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Spartans finally get the 'point'
Posted: Wednesday October 13, 1999 08:14 PM
By Mark Ambrogi, Special to CNN/SI For the past two seasons, Michigan State had its moments but was wildly inconsistent. Last season, the Spartans shocked No. 2 Ohio State at home, but lost to Minnesota and Colorado State in a 6-6 season. But this year's Spartans have been more Jekyll than Hyde. They are currently 6-0 and ranked fifth in the nation. You might have to give a motivational assist from an unlikely source: Mateen Cleaves, the two-time Big Ten Basketball Player of the Year, who has guided the Spartans to two consecutive Big Ten titles and a Final Four appearance last season. "I messed with them a little, pulling out my rings and showing them off," said Cleaves, a close friend of Spartan defensive end Robaire Smith. "It's all out of love. They've taken it upon themselves to go out and get their own." The Spartans set goals of a Top 25 finish, New Year's Day bowl and a Big Ten championship before the season. Now thoughts of 11-0 are entering their heads. "Now we've got something going on, and we don't want Purdue or anyone else to disrupt it," sophomore cornerback Renaldo Hill said. Senior strong safety Aric Morris is trying to make sure the Spartans stay focused entering Saturday's game at No. 20 Purdue. "I don't know how many times I have to say it, but we are looking at the next opponent, and that's it," he said. "If we're still undefeated when we play Penn State, then we'll start looking at the big picture." The No. 2 Nittany Lions visit Spartan Stadium on Nov. 20 in the regular season finale. Spartans coach Nick Saban is pleased his charges didn't get too carried away with a 34-31 victory over rival Michigan on Saturday. "I think the time to talk about what you've accomplished is when you're in the nursing home with your grandkids, not after you've won six football games," Saban said.
Red zone woesDrew Brees believes something is missing in Purdue's offense inside the red zone (inside the opponent's 20). It might be his confidence. "If you doubt yourself at all in the red zone, you're not going to score touchdowns," the junior quarterback said. Brees wanted to cut down on interceptions this season, especially in the red zone, but he said that cautiousness might be costing the team. "I find myself hesitant to thread the needle," he said. "I need to get back to being myself and playing instinctively." Purdue got only two touchdowns in five trips inside Ohio State's 20 in last Saturday's 25-22 loss. The Boilermakers had to settle for two field goals, with their final attempt blocked. For the year, Purdue has 13 TDs and nine field goals in 28 trips inside the red zone. The Boilermakers scored TDs on 58 percent of its red zone opportunities. Coach Joe Tiller said that he has not seen any hesitancy on Brees' part. "Maybe he feels that but I don't see it," he said. "We're jut not making plays and finishing. We've had an inordinate amount of dropped passes, and we've made some bad throws. It's a combination of things." Tiller would agree that Saturday was not one of Brees' better performances (24-of-39, 205 yards). For the first time in 19 games as a starter, he did not throw a TD pass. "The guy kind of spoils you," Tiller said. "If he isn't perfect, we think he didn't play well."
Just drop itOhio State senior tailback Michael Wiley, a first-team All-Big Ten performer last season, is averaging six yards per carry for his career and has 23 rushing touchdowns. This season, he has rushed for 522 yards on 138 carries. But Wiley is mired in the coaches' doghouse after losing four of five fumbles this season, including two in the loss to Wisconsin on Oct. 2. Wiley, who didn't start against Purdue because of skipping class, fumbled again on the Boilermakers' 25 last Saturday, but teammate Jamar Martin recovered. "You don't want to lose the confidence of the young man, because we are going to need Mike," running backs coach Tim Spencer said. "But at the same time, there has to be some type of punishment for dropping the ball on the ground. If a guy is going to continue to get you into trouble and hurt your team, how can you continue to play a guy who's going to hurt your team. That's what I mean by punishment."
Worth notingWisconsin has won the last two games without its head coach Barry Alvarez, who is awaiting knee replacement surgery. Alvarez's surgery was postponed when he needed a cleaning operation to remove an infection from his right leg. Alvarez will coach from the press box or home against Indiana this Saturday. Assistant head coach John Palermo said he talks with Alvarez two to three times day. "He's basically coaching the coaches," Palermo said. "He's always let the offensive and defensive coaches make the game plans and then he points out some things that can help us." ... IU quarterback Antwaan Randle El is on pace to become the first player in college football history to rush for 1,000 yards and pass for 2,000 in a single season. He has rushed for 597 yards on 140 carries and completed 76 of 134 passes for 1,097 yards. "He's an athlete that scares you to death at quarterback," Palermo said. "He's a good operator of the option and has become a more complete quarterback this year." ... After losing to Michigan and Ohio State on the road, Purdue now prepares for No. 5 Michigan State and No. 2 Penn State in consecutive home games. "This is a moment in these young players' lives that they'll remember forever," Tiller said. "They'll talk about the 1999 season forever, and it sure would be nice if they have some good memories. Wouldn't it?" Mark Ambrogi covers the Big Ten for The Indianapolis Star. Check back each Wednesday for his latest CNN/SI Insider.
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