Michigan State University Athletics
Morris, Stanton Earn Academic All-America Honors
12/8/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 8, 2005
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State senior center Chris Morris and junior quarterback Drew Stanton have earned ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Second-Team honors as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Morris, who graduated last May with a 3.5 grade-point average in finance, began pursuing a master's degree in kinesiology, while Stanton currently sports a 3.37 GPA in kinesiology. It marks the first time Michigan State has had multiple Academic All-Americans since 1986 when both strong safety Dean Altobelli and linebacker Shane Bullough earned first-team honors.
"Chris Morris and Drew Stanton are All-Americans in every sense of the word," Spartan head coach John L. Smith said. "Chris and Drew are All-Americans on the playing field, in the community and now, in the classroom. As a coach, you wish that all of your players aspired to be All-Americans in all three areas. This honor truly speaks to the character of these two individuals."
Morris, who anchored the offensive line for one of the NCAA's most prolific offenses, earned Midseason All-America honors from SI.com. At the conclusion of the regular season, Michigan State ranked among the NCAA leaders in all four offensive categories: No. 21 in rushing offense (201.8 yards per game), No. 12 in passing offense (295.5 ypg.), No. 6 in total offense (497.3 ypg.) and No. 16 in scoring offense (33.8 points per game). The Spartans ranked second in the Big Ten in passing offense and total offense and third in rushing offense.
The 6-foot-4, 305-pound Morris, who ranked as a top contender for the Rimington Trophy, graded out 96 percent or higher in all 11 games in 2005. He graded 99 percent vs. Illinois as the Spartans amassed a school-record 705 total yards en route to a 61-14 victory. Morris also scored 99 percent each vs. Kent State in the season opener and vs. Minnesota. He graded 98 percent each vs. Michigan, Northwestern, Indiana and Penn State. Morris finished second on the team with 49 pancake blocks, including a season-best nine vs. Penn State in the home finale.
A native of Lambertville, Mich., Morris started 36-consecutive games at center for the Spartans. He was a model of consistency, grading out 90 percent or better in 41 of 44 career games played. Morris, who recorded 186 career pancakes, allowed only one sack (vs. Indiana, 2005) over the last two seasons (approximately 750 passing plays).
"This is a great honor, but the most important piece of paper I have is my degree," Morris said. "As a student-athlete, it's part of my job to take care of business in the classroom. I expect to get good grades because I invest the appropriate time and effort into my course work.
"John L. Smith has sent a clear message that the student-athletes are here to receive an education. He addresses academic issues at every team meeting. Coach Smith and his staff closely monitor the academic progress of every single player. The position coaches have weekly meetings with each player to discuss academic goals. The focus of this coaching staff is to encourage every player to earn a degree.
"The Smith Center speaks for itself. With an academic facility like that, it's hard not to do well in the classroom," Morris continued. "All of the resources and tools are provided for academic success. There are countless tutors available, with expertise in all academic areas. The computer lab is seemingly open 24 hours a day, and the counselors take pride in following the academic progress of every student-athlete."
 Drew Stanton, who became just the second QB in Spartan history to reach the 3,000-yard passing milestone in a season, has earned second-team Academic All-America honors.  | |
In 2005, Drew Stanton became just the second quarterback in Spartan history to reach the 3,000-yard passing milestone in a season, joining Jeff Smoker who threw for 3,395 yards in 2003. The 6-foot-3, 222-pound Stanton completed 236-of-354 throws (.667) for 3,077 yards, a school-record 22 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He finished the regular season ranked second in the Big Ten and No. 9 in the NCAA in passing efficiency with his 153.4 rating. Stanton, who was named one of 15 semifinalists for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, also ranked second in the Big Ten and No. 6 in the NCAA in total offense, averaging 310.5 yards per game. He led the league in TD passes (22; tied with Indiana's Blake Powers) while ranking second in passing yards (279.7 per game).
With 233 passing yards (23-36) vs. Penn State in the regular-season finale, Stanton extended his school-record streak of consecutive 200-yard passing games to 12 (including the 2004 season finale at Hawaii). He padded another record by registering his 12th-straight game with at least one TD pass, including a 15-yard scoring toss to Kerry Reed in the fourth quarter. Stanton accounted for 314 total yards against the Nittany Lions, becoming MSU's single-season leader in total offense (3,415 yards).
He produced four 300-yard passing games in 2005, including a career-best 340 yards vs. No. 15 Ohio State. Stanton became the first offensive player in Spartan history to earn back-to-back Big Ten Player of the Week awards (vs. Notre Dame and Illinois). He accounted for 375 total yards and four TDs in MSU's 44-41 overtime victory at No. 10 Notre Dame. Stanton completed 20-of-26 throws for 259 yards and a school-record five TDs in the Spartans' 61-14 victory at Illinois.
In just two seasons as a starter, the Farmington Hills, Mich., native already ranks among MSU's career leaders in completion percentage (first at .657), total offense (second at 5,784 yards), TD passes (fifth at 30), pass completions (sixth at 379), passing yards (sixth at 4,717) and pass attempts (eighth at 577).
"From the first day John L. Smith set foot on this campus, he made it clear that academics came before athletics," Stanton said. "He has created a culture that emphasizes academic accountability. It makes you feel good knowing that Coach Smith truly cares about our growth and development, both in the classroom and on the playing field."
To be eligible for the Academic All-America Team, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.2 cumulative grade-point average (on a 4.0 scale) for his career. He also must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing.
