Spartans receiving corps to blame for poor performances

Via Lansing State Journal

By Sean Gagnier

EAST LANSING- Some blame for the Spartans loss to Notre Dame definitely should be heaped on QB Andrew Maxwell, he locked onto receivers and made some poor throws, but as the Spartans game with Eastern Michigan showed, it's the receivers who are running this team into the ground.

During the game with Notre Dame coach Mark Dantonio said he grew impatient of waiting for the run game to get going and instead went to the passing game, which due to the incredibly poor play of the receiving corps cost Michigan State the game.

Maxwell didn't look great against Notre Dame, but he certainly wasn't as bad as the numbers implied, his receivers dropped 10, yes 10, passes. Last checked, receivers were supposed to actually catch the ball. But apparently, Bennie Fowler, Tony Lippett and DeAnthony Arnett didn't get that memo.

In the game against Eastern Michigan, Spartan receivers dropped another five passes. Let's say that again. Against an 0-3 team from the M.A.C. Spartan receivers found it difficult to catch anything more than a cold. Maxwell had improved from Notre Dame, he didn't lock onto receivers and attempted to spread the ball around in the passing game. But when it became obvious that his receivers didn't feel the need to catch anything thrown near them, Maxwell went to his safety blanket in Dion Sims.

Sims racked up more than 100 yards receiving against Eastern, and due to the poor play, again, of the receivers Michigan State was forced to give the ball to LeVeon Bell 32 times, which to his credit he turned into more than 250 yards of offense.

Right now, this Spartans offense consists of Bell getting the ball and the occasional play-action pass to Sims. That's not good enough to beat any Big Ten team. Hell, it was barely enough to beat Eastern Michigan. When your offense goes into halftime against a team from the MAC, they damn well better have more than three points.

Something needs to be done about the receivers at Michigan State, whether it be submersing their gloves in super glue prior to the game or setting them in front of a pitching machine and having them catch passes for hours at a time. If the Spartans go into B1G play  with nothing more than Bell and Sims, there is no way they can win much of anything, regardless of how well their defense plays.

Spartans Ranked No. 8 In Sports Illustrated

Via ESPN.com

By Sean Gagnier
@SeanGagnier 

The preseason rankings have been out for a while now, and according the The USA Today the Spartans are the 13th best team in the land, trailing the rival Wolverines who sit in eighth place. But a new ranking is out, this one from Sports Illustrated and things look a little different. In that listing the Spartans are a top ten team, No. 8, and the Wolverines have taken over the 13th position.

SI's reasoning in why they have Michigan State ranked No. 8 is that while the Spartans have lost Kirk Cousins, the man that will be replacing him is actually better than he was. SI explains that even though Cousins had the game experience, that his replacement, Andrew Maxwell, has a better arm and is more athletic. With the full stable of receivers the Spartans have this season, Maxwell shouldn't have trouble finding someone to throw to.

Maxwell was named the "Breakout Player" on this Spartans team, as he will take over a club that has posted back-to-back 11-win seasons for the first time in school history. Michigan State's defense is just as good, if not better than it was last season, and will keep opponents from scoring regularly, giving Maxwell and his offense many opportunities to get and maintain the lead.

SI noted four-star safety recruit Demetrious Cox as the Spartans top recruit, but with as good as the secondary was last season (18 interceptions to lead the B1G) Coach Mark Dantonio will likely follow his blueprint and red-shirt Cox for the 2012 season.

William Gholston was spotlighted by the magazine, as one of the best players on the defensive side of the ball, and with the performance the former five-star recruit turned in during the win in the Outback Bowl over Georgia he is quite impressive.

Yes, Gholston has had his bad times, after twisting Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson's helmet and punching Michigan offensive lineman Taylor Lewan in the facemask, but he served his suspension and came back to his team playing a clean game, but playing with the same ferocity that he had before the ban.

Michigan State did lose a defensive force in Jerel Worthy to the Green Bay Packers, but another former five-star recruit Lawrence Thomas has transitioned from a linebacker to a defensive end. Meaning that this Spartans team will now have a five-star defensive end on each end of the line every down while the middle of the defensive line sports names like Anthony Rashad White and Marcus Rush.

With an impressive defense returning, and improving from last season, and a quarterback in Maxwell that is thought to be even better than Cousins, the Spartans simply need to get their receiving corps in order and they will be the favorites for the Legends Division crown for another season.

