SB Nation - Andre Anderson

Welcome: Leveon Bell

Pete Rossman — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:05:07 -0000

Positive football news, we've missed you. Leveon Bell committed to MSU's 2010 recruiting class on Monday, bringing the total number of recruits to 16. Bell is a 6'2", 220 lb. running back out of Groveport Madison High in Ohio, which is also the high school of former Spartan/current Jets safety Eric Smith. Here's how the recruiting services rank him:

RIVALS: 2*, 5.3 rating

SCOUT: 2*

ESPN: Grade of 68

Yes, they're all two star ratings, but Bell's put up the stats to match, rushing for over 1,300 yards and scoring 25 touchdowns this season. Also, with the dismissals of Jenrette and Winston, two new scholarships have been freed, not to mention the two that were vacated earlier in the season when Caulton Ray and Andre Anderson decided to transfer. Looking at his size, I think the assumption is Bell will be a Jehuu Caulcrick-type back - one that isn't the fastest, but is sent in near the goal line to ram his way through the defensive line.

One more benefit of Bell - he'll enroll in January, along with Joe Boisture, Max Bullough, and Nick Hill. Hopefully he can redshirt, but depending on the punishment that might be handed out to Ashton Leggett after the bowl game, he might be pressed into service to start the 2010 season.

Preview: Michigan State vs. Montana State

LVS — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:50:30 -0000

Home, home again

Your MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS vs. MONTANA STATE BOBCATS
SPARTAN STADIUM, EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN
12:00 NOON ET
TV: BIG TEN NETWORK (coverage map). RADIO AFFILIATES HERE.
WEATHER: SUNNY, 78 DEGREES (IIIIIIT'S A BEEEEEAUTIFUL DAAAAAAAAAY FOR FOOTBALL!)

Good riddance, offseason. It's time to play, as Montana State comes to town on what looks to be an utterly beautiful football Saturday. The Bobcats are the first FCS (1-AA) opponent Michigan State (herein MSU, dammit), has ever faced; Montana St. finished 2008 on something of a high note, winning 4 of their last 5; additionally, they shouldn't be intimidated by the large Spartan Stadium crowd, as in recent years they have played on the road against Minnesota, Kansas State, Texas A&M, and Colorado (whom they beat, lololol). Still, this is a game that MSU must win and will win. The bigger question is whether we'll be able to resolve some of the remaining controversies at quarterback, running back, and elsewhere.

When Michigan State is on defense: As you can imagine, writing this preview is relatively difficult. I've never seen Montana State play, and after tomorrow, likely never will again. Nonetheless, it is clear that they return several of their skill position leaders from last season:

Cody Kempt will play quarterback. Last season, he completed almost 52% of his passes, and threw nine touchdowns and twelve interceptions, for a highly meh 105.2 quarterback rating.
C.J. Palmer figures to be the feature back; he was very impressive in limited action last year, rushing for 312 yards (5.0 per carry) and 7 touchdowns. At 6'0" and 235 pounds, and with that high touchdown total, it seems that he may have been last season's goal line specialist, a la Jehuu Caulcrick.
DeSean Thomas was the Bobcats' leading receiver, and returns. He grabbed 24 passes for 4 touchdowns last season..

Additionally, as commenter MSUBobcats has pointed out, Montana State is reasonably experienced on the offensive line. Their line has 70 combined starts, which is less than Ivan Maisel's magic number of 75, but is relatively more experienced than MSU's line.

From MSU: I think I'm not alone in hoping, above all else, to see a dominating performance from the defensive line. Our guys have potential but the results weren't always there last season. A good showing by Trevor Anderson should be a given; similar performances by Colin Neely and our interior linemen would be very encouraging. Last season, Minnesota sacked Montana State twice and allowed the Bobcats 138 rushing yards. I'd like to see us improve on both of those numbers.

At linebacker and in the secondary, I'll be watching to see the new guys: true freshman Chris Norman is in the two-deep at OLB, and I'll be interested to see if he can live up to his considerable, and growing, hype. Obviously, we're not at all worried about Greg Jones, but he is switching to a new position. All eyes would be on him anyway, but I'll be interested to see how he acquits himself in the middle. These are probably unrealistic expectations, but against Montana State, anything less than a dominating performance would be a bit of a disappointment. In the secondary, I'll be honest, I'm most looking forward to seeing Trenton Robinson play. Even though he won't be starting, he's been hyped ever since spring practice, and I haven't seen him play yet. Additionally, I'll be paying attention to Chris L. Rucker, as he transitions to nickelback, and to how our new starting corners perform.

From our friends at Jolly Green Giants.

When Michigan State is on offense: As to Montana State's defense, I'll let their coach speak for himself:

Defensively, we’ve got a headline player named Dane Fletcher, a defensive end who’s a candidate on the watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award, which is awarded to the top defensive player in the country in the FCS [Football Championship Subdivision] division. He’s a great player with a very high motor; he’s a high-energy, active defensive lineman.

Overall, our defensive front seven is pretty strong. But we’ve been riddled with injuries in the secondary, so to me the big question mark in this game is, ‘Can we hold up in the secondary.’ I don’t mean just against the pass, but can we come up and make tackles and get people stopped. We have very little experience there because of the injuries we’ve had.

For those of you keeping score at home, Dane Fletcher is #47.

The offensive preview is short and sweet, as we all know the issues and concerns. In a perfect world, I'd love for either Kirk Cousins or Keith Nichol to create some separation from the other, so that we have a clear starter going into the Central game. Given that they've been LOCKED UP IN A TIGHT ONE for the past nine months, that's probably unrealistic. So, I hope they both play well; given the banged-up condition of Montana State's secondary, this probably shouldn't be too much of a challege.

More realistically, I'd love for one of our running backs to separate himself from the pack. It's highly disconcerting to me that there's no clear choice between our top three running backs (Caulton Ray, Larry Caper, and Edwin Baker) and hardly any difference between them and the next three (Glenn Winston (ugh -- ed.), and presumably A.J. Jimmerson and Andre Anderson). This has to end. We need to narrow the bulk of the carries down to one or two guys, and soon. I'm guessing that it'll ultimately be one of the freshmen; a great performance from either of them would make me a very happy man while leaving the stadium.

