Spartans report: Strategy and personnel
 

The Sports Xchange
 
 
Strategy and personnel · Inside slant · Notes, quotes
 

STARS OF 2008:

WR Kevin Jurovich -- The second-team all-WAC honoree set a school record with 85 receptions for 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns in 2007. He snagged WAC Player of the Week honors after catching 10 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns in a 51-17 rout of New Mexico State. He had three other games with at least 10 grabs.

WR David Richmond -- In his first year with the Spartans, the highly touted 6-4, 200-pound JUCO transfer averaged 15.5 yards per catch and finished seventh in the league with 71.0 receiving yards per game. He had three 100-yard games, including a 10-catch, 180-yard, two-TD effort against Utah State.

CB Christopher Owens -- With opponents throwing away from all-American Dwight Lowery, Owens took advantage and tallied a league-high six interceptions. The second-team all-WAC selection was fourth on the team in tackles and had three pass breakups.

TOP NEWCOMERS

DE Jeff Schweiger -- The 6-5, 255-pound USC transfer will be highly motivated to get back on the NFL radar after sitting out last season. The former prep All-American played in 12 games as a freshman for the national champion Trojans in 2004, but appeared in just 13 more games over the next two seasons before electing to transfer.

QB Kyle Reed -- If the mobile, strong-armed transfer from Cal wins the job, he should put up big numbers in an offense that averaged 265 passing yards per game last fall. The 6-3, 215-pound junior left the Golden Bears after losing the competition to be the backup to Nate Longshore. Rivals.com listed him as the No. 5 dual-threat QB in the nation out of McClymonds (Calif.) High.

CB Coye Francies -- The speedy Oregon State transfer ranked sixth in the Pac-10 in kick returns in 2006 with a 22.4-yard average and was seventh on the team in tackles (39) with two sacks and an interception. In 2005, he was a JUCO All-American with 11 picks at American River (Calif.) College. He was dismissed from Oregon State after an arrest for possession of a loaded firearm.

OT Steve Lightsy -- The 6-4, 350-pound JUCO all-American is a leading candidate to replace second-team all-conference tackle John Booker on the offensive line. He enrolled early following an impressive season at Fresno City College and earned praise from head coach Dick Tomey for his "aggressiveness and maturity."

ROSTER REPORT

--Among the running backs, Yonus Davis did not practice this spring and Patrick Perry participated only in a limited role. Davis, a 1,000-yard rusher in 2006 who was limited to three carries in 2007 because of an ankle injury, is waiting to hear from the NCAA about his medical hardship request. Perry is still recovering from a season-ending knee injury suffered in fall camp last season.

--Switch 'em up: running back Mohamed Marah moved to linebacker this spring, while linebacker Chris Reese moved to running back.

--Hard-hitting safety Jonathan Harris, the team's top returning tackler (82), has left the team indefinitely for personal reasons and did not participate in spring camp. He started all 12 games last season and registered a season-high 14 tackles at Boise State.

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