Injuries.

[johnny2x2x]

Been crazy this season so far. A recap.
Davis- out for season
Copeland- out for season
Kieler-hearing he's still a couple weeks away
Heat-Missed last game
Conklin- hearing he'll be ready next week, but who knows.
Harris missed parts of the last two games.
Williamson- playing with a bad shoulder and knee.
McDowell- playing dinged up
Thomas- playing dinged up
Calhoun- playing dinged up
Meyer- suspended
Sweat- suspended
Hicks-still getting back to 100%

Just a ton of injuries. We have yet to play a great game and are now missing a lot of players.

 

[Sbee]

We've lived a charmed life for the previous two seasons but now it's averaging out. We've missed more man games by defensive starters that all of 2013 and 2014 combined

I'd kill to have a bye one of these weeks but if you can have that purdue and Rutgers will suffice

 

[jwlcosu]

I didn't realize until today the extent of the Spartan injury problem. Not good.

 

[LuciousGameWinner]

Purdue and Rutgers should be easy games, but Purdue always plays us tough. Bye week would really help...Copeland is missed dearly. Ed Davis too.

 

[johnny2x2x]

Madaris and Drake Martinez have yet to dress this year yet either because of injuries. Both were expected to be in the rotation.

 

[SpartyNash]

Purdue and Rutgers should be easy games, but Purdue always plays us tough. Bye week would really help...Copeland is missed dearly. Ed Davis too.

If we don't kill Purdue then I will be pissed. They will not win a Big Ten game this year.

 

[johnny2x2x]

Dantonio said today that there were no season ending injuries last weekend. Hearing different things about Conklin, could be back this weekend or he could miss a couple weeks.

 

[Sbee]

If we don't kill Purdue then I will be pissed. They will not win a Big Ten game this year.

look for them to run 50 bubble screens against us

 

[johnny2x2x]

Heath is back and will start on Saturday. Price is questionable, but I think he should play. I doubt we see Conklin this week.

One thing is that injuries build future depth. I think Finley really needed to see some series and he looked really good save for the 1st few plays. McGowan has been excellent at times. Machado has been so so. I think the guy who has struggled on the O line has been Brian Allen actually. Kieler getting back is huge because I think Clark is absolutely dominant at guard and he plays more tackle without Kieler.

On the D line, Craig Evans is a load and is seeing a ton of snaps. A rotation of Heath, McDowell, Evans, and Knox is as good as any rotation in the country. You can see how Cooper is going to be a force when Calhoun is gone too.

I really think our LB depth is now solid, we have 6 guys who can play and play well there, and are going to be a strength of this team going forward.

The secondary is a work in progress, but there is some young talent there. Should eb a strength next season.

 

[LuciousGameWinner]

I agree with everything up until the point of where you said "the secondary should be a strength next year" I'm not buying that one bit! Who starts opposite of Copeland?

 

[johnny2x2x]

I agree with everything up until the point of where you said "the secondary should be a strength next year" I'm not buying that one bit! Who starts opposite of Copeland?

Cox or Hicks. Hicks just needs to get healthy, but he's showing some signs of being solid again.

 

[dubbsco]

I don't doubt you guys are riddled with injuries, but I don't know if you can include "suspended" and "dinged up" on that list.

Suspended isn't the coaches fault, that's a kid making a mistake, and what player isn't dinged up??

 

[Sbee]

Dinged up is a term Dantonio uses when someone is injured but not out long term. That's how he described harris vs air force and he only played a few series.

 

[johnny2x2x]

Hearing that Conklin will be a day before the game or a game time decision. He probably could play if it was an emergency. Price is the same thing.

 

[johnny2x2x]

Hearing that Monty Madaris is back to 100% from a thigh injury that has kept him out. Should play this weekend. He's someone we really thought was going to step up and fill a role. Kings, Shelton, and Arnett are all smallish slot guys, Madaris gives us another bigger bodied guy and he's an excellent blocker with good hands.

 

[johnny2x2x]

It's a disaster on the injury front. Finley is done for the year. Kings didn't play. Williamson is hurt again.

We have about 9 or 10 regulars out and several other guys playing hurt. If Conklin doesn't come back we are in trouble.

 

[Sbee]

Davis
Copeland
Williamson
Conklin
Kieler
Finley
Pendleton
Kings

We're in big trouble. We've been the beneficiary of good luck with injuries and well timed byes in years past. This year is evening it all out

 

[johnny2x2x]

Our 6-1 All American center was playing Left Tackle for us yesterday. We are behind screwed if Conklin doesn't come back soon.

 

[Sbee]

You have to assume clark plays lt next week and allen moves to center or right tackle

 

[Sbee]

Rj Williamson had bicep surgery, out until bowl game.