"... I couldn’t help but think of how many people had helped me along the way. One of those people I wanted to personally thank for opening doors was Jimmy Raye. This book tells how some of those doors got pushed open. I’m sure you will enjoy reading about the journey!" - Tony DungyCollege Football
Names to remember today but soon to be forgotten
College football’s national letter-of-intent day makes TV stars and household names – well, in households of college football fans – out of high school players such as Byron Cowart, Josh Rosen and Iman Marshall. They are rated the top three 5-star prospects on Rivals.com’s...
AFCA recognizes Michigan State and Ferris State trailblazer
A full century later, Gideon Smith finally received just recognition from a national organization.Smith broke barriers throughout his life. He was the first black college football player at two Michigan schools, Ferris State and Michigan State. Later he blazed trails in coaching...
Four Hall of Fame Horsemen of Michigan State
Michigan State halfback Clinton Jones’ election to the College Football Hall of Fame earlier this month raised the interesting question of whether another school can match the Spartans with four Hall-of-Famers from the same senior class. Well, it’s happened at three other...
Calhoun adds to legacy by invoking Duffy Rule
Imagine these scenes at Spartan Stadium a decade or more from now when Mark Dantonio’s first Michigan State championship football teams receive anniversary recognition.Defensive end Will Gholston is part of the 2011 players that won the Legends Division title and advanced to the...
Duffy spelled out national playoff in his 1974 book
Prophetic Duffy Daugherty must be shaking his head with an “I told you so” grin as he looks down upon the college football world’s big night. The College Football Hall of Famer from his 19 seasons as Michigan State’s head coach is no doubt perched atop a Hawaiian Rainbow...
Hall of Famer Clinton Jones returns to Waldorf Astoria
Clinton Jones dressed in a tuxedo 49 years ago for his first invitation to the Waldorf Astoria’s august ballroom in New York. He represented the Spartans as a two-time Michigan State All-American halfback three weeks after the 1966 Game of the Century. He’s been invited back for...
Clinton Jones named to College Football Hall of Fame
Here is the press release from the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame that announced Michigan State two-time All-American halfback Clinton Jones as a member of the Hall of Fame Class of 2015. He will be enshrined with the class on Dec. 8 at the...
Hawaiian Pipeline legacy enjoys Heisman view
Charles “Kale” Ane knows the look of a Heisman Trophy candidate. He faced enough of them as Michigan State’s starting center from 1972 to 1974 upon legendary coach Duffy Daugherty recruiting him through his famed Hawaiian Pipeline. Among them were Ohio State running back...
Explaining Big Ten Bashing and SEC Schadenfreude
Big Ten Bashing throughout the nation has been replaced by Schadenfreude directed at the Southeastern Conference. The German word for “happiness at the misfortune of others” extends to all corners of the country tired of hearing about the mighty SEC through its effective public...
McNeill recognizes path Raye helped clear to Birmingham
The frame of reference of today’s college football players dates merely two decades, meaning it is not necessarily unusual to see African-American Ruffin McNeal lead East Carolina into a bowl game as the Pirates’ head coach.But such a moment is significant when it's the...