- Thread Author
- #1
johnny2x2x
Senior Member
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2011
- Messages
- 12,628
Just completed a great season, but the team has legitimate National Title aspirations from here on out. We bring back a ton on offense and defense, depth is the team's biggest strength and that won't change in 2014, here's my projected starters/2 deep and beyond:
Offense:
QB Conner Cook- 2nd team All B1G, Kid just has "it", has an NFL arm and enough mobility to buy time to make plays, he made some mistakes in the RB, but also looked like a future NFL star much of the game. Damien Terry will get some snaps somehow in 14'.
RB Jeremy Langford- Showed he has burst and great vision and balance, 2nd team All B1G.
RB Gerald Holmes- By all accounts was a beast on the scout team and by the end of the year was more than good enough to play, but we wanted to save his red shirt.
RB Nick Hill- Is good for depth and he ran hard and was hard to tackle when he got carries this year. Think he actually had a few hundred yards this year.
FB- Trevor Pendleton- A great blocker in the open field, he sprung many big plays this year, also is growing as a pass catcher and is a threat out of the backfield.
WR- Tony Lippett- Showed he's clutch and has great hands, he's a good athlete and the big possession receiver you want
WR- McGarrett Kings- Electric playmaker with elite speed and cutting ability, was our best receiver at times, also returns punts, he's a better version of Keyshawn Martin.
WR- Aaron Burbridge, look for him to get healthy and make a big leap forward.
WR- DeAnthony Arnett- Redshirted in 13'. was a beast on the scout team and has 2 years of eligibility remaining, grew up a lot, and added the bulk necessary to be a B1G WR.
WR- Keith Mumphrey- Another fast guy who had some huge catches for us in 2013.
WR- Monty Madaris- Hard worker, who is a good blocker down field, will get a chance to make an impact in 14'.
WR- Bennie Fowler is 50-50 on returning for a 6th year, but I think he has a chance to take the next step if he does come back.
WR/RB/KR RJ Shelton, played as a true freshman and scored a few TDs, is one of the fastest guys on the team.
WR/athlete Andre Sims Jr, another play maker who is quick.
TE- Josiah Price- Really grew into a sure handed and reliable option for Cook, he's just a sophomore and could be really good.
TE- Michael Dennis- At 6-7, 300 lbs, he a blocker and an extra O lineman.
TE- Andrew Gelichart- Was a good blocker and showed he can catch the odd pass or two.
TE- Paul Lang- Showed he was a good blocker and made a few catches the last couple years.
O line will again "start" 8 guys.
LT- Jack Conklin, 6-6, 326 lbs, kid was our best pass blocker as a freshman, the sky is the limit, NFL scouts should start taking notice this year. Was a freshman All American.
LG-Conner Kruse, 6-4, 320, Played every game this season and was more than solid, he'll be replacing our best O lineman in Treadwell.
C-Jack Allen- 6-1, 297, All B1G 2nd team, guy is a beast and might be the strongest player on the team,
RG- Travis Jackson- 6-3, 290, former freshman All American is finally healthy and started the Rose Bowl and played great.
RT- Skylar Burkland- 6-7, 325, surprise here, but I've heard he is going to make a comeback in 2014 and is determined to have one healthy year. Kid has the talent to be dominant.
T/G Donovan Clark- 6-4, 300, versatile co starter will play plenty of snaps every game and possibly start ahead of Kruse.
OL Kody Kieler- 6-5, 326, huge player who is a natural center, but will probably start at RT if Burkland can't come back.
Zack Higgins 6-4, 315/Benny Mcgowan 6-3, 312 One of these two sophomores will be our 8th "starting" O lineman and play extensively, the other will still see some time.
Defense: Will got two or three deep here, because some of our 2nd string guys will play just as much as the starters.
SDE: Shilique Calhoun, 6-4, 255, 2nd team All American, Guy is explosive, I expect him to be better in 2014.
DT- Damon Knox- 6-4, 280, started several games in 13' and was making plays until he got a little nicked up towards the end of the season.
NT- Brandon Clemens- 6-3, 300 Played a lot in the Rose Bowl and beat double teams, caved in the Stanford O line on a few plays and had 2 tackles and 1 TFL. I think he passes a couple guys to start, looked very good in the RB.
