Jason Teague: A Lion Among Men
10/23/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 23, 2005
By Justin Rose, MSU Sports Information
Quietly moving through the open plain, the lion, a deadly predator, is silent and waits to strike upon its un-expecting prey. Waiting for the right moment, the decision is made and it explodes with all its might for the attack. Senior Jason Teague is the Michigan State football team's own king of the jungle, and rightfully so. Teague, or "Simba" as his teammates have donned him, received the nickname for his long dreadlocks that resemble that of a lions' mane surrounding his face.
With Teague's play on the field being nothing short of a wild animal, he has become one of Michigan State's more dangerous threats on the field. However, this animal cannot be caged. For Teague not only is a main part of the high powered offensive attack, but an integral part of special teams as well. Teague's participation and selfless contributions to his team have given him another nickname: "Mr. Versatility."
The burly 5'9, 193-pound senior from St. Petersburg, Florida, was told he was too small to play college football, and was under-recruited during high school. It was that fateful day in the spring of 2002 when Teague got a call that would change his life. Michigan State grabbed the diamond in the rough and gave him a scholarship. Teague credits his mother, Sandra Teague, for his path to MSU, who sent out 60 tapes to schools around the country. East Lansing became Teague's new home.
Teague was immediately accepted into the MSU football family and accredits a lot of this team's success to the family atmosphere that goes along with the football program.
"I think the camaraderie is big, it's bigger than it was in high school," Teague said. "We're here 24/7 and after awhile these are the only people you know."
Two people who Teague has gotten to know more than anyone are his running counterparts. Teague, along with sophomore Jehuu Caulcrick and true freshman Javon Ringer, make up MSU's deadly running attack, which ranks 14th best in the nation.
 Jason Teague scored the game-winning touchdown in overtime at Notre Dame earlier this season.  | |
"It's not about playing time or anything like that," said Teague. "It's really good for our offense to have three different backs, and as long as I get my chance to contribute then I'm happy."
Running a spread offense was new to Teague when he arrived at MSU, but because of his athleticism he quickly figured out how to run it effectively. Teague is often known as a shifty back, with power coming through the hole that surprises many people because of his size, but he can also run effective routes. Teague likes to get outside a lot, and can make defenders miss because of his shiftiness.
Because of that, Teague was used on a crucial down in overtime against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish earlier this year. Teague got the ball on an option and swept right, made one man miss and dashed into the end zone for a Spartan victory, their fifth straight at Notre Dame. Teague's teammates smothered him in the end zone.
"It was the greatest feeling of my life," Teague said. "That felt really good. I was kind of already down because I missed the Hawaii game and to come back and do that just brought me right back up."
This year's team got off to a special start, winning four straight games to open the season. However, the team isn't satisfied with the solid start, and won't be until they fulfill their goal of getting into a prestigious bowl game.
"This summer we committed ourselves," said Teague. "We wanted to be a good team and a Big Ten contender. I think a big part of that is that everyone believes in one another out there. Every man has confidence in the man standing next to them and when you have that, you can do your job, you don't have to worry about what he's doing. When everyone's working like that together we make a great team."
Throughout Teague's four years at MSU he has grown as a football player and as a man. Running back coach Ben Sirmans feels that Teague is that cog that keeps the machine going.
"He fits into the offense in a lot of ways," Sirmans explained. "He understands the routes he's running, he recognizes the defense, he can block, he can interpret the play almost like a quarterback, and he can catch the ball pretty well - he's a big asset to the offense."
Teague will leave MSU aiming high. He'll have his degree and have friends and memories that cannot be forgotten. He is a token of those who work hard and never give up. Teague is a silent leader who sacrifices himself for the good of the team, doing whatever it takes for his team.
MSU opponents should be afraid of this lion, for Teague is a strong fighter. So the next time Teague takes the field with his mane flowing out of the back of his helmet, watch for a strike, because that's what he's looking for: "Even before the play starts, I tell myself one thing - get the ball, hold onto it, and score."