The Michigan State preseason depth chart has Bennie Fowler and Keith Mumphery listed as the starting receivers, but former four-star recruit to Tennessee DeAnthony Arnett is making a push for a job of his own. Redshirt-freshman recruit Juwan Caesar is also pushing for his own starting job. With the Spartan receiving corps bristling with this much talent, Dan Roushar's pass happy offense should continue to cruise.

Coach Dantonio has said that he wants to get back to running the ball and no one should be happier to hear that than Le'Veon Bell who is listed as the starting running back. Bell is a physical back who almost seeks out contact, a la Adrian Peterson, when he gets through the line and is in the secondary. He will be pushed however, as senior Larry Caper hopes to regain his starting job.

With the defense as solid as ever and the offense reloading, it appears as though the No. 8 seed placed on the Spartans by SI is well deserved.

  

Mark Dantonio Third Most Hated Coach In Big Ten, What's Up with That?

By Sean Gagnier
@SeanGagnier 

Michigan State's Mark Dantonio isn't sitting at the popular kids table much these days. According to an ESPN poll the Spartans head coach is the third most hated coach in the Big Ten behind newly minted Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer and Wisconsin's Bret Bielema.

The poll contained responses from 27,000 voters, 37 percent of whom voted for Meyer, 33 percent for Bielema and 21 percent for Dantonio. With Meyer bringing his dislike over from the SEC to the Big Ten, and already beginning ruffle feathers with his recruiting tactics, his place atop the rankings isn't shocking.

Bielema has been accused in recent years of running up the score on lesser opponents, even Big Ten opponents, in order to improve his team's numbers for the BCS computers. Wisconsin has also been very successful of late and success always breeds hate in opponents.

The same could be said of Dantonio. He has built the Spartans into a winning program, compiling the first back-to-back 11 win seasons in school history, while beating the rival Michigan Wolverines four straight years. Perhaps the trick plays that Dantonio has become known for lately has something to do with his rank in the poll, perhaps it's his refusal to be inferior towards Michigan and calling them out in interviews, who knows.

From his oft-quoted, "pride comes before the fall" and his most recent, "we're lying in the weeds" comments towards the Wolverines it is no surprise that he was voted as one of the most hated coaches in the league. But there is something that comes with being hated, success, and Michigan State and Dantonio show no sign of stopping that.

Spartans Assistants Get Long Deserved Raises

By Sean Gagnier
@SeanGagnier 

The Michigan State football program has started to win big games, and with that comes national attention and other teams looking to emulate the success that is taking place in East Lansing. One way to replicate the success the Spartans are having is to pry one of head coach Mark Dantonio's assistant coaches away from his program and give them the headset on another team.

With the departures of Don Treadwell and Dan Enos to Miami of Ohio and Central Michigan respectivelythe Spartans looked like they were about to lose their defensive coordinator, Pat Narduzzi, as well. But after much courtship from other schools Narduzzi agreed to remain with the Spartans. Because he came back, it was obvious that he would be due a substantial pay raise for his loyalty.

Each of these pay increases are well deserved and long due for the members of Dantonio's coaching staff. Dantonio has been lobbying for raises for his staff for years now and Athletic Director Mark Dantonio was finally given the funds to pay Dantonio's staff what they deserve.

While this raise for Narduzzi will keep him in green and white for now, he will not always be a Spartan. What this salary increase says is that Michigan State recognizes that Dantonio's assistants have contributed mightily to the recent success of the program and the school wants to maintain a winning program. Narduzzi will also remain with Michigan State unless he takes a step up to a head-coaching job.

The Lansing State Journal got the numbers on the pay raises given out to all of Dantonio's assistants today.

Pat Narduzzi (D-Coordinator)- Three-year deal with an increase from $233,000 to $500,000. NArduzzi must pay a $250,000 buyout if he leaves his defensive coordinator position for another coordinator position. Would not have to pay buyout if he takes a head coach position.

