Charge against MSU's Teague dismissed
August 17, 2005
An assault and battery charge against Michigan State running back Jason Teague has been dismissed, but the Spartans have lost two receivers for much of the season.
Aaron Alexander will be out at least eight to 10 weeks after he suffered a broken foot in practice Monday, and Deon Curry is expected to miss at least six weeks after undergoing knee surgery Tuesday, coach John L. Smith said.
Alexander, a senior, made 15 catches in four starts last season. Curry is a redshirt freshman.
The Spartans return their top two receivers in junior Jerramy Scott and senior Matt Trannon, and Smith said the rest of the receiving corps had looked impressive, but he didn't want to go into detail.
"As soon as I start talking about these guys," he said, "I'll jinx them and they'll come out and drop the ball."
The misdemeanor charge against Teague, a senior, stemmed from an incident with a girlfriend in October. Teague, who pleaded not guilty in July, declined to comment.
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Key fits in secondary that's looking for bodies
Former walk-on emerges as a possible starter as sophomore because of his hard hits.
Will the last Michigan State cornerback standing please cover a receiver?
Sophomore Travis Key, a former walk-on from Three Rivers, opened training camp five days ago as a first-team corner. That speaks highly of his determination, but it also sums up the state of a depleted secondary.
Key emerged during spring practice, catching everyone's attention with his fearless, hard-hitting style. He's listed at 5-foot-10, which is an exaggeration.
"He's got a big heart," Coach John L. Smith said of Key, who was put on scholarship after playing on several special-teams units last season.
It's less than three weeks until MSU's opener against Kent State and the Spartans are scrambling to piece together a respectable secondary.
The team was shorthanded at cornerback to begin with, but it hasn't helped early in camp to be without senior Jaren Hayes (suspended), redshirt freshman Eric Hines (shoulder), redshirt freshman Bryan Brighton (back) and freshman Kendell Davis, who is awaiting a decision on his academic eligibility.
Senior Ashton Watson has apparently won one of the starting spots, but the uncertainty over when Hayes will return has left Key competing with converted receiver Irving Campbell and junior-college transfer Demond Williams for the other opening.
The coaching staff greatly respected Key's hard work with the scout-team defense and as a special-teams regular last year, giving him an opportunity to expand his role at the team's weakest position.
"Gradually, he earned that by coming out every day and working hard, doing everything he can do," Smith said. "Finally, you start to notice the guy. Being a walk-on, that's not an easy road.
"He earned us giving a good look at him. He's not necessarily fast, but he has quickness. He played pretty darn physical in spring."
Key said he couldn't ask for more.
"They've been giving me opportunities since I came in here," he said. "From the beginning, they made me feel I can play. They built me up just like they built everybody else up. I just came out (in spring) and played the same as I played since I've been here. I guess people noticed."
Key said he didn't receive any Division I scholarship offers coming out of high school, where he made four interceptions and scored three touchdowns on returns as a senior.
"I got a lot of D-III and a couple of D-II (offers)," Key said. "That was pretty much it. But I wanted to at least try to play with the best."
Key, who scored a touchdown against Wisconsin when he recovered a blocked punt in the end zone, clearly enjoys proving to people that they shouldn't underestimate his abilities just because of his size.
"I've always had a lot of confidence in myself," said Key, who is listed at 181 pounds. "Being a smaller guy, people would think I wouldn't want to go running into a guy who's 30 pounds heavier than me.
"But when I'm out here playing, I feel I'm just as big as Stefon Wheeler (a 6-foot-5, 330-pound offensive tackle). I don't get intimidated. When I see an opportunity to make a play, I don't think about it. I just go.
"If a guy 230 pounds sees me coming at him, he's not going to think this guy's about to bring the wood. I think that's a natural reaction. I just try to take advantage of it."
Key doesn't care to discuss some of those big hits that helped him make a name for himself in the spring because they didn't come in real games.
He also doesn't bite when asked if he might be the biggest hitter in the Spartans' secondary.
"I'd have to give that to (strong safety) Eric Smith," Key said. "He's got a few under his belt over in that stadium. I've got to get them over there before I can claim that title. I've got to get them in that stadium before I can make them official."
Nevertheless, he has impressed the coaches enough to receive a scholarship.
"When you've got loans up the ying-yang, that's good news any day," Key said.
