Notes from the MSU Spring Scrimmage on April 12

Before I break it down, here are the official stats provided by our good friends within the MSU Sports Information Department: Defense Wins Scrimmage,

Before I break it down, here are the official stats provided by our good friends within the MSU Sports Information Department:

Defense Wins Scrimmage, 46-40
Rushing: Andre Anderson 14-98 (97-yard TD run); A.J. Jimmerson 8-23 (2-yard TD run).
Passing: Brian Hoyer 10-18-1 63; Nick Foles 11-18-0 82; Kirk Cousins 5-8-0 28.
Receiving: Chris D. Rucker 4-39; Mark Dell 3-20; Blair White 2-27.
Tackles: Greg Jones 9; Ryan Allison 9 (TFL: 1-2); Adam Decker 6 (TFL: 3-5); Kendell Davis-Clark 5.
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Now here are my notes.Â

1. The first half was played outside and the second half was indoors.
   
2. Brian Hoyer looked very sharp and accurate, both in and outdoors. He did have an interception, but if you where there, it wasn’t one that should be credited to him. It was an OL mistake. Justin Kershaw exploded off of the ball and drilled Hoyer when he was in his motion and Otis Wiley got the pick. It was a simple three-step drop for Hoyer, but he had Kershaw there fast than he could plant his foot. No excuse for the OL to give that up. Great play by Kershaw.
   
3. Speaking of Kershaw he is not only bigger, but also visibly even more impressive. He has worked hard in the weight room and is poised for what could be a great senior season.
   
4. Although this can certainly change, the starting LB’s group at this point is Greg Jones in the middle and Brandon Denson and Eric Gordon on his side. Please remember that this in only spring, but those three are so fast and athletic that if they stick that out through fall it could be real interesting in EL. I am not saying they would be the best group of LB’s in the Big Ten, but there won’t be any faster and their youth and athleticism could spell trouble for a lot of team.
   
5. Greg Jones is CLEARLY one of the major leaders on this team. He is still in classes as a TRUE Freshman, but you could see his teammates looking to him like as a leader and he has taken that role on the field. He was all over his teammates, and when the offense scored at TD in a goal line situation, he was all over an older teammate that had made a mental error. Folks, he is a star in the making and considering the long line of great LB’s that are littered all over the history of the Spartan Nation he has a shot to be one of the best ever.
   
6. Tyler Hoover simply doesn’t look like a true freshman. Oh yeah, I forgot. He enrolled early so he is actually a high school senior. He has technique issues to work on, but he consistently made plays and was in and around the ball all day. He is going to get considerable reps and will play a lot this season. He is a stud. Because of his height, keeping his pad level low is very difficult. In high school he could get away with that because he was so much better than his competition. Not at this level, but he will fix that.
   
7. Carl Grimes I think it is fair to say has had a disappointing career at this point. He has never been a bad kid and he played very well yesterday and we are hearing that he is having his best spring. He was tackled twice on catches yesterday and I was standing there. Once by Johnny Adams and once by Roderick Jenrette. Both times he was tackled on the defensive sideline. He jumped up both times and yelled to the entire D, “You have to hit harder than that now.” Not only did it fire up both teams it just increased the already impressive physicality of a hard-hitting scrimmage.
   
8. Most coaches don’t like live hitting. Not Dantonio and this staff. They want hitting and they want punishment on both sides of the ball. I asked Dantonio about this mentality last year and he told me then, “You can’t practice one way and expect it to be different on Saturday in the fall. I want us to hit people, to punish people. I want them to be sore when they play MSU and you can’t just wake up and do that. We practice like we play. If a player can survive one of our practices, he can play here on Saturday and play the way we want.”
   
9. Johnny Adams is so fast. He will return kicks for the Spartans in 2008 and this is no disrespect for Devin Thomas, but they don’t think there will be a let off this season. Andre Anderson (more on him later) had a 97-yard TD score and Adams came from behind and off to the side to catch him. His speed is very impressive. He has some technique issues, but I think he will be a very good corner by time he is done. He will however be an immediate impact guy on the kick returns.
   
10. Enrique Shaw is getting a lot of reps and he has really worked on technique. He not only rolled his hips much better, but he also exploded through the offensive player and really looked good and fluid.
    
11. If you go back and look through the archives, you will see that I have been high on Ryan Wheat since the Spartans signed him. He has to keep his pad levels lower and play with the same high motor on each play to be great. When he does keep his pads low and plays with the same high level of explosiveness he is very good. How good is up to him. If he wants to, he could be a huge contributor this season.
    
12. Again (I am sorry this sounds like a broken record) go back in the archives and read what I have said about this kid since he got here, but Andre Anderson is a kid that can really do so damage in the Big Ten. He is explosive and strong and Glen Mason at Minnesota saw him as a Marion Barber clone and I agree.
    
13. Blair White came on the scene surprisingly late last season and continues to play well. He is very crisp in his routes and although some may have more physical talent, he finds ways to get on the field because he has superb technique and works hard.
    
14. It was interesting to see the offense and Don Treadwell move FB Andrew Hawken out to the slot. They like how he is very crisp in his assignments and he catches the ball well. He is also a very good open field blocker so there are possibilities running out of that three/four receiver set with him out there. He is a very good blocker. In fact he crushed Eric Gordon on the goal line.
    
15. Anyone who watches shouldn’t be surprised that Brandon Denson is making such a statement. He is not only has speed, but he is very good in the open field.
    
16. Another funny Trevor Anderson moment. Kirk Cousins ran a play and lowered his helmet into a defensive player who had let up because he was a QB. Cousins tried to run over him and after the play Anderson yelled from the sidelines, “You want to go live number 8? You want to? We can do that, but you won’t like it.”
    
17. TE Garrett Celek looks good and the staff has very high hopes and plans for him. They like his motor and his gung ho attitude on every play. He is getting bigger and he should get some real reps and very well may eventually earn a way into the starting lineup. That is up to him, but they certainly see that as a real possibility.
    
18. TE Charlie Gantt certainly has a good grasp at the offense and is a hard working kid. He is very talented with his footwork and using his body to his advantage.
    
19. Nick Foles struggled gripping the ball outside, but when he came inside his accuracy was very good. His throws, whether it is a 65-yard bomb, or three-yard TE slants are effortless. He never has struggled with accuracy in high school or here at MSU so there isn’t any concern.
    
20. Antonio Jeremiah has lost close to 30 pounds. If he can learn to go 100% on each play, he won’t have to play each one and he could be a dominator. He was never stopped when he played at 100%; it is going to require him to keep getting his motor on high for as long as he is on the field.Â
    
21. The DL for the first time in years has some potential for depth. A lot of these guys are young and they are used to having to play every down in high school. If they can just learn to play at a high level when they are on the field, this could be one of the strong points of this team.
    
22. I realize that there isn’t a lot of OL analysis here. The scrimmage was viewed from field level and don’t listen to anyone that tells you they can give a good analysis of those positions from that level. Next week I will be watching from the press box and will focus a lot of attention there.
    

Last thing that will make you all laugh. There was a referee clinic at the scrimmage, so there was large group. Because the scrimmage was not at the stadium, DC Pat Narduzzi was up in the scissors truck so he could get a good view. When his defense was called for a penalty in a goal line situation, he screamed at the referee: “That’s bologna, that’s crap!” Nice to see him in rare mid season form already. I love his intensity and fire!