Finally, much as I'd like to see a great performance from the defensive line, I really hope to see our offensive line dominate. Interestingly enough, the aforementioned Dane Fletcher is a left defensive end, so he'll be lined up against Brendon Moss, one of our new starters; he may/should provide a good test. Nonetheless, this is the area where a halfway-decent big conference team should be able to separate itself from a FCS opponent: we're bigger and stronger than they are, and we need to thoroughly win the line of scrimmage battles.

FINAL PREDICTION: While these guys aren't terrible, we're simply the better football team. This looks a lot like the UAB from two seasons ago, and I'd bet that it gets ugly in a hurry. 49-13, M(ichigan)SU. Please comment away with your thoughts and predictions.

More than that, though, I'm so flippin' excited to get back to the stadium, I can hardly contain myself. Hope to see many of you in EL tomorrow. (For those of you watching at home, there'll be a game thread right here for your chatting enjoyment.)

GO GREEN!

Know thy Opponent 2009: Michigan State Spartans

BoilerTMill — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:15:49 -0000

My Big Ten road trip last season was to East Lansing. I braved the wind and cold to officially watch our bowl chances go up in smoke. This year, Michigan State comes to West Lafayette on Senior Day. It will be the final home game for 21 Purdue seniors, and if we don't have five wins or more at this point, it could mean the difference between a bowl game and another season home for the holidays.

Michigan State is an interesting team. We did not adapt to the cold well last year and had a number of dropped passes. We handed them seven points on an awful interception before halftime. Also, at one point we had to play a fourth string walk-on scout team quarterback. Still, we did not play that badly (at least on defense) in a 21-7 loss. That gives me hope that this year can be different.

2008 Record: 9-4, (6-2 Big Ten)

Bowl Result: lost Capitol One Bowl 24-12 to Georgia

Blog Representation: The Only Colors, The Enlightened Spartan, Sparty MSU

Series with Purdue: Michigan State leads 30-28-3

Last Purdue win: 11/4/2006 at Michigan State 17-15

Last Michigan State win: 11/8/2008 at Michigan State 21-7

Last season for the Spartans:

Last year was a Purdue-esque season for Michigan State. I think we can all agree that the Big Ten as a whole was in the middle of a down year. Michigan State played nine mediocre-to-bad teams and four really good teams. Predictably, they finished with a 9-4 record. They lost a relatively close game on the road at California, got trucked by Ohio State and Penn State, then lost the Capitol One Bowl to a good Georgia team. There was little doubt they were the third best team in the conference, as there was clear separation between them, the top of Ohio State and Penn State, and everyone else.

Are Sparty and Pete long lost brothers?

A huge reason for their success, Javon Ringer, is now gone. Brian Hoyer is also gone at the quarterback position. Their 2009 non-conference schedule is sneaky tough. Aside from a gimme game against Montana State, Michigan State hosts two of the better teams in the MAC. Games against Central Michigan and Western Michigan are hardly easy wins because both teams feature solid offenses with veteran quarterbacks. Both are more than capable of pulling an upset. There is also a trip to Notre Dame, where everyone in the country hopes the Spartans can continue their ownership of the Irish in Notre Dame Stadium. The hopes of a nation are with the Spartans that day, as a Michigan State victory would give Notre Dame one of the critical four losses needed to assure they don't get another undeserved BCS bowl bid.

As far as our game last season with the Spartans, I felt it was another missed opportunity. The defense played well and prevented Ringer from going totally nuts, but our offense failed to do anything until a final 98 yard drive that prevented a shutout. We had a good game plan, but one mistake (Siller's awful pick six) pretty much ruined any chance of a victory.

Michigan State offense:

Michigan State must find a way to replace Javon Ringer. Ringer had a monster season, rushing an astounding 390 times for 1,637 yards and 22 TD's. For good measure, he added 28 receptions for another 190 yards and even returned 11 kicks for 224 yards. He outscored the kicker, which is rare, and accounted for more than a third of Michigan State's total yardage gained on the season. Andre Anderson was second on the team in rushing attempts and yards with only 26 carries for 97 yards. Hoyer and Ashton Leggett are the only other players that had a rushing touchdown, each scoring once. Glenn Winston, who was recently released from jail, has now been reinstated as well.

How do you replace a guy that touches the ball on 429 different plays? Anderson, now a sophomore, is first in line to be the starter at tailback. Most likely, however, they will try to replace the yards by committee. A.J. Jimmerson and Leggett will also be contributors as Michigan State looks, at this early stage, to have the same running back-by-committee approach that we will have. They also have a star running back recruit that is a bit of a wild card like our own Al-Terek McBurse. Edwin Baker was one of the best high school running backs in the country last season. He is 5'10", 205 and already has enough size to make an early impression.

The quarterback battle is another key area for Michigan State. Kirk Cousins and Keith Nichol appear to be dead even for the starting job at the moment, and both could play significant minutes. Nichol sat out last season after transferring from Oklahoma, while Cousins saw a decent amount of action as Hoyer's backup. Cousins' 32 completions on 43 attempts gave him a very high percentage. He ended up with 310 yards passing and two touchdowns against one interception. That in-game experience may give him a very slight edge for now.

Many of the top receivers return from a unit that was very balanced. Blair White (49-659-1) had the most receptions, but tight end Charlie Gantt (19-304-4) was the leader in touchdowns. Michigan State was not afraid to go to Gantt in short yardage situations or at the goal line. Gantt actually had the longest reception of the season for Michigan State with an 82 yard catch and run. B.J. Cunningham (41-528-0) will be the main #2 receiver, while Mark Dell (36-679-3) led the team in receiving yards. This is an experienced receiving unit that should help the growth of either Cousins or Nichol.

