2011 Season Preview: MSU Spartans

MSU Spartans

Coaching Staff

HC: Mark Dantonio

OC: Dan Roushar

DC: Pat Narduzzi

B+: Mark Dantonio has transformed the Spartans expectations to perhaps a 6-7 win season with possibilities of a Bowl Game—to 10 wins and possible Rose Bowl appearance. He has the Spartans moving in the right direction and has given us Spartan fans hope for the first time since Nick Saban left…many will say Nick Saban actually coached the Spartans??? Dan Roushar is taking over the OC job for Don Treadwell who received the HC job at Miami of Ohio. Roushar was the OL coach. I will miss Treadwell for his steady hand as OC, as well as being a great #2 to Dantonio. Roushar has been an OC 4 other times in his career and the offense should resemble Treadwells balanced offense. Narduzzi runs a 4-3 with an occasional 3-4 look. It will be interesting to see how this defense runs without Greg Jones since this will be the first time since the new regime got here that they do not feature Jones as the centerpiece of the defense.

QB: B+

Kirk Cousins is entering year 3 of being the starting QB. Not many teams in the country can say they have a 3^rd year starting QB. Cousins has improved every year and if he can stop throwing of his back foot when pressure comes, and become more consistent in his decision making then he can lead the Spartans to Roses. He will also get draft consideration, currently being slated somewhere in Round 3-5 by draftniks. Andrew Maxwell who is a RS Sophomore is a talented, yet raw backup. I would not be too worried if he was forced into long term action.

RB: A+

Edwin Baker is the real deal. He has solid size (5’10, 208), has remarkable vision and balance, very strong, and very fast. His improvement from freshmen to sophomore season was phenomenal considering he was not the clear cut starter at this point last season. With an improved year he might leave early in the draft. I can see him as a 2-3 round prospect. Sophomore Le’Veon Bell provides Baker with breaks, while not downgrading the talent. Bellhad an amazing true freshmen season and only wore down when a shoulder injury prevented Bellfrom being effective. There is depth with juniors Larry Capers and RS freshmen Nick Hill. These players have the Spartans as one of the deepest RB units in the country. Lead Blocking for them is senior Todd Anderson (a converted DE). Anderson is very physical and mean…traits of a good FB.

WR/TE B+

Senior BJ Cunningham will leave with a ton of Spartan career milestones. He has started the past two seasons and looks to be a breakout candidate. He has imposing size, improved route running abilities, and huge hands. Cunningham is another Spartan that will be scouted on draft day that will probably receive a 4-5^th round grade. Keshawn Martin will line up across from Cunningham. Martin is a playmaker on reverses, long pass patterns, and on ST. He, like Cunningham, is a senior and needs to improve his overall consistency to take the next step up. Keith Nichols is a QB converted WR who has great size, speed, and physicality. In year 2 of his transformation, Nichols should be improved. Bennie Fowler, a sophomore, is a lot like Martin who has great speed and play making ability. Fowler has more of a future since he is bigger though. At TE it will be a platoon of talented players in seniors Garrett Celek, Brian Linthicum, and sophomore Dion Simms. Tons of talent, experience, and depth on this unit.

OL: C

Going conservative on the grade since 3 starters have not played for the Spartans until this season. There is great competition and potential, but we will have to wait and see what comes of this potential. Returning starters junior RG Brandon McDonald and senior LG Joel Foreman are rock solid. At center, there is a huge battle, but RS freshmen Travis Jackson seems to be holding off junior Blake Treadwell. Jackson is undersized (270 pounds) but athletic and has time to get bigger. At RT, it is a battle between JUCO transfer Fou Fonoti and RS freshmen Skyler Schofner. Both are very large and talented and will do fine. Foreman was quoted saying “Schofner is the most physical player he has played with at MSU”. LT seems to be taken by converted DL Dan France. France, a sophomore, is 6-6 and 305 pounds and seems to move very well for a big man. Time will tell if this raw, but talented group propels us to 10+ wins and a Rose Bowl appearance or 8-9 wins and another solid Bowl appearance.

