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Around SBN: Ole Miss-Alabama: "Let's Go Eat.Wait. What Happened?"

Linking Laconically almost forgot it's signing day

Final previewy basketball post coming late tonight or first thing tomorrow.

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The mystery fifth scholarship

Lots of confusion as to where this fifth (read: Zeigler’s) scholarship could come from. From what people have said, there’s two likely scenarios: Lucas enters the draft or Tom Herzog finds a way to spend his last year on an academic scholarship (graduate stipend?). I don’t know the rules about those sorts of things. Regardless, it should get sorted out about the same time TZ is making a decision in the Spring.

I’m kind of surprised by Izzo’s candor: "There’s a possibility we could take one more. It probably won’t be early, though." That’s very unsubtle. Still, I’ve heard nothing to suggest MSU is in the front of Zeigler’s mind. We’re still competing for an official. Most would say CMU, UCLA, and UM are the big three in that order.

As for 2012, three open up – Roe, Green, Lucious. I don’t know where Lacy is getting 3 in 2011 but he keeps repeating it. Obviously, that is the scenario if MSU gets Zeigler. Beyond that, I don’t know why Izzo wouldn’t take four in 2011.

Besides that, this is an incredible recruiting class. Even Byrd received great reviews last spring and summer when up against some quality competition. My suspicion is that if Lucas returns the 2010-2011 team is as good as any of squads of the last 10 years on paper.

by intrpdtrvlr on Nov 11, 2009 3:40 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

Secondary Changes

Previously we put KDC in place of Rucker at one of the CB spots. So now we are moving KDC to safety where he normally plays.

Anyone else think it could be the 3 LB defense and not the players?

by DrDetroit on Nov 11, 2009 6:43 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

Honestly, no

My favorite adage about college football is the one (attributed on the Internet to just about every great old time coach) is ’It’s Jimmys and Joes, not Xs and Os." To the defense MSU runs, you need CBs who can make plays out there on a island. I remember hearing Dantonio quoted as trying to recruit Muskegeon’s Ronald Johnson that way to play corner, saying that because of the defense we play, you’ll be a star out there. MSU has problems all over the pass defense, which I don’t think would be solved by playing a fifth DB over Brandon Denson.

To me, you’re also discounting the advantages of the scheme we’re running. Which is that with Denson out there rather than fifth DB, we’re better equipped to stop the run. And we have been pretty good against the run from spread formations. As a defensive philosophy, stop the run first is a pretty good one, IMO. The play back and make them Northwestern their way down the field is pretty good, also. Not that it’s always worked out that way.

by witless chum on Nov 12, 2009 6:07 AM CST up reply actions   0 recs

Oddly, I disagree

Because Denson (or Gordon) is split wide as if he was the 5th DB. If he was playing inside the box I would agree, but MSU moves him out and only has the 4 DL and 2 LBs for stopping the run. That would not change and would be just as effective stopping the spread run but better in pass coverage.

by DrDetroit on Nov 12, 2009 9:49 AM CST up reply actions   0 recs

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