The Spartans must replace the entire right side of their offensive line, which was possibly the best part of the line. Rocco Cironi at 6'6" 308 is the anchor at left tackle, and he is an excellent run blocker. This line will likely excel at run blocking once again as the passing game gets used to a new quarterback. Of course, this late in the season Michigan State should be together and will likely be playing much better than at the beginning. Joel Foreman and Joel Nitchman provide stability as returning starters at left guard and center, respectively.

Michigan State defense:

It is no surprise that Michigan State's defense continues to get better, as Mark Dantonio is a defense-first style of coach. This year, the Spartans return eight starters from a unit that got better, but still struggled against the really good teams on its schedule. Cal, Penn State, and Ohio State scored seemingly at will on the Spartans, but this unit did play a respectable game against Georgia in the bowl game.

One of the biggest losses on defense was safety Otis Wiley. Wiley delivered a hit on Kory Sheets in the 2007 game that led to a fumble return for a touchdown that sealed the game for MSU. Junior Marcus Hyde is the leading candidate to replace him after registering 31 tackles and an interception in reserve action. Johnny Adams could see the field at cornerback, and he already has hurt us. It was his pick six just before halftime in last year's game that virtually sealed that loss. Unfortunately for him, Ross Weaver and Chris Rucker already have the starting spots nailed down. Danny Fortener will man the other safety spot, giving Michigan State one of the most experienced secondaries in the Big Ten. The group managed 14 interceptions last year, but four came from Wiley.

Linebacker Greg Jones is probably the player to watch on the defense. He led the team in tackles and tackles for loss last year, registering 127 stops and 14 behind the line of scrimmage. He is excellent against the run and could be one of the top linebackers in the nation. Eric Gordon and Brandon Denson will play the outside spots, though Denson is a bit undersized by Big Ten standards. Gordon was second on the team with 85 tackles and added three sacks in 2008. This unit is not afraid to blitz the quarterback, making pass protection difficult.

Senior defensive end Trevor Anderson has been with Dantonio since his time at Cincinnati. He had 8 sacks a year ago, but three came against Michigan. He tends to play in streaks, so he will either have a monster game or all but disappear against us. Colin Neely is the newcomer to the defensive line at the other end position. He and tackle Kevin Pickleman are undersized, but will be sued more as pass rusher than run stoppers. That's to be expected as good as MSU's linebackers are. Oren Wilson is a true sophomore, but he started every game at tackle as a freshman last year.

Michigan State Special Teams:

Brett Swenson makes sure that the Spartans get points any time they get near the end zone. He was 22 of 28 on field goals with a long of 50 yards. He has made 52 career field goals in his time in East Lansing, making him one of the Big Ten's most proficient kickers. Aaron Bates also returns as a solid punter, averaging 42 yards per boot. The punt coverage wasn't great, however, as teams averaged 10 yards per return and MSU did give up a touchdown.

The kickoff return game struggled mightily, not even averaging 20 yards per return. It should be a lively competition to see who gets the starting job here, but A.J. Jimmerson is the leading candidate. With Wiley gone, Michigan State also must find a new punt returner.

Intangibles:

It is senior day for us, so that has to be worth something. Unfortunately, we are getting Michigan State at the end of the season instead of the beginning. By this point, both the quarterback and running back derbies should be settled. The defense will likely play at a very high level all season long. All they need is an offense that can go out and give them 20-25 points per game. With no Ohio State on the schedule, it is possible that the Spartans will be a week away from a very big home game against Penn State for the Big Ten title. If they are looking ahead it will be beneficial to us, but I doubt they will be looking ahead.

Still, I don't think this is a daunting team. Last year they were good and just beat up on a mediocre league. They are in the same position to do so this year. Our game in East Lansing was hardly a dominating blowout. Our mistakes gave MSU more than enough to win. We handed them seven points and generated virtually nothing on offense because of dropped passes. This has been a wild series since 1997 where the best team hasn't necessarily won every game. That was true of our surprising upset in 1999 as it was of Michigan State's in 2000.

I hate myself for leaving this game early

Game Outlook:

Again, I don't like that this game is at the end of the year. Michigan State is too solid of a team and could have too much to play for. Look at some of our recent wins over them. In 1997 and 1998 we won because of their mistakes late in games they dominated. Our last win in the series in 2006 came about because of a late interception that set up Casey Welch's late field goal. When we have won it has been because the Spartans screwed up. If they play a mistake free game we lose. I see that happening again here.

Prediction:

We had better five wins at this point, because if we're counting on this one as #5 I think we will be in for a long wait. I still think Indiana is our ace in the hole for getting win #6 and the bowl bid that comes with it. Beating Michigan State would be nice, but they simply are better and more experienced than us right now. I think we lose a close one at home where their maturity comes through. Michigan State 24, Purdue 21

Previewin': Michigan State

Beauford — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 10:00:18 -0000

Maize n' Brew mercilessly drifts through yet another preview; this one long overdue. Ladies and Gentlemen, the Michigan State Spartans

Previously: Illinois, Northwestern, Penn State, Iowa

Explanation and indemnifications found: here

The Michigan State Spartans enter this season with high expectations tempered with the knowledge that a workhorse running back and a marginal but experienced quarterback need replacing.

Javon Ringer was a good back who probably isn't irreplaceable. His numbers - detailed below - are largely a matter of increased work load.

Hoyer was pretty inconsistent during his senior season with a 9/9 TD to INT ratio. That, uh, that isn't so good (of course, when you're dealing with a Threet/Sheridan situation, anything looks good, so don't rush to judge).

On the positive side, the defense returns 8 starters including the vast majority of defensive backs, and every starting linebacker. That defense had better be good; they're going to be carrying an offense that may take some time to get their act together. Another plus for the Spartans is their special teams which return kicker Brett Swenson and punter Aaron Bates. Space emperor, he is not, but Bates is a very good punter.

