Answering your Michigan State Football Questions and Emails…

Answering your Michigan State Football Questions and Emails… Hondo, I noticed on the Spartan Nation message board several people asking you to project the

Answering your Michigan State Football Questions and Emails…

Hondo, I noticed on the Spartan Nation message board several people asking you to project the MSU starters next year heading into camp. Would you please do that? Sara Johns

Sure I will Sara. Please understand this is NOT how I project it to end. You simply said when camp starts. OFF: X Troup, LT Conklin, LG B Allen, C J Allen, RG Clark, RT Kieler, TE Price, Z Burbridge, F Shelton, QB Cook, FB Pendleton, TB Williams. DEF: DE Cooper, DT Heath, DT Thomas, DE McDowell, STAR Harris, MIKE R Bullough, SAM Davis, FC Hicks, FS Cox, SS Williamson, BC Nicholson.

Last winter during his recruitment Malik McDowell's mother had several very unflattering things to say about the Spartan program. Malik seems to have adjusted and is playing well. How about his mom? I have not read anything about her in several months which seems to be a good sign. Max McDonald Sr.

Malik is doing fine. There were some rough times as you noted, but with the lack of reporting on her and the amount of reporting on him, it’s time to let bygones be bygones.

Hondo, considering Connor Cook, Shilique Calhoun, Trae Waynes and Jack Conklin are all considered top level NFL talent I have a question. You broke the story that Connor was not leaving and that you were certain Conklin would be back. What about Calhoun and Waynes. Your opinion? Seth in St John’s, MI

I will be shocked if Waynes and Calhoun return. I can tell you the conventional wisdom among those inside the Duffy is that both are gone. As stated previous, I expect Cook and Conklin back, but I do not see Waynes or Calhoun.

Hi Hondo, despite the tough losses, the team outperformed my expectations again. Dantonio is the man! Despite having a game left, I'm already looking forward to next year and am interested in your thoughts about new faces to the playing group. I believe we started 10 seniors against PSU and have a couple juniors with potential to leave early for the NFL. Who are some of the names getting it done on the practice field, but not seeing much of the field yet on game days? I'm particularly interested in o-line development, the DE position (assuming we need to replace both starters) and the secondary, especially if Trae Waynes jumps to the NFL. Mark NYC

DE is a concern. Heath, Thomas, and McDowell have DE experience at that spot and I expect at least one (McDowell) to start next year at that spot with Thomas also possibly getting some reps. Cooper and Evans didn’t develop as much as they should this year, but neither are out of the picture at all. Don’t forget that Sweat and Bowers are major potential guys.

As I watch Mathew Stafford with the Lions, I can't help but see some similarities to Connor Cook. The talent is there, the "gunslinger" mentality is there. But sometimes they miss the simple throws, sometimes there seems like a lack of focus...see where I'm going? I'm watching more Lions games exclusively now as CFB has ended, and this comparison has come to my mind. Is it a fair one? Do these two guys need to seemingly work on the same things? Joe Polasek

I think it is fair to judge anything, but I will say there is a common thread among NFL people that I talk to about Cook. All universally recognize that Cook has major talent and all universally recognize that he seems to have taken a step back or as one said to me two days ago, “Gone stagnant” in his development. MSU has several QB’s in the NFL, Cook will be the next, but he has clear things to work on.

Hondo, I thought I would see improvement in Delton Williams this season. He did not appear that impressive this season when given some carries. Granted he did not get that many. Was he too heavy? Injured? Interested on your thoughts.

Second, after the OSU loss Coach D told the media that he re-watched the film on Monday from that game alone and that he rarely ever does that. He made a point to emphasize that this was not the norm. What do you think disturbed him the most from the OSU loss to do that? Merry Christmas,

Dan from Chicago

On your first question, perhaps we were watching different games. Delton Williams did not get enough carries, but he has SPECIAL written all over him. Looking back, I know that Dantonio was not happy when OC Dave Warner didn’t play him and said so publicly. I think Williams is a gem on a VERY loaded team with major NFL talent next season at his position. On your second question, he was disturbed by the momentum shift of a terrible play call in the red zone, a missed FG, and the collapse thereafter. If MSU had scored a TD on that possession they would have went up 14 and clearly OSU was on the ropes. Their countenance was down at that point and a horrific play call by the OC and lack of player execution on special teams gave the Buckeyes momentum and the Spartans simply collapsed. Dantonio is fond of saying football is a game of inches. He is correct.

Hondo, since their first ballot I was asking myself why the CFP bothered to vote weekly before the end of the season? That left way too much unknown. My guess was it to be simply a promotional stunt to maintain interest - an unnecessary effort I think. Can media and/or the fans have any influence to limit next year to one vote after the regular season is finished and end this foolishness? Thanks as always, Tim

You have zero influence. Sorry, but that is reality. The gerrymandering and tom foolery at the end proved it. It is hype and the fans buy it. Win them all and you’re in. Lose one and it becomes a crap shoot of a political wasteland of bureaucracy.

There you go everyone. That is your weekly MSU football questions and answers article. Make sure you send your questions to SpartanNationMail@yahoo.com and put in the subject line Football Q/A. Thank you.