Spring Football Game, Youth Clinic Scheduled For Saturday

April 20, 2015

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State football concludes its 15 spring practices under ninth-year head coach Mark Dantonio with the Green-White intrasquad game on Saturday, April 25 at 2:07 p.m. EDT in Spartan Stadium. Parking is free (in Lots 79, 63E/W, 67, 56, 39/40, 41; Ramps 2 and 5; Lot 62W has been reserved for disabled parking). Admission is free, and the stadium gates (Gates B, C, J and K) open at 12:30 p.m.

Michigan State, which has posted a 24-3 record since 2013, is the only school in the nation to win a Bowl Championship Series game during the 2013 season (24-20 over Stanford in 2014 Rose Bowl Game) and a New Year's Six bowl game (42-41 over Baylor in the Cotton Bowl Classic) last season. The first 20,000 fans will receive a commemorative poster, featuring infographics that highlight each of MSU's 11 victories from 2014, including the dramatic comeback win over No. 5 Baylor in the Cotton Bowl Classic, as well as the team's top individual award winners from last season. In addition, both teams will wear a commemorative patch, highlighting the program's accomplishments the last two seasons.

Michigan State's spring game will be televised live by the Big Ten Network and streamed live on BTN2Go.com, with George Blaha and Kirk Cousins calling the action and Lisa Byington reporting from the sideline. BTN coverage begins at 2 p.m. ET.

The Spartan Sports Network, featuring play-by-play announcer Will Tieman, color analyst Jason Strayhorn and sideline reporter Keith Nichol, will broadcast the Green-White spring game to 14 affiliates in the state: WJR (AM 760) in Detroit, WJIM (AM 1240) and WMMQ (FM 94.9) in Lansing, WBBL (AM 107.3) in Grand Rapids, WUPF (FM 107.3) in Escanaba, WMJZ (FM 101.5) in Gaylord, WGHN (AM 1370/FM 92.1) in Grand Haven, WBCH (AM 1200/FM 100.1) in Hastings, WUPG (FM 96.7) in Ishpeming/Marquette, WLUN (FM 100.9) in Midland, WMJT (FM 96.7) in Newberry and WLDR (FM 101.9) in Traverse City. The spring game also can be heard live on satellite radio: Sirius (Channel 91) and XM (Channel 91). Spartan Sports Network coverage begins at 1:30 p.m. ET.

In addition, msuspartans.com will provide game-day audio (via spartansportsnetwork.com), live in-game statistics (GameTracker), game highlights and post-game interviews. For live in-game updates, fans also can follow @MSU_Football on Twitter.

During Dantonio's tenure, eight different players have earned first-team All-America honors on nine occasions (2008: running back Javon Ringer; 2009-10: linebacker Greg Jones; 2011: defensive tackle Jerel Worthy; 2012: running back Le'Veon Bell; 2013: cornerback Darqueze Dennard and punter Mike Sadler; 2014: center Jack Allen and safety Kurtis Drummond). Those first-team All-Americans will be honored at halftime of the spring game (presented framed jerseys).

Prior to the spring game, MSU's coaching staff and players will conduct a free youth football clinic, sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. Children, ages 8-12, are invited to attend the youth clinic (no registration required) from 10-11:30 a.m. on the practice fields behind the Duffy Daugherty Football Building, located at the corner of Chestnut Road and Shaw Lane. Clinic participants and their parents are requested to enter the practice fields through the gate on Shaw Lane. Last April, an all-time record 1,200 children participated in the annual youth football clinic.

The purpose of the clinic is to introduce youngsters to the game by stressing fundamentals. No football gear is required. In addition, clinic participants will receive Country Fresh ice cream as well as a coupon for a complimentary hot dog and soft drink to be redeemed at a concession stand in Spartan Stadium during the spring game.

From 11:30 a.m. through halftime of the spring game, fans will have an opportunity to take photos with Michigan State's 2014 Rose Bowl Championship and 2015 Cotton Bowl Championship trophies, which will be on display on the northwest plaza outside Spartan Stadium, adjacent to Gate J.

