Bodogblog

December 30th, 2016 at 12:08 AM ^

They have a LT named Cole Chewins who I think can be good.  Skinny as an olive stick out of hs, a TE they moved to tackle.  Beyond that I'm not sure who they have.  Finley continues to be a presumed savior for them, based on what I'm not sure. 

Narduzzi is a good coach, you're right they haven't replaced his input.  But the cover 4 that made Narduzzi and Sparty's D for years seems to have cratered.  Narduzzi's giving up 200+ yards to NW and hasn't kept his D in the top half of the S&P in year 2.  Sparty tried to run it playing 10 yards off the ball for much of the year, wasn't the same.  I agree their front 7 has some talent (depth, not so sure), but that D demands stars at the corners and good safeties (run support and keep their verts in front of them).  Doesn't seem like they have either on the roster at this point.  Not buying the Layne hype just yet, based on what I saw. 

Joined: 06/08/2010

MGoPoints: 26674

noWolveyes

December 29th, 2016 at 11:25 PM ^

I was disappointed that we seemed to slow play Montae. At the time it seemed like he would have come if we pushed for him. I hadn't heard that he was 'me-first' but if so then I glad we didn't really try to sign him. He was a 4star, I believe.

Joined: 12/25/2010

MGoPoints: 25

YoOoBoMoLloRoHo

December 29th, 2016 at 11:32 PM ^

MSU's roster management seemed problematic before this year with a bogus 6th yr LB and grad transfers on the DL. A top tier D for years and Dantonio couldn't stock the roster. Try after 3-9 and 3 of top 4 D players leaving (Malik, Montae, Riley). They had to play WRs (Corley and Lane) at CB.

Joined: 11/01/2012

MGoPoints: 18049

alum96

December 29th, 2016 at 11:50 PM ^

Looking at their classes Dantonio hit jackpots in 2010 2011 2012 classes.  Then 2013 and 2014 with same strategy produced a lot of dogs.  So with a 2 year hole in the roster you have what happened here - especially with a sad QB running things. 

That program for his tenture was run on 4th and 5th year players dominating the roster.  This year he had to go heavy to freshman due to all the upperclassmen flame outs.  So a very atypical year for how he wanted to do things.  That said the 2016 class looks like it has some real standouts with guys who flashed early, but you need more than 6 freshman doing relatively well to do anything.  Those back to back bomb classes will hurt again next year as it will be a roster very dependent on the underclassmen again .

And this year's results have bombed 2017 recruiting- they havent landed anyone of consequence since summer and now kids are going to Colo State or Kentucky (again).  Jim couldn't get Vince Marrow to leave UK to recruit OH for us but in the long run, he is helping c*** block Dantonio in OH and now Narduzzi is doing the same in eastern OH/Youngstown.

regarding your question I really liked some of the young guys on the DL - esp Raquan Williams who looks like he can be an all conference 2nd team type of player down the road.  Mike Panasiuk did well for a freshman DT, that's a very difficult position to come straight out of HS and he flashed a lot like Mone did.  Josh King flashed late in the year as a true freshman DE - he looked better than Demetrois Cooper who was 3 years his senior.  Reschke was their best defensive player in back 7 and missed most of the year.  Frey will be a solid senior type - nothing outstanding.  The back 4 will be a lot of selling hope however.

Joined: 04/28/2012

MGoPoints: 82515

Hard-Baughlls

December 29th, 2016 at 11:36 PM ^

the day Harbugh walked into Schembechler Hall.  This has been discussed ad nauseaum.  

1) They were never elite - never had the full roster or depth, they were on the cusp, but topped out at very good.

2) Benefitted greatly from UM and PSU being down

3) Played OSU extremely well because of styles (their D matched up well agains QB's that can't throw)

4) What happened the past 8 years was an abberation, not the norm.  They have not the facilities, tradition nor resources to compete at an elite level with OSU, Michigan, or even PSU when those programs have the right leadership.  OSU and UM now clearly have the right leadership.

