western loses all but one starter from their defense last year, MSU should also win that one. The Notre Dame game will be tricky though. For all of MSU's success in South Bend since the first Clinton administration, Jimmy Clausen actually looks to be a decent quarterback, and an experienced (although somewhat mediocre last year) Notre Dame defense will give the Spartan offense their first real test. I think Michigan State will win against Notre Dame, but I'm only 60% sure of it.

Know thy Opponent 2009: Michigan State Spartans

BoilerTMill — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:15:49 -0000

My Big Ten road trip last season was to East Lansing. I braved the wind and cold to officially watch our bowl chances go up in smoke. This year, Michigan State comes to West Lafayette on Senior Day. It will be the final home game for 21 Purdue seniors, and if we don't have five wins or more at this point, it could mean the difference between a bowl game and another season home for the holidays.

Michigan State is an interesting team. We did not adapt to the cold well last year and had a number of dropped passes. We handed them seven points on an awful interception before halftime. Also, at one point we had to play a fourth string walk-on scout team quarterback. Still, we did not play that badly (at least on defense) in a 21-7 loss. That gives me hope that this year can be different.

2008 Record: 9-4, (6-2 Big Ten)

Bowl Result: lost Capitol One Bowl 24-12 to Georgia

Blog Representation: The Only Colors, The Enlightened Spartan, Sparty MSU

Series with Purdue: Michigan State leads 30-28-3

Last Purdue win: 11/4/2006 at Michigan State 17-15

Last Michigan State win: 11/8/2008 at Michigan State 21-7

Last season for the Spartans:

Last year was a Purdue-esque season for Michigan State. I think we can all agree that the Big Ten as a whole was in the middle of a down year. Michigan State played nine mediocre-to-bad teams and four really good teams. Predictably, they finished with a 9-4 record. They lost a relatively close game on the road at California, got trucked by Ohio State and Penn State, then lost the Capitol One Bowl to a good Georgia team. There was little doubt they were the third best team in the conference, as there was clear separation between them, the top of Ohio State and Penn State, and everyone else.

Are Sparty and Pete long lost brothers?

A huge reason for their success, Javon Ringer, is now gone. Brian Hoyer is also gone at the quarterback position. Their 2009 non-conference schedule is sneaky tough. Aside from a gimme game against Montana State, Michigan State hosts two of the better teams in the MAC. Games against Central Michigan and Western Michigan are hardly easy wins because both teams feature solid offenses with veteran quarterbacks. Both are more than capable of pulling an upset. There is also a trip to Notre Dame, where everyone in the country hopes the Spartans can continue their ownership of the Irish in Notre Dame Stadium. The hopes of a nation are with the Spartans that day, as a Michigan State victory would give Notre Dame one of the critical four losses needed to assure they don't get another undeserved BCS bowl bid.

As far as our game last season with the Spartans, I felt it was another missed opportunity. The defense played well and prevented Ringer from going totally nuts, but our offense failed to do anything until a final 98 yard drive that prevented a shutout. We had a good game plan, but one mistake (Siller's awful pick six) pretty much ruined any chance of a victory.

Michigan State offense:

Michigan State must find a way to replace Javon Ringer. Ringer had a monster season, rushing an astounding 390 times for 1,637 yards and 22 TD's. For good measure, he added 28 receptions for another 190 yards and even returned 11 kicks for 224 yards. He outscored the kicker, which is rare, and accounted for more than a third of Michigan State's total yardage gained on the season. Andre Anderson was second on the team in rushing attempts and yards with only 26 carries for 97 yards. Hoyer and Ashton Leggett are the only other players that had a rushing touchdown, each scoring once. Glenn Winston, who was recently released from jail, has now been reinstated as well.