WDE- Marcus Rush- 6-2, 245, All B1G 3rd team, 4 year starter is solid.
SDE Demetrius Cooper, 6-6-1/2, 240 lbs, This is the freak athlete of the entire team, he's unblockable as a pass rusher on the scout team and we think he's got the potential to be the best that's played at MSU in a long time.
DE- Lawrence Thomas, 6-3, 280, He's going to stick at DE and make a big impact in 2014.
DE/DT Joel Heath- 6-6, 260, played some inside and outside and was solid in 2013, was a big part of the rotation.
DE- James Lyles- 6-3, 250, bouncing around a little, but he'll have a chance to play if not here at TE.
DT Mark Scarpinato- 6-3, 286, Got a couple of starts in 2013 and was a solid player already for us. Will push to start, but will play extensively regardless.
NT James Kittridge- 6-4, 270, Was a force in 2012, but sickness cause him to miss most of 2013, he's a penetrating force and will contribute if not start in 2014.
SLB- Taiwan Jones- Played out of his mind at the Rose Bowl, led the team in tackles, is big and fast, I expect him to be an All B1G player in 2014.
MLB- Darien Harris- He actually had a better game than Elsworth in the RB, 5 tackles 1 TFL, he's a little undersized, and might not play every down.
WLB- Ed Davis, Had a great 2013 season with 2-1/2 sacks vs Michigan, and 1-1/2 vS Ohio State, has big shoes to fill in Denicos, but he is ready to take the next step.
MLB- Joe Reschke- Really wish he hadn't been hurt so he could have understudied more under Max Bullough, still might be our starter by September.
WLB- Shane Jones- Was reportedly one of the best players on the scout team and will play extensively in 2014
LB Riley Bullough and Delton Williams should get a chance to play, I think Williams moves to LB, likes defense better.
FCB- Ezra Robinson, there will be a ton of competition for this, but word was Ezra was threatening to start ahead of Waynes last Spring before he had some off field issues, coaches think he's a stud.
FS- Kurtis Drummond 1st team All B1G, Was our best safety in 2013, great in run support and better than Lewis in pass coverage.
SS- RJ Williamson- Has had some starts in his career, is a better athlete than Lewis, better in pass coverage, but will need to get better in run support.
BCB- Trae Waynes- All B1G 2nd team, the next great CB at MSU, I expect him to threaten as an All America, has great size, is lightning quick, and runs a legit 4.3.
NB- Demetrius Cox- Played some in the backfield this year, will be expected to take a much bigger role in 2014
CB Darien Hicks, played as a true freshman and showed he has some ability, Hicks was the top corner back that Dantonio and staff evaluated in his recruiting class, they think he has a chance to be special Should challenge Ezra to start.
CB Arjen Colquhen- Another fast and talented kid, don't count him out to start either.
CB- Jeremy Edmundson, played as a RS freshman, will get a chance to earn more time.
S/SLB for 3rd down Mylan Hicks, talented kid who has played some good football at MSU, but has been beaten out, but will have a chance to contribute in 2014.
K- Matt Geiger- Was great as a freshman, All B1G HM, freshman AA.
P- Mike Sadler- All B1G 1st team, he's one of the best punters in the country.
Kings and Shelton will handle return duties again.
Other guys who could play, OT Dennis Finley 6-7, 305, might be ready to get some snaps if needed. DT Delvyn Salmon, was explosive on the scout team as a freshman. DL Noah Jones, was also great on the scout team. TE Dylan Chmura, heard great things about him all year. DB Justin Williams, anyone who ran a 10.40 100m in high school is one of the fastest players in the B1G, heard some good things about Williams.
We lose some key starters, but we have been so deep the last couple years that we have a literally 40+ guys who have played extensively for us. I love what we have done with the O line as we have 5 players returning who played meaningful snaps in every game this season. The defense went 2 and 3 deep all season at every position, so we have a ton of guys who have made plays for us already. Corner back is probably the 1 position where we don't have a guy who was playing a lot of snaps to replace Dennard.
We'll be a top 10 preseason team for sure, maybe top 5, if I had to guess, I'd say 6th or 7th. We have a great opportunity to travel to Oregon and get a big win in the 2nd game of the season. Win that and we're rolling. OSU, Mich, and Nebraska all come to SS.