August 17, 2005
An assault and battery charge against Michigan State running back Jason Teague has been dismissed, but the Spartans have lost two receivers for much of the season.
Aaron Alexander will be out at least eight to 10 weeks after he suffered a broken foot in practice Monday, and Deon Curry is expected to miss at least six weeks after undergoing knee surgery Tuesday, coach John L. Smith said.
Alexander, a senior, made 15 catches in four starts last season. Curry is a redshirt freshman.
The Spartans return their top two receivers in junior Jerramy Scott and senior Matt Trannon, and Smith said the rest of the receiving corps had looked impressive, but he didn't want to go into detail.
"As soon as I start talking about these guys," he said, "I'll jinx them and they'll come out and drop the ball."
The misdemeanor charge against Teague, a senior, stemmed from an incident with a girlfriend in October. Teague, who pleaded not guilty in July, declined to comment.
=========
Key fits in secondary that's looking for bodies
Former walk-on emerges as a possible starter as sophomore because of his hard hits.
Will the last Michigan State cornerback standing please cover a receiver?
Sophomore Travis Key, a former walk-on from Three Rivers, opened training camp five days ago as a first-team corner. That speaks highly of his determination, but it also sums up the state of a depleted secondary.
Key emerged during spring practice, catching everyone's attention with his fearless, hard-hitting style. He's listed at 5-foot-10, which is an exaggeration.
"He's got a big heart," Coach John L. Smith said of Key, who was put on scholarship after playing on several special-teams units last season.
It's less than three weeks until MSU's opener against Kent State and the Spartans are scrambling to piece together a respectable secondary.
The team was shorthanded at cornerback to begin with, but it hasn't helped early in camp to be without senior Jaren Hayes (suspended), redshirt freshman Eric Hines (shoulder), redshirt freshman Bryan Brighton (back) and freshman Kendell Davis, who is awaiting a decision on his academic eligibility.
Senior Ashton Watson has apparently won one of the starting spots, but the uncertainty over when Hayes will return has left Key competing with converted receiver Irving Campbell and junior-college transfer Demond Williams for the other opening.
The coaching staff greatly respected Key's hard work with the scout-team defense and as a special-teams regular last year, giving him an opportunity to expand his role at the team's weakest position.
"Gradually, he earned that by coming out every day and working hard, doing everything he can do," Smith said. "Finally, you start to notice the guy. Being a walk-on, that's not an easy road.
"He earned us giving a good look at him. He's not necessarily fast, but he has quickness. He played pretty darn physical in spring."
Key said he couldn't ask for more.
"They've been giving me opportunities since I came in here," he said. "From the beginning, they made me feel I can play. They built me up just like they built everybody else up. I just came out (in spring) and played the same as I played since I've been here. I guess people noticed."
Key said he didn't receive any Division I scholarship offers coming out of high school, where he made four interceptions and scored three touchdowns on returns as a senior.
"I got a lot of D-III and a couple of D-II (offers)," Key said. "That was pretty much it. But I wanted to at least try to play with the best."
Key, who scored a touchdown against Wisconsin when he recovered a blocked punt in the end zone, clearly enjoys proving to people that they shouldn't underestimate his abilities just because of his size.
"I've always had a lot of confidence in myself," said Key, who is listed at 181 pounds. "Being a smaller guy, people would think I wouldn't want to go running into a guy who's 30 pounds heavier than me.
"But when I'm out here playing, I feel I'm just as big as Stefon Wheeler (a 6-foot-5, 330-pound offensive tackle). I don't get intimidated. When I see an opportunity to make a play, I don't think about it. I just go.
"If a guy 230 pounds sees me coming at him, he's not going to think this guy's about to bring the wood. I think that's a natural reaction. I just try to take advantage of it."
Key doesn't care to discuss some of those big hits that helped him make a name for himself in the spring because they didn't come in real games.
He also doesn't bite when asked if he might be the biggest hitter in the Spartans' secondary.
"I'd have to give that to (strong safety) Eric Smith," Key said. "He's got a few under his belt over in that stadium. I've got to get them over there before I can claim that title. I've got to get them in that stadium before I can make them official."
Nevertheless, he has impressed the coaches enough to receive a scholarship.
"When you've got loans up the ying-yang, that's good news any day," Key said.
