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johnny2x2x
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Playoffs are 3 weeks away, but I want to look ahead. We lose some star players, but we have a ton of returning studs too, if our passing game can be decent we can compete for the conference title again.
OFFENSE
QB- Tyler O'Conner and Damien Terry- O'Conner has a strong arm and is a good runner, between the two I think we'll be OK, hope to be close to a 2013 Connor Cook, this is the big question mark though.
RB- Scott, London, Holmes- Loaded here and should be the strength of the offense. Scott is a Heisman candidate waiting to happen, I can't remember a back here who was harder to tackle.
TE- Price, Lyles, Sokel, Chmura- Again, a healthy Price for all of the next season and this group is outstanding at blocking and receiving.
FB- Sokol/Chmura, we'll miss Pendleton's blocking.
OLine- Conklin, Allen, McGowan, Clemens, Kieler- hearing Conklin is leaning towards returning, if he does this will be the best O line in the conference again. If he doesn't I hop Finley is healthy enough to start at LT, he looked outstanding in his time, Kieler could move to LT if Conklin leaves. Beedle, Machado, and Padla will be in the rotation. We're also in the top 2 for a 5 star JUCO LT that if he picks us would play right away.
WR- Shelton, Madaris, Davis III, Chambers, Barksdale, Mackshood, Stewart. Another big question, Shelton is a very good #2 receiver, but he'll never be a #1 target. Madaris has shown flashes but an inability to stat healthy. Davis made a big catch in the BCG and has great length and speed. Cam Chambers is my pick to play as a freshman, he's an early enrollee and has an NFL body already, this guy was a top 50 player before he committed early to us, has huge strong hands, is a 4.0 student and can run. This group will need 2 guys to step up.
DEFENSE
DE- Cooper, E Jones, Sweat, Alexander, Peat Another question mark. Cooper has 5.5 career sacks and has flashed at times, he has more physical ability than Calhoun, but needs better technique and to bring it every play. Evan Jones is nothing more than solid. Sweat has been suspended, but was seeing a lot of snaps before that, will be a stud eventually. We'll need one of the RS freshmen to step up.
DT-McDowell, Knox, Evans, Smith Jr. Raquan Williams, Owens,- Probably the top group of DTs in the country, McDowell will be on everyone's preseason AA team. Evans was just as good as McDowell at times. Knox is getting a 6th year and is a starter on any other team in the conference. Smith Jr is healthy now and really has stepped up. Owens has played and Raquan Williams could have played and been a factor this season had we needed. Naquan Jones might see the field as a true freshman. This is the best group I can ever remember at MSU.
LB- Davis, Bullough, Reschke, Fry, S Jones, A Dowell, D Martinez- Another unit that is the deepest and best I can remember us having here. Davis returning is huge, he's one of the best pass rushers in the country, he might end up playing some DE for us too. Reschke is a stud, Bullough is better than his brother, Dowell was excellent for us this season, aFry is an animal and has speed to burn. Shane Jones role grew and he produced. Drake Martinez is too good an athlete to not see the field. Tyriq Thompson is going to find a role too. This group is absolutely loaded.
DBs- Copeland, Nicholson, Cox, Hicks, Miller, Morrisey, Smith, Edmundson, Willis, Butler. Another crazy deep group. Copeland's injury has not kept him from running and doing some drills, he's on schedule to return and he'll be the next great corner here. Hicks has really come on. This unit has been pretty good in coverage the last few weeks and should go to being elite next season. The injuries were a blessing in disguise in that a ton of kids now have big game experience. Possible Miller moves to LB, but we're pretty loaded there too.
SPECIAL TEAMS:
K- Geiger, he looks healthy and confident now, he narrowly missed a pair of 53 yard kicks Saturday, the 1st one had the distance to be good from 58. I think he has a great senior season.
P- Hartbarger- Is a very good and sometimes great punter. His 61 yarder flipped the field Saturday, should only get better.
KR-Shelton holds this spot down.
PR-Shelton/Copeland Really an area we need improvement in.
Over all, it's a very deep team, but there are 3 question areas QB, WR, and DE. I can see us losing to ND early in the season, but then being a much improved team by week 6 or so. 10 win seasons are the new expected floor for MSU Football.
O line, RB, TE, DT, LB, and DB are all very deep and talented and will be areas of strength for the team. We've got a ton of guys who have played a lot of football. I think DE will be more than fine. It's the passing game that is the key, O'Conner will win the job IMO, but Terry will have some packages to run too. I think the team will be deeper next season over all.