More Previewin' Dead Ahead; Click Below

2009 Schedule

9/05	Montana State	12:00 PM
9/12	Central Michigan	12:00 PM
9/19	@ Notre Dame	3:30 PM
9/26	@ Wisconsin	TBA
10/03	Michigan	TBA
10/10	@ Illinois	12:00 PM
10/17	Northwestern	12:00 PM
10/24	Iowa	7:00 PM
10/31	@ Minnesota	8:00 PM
11/07	Western Michigan	TBA
11/14	@ Purdue	TBA
11/21	Penn State	TBA

Michigan State opens the season fairly tamely with a pair of OOC patsies, and follows with Notre Dame. Much like the Michigan schedule, Notre Dame will be this team's first test, and will serve as a good barometer for how the season will play out. Important to note that despite last year's 9 win season, the Spartans still lost to the four best teams on the schedule; Cal, Ohio State, Penn State, and Georgia. This year they duck Ohio State and pick up Illinois.

One thing the media will harp on that is off base:

I alluded to this in the front section of this preview, but the departure of Ringer might not be as devastating as many are predicting. Javon Ringer put up some monster numbers last year, mostly due to a workload that averaged just over 30 (30!) carries a game. The rushing attack as a whole, however, averaged just 130 yards per game - good for 77th in the country. For a one-time Heisman candidate (early in the season last year there was some talk, IIRC), 130 YPG is pretty weak. Ringer's numbers are largely a matter of attempts being super inflated. Iowa's Greene - the other workhorse back - had only 23 attempts per game. Ringer, for all his accolades, only averaged just over 4 yards per attempt - 18th in the conference in terms of rushing. On the one hand, this could be construed to be a positive for the Spartans. While they are replacing a workhorse senior, they're not exactly replacing Berry Sanders. Durability is certainly a trait that is admirable in a running back, and I'm not saying that Ringer wasn't any good. Rather, I think his numbers are a result of his increased workload, not a truly stellar rushing attack. The bevy of backs they expect to suck up the work load should be able to replicate the 4.2 yards per attempt that Ringer averaged. Who are those backs? Glad you asked.

Senior Back A.J. Jimmerson

Ashton Leggett, Andre Anderson, and AJ Jimmerson are the primary candidates fighting it out for playing time, and I expect all three to get significant carries throughout the season as they fill Ringer's void. Leggett was a two star to Scout from Muskegon, MI and at 5'11" 235, he's a big boy. Recruited as a fullback, I would expect him to see some time at the goal line and in short yardage situations. On the other side of the coin, Andre Anderson is a fleet footed Sophomore of the 190 lbs. variety capable of breaking off big plays. The change of pace should be effective for the Spartans as D'Antonio continues to use the clock management and down-and-distance strategies learned under Tressel. AJ Jimmerson rounds out the trio, but by no means should be considered lacking. A 4-star prospect out of Missouri, he looks to be a strong, balanced back.

One thing the media will completely ignore that is integral to this team's success:

With all the focus on the replacement of the two starters, and a defense that returns 8 starts, one of whom is linebacker/deathbringer Greg Jones, there are two facets that I believe are being overlooked. First, the wide receiver position actually returns quite a bit of talent, headed up by Mark Dell. Dell led the conference last year in yards per catch at just under 19. He's a big-play target that will bail out his fledgling QB. The other two returning starters, Blair White and BJ Cunningham had 84 receptions between the two of them. Add into the mix preseason all-conference tight end Charlie Gantt, and the receiving options are very good, and very deep.

However, the offense isn't without a trouble spot looming that has nothing to do with quarterback or running back. The entire right side of the offensive line is being replaced, which could have Nichol or Cousins running for their lives.

Most important contributors on each side of the ball:

Offensively, it's going to be whichever quarterback slides into the roll of starter. D'Antonio, for the time being, has said that his quarterbacks, Oklahoma Transfer Keith Nichol and in-state talent Kirk Cousins, will platoon at the position. It's been said a million times, but if Michigan State wants to be successful they'd better pick one of these guys to be the starter, and make sure he's confident enough to not look over his shoulder every time he throws a pick. Platooning QB's can be a very dangerous game to play in terms of the quarterback's psyche. Cousins offers perhaps more of a pocket presence, but Nichol is dangerous on the run. A 4-star out of MI-Inkster (Lowell - not Inkster. Corrected in comments - B2), I predict that Nichol will be getting the majority of snaps by season's end by virtue of more upside, and his ability to make plays with his legs should things break down.

McGuffie did not break this tackle

Defensively, I cannot say enough about Greg Jones, linebacker, humanitarian, and all around nice guy. He destroys the run, rarely getting sucked into blocks, and he'll be playing exclusively in the middle this year. Last year he was a first team all conference player. This year he's been named to preseason watch lists for three national awards: Butkus Award (top collegiate linebacker), Lombardi Award (college lineman of the year) and the Lott Trophy (defensive player of the year).

Area that scares you as Michigan Wolverines:

Mark Dell and his big-play ability scares me. Last year, the defense was good on a down-to-down basis, but very susceptible to the big play. The Spartans return one of the biggest play makers in the conference.

Area that makes you salivate as the Michigan Wolverines:

The Wolverines get Michigan State relatively early in the schedule. There is a good possibility that State will still be gelling on offense, and struggling to put points on the board. The new QB/RB tandem will be interesting to watch. Additionally, while the defense does return 8 starters, we had one of our more successful days offensively against the Spartans last year. I just hope our offense is clicking by the time we make the trip to East Lansing (a long shot, perhaps).

Random factor that you think will come into play this season:

First road game remains a mystery under Rodriguez. For Carr, it certainly meant death. It is a rivalry game under the lights (maybe) with a true freshman QB. I smell trouble.

Overall Record:

While some have predicted a 10-win season for the Spartans (I'm looking at you, Chengelis [note, a link was provided, but is now behind a paywall. - B2]) I don't see it happening. In fact, I look at this Michigan State team and see more question marks than Penn State, Ohio State, and Iowa. Again, Michigan State has improved, but seems unable to get over the hump to beat teams that are truly in the top-tier either in conference or out.

