The Blue Board

Add those guys to Martin and RVB and the D-line is solid.

I'm responding rationally this time, because I still believe our LB production won't drop off much.

Because our DL returns 3 starters, all of whom are JRs, the first time we've had that many upper classmen on the DL in 3 years. The 4th starter is Will Gholston, so if you get to talk about Jibreel Black as a viable DL contributor, then I get Big Will. Our starting DL looks like this: 6'7 272, 6'3 305, 6'2 323, 6'7 274. That's a pretty formidable front on paper, and one that's not likely to get pushed around by anyone but the best of OLs.

That, in turn, protects the LBs. It's not unheard of for a Big10 team to reload at a position, especially LB; PSU and tOSU did it for years, as did UM (pre-richrod, of course). Of course, the response will be that those teams recruit soo much better than MSU; fact is that there are 4 4-star LBs in our 2-deep, including 2 of our projected starters. It's the position that we've recruited better than any other over the past 3 classes. Greg Jones was a 3-star that we coached up; what do you think'll happen when a set of 4-stars get the same coaching?

Edit:

See Ichabod? Classic SCum response: mischaracterize my post to make it sound irrational. I didn't say that "none" of their players would improve, because that wasn't the original premise. I stated that they didn't have PROVEN players on the DL, and they don't. Improvement isn't concrete till it's shown on the field. I'm well aware that several, if not all of those players will improve, but that would undermine my argument. Instead I framed in a way that Due can't directly object to: Because there have been no games against other teams, there's no way for him to objectively prove his point.

*Note: Due51, Theyellowdart and several others have been great to talk to on here and I have really enjoyed some of the more rational discussions.

*PS Note: **** Michigan

You're also not a troll.

I'm good with ya. My honest opinion is that things will be rough this year for you guys, but I doubt you guys fail to qualify for a bowl. Should take a step forward in 2012. Major concern is the lack of a pro-style guy at QB, delaying the Borges offense emergence for several seasons; I know you have Bellomy and Gardner, but Gardner looked like a rougher passer than Denard in the spring and Bellomy is a true frosh. Lack of a proven RB could hurt, though Rawls could be the man, if not Hopkins.

2012 recruiting is great, but keep in mind that it usually takes at least a season for those guys to go from contributors to stars. MSU's best class was by far the 2009 class; our 2009 season was the worst under MD, as the freshmen made freshmen mistakes. Now this, their true JR/RS Soph season, MSU is feeling much better. I urge patience with this new class, because they aren't going to be able to do it all themselves in 2012.

Hoke - 0
Dantonio - 0

We'll see what happens on the field. Or should I say Hoke - 0, Dantonio 3-1?

Yes we will, gotta love the passion for our teams!

Lol I think you are replying to the wrong guy.

Wouldn't want to disappoint

We play each other in 2015. And that bowl game was a case of one team (ranked number 1 in the preseason) vastly under performing through the year and another team (not even picked to contend for a B10 title) over performing throughout the year. When the bowl game came around the two teams played to their billings, Alabama a NC winner and MSU a mid tier B10 team.

That's the first Spartan fan I've heard say that. Though my personal favorite is that since OSU cheated, MSU deserved to go to the Rose Bowl and would've beaten TCU and been 12-1.

I mean, should we not wish we went to the rose bowl? Sucked to be in a 3 way tie with 2 teams that didnt beat you.

For the record which team did msu have a better chance of beating, bama or tcu?

To be honest, I dont see anything funny about your statement....

Clearly State would have been more competitive versus TCU, but I'm not convinced the outcome would have been favorable. TCU didn't do anything spectacular to win the game, but they still beat a good Wisconsin team despite having the ball for nearly 10 minutes less than Wisconsin.

It wouldn't have been a 49-7 massacre, though.

Thing is, even if I post a single reply there, I'm labeled as a troll and belittled for being a "scUM" fan. I will say, I do enjoy reading some of the threads that have no relation to college sports. Great place to read about Red Wings hockey or other Detroit Sports.