How do you replace a guy that touches the ball on 429 different plays? Anderson, now a sophomore, is first in line to be the starter at tailback. Most likely, however, they will try to replace the yards by committee. A.J. Jimmerson and Leggett will also be contributors as Michigan State looks, at this early stage, to have the same running back-by-committee approach that we will have. They also have a star running back recruit that is a bit of a wild card like our own Al-Terek McBurse. Edwin Baker was one of the best high school running backs in the country last season. He is 5'10", 205 and already has enough size to make an early impression.

The quarterback battle is another key area for Michigan State. Kirk Cousins and Keith Nichol appear to be dead even for the starting job at the moment, and both could play significant minutes. Nichol sat out last season after transferring from Oklahoma, while Cousins saw a decent amount of action as Hoyer's backup. Cousins' 32 completions on 43 attempts gave him a very high percentage. He ended up with 310 yards passing and two touchdowns against one interception. That in-game experience may give him a very slight edge for now.

Many of the top receivers return from a unit that was very balanced. Blair White (49-659-1) had the most receptions, but tight end Charlie Gantt (19-304-4) was the leader in touchdowns. Michigan State was not afraid to go to Gantt in short yardage situations or at the goal line. Gantt actually had the longest reception of the season for Michigan State with an 82 yard catch and run. B.J. Cunningham (41-528-0) will be the main #2 receiver, while Mark Dell (36-679-3) led the team in receiving yards. This is an experienced receiving unit that should help the growth of either Cousins or Nichol.

The Spartans must replace the entire right side of their offensive line, which was possibly the best part of the line. Rocco Cironi at 6'6" 308 is the anchor at left tackle, and he is an excellent run blocker. This line will likely excel at run blocking once again as the passing game gets used to a new quarterback. Of course, this late in the season Michigan State should be together and will likely be playing much better than at the beginning. Joel Foreman and Joel Nitchman provide stability as returning starters at left guard and center, respectively.

Michigan State defense:

It is no surprise that Michigan State's defense continues to get better, as Mark Dantonio is a defense-first style of coach. This year, the Spartans return eight starters from a unit that got better, but still struggled against the really good teams on its schedule. Cal, Penn State, and Ohio State scored seemingly at will on the Spartans, but this unit did play a respectable game against Georgia in the bowl game.

One of the biggest losses on defense was safety Otis Wiley. Wiley delivered a hit on Kory Sheets in the 2007 game that led to a fumble return for a touchdown that sealed the game for MSU. Junior Marcus Hyde is the leading candidate to replace him after registering 31 tackles and an interception in reserve action. Johnny Adams could see the field at cornerback, and he already has hurt us. It was his pick six just before halftime in last year's game that virtually sealed that loss. Unfortunately for him, Ross Weaver and Chris Rucker already have the starting spots nailed down. Danny Fortener will man the other safety spot, giving Michigan State one of the most experienced secondaries in the Big Ten. The group managed 14 interceptions last year, but four came from Wiley.

Linebacker Greg Jones is probably the player to watch on the defense. He led the team in tackles and tackles for loss last year, registering 127 stops and 14 behind the line of scrimmage. He is excellent against the run and could be one of the top linebackers in the nation. Eric Gordon and Brandon Denson will play the outside spots, though Denson is a bit undersized by Big Ten standards. Gordon was second on the team with 85 tackles and added three sacks in 2008. This unit is not afraid to blitz the quarterback, making pass protection difficult.

Senior defensive end Trevor Anderson has been with Dantonio since his time at Cincinnati. He had 8 sacks a year ago, but three came against Michigan. He tends to play in streaks, so he will either have a monster game or all but disappear against us. Colin Neely is the newcomer to the defensive line at the other end position. He and tackle Kevin Pickleman are undersized, but will be sued more as pass rusher than run stoppers. That's to be expected as good as MSU's linebackers are. Oren Wilson is a true sophomore, but he started every game at tackle as a freshman last year.

