A Close Look at the MSU Secondary...

The MSU Secondary needs to be better in 2008, it is as simple as that. A 22 touchdown to 12-interception ratio like last year is not likely going to win you a

The MSU Secondary needs to be better in 2008, it is as simple as that. A 22 touchdown to 12-interception ratio like last year is not likely going to win you a Big Ten Championship. The Spartans lose big play man Travis Key, hard-hitting Nemo Warrick, and converted wide receiver TJ Williams, but they have plenty of individual talent in the secondary returning.

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Strong safety Otis Wiley is a force to be dealt with and will be backstopped by speedy Marcus Hyde. Roderick Jenrette was scheduled to start at free safety, but now has left the team with a personal issue to deal with, and it couldn’t have come at a worst time with Cal coming up.  Dantonio expects him back, whether it is in time for game one is anybody’s guess.

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Dan Fortener was behind him on the depth chart, but again, the Spartans want to play the four best players on the field in the secondary which could entail some moving around. This is not to slight Fortener, he has the ability to start. Kendal Davis-Clark could start at one corner (or free safety if Jenrette doesn’t return), and would be supported by Ashton Henderson, who was penciled in as a starter before the reemergence of Ross Weaver, who will start at the other corner. Chris L. Rucker is having a big fall and Narduzzi said he probably is the best corner they have right now. He will either start with Weaver or play behind him, with Mike Bell and Jeremy Ware giving the Spartans some depth here. Bell is intriguing as a nickel back. The best guess if Jenrette does not return for the Cal game is that Weaver and Rucker would start at the corners with Davis-Clark and Wiley the safeties. Yet a lot could happen between now and the first game, I wouldn’t write anything in stone with this group.

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 Enrique Shaw has left the team after a big spring and that is a shame as he was getting more explosive as a hitter but may not have surpassed the penciled in starters. There are some impressive true freshmen in this group as well. Safety Brynden Trawick has been called a highlight film with a nose for the football by Dantonio, and he brings that big hitting toughness that Coach Barnett likes. Charles Burrell is a prep All-American from Detroit and will play safety. He was expected to be an immediate contributor in some capacity, at least on special teams. Dantonio said he is athletic enough to play QB in special situations or even tailback, but he covers a lot of ground and hopefully he resolves his off field issue soon so he can concentrate on football.

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 Trenton Robinson is a tough corner who is quick and explosive and has turned heads in camp, but the biggest potential contributor at this point (at least on special teams) could be Johnny Adams. Adams is a lightning fast lock-down corner and a great return man who was considered the best kicker returner in the state of Ohio since former OSU star Antoine Winfield. He is a hitter and has toughness as well (his high school coach actually put him in at middle linebacker and DE) and he played well at corner and receiver in MSU’s summer camp. In fact, let me give him a nickname, Johnny “The Blur” Adams. Better keep your head on a swivel when you watch this kid return kicks.

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He could make his mark as a return man early unless Dantonio wants to redshirt him, and then the returning chores would fall to others, most notably Davis-Clark, Jimmerson, Martin, Wiley, Dell, Robinson or even Ringer. How good a kick returner is Adams? During his sophomore year in high school alone he returned nine punts and two kickoffs for touchdowns! Yikes.

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Bottom Line: Dantonio likes to talk about “deep ball judgment” when it comes to recruiting defensive backs and the Spartans will need to step it up. That judgment, or should I say lack of, cost them against UM, and hurt them in tackling angles against Iowa and Northwestern. The talent is there, but when you play a very aggressive defense as Narduzzi tends to scheme, it leaves the corners, and the sometimes the safeties on an island to make plays. There is an old adage, “If you blitz, you better get there (to the quarterback),” and a lot will riding on Narduzzi’s calls and his ability to game plan the formations, schemes, and tendencies of the opposition so the DB’s are ready for anything and still keep the defense aggressive in attacking opponents.

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Yet, despite losing three players from last years group and now one more in Shaw, this unit should be much better than last year, especially if Jenrette returns. Of course, they will have to be better, as this unit as I mentioned earlier got burned in a few critical situations. In the synergistic world of college football, much of the “back end” success this year will depend on the pass rush the front four, and in some cases, the front seven produces.

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So hold onto your hats this should get interesting. This group is faster than last year and that is a plus. However, this unit has taken a few unexpected early hits with the departure of Shaw and the off field problems of Jenrette and Burrell. I expect Trawick to move quickly up the depth chart, especially if Jenrette doesn’t return, and Robinson to impress as a back up corner.