I see 9-3 as the floor for 2014 and the sky is the limit. The future is very very bright.
Offense:
QB Conner Cook- 2nd team All B1G, Kid just has "it", has an NFL arm and enough mobility to buy time to make plays, he made some mistakes in the RB, but also looked like a future NFL star much of the game. Damien Terry will get some snaps somehow in 14'.
RB Jeremy Langford- Showed he has burst and great vision and balance, 2nd team All B1G.
RB Gerald Holmes- By all accounts was a beast on the scout team and by the end of the year was more than good enough to play, but we wanted to save his red shirt.
RB Nick Hill- Is good for depth and he ran hard and was hard to tackle when he got carries this year. Think he actually had a few hundred yards this year.
FB- Trevor Pendleton- A great blocker in the open field, he sprung many big plays this year, also is growing as a pass catcher and is a threat out of the backfield.
WR- Tony Lippett- Showed he's clutch and has great hands, he's a good athlete and the big possession receiver you want
WR- McGarrett Kings- Electric playmaker with elite speed and cutting ability, was our best receiver at times, also returns punts, he's a better version of Keyshawn Martin.
WR- Aaron Burbridge, look for him to get healthy and make a big leap forward.
WR- DeAnthony Arnett- Redshirted in 13'. was a beast on the scout team and has 2 years of eligibility remaining, grew up a lot, and added the bulk necessary to be a B1G WR.
WR- Keith Mumphrey- Another fast guy who had some huge catches for us in 2013.
WR- Monty Madaris- Hard worker, who is a good blocker down field, will get a chance to make an impact in 14'.
WR- Bennie Fowler is 50-50 on returning for a 6th year, but I think he has a chance to take the next step if he does come back.
WR/RB/KR RJ Shelton, played as a true freshman and scored a few TDs, is one of the fastest guys on the team.
WR/athlete Andre Sims Jr, another play maker who is quick.
TE- Josiah Price- Really grew into a sure handed and reliable option for Cook, he's just a sophomore and could be really good.
TE- Michael Dennis- At 6-7, 300 lbs, he a blocker and an extra O lineman.
TE- Andrew Gelichart- Was a good blocker and showed he can catch the odd pass or two.
TE- Paul Lang- Showed he was a good blocker and made a few catches the last couple years.
O line will again "start" 8 guys.
LT- Jack Conklin, 6-6, 326 lbs, kid was our best pass blocker as a freshman, the sky is the limit, NFL scouts should start taking notice this year. Was a freshman All American.
LG-Conner Kruse, 6-4, 320, Played every game this season and was more than solid, he'll be replacing our best O lineman in Treadwell.
C-Jack Allen- 6-1, 297, All B1G 2nd team, guy is a beast and might be the strongest player on the team,
RG- Travis Jackson- 6-3, 290, former freshman All American is finally healthy and started the Rose Bowl and played great.
RT- Skylar Burkland- 6-7, 325, surprise here, but I've heard he is going to make a comeback in 2014 and is determined to have one healthy year. Kid has the talent to be dominant.
T/G Donovan Clark- 6-4, 300, versatile co starter will play plenty of snaps every game and possibly start ahead of Kruse.
OL Kody Kieler- 6-5, 326, huge player who is a natural center, but will probably start at RT if Burkland can't come back.
Zack Higgins 6-4, 315/Benny Mcgowan 6-3, 312 One of these two sophomores will be our 8th "starting" O lineman and play extensively, the other will still see some time.
Defense: Will got two or three deep here, because some of our 2nd string guys will play just as much as the starters.
SDE: Shilique Calhoun, 6-4, 255, 2nd team All American, Guy is explosive, I expect him to be better in 2014.
DT- Damon Knox- 6-4, 280, started several games in 13' and was making plays until he got a little nicked up towards the end of the season.
NT- Brandon Clemens- 6-3, 300 Played a lot in the Rose Bowl and beat double teams, caved in the Stanford O line on a few plays and had 2 tackles and 1 TFL. I think he passes a couple guys to start, looked very good in the RB.
WDE- Marcus Rush- 6-2, 245, All B1G 3rd team, 4 year starter is solid.
