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Latest News (194)
The latest news from East Lansing, MI.
The 2012 Golf Outing has been scheduled for Friday, April 27th. The application will be posted in the beginning of March.
Former All-American Allen Brenner Passes Away At Age 64
Written by Luke WhitemanTalented two-player player earned First-Team All-America honors as a safety in 1968 while finishing second on the team in receptions.
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Former Michigan State All-American Allen Brenner, one of college football’s most talented two-way players in the late 1960s, died Monday, Feb. 13 in Clinton, N.C., following an extended illness. He was 64.
Born Nov. 13, 1947, in Benton Harbor, Mich., Brenner earned three letters at Michigan State from 1966-68, while playing wide receiver and safety for legendary head coach Duffy Daugherty. He came to MSU after earning second-team all-state honors as a senior halfback at Niles (Mich.) High School while leading the team in rushing, receiving and scoring. Brenner also emerged as one of the Big 6 Conference scoring leaders in basketball as a prep senior, averaging 31.2 points per game.
The 6-foot-1, 196-pound Brenner burst onto the scene in 1966, becoming one of only two sophomores to start on MSU’s Big Ten and National Championship team that finished 9-0-1. He ranked as the Spartans’ second-leading receiver behind All-American Gene Washington, with 22 receptions for 357 yards (16.2 avg.) and one touchdown. Brenner also returned 22 punts for 256 yards (11.3 avg.) and one score. He finished 11th in the Big Ten in receptions (conference games only), with 19 for 328 yards (17.3 avg.), and third in punt returns, averaging 15.3 yards (15 for 230). In his first Big Ten game, Brenner produced a school- and conference-record 95-yard punt return for a TD in MSU’s 26-10 victory at Illinois.
Prior to the 1966 season, his position coach Cal Stoll said, “Let them double-team (Gene) Washington. We’ll surprise them with (Allen) Brenner. He’s got the sixth sense. He’ll start out doing one thing but adjust for a better pattern if he’s cornered. You don’t have to tell Brenner anything more than once. He’s one of the most coachable young men I’ve ever seen.”
As a junior in 1967, he was named honorable mention All-Big Ten after leading the team in receptions (26), receiving yards (462) and TD receptions (4).
As a senior in 1968, Brenner earned First-Team All-America honors from the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA). In addition, he was a unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection as a defensive back by The Associated Press and United Press International and a second-team all-conference pick on offense as an end by UPI. Brenner ranked fifth on the Spartans in tackles with 63 (31 solos, 32 assists), including a team-leading eight TD-saving stops. He also intercepted two passes. Brenner finished second on the team in receptions with 25 for 413 yards (16.5 avg.) and one TD. He had two 100-yard receiving games in 1968: six catches for a career-best 153 yards against Baylor and six receptions for 101 yards at Northwestern. The 1968 team MVP played 449 out of a possible 600 minutes.
Brenner recorded 12 tackles in MSU’s 21-17 victory over fifth-ranked Notre Dame in 1968, including three TD-saving stops. His only reception against the Irish went for 13 yards to the ND 1 and set up Tommy Love’s go-ahead TD run in the third quarter. He ended Notre Dame’s next possession, intercepting a pass intended for Jim Seymour in the end zone. His biggest stop against the Irish came in the game’s final minute on a fourth-and-goal play from the Spartan 2, as Brenner dropped Terry Hanratty for a 3-yard loss and forced a fumble to preserve the win.
Following his performance against Notre Dame, Daugherty presented Brenner the game ball and told the media, “He was a terrific player for us today. I think he’s the finest two-way player in the nation today. He’s a tremendous leader and a real inspiration to our team.”
Brenner closed out his career listed second in MSU’s record book in both receptions (73) and receiving yards (1,232), trailing only Washington. He was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection (1966-68) and two-time Academic All-American (1966 – second team; 1968 – first team). A political science major, Brenner graduated with a 3.7 grade-point average.
Following his senior season, he played in three postseason all-star games: East-West Shrine Game, Hula Bowl and Senior Bowl.
