Spring Spartan Football: News and Notes 04/05/10 Edition
Another successful basketball season has just ended for the Spartans, which means it is now time to look ahead to football.
The Spartans are looking for seperation this spring.
Even though this year’s recruiting class has yet to step on campus (in it’s entirety) and shake up some position battles, there is plenty for the Spartan Nation to be excited about.
Starting on the offensive side of the ball. The offense has been very impressive thus far, and we would surprise if they don’t finish the season as one of the top two offenses in the Big Ten.
Quarterback – Many people expected this position to be set in stone (and it is) but there is a battle going on. It seems like Andrew Maxwell has yet to miss many throws this spring and the coaching staff has taken notice. Kirk Cousins has improved since last year and the improvements are very noticeable. His arm strength has increased which has improved his deep ball and allowed him to get the ball to his receivers quicker on the short routes. Spartan Nation reported (and Kirk Cousins confirmed) that he went over spring break to California to work with the Elite 11 QB fols in Brett and Bob Johnson and it shows. Cousins looks great and is being matched by Maxwell, including hitting the film room.
These are two of the brightest quarterbacks around and this competition is forcing them to perfect their games. In the end, Cousins will get the job because of the experience factor and will continue to improve because of the competition behind him.  That doesn’t change that Maxwell’s future is very bright and that talented young man has a very bright future. Something Spartan Nation mentioned prior to the start of camp.
Running Back – With Caper and Baker completely healthy, this group is one of the best in the country. Both of these guys committed themselves to becoming better football players and it is very apparent. Both of them are bigger, faster, stronger, and smarter than last year. They have been making big plays all spring.  Both of these young men are great people.  They certainly got along last year, but have grown into friends and that can only help.
A third running back has also emerged in the group and that is Leveon Bell. This kid runs with no fear and puts at least one defender on their back every time he touches the ball. He does not get taken backwards and always falls forward after the hit. He is very similar to Jehuu Caulcrick, during his freshman year. One guy cannot take Bell down and it has become a consistent sight, seeing Bell carrying three defenders down field. His power is going to enable Baker and Caper to fully utilize their speed and elusiveness. This will be one of the most entertaining rushing attacks in the entire country.
Wide Receiver – The wide receiver position has seen a couple of players really step up their game. If Keith Nichol maintains his work ethic and commitment to the position, he will be a better receiver than Blair White. This is no knock on Blair, Keith is THAT good. Keith made the commitment to hit the weight room and added a good amount of muscle and it shows. He has been using his size, strength and athleticism to create separation on every route. Nichol would certainly be a contender for one of the best players this fall. He has gotten better and become a star in the making.
Another player who has really stepped up is Chris D Rucker. Always fast, CDR has appeared to somehow gain speed this spring. He has worked hard to improve his hands and it seems he has solved his problem of dropping the ball. Whether he’s beating the corner on a deep route or breaking a tackle on a short route, he has been busting big plays down the sideline all spring.
Keshawn Martin has been steadily improving and fine-tuning his game. His hands and route running ability have improved and the staff will continue to look for ways to get him the ball as they did at the end of last season. Another great encouragement for Kmart is that he is blocking downfield. It is the little nuances of the game like downfield blocking that have hurt him in the past.
BJ Cunningham and Donald Spencer have both proved they are capable receivers. Mark Dell could very easily be the 6th receiver by the time the season kicks off on September 4th. We are not predicting that…yet, but it easily could happen.
Tight Ends – The Spartans have an excess of talent at the tight end position. Dion Sims seems to have gained a little separation as the go to tight end in the passing game, but all five tight ends (Sims, Gantt, Celek, Linthicum, and Hoebing) will see the field and rotate throughout the game. The coaching staff will have trouble finding ways to get all five significant playing time and getting them the ball, but that is a good problem to have. Celek is a star and recovering from some off-season medical work, but like the rest will have a big 2010.
Offensive Line – The offensive line is going to be the most interesting battle to watch unfold. Every day is a physical and mental battle of who wants it more and everyone will benefit as a result. They have been getting a great push and opening huge holes all spring. The best new offensive lineman so far this spring has been Henry Conway followed by Nate Klatt.  Both have been praised continually at Spartan Nation and both have made us look smart this spring.
Joel Foreman continues to be the glue guy on the O-Line and has been providing great leadership to the younger players. John Deyo, Ethan Ruhland, John Stipek, Chris McDonald, and Jared McGaha have all shown flashes of brilliance at some point this spring. This is the first year in a while that the Spartan coaching staff has too many options to choose from at each O-Line position rather than patching one together. On September 4th, I expect the front line to take the field like this: LT – Young, LG – Foreman, C - Klatt, RG – McGaha, RT – Conway. Although do not be surprised if Barrent, Ruhland, or McDonald crack that lineup in the coming months. Needless to say there is a lot to be sorted out on the offensive line.
Defensive Line – The D-line has been banged up this spring. They have had multiple starters missing time due to injuries, but this has allowed the younger players to step in and prove themselves. The most impressive D-lineman thus far has been Kevin Pickelman. Corey Freeman and Denzel Drone have looked good on the edge, and Treadwell has been solid in the middle. When this group gets completely healthy, and adds Anthony White into the mix, they will have a lot of quality depth that will be able to get a consistent pass rush as well as stop the run.
Linebacker- The linebacker position is another one that almost has too much talent if that’s possible. Jones and Gordon have all but locked up their starting positions, which only leaves one or possibly two positions up for grabs.
Battling for that spot will be Jon Misch, Jeremy Gainer, Steve Gardiner, Max Bullough, Chris Norman and Denicos Allen. Gainer and Allen all shined in practice throughout their freshman seasons and made big impacts during the bowl practices. Jon Misch is the seasoned veteran of the group. Bullough is the newcomer who has the talent to see the field, but needs the experience and practice to be successful in the system. As it stands right now I say the final position will go to Gainer or Norman. This may be the toughest position group for this staff to handle and maximize the production from.
Remember that Spartan Nation has state multiple times that Bullough could get on the field allowing Jones to slide to his more natural outside spot. We aren’t saying that Bullough will replace Jones, we are saying he may simply be good enough to allow it.
Defensive Backs – In the much-criticized defensive backfield there have been some bright spots in Patrick White, Jairus Jones, and Dana Dixon. The problem is all three are freshman and are still learning the system and all of the multiple coverages.
Johnny Adams and Trenton Robinson have been solid, they haven’t been making big plays but they also haven’t been giving up big plays. Both have been very solid fundamentally and look like they will be the anchor to the defensive backfield. Isaiah Lewis and Mylan Hicks may enter the rotation immediately after stepping on campus. That puts our best defensive backs as five freshmen, a sophomore, and a junior.
