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| Predictions :: 2005 Fall :: 2004 Fall :: 2004 Spring:: 2003 Fall :: 2003 Spring :: 2002 Fall :: 2001 Fall | |||
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2007 ES Preview Now Available 2007
ES Preview - high res
pdf (2007 August 30)--The 2007 Enlightened Spartan Predictions Preview is now available! Including verbiage from the ES and friends on expectations out of your Spartoonies and composite Big Ten schedule cut out. What does the ES predict out of our Spartans? Click on each page below to enlarge, or access the pdf in high or low resolution. The preview will also be made available at a variety of coffee shops and bars in the greater Lansing area...
The Schedule First off, the ES says a 6th-9th place preseason prediction for MSU is perfect! Even after a surprising turnaround from the depths of the Big Ten conference within one year, the Big Green is still getting the Rodney Dangerfield treatment. Inform the masses that John L Smith has NEVER had a losing record in conference play in 16 years as a head coach! He has kept mum on most of the preseason camp other than to say “I like what I see out of the young guys.” The
ES is giving John L the benefit of the doubt. We have a year where most
Big Ten teams are breaking in a new QB, as is MSU. The Spartan defense
returns in good shape and with experience. The MSU OL, while losing three
starters, fills the holes with guys who have had plenty of experience.
Our wideouts and TEs are studs. Moreover, John L is so confident in his
team, he can go climb mountains in Africa during the off-season. So why all the negative vibes? Is it too tough to believe that a smart-ass can actually revive a program? What more do you need faithful? The ES predicts a 7-5/4-4 squad... at worst. ES PICKS THE SPARTANS FOR 20O4... 7-5 all/4-4 Big Ten 9/4
@ Rutgers W The
Great Prognosticators Smig:
8-4/5-3 Carter:
8-4/5-3 Rhett:
8-4/4-4 ES:
7-5/4-4 Chock:
6-6/3-5 [Note: Chock lists six wins vs CMU, ND, Indy, Illini, Buckeyes, Hawaii. Rhett lists eight wins vs Rugters, CMU, ND, Indy, Illini, Buckeyes, Penn St, Hawaii.] Notes
on the Spartoonies from the Bay Area Big Green Lineup Rankings The ES can break out the positions with words and waste space, or he can grade each player on a 1 (sucks) - 5 (sweet!) scale. Let’s do the scale and “get on with the business.” OFFENSE DEFENSE SPECIAL
TEAMS Big Ten picks The ES will review his picks after the non-conference season and put a revised picks in his Fall Big Ten preview, due out the week after the ND game (Sep. 19). This is how it looks for the ES right now, as of Sept. 3: 1.
Wisconsin
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Yup, this is the year. Expectations haven't been this high for a Michigan State squad since the post-Rose Bowl years of the late 1980s. The Big Green has been picked by the media as the third-best team in the conference, behind Michigan and Ohio State (even the 1999 team that went 10-2 wasn't picked this high in pre-season). That's perfect -- it's like having the fast horse on the inside as you round the clubhouse turn, just a nose behind the leaders but ready to break in front of the pack. There's just two things that would keep this horse from winning: injuries and coaching. The ES is feeling good about this year. I've gotten the skinny on the season from MSU alumni around the globe, and there is still plenty of pessimism abounding in Spartanland; and for good reason, as we enter yet another season with a coach the Sporting News ranks as 10th-most-effective out of 11 Big Ten coaches. The ES is saying that BW will prove them wrong this season, and the players will make him look like genius. A Win may be too much to ask, but this horse will take Place in an 11-horse race and go to pasture in sunny Florida on New Years Day. Here's my breakdown: Offense, Defense, Other, Schedule. STARTERS
RETURNING Offense: A. Michigan State should have the top offense in the conference this season. The offensive line returns intact, with depth, to block for the best pass receiving combination in college football, Smoker to Rogers. A third receiving option needs to be found, but that could come from TE with a very solid group of recruits filling in nicely for departed Chris Baker. David Richard and Dawan Moss -- who lost 20 pounds in the offseason -- combined should be able to make up for the departure of TJ Duckett to the NFL. This is an explosive group.
Running Backs = B. Watch for rookie David Richard to push Dawan Moss for playing time, in taking over for T.J. Duckett. The Spartans don't need a Duckett to be successful, but they do need a threat at RB -- and Moss and Richard are more than capable as a tandem. Mike McConnell is slated as the backup to Moss, and both Mark Goebel and Jason Bradley are penciled in at FB. The trio have little-to-no game experience.