Michigan State Special Teams:

Brett Swenson makes sure that the Spartans get points any time they get near the end zone. He was 22 of 28 on field goals with a long of 50 yards. He has made 52 career field goals in his time in East Lansing, making him one of the Big Ten's most proficient kickers. Aaron Bates also returns as a solid punter, averaging 42 yards per boot. The punt coverage wasn't great, however, as teams averaged 10 yards per return and MSU did give up a touchdown.

The kickoff return game struggled mightily, not even averaging 20 yards per return. It should be a lively competition to see who gets the starting job here, but A.J. Jimmerson is the leading candidate. With Wiley gone, Michigan State also must find a new punt returner.

Intangibles:

It is senior day for us, so that has to be worth something. Unfortunately, we are getting Michigan State at the end of the season instead of the beginning. By this point, both the quarterback and running back derbies should be settled. The defense will likely play at a very high level all season long. All they need is an offense that can go out and give them 20-25 points per game. With no Ohio State on the schedule, it is possible that the Spartans will be a week away from a very big home game against Penn State for the Big Ten title. If they are looking ahead it will be beneficial to us, but I doubt they will be looking ahead.

Still, I don't think this is a daunting team. Last year they were good and just beat up on a mediocre league. They are in the same position to do so this year. Our game in East Lansing was hardly a dominating blowout. Our mistakes gave MSU more than enough to win. We handed them seven points and generated virtually nothing on offense because of dropped passes. This has been a wild series since 1997 where the best team hasn't necessarily won every game. That was true of our surprising upset in 1999 as it was of Michigan State's in 2000.

I hate myself for leaving this game early

Game Outlook:

Again, I don't like that this game is at the end of the year. Michigan State is too solid of a team and could have too much to play for. Look at some of our recent wins over them. In 1997 and 1998 we won because of their mistakes late in games they dominated. Our last win in the series in 2006 came about because of a late interception that set up Casey Welch's late field goal. When we have won it has been because the Spartans screwed up. If they play a mistake free game we lose. I see that happening again here.

Prediction:

We had better five wins at this point, because if we're counting on this one as #5 I think we will be in for a long wait. I still think Indiana is our ace in the hole for getting win #6 and the bowl bid that comes with it. Beating Michigan State would be nice, but they simply are better and more experienced than us right now. I think we lose a close one at home where their maturity comes through. Michigan State 24, Purdue 21

Previewin': Michigan State

Beauford — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 10:00:18 -0000

Maize n' Brew mercilessly drifts through yet another preview; this one long overdue. Ladies and Gentlemen, the Michigan State Spartans

Previously: Illinois, Northwestern, Penn State, Iowa

Explanation and indemnifications found: here

The Michigan State Spartans enter this season with high expectations tempered with the knowledge that a workhorse running back and a marginal but experienced quarterback need replacing.

Javon Ringer was a good back who probably isn't irreplaceable. His numbers - detailed below - are largely a matter of increased work load.

Hoyer was pretty inconsistent during his senior season with a 9/9 TD to INT ratio. That, uh, that isn't so good (of course, when you're dealing with a Threet/Sheridan situation, anything looks good, so don't rush to judge).

On the positive side, the defense returns 8 starters including the vast majority of defensive backs, and every starting linebacker. That defense had better be good; they're going to be carrying an offense that may take some time to get their act together. Another plus for the Spartans is their special teams which return kicker Brett Swenson and punter Aaron Bates. Space emperor, he is not, but Bates is a very good punter.

More Previewin' Dead Ahead; Click Below

2009 Schedule

9/05	Montana State	12:00 PM
9/12	Central Michigan	12:00 PM
9/19	@ Notre Dame	3:30 PM
9/26	@ Wisconsin	TBA
10/03	Michigan	TBA
10/10	@ Illinois	12:00 PM
10/17	Northwestern	12:00 PM
10/24	Iowa	7:00 PM
10/31	@ Minnesota	8:00 PM
11/07	Western Michigan	TBA
11/14	@ Purdue	TBA
11/21	Penn State	TBA

Michigan State opens the season fairly tamely with a pair of OOC patsies, and follows with Notre Dame. Much like the Michigan schedule, Notre Dame will be this team's first test, and will serve as a good barometer for how the season will play out. Important to note that despite last year's 9 win season, the Spartans still lost to the four best teams on the schedule; Cal, Ohio State, Penn State, and Georgia. This year they duck Ohio State and pick up Illinois.