Brenner was selected by the New York Giants in the seventh round (No. 170 overall) in the 1969 National Football League Draft. He spent two years with the Giants (1969-70) and seven seasons in the Canadian Football League (Hamilton Tiger-Cats, 1971-74; Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 1975; Ottawa Rough Riders, 1975-77). Brenner won two Grey Cup Championships (Hamilton, 1972; and Ottawa, 1976) and earned CFL All-Star honors in 1972. He led the CFL in interceptions in back-to-back seasons, with nine in 1971 and a league-record 15 picks in 1972. Brenner had a career-best and franchise-record four interceptions against Toronto’s Joe Theismann in 1972. His 37 career interceptions (485 return yards) rank second in Tiger-Cats’ history.
In 1996, he was named to the Lansing State Journal’s MSU Centennial Super Squad.
Brenner is survived by his wife Suzi; sons, Ron and Allen; daughter Kelly; mother Patricia Deeds; brother Terry; sister Pam; and 12 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his father Dale (Jan. 27, 1977) and his brother Bill (July 19, 1978).
A memorial service will be scheduled at a later date. Burial will be at Union Cemetery in Berrien Center, Mich. Arrangements are being completed by Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles, Mich.
Remembering Allen Brenner . . .
Former teammate Bill Feraco (quarterback, 1967-68):
“Al Brenner was a great guy and a great teammate. He was an outstanding student and a great all-around athlete. Al was a tremendous basketball player in high school. He had great leadership skills and was a remarkable competitor.
“Al was primarily an offensive player his first two years. After a productive sophomore year, he led the team in receptions as a junior. The coaching staff recognized his instincts and ball skills and moved him to safety where he really excelled as a senior. He really had a great knack for reacting to the ball in the air.
“I’m really saddened to hear the news of his passing. We spent three summers working together to develop our timing on passing routes, so we became good friends. It brings back a lot of fond memories, thinking about those individual summer workouts. We did that long before it became the norm (in college football). My thoughts and prayers are with his family.”
The $10 million project proposal goes before the MSU Board of Trustees at its regular meeting Friday for approval.
The board in December authorized university officials to begin planning for the project, which at that time sported an $8 million bill.
University officials say Spartan Stadium's current scoreboard and sound system technology are so outdated that their parts are no longer manufactured. The current scoreboard was installed in 1998.
What's more, the venue's current technology generally is not on par with that of the competition.
"These boards also lag behind other highly competitive Football Bowl Subdivision football stadiums," MSU Vice President for Finance and Operations Fred Poston said in a memo to the Board of Trustees. "Contemporary scoreboards allow additional revenue opportunities, and are becoming the norm for Big Ten football stadiums."
Poston also noted Spartan Stadium's sound system does not "adequately service the facility" and the outer skin of the south scoreboard has proven to be troublesome, regularly requiring repair.
More photos after the break.
As many of you may know, the senior bowl practice is well on it's way and our Spartans are impressing many. Click read more to view a few thoughts from scouts.
The No. 13 Spartans ended a decade of bowl futility by coming back from a 16-0 halftime deficit to beat Georgia, 33-30, in triple overtime Monday in the Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium.Dantonio, who came into the game 0-for-4 in bowls as Michigan State's coach, pulled the Outback Bowl trophy a little closer to him as he addressed the media following the game.
"We've been waiting for one of these bowl trophies for five years," Dantonio said. "Thrilled to have it"It just points toward us becoming an elite program. There's not a football team that we cannot play with and not win against. We've done that. We've beaten every football team in the Big Ten Conference within the last four years. The standard has been set by our seniors. We're going to have to continue to work and grow as a program with recruits. … Two 11-win seasons, there's not too many football teams in the country that are saying that right now."
Michigan State, Georgia Make It Official at Outback Bowl Contract Signing
Written by Luke WhitemanTAMPA, Fla. - Representatives from Michigan State and Georgia made their way to Tampa Thursday afternoon for the ceremonial Outback Bowl contract signing. The event featured athletics directors and coaches from both schools.
MSU head coach Mark Dantonio and Georgia head coach Mark Richt also met with the media to talk about the matchup.
