COLLEGE FOOTBALL: THE ROSE BOWL : READY, EVEN IN SHORT RUN : If White Isn’t Right, Michigan State Can Run 5-8 Ezor at USC in Rose Bowl

If anything happens to Lorenzo White in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day, Michigan State has a sort of secret weapon--Blake Ezor--to throw at USC.

And if Ezor were to come through the way Eric Ball did for UCLA and the injured Gaston Green two years ago against Iowa, Michigan State fans can thank Art Rooney, the owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The saga of Blake Ezor becoming a Spartan began in the ‘70s when the Steelers won four Super Bowls. After one of the victories, Rooney treated his coaches and their families to a vacation that ended up in Las Vegas.

“We were staying at the Dunes,” recalls Michigan State Coach George Perles, who was Chuck Noll’s assistant with the Steelers at the time. “Bernie Ezor, Blake’s dad, was running the baccarat table at the Dunes, and he was from Pittsburgh and got to know all the guys and their wives real well.

“Years later, I get a letter from Bernie telling me about his kid, and what a great year he’s having in Las Vegas. Well, a coach at a school like Michigan State gets a zillion of those. Every father thinks his kid is better than bubble gum--and that’s good--but you don’t expect to recruit one.

“I told him to send us some film, and when we took a look at it we were really surprised. In his senior year, Blake had a lot of offers from places like Notre Dame, Penn State and Miami, but his dad insisted he come to Michigan State.”

Ezor was a prep All-American at Bishop Gorman High, where he played on two state championship teams. As a senior, he was Nevada’s player of the year.

“I went to Michigan State because George (Perles) promised my dad I’d get an education,” Ezor said. “My dad wanted me to get a degree more than anything.”

Ezor, 21, is a redshirt sophomore majoring in computer science.

“I used him on special teams last year,” Perles said, “and now I wish I hadn’t. I’d like to have him for three more years after Lorenzo is gone instead of just two.”

When White pulled a hamstring in the final game with Wisconsin, Ezor took over and gained 148 yards in 28 carries.

“Blake is especially effective coming in after a team has been trying to defense White,” Perles said. “Their running styles complement each other nicely.

“White is a cutback runner who sort of glides when he runs. He’s always moving, and it’s nearly impossible to get a clean shot at him. Then Blake comes in, and he’s a slasher and the contrast confuses the defense. He’s so short (5 feet 8 inches) that he darts through holes before they know he’s here. And, when he gets in the backfield, he has the straightaway speed to break something loose. I guess you’d call his style ‘reckless abandon.’ ”

At times Perles has used White and Ezor in the backfield together. White likes that.

“It’s a help having him in there,” White said. “If they start keying on me, then Blake runs. When they adjust to stop his style of running, then I take it again. We block for each other, so it gives both of us a little extra incentive.”

Ezor’s season average is actually better than White’s, although he has carried the ball only about a third as much. Ezor averaged 4.9 yards in 122 carries to White’s 4.5 yard average in 322 rushes.

“I run so low to the ground that sometimes defensive lineman have trouble finding me,” Ezor said, smiling.