Damien Anderson caught himself mid-sentence. Speaking about Michigan State running back T.J. Duckett, Anderson was explaining that he wouldn’t take Saturday’s game personally, that trying to show up Duckett doesn’t get him excited. In fact, Anderson said the two were friends.
“We were roommates at the Playboy conference, er,” he fumbled. “I mean the All-America conference.”
Oh, they were more than just roommates.
The two suited up in leather armor and posed next to each other for the magazine’s Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome-inspired photo spread. Actually, it was the Playboy All-America team photo. In the picture, the duo sits opposite Playboy coach of the year Randy Walker, who sports a Stetson and has a “21st century cowboy/bounty hunter” look to him (October issue, pages 102-103, for the truly curious).
What the Wildcats can expect from conference play is better players, if not better teams. Nobody from Duke or UNLV was dragged out to the desert to have his photo taken, but the Big Ten has five of its stars looking tough for the camera.
Criticism of the conference’s strength this season can’t be leveled at Michigan State like it could at Northwestern. Both programs are 2-0 in pre-conference games, but only the Spartans have faced a ranked team.
Duckett was quiet against Notre Dame, only totaling 71 yards on 22 carries. The star of last Saturday’s show was Spartans quarterback Ryan Van Dyke, who stepped in for starter Jeff Smoker and capped off two drives with touchdown passes.
The duo under center creates a more dynamic pass attack than the Cats saw at UNLV and Duke. Both Smoker and Van Dyke have found the end zone in their opening games, but Smoker, who threw for 233 yards in last year’s game, is slated to start on Saturday.
That doesn’t worry NU’s linebackers, who saw dangerous mobility in both UNLV’s Jason Thomas and Duke’s D. Bryant.
NU beat Michigan State soundly last season in a 37-17 victory at in East Lansing, Mich. The win gave the Cats recognition as a real threat in the conference after their overtime win at Wisconsin one week earlier. In the Michigan State game, Anderson ran for 219 yards, his career high at the time.
The way Walker talks, one would think he isn’t looking for such an easy victory this season.
“I like to coach like it’s the fourth quarter with the game on the line,” he said.
Maybe he’s just anxious.
Right end Napoleon Harris seems to have a more down-to-earth perspective on Saturday’s game.
“You just study tape, know your job and focus on your responsibilities on the field,” Harris said.
Harris ought to be sure to study last year’s game tape. Facing Duckett one week after a 141-yard explosion against Notre Dame, the Cats held the big back to half as many yards.
Linebacker Kevin Bentley will have the big responsibility of facing Duckett as much as anyone on the field.
“Their tailbacks will be as big as our linebackers, so you know it’s going to be a physical game,” Bentley said.
