'Who wore it best' at Michigan State: No. 44

Ever see a number on a Michigan State football jersey and think of all the great players to wear it? Me, too. In this daily series, I’ll give you my take on which Spartan football player was the best ever to wear each number. The criteria are simple: How did he perform at MSU? And what kind of impact did he have on the program? 

No. 44 – Ike Reese

Linebacker, 1993-97, Cincinnati

Résumé

1994: 64 solo tackles, 28 assisted, 92 total tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 4 pass breakups

1995: 53 solo tackles, 23 assisted, 76 total tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 3 pass breakups

1996: 75 solo tackles, 40 assisted, 115 total tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 6 pass breakups, interception

1997: 88 solo tackles, 49 assisted, 137 total tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 4 pass breakups, 2 interceptions

Total: 280 solo tackles, 140 assisted, 420 total tackles, 26 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 17 pass breakups, 3 interceptions

Why Reese?

Before Ike Reese went on to have a nine-year pro career in Philadelphia and Atlanta, which included a Pro Bowl selection in 2004, the hard-hitting outside linebacker from Cincinnati made a name for himself on the defenses of George Perles and Nick Saban at Michigan State.

How good was Reese?

He is still ranked fourth in tackles in program history with 280 stops during his time in East Lansing. He was a two-time captain under Saban, earning first-team All-Big Ten honors during his senior season in 1997.

Reese came to MSU during a turbulent time. The school handed out self-imposed sanctions during his first active season in 1994, forfeiting all five wins that season. Perles, the coach who recruited Reese, was fired that year after 12 seasons.

MORE: Michigan State football: Who Wore It Best?

Over the next three seasons, Reese and the Spartans mostly toiled in mediocrity. However, each of those seasons ended with a bowl game – three lopsided losses to LSU (Independence Bowl, 45-24), Stanford (Sun Bowl, 38-0) and Washington (Aloha Bowl, 51-23). Reese was a bright spot during a tumultuous time, racking up 10 sacks and three interceptions during his career. He also assisted on 140 tackles.

A special teams standout during his time in the NFL, Reese won over one of the toughest fan bases in the country during his seven seasons in Philadelphia. After a two-year stint in Atlanta, Reese returned to the City of Brotherly Love where he works in sports radio.

Who else wore No. 44?

Earl Anderson (FB/TB, 1968-70), Donald Arend (FB, 1956-58), Eddie Cotton (FB, 1964-65), Allen Diebold (QB, 1936-38), Robert Holland (FB, 1980), Mike Iaquaniello (DB, 1987-90), William Kennedy (FB/C/G, 1939-41), Earl Lattimer (HB/FB, 1961-63), Alonzo Middleton (FB, 1976-79), John Miller (DB, 1985-88), Clayton Montgomery (HB, 1972), John Perles (LB, 1982-84), Edward Ripmaster (FB, 1940-42), Josh Rouse (LB/FB, 2006-08), Marcus Rush (DE, 2011-14), Sebastian Small (RB, 1990-91), Ronald Stanley (LB, 2001-04), Herbert Straight (G, 1914-16)

Contact Cody Tucker at (517) 377-1070 or cjtucker@lsj.com and follow him on Twitter @CodyTucker_LSJ.

MORE ON IKE REESE:
*Top Spartan linebackers: No. 10 Ike Reese
* Former Spartans at Super Bowl support MSU's Tom Izzo, Mark Dantonio