SDE Demetrius Cooper, 6-6-1/2, 240 lbs, This is the freak athlete of the entire team, he's unblockable as a pass rusher on the scout team and we think he's got the potential to be the best that's played at MSU in a long time.
DE- Lawrence Thomas, 6-3, 280, He's going to stick at DE and make a big impact in 2014.
DE/DT Joel Heath- 6-6, 260, played some inside and outside and was solid in 2013, was a big part of the rotation.
DE- James Lyles- 6-3, 250, bouncing around a little, but he'll have a chance to play if not here at TE.
DT Mark Scarpinato- 6-3, 286, Got a couple of starts in 2013 and was a solid player already for us. Will push to start, but will play extensively regardless.
NT James Kittridge- 6-4, 270, Was a force in 2012, but sickness cause him to miss most of 2013, he's a penetrating force and will contribute if not start in 2014.
SLB- Taiwan Jones- Played out of his mind at the Rose Bowl, led the team in tackles, is big and fast, I expect him to be an All B1G player in 2014.
MLB- Darien Harris- He actually had a better game than Elsworth in the RB, 5 tackles 1 TFL, he's a little undersized, and might not play every down.
WLB- Ed Davis, Had a great 2013 season with 2-1/2 sacks vs Michigan, and 1-1/2 vS Ohio State, has big shoes to fill in Denicos, but he is ready to take the next step.
MLB- Joe Reschke- Really wish he hadn't been hurt so he could have understudied more under Max Bullough, still might be our starter by September.
WLB- Shane Jones- Was reportedly one of the best players on the scout team and will play extensively in 2014
LB Riley Bullough and Delton Williams should get a chance to play, I think Williams moves to LB, likes defense better.
FCB- Ezra Robinson, there will be a ton of competition for this, but word was Ezra was threatening to start ahead of Waynes last Spring before he had some off field issues, coaches think he's a stud.
FS- Kurtis Drummond 1st team All B1G, Was our best safety in 2013, great in run support and better than Lewis in pass coverage.
SS- RJ Williamson- Has had some starts in his career, is a better athlete than Lewis, better in pass coverage, but will need to get better in run support.
BCB- Trae Waynes- All B1G 2nd team, the next great CB at MSU, I expect him to threaten as an All America, has great size, is lightning quick, and runs a legit 4.3.
NB- Demetrius Cox- Played some in the backfield this year, will be expected to take a much bigger role in 2014
CB Darien Hicks, played as a true freshman and showed he has some ability, Hicks was the top corner back that Dantonio and staff evaluated in his recruiting class, they think he has a chance to be special Should challenge Ezra to start.
CB Arjen Colquhen- Another fast and talented kid, don't count him out to start either.
CB- Jeremy Edmundson, played as a RS freshman, will get a chance to earn more time.
S/SLB for 3rd down Mylan Hicks, talented kid who has played some good football at MSU, but has been beaten out, but will have a chance to contribute in 2014.
K- Matt Geiger- Was great as a freshman, All B1G HM, freshman AA.
P- Mike Sadler- All B1G 1st team, he's one of the best punters in the country.
Kings and Shelton will handle return duties again.
Other guys who could play, OT Dennis Finley 6-7, 305, might be ready to get some snaps if needed. DT Delvyn Salmon, was explosive on the scout team as a freshman. DL Noah Jones, was also great on the scout team. TE Dylan Chmura, heard great things about him all year. DB Justin Williams, anyone who ran a 10.40 100m in high school is one of the fastest players in the B1G, heard some good things about Williams.
We lose some key starters, but we have been so deep the last couple years that we have a literally 40+ guys who have played extensively for us. I love what we have done with the O line as we have 5 players returning who played meaningful snaps in every game this season. The defense went 2 and 3 deep all season at every position, so we have a ton of guys who have made plays for us already. Corner back is probably the 1 position where we don't have a guy who was playing a lot of snaps to replace Dennard.
We'll be a top 10 preseason team for sure, maybe top 5, if I had to guess, I'd say 6th or 7th. We have a great opportunity to travel to Oregon and get a big win in the 2nd game of the season. Win that and we're rolling. OSU, Mich, and Nebraska all come to SS.
I see 9-3 as the floor for 2014 and the sky is the limit. The future is very very bright.
Last edited:
