Michigan State University Athletics
White Team Wins Spring Game Thriller, 17-16
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Football
April 25, 1999
EAST LANSING, Mich. - When Michigan State head football coach Nick Saban allowed his seniors to conduct a draft to determine the rosters for this year's spring game, he predicted a "competitive game." His words proved quite prophetic as the annual spring game was decided in the final 2:40 as the White team held on for a 17-16 win over the Green team before a crowd of 16,324 in Spartan Stadium Saturday.
The game was tied at 10 until linebacker Pierre Wilson intercepted Ryan Van Dyke's pass and returned it 54 yards for a touchdown to give the White a 17-10 lead with only 2:40 left in the fourth quarter.
Cornerback Donvetis Franklin appeared to ice the game when he picked off another Van Dyke pass to end a scoring threat deep in White territory with just over a minute remaining. Instead of electing to run out the clock, the White ran its two-minute offense with no success and was forced to punt. Under heavy pressure, punter Craig Jarrett rolled out and threw an incomplete pass on fourth down, giving the Green team possession at the White 35.
On first down, Van Dyke completed a 30-yard toss to Gari Scott. After killing the clock with an incompletion, Van Dyke hit Herb Haygood with a 5-yard TD pass just inside the goal line to pull the Green to within one at 17-16. The Green coaching staff elected to go for the win with a two-point conversion attempt but Van Dyke's pass intended for Scott was intercepted by Wes Kammer.
"We wanted it to be a fun game and I think it was," Saban said. "There was a lot of good football played today. I was pleased that the players had fun and the ending was sure exciting.
"I was pleased overall with the tempo of the game and the way all of the players competed.
"I thought it was interesting that most of the outstanding players in today's game were not starters," he said. "I was pleased to see some of the players who aren't stars on this team have good games. It was tough to pick the MVPs. I thought our depth was evident, and that's only going to help this football team."
Defense dominated the first half. The Green team scored first as Van Dyke directed a 12-play, 73-yard drive that produced a 26-yard field goal by David Schaefer with 1:39 left in the first quarter. The White team tied the game at 3 on Paul Edinger's 52-yard field goal with 10:38 remaining in the first half.
Van Dyke finished off a nine-play, 74-yard drive with a 29-yard TD strike to Lavaile Richardson to give the Green a 10-3 lead with 7:24 left in the third quarter.
A Green miscue helped set up the White's tying score. On third-and-1 from its own 19, a center snap from the shot-gun formation sailed over Van Dyke's head and linebacker Matt Kropf recovered the loose ball at the Green 3-yard line. Three plays later, Bill Burke threw a 6-yard TD pass to Demont Smith as the White team pulled even at 10 with 2:20 to play in the third.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Green marched to the White 23 but the drive failed to produce any points. On third-and-10 from the 23, Pete Govens sacked Van Dyke for a 7-yard loss, and then Desmond Thomas blocked Schaefer's 47-yard field-goal try.
Van Dyke, who connected on 27-of-42 attempts for 319 yards and two scores, completed passes to nine different receivers.
"It was fun out there today and I was pretty focused," Van Dyke said. "I wanted to win the game but we just didn't make enough of plays.
"This year has a whole new feeling to it. It's like when you were in third grade and go to put the pads on for the first time, and you got nervous and excited. The new coaches have brought a whole different attitude to this team. Last year was kind of a down year and a 6-6 record is not what we have in mind for Michigan State football."
Haygood had a game-high eight receptions for 73 yards, including the 5-yard TD grab in the closing seconds, and was named the Green team's most valuable offensive player. Scott caught four passes for 92 yards, including a 40-yarder, and tight end Brian Dieckman had four catches for 58 yards.
Green tailback Lloyd Clemons led all rushers with 54 yards on 10 carries.
Burke hit 11-of-25 passes for 101 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Kyle Rance caught three passes for 41 yards while Smith earned offensive MVP honors for the White with his three catches for 33 yards. Plaxico Burress also had three grabs for 28 yards.
The Green held the White to minus-5 yards rushing, thanks to its four sacks. The White's leading-rusher Leroy McFadden picked up 9 yards on his only attempt. Green defensive MVP Hubert Thompson recorded three tackles for losses (21 yards), including two sacks (16).
"I was glad to see Hubert Thompson make some plays," Saban said. "This was the first real competitive situation that he has been able to play in for quite some time. He and Julian Peterson did a great job of getting into the backfield and disrupting the White offense. They were big factors in today's game."
The Green team outgained the White, 381-96, total yards and held an 18-6 edge in first downs. Turnovers proved to be the difference in the game as the White scored 14 points off Green's miscues.
White defensive MVP Richard Newsome had a game-high eight tackles plus two pass break-ups.
"Today, the coaches let the character of this team show," Newsome said. "The chemistry of this team is really good. I thought the format of the game gave us intensity and a reason to come out and play hard. Both teams thought they had a chance to win the game.
"Every position is up for grabs, so everyone has to work hard. I feel like I'm in a good position (to start at free safety), but I've got to keep working hard over the summer."
Coach Saban received a positive report from his medical staff following the game. The crowd held its collective breath early in the first quarter when White defensive end Robaire Smith went down with an ankle injury. X-rays were negative and Smith was diagnosed with a sprained right ankle. Green tight end Ivory McCoy strained his back in the first quarter and didn't return to action. White fullback Dawan Moss sprained his right knee on his only carry in the second quarter. In addition, Green tight end Brad Rainko didn't dress for the spring game after he bruised his ribs in the April 17 scrimmage.
Michigan State opens the 1999 season on Thursday, Sept. 2 against Oregon at 8 p.m. EDT in Spartan Stadium.