DL: B+

This unit has the chance to be special. I love the fact that Jerel Worthy has the tattoo of a Spartan killing a wolverine. Worthy is our emotional leader on this team and has given us a more confident outlook. No more little brother Mike Hart. Worthy is a force at DT. He has great size and penetration ability. He is constantly double teamed and if he becomes more productive and consistent I can see him being a first round draft choice. Next to him is the battle between senior Kevin Pickleman and junior Anthony Rashad White; White is the favorite being 320 pounds of force though Pickelman will see plenty of action. At DE sophomore William Gholston appears to have tapped into his potential. He has gained 20 pounds and the coaching staff is very excited to unleash him on the Big Ten this season. 8-10 sacks is not unlikely if he can truly play like they say he has been playing in practice. Other side junior Tyler Hoover is going to start. He has size to be very effective as a run stuffer and came on late last season as a pass rusher. All in all this is the best DL Dantonio has had since his arrival.

LB: B

Losing Greg Jones and Eric Gordon should be devastating right? Wrong. We are no longer the old Spartans who have to rebuild…we now reload. Sophomores Max Bullough and Denicos Allen should win the starting spots and keep the LB core strength. They will have tons of competition from Lawrence Thomas, Taiwan Jones, TyQuan Hammock, and Steve Gardiner. Lots of noise lately from Gardiner who might unseat Allen…I love having tons of depth. At the other OLB returning starter Chris Norman is back. He was not talked about last season, but might have played better than Gordon and Jones. This unit’s potential is frightening. Go Green!!!

DB: B/B+

Senior safety Trenton Robinson makes big plays. He is the leader of this secondary, however, if he wants to play at the next level he needs to be a more consistent tackler. I will never get the image of Alabama RBs trampling over him time and time again last season. Next to Robinson is sophomore star Isaiah Lewis. Now two years removed from knee surgery this kid is someone to remember. I fully expect in a year or two for him to be nationally known. At CB junior Johnny Adams and sophomore Darqueze Dennard are very solid. Freshmen Tony Lippett has made some noise as well. Tons of depth and youth flood this unit.

2011 Recruiting: B+

Depth filled this year’s recruits. Dantonio keeps improving in his recruiting across America. Finally matching U of M in-state recruiting, he then started hitting Ohio, and now draws talent nation wide. Lawrence Thomas is a beast at LB/DE. He was one of the top LB prospects in the nation and the #1 prospect in Michigan. Dantonio also received some top OL prospects in Brandon Clemmons (PA), Fou Fonoti (JUCO), Donovan Clark (Ohio), and Jack Allen (IL). We hit up the DL with Mark Scarpinato (WI), Matthew Rammondo (NM), Damon Knox (MI), Joel Heath (OH), and Shilique Calhoun (NJ). Both line of scrimmages should be solid going forward. Be on the lookout for 2 sleepers in this class: one is Taiwan Jones (MI) who will be an amazing OLB for the Spartans, the other is Juwan Caesar (FL) at WR. I think Caesar will be a big time play maker with his speed and size (6’4, 210 pds). Great class Mark, keep it up.

Offensive/ Defensive Sleepers

Bennie Fowler showed some ability last season when given the opportunity. Playing time will be sparse for one more season for him but I expect by the end of the season for Spartan nation to be in love with this kid. I can see 20 receptions for 340 yards, and 2 TD’s.

William Gholston will have national attention this time next year. He has freakish size and athleticism and finally understands how to play the game. I sense him being very sound vs. the run and he could even have around 10 sacks.

2012 Season Prediction: 10-3

I want to say 11-12 wins but road games vs. Iowa, Ohio State, Nebraska, and ND make me believe a split will happen. Also games like Wisconsin at home and @ NW make me scared. Is 10-3 a bad season? Absolutely not Spartan fans. Remember as last year was opportune in scheduling this year is the absolute opposite. I think losses @Iowa and Nebraska as well as a home loss vs.Wisconsin will happen. I do think the Spartans will win their bowl game for the first time since Dantonio has taken over.

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