Dan Roushar (O-Coordinator)- Increase from $230,000 to $305,000

Dave Warner (QB's)- Increase from $175,000 to $200,000

Brad Salem (RB's)- Raise from $170,000 to $200,000

Terry Samuel (WR's)- Raise from $163,000 to $182,000

Mark Staten (O-Line)- Increase from $170,000 to $200,000

Ted Gill (D-Line)- Increase from $163,000 to $182,000

Mike Tressel (LB's/Special Teams)-  Raise from $170,000 to $203,000

Harlon Barnett (DB's)- Raise from $170,000 to $203,000

Quotable gems from Michigan State Spartans football coach Mark Dantonio

 Photo -- Associated Press: Michigan State's Mark Dantonio has never been short on great Michigan-related quotes. Never. Not once.

By Adam Biggers
@AdamBiggers81

Honestly, I can't take full credit for the following. MLive.com's Graham Couch did a wonderful job of gathering Michigan Wolverines-related quotes from Michigan State Spartans coach Mark Dantonio.

However, after Dantonio's gem yesterday, implying he's not threatened by Michigan, I started thinking of all the uber-quotable phrases from the Spartans' sixth-year coach.


Dantonio has never been one to take obvious, hate-filled shots at Michigan. He's more or less subtle and witty while doing it -- until yesterday, of course. But even then, his words weren't out of line. They were great for the rivalry.


I can remember the escalating confidence Dantonio displayed since his first win over Michigan: A 35-21 romping in Ann Arbor in 2008. Dantonio was even optimistic after a four-point loss to Michigan (28-24) in 2007.


Here's a look at Dantonio's Wolverines-related phrases. Of course, Couch beat me to the punch -- so kudos to him. But if you follow Michigan State football, Dantonio's words about Michigan likely linger in your mind.


From Couch's latest Michigan State post: (Thanks, Graham). I took the liberty of explaining the quotes/adding context for further clarification. The direct quotes from Couch's post are italicized.

 
Nov. 3, 2007: "Let's just remember, pride comes before the fall," Dantonio said, repeating the phrase, shortly after Michigan's 28-24 win at Spartan Stadium in his first season as Michigan State's coach.


"This game is an important game. If they want to mock us all they want to mock us, I'm telling 'em, it's not over. … It's not over and it'll never be over here ... It's just starting."


[2007 was Michigan's sixth consecutive win over Michigan State.]

 
Oct. 25, 2008: "I'll go on the record as saying this one counts as more than one," Dantonio said after the Spartans' 35-21 win in Ann Arbor. "We took a step forward in the eyes of the people in Michigan and toward changing the culture in this state."


[The win in Ann Arbor was Michigan State's first since 1990.]

 
Oct. 3, 2009: "We did something that hasn't been done in 42 years," Dantonio said after Michigan State's 26-20 overtime win in East Lansing, its first back-to-back wins over Michigan since the late 1960s. "That's amazing. But facts are facts. This game has a way of defining you."


[Dantonio was referring to Michigan State's first back-to-back victory over Michigan since 1965-66. The Spartans went on to post their third straight in 1967.]

 
Oct. 9, 2010: "The only response I have is maybe some day the little brother grows up," Dantonio said after a 34-17 victory at the Big House, referencing former Wolverine running back Mike Hart's now famous line following Michigan's 2007 win over the Spartans. This was also Dantonio's first game back after his heart attack suffered three weeks earlier.


[Dantonio was referring to former Michigan star running back Mike Hart's "Little Brother" comment, directed toward Michigan State, which Hart viewed as a little brother struggling to compete with his big brother. The victory was Michigan State's third consecutive, a feat it hadn't achieved since 1965-67.]

 
Oct. 15, 2011: "Times have changed," Dantonio said, closing a brief postgame live television interview on the field after Michigan State' 28-14 win in East Lansing, its fourth straight against Michigan.


[Michigan State posted its fourth consecutive win over Michigan for the first time since 1959-62. Dantonio believed that win showed Michigan State wasn't lucky in winning four in a row, but that Michigan State was indeed the state's best program.]

Michigan State has won four in a row over Michigan, Spartans coach Mark Dantonio asks where's the threat?

Photo: Associated Press -- Michigan State Spartans football coach Mark Dantonio doesn't seem the least bit intimidated by the Michigan Wolverines.


By Adam Biggers
@AdamBiggers81

The 2012 NCAA football season's kickoff is months away. The Michigan State Spartans haven't even played their Spring Game, and the Michigan Wolverines played theirs this past weekend.

