Phil Steele Preseason All-B1G Teams
Offense
1st: Denard Robinson, Roy Roundtree, Taylor Lewan
2nd: Fitz Toussaint
3rd: Patrick Omameh
4th Jeremy Gallon
Defense
2nd: Kenny Demens, JT Floyd, Jordan Kovacs
3rd: Craig Roh
4th: Thomas Gordon
I'm surprised to see Roundtree so high and no Jake Ryan on the 3rd or 4th team, but a pretty solid and balanced Michigan contingent nonetheless.
EDIT: link http://www.philsteele.com/Blogs/2012/May12/DBMay23.html
Roh being on this list is perplexing to me. Roy being as high as he is was at first, but then I realized the issue with WR depth in the conference. I also think Schofield is better than Omameh, but I guess Schofield isn't playing Guard next year...
Man we are in for some tasty schadenfreude courtesy of Sparty this season.
Tough to argue with those selections for me on the defensive side of the ball. Marcus Rush may be a bit high I guess.
I hope they lay an egg but that defense was excellent last year and probably better this year. In a conference with a bunch of running QBs and average talent at wide out, what team is going to challenge them through the air? On most Saturday's, they'll make teams one dimensional and dare them to pass.
In non-conference, Boise is bringing an new starter and Dame looks like a mess a QB right now. Domers don't look to have any scary receiver threats other than Eifert. State gets both in EL.
They have a bearable conference schedule with OSU & Nebraska at home. 2 easy-ish road games and 2 tough games at Michigan and Wisky.
This is not directed at you, per se. Just seems like a lot of Michigan fans assume Sparty may soon be going back to being Sparty. I just don't see it this year. 8 home games. Probably the conference's best defense. Even if their offense is just barely functional, they'll win a lot of games.
Your thoughtful and reasoned analysis about MSU's potential for the 2012 season has no place on this board.
As penance, I decree you must say 40 "Sparty Sucks! LOL!"'s.
over at MLive said them for me.
I agree completely with your assessment of the Spartoons. Dantonio takes the national award for sanctimonious hypocrisy with ease, but I think way too many UM fans are writing him off simply because he's a gigantic whining douchebag. The guy is a solid football coach who has done pretty well lately with recruiting classes that are ranked nowhere near ours.
No Jake Ryan is the biggest problem with this. He'll be a first or second team selection at the end of the year. BOOK THAT SHIT.
So, because I love Excel, I took Mr. Steele's information and toyed with it for a little while -
The most heavily represented teams are Michigan State (15), Ohio (15) , Michigan (12) and Nebraska (12) , as they comprise nearly 40% of the list by themselves. Wisconsin, Penn State and Purdue have 10 each.
By division, he literally has them in a dead heat at 50% each. Between all the teams, he has 8 MSU defensive players, 7 Ohio offensive players and 6 players each from the Michigan and Wisconsin offense, and the Ohio defense getting mentions.
Among those units not represented, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana special teams and the Minnesota offense have exactly zero representation on this list.
Where the hell is Jake Ryan on this list? Did Phil Steele even bother to watch his tape from last year?
Phil Steele... now there's a mustache you can set your watch to.
Blake Countess doesnt even get as much as a nod? wtf?