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MICHIGAN
STATE SPARTANS
2013
College Football Preview
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| OFFENSE
- 8 |
------RETURNING
STARTERS------ |
DEFENSE
- 7 |
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| KEY
LOSSES |
| OFFENSE:
Chris McDonald-OG, Larry Caper-TB, Dan
Conroy-K, Le'Veon Bell-RB (NFL), Dion
Sims-TE (NFL) |
| DEFENSE:
A.R.
White-NT, Chris Norman-STAR, Johnny
Adams-CB, William Gholston-DE (NFL) |
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Offensive
Line |
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| Offensive
Line / Secondary |
| This
offensive line is powerful
and experienced. Only
starter Chris McDonald
is gone but big time JUCO
transfer Fou Fonoti returns
from a foot injury that
sidelined him last fall.
He may be the best player
on this offense. If coaches
can locate a replacement
for Johnny Adams on the
corner this secondary
has the makings to be
the best in the Big Ten. |
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| Offensive
Skill Positions / Pass Rush |
There
are no playmakers on this
offense with the ball
in their hands, a reason
why the offensive line
is regarded as the star.
Losing Le'Veon Bell at
running back will sting.
The incumbents have promise
as do the quarterbacks
and receivers. But none
have shown they are capable
of helping this team win
with offense. The pass
rush was 11th best in
the Big Ten and now stud
defense end Williams Gholston
took his talent to the
NFL. |
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LB
Max Bullough |
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| MICHIGAN
STATE 2013 DEPTH CHART
Returning
Starters/Key
Players |
| OFFENSE |
| QB |
Andrew
Maxwell-Sr (6-3, 210) |
Connor
Cook-So (6-4, 218) |
| FB |
Trevon
Pendleton-So (5-11, 248) |
Niko
Palazeti-Jr (6-1, 252) |
| TB |
Riley
Bullough-RFr (6-2, 230) |
Nick
Hill-Jr (5-8, 198) |
| WR |
Aaron
Burbridge-So (6-1, 195) |
Macgarrett
Kings-So (5-10, 186) |
| WR |
Keith
Mumphrey-Jr (6-0, 208) |
DeAnthony
Arnett-Jr (5-11, 175) |
| WR |
Bennie
Fowler-Sr (6-1, 212) |
Tony
Lippett-Jr (6-3, 191) |
| TE |
Andrew
Gleichert-Jr (6-5, 263) |
Paul
Lang-So (6-5, 257) |
| OT |
Dan
France-Sr (6-6, 312) |
Donavon
Clark-So (6-3, 300) |
| OG |
Blake
Treadwell-Sr (6-3, 304) |
Connor
Kruse-Jr (6-4, 320) |
| C |
Travis
Jackson-Jr (6-3, 283) |
Kodi
Kieler-RFr (6-5, 326) |
| OG |
Jack
Allen-So (6-1, 297) |
Henry
Conway-Sr (6-6, 327) |
| OT |
Fou
Fonoti-Sr (6-4, 298) |
Skyler
Burkland-Jr (6-7, 315) |
| K |
Kevin
Cronin-RFr (6-1, 209) |
Kevin
Muma-Sr (6-0, 206) |
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| MICHIGAN
STATE 2013 DEPTH CHART
Returning
Starters/Key
Players |
| DEFENSE |
| DE |
Marcus
Rush-Jr (6-2, 245) |
Denzel
Drone-Sr (6-2, 251) / Joel Heath-So
(6-6, 260) |
| NT |
Micajah
Reynolds-Sr |
James
Kittredge-Jr (6-4, 252) |
| DT |
Tyler
Hoover-Sr (6-7, 290) |
Lawrence
Thomas-So (6-3, 305) |
| DE |
Shilique
Calhoun-So (6-4, 250) |
Jamal
Lyles-RFr (6-3, 246) |
| SLB |
Denicos
Allen-Sr (5-11, 218) |
Ed
Davis-So (6-3, 230) |
| MLB |
Max
Bullough-Sr (6-3, 245) |
Kyler
Elsworth-Sr (6-1, 225) |
| STAR |
Jairus
Jones-Sr (6-1, 213) |
Taiwan
Jones-Jr (6-3, 250) |
| CB |
Darqueze
Dennard-Sr (5-11, 197) |
Jermaine
Edmondson-RFr (6-0, 182) |
| CB |
Trae
Waynes-So (6-1, 185) |
Ezra
Robinson-RFr (6-0, 180) |
| SS |
Isaiah
Lewis-Sr (5-10, 208) |
RJ
Williamson-So (6-0, 212) |
| FS |
Kurtis
Drummond-Jr (6-1, 200) |
Demetrious
Cox-RFr (6-1, 199) |
| P |
Mike
Sadler-Jr (6-0, 192) |
Kevin
Muma-Sr (6-0, 206) |
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| QUICK
TAKES |
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- Cutting
to the chase, Michigan State has
been severely hampered by an underachieving
passing offense. It only seemed
to get worse later in the 2012 season.
Things were not expected to come
easy for first-time starter Andrew
Maxwell as he stepped in for NFL
quarterback Kirk Cousins and it
didn't. Putting points on the board
(107th nationally in scoring offense)
and completing passes (111th nationally
in passing efficiency) are numbers
that cannot be ignored.
- Word
on the East Lansing street is that
coach Dantonio is looking for a
running quarterback. Does that mean
redshirt freshman Tyler O'Connor
will see time on the field? Or will
pro-style quarterbacks like Andrew
Maxwell and Connor Cook continue
to hold the reigns? Looks like the
experience of Maxwell gives him
the edge. He has the potential to
be much better if he can start finding
the end zone more than throwing
picks.
- Big
Ten leading rusher Le'Veon Bell
took his wide body to the NFL a
year early. He was the major workhorse
which meant no one else got many
reps. Filling Bell's shoes will
take a committee approach which
is why coaches made an interesting
move shifting linebacker Riley Bullough
over to the tailback spot. Another
big bruiser like Bell, the 6'2,
232-pound redshirt frosh Bullough
will keep the power game from fading
too much. Nick Hill is the small
blazer who will add the lightning
portion to this attack.
- The
receivers were a rebuilding effort
heading into 2012 and they were
awful. The passing game suffered
and the effects could be felt in
the loss column. Good or bad...all
of these wideouts return.
- The
strength of the offense is easily
up front. The offensive line turned
out to be exceptionally good last
season and it gets everyone back
including the return of senior Fou
Fanoti, a former JUCO stand out
who got knocked out early last year
with a foot injury. This is a powerful,
experienced group.
- If
defense and a strong offensive line
wins championships, Michigan State
will do much better than people
expect. This was the best run defense
in the Big Ten last fall and much
of its starting parts return. The
pass rush is questionable with the
big loss of All-American defensive
end Williams Gholston but the secondary
and linebacking core led by All-American
Max Bullough in the middle will
be stout.
- This
will continue to be a running football
team that plays solid defense and
the Spartans will do it better next
season. Sure there were some inconsistencies
in the rushing attack, but these
issues can easily be ironed out
with better quarterback play.
- If
the offense can keep from being
a total liability the defense alone
should get the Spartans into a run
for the Roses.
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MICHIGAN
STATE 2013 SCHEDULE
Aug.
30 - Western Michigan
Sept. 7 - South Florida
Sept. 14 - Youngstown State
Sept. 21 - at Notre Dame
Oct. 5 - at Iowa
Oct. 12 - Indiana
Oct. 19 - Purdue
Oct. 26 - at Illinois
Nov. 2 - Michigan
Nov. 16 - at Nebraska
Nov. 23 - at Northwestern
Nov. 30 - Minnesota |
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