Low-Key Saban Could Deal Spartan Surprise

If Michigan State fans are waiting for Nick Saban to whip them into a pep-rally frenzy in anticipation of what may be the school’s biggest season since 1987, they’ll likely be disappointed.

You see, hyperbole isn’t Saban’s style. He’s more the button-down, corporate type than the ballcap-wearing fist-pumper. You could describe Saban as wooden, but we don’t want to lump him in with Al Gore. We think too highly of Saban and his coaching acumen. Maybe it’s best to describe Saban as cool, calculating and focused. Sort of like Joe Gibbs.

And if you want an intense, steely stare, see Saban, who speaks in measured tones that would make Gibbs nod stiffly. Saban might be coming soon to an NFL sideline near you. However, there is no indication Saban is about to bolt East Lansing, so you should sit back and watch the team we believe will be the nation’s most surprising squad this fall. Saban agreed with that notion at the recent Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon, but that’s as much fire and brimstone as you’ll get out of him.

“We have lots of experience returning on this team,’ Saban says. “All teams have question marks, and all teams need guys to come through at key spots. I do feel this is the best team we’ve had on paper at this point coming back. If we can reach out, step up and raise the bar a little bit, I think we have a chance to be a top 25 team, a chance to go to a New Year’s Day bowl game. If we get that close (and do those things), we’ll obviously be pretty close to competing for a championship.”

That’s fairly risque banter for a guy who reads little--if anything--that is written about his team. Are you sure you didn’t sneak a peak at The Sporting News College Football Yearbook, Nick? We forecast your Spartans to finish fourth in the Big Ten, but they could sneak by Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State to claim their first conference title since sharing the crown with three other schools in 1990. Consider our reasons:

Nine starters return from a defense that ranked No. 4 in the Big Ten and No. 22 in the nation against the run (128.4 yards per game). The key to the unit is an athletic linebacking crew headed by Mike Austin, Ike Reese and Courtney Ledyard.

One of the defense’s new starters figures to be a guy who has a good shot at winning the Big Ten’s defensive newcomer of the year award. End Robaire Smith is a prime-time player. He’s conjuring memories of former Michigan State great Bubba Smith.

The offense will be fueled by one of the league’s deepest backfields and its best line. Sedrick Irvin rushed for an MSU freshman record 1,067 yards last season. When he needs a rest, Saban can count on 235-pound Leroy McFadden, a Prop 48 last year, running over foes or 190-pound Marc Renaud, who returns for his senior season after missing 1996 because of academics. They’ll be escorted by one of the largest structures on campus: 6-7, 330-pound Flozell “The Motel” Adams, the nation’s best tackle.

The scheduling gods are with the Spartans this fall. Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State come to East Lansing, while the Spartans’ toughest league road game figures to be at Northwestern. Wisconsin and Iowa aren’t on the menu. Those attractive foes, coupled with great expectations, have caused the school to sell a record 60,145 season tickets.

Of course, we can’t shake green-and-white pompons when discussing every aspect of the team. Quarterback Todd Schultz sat out spring drills after knee surgery. The receivers lack experience. The veteran secondary must create more turnovers.

Saban needs big-play men to step up when the game is on the line. The past two years, Michigan State has wilted in tough spots.

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If Nebraska fans get queasy at a sign of weakness, they might not want to think about their team’s injury problems at I-back.

Sophomore DeAngelo Evans, who ranked second on the team with 776 yards rushing last year, had hernia surgery in July. Redshirt freshman tank/fullback Dan Alexander is recovering from a left knee injury suffered in the spring game. Evans could return for the September 20 game at Washington, but he likely won’t be ready until the October 4 game against Kansas State. The prognosis for Alexander isn’t as bright: Nebraska hopes to have him back by Oct. 11 or 18.

Fortunately, the Huskers still have No. 1 tailback Ahman Green in the fold, but should he go down, things could get interesting. Senior Jay Sims, who ran for 288 yards and three touchdowns last season, would attempt to fill the void after playing sparingly the first three years of his career.

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The conference kickoff luncheons have come and gone, so the season can’t be far away. An annual rite at these events is to have attending media members vote on how they feel the league races will play out. Following are the projected conference winners:

ACC: Florida State. (North Carolina received 20 first-place votes; it’s the first time since FSU has been in the league that another team has gotten more than five votes.)

Big East: Miami.

Big 12 North: Nebraska.

Big 12 South: Texas.

Big Ten: Penn State.

Conference USA: East Carolina.

Pac-10: Washington.

SEC East: Florida.

SEC West: LSU.

WAC Mountain: BYU.