Freshmen Backs Play Like Vets
Michigan State coach Nick Saban was asked how much of an advantage his team will have in the Independence Bowl over LSU and its all-freshman backfield.
His response: none.
“I don’t think being a freshman means anything if you don’t play like one,” Saban said. “What I see in their freshmen who play are tremendous productive players. If someone didn’t tell you they were freshmen, you would never say that guy plays like a freshman.”
Freshman Herb Tyler, who replaced injured senior quarterback Jamie Howard, is 3-0 as a starter. He has completed 65 percent of his passes (45-of-69) for 589 yards with five TDs and two interceptions.
“Herb doesn’t play like a freshman. He has good poise in the game and doesn’t get rattled too easy,” said LSU senior offensive guard Mark King.
Then there are LSU’s two freshman running backs - Kevin Faulk (852 yards rushing, six TDs) and Kendall Cleveland (562 yards and a team-high 11 TDs, 10 rushing).
The Southeastern Conference meets the Big Ten when LSU and Michigan State, both 6-4-1, play Friday in the sold-out Independence Bowl, which is sponsored by PoulanWeed Eater. The two teams have never played each other.
It’s been six weeks since Tyler, who was expected to redshirt this season, led LSU to a bowl bid-clinching 28-0 win over SEC Western Division champ Arkansas in the regularseason finale.
LSU coach Gerry DiNardo said the extra time was well spent, with Tyler getting plenty of work in prebowl workouts that more resembled spring practice.
“That was really like Herb’s first spring practice at LSU, except we were getting ready for a game,” DiNardo said. “We have done a lot more with him for the bowl than we did for the last three games. He has a better grasp and we’ll have a fuller offense than the last time we played.”
Howard, a four-year starter with 6,158 career passing yards, had his season ended after seven games because of an injured right (throwing) shoulder. DiNardo said after that it became obvious that Tyler was “the next best quarterback on our roster.”
Michigan State counters with quarterback Tony Banks, considered by most an NFL prospect. Despite missing three midseason games because of an ankle injury, Banks threw for 1,741 yards while completing 63 percent of his passes.
Derrick Mason (47 catches for 713 yards) and Muhsin Muhammad (41 for 696) are Banks’ main targets. Meanwhile, Scott Greene has rushed for 542 yards and 16 TDs and caught 33 passes for 291 yards.