One thing the media will harp on that is off base:

I alluded to this in the front section of this preview, but the departure of Ringer might not be as devastating as many are predicting. Javon Ringer put up some monster numbers last year, mostly due to a workload that averaged just over 30 (30!) carries a game. The rushing attack as a whole, however, averaged just 130 yards per game - good for 77th in the country. For a one-time Heisman candidate (early in the season last year there was some talk, IIRC), 130 YPG is pretty weak. Ringer's numbers are largely a matter of attempts being super inflated. Iowa's Greene - the other workhorse back - had only 23 attempts per game. Ringer, for all his accolades, only averaged just over 4 yards per attempt - 18th in the conference in terms of rushing. On the one hand, this could be construed to be a positive for the Spartans. While they are replacing a workhorse senior, they're not exactly replacing Berry Sanders. Durability is certainly a trait that is admirable in a running back, and I'm not saying that Ringer wasn't any good. Rather, I think his numbers are a result of his increased workload, not a truly stellar rushing attack. The bevy of backs they expect to suck up the work load should be able to replicate the 4.2 yards per attempt that Ringer averaged. Who are those backs? Glad you asked.

Senior Back A.J. Jimmerson

Ashton Leggett, Andre Anderson, and AJ Jimmerson are the primary candidates fighting it out for playing time, and I expect all three to get significant carries throughout the season as they fill Ringer's void. Leggett was a two star to Scout from Muskegon, MI and at 5'11" 235, he's a big boy. Recruited as a fullback, I would expect him to see some time at the goal line and in short yardage situations. On the other side of the coin, Andre Anderson is a fleet footed Sophomore of the 190 lbs. variety capable of breaking off big plays. The change of pace should be effective for the Spartans as D'Antonio continues to use the clock management and down-and-distance strategies learned under Tressel. AJ Jimmerson rounds out the trio, but by no means should be considered lacking. A 4-star prospect out of Missouri, he looks to be a strong, balanced back.

One thing the media will completely ignore that is integral to this team's success:

With all the focus on the replacement of the two starters, and a defense that returns 8 starts, one of whom is linebacker/deathbringer Greg Jones, there are two facets that I believe are being overlooked. First, the wide receiver position actually returns quite a bit of talent, headed up by Mark Dell. Dell led the conference last year in yards per catch at just under 19. He's a big-play target that will bail out his fledgling QB. The other two returning starters, Blair White and BJ Cunningham had 84 receptions between the two of them. Add into the mix preseason all-conference tight end Charlie Gantt, and the receiving options are very good, and very deep.

However, the offense isn't without a trouble spot looming that has nothing to do with quarterback or running back. The entire right side of the offensive line is being replaced, which could have Nichol or Cousins running for their lives.

Most important contributors on each side of the ball:

Offensively, it's going to be whichever quarterback slides into the roll of starter. D'Antonio, for the time being, has said that his quarterbacks, Oklahoma Transfer Keith Nichol and in-state talent Kirk Cousins, will platoon at the position. It's been said a million times, but if Michigan State wants to be successful they'd better pick one of these guys to be the starter, and make sure he's confident enough to not look over his shoulder every time he throws a pick. Platooning QB's can be a very dangerous game to play in terms of the quarterback's psyche. Cousins offers perhaps more of a pocket presence, but Nichol is dangerous on the run. A 4-star out of MI-Inkster (Lowell - not Inkster. Corrected in comments - B2), I predict that Nichol will be getting the majority of snaps by season's end by virtue of more upside, and his ability to make plays with his legs should things break down.