5) Dantorelli is a hell of a coach and what he did at MSU is incredible given their history, but it's over.  It was over the day Harbaugh walked through those doors, and the sooner their fanbase accepts this reality, the less diappointed they will be about the next era of MSU football, which will regress to a level very similar to their historical mean - 7-5 or 8-4 ; beating UM once every 4 or 5 years in their annual Super Bowl.

6) Dantigornio may be willing to go down with the ship because of his age, instead of finding an elite blue blood program where he could compete for national titles - like when Saban fled East Lansing. Not sure how much fire Dontonzinio has left in the belly.

 

 

Joined: 09/28/2016

MGoPoints: 6637

Michigan4Life

December 30th, 2016 at 12:08 AM ^

NFL are much much higher on Nicholson more than avg fans and it is based on tape. They believe Dantonio asked him to do too much at the backend because MSU CBs are so bad that he often has to cover for them which would make him look bad. His best role is in the box S who can cover TEs and slot WRs. I've heard day 2 grade from a couple of scouts but we'll see because S is one of the deepest position in the draft.



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Joined: 07/29/2010

MGoPoints: 25304

YoOoBoMoLloRoHo

December 30th, 2016 at 9:07 AM ^

Their secondary was absolute garbage and Nicholson was the most capable in the bunch. As mentioned above, the staff put him in bad positions. There was a heated exchange between MD and him during a game when he was told "do your job" and he barked about the other guys, They have nothing at safety. Miller has played some but very susceptible on seam and double moves. Their two best CBs are frosh WRs in Corley and Lane - which says a lot more about the MSU lack of talent than about them. And Malik's pressure or attraction of double teams was the main source of QB pressure. Their recruiting is a disaster for a team hoping to challenge for the top tier. Now JH has cut off the top tier of MI talent supply and Fickel might close off the 2nd tier in OH.

Joined: 11/01/2012

MGoPoints: 18049

UM Fan from Sydney

December 30th, 2016 at 1:04 AM ^

Love it. Sparty had their fun for ten years. Now it is time for annual Sparty tears. They are done.

Joined: 09/17/2015

MGoPoints: 58076

MichiganMAN47

December 30th, 2016 at 2:11 AM ^

I am not convinced that MSU is "done." They played our best team in a decade to essentially one score. Lewerke, Scott, and Corley make them dangerous on offense next year. I hope I am wrong, but I see them as a perennial 8-4 team going forward, and that is the kind of team that can upset a 10 or 11 win team. If they go sub 500 next year as well then I think they are done.

Joined: 02/24/2015

MGoPoints: 3216

allintime23

December 30th, 2016 at 3:47 AM ^

Stop with the one score crap. The fourth quarter of that game showcased some scary officiating. You know the kind that has cost us games recently? That game was about as close as the game where we spiked the field in east Lansing. We were up 14 with five seconds left. Technically we won by two scores anyway. 9 points, even though dumb mark could have made it 6.



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ThadMattasagoblin

December 30th, 2016 at 4:17 AM ^

Lewerke was an average at best qb this year so it's a stretch to say that he'll make them dangerous. As for Scott you're going to need an offensive line blocking for him and Corley needs someone to get him the ball. We beat them by 9 which is a two score game and if Harbaugh puts on the gas in the 4th quarter, we could probably beat them by more.

Joined: 08/24/2011

MGoPoints: 64072

blueturtle

December 30th, 2016 at 11:04 AM ^

True MSU played tough against the Wolverines but you always need to remember that for them it's the biggest game of the year. They were at home and desperate for something to salvage their season to some extent. Had that been a true indication of how good they were they'd have won at least eight games this year.

Joined: 01/04/2016

MGoPoints: 160

bronxblue

December 30th, 2016 at 8:08 AM ^

Good luck to him, but I can't imagine this season did much to help his stock. I mean, there is a good player in there somehow; maybe escaping EL will unlock it.

Joined: 11/22/2008

MGoPoints: 171747