No. 2 (tied) – Michigan State
Right: Senior Javon Ringer is the best running back in the Big Ten not nicknamed “Beanie.”
Athlon Sports Photo
This is the tenth in a series of previews on the 11 teams in the Big Ten in the order I predict them to finish.
Michigan State
Predicted finish in Big Ten: Tied for 2nd, 6-2
In my last preview, I predicted that Purdue would end up towards the top of the Big Ten standings because I love dark horses, but the Boilermakers may be a stretch. Michigan State, however, as all of the ingredients to challenge the top teams in the conference.
During the 2007 season under first-year head coach Mark Dantonio, the Spartans won their first four games before limping to an overall record of 7-6. But Michigan State did earn a bowl invite, their first in four years, to the Champs Sports Bowl losing to Boston College 24-21.
Of Michigan State’s six losses, no team beat them by more than a touchdown margin, and that includes games against Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin and the aforementioned Boston College. The Spartans other two losses came in overtime.
Dantonio, a native of Zanesville, Ohio, was an graduate assistant at Ohio State from 1983-84, and later served as the defensive backs coach at Youngstown State from 1986-90 under current Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel.
Dantonio also served as an assistant at Michigan State under former head coaches Nick Saban and Bobby Williams from 1995 through the 2000 seasons.
In 2001, Dantonio reunited with his former Youngstown State boss and good friend at Ohio State for three seasons as defensive coordinator. His defense became known as one of the stingiest in the country. During the Buckeyes’ 2002 National Championship season, Ohio State ranked second nationally in scoring defense and third in rushing defense.
In the 2003 season, his defense ranked number one in the country in rushing defense and ninth in total defense, which led the Buckeyes to an 11-2 record and No. 4 national ranking and a BCS bowl invite.
Six Buckeye defenders were named first team All-Big Ten during Dantonio’s tenure at Ohio State and thirteen were drafted into the NFL, including two first round picks in Chris Gamble and Will Smith.
After leaving Ohio State, Dantonio went on the guide the Cincinnati Bearcats for three seasons compiling a record of 18-17 before being named head coach at Michigan State to replace John L. Smith.
Dantonio has seven starters returning on offense, which include senior quarterback Brian Hoyer and senior running back Javon Ringer.
Hoyer passed for 2,725 yards with 20 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while Ringer gained 1,447 yards on 245 carries (5.9 yards per attempt) and six more scores.
If there are major holes that need to be filled on the offensive side of the ball, it’s in the receiving corps. The Spartans top returning pass-catcher is Ringer, who a hauled in 35 balls for 295 yards.
Gone form last year’s team is wide receiver Devin Thomas, who left following his junior year after posting 79 receptions for a Big Ten-leading 1,260 yards and eight touchdowns. He was then selected in the second round, 34th overall, by the Washington Redskins in April’s NFL draft.
Two poised to become Hoyer’s favorite target is sophomore Mark Dell and senior Deon Curry, though both only combined to catch 44 passes for 420 yards and three TDs last year.
Three starting offensive lineman return with senior right tackle Jesse Miller, senior left guard Roland Martin, and junior center Joel Nitchman.
While the offense averaged 33.1 points per game, good for second place in the Big Ten, the defense allowed 26.6 points per outing, ranking the Spartans eighth in the conference.
When Danotnio came in last year, he eliminated the bandit linebacker and moved the Spartans into a more traditional 4-3 scheme just like the one he implemented at Ohio State. As the architect of the 2002 National Championship defense, progress should be noticeable in his second season.
Five starters return on the defensive side of the ball, including last season’s leading tackler, sophomore middle linebacker Greg Jones. He will anchor the defense after moving from strongside to the middle this season. Jones led the team with 78 stops (8.5 tackles for a loss), along with 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
Joining Jones as another returning starter from last season is sophomore weakside linebacker Eric Gordon (not the Indiana basketball player), who recorded 62 tackles, fourth-best on the team in 2007 as a freshman.
Two starters return in the secondary which include senior strong safety Otis Wiley, who led the team in interceptions with four and had 49 tackles, plus senior cornerback Kendall Davis-Clark, who was second on the team with 72 tackles and also tallied four sacks.
The defensive line has the least amount of experience with only one returning starter in fifth-year senior defensive tackle Justin Kershaw. He managed to record a respectable 34 tackles but had just 1.5 sacks. Senior defensive end Brandon Long and his bookend, junior Trevor Anderson, who transferred from Cincinnati, will have to step up to get consistent pressure on the quarterback.
Michigan State’s conference schedule is quite favorable, taking on the likes of Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Purdue at home. The Spartans two toughest road games are at Michigan and Penn State. But with the Wolverines going to have a down year, stealing a win away from East Lansing will have the MSU towards the top of the standings at the end of the season.
Sept. 27 at Indiana, Win
Oct. 4 vs. Iowa, Win
Oct. 11 at Northwestern, Win
Oct. 18 vs. Ohio State, Loss
Oct. 25 at Michigan, Win
Nov. 1 vs. Wisconsin, Win
Nov. 8 vs. Purdue, Win
Nov. 22 at Penn State, Loss