But all of that aside lies one gleaming, beyond-interesting fact about the two programs: Michigan State has won four in a row. Michigan, except in a 26-20 overtime loss in 2009, hasn't even been all that competitive during its losing trend.

Now, there is no denying Michigan's historical domination (67-32-5) over Michigan State, which hasn't rattled off such a winning streak since 1959-62. But, the here and now suggests that the Spartans, who are reloading after losing several key components to graduation and the NFL Draft, are by in large the state's top college football team.

Sugar Bowl or not, the Spartans have yet to bow to Michigan since 2007. And that might not change any time soon, according to Spartans coach Mark Dantonio.

"We're laying in the weeds," Dantonio told ESPN. "We've beat Michigan the last four years. So where's the threat?"

Golden. Absolutely golden. There is nothing better than a dagger-like comment months prior to the football season to get things rolling. And for those keeping track, the Spartans and Wolverines play Oct. 20 at The Big House in Ann Arbor.

It's almost unfair for Dantonio to drop such a gem so early. His quote will be ingrained in the minds of Michigan coach Brady Hoke until that storied Saturday rolls around.

Some may take Dantonio's comment as being overconfident. He's never been one to hold back while talking about Michigan. We all remember his rebuttal to former Michigan star Mike Hart's "Little Brother" comment, in which Dantonio remarked about Hart's height, implying that he was "little."

It gets nasty, but in a spirited, fan-friendly, we-don't-like-you sort of way. The comments are great for the rivalry, which is rapidly coming to a head. Both basketball programs are Big Ten Conference title contenders, and the same goes for the football teams.

Michigan State Spartans basketball coach Tom Izzo said it best: "A rivalry is a rivalry if both teams are real good or both teams are real bad. It's been kind of a roller coaster for both teams in some ways."

The football rivalry is more important, at least lately. For years, the Wolverines owned the Spartans on the field, posting several lopsided victories. But during its last winning streak of six, Michigan was challenged -- at least in four of those games. From 2002-2007, Michigan won by a touchdown -- touchdown plus conversion (45-37 in 2004) -- or less in all but two games: 2002's 49-3 win and 2006's 31-13 victory.

Michigan isn't the same Michigan it was under Rich Rodriguez. One can sense the urgency -- Hoke's desire to restore the traditional roar of the Wolverines. But Michigan State is no longer a doormat in the Big Ten, it's not Michigan's "Little Brother" and it's not settling for four wins in a row.

Michigan State Spring Practice Storylines

From MSU Football Facebook Page

By Sean Gagnier
@SeanGagnier

The post-Kirk Cousins era has begun in East Lansing, Mich and Junior Andrew Maxwell is at the helm. Cousins is coming off a very successful college career but he has said that the team is in good hands with Maxwell.

"He's (Maxwell) a lot farther along at this point in his career than I was," Cousins said at media availability earlier in the season.

While Maxwell has only attempted 51 passes in games during his Spartan tenure, Head coach Mark Dantonio has confidence in the junior. He is talented, no one is doubting that, the real thing is if he can get the team to coalesce around him.

MSU Football Facebook Page

Maxwell inherits a young receiving corps that includes Bennie Fowler, Juwan Caesar, Keith Mumphrey and Tennessee-transfer DeAnthony Arnett. While a group of inexperienced receivers may seem like a negative thing for most quarterbacks, Maxwell may be in luck. These are the guys that he has been working with for several years during practices while the big names were catching passes from Cousins.

That relationship and understanding of one another that was built during their time on the practice squad will end up helping both Maxwell and the receivers that are tapped as starters for this season.

The receiving corps is another point that is thought to be a weakness, but with Caesar being a touted recruit and Coach Dantonio's recent statements about the progression of Mumphrey, not to mention the experienced Fowler and Arnett - this team won't miss a beat, or a pass for that matter.

Michigan State enjoyed one of the best defense's in the Big Ten and country during the 2011 season and despite losing Jerel Worthy the Spartans "D" doesn't look to miss a beat.

The Spartans will have Marcus Rush, Tyler Hoover, Anthony Rashad White, William Gholston, Micajah Reynolds and Lawrence Thomas on the defensive line in 2012. And if opposing offensive lines can keep those behemoths back long enough their QB's will have to face linebackers Taiwan Jones, Max Bullough and Denicos Allen.