For the eighth year in a row, fans will have an opportunity to purchase press box seats and enjoy the same view as the media that cover Spartan football. Only 100 press box seats - priced at $75 each - are on sale for the spring game. (Note: Minimum age requirement is 12 for press box admission.) Proceeds from the sale of press box seats will benefit the George Webster Scholarship Fund. Fans may order press box seats online at msuspartans.com. Click here to order your press box seats online. The deadline to order press box seats is 12 p.m. Friday, April 24.

Additional spring game notes:
• The Spartan Bookstore will conduct its annual clearance sale in the Sideline Shop, located inside the south end of the stadium. The clearance sale also will feature merchandise and apparel from Spartan Spirit (MSU Union), Kellogg Center Gift Shop and the MSU Golf Pro Shop. Apparel and merchandise will be marked down up to 50 percent. The Sideline Shop will open at 10 a.m.
• Free shuttle bus service will be provided from Lot 89, located at the corner of Mt. Hope Road and Farm Lane, beginning at 11 a.m. Parking is free in Lot 89.
• Fans are reminded no bags or purses are allowed inside Spartan Stadium. This includes but not limited to: no backpacks, purses of any size, camera cases, binocular cases, wallets not stored in pockets, bags, diaper bags, seat cushions with pockets that are used for storage. If any of these bags are attached to a person's waist or wrist, they still are not allowed in the stadium.
• Those individuals with true medical needs will be directed to Gate C. Individuals entering those gates may bring the medical items in any bag. Those bags will be searched and tagged by an MSU Police Officer. The officer working that gate has the final determination if that item is a true medical need.
• Fans are reminded that the "open container" ordinance will be enforced on campus and in parking lots for the spring football game.
• Michigan State's spring football games have attracted crowds in excess of 20,000 each of the last eight years, with estimated attendance totals of 25,000 in 2007, 27,000 in 2008, 26,000 in 2009, 30,000 in 2010, 35,000 in 2011, 21,000 in 2012, 22,500 in 2013 and 35,000 in 2014. Those spring game attendance figures have ranked among the nation's Top 25 each of the last eight years: No. 11 (tied with Florida State) in 2007, No. 17 in 2008, No. 19 in 2009, No. 15 (tied with Arkansas) in 2010, No. 13 in 2011, No. 20 in 2012, No. 23 in 2013 and No. 13 in 2014.
• BTN also will have highlights and analysis from Michigan State's spring game on Saturday, April 25 at 10 p.m. ET on the "B1G Spring Football Report" with Dave Revsine, Gerry DiNardo and Howard Griffith.

George Webster Scholarship Fund
The George Webster Scholarship Fund, created in February 2007 through the generosity of Jim Nelson (1960 MSU graduate from Ada, Michigan), provides opportunities for former student-athletes to return to Michigan State each year and complete their degrees. The 2014-15 scholarship recipients are former Spartan football All-Americans Greg Jones (linebacker, 2007-10) and Jerel Worthy (defensive tackle, 2009-11).

Born Nov. 25, 1945, in Anderson, South Carolina, Webster earned three letters for the Spartans from 1964-66, while playing for legendary head football coach Duffy Daugherty. The two-time consensus All-American and two-time all-conference selection helped Michigan State to a combined record of 19-1-1 in 1965-66 as the Spartans won back-to-back Big Ten Conference and National Championships. At 6-foot-4, 218 pounds, he revolutionized the roverback position with his size and speed. As a senior, Webster recorded 93 tackles, including 10 for losses, as Michigan State ranked third nationally in rushing defense, allowing just 51.4 yards per game. In 1967, he became just the second former Spartan to have his jersey number (No. 90) retired. Webster was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1987. He has been rated among the 100 Greatest Players of All-Time by CollegeFootballNews.com.

A first-round selection (No. 5 overall) by the Houston Oilers in 1967, Webster spent 10 years in the National Football League (Houston, 1967-72; Pittsburgh, 1972-73; and New England, 1974-76). He was selected the American Football League's Rookie of the Year by United Press International after averaging more than 10 tackles per game in 1967. Webster played in three AFL All-Star Games, earning Defensive MVP honors in 1969. In 1970, he was named to the AFL's All-Time Team (first team) by a special panel of Pro Football Hall of Fame voters.

Webster died of heart failure on April 19, 2007, at the age of 61.