Answering your Michigan State Football Questions and Emails…

Answering your Michigan State Football Questions and Emails… Dear Hondo, I recently read another media member who said he believed Michigan State was going to

Answering your Michigan State Football Questions and Emails…

Dear Hondo, I recently read another media member who said he believed Michigan State was going to change their defensive to a 3-3-5. What do you think? Dominic East Lansing

Dear Dominic, I did not read that and you did not provide a link so I am only commenting on the information you provided. I have known Mark Dantonio for 20 years. Although they do occasionally use a 3-3-5 in unique and limited situations, they will NEVER change their scheme to that. I can’t imagine that being written by anyone who covers MSU on a regular basis. Perhaps a national media member who saw that Mark Snyder is here now, but Dantonio’s base defense is predicated on stopping the run. The 3-3-5 encourages it. In fact when you look at the MSU losses to Oregon and OSU the problem was MSU struggling to stop the run. The Spartan staff would tell you those two losses came when MSU couldn't control the run game, not via the air.

 

Hondo, after getting benched last year, what do you expect from Darian Hicks this year? Kelsey

Great question Kelsey. Hicks had his confidence shaken last year. He performed very well in the Michigan game, but when Ohio State came out their game plan from the beginning was to cue their aerial attack at him and frankly he struggled. The most difficult thing in sports or even more importantly life to regain is confidence. He was not among the top cornerbacks in the spring for MSU, and although I do like him very much his biggest battle is going to be between his own ears. Hicks is talented. Very talented, but he must learn to once again trust himself.  You can’t play at a high level fearful of mistakes.

 

Hondo, I turned on the radio show last week and caught you in the middle of a rant talking about the worst play call Dave Warner called last year. What play was that? Sorry I missed it. Todd Graham

Against Ohio State in the 3rd quarter, the Spartans were down 35-24, they had a 4th and 5 from the OSU 35 with five seconds left in the quarter. Connor Cook was in the shotgun with Nick Hill next to him at his right. The Spartans desperately needed a first down to try to stop the Ohio State momentum. Keith Mumphery came in motion from the left to the right, Cook hands off to Hill, not going north and south but instead running east to west parallel with the line of scrimmage. Ohio State had 7 men in the box as well as a cornerback and a safety cheating up. Hill took the ball as a reverse traveling two more additional yards behind Cook for the hand off. So instead of being lined up 10 yards from the 1st down marker, when he got the ball he was 12 yards. Not only was that a terrible call that lost 1 yard, it was the dagger into the Spartans’ heart. The only call worse in all of football last year was the Seattle Seahawks not running Marshawn Lynch. It was absolutely brutal. The play call was so bad that a friend of mine that is a college head coach sent me a text, “What the hell was that?” It was horrifically brutal. You judge coaches for decisions in crunch time. Dave Warner certainly made a lot of great ones last year. I wasn’t picking on him. I was simply in the process of discussing the high points and low points of the season addressing what was a brutally low point.Â

 

Hondo, the margin for error is small for winning championships. Is Cook getting too much hype this season? Are we in for a letdown? Rick

Dear Rick that is a great question. Cook is a gamer. If you were to be very honest, he has a lot of the characteristics of Brett Favre. He has a unique gamesmanship for big plays and comebacks and then at times makes head-scratching mistakes. I’m a buyer on Connor Cook. I fully expect him to continue to progress and have a very big senior campaign.  I do think this Spartan team has some warts. If Cook can avoid turnovers (including those that should be intercepted and are dropped) or even cut back, I think he has a shot at being the #1 quarterback in the 2016 draft.Â

 

Hondo, Jake Hartbarger apparently has a big leg, but does he, in your estimate, have the cajones to be the next great punter at Michigan State? Tom Oren

Thanks for the question Tom. Mike Sadler and I talked about this on my radio show back in April when he said he expected Hartbarger to be better than him. Jake has a monster leg. Considerably bigger leg than both Aaron Bates and Mike Sadler, but not the pin point precision placement of them. I don’t think Jake is going to be a good one. I think he is going to be a great one, but I do expect there to be some struggles. He had a rough spring, but he has the God given talent and the work ethic. Remember, he is going to be a freshman. That alone demands some level of grace.  Â

 

Hondo, what are you opinions on Mark Snyder, the new defensive coach for Coach Dantonio? Vince Roth

If you are asking me on a personal level, I have found him to be pleasant and I like him. What matters most is what Mark Dantonio thinks of him and obviously he supports him 100%. In talking with people who worked with him at Ohio State and Texas A & M, who I know on a personal basis, let’s say there are mixed reviews.  Â

 

Hondo, with Alabama recently offering 2016 running back recruit Abdul Adams and 2017 wide receiver Hunter Rison, should we be worried? Josh Caldwell

Thanks Josh. I would say this. Any decision that a 15, 16, or 17 year old kid makes about where to play college football shouldn’t worry or elate anyone. At this point, I do not think there is any chance of Abdul Adams switching his commitment. As far as Hunter Rison goes, I do believe there is a chance he could back out of his commitment to Michigan State. If he does, Mark Dantonio has already proven his ability to recruit and you should have no concerns. My hope for every kid is that they end up going to the place that they want to go to wherever it may be and have great success.Â

 

There you go everyone. That is this week’s question and answer article. If you have a question never hesitate to email at SpartanNationMail@yahoo.com and put in the subject line FB Q/A