Offensive Line: A. The offensive line isn't large and fat (Indiana averages 315, Wisconsin averages 308, MSU is a trimmed down 301), and has depth. MSU is the only squad with the entire offensive line returning. Brian Ottney at center (6-6, 309, Jr.) is the leader of the group and is an All-Conference stud. William Whitticker, a 6-6, 298-lb sophomore, is an athletic and strong blocker at guard. Booker (6-7, 305, Sr.), Tate (6-5, 283, Jr.), and Stewart (6-5, 310, Jr.) are all solid as well. Depth is solid, with experienced Paul Harker (6-3, 297, Sr.) returning to the lineup to backup Joe Tate after his spasm vs. Wisconsin last year. Also look for Joe Patrick and Sean Poole to see some p.t. this season. A weakness heading into last year, but solid this season. Defense: B. This group should be improved from a year ago when injuries devastated a secondary and helped put the Spartans back on their heels. MSU hasn't had a pass rush of any kind since 1999.... Could this be the year that Matthias Askew or Clifford Dukes provides the needed spark to pressure opposing QBs? The secondary is solid with the return of Cedric Henry, Thomas Wright, and plenty of experience. Josh Thornhill will be tough to replace, but the work starts up front.
Linebackers: B. Josh Thornhill is gone. Mike Labinjo came in last season and did an outstanding job -- a surprise find for the Spartans. Labinjo is solid. There have been raves from camp about Seth Mitchell, who missed last year with a knee injury. He should be the stud to fill in for Thornhill, and he had all season last year to take notes. Ronald Stanley returns to fill the other LB position. A solid, young, but not outstanding, group. Defensive Backs: A. MSU was devastated by injury last year -- Cedric Henry had a brain fart when he didn't qualify academically. Jason Harmon and DeMario Suggs broke their ankles in the same week last year. All of this provided much needed depth and experience that should provide vast improvements. Next to Schweighert at Purdue, Thomas Wright is the best safety in the league. The secondary has experience in Henry, Wright, Flagg, Harmon, Nelson and Suggs. What was a weakness last year is a strength this year. Special Teams: C. Dave Rayner returns at the place kicker position after Schaefer got the boot for booting chip-shot field goals in the loss at Northwestern last year. Gone is the worst special teams coach in history, Sal Sunseri. Why the worst? Beyond the missed field goals, the Spartans only had six blocked kicks that led to opponent scores. At punter, Michael Servis fills in for Craig Jarett -- who is in the NFL now. Charles Rogers will be back to return punts and kickoffs -- despite a few successes, MSU ended up ranking near the bottom in returns last season. This could be hit or miss all year long.
Schedule: Furthermore, MSU has eight home games for the first time in its history, with the first five in a row at home -- all of which MSU should come away from victorious. Michigan State should be favored against EMU, RICE, CAL, NOTRE DAME, and NORTHWESTERN. That would be a 5-0 start with seven games remaining. Added to the mix is that MSU doesn't face Ohio State, a preseason favorite. Coach Bobby Williams couldn't ask for a better schedule. Other: A new grass football field at Spartan Stadium, the first natural surface since 1969, should be yet another incentive for the team to strut its stuff. MSU is ranked preseason in virtually all the polls, and was picked for third in the Big Ten by the media. 2002 Prediction: 9-3 overall/6-2 Big Ten. I've got my predicitions laid out below. Although I have MSU winning 10 games below, I figure one of them is gonna be the reverse with MSU coming out on the short end of the stick... you take your pick which one. See ya in Florida on New Years Day. GO YOU GREEN MOTHERS! at
MSU 52, EMU 7. ES Preseason Top 25: 1.
Oklahoma
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ES
predicted 8-3/5-3. Well, well, another year upon us, no? The Big Green Machine is gonna barrell over its opponents like never before, thanks to the likes of 250-plus pounder TJ-Duckett... T.D. means touchdowns, baby. My number one concern is bone-headed decision making from the man in charge. If Coach Williams can get rid of these silly delay-of-games, substitution timeouts, and do the correct addition when deciding to go for 2 or 1 PAT, we may be ok. I think our O-line can hold its own, we'll have better-than-average play from the defense, and contend. Our schedule is in our favor. Here's my breakdown: Offense, Defense, Other, Schedule. Offense: Ain't noone gonna stop the Big Green Machine in '01. Here's why: Receiving Corps = A. Gotta love BJ Lovett, Herb Haygood, and the new main man, Charles Rogers. DBs will learn quickly that they can't steal when in Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood... At TE, Chris Baker is a rumbling, mean blocker with GREAT hands--the best in the conference. This is probably our strongest position on the team (last year, our weakest)... Running Backs = A+. Exception to above... this IS our best position. Phil Steele grades out the Spartans as the #1 backfield in America. With TJ Duckett, Little John Flowers, and Tyrell Dortch MSU is HOTTTT. Coach Williams, when TJ is rumbling, dragging guys all over as he gets yet another first down, DO NOT throw the ball. Keep giving the ball to TJ. Don't be cute. Keep running him 'til they stop him. Quarterbacks = B+/C-. Hello, Coach Williams, is anyone in there? You be a fool if you start Van Dyke. They (we) will be out to get ya if you do. I give this position a B+ if Smoker stays healthy and plays all year. This position drops to a C- if we see Van Dyke any time on the field while State has less than a two-TD lead. Van