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Spartans WR Love takes care of academic business, now practice field

August 22, 2007

BY SHANNON SHELTON

FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER

EAST LANSING -- Terry Love has been staying on his own this summer, away from his Michigan State teammates who are in Case Hall for preseason camp.

Because of academic ineligibility, Love, a senior receiver, was not allowed to participate in the preseason exercises until he passed a required history course. It hurt to see his teammates heading to practice each day, he said.

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Just as coach Mark Dantonio wanted, Love got the message.

""Take care of business first, and like Coach Dantonio always preaches, you have to be very accountable,"" Love said.

After passing his course and returning last week, Love is looking to work his way back up the depth chart. With the departure of three seniors from last year, Love was expected to compete for a starting wide receiver spot. He had 18 catches for 234 yards last season. But he was listed fourth in the preseason behind junior Devin Thomas, redshirt freshman David Williams and junior Carl Grimes.

Dantonio, however, said Tuesday that Love was working with the second-string offense.

""I think Terry took care of his business like we wanted him to,"" he said. ""He did what he needed to do, so we're gonna move him forward. He's a senior and he deserves that opportunity.""

Thomas has had a strong preseason and could retain a starting position, but Love will at least give the Spartans some needed depth. At the other receiver, MSU is still without T.J. Williams, who is not expected to return to the team until next week. He was barred from camp for undisclosed disciplinary reasons.

""I understand exactly where (Dantonio) was coming from,"" Love said. ""I think I was treated fair and there's no hard feelings. I'm really just working hard right now.

""Coach D is real cool.""

NOTEBOOK: Dantonio said the Spartans had suffered minimal injuries during camp and should be healthy for the Sept. 1 opener against Alabama-Birmingham. On Tuesday, MSU started working on game-day prep. ... Center John Masters bruised his leg during the team's second scrimmage last Saturday, but Dantonio said Masters should be fine for the first game. ...

UAB coach Neil Callaway told Birmingham media that two quarterbacks would rotate against MSU. Senior Sam Hunt will start at QB and sophomore Joseph Webb will start at receiver, although Webb also should see time under center. ... Dantonio said the two-deep chart was close to being finalized.

Contact SHANNON SHELTON at 313-223-3215 or slshelton@freepress.com. Check out her Spartans blog at www.freep.com/sports.

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tburk

Very insightful bigmike. It would be humorous if it wasn't such a played out joke. We'll worry about making a bowl game. You worry about not getting smoked in yours. Deal?

Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:46 pm


jynx

Dear Freep:

Thanks for the positive story about an athlete taking care of business instead of getting into trouble. I knew they were out there!

Good work, Mr. Love, and good luck this season.

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 7:41 pm


bigmike76

Yea, pull off a few surprises and instead of spending the holidays in EL you will spend them in lovely downtown Detroit.

FIRE TONY ORTIZ!!!!!!!!!

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 10:13 am


Spartanalyst

This team looks better everyday. We may surprise a few people.

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 11:53 am


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