8-4

Final Big Ten Standing:

4th

Bowl Destination

Outback Bowl

The Great College Football Debate: The Michigan State Spartans

Maize n Brew Dave — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:09:21 -0000

With Michigan Football just weeks away, the guys at Maize n Brew are getting a little antsy for the season to start. The only way around it? Argue about football. Argue a lot. Each of us have already gone through Michigan's 2009 Football Schedule with a ~~fine tooth comb~~ a single half-assed glance and come out with completely different opinions on games, wins, losses, and season outcomes. Take a look for yourself, here are Beauford's, MnB Dave's, and SCM's predictions.

With the exception of Delaware State, every game is a bone of contention between us. Michigan State? You bet your ass. None of us can agree on it. So rather than duel it out with pistols at dawn or get our brawl on, fight club style, we engage in The Great College Football Debate. Five to six questions on the team in question. Five to six ~~in-depth~~ ~~half-ass~~ mediocre answers. You get content, we get to look like complete and total ~~idiots~~ geniuses in a few months. Sounds like a plan to us. We've already held The Great College Football Debate on Notre Dame, Iowa and Penn State, so now it's time to take a look at the fightin' Dantonios of Michigan State.

So, without further ado:

The Great Debate: The Michigan St. Spartans

1) Ringer: gone; Hoyer: gone. What's a realistic expectation of this offense that replaces a work horse running back and a marginal quarterback?

SCM: Several previews I've read on MSU seem to use the logic that unproven/inexperienced talent will be able to fill in any of the gaps losing Hoyer and Ringer have left. Never mind that Ringer tallied 390 carries last year... and we thought we rode Mike Hart hard in '06 (318 carries)??? Without a Clydesdale like Ringer to carry the offense or an experienced QB to lean on, I'm not sure exactly what Dantonio is going to do. Hoyer might have indeed been marginal, but replacing a senior QB is replacing a senior QB. Dantonio clearly is out of the Tressel-ball mold, but without a known commodity (at least early on) to move the sticks and burn the clock, will he have to open up the offense a bit? Methinks so. I think State will be nothing more than "meh" on offense, they do return 7 starters from the 8th ranked O in the league last season (IIRC), but if they continually put an excellent defense in bad situations while trying to find their "spark", it's going to burn them. MSU was fortunate to end up with the record they did last year despite being outgained by their opponents on average. Counting on the defense to let the offense catch-up-to-speed without any consequences is... well it's a mistake in logic I made leading up to last season.

390 carries of this. Photo via pennlive.com

Maize n Brew Dave: I think the expectations for this offense need to toned down just based on the departures on the offensive line. MSU lost two starting linemen who combined for 26 starts last year. And it's not like last year's line was overpowering anyone to begin with. Ringer carried the ball 390 times but only rushed for a 4.2 average and 1637 or so yards. That's notsogood when you consider Shonn Green had 307 carries and rushed for more than 200 extra yards. Hell, Jahvid Best at Cal rushed for 1580 on 194 carries. Almost TWO HUNDRED fewer carries than Ringer. In the Big East, Donald Brown of Connecticut rushed for 2083 yards on 367 carries. What I'm getting at is that it seems no one had more carries and did less with them than Michigan State's offensive line. Face it, the only rusher in the NCAA's top 75 in yards per game with a lower yards per carry average was Josh Nesbitt of Georgia Tech. Why does that sound weird? Because Nesbitt's a Quarterback!

If Dantonio runs the same offense he did last year there's no way in hell MSU is able to replicate its offensive success this year. Ringer was a special player, seemingly solely based on his ability to run into a brick wall time after time and not get injured. To expect that kind of durability year after year from any group of running backs, let alone one back, is absurd. The ground game is going to take a big step back. That said, I'm not willing to write off the passing game. Brian Hoyer was "competent" the same way Anthony Morrelli was (i.e., not that good).

Smile Cousins! via SBnation.com

Personally I think Cousins or Nichol (who was a 4 star Oklahoma commit) will be better than Hoyer from the first snap. Cousins has some game experience. Nichol has the big arm. And both of them have outstanding receivers to throw to. I think you'll see dramatic improvement out of the offense in the passing game which should soften the decline of the running game. All things considered, this should still be an Offense in that 6-8th range in the Big Ten. More big plays by the receivers but much fewer on the ground.

Beauford Bixel: This is one of those looming question marks with fangs that every fan dreads. As loath as I am to focus solely on the skill positions, replacing an all-Big Ten running back and a senior quarterback is never easy. Waiting in line behind Hoyer are, however, two quarterbacks who were at least somewhat highly touted and don't possess the "true freshman" status that sent Michigan into a Sparty-No!-esque tailspin last year. Keith Nichol was a 4-star out of Michigan who originally committed to Oklahoma before realizing he was buried on the depth chart. He transfered back to State, and ran the scout team last year while sitting out per NCAA rules. Kirk Cousins, another in-state product, enters the spring as the tentative starter having spent two years in the MSU system, although he was a 2-star to Scout with a smattering of MAC level offerings. Cousins does, however, possess a winning smile.

Replacing a senior quarterback is never good, but both of these options > Walk-on.

Andre Anderson appears to be the starting running back, but nobody is going to replace Javon Ringer's 390 carries on their own. State will likley employ a bevy of running backs to try to match Ringer's production. Anderson - another 2-star - is built to break big plays, and containing him will be a priority.

More of The Great Debate: the Michigan State Spartans after the jump....

2) D'Antonio has been a bit...gruff...when it comes to how he speaks and deals with Michigan. Adding fire to the rivalry? Or just being a dick?

SCM: Without sugar coating it, he's a dick. He handled the whole Mike Hart "little brother" thing like a petulant child and hasn't done anything to reverse that image since. State fans being comprised mostly of petulant children with raging inferiority complexes, I'm sure they love it. I would be willing to bet he also throws an "sc" in front of "UM" every time he mentions the school in correspondence. In a roundabout way he's added fire to the rivalry just in the aspect that he is an ass and it's certainly more fun to beat someone who's going to give you press conference gold afterward.