Dyke is slow and cumbersome: in the legs, arms, and in the head. Beyond that, you can tell when Smoker takes the field because he has the cockiness of a winner--Van Dyke is exactly the opposite. I have prayed every night since last November that Coach W will keep Smoker as the go-to-guy. I'm still praying. Offensive Line: C+. Inexperience leads to this grade. At center is Ottney, the best and biggest in the Big 10. At 6-6, 308, lets hope Smoker doesn't hit him in the back of the helmet with a few stray passes. Booker (6-7, 291) and Harker (6-3, 298) anchor the left and are juniors new to the job. Whitticker (6-6, 303) and Stewart (6-5, 310) anchor the right and are also new. Whitticker, redshirted last year, is supposed to be a stud. Defense: As in years past, MSU should be mean and tough against the run. Pass defense will be iffy at best. Thanks to the man above that the only good QB on the schedule is Kuzok at Northwestern. Check out the skinny: Defensive Line: B+. Josh Shaw (6-3, 281) is all Big 10. He has 8 tackles for loss last year, and is poised to reak havoc as a senior. Nick Myers (6-2, 263) played great last year... underrated speed and run defense. Rasmussen (6-4, 265) also returns as a starter, with Taplin (6-5, 269) getting a new job on right end. They can stop the run... only thing really missing out of this group is a great pass rush. Linebackers: B. Thornhill is the stud, a candidate for the Butkus award. Ivory McCoy moves along his side from TE last year, and all reports are that he will fill the role nicely. Goebel is the rookie here. This is a solid unit. Defensive Backs: C. Good news is Cedric Henry at corner and Thomas Wright at strong safety. Bad news is a short DeMario Suggs (just 5'11") at corner and Lorenzo Guess at safety (everyone beat Guess last year... turn your head around when the ball is thrown!). This is the group that will lead me to drink an extra shot of Cuervo this year. Other: Expect a great, entertaining return game in '01. Who knows which kicking game will show up? And, Bobby Williams better not make too many more boneheaded calls, or he'll get the axe. Special Teams: C+. Not special last year. They cost the Big Green big time. If he's not careful this can cost Coach Williams his big job. P Craig Jarrett had a great sophomore year and a lousy junior year. Which Jarrett will show up? PK David Schaefer kicked well in non-conference but shitty in Big 10 play. Which Schaefer will show up? Return teams of Herb Haygood and Charles Rogers are why this area grades as high as it does. Expect a couple of returns for TDs out of this unit in Big 10 season, when it counts. Coaching: D-. Last place in the Big 10??? This is the other part of the game that may lead me to drink yet another extra shot of Cuervo. Which Spartan fans last year didn't pray that Notre Dame would not score a TD in the final minute because MSU did not go for two on the previous conversion? And, how many offsides, delay of game, and substitution timeouts were there all season? Another thing, if Duckett is rambling over and through everyone on the ground, why get cute and throw the ball (to the other team) when you know they can't stop him? Coach W, this is your last chance. Schedule: Ok. Here it goes. No Big Ten title, but a good warm bowl game. And, better yet, a win over UM. Coach W keeps his job for another year. The final tally: 8-3 overall/5-3 Big 10. at
MSU 38, CMU 13.
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The
Enlightened Spartan, copyright 2005. The
Enlightened Spartan was designed by Athletic
Experts 1. |
Receiving
Corps = B+. Charles Rogers is the pre-season pick for conference Offensive
Player of the Year. He is arguably the best wideout in the nation. However,
expect Rogers to receive double teams all year long. A viable second and
third option needs to be found for Rogers to excel -- Ziehl Kavanaght
was a surprise in the Spring, but watch BJ Lovett and Ben Steckler emerge
as the other options. MSU is loaded at TE to replace departed All-America
Chris Baker: Jason Randall, Ryan Woods and Eric Knott are all playmakers
that should help Smoker. 
Quarterbacks
= A. Jeff Smoker is the best Spartan QB since Earl Morrall in the
mid-1950s, and he will likely surpass Morrall as the greatest of all time
to don the Green & White. Smoker is tough as nails -- for as often
as he was beat up his first two years, he still played. Now, that group
that couldn't block worth a plug-nickel now will finally give Smoker the
time he needs to find second and third options. Wow -- that's all Smoker
needs, more time. The coaches are impressed at his improvement, that he
has taken leaps from last year. Scary. Damian Dowdell is an adequate backup
that will surely see some p.t. in early games to get some experience.
Defensive
Line: B-. The team was woeful last season rushing the QB, and at times
was a sieve against the run. A major overhaul and big improvements are
needed in this category. Kyle Rasumssen is a solid run-stopper inside.
Greg Taplin, Clifford Dukes and Matthias Askew will all get plenty of
time and opportunity to be that needed spark in pressuring opposing passers.
Anything would be an improvement over the past two seasons -- the team
has the talent and experience to improve.
Coaching:
C . The Sporting News ranks Bobby Williams 10 out of 11. Ouch. The
ES is going to give him the benefit of the doubt that he has learned from
past mistakes and won't make so many brain-dead decisions this season.
But, he's also no Lloyd Carr, Barry Alvarez, JoePa, Joe Tiller. Morris
Watts doesn't help either -- the guy would just give up on feeding the
ball to TJ Duckett. Like George Perles said, "If I had a guy like
that, I'd run his legs off." The jury remains out on the coaching
staff.