OFFENSE
QB- Tyler O'Conner and Damien Terry- O'Conner has a strong arm and is a good runner, between the two I think we'll be OK, hope to be close to a 2013 Connor Cook, this is the big question mark though.
RB- Scott, London, Holmes- Loaded here and should be the strength of the offense. Scott is a Heisman candidate waiting to happen, I can't remember a back here who was harder to tackle.
TE- Price, Lyles, Sokel, Chmura- Again, a healthy Price for all of the next season and this group is outstanding at blocking and receiving.
FB- Sokol/Chmura, we'll miss Pendleton's blocking.
OLine- Conklin, Allen, McGowan, Clemens, Kieler- hearing Conklin is leaning towards returning, if he does this will be the best O line in the conference again. If he doesn't I hop Finley is healthy enough to start at LT, he looked outstanding in his time, Kieler could move to LT if Conklin leaves. Beedle, Machado, and Padla will be in the rotation. We're also in the top 2 for a 5 star JUCO LT that if he picks us would play right away.
WR- Shelton, Madaris, Davis III, Chambers, Barksdale, Mackshood, Stewart. Another big question, Shelton is a very good #2 receiver, but he'll never be a #1 target. Madaris has shown flashes but an inability to stat healthy. Davis made a big catch in the BCG and has great length and speed. Cam Chambers is my pick to play as a freshman, he's an early enrollee and has an NFL body already, this guy was a top 50 player before he committed early to us, has huge strong hands, is a 4.0 student and can run. This group will need 2 guys to step up.
DEFENSE
DE- Cooper, E Jones, Sweat, Alexander, Peat Another question mark. Cooper has 5.5 career sacks and has flashed at times, he has more physical ability than Calhoun, but needs better technique and to bring it every play. Evan Jones is nothing more than solid. Sweat has been suspended, but was seeing a lot of snaps before that, will be a stud eventually. We'll need one of the RS freshmen to step up.
DT-McDowell, Knox, Evans, Smith Jr. Raquan Williams, Owens,- Probably the top group of DTs in the country, McDowell will be on everyone's preseason AA team. Evans was just as good as McDowell at times. Knox is getting a 6th year and is a starter on any other team in the conference. Smith Jr is healthy now and really has stepped up. Owens has played and Raquan Williams could have played and been a factor this season had we needed. Naquan Jones might see the field as a true freshman. This is the best group I can ever remember at MSU.
LB- Davis, Bullough, Reschke, Fry, S Jones, A Dowell, D Martinez- Another unit that is the deepest and best I can remember us having here. Davis returning is huge, he's one of the best pass rushers in the country, he might end up playing some DE for us too. Reschke is a stud, Bullough is better than his brother, Dowell was excellent for us this season, aFry is an animal and has speed to burn. Shane Jones role grew and he produced. Drake Martinez is too good an athlete to not see the field. Tyriq Thompson is going to find a role too. This group is absolutely loaded.
DBs- Copeland, Nicholson, Cox, Hicks, Miller, Morrisey, Smith, Edmundson, Willis, Butler. Another crazy deep group. Copeland's injury has not kept him from running and doing some drills, he's on schedule to return and he'll be the next great corner here. Hicks has really come on. This unit has been pretty good in coverage the last few weeks and should go to being elite next season. The injuries were a blessing in disguise in that a ton of kids now have big game experience. Possible Miller moves to LB, but we're pretty loaded there too.
SPECIAL TEAMS:
K- Geiger, he looks healthy and confident now, he narrowly missed a pair of 53 yard kicks Saturday, the 1st one had the distance to be good from 58. I think he has a great senior season.
P- Hartbarger- Is a very good and sometimes great punter. His 61 yarder flipped the field Saturday, should only get better.
KR-Shelton holds this spot down.
PR-Shelton/Copeland Really an area we need improvement in.
Over all, it's a very deep team, but there are 3 question areas QB, WR, and DE. I can see us losing to ND early in the season, but then being a much improved team by week 6 or so. 10 win seasons are the new expected floor for MSU Football.
O line, RB, TE, DT, LB, and DB are all very deep and talented and will be areas of strength for the team. We've got a ton of guys who have played a lot of football. I think DE will be more than fine. It's the passing game that is the key, O'Conner will win the job IMO, but Terry will have some packages to run too. I think the team will be deeper next season over all.
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