MnB Dave: Dantonio strikes me as a bit of a Mike Keenan, if you'll forgive crossing sports and the professional/amateur distinction. He's a harsh disciplinarian. He doesn't tolerate any BS. He's a good tactician. And he's pressed every right button to motivate his team and fan base over the last two years. He's not a particularly friendly guy to an outsider, but outsiders don't matter to him. What's important is his team. His school. And he knows that the most important thing to his school and his team is to beat Michigan consistently. As Michigan fans, we're not used to the backtalk coming from East Lansing. It's been a while since the Spartans have been a legitimate threat on the football field. So the constant white noise emitting from the Spartan fanbase has been easy to ignore. But Dantonio, to his credit, realizes that the fan base is insanely tired of the "we'll get ‘em next year" mentality of program since Saban left. And the only way you change that mentality is with a little bit of force from the top. So, yeah, maybe Dantonio's being a little bit of a dick, but that's what he has to be to bring MSU back to relevance in the Big Ten and national picture. And to do that, he's got to take Michigan down.

BB: I will cop to writing this question solely to get a response from SCM, which he provided with aplomb. I do think that D'Antonio is rather prickish when it comes to Michigan, and I think his comments about Mike Hart's height were completely bush league, but uh, yeah Hart did have a mouth on him too, so there's that.

3) Greg Jones remains one of my favorite players in the Big Ten. His defense returns a ton of starters. What's your primary concern vis a vis our offense vs. their defense?

Greg Jones taking in the Citrus Bowl from field level. Photo via Collegefootballfansite.com

SCM: In the conference, MSU ranked 8th in total D and rushing D along with a 6th in pass D last season. So, uh, why exactly all of the hyperbole about the D heading into this season? Sure Greg Jones is talented, I have no qualms there. Yes they return 8 starters, but outside of the LBs, what scares you on that defense? My primary concern is making sure that we open up the middle of the field early on to get the rushing game going and prevent the Spartan D from simply throwing the kitchen sink at Forcier.

MnB Dave: Other than the linebackers, honestly, there's no one on the Spartan defense that really scares me. Oren Wilson at DT is good, but not spectacular. The same can be said for Trevor Anderson at DE. It's a decent returning pair, but you're also plugging in two new starters from your special teamers and limited back-ups into that line. What shocks me is that even as bad as Michigan was last year, its run defense was actually better than Michigan States'. Check out the numbers. I think MSU's run defense will improve a bit with the veteran ‘backers in the mix, but it's not a world beating defensive front. On the back end, the Spartans have two veteran corners, but some issues with their returning safeties (injuries, not being that good, etc...). I think deep coverage is going to be an issue this season as well. Bad safeties = nightmares. Trust me. I know this. With Michigan State's question mark next to Wilson, I think you'll see a lot of running away from Wilson and Anderson and towards the less experienced guys. I also think, as good as the linebackers are, you'll see a lot of the slot receiver on roll outs against the safeties. Once those safeties are up at the line, maybe lob some bombs deep. But the first priority is to gain yards against the unproven guys.

BB: The defense last year was good enough to win some ball games, but not quite experienced enough to lean too heavily on. That's why Ringer and Hoyer's ability to keep drives alive were paramount. This year, the defense is going to have to be a rock because this offense is likely to put them in some bad situations. Greg Jones is awesome, and when I look at this defensive unit, I see a lot of speed, which could make the read-option a non-option. They look to me to be a bit undersized (only one defensive lineman approaches 300 lbs, and sophomore DT Kevin Pickelman is 255 lbs.), and could be subjected to MINOR RAGE.

4) Given the track record for games played @ MSU, lay down some odds for what freaky occurrence will happen this year.

SCM: By freaky occurrence do you mean "cheating" ('01) or "horrifyingly blatant bad call" (Henne's "fumble" in '05)? Given the continuation of officials' inability to properly call a football game in this series (see Brandon Minor's "TD" last year) I think it's even money that something rage-inducing happens this year as well.

MnB Dave: Even money. You can't have a Michigan/Michigan State game without a referee doing something that makes pull your hair our.

BB: The absolutely horrendous officiating in this game has gone back and forth over the years, what with the "million-year second," the "forward pass fumble," and last year's "Minor-Pylon-TD." My guess is that a paraglider drops onto the field to disrupt play. Wait, that's already happened?

Anyway, it will be scored a touchdown for Purdue, who won't be involved in this game.

5) A lot of talk has been made of MSU snapping up in-state recruits. Address this.

SCM: I am not really concerned, I haven't seen many instances where U of M and MSU have been vying for the same coveted guy yet. Rodriguez gave perhaps the best quote on this topic: "To judge on that and give a perception that one school is dominating the state ... I don't know how much validity there is to that. I know the last couple years, the recruiting classes we've got what we've felt are the best players in the state. Our primary focus in recruiting starts in Michigan and expands in other areas of the Midwest and then south." The reporter followed with: "But there seems to be the perception that Michigan State is taking over the state in recruiting" Rodriguez responded "Last I checked, Mike Martin and Will Campbell were playing for Michigan. Depending on your agenda, whoever you talk to, whatever their agenda is will lead the conversation. I feel pretty good about our reputation in state." Huzzah. In other words, we've gotten the guys we've wanted to get out of the state of Michigan.

MnB Dave: Not that big a deal. Sure you'd like to nab all the top talent in-state every year, but that doesn't happen. Oh wait. It does. Anyone trumpeting the OMG MSU OWNZ0RS INSTATE!!1!!!1 isn't paying that much attention to who's being recruited. In the 2009 class, lessee... Michigan took the top player. Same in 2008. Same in 2007. It'll be the same in 2010 because Devin Gardner is pretty much a lock to be ranked as the top dual threat QB in the country. If there's an issue, MSU is snapping up a lot of guys to starter in East Lansing who would usually be depth guys at Michigan. That'll be something that needs to be addressed if Michigan's national presence doesn't allow them to recruit depth from across the country. Wait... it does? Never mind then.

It's not an issue.

BB: The bottom line here is that MSU has always grabbed some in-state recruits. Notice both their quarterbacks are in-state products, one a 4 star who committed to powerhouse Oklahoma before transfering. Michigan has, however, been able to nab the tippy-top talent from in-state while continuing to focus more on Florida and Texas. Campbell, Gardner, White, Martin - these are all players who have committed to Rodriguez during his tenure at Michigan. We'll always lose out on a Gholston every now and again (he appears to be headed to MSU, at any rate), but by and large, the tizzy about Michigan losing in-state recruits has been mostly fabricated by shaudenfraud-filled fans of opposing schools.

(If you're looking for other break downs, check out The Great College Football Debate on Notre Dame, Iowa and Penn State)

An Almost Timely Early Look at the 2009 Schedule - Week 9 vs. Michigan State

JG2112 — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:00:16 -0000

More photos » by David Banks - AP

Why must you be, such an angry old man?

Browse more photos »

Previously: Syracuse, The Air Force Academy, California, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Purdue, Penn State, ~~Ohio State~~.

Michigan State: At a glance:

Location: East Lansing, Michigan

Stadium: Spartan Stadium (size: 75,005)
Expected Attendance: 0. The game's in Minneapolis.
Undergraduate population: 36,337.
First season: 1896
Number of Big Ten Titles: 9 6
All-time record: 592-403-44
All-time bowl record: 7-11.

Most awesome alum: undoubtedly John C. Holmes, who .... oh wait, that's not him? Oh.

Well, then I guess it's a close race between Jimmy Hoffa and honorary alum Robert Mugabe. Yes, the Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe was once in possession of a Michigan State honorary degree (alas, it was revoked in 2008).

Most awesome Michigan State fan site: The Only Colors. Runner-up: Spartan Tailgate.

The Quad has Sparty as preseason # 31.

Jump with me.....

The Big Ten Network could care less if you have kids if you're a Gopher or Spartan fan. This game is slated for a 7:00 CST start on Halloween, which means 4 second row tickets in section 109 may go unused at the Vault, and instead of going overboard on beer at ~~TCF~~ Stub N Herb's, I'll load up on Sweet Tarts and Dubble Bubble. Thanks alot BTN - I may go trick or treating as Gerry DiNardo (XFL edition, of course) and scare all the neighborhood kids.

This will be Minnesota's first game against Michigan's agricultural school since 2006, when Minnesota won 31-18 in East Lansing. The teams' last meeting at Metrodump was in 2005, when Amir Pinnix rushed for 206 yards in a 41-18 victory. Of course, you can't talk 2005 Michigan State football without talking about John L. Smith and the bumbling coaches.

Times are changing, of course, and the dour, unhappy elephant Mark Dantonio is now the coach. He has instilled discipline, technique, and resolve to a team that found the second-half meltdown to be a rite of passage as the year got colder (something Coach Brewster has yet to solve for the Gophers). Last year, State went 9-4, losing to Cal, Ohio State, Penn State and Georgia. Most notably, Michigan State beat Michigan for the first time in 9 years (Plaxico?) and for the first time at Michigan Stadium since 1990.

While State has a number of pieces in place, there are a few significant questions marks that need to be solved and of course, they start with:

Michigan State on Offense: Brian Hoyer was the two-year starter and has now departed. Think of him as Bryan Cupito, and you'll realize how little he did or was noticed, and how his departure didn't even cause shoulders to shrug in central Michigan. This year has seen Oklahoma transfer (this guy couldn't beat out Sam Bradford at QB? FAIL) Keith Nicol and Kirk Cousins battle for the starting job. The position remains open as fall camp approaches.

Ever heard of Javon Ringer? If you watched every snap of every Michigan State game last year, you would have heard his name called 418 times, 390 of those on rushing plays. He's now backing up Chris Johnson and the tequila-free LenDale White in Tennessee, and leaves a significant hole in the MSU backfield. The returning rushers should be rather fresh as they only received 7% of the rushes. Andre Anderson, who got 26 of those in 2008, probably is first-string at this point, though incoming freshmen Edwin Baker and Larry Caple will probably get significant time as well.

State returns all but one of their top 9 wideouts and tight ends, including Blair White, BJ Cunningham, Mark Dell, each of whom had over 35 receptions last year, and TE Charlie Gantt.

Finally, on the O-line, State loses multi-year starters Roland Martin and Jesse Miller on the right side of their line, and will probably fill those spots with seniors Brendan Moss and John Stipek. The other three positions will probably be filled by Rocco Cironi, Joel Foreman, and Joel Nitchman.

Bottom Line: Michigan State's Offense: Think Ohio State. Think Iowa. Michigan State runs a conventional pro-style offense focusing upon the run game first, field position, conservative play-calling and play-action. The Spartans will be breaking in a new quarterback and new running backs the first part of the season, which could lead to problems when they play, say, Notre Dame. However, they should be aided by a strong defense that will give them good field position. By the time of the Minnesota game, the offense should be good for 23 points or so.

Michigan State's Defense: The defense is very solid, returning 8 starters. Dantonio's defensive focus (he was Ohio State's defensive coordinator when they won the 2003 BCS championship) has solidified what had been a porous unit in the past for the Green and White.

On the defensive line, MSU loses two starters, Long and Kershaw, but the best one, Trevor Anderson, returns. He had 30 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 8 sacks in 2008.

As for linebackers, all 3 starters return, but look for junior Greg Jones, the pre-season Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year. He had 127 tackles in 2008, calls the defenses and is almost unblockable. Also returning are the other two starters, Eric Gordon and (in a weird way, a meld of the Gophers' offensive attack) Adam Decker. Behind the returning starters is incoming freshman Chris Norman. This is probably the strongest part of the entire team. It will be important for Stommes, Wills and the other Gophers linemen to get releases from the defensive line and attempt to put a block on these linebackers - otherwise, the Gophers' rushing attack is going to get stalled due to the Spartans' stellar linebacking play.