McGuffie did not break this tackle

Defensively, I cannot say enough about Greg Jones, linebacker, humanitarian, and all around nice guy. He destroys the run, rarely getting sucked into blocks, and he'll be playing exclusively in the middle this year. Last year he was a first team all conference player. This year he's been named to preseason watch lists for three national awards: Butkus Award (top collegiate linebacker), Lombardi Award (college lineman of the year) and the Lott Trophy (defensive player of the year).

Area that scares you as Michigan Wolverines:

Mark Dell and his big-play ability scares me. Last year, the defense was good on a down-to-down basis, but very susceptible to the big play. The Spartans return one of the biggest play makers in the conference.

Area that makes you salivate as the Michigan Wolverines:

The Wolverines get Michigan State relatively early in the schedule. There is a good possibility that State will still be gelling on offense, and struggling to put points on the board. The new QB/RB tandem will be interesting to watch. Additionally, while the defense does return 8 starters, we had one of our more successful days offensively against the Spartans last year. I just hope our offense is clicking by the time we make the trip to East Lansing (a long shot, perhaps).

Random factor that you think will come into play this season:

First road game remains a mystery under Rodriguez. For Carr, it certainly meant death. It is a rivalry game under the lights (maybe) with a true freshman QB. I smell trouble.

Overall Record:

While some have predicted a 10-win season for the Spartans (I'm looking at you, Chengelis [note, a link was provided, but is now behind a paywall. - B2]) I don't see it happening. In fact, I look at this Michigan State team and see more question marks than Penn State, Ohio State, and Iowa. Again, Michigan State has improved, but seems unable to get over the hump to beat teams that are truly in the top-tier either in conference or out.

8-4

Final Big Ten Standing:

4th

Bowl Destination

Outback Bowl

A Convo With The Only Colors: Chief Scowl, Andre Rison, and Spartan Football

grahamfiller10 — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 12:30:11 -0000

As part of welcoming the Michigan State Spartan website The Only Colors onto SBN, I discussed Sparty football culture with Only Colors contributor Ground Zero East Lansing...

GF: Alright, as a football fan, give me your level of insanity...and as a State guy too...like, 1-10, watching State football...

Ground Zero East Lansing: I'd say an 8, which would put me around a Ted Bundy level. I love looking forward to when Phil Steele puts out his preview, and I make it to every tailgate I can, but I'm not really the personality type to scream and swear at every play

GF: Wow, for MSU football, that's pretty damn high...Ted Bundy is one of my fav's by the way, great reference...

GZEL: Thanks, I try to keep up on my serial killers. Also, I've seen people much higher than me...just because MSU was down for a few decades doesn't mean our fans aren't as fanatical as the rest. Spartan Stadium does bring in at least 70,000 each game you know.

GF: Easily. It's just known as a bball school.

GZEL: I'd agree with that, but I'd say that representation is associated at least somewhat with the product on the gridiron. That and the circus that went on before Dantonio. How soon we forget that John L. was actually BIG TEN COACH OF THE YEAR IN 2003.

GF: Wow. My ideals are shot. You know what he's doing? Special teams at Arkansas.

GZEL: Oh yeah...Ryan Mallett as a punter...I wonder if he'll tear his ACL like Stanton did Freshman year doing kickoff coverage during the Alamo bowl. JLS...putting the "special" in special teams since 2003

GF: Well, ripping on John L is so...nevermind its timeless. So when you watch MSU football, do you watch individual matchups (DE v OL) or do you watch the game in general?

GZEL: I watch the game in general, and sometimes the individual matchups will reveal themselves. For example, during the MSU-UM game this year, Brandon Graham was running over Jesse Miller in the 2nd half. It was screaming for a double team.

GF: Me too. That's hysterical. He had 3 sacks and 4 hurries or something. Ok so bear with me here...I'm going to take Ringer down a notch. I just think, he was good, but not spectacular. And, against good teams, he didn't do anything. What changes this year, with Anderson, Caper, etc?

GZEL: First, Dantonio's come out and said that Ashton Leggett has a small edge on the other RBs, but that could easily change this Fall...This year there will be a bit of a learning curve for whoever gets the job (for both the OL and RB), but I don't think anything will really change in that respect this year...MSU will have to wait until 2010 I believe to really get going.

GF: Brilliant, that leads me towards my next question. Your recruiting class that received a lot of media coverage, Maxwell, etc...What is their impact this year?

GZEL: I don't think there will be that much of an impact. Surely either Baker or Caper will get some playing time, maybe Chris Norman (6th best LB in the country coming in). Maxwell will most likely redshirt, and MSU's other huge recruit, OL David Barrent, hopefully won't receive time. If that happens, he's either the second coming of the Incredible Hulk, or something tragic has happened to the OL, because as we all know, freshman on the line is never a good thing

GF: Yes, we do. What was the impact on the program to have a class like this? In-state, I've heard Dantonio is making strides to ingrain himself with the coaches, while RichRod isn't putting as much effort.

GZEL: Maybe it wasn't as much national as it was regional, but I think it was a pretty big impact. It legitimized MSU as a 1st choice and not a 2nd choice (a 9-4 season didn't hurt either). As for the coaches thing, the fact of the matter is that typically if Michigan doesn't get in-state recruits, they can go out of state and be fine for the most part, not so with MSU. However, I think with the contrast in styles between the two coaches, (athletic vs bigger OLs, speedster vs bruiser RBs), that unless the player's a 4 star talent, the overlap between the two schools' recruiting definitely will not be as much as it once was.

Is that you Richard Nixon?

GF: Right, the RichRod system changed things up, we'll see how the 3-4 defense affects things also. Ok...Dantonio. Your boy. He's got a name now (Chief Scowl) and hes got a rep (hard ass, serious, doesn't take shit). Obviously you like him, but whats something you see that gives you hope for his reign...or gives you pause? Oh and your thoughts on the PSU game, when he got angry...over the late TD.

GZEL: It's hope, and it comes in the fact that MSU just went to back-to-back bowl games for the first time this decade. MSU went 9-3 this season, and they definitely overachieved to get there. During the Iowa game, the team got 3 turnovers and a late 4th quarter stop to beat them by 3, and during the Wisconsin game, I saw Bielema self-destruct and MSU take the opportunity and capitalize on it to win. The point I'm trying to make is that past MSU teams would have found some way to not win those games and probably a few more from last year, but this team didn't cave. They're more consistent, and if he can change their mindset in that way, if definitely gives me hope...Ok, about the PSU game...First of all, Cousins threw that touchdown to Dell...both were in their first year of playing football. I can see how the timeouts pissed people off, but it's still game experience, and for a team that just lost it's 2 year starting QB, I saw it as a chance to make something out of a butt-kicking, but I could see what ticked people off about it.

GF: Of course. I liked some aspects, others bothered me. I did like that Dantonio sort of said, "f*** you, i'm going to bring effort no matter what"

GZEL: Yeah, essentially he's trying to defeat the culture of losing in football at MSU, and that's just one of things I think you have to do to accomplish that.

GF: Exactly. Ok I've got enough Sparty info for 10 lifetimes...So lets play the "first impression" game...Ill say a term...you give me first thing that comes to your mind...first one...Greg Paulus.

GZEL: Hype over nothing.

GF: DickRod

GZEL: Overrated

GF: Javon Ringers NFL chances.

GZEL: Decent, but not as great as they seemed in October.

GF: UM v MSU, Matchup 2009 in Sparty Stadium

GZEL: MSU by 10.

GF: Thought that MSU might be turning into the dominant Michigan team in sports.

GZEL: Let me know after 3 more years of sustained winning.

GF: Andre Rison.

GZEL: Left Eye burning down his mansion

GF: hahahahah...exactly...Man thanks for this, I appreciate it.

GZEL: Hey no problem.