Michigan State looks to have only improved in the off-season despite losing many faces of their program, but that is a mark of a good program. Players come through and draw attention to the team as they succeed and are replaced by players who look to improve on what came before them.

  

Top Spartan Recruiting Snags for 2012

By Sean Gagnier

While their rivals in Ann Arbor stocked up with a full 25 player, nationally ranked recruiting class, the Spartans compiled the 35th ranked class in the country with 18 players - but that's just how Coach Mark Dantonio does things.

In the five years that Dantonio has been the head coach at Michigan State they have never had a recruiting class ranked in the top 25 in the country; and yet the Spartans have compiled the first back-to-back 11 win seasons in school history. Michigan State has consistently turned three and four star players into top players under Dantonio - Greg Jones, B.J. Cunningham, Kirk Cousins.

The 2012 recruiting class is stocked with essential needs for the Spartans - they addressed the wide receiver, tight end and safety positions well and are poised to have another successful year. With the graduation of Cunningham, Keith Nichol and Keshawn Martin, Michigan State was needing at the WR position and it was addressed.

The Spartans wrapped up Tennessee-transfer DeAnthony Arnett, No. 1 ranked player in Michigan Aaron Burbridge, Kyle Kerrick and Monty Madaris. Arnett was a four-star recruit last season before heading to Rocky Top, he transferred to Michigan State for this semester to be near his ailing father and is awaiting a NCAA waiver to play next season. Burbridge was deemed the top ranked player in the state of Michigan as a four-star recruit.

Madaris who signed his letter of intent at 7:35 a.m. on Thursday, is a four-star recruit out of Cincinnati and is ranked as one of the top players in the state of Ohio. Kerrick is a three-star recruit out of Coatesville, PA as is Macgarrett Kings Jr. out of Ft. Lauderdale University School, FL.

Dantonio has stated that Arnett and Burbridge could make immediate impacts with the team meaning that they could both compete for starting positions in 2012. The Spartans also boast Bennie Fowler, Juwuan Caesar and Keith Mumphery in the current receiving corps.

A big get for Dantonio was four-star safety Demetrious Cox, Jeannette, PA. Cox has previously verbally committed to Penn State but after the child abuse scandal surrounding Happy Valley he decommitted and signed up with the Spartans on Wednesday.

Of the 2012 recruiting class, there are about 12 that could have a chance to break into the starting lineup next season - but seeing as the Spartans red-shirted all but one recruit last season, that number could be much smaller than 12. Arnett and Kerrick could break into the receiving corps and tight end's Evan Jones and Josiah Price could compete with Dion Simms for a starting TE job.

Arnett has already settled into the role as a Spartan and has ruffled some feathers in Ann Arbor in a recent interview regarding his recruiting choices. When asked whether he considered Michigan as a transfer location from Tennessee, Arnett said it "wasn't a hard decision. I looked at Michigan and it's kind of thing where, Denard (Robinson) is going to do Denard."

He has not submitted a waiver to the NCAA to play next season with Michigan State and the Spartans have said that there is no timetable for when Michigan State would expect to hear from the NCAA after Arnett officially files his papers. Dantonio has stated that if needed they could wait on Arnett but that he would see the field immediately should he clear NCAA waivers.



Check out the Spartans full recruiting class and the official recruiting video provided by the Michigan State Athletic Department. 

