| When you are a 5-foot-9, 202-pound running back | | | | carry with 673 yards. White's average will drop |
| and you can squat 620 pounds in a dead lift, you | | | | when Navy actually plays a team with a rushing |
| have great strength and balance in your legs to | | | | defense. |
| keep moving when a huge defensive lineman, | | | | So far White has gained his yards against 1-AA |
| linebacker or safety tries to tackle you. | | | | Towson (a junior varsity team in 1-A competition |
| Let me introduce you to Javon Ringer, Michigan | | | | that is giving up an average of 322 yards rushing |
| State's star running back. | | | | per game), Rutgers (ranked 106th among 119 1-A |
| After running over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish | | | | teams), Ball State (ranked 104th) and Duke |
| 23-7 Saturday (9-20-08) at Spartan Stadium in | | | | (ranked 82nd). |
| East Lansing, Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio | | | | Let's see how many yards Shun White gets |
| said, "You want to feature your best player, and | | | | against TCU, Louisville, Georgia, Florida State, |
| right now, that's our tailback." | | | | Kentucky, Southern California, Penn State, |
| So Dantonio sent Ringer running 39 times against | | | | Alabama, Louisiana State and Utah. |
| Notre Dame's defense (the Irish knew he was | | | | Actually, he will get zero since Navy doesn't play |
| coming and could not stop him), and Ringer just | | | | anybody worth talking about. Their toughest |
| ran and ran and ran for 201 yards and 2 | | | | game may be against Wake Forest, which is |
| touchdowns. Ringer became the first player in | | | | ranked 33rd in rushing defense. |
| Michigan State history to rush for 200 yards in | | | | Michigan State next travels to Indiana to face the |
| consecutive games. | | | | Hoosiers, who are not exactly ripping it up. Indiana |
| "You can hit him and hit him and he just keeps | | | | won games against 1-AA Western Kentucky and |
| coming," lamented Norte Dame coach Charlie | | | | 1-AA Murray State before hosting Ball State of |
| Weis. | | | | the Mid-American Conference (now 4-0) and |
| The Fighting Irish did not help themselves too | | | | losing 45-3. Last time I checked, Indiana was in |
| much by giving up 3 fumbles and missing 2 field | | | | the Big Ten but you could not tell by its first |
| goals. Oh well, that is Charlie Weis' problem. | | | | three opponents. |
| The Spartan defense announced themselves by | | | | Michigan State does not play 1-AA teams. The |
| limiting Norte Dame to minus 5 yards on its first | | | | Spartans prefer to scrimmage on their practice |
| two possessions. | | | | field at home. |
| Michigan State led 13-0 going into the 4th quarter | | | | It is true that Indiana could pull off a huge upset |
| and then the Spartans had Ringer carry the ball | | | | against Michigan State. Anything can happen in |
| on all 7 plays to cap off a 77-yard drive into pay | | | | college football. It is also true that Michigan State |
| dirt with 2:16 remaining. It is getting a little easier | | | | could create some new plots in Memorial Stadium. |
| to coach at Michigan State, you just give the ball | | | | It is more likely that the Spartans will leave |
| to Ringer, get yards, control the clock, and win. | | | | Indiana with a 4-1 record; the score in victory will |
| Ringer leads the nation in scoring with 11 | | | | be irrelevant. |
| touchdowns in 4 games. He is also second in | | | | For those who know and understand the Sagarin |
| rushing nationally with 699 yards, averaging 4.89 | | | | college football ratings, the Spartans have climbed |
| yards per carry. | | | | from No. 51 during preseason to No. 30 this week. |
| Donald Brown of Connecticut leads the nation in | | | | If Michigan State keeps winning, they will appear in |
| rushing with 716 yards in 4 games. Shun White of | | | | the AP Top 25 Poll soon. |
| Navy is ranked 3rd and averaging 10.68 yards per | | | | |