The defensive backfield is also deep and talented, and in comparison to the Gophers, runs eight deep. Starting S Otis Wiley has departed, but Chris L. Rucker, Jeremy Ware, Marcus Hyde, and Dan Fortener return.

Bottom Line: Michigan State's Defense: State's defense is experienced, stout, and disciplined. If the Gophers' rushing game expects to have any success, it needs to put blocks on those solid Spartan linebackers. MSU also seems to have enough quality defensive backs to be able to deal with a 4 or 5 WR look should the Gophers choose to attack through the air. Finally, if the Gophers attempt to use MarQueis Gray in a WildRodent formation, well, he'll have to shed Greg Jones. I fear this is a match-up that the redshirt freshman QB will have difficulty with.

Michigan State on Special Teams: Both specialists return. Brett Swenson does the kicking, has a long of 50 yards, and is used to kicking in the cold and at night. The punter, Aaron Bates, punted 71 times in 2008, averaging over 41 ypk. Importantly, Michigan State is deep at wide receiver and at defensive back, meaning that some quality wide men will be on the kickoff and return teams. This unit I feel will be better than, say, Penn State's, and they may have the experience to stop Troy Stoudermire from having a big day.

Bottom Line: What to Expect: These are the kind of games that Minnesota is going to have trouble with: a well-drilled, disciplined team which plays the field position and punting game. Obviously, Minnesota is trying to move to this style of offense, but in year one, at game nine, they may not be there yet. Further, this is a serious trap game. The Gophers will be returning home after games at Ohio State and Penn State. It's Halloween night, so the players may be thinking ahead to the parties that evening (Sparty will be flying home and won't have that issue). The high-powered Illinois offense is at TCF seven days later. Michigan State may be an afterthought, as silly as that may seem for a team ranked third in the preseason prognostication for the Big Ten.

Looking at this game on August 5th, there are two keys for the Gophers to have success against the Spartans: (1) score early and force Michigan State to play catch-up; and (2) minimize Greg Jones's influence on the game. If they can do either of these things, the game stays close. If they do both, the chance of winning is very good.

However, I don't see it happening. The Spartans have the depth, experience and guile to combat the Gophers' offense, and it will have just enough offense to get the points it needs. The Agricultural School of Michigan will win its first trip to the Vault.

Michigan State 23

Minnesota 20

Poll

What will be the outcome of the Michigan State at Minnesota game on Halloween night, October 31st, 2009?

Michigan State - big victory

48 votes

Michigan State - squeaker

41 votes

Minnesota - overwhelming victory

18 votes

Minnesota - last second field goal, let's go to Sally's

65 votes

172 votes | Poll has closed

2009 Michigan State Spartans - Who Will Start at Halfback?

grahamfiller10 — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 14:51:14 -0000

Imagine you're in 6th grade again, playing a tackle football game on the playground. Your team is riding the 5'4'' kid, the one with facial hair already coming in, to a commanding victory until out of nowhere, big kid goes down in a heap and doesn't get up. As the playground attendant helps the now crying monster to the nurse's office, you look around at your ruddy teammates and think: "Who gets the ball now?"

That's how I feel when I review the Michigan State Spartans backfield. Javon Ringer carried the ball 390 times last year and with that workhorse gone to the NFL, it remains to be seen who will pick up the slack. With help from my friends at Spartans Weblog (the soon to be SBN Spartans Weblog - the Red Cedar on SBN!), we break down the halfback position for Mark Dantonio's 2009 squad.

Spartan Weblog contributors

GZEL = Ground Zero East Lansing

SHS = Stevehendershot

PDW = Patrick D Walters

LVS = LVS

Running Backs...By Committee. The point to re-emphasize is that MSU isn't losing part or even most of its running game -- it's losing its entire running game in the wake of Javon Ringer. To ascribe statistics and even height and weight measurements to Andre Anderson, Ashton Leggett and A.J.Jimmerson in an optimistic fashion is frankly a kindness. (PDW)

Andre Anderson, RB, 5'9'' 190 lbs, Sophomore Eligibility

A redshirt sophomore, he looks to be the extremely slight front runner so far. He averaged just under 4 yards a carry in 2008, and would likely be the starter if the position came down to pure rushing ability, but at 5-9 and 186, blocking ability is a concern. (GZEL)

Ashton Leggett, RB, 5'11'' 235 lbs, Sophomore Eligibility

Another redshirt sophomore, might get the nod. He's 5-11 and 228, and is the only player returning who scored a rushing touchdown last season, but had 7 net yards on 6 carries. (GZEL)

A.J. Jimmerson, RB, 5'10'' 205 lbs, Senior Eligibility

Jimmerson didn't fumble at all, but was given the ball just six times in 2008...as a redshirted junior. (PDW)

Glenn Winston, RB, 6'2'' 218 lbs, Sophomore Eligibility

On April 29, we find out Glenn Winston's sentence on charges brought up for misdemeanor aggravated assault and misdemeanor assault and battery that were levied after he allegedly -- Ha! -- broke the head of Michgan State hockey player A.J. Sturges at a fall house party. He's already pled guilty, he's already been suspended indefinitely from the team -- missing on the depth chart and thus missing spring ball -- and presumed persona non grata.

But here's the rub: He's 6-foot-2, fast, and heavier than any of the three listed above. He's off the radar because he's a "bad person" -- and he might be -- but the stark and perhaps unfortunate reality is that he's not going to serve time for a misdemeanor, and that he'll be a factor come fall.

Underlying kernel of unpleasant truth: Persona non grata Glenn Winston might be the most athletic back MSU has. (PDW)

Edwin Baker, RB, 5'10'' 195 lbs, Freshman

I'm betting Edwin Baker is the starting RB. He's the #5 RB in the nation according to Rivals, and the #41 player overall. (SHS)

Baker racked up 1,295 yards in 6 high school games last year before ending his season with a strained ligament in his left knee. (GZEL)

Larry Caper, RB, 5'11'' 215 lbs, Freshman

Caper rushed for over 3,000 yards in high school and has good size at 5'11", 205 lbs. (GZEL)