http://www.msuspartans.com/allaccess/?media=296368

Spartans 2012 Recruiting Class
Riley Bullough            ***     LB     6-2"    220 lbs    Traverse City St. Francis
Aaron Burbridge       ****  WR    6-1"    190 lbs     Farmington Hills Harrison
Demeterious Cox      ****   S       6-1"    192 lbs     Jeannette (Pa.)
Jermaine Edmondson ***    DB    6-1"    170 lbs    Canton (Ohio) McKinley
David Fennell             **     DT     6-3"    274 lbs    Portland (Ore.) Sunset
Zach Higgins              ***   OL     6-5"    305 lbs    Alliance (Ohio) Marlington
Evan Jones                ***    TE     6-6"    240 lbs    West Lafayette (Ohio) Ridgewood
Kyle Kerrick             ***    WR   6-3"    183 lbs    Coatesville (Pa.)
Kodi Kieler               *** OT/OL 6-6"    305 lbs    Gibraltar Carlson
Macgarrett Kings Jr.  ***   WR   5-11"   178 lbs    Ft. Lauderdale University School (Fla.)
Jamal Lyles              **** DE/LB 6-3"    215 lbs    Southfield-Lathrup
Monty Madaris        ****   WR   6-2"    190 lbs    Moeller (Ohio)
Benny McGowan      ***    OL    6-4"    290 lbs   Centerville (Ohio)
Mark Meyers           ***     DB   6-0"    180 lbs    Toledo Whitmer (Ohio)
Tyler O'Connor        ***     QB   6-3"    202 lbs    Lima (Ohio) Central Catholic   -ESPN Elite Eight QB
Josiah Price             ***      TE    6-5"    239 lbs   Greent'n (Ind.) Eastern Jr./Sr.
Ezra Robinson         ***      DB   6-0"    174 lbs   Sarasota (Fla.) Booker
Nick Tompkins        ***     RB   5-10"   185 lbs   Snellville (Ga.) Brookwood 









 

Defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi staying at Michigan State

By Sean Gagnier

Michigan State announced on Friday that defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi will be staying with the football team.

Narduzzi had interviewed over the last week with Texas A&M University for the defensive coordinator position which brought with it a substantial pay raise. Reports had put the salary being offered to Narduzzi at $750,000, almost triple what he was making at Michigan State.

But despite the increased salary Narduzzi decided to remain in East Lansing with Coach Mark Dantonio and the Spartans.


"With the success we've had as a football program, especially the last two years, people around the country have taken notice," Narduzzi said in a statement. "So when provided a professional opportunity like Texas A&M, I owed it to my family to investigate it because my first obligation is to take care of my wife and children."


"I share the same feelings that our players and coaches have that there's some unfinished business to take care of here," Narduzzi said. "We're all driven to win the Big Ten Championship and win a Rose Bowl."

Head Coach Mark Dantonio said that pay raises for his coordinators are already in the works but declined to indicate how much Narduzzi or his other coordinators will be making going into the upcoming season. Athletic Director Mark Hollis has previously stated that he has set aside a fund in order to make sure that the coordinators are paid respectably, although he has yet to comment on this latest development.

"We're excited about keeping the coaching staff intact," Dantonio said. "Staff continuity has been a key component in our sustained success. There's no doubt that Pat will be a head coach sometime soon, but for now, we're excited that he remains a Spartan as we continue our pursuit of another Big Ten Championship and our first trip to the Rose Bowl."

Dantonio Has Spartan Football's Eyes Set on Rose Bowl

Michigan State has gone to three straight bowl games under Coach Mark Dantonio and won a school-record 11 games last season, but Dantonio isn't resting on his laurels, he's setting his sights even higher. The Rose Bowl.

The Spartans resume last season should have gotten them to Pasadena, but the shoddy BCS system and Wisconsin running up the score against their inferior opponents cost Michigan State their chance to smell roses.

Michigan State instead had to settle for a three-way, eventually two-way, split of the Big Ten Championship and a trip to the Capital One Bowl to face juggernaut Alabama. The Crimson Tide dispatched with the Spartans in Orlando, but Dantonio remained undeterred.

His recruiting class for this season is once again impressive, reeling in yet another top-prospect in the state of Michigan. Lawrence Thomas, LB Renaissance High, Detroit, joins the Spartans this season; and while the true-freshman may simply watch from the sidelines, his addition to the team shows that the green and white have reloaded after losing several of their top players this off-season. 

Last season showed the country what Mark Dantonio was made of; he was a intense, defensive-minded coach who wasn't afraid to make the gutsy call when it needed to be made. From "Little Giants" to "Mouse Trap" Dantonio made sure opposing defensive coordinators could never count his team out.

The year after the Spartans collected all of their rivalry trophies, the head coach has his eyes set on something much different; roses.

Each season the Spartan football team his given a new motto to adhere to and this season the motto reflects the aspirations of the coach. This year's motto is; "P4RB." While that may just seem like text talk to most people, it means much more to Michigan State.

It means, "Prepare for Rose Bowl."

Big talk from the preseason No. 17, but Dantonio has every right to believe he can smell the roses later this year. His team lost linebackers Greg Jones and Eric Gordon but their replacements are on pace to exceed them. Chris Norman, Denicos Allen and Max Bullough all return for the Spartans and with a season playing with the likes of Jones and Gordon under their belts, they'll form a formidable corps.

