By Staff
ORLANDO, Fla. – Four Michigan State scholarship student-athletes – red-shirt freshman offensive guard Abre Leggins, senior wide receiver Terry Love, senior defensive end Jonal Saint-Dic and sophomore wide receiver/cornerback T.J. Williams – have been declared academically ineligible for the Dec. 28 Champs Sports Bowl against Boston College after failing to meet the NCAA's bowl-eligibility requirements.
In an unrelated matter, Spartan head coach Dantonio announced that a fifth Spartan, senior linebacker SirDarean Adams, has been suspended for Friday's game for violating team rules.
"We're obviously disappointed for these young men and for their teammates," Dantonio said. "We will miss them and their contributions on and off the field here at the Champs Sports Bowl.
"We have stressed the importance of finishing things all season, both in the classroom and on the playing field. It's unfortunate to find these student-athletes in this situation, but it serves as a lesson to all of us. Michigan State provides its student-athletes with a tremendous amount of resources and tools for academic success. Each individual must be committed to putting forth the time and effort in the classroom, resulting in a reasonable amount of success.
"The disciplinary situation, involving SirDarean Adams, provides a learning opportunity for all of us," Dantonio continued. "We continually stress to our student-athletes the importance of making good decisions, both on and off the field. It is unfortunate that we all must suffer the consequences.
"This provides playing opportunities for others. We've been pleased with the way our team has responded to challenges throughout this season, and we will again need to measure up."