Texas Tech coach Mike Leach had his own unique take on the 10 Michigan State players who reportedly won't play in the Jan. 2 Alamo Bowl against the Red Raiders.
"Sometimes a team gets better by getting rid of some folks,'' Leach said. "The other thing is those guys have a funny way of being available by the time you play them, so who knows?''
Last week Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio kicked running back Glenn Winston and safety Roderick Jenrette off the team. He also suspended wide receiver B.J. Cunningham, cornerback Chris L. Rucker, running back Ashton Leggett, wide receiver Mark Dell, linebacker Brynden Trawick, defensive tackle Ishmyl Johnson, wide receiver Fred Smith and defensive end Jamiihr Williams from playing in the bowl game against the Red Raiders for their involvement in an on-campus fight.
Of that group, Cunningham, Dell and Rucker were starters during the course of the season.
Cunningham is second on the team in receptions with 48 catches for 641 yards and four touchdowns, while Dell is third with 26 receptions for 449 yards and a TD. Meanwhile, Rucker is first on the Spartans in pass breakups (7), first in forced fumbles (2), fourth in tackles (58), and also has one interception.
Winston played just six games and carried the ball 60 times for 204 yards and two touchdowns, caught one pass for 6 yards, returned 21 kickoffs for an average of 24 yards per return, and is third on the Spartans in all-purpose with 118.8 yards per game. Leggett also played just six games and rushed 20 times for 125 yards and four touchdowns, and caught four passes for five yards.
In addition, Johnson and Trawick were bit players who each collected two tackles this season. Also, Cunningham and Leggettt are tied for fifth on the team in scoring with 24 points apiece.
All-in-all, Leach believes in some way some of those Spartans will find a uniform and be on the field by the time Michigan State plays Texas Tech. But Dantonio still insist the players won't even make the trip to San Antonio.
"The opportunity to play on this football team and in a bowl game is a privilege and not a given right,” Dantonio said in a news conference. "With that said, all those present at the incident in question will remain on indefinite suspension and will not make the trip nor play in the bowl game.”
-- Dwain Price
If the coach holds true, then cudos to him....Not many would do that..
Posted by: John Bell | December 15, 2009 at 09:42 AM
"Sometimes a team gets better by getting rid of some folks,'' Leach said.
Owner/GM Jones...are ya listenin'?
Posted by: JW Hardin | December 15, 2009 at 01:46 PM