William Gholston returns, healthy, to the front four along with Jerel Worthy, who has been ranked as one of the top defensive tackles in the country. Add in Tyler Hoover and Kevin Pickelman and the Spartans front four may be worthy of a nickname of their own. Rumors have defensive coordinator Pat Naduzzi shifting true-freshman Thomas to defensive tackle to play opposite of Gholston on the line, making for the toughest front four in the Big Ten.

QB Kirk Cousins returns for his final season and has most of his weapons from last season returning with him. Keshawn Martin, B.J. Cunningham and Keith Nichol all return to the receivers corps, along with Keith Mumphrey, who was red-shirted last season but displayed blazing speed.

Perhaps the most exciting area of the Michigan State offense are the running backs, all three starters return this season. Le'Veon Bell, Edwin Baker and Larry Caper bring back the "Full House Backfield" and look to continue their run over opposing defenses all season.

While it may seem a bold move to many; Dantonio calling for a trip to Pasadena in January, is closer than it has ever been for the Spartans.

Dantonio's Comments On Tressel Being Taken Out Of Context

In last week's Big Ten Media Day there was buzz around several names; new Michigan head coach Brady Hoke and former Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel. Both of these men are connected to Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio and he was questioned on them both, but his comments on Tressel are what drew the most attention.

When asked about the scandal surrounding Ohio State that lead to Tressel's resignation Dantonio responded in a familiar way for Spartans fans; however others have taken his comments out of context as a way to slam the head coach.

"To me, it’s tragic. He becomes a tragic hero in my view. Usually tragic heroes have an ability to rise above it all in the end. That’s what I’ll look for in the end," said Dantonio.

By definition, a tragic hero is; a literary character who makes an error of judgment or has a fatal flaw that, combined with fate and external forces, brings on a tragedy.
 
His comment was spot on and accurately describes the situation surrounding Tressel and Buckeye nation. Coach Tressel was blinded by his power in Columbus, he felt that he could get away with anything; and for a long time he could, but just as Dantonio eluded to fate and external forces combined with his error of judgement and brought him down.

In Columbus Tressel had bred an unhealthy culture amongst the team, they felt the same their coach did; they believed that they were able to get away with anything. But when a federal probe into a drug dealing tattoo parlor operator lead to the uncovering of players pawning team memorabilia it caused Tressel's downfall.

While anyone who has read great literary works understands that in calling Tressel a "tragic hero," Dantonio was in no way condoning what he had done; those out to slam the coach grab at whatever they can.

Comment boards exploded with University of Michigan fans haranguing Dantonio for calling Tressel a "hero," saying how could Dantonio condone such actions as took place in Columbus. Many even suggested that Dantonio was conducting similar practices at Michigan State because of his support for Tressel.

These fans have all missed the boat on their thoughts, each one of them claimed that Dantonio had called Tressel a "hero," when he in fact referred to him as a "tragic hero." There is a huge difference between those two; with one you praise a man and with the other you acknowledge his great impact on an area before succumbing to his own vices.

Dantonio was simply trying to rally up support for his team this season as they seek to defend their Big Ten title. The comments were simply a friend commenting on the failure of his long-time friend due to his own actions, Dantonio handled himself appropriately.

Michigan coach Brady Hoke took the podium and tried his best to channel his inner Bo Schembechler, referring to Ohio State repeatedly as "Ohio" and issuing statements such as, "this may be arrogant but, we're Michigan."

While his purpose was to fire up his base, which face it was fired up as soon as Rich Rodriguez was fired, he came across to the other eleven schools in the conference as arrogant and naive. For a coach who has yet to set foot on the field at Michigan Stadium for a game to come out and insult the rest of the conference is ridiculous; that should have been the headline of the day. 

When Dantonio comes out and attempts to do the same thing as Hoke did just an hour prior, fire up his base and get going on the season, people seize upon a quote and take it out of context in order to serve their purpose. The only explanation as to why Michigan fans would seek out any kind of "quote" to use to damage Michigan State and Dantonio is because they are jealous of their recent success and of the success of their head coach.

If all of this venom is being tossed around and it's only the beginning of August, this football season is shaping up to be one of the best yet. The rivalry is back.