THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL DEPARTMENT

Javon Ringer and Texas' D.

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What do these men have in common?

MONEY BACK: THE JAVON RINGER STORY

"HEY, JAVON RINGER, congrats on your astounding start." "Oh, thanks," he replies. "I'm trying hard." That's a bit of an understatement. No other college player carries a bigger load than Michigan State's senior running back. Let the numbers explain:

16.5 During his first three seasons, Ringer split carries with current Jets RB Jehuu Caulcrick, yet Ringer still led MSU in rushing each fall (2,761 yards total). Last year, he averaged 18.8 carries per game; this year, it's 35.3—an increase of 16.5. Even for a guy who squats 620, that's too much on the wear-and-tear scale, right? Maybe not. "I feel fine," Ringer says. "About an eight."

49.9 Nearly half of all MSU snaps (49.9%, to be exact) go to Ringer. By comparison, the nation's next busiest back, UConn's Donald Brown, gets 44.6% of the Huskies' plays.

9 If 5—1 Michigan State gets to a bowl, Ringer could blow past UCF RB Kevin Smith's NCAA record of 450 rushes, set last season. Ringer is on pace for nine more than that.

204 Think workhorses are big bruisers? The three FBS players to top 400 carries since 1980—USC's Marcus Allen (403 in '81), Iowa State's Troy Davis (402 in '96) and Smith—averaged 204 pounds. Ringer is 5'9", 202. "He doesn't plow into guys and get hit square," says RB coach Dan Enos. "He knows how to wiggle and move."

72 For Enos, this is Ringer's key number. "Last year against Michigan, we're down four, and Javon gets this toss sweep. There's nothing there, so he cuts back, confuses everyone and turns it into a 72-yard run to the Michigan 5. I look at that one play and think, That's Javon. No one is like him. He has no real weaknesses." Just big numbers.
- Ted Bauer

HEADING 'EM OFF AT THE PASS

Patching up the pass defense was more than a minor concern for Texas this season. After allowing school records in yards and TDs through the air in 2006, the Longhorns broke both dubious records again last fall. The ugly tally: 3,611 yards allowed (277.8 ypg, 109th in the nation) and 23 TDs. The worst display came against Oklahoma, when Sam Bradford completed 12 straight passes and had three TDs in a 28-21 Sooners win.

So yes, new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp spent a considerable part of the off-season reworking his game plan. And with three new starters in the secondary—including freshmen safeties Blake Gideon and Earl Thomas—Muschamp knew to keep it simple. "The best pass defense is having four guys who can rush the passer, " he says.

So far, so-so. Texas leads the nation with 3.8 sacks per game, led by freakish senior DE Brian Orakpo, who has 5.5. At 6'4", 260 pounds, with a 515-pound bench press and 42-inch vertical, Orakpo has been impossible for tackles to handle. Says Muschamp. "He has great initial quickness and can really bend the edge."

But despite allowing only five passing TDs, Muschamp's green secondary gives up 244 passing ypg, 96th in the nation. And Texas faces Oklahoma on Oct. 11, then three other top-10 passing offenses after that. "We've given up some yards, but we really haven't given up that many touchdowns," says senior CB Ryan Palmer. "I'm real pleased with what I'm seeing. "

Good thing he's confident, because the air attacks won't stop anytime soon.
- Bruce Feldman

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