2009 Previews: Michigan State

By Tim Cottrell
Sports Writer/Designer
Published: June 25, 2009

We go to everyone’s favorite “Don’t call us little brother” school in Michigan State for Preview No. 9. Previews of all 65 BCS conference schools, plus Notre Dame and state schools, in no particular order, will run daily through Aug. 22.

Michigan State actually has a lot of similarities to a team we’ve already previewed in North Carolina.

Both are big schools with a lot of resources that should be a bigger player on the national stage, the two played each other for the national title in basketball just a few months ago and both were in a sorry state for much of this decade.

Much like Butch Davis has turned things around in Chapel Hill, so has Mark Dantonio in East Lansing.

The Spartans went 9-4 last season, taking Georgia down to the wire in the artist formerly known as the Citrus Bowl. This year, the potential is there for even better things, but it won’t be easy.

The defense is, for all intents and purposes, in fairly good shape. Eight starters are back from a unit that wasn’t particularly good, but not bad either in 2008 (58th overall).

The linebacking corps would appear to be the strength, led in the middle by Greg Jones, who only had 127 tackles last season. Two starters are back on the line and three in the secondary, but they’ve got to replace an All-Big 10 performer at safety in Otis Wiley.

The offense, however, features a few more question marks.

From a talent standpoint, the Spartans probably haven’t been this good since Nick Saban was roaming the sidelines. But there’s not a ton of experience, and the wide receivers are still pretty shaky.

MSU must replace Brian Hoyer at quarterback, and will likely do so with a two-quarterback platoon to begin the season. Auburn fans should know well how shaky a proposition that can be. Sophomores Kirk Cousins and Keith Nichol are both touted as being potentially pretty good, but I’ve seen too many situations like this destroy good quarterbacks to feel real good about it.

They also have to replace just 97 percent of their rushing offense now that Javon Ringer is peddling his wares in the NFL. They have a very deep stable of backs, but they’ll also be running behind a rebuilt offensive line.

With this many question marks it’s tough to predict really big things for Sparty, but the schedule is pretty favorable.

Here it is:

Sept. 5: Montana State
Next

Sept. 12: Central Michigan
Dealing with the Chippewas and Tebow-lite Dan LeFevour is never easy, and Sparty of old would have almost definitely lost this game. But they should be OK here.

Sept. 19: at Notre Dame
The Irish are maing their way back to being an above-average football team, but I’d look for MSU to extend its streak to seven straight wins in South Bend.

Sept. 26: at Wisconsin
Brett Bielema may already be fighting for his job by this point.

Oct. 3: Michigan
As weird as this is to say (at least with the certainty I’m saying it), yes, the Spartans should make it two in a row over the Wolverines.

Oct. 10: at Illinois
If MSU is 5-0 heading into this game, it’s a perfect trap.

Oct. 17: Northwestern
Another game Sparty of old would choke away, but probably a win under Dantonio.

Oct. 24: Iowa
Probably the biggest game of the season. Difference between a trip to Tampa and a trip to San Antonio likely on the line.

Oct. 31: at Minnesota
The Gophers are finally opening an on-campus stadium this year, and their fans should be amped up for a late-October tilt against a good team.

Nov. 7: Western Michigan
The late season guarantee game throw-in has proved dangerous for a few teams (Alabama in 07, Illinois last year just off the top of my head), but MSU should be OK here.

Nov. 14: at Purdue
Only real danger here is if MSU is looking ahead.

Nov. 21: Penn State
I’ve been trying to find a potential loss for the Nittany Lions other than Ohio State, and this one would pretty much have to be it.

So there you go. If the offense just magically becomes good, this team could be a conference title contender. Since magic isn’t real, I’ll put them down for another 9-3 season.