Sports: An Auspicious Debut for Nick Saban
Nick Saban alters the tide of history with a rousing 28-25 win over Michigan enroute to a bowl in his debut season as MSU football coach. No football coach in MSU football history had ever beaten Michigan in his first opportunity. Not Biggie, not Duffy. Not even 85-percentage winner John Macklin. No one could do it the previous 98 years. And no coach ever led the Spartans to a bowl in his first season. Until now, that is.
Nick Saban has reversed the tide of history and achieved both in his debut season. When seventh-ranked Michigan came to East Lansing on November 4, no one expected the tradition to change. Indeed, every sports prognosticator at the Lansing State Journal--including Kashmir, the dog--picked Michigan to win. But the MSU team remained unmoved by public opinion and oblivious to the weight of history. They knew they could win.
In sub-freezing winds and snow, they sent a sell-out Spartan Stadium crowd into delirium by coming back in the fourth quarter to beat a Top Ten team. At game's end, quarterback Tony Banks and his key cohorts--including Scott Greene and the so-called 'Bomb Squad,' Nigea Carter, Derrick Mason and Muhsin Muhammad--masterminded one of the greatest drives in Spartan history.
The win over Michigan turned around the entire season. It renewed bowl visions, which focused the Spartans on 'bombing' Indiana 31-13 the following week. It ignited alumni and fan support coast to coast, and perhaps laid the groundwork for a successful recruiting effort. It solidified the positive consensus around Nick Saban, who many fans view as a tough, no-nonsense winner.
The Saban 'never say die' mystique was epitomized by the final touchdown drive against Michigan--an 88-yard march that fans are already calling, simply, 'The Drive.' The march actually covered 103 yards, counting a 15-yard penalty MSU had to overcome. It is destined to be filigreed in Spartan Saga memory like some other famous plays--'The Pass' by Bobby McAllister to Andre Rison that set up the winning field goal in the 1988 Rose Bowl, 'The Kick' by Dave 'Golden Toe' Kaiser to win the 1956 Rose Bowl, and 'The Run' by Levi Jackson against top- ranked Ohio State in 1974. 'The Drive' featured a wide open offensive attack, go-for-broke calls on fourth downs, scrambling plays, and courageous runs on ailing hamstrings. It provided memorable highlights--a Banks to Mason fourth-and-eleven conversion after a contested spot; a dramatic fourth-and-one pass completion to Greene; a lengthy Greene run after a catch; an acrobatic catch by a falling Mason of a tipped ball. The final Banks to Carter aerial was clean and smooth, but it was not a perfect parabola. It looked more like, er . . . an upside down swoosh logo. In a word, it was a defining win.
The victory keyed MSU's first winning season in three years and advancement to a postseason bowl, something few even dared dream before the season. Most polls had MSU ranked from 8th to 10th place in the league. Many fans feared a losing season, especially when MSU's schedule--loaded with six bowl teams from last year--was rated by the NCAA as the nation's toughest. The doomsayers seemed vindicated when MSU opened against Nebraska. The defending national champions pounded MSU 50-10. The Cornhuskers gained 552 rushing yards to MSU's puny 45 net yards. One Nebraska back gained 80 yards in his one and only rush, beating all MSU carriers combined. Saban said some strong words in the postmortem.
The next weekend, however, the Spartans responded with a solid 30-7 win at Louisville--MSU's first non-conference road win since 1990. The Spartans gained 216 yards rushing while allowing only 50--the best defensive effort since allowing Michigan only 33 yards in 1993.
MSU opened conference play with a 35-35 tie against Purdue. Back-of-all- trades Scott Greene gained 161 yards with three touchdowns and outperformed Purdue All-American fullback Mike Alstott. The Boilermakers relied on trick plays and a surprising sprint offense to tie.
The next week, with quarterback Tony Banks injured, MSU pulled off an exciting win over Boston College after trailing 21-9. It was to be the first of three comeback wins in the season. Offensive coordinator Gary Tranquill orchestrated a simplified attack designed for back-up quarterback Todd Schultz. The plan worked, and MSU prevailed 25-21.
The youthful Spartans could not handle prosperity, however, and promptly lost to Iowa 21-7.
Then, underdogs for the sixth straight time, MSU faced the sack-happy Illini with their vaunted defense. Hitting Illinois with power runs straight up the belly while protecting Schultz from a touted rush, MSU won 27-21. Greene scored 26 points on four TDs and a two-point conversion.
The next week, MSU engineered its second late comeback win, 34-31 against Minnesota. It was a fan-pleasing offensive shootout. MSU had a net 605 yards on offense and overcame a goal-line fumble and a beautiful but nullified Banks to Muhammad touchdown pass. Each side kept firing until the Badgers came up with a late blank, a dropped pass deep in scoring territory. While MSU handled adversity well, it had trouble handling prosperity. The team promptly lost 45-14 at Wisconsin in a mistake-prone performance. Greene, who Saban calls 'the heart and soul' of the team, was out with a hamstring injury. That set up the Michigan game.
As it did all season, the Spartans, written off by the media, reasserted themselves on the field. It did not hurt to have members of the 1965 and 1966 championship teams at tunnel during halftime to rev up the emotions (see story in 'Alma Matters').
At Indiana, MSU won in the first 15 minutes with three bombs--a Marc Renaud run of 59 yards, a Greene punt return for 76 yards, and a Mason kick-off return for 87 yards. Mason, an emerging superstar, had a 70-yard punt return that sparked the win over Michigan.
That set up the season finale against Penn State. The defending Big Ten champions prevailed. But MSU's first winning season in three years (6-4-1) far exceeded preseason expectations. Yes, call Saban's debut 'outstanding.'
Besides some names mentioned, the unsung heroes include the offensive line, led by senior tackle Bob Denton, an improving defensive line, an aggressive corps of linebackers like Ike Reese, Reggie Garnett and Carl Reaves, and an improving defensive backfield led by 'big play' specialist Marvin Wright. Backup quarterback Todd Schultz came through when needed. Special teams play was outstanding at times. Many first year players stepped up boldly to the plate. Lemar Marshall, Ray Hill and Sorie Kanu patrolled the defensive backfield effectively, while Courtney Ledyard and Dwayne Hawkins were able back-ups at linebacker. Tight End Marcus Chapman quietly caught two touchdown passes. Jabbar Threats and Dimitrius Underwood played extensively at defensive end.
Tremendous credit for MSU's successful season must go to Saban's staff, beginning with offensive coordinator Gary Tranquill and defensive coordinator Dean Peas, and to Jim Bollman, Greg Colby, Mark Dantonio, Glenn Pires, Pat Shurmur, and Bobby Williams, along with strength and conditioning coach Ken Mannie.