News Showcase Scalping Tailgating - Inside • page3 page9 • Vol, L~ The -Observer-_:--~ Saturday, September 17,1983 • ___ g to sa e Spartans Irish need to be wary of new MSU attitude ByLOUIE SOMOGYI Steelers defensive coordinator through their glory Sports Writer years in the 1970's before resigning the post last year in order to fill the vacancy left by Waters. Fired up from a successful debut last week under Within one year he has already outrecruited Bo new head coach George Perles, the Michigan Spar- Schembechler in the state of Michigan, conducted tans will enter today's gaine against Notre the most intense and grueling practice sessions at Dame with an enthusiastic and confident outlook. Michigan State in years, and instilled a confident at· "Anytime a new coach comes into a program titude within the team that it lacked during last there's a lot of enthusiasm generated, and I don't year's woeful 2-9 campaign. think there's any question George Perles has done "Notre Dame and Michigan are the games I'm that at Michigan State," says Perles' Irish counter­ paid to win," says Perles. "I don't intend to see us part Gerry Faust. "An opening day win like that (a lay down and die just because we see blue and 23· I 7 comeback against Colorado) can do won­ gold.'' ders for the confidence of your players. So I'm sure While Perles doesn't feel intimidated by the they'll come down here Saturday and feel like they Notre Dame mystique, he is very aware ofits talent. can play with anybody." "Notre Dame is one ofthe bigger teams in the The fiery Perles is a sharp contrast to the see SPARTANS, paRe :Z grandfatherly image that Mu ddy Waters seemed to portray for the Spartans the last three years. A su­ perb leader, Perles served as the Pittsburgh A rough reunion Greg Bell Summer acquaintances, Irish Tailback Bell and Banks, meet again By STEVE LABATE Spurts Writer One game concluded. One game won. And at least one thing is certain with regard to the Notre Dame football team - Greg Bell is back. The question whether he would be back or not was answered when Bell took a pass from Blair Kiel in the first period last Saturday, then faked right, sidestepped left, and scampered into the endzone. The one-year wait to return was over. A lot must have been going through Bell's mind as the referee raised his arms signifying Notre Dame 6, Purdue 0. "Mainly what was running through my head was that it had been a long time since I got the chance to cross the goal line," recalls Bell. "It was a feeling like, 'I'm back. I'm healthy. And against the people who last year stopped what I considered could have possibly been one of my better years. This (the touchdown) is one of a lot to come.' "I wanted to go across that end zone a lot that day," smiles Bell, "and I eventually did. It was real sweet.'' These are happier days for Greg Bell, a native of Columbus, Ohio. Last season he suffered what doctors termed "a serious injury," a broken fibula in his right leg. Finished for the season, Greg sat and watched his teammates - something that was more painful to him than the break itself: "Anytime you're hurt, you are going to he upset." says Bell, "especially since we weren't doing so great in the won-loss column. I'm happier now. I'm hack in action and have a chance to have some fun and play a little football." He has a chance to have some fun because his rehabilitation of the leg went very well. Forced to sit out spring drills in order to give his leg extra time to heal, Bell contemplated his role on the team in wake of Allen Pinkett's emergence at tailback. He came back to Notre Dame this summer with a lot to prove - to himsel( "I really did not have much to prove to Coach Faust," says Bell. "I think he knows what I can do. I just had something to prove to mysel( I had an ankle injury which was considered a bad injury. I wanted to prove to myself that I could come back from it and be just as good as I was before." It is still too early in the season to predict, but it would appear that Greg may have come hack better. Last Saturday in Ross-A de Stadium, Bell weaved, slashed, leaped, and barreled into the end zone - not once. hut four times. Bell erased any doubt anyone had concerning his recovery on his first score, and proved that he may he better than ever on his last. On the play, he took a pitchout from Kiel on the '5-yard line, and started left towards the flag. After breaking free from defensive tackle Chris Scott's grasp, Bell used second and third effort to muscle through the Boilermaker pursuit to score. see BELL, page 15 MSU Saturday, September 17, 1983- page 2 George Perles comes from the pros Rebuilding a tradition: to get MSU football back on track Editor's Note: The following is a reprint from a - recruiting, conditioning, and strategy. spring issue of MSU Alumni Magazine. In just five weekends, MSU recruited a class that raised as many hopes in East Lansing as eyebrows in Ann By ROBERT BAO Arbor. It includes 7 of the 15 Michigan players on the Editor Detroit News "Blue Chip" list. 