Linking Laconically almost forgot it's signing day

by KJ@theonlycolors on Nov 11, 2009 3:16 PM CST in Michigan State Spartans News Roundup Comment 5 comments

MSU's Tom Izzo likes new recruiting class | freep.com | Detroit Free Press
Could add one more? Would require an early departure, unless I'm missing something. Izzo: "“This year’s class really fits our needs. We’ve got a banger, a couple of scorers and a lot of versatility. We got a couple of guys early and one late. And we’re still recruiting and looking."
Tom Izzo welcomes standout recruiting class at MSU | detnews.com | The Detroit News
No more than 3 scholarships will be used for 2011 class; presumably saving one since only two open up in 2012 (Green/Roe).
Men's Basketball Signs Four To National Letters of Intent - MICHIGAN STATE OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE
Official bios for Keith Appling, Russell Byrd, Alex Gauna, and Adreian Payne. Fun fact: Payne is first Dayton-area Spartan since Andre Hutson.
Recruiting: ESPN.com's class rankings could undergo a complete transformation in the coming week - ESPN
MSU's 2010 class tentatively at #3; Ohio State and Illinois also in top 5.
MSU's Allen, Roe in, Morgan out for basketball opener | freep.com | Detroit Free Press
Summers good to go, too; Morgan questionable for Gonzaga.
Texas Longhorns edge Gonzaga Bulldogs in men's basketball scrimmage - ESPN
Bulldogs reportedly played Texas very close in a closed-door scrimmage. (HT: Slipper Still Fits)
College Basketball Preview: Raymar Morgan is the key and Draymond Green is a breakout candidate for Michigan State | It's Just Sports - MLive.com
Raymar Morgan is always the key.
High School Basketball Top Recruits - StatSheet.com
New data to play around with; MSU does better than I'd have guessed on "RSCI points" over the last decade.
Top College Basketball Teams Get Called for Fewer Fouls Than Their Opponents - WSJ.com
Speaking of StatSheet. Kudos.
Big Ten Geeks: But I Can't Work in Fast Food All My Life
Geeks movin' on up. Also, kudos.
Andy Katz's Daily Word: Taking a shot at ranking all 32 conferences - ESPN
Big Ten #1.
Purdue Basketball Blog: Kelsey Barlow will not redshirt!
Matt Painter going all in this season.
U official: Royce White suspect in campus burglary | StarTribune.com
White's hole getting deeper?
Only two triple-doubles? Hard to believe (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)
Beware Evan Turner.
Welsh-Ryan Ramblings: A Northwestern Basketball Blog: Men’s Basketball Season Preview: Is this NU’s Year?
Fun subplot to the season: Does NW end its however-many-years-they've-existed NCAA Tournament drought?
MSU looks at lineup changes to boost secondary | detnews.com | The Detroit News
Didn't we do this once (or twice) already?
Spartans offensive line holds promise | detnews.com | The Detroit News
Another reason getting to a bowl game kind of matters quite a bit: getting more practice time for next year's new OL starters.
Big Ten rooting interest: Nov. 14 - Big Ten - ESPN
Go Illinois, South Dakota State, Wisconsin, and Penn State. And MSU.
Boilermakings for 11/10 - Hammer and Rails
Hear LVS talk MSU-Purdue tonight LIVE!!! at 8:00. Or check in later for the recording.

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

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

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

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