"Last Saturday night was a difficult time for us, but we need to be able to move on," said Dantonio. "That's been something we've been able to do as a program every time we've hit a little bit of adversity, whether it's in the first quarter in a game, or whether it's after the game. We have to move forward, and that's what we'll continue to do. We have a great opponent in Georgia and an outstanding environment to play in. Our players are expected to be ready. We'll challenge them again to win 11 games.
"Winning that bowl game is something that we have not been able to do since we've come here. If our senior class can do that, that will set the bar again in an area we haven't been to yet. This senior class continues to make their way as one of the best senior classes we've ever had here. I know they will be focused on the challenge ahead."
"I think it's an opportunity for not only our student-athletes, but our fans to be all in," said MSU Athletics Director Mark Hollis. "This is an outstanding bowl game against an outstanding team. It's an opportunity to play against an SEC Division champion - they won the East Division, and we won the Legends Division. We're very much looking forward to that challenge. As strong as we are in the field, we need to have that same strength up in the stands."
The 2012 Outback Bowl kicks off at 1 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 2 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. Tickets are available at msuspartans.com.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - Kirk Cousins threw for 260 yards and three touchdowns and 13th-ranked Michigan State beat Iowa 37-21 to take control of the Big Ten's Legends Division.
B.J. Cunningham caught a pair of TD passes for the Spartans, who snapped a seven-game losing streak at Iowa dating back to 1989.
Michigan State (8-2, 5-1 Big Ten) took a commanding 31-7 lead with two touchdowns in a 36-second stretch late in the second quarter. Cunningham followed Le'Veon Bell's 25-yard TD run with a 22-yard touchdown catch to put Michigan State up by 24 at the break.
The Spartans can now earn a spot in the Big Ten title game with wins over Indiana and Northwestern in the next two weeks.
James Vandenberg threw for 262 yards and two touchdowns for Iowa (6-4, 3-3), which lost its first home game of the season.
Save for a brief flash of life out of Iowa late in the third quarter, the Spartans coasted to a payback win over the Hawkeyes after getting pounded 37-6 last season in Iowa City.
Iowa quickly cut a 34-7 deficit to 13 points on McNutt's 3-yard TD catch and a 2-yard touchdown run by Marcus Coker. But Iowa got too cute trying a hurry-up sneak on 4th-and-1 and was called for a false start, and Vandenberg's next pass fell incomplete with 10:16 left.
Dan Conroy hit a 48-yard field goal with 5:11 left, and Tony Lippett's fumble recovery with 2:53 to go sealed the win for the Spartans.
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Cousins found Cunningham alone in the middle of the end zone for a 6-yard TD pass, putting the Spartans ahead 7-0 after their first drive.
Cousins then followed a pick by Johnny Adams with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Edwin Baker to give Michigan State a 14-0 lead with 7:37 left in the first quarter.
In less than half of a quarter, the Spartans had more points than they had scored in each of their previous three road games.
Iowa's answer came seven seconds into the second, as Vandenberg found sophomore C.J. Fiedorowicz for his first career TD grab from eight yards out. But safety Tanner Miller went for an interception of Cousins and missed, allowing Keshawn Martin to go 67 yards and set up a 22-yard field goal from Conroy.
That put the Spartans ahead 17-7 - and they weren't through yet.
Bell, who ran for 112 yards, went straight up the middle of Iowa's defense for a 25-yard touchdown run with 1:57 left in the second quarter, and Jordan Bernstine fumbled the kickoff right back to Michigan State.
That set the stage for a leaping touchdown grab by Cunningham, giving Michigan State a 31-7 lead.
It was a complete role reversal from last season's game, which Iowa led 30-0 at halftime, and ended Iowa's slim hopes of landing in the inaugural Big Ten title game.
The misery didn't stop there for the Hawkeyes either, as Michigan State successfully converted a fake field goal in the third quarter with a 24-point lead.
Iowa only got 57 yards rushing from Coker, the Big Ten's leading rusher entering the game.
Mike Sadler Named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week
Written by Luke WhitemanEAST LANSING, Mich. - Red-shirt freshman punter Mike Sadler has been named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week, the conference office announced on Monday.
Sadler averaged just 35.0 yards on five punts in Michigan State's 31-24 victory over Minnestoa, but a season-best four of his five punts were placed inside the Gopher 20-yard line. Sadler delivered two clutch punts in the final seven minutes, twice pinning Minnesota inside its own 10-yard line. His first punt was downed at the Minnesota 6 and the second fair caught by Brandon Green at the Gopher 10.
One of 15 starting freshman punters in the FBS (true and redshirt), Sadler ranks third in the Big Ten and tied for 23rd in the nation with 14 punts inside the 20. In addition, he has placed seven punts inside the 10. For the season, he is averaging 38.7 yards per punt (40 punts for 1,549 yards).
Earlier this season, Sadler was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week for his role in the victory vs. Michigan. Sadler averaged 41.0 yards per punt on five attempts against the Wolverines, had one punt downed inside the Michigan 20-yard line, and delivered a long of 45 yards despite wind gusts of up to 40 miles per hour in Spartan Stadium.
This marks the second time this season a Spartan has earned Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week honors (Kyler Elsworth vs. Wisconsin).
Spartans Defense Too Much for Denard Robinson and Michigan
Written by Luke WhitemanAfter taking an early 7-0 lead on a fake field goal play, the Michigan Wolverines could not contain the raging green and white.
In another epic battle of one of the most storied rivalries in all of sports, the Spartans and Wolverines both featured some flashy uniforms for the latest chapter.
Who would reign superior, though?
With 5:06 left in the first quarter, the Michigan State Spartans scored right back, as Edwin Baker made it 7-7 on a 1-yard run. The Spartans compiled a 63-yard, nine-play drive—their biggest of the day.
The teams would exchange possessions throughout the second half, with no change in score. Denard Robinson, known for his dazzling running game, struggled to work the pass game in the Wolverines' favor, a recent trend in his game.
It wasn't until the third quarter that Keshawn Martin stepped up, asserting his presence in this battle.
On 3rd-and-goal, on a pass from MSU quarterback Kirk Cousins, Martin made a nice spin move to evade the Wolverines' tackle. He reached in with one hand for the touchdown to make it 14-7 Michigan State with 11:07 left in the quarter.
The game continued to be tight, but the Spartans struck again late in the third quarter. With 25 seconds left, Cousins completed another pass to Martin for his second touchdown of the day, very similar to his first earlier in the quarter.
The Wolverines would not go away quietly, though. With about 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter, Robinson completed a pass to junior Roy Roundtree for 34 yards and a touchdown on their first play of the drive. Michigan pulled within seven points.
The nail in the coffin would come with 4:31 left in the fourth quarter. Isaiah Lewis intercepted a poor Robinson pass at the Michigan 39-yardline and ran it in for a touchdown to put the Spartans up 28-14, a deficit the Wolverines from which would not rebound.
Michigan State held on to the Paul Bunyan Trophy for the fourth straight year now, handing Michigan their first loss of the season and putting them at 6-1 overall (2-1 in the Big Ten). The Spartans improve to 5-1 now and 2-0 in the Big Ten.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Michigan State’s defense lived up to the stats and the hype, dominating here today to give the Spartans a huge win over Ohio State in the Big Ten opener for both teams.
MSU won 10-7 in front of 105,306 fans at Ohio Stadium thanks to a defense that smothered OSU quarterbacks Braxton Miller and Joe Bauserman all afternoon and didn't allow a point until there were 10 seconds remaining in the game.
It’s the first win for MSU (4-1) over Ohio State (3-2) since 1999, and the first at Ohio Stadium since 1998. The Spartans' defense came into the game ranked No. 1 in the nation in total defense and pass defense.
About Us
The MSU Football Players Association (MSUFPA) is an organization that was formed in midyear 2004 and was given its birth by Head Coach John L. Smith. It wasn’t until the beginning of 2005 that the association got functioning, but when it did a strong force was created within the family of Spartans and a tradition had begun. The purpose of the Association is to perpetuate the Spartan football tradition and to enhance the success of the MSU football program. Our goal is to sustain a working relationship and to provide a network of communication to link the membership with the existing football program.