'IISU Alumni 'llagazine "Michigan State sells itself," explains Perles, who himself took a S70,000 a year pay cut to work at MSU. lie looms over Spartan Stadium, looking professorial The administration helped mightily. President Cecil in tweed, his relentless face softened by a "say cheese" Mackey, or Vice-President Kenneth Thompson. or a smile. Just as the camera clicks, the wind turns his hair senior University officer personally met every single into renegade, tluttering strands. It's a rare glimse of recruit visiting campus. When taken to Spartan Stadium, Creorge Perles, who seldom lets his hair down these each recruit saw his name !lash across the scoreboard. days. They also likely did not miss Pcrles's diamond Super Michigan State's new football coach has hit the Bowl ring - one offour he won with the Pittsburgh ground sprinting since his arrival in December. His Steelers. watch always set t1ve minutes fast, a habit that thwarts even punctual associates, Perles has thrust the rebuild· ing timetable into overdrive. "l want to turn things around immediately," he ex· plains. "By the time next season hegins, I want to go int< You can't win without every game feeling we can win." great players, but you Is instant success realistic? "It's realistic to me," he snaps. can lose with them. He sinks into a chair in his office, after several hours in meetings, glancing ever so slightly towards the clock. fie sits erect, exuding confidence. Behind his cavalier - Perles optimism lie hours upon hours of groundwork he and his staff have expended. In just three months they have imposed order, dis­ cipline, and organization on a program that was reeling Recruiting alone, however, is not enough. "You can't from three straight ignominious y tears. Initial con· win without great players," says Perles, "but you can George Perles troversy over MSU's S175,000 settlement with the lose with them." Players need training and experience. Spartan Coach Philadelphia Stars, a payment made from athletic And conditioning. revenues and not tax dollars, has not prevented them Assistant coach Carl "Buck" Nystrom, All-American from making concrete progress on three crucial fronts MSU guard in 1955, devised a physical preparation program "as tough and demanding as I've seen," accord­ ing to Perles. Agrees senior offensive tackle Jim Lamb: "It's triple what we ever did before." Adds co-captain and All-American candidate Carl Banks, "It's really .Spartans tough, but it's positive. Everything goes according to • • schedule. There's much more discipline." The rigorous workouts, it is hoped, will sustain MSU continU«J from page 1 quick trap plays with junior fullback Carl Butler. performance in the fourth quarter, a period that sealed Butler led Spartan rushers last week, gaining 80 seven heartbreaking losses in 1982. country and has as much talent as any college yards on 2 I carries. Strategy changes will give MSU football what Perles team. ' says Perlcs. "On paper, I call them tops in The passing attack appears to be pretty solid too calls "the Pittsburgh look"- a lot oftrappingand drop· the nation." with sophomore quarterback Dave Yarema. back passing on offense, with heavy use of double-wing Like last year's I I·~ Notre Dame victory at East Yarema, one of the most sought after quarterbacks !(>rmation which can send up to five receivers cris· Lansing, Notre Dame-Michigan Statt· games have in the nation two years ago, took over as the starter scrossing upfield. traditionally been hard-hitting defensive battles. last year in the eighth game an went on to lead the Defense will rely on the 4· 3 formation. "It'll he tough, Senior Carl Banks, an all-America candidate at Spartans to their only two victories. Yarema com· aggressive, with lots of blitzing," notes Perles. "We'll linebacker, will lead another strong Spartan pleted an impressive 15-of-23 passes for 179 yards pressure the other team's quarterback." defensive unit that has not let Notre Dame into the last week against Colorado.