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I put out a call for 'crootin questions on the Twitters yesterday, and got some great questions! Beginning with:
@TheOnlyColors Given MSU again doesn’t have a top-20 class, why hasn’t the program been scrapped?
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) February 2, 2015
Well, uhhh, OH I GOT IT!
@ChrisVannini @TheOnlyColors No. 17 on http://t.co/NGHcxJxGjA, ahem.
— Mike Wilson (@MikeWScout) February 2, 2015
That was easy. Consider the program un-scrapped.
Let's try again:
@TheOnlyColors Old rep: Our 3-stars will beat your 4 & 5 stars. New rep? Our 3 & 4 stars will destroy you?
— Rick Kessler (@Gr8LakesCamper) February 2, 2015
This is begging the question to a certain extent. Previously, there needed to be a #narrative to explain why MSU teams perceived as talent deficient were able to beat the blue bloods. That narrative no longer needs to exist now, because these MSU teams shouldn't be perceived as talent deficient anymore.
But that's no fun at all. The rep should be that it's scary for Dantonio to now be pulling in his preferred recruits from all over the country.
@TheOnlyColors Any idea on where the Dowell's will play? Their HS team was so stacked.
— The Breslin Byrds (@BreslinBirds) February 2, 2015
The Dowell twins are hard to get a read on for many reasons. First, they're twins, so I have trouble keeping their names straight. Second, they seem to be pretty versatile athletes that could play many different positions. Third, this MSU staff has a history of flipping guys around from offense to defense.
Andrew seems like close to a lock to be a running back. He's largely listed there, though the fact that LJ Scott exists in this class suggests he could end up on the other side of the ball. If LJ Scott ends up contributing next year (we'll get to this in a second) then a redshirt for Andrew makes sense and splits up the classes a bit.
David, to me, is a total toss-up between WR, CB and S. He played as a press corner in high school, which suggests that might be a natural spot for him at MSU. But he's got the frame (6-1, 180) to put on some weight and be a safety as well. But given the number of DBs in this class (Kaleel Gaines, Josh Butler, and Tyson Smith) he may be needed more on the defensive side.
How's that for using a lot of words to not answers a question?
@TheOnlyColors realistic expectations for LJ Scott, given the depth we already have at RB, do you see him contributing early?
— Michigan St. Of Mind (@MSofMind) February 2, 2015
Here's the list of RB's potentially in the mix next year: Delton Williams, Gerald Holmes, Madre London, Gerald Owens, LJ Scott, and (likely) Andrew Dowell. This reminds me of the 2009 Edwin Baker-Larry Caper-Ashton Leggett-Caulton Ray-Glenn Winston-AJ Jimmerson rotation of death.
Barring injury, I'm guessing Dave Warner and company end up settling in on two main guys and a third rotational guy, much like Jeremy Langford, Nick Hill, and Delton Williams this year. Delton is almost certainly one of those three, though I'm not sure which one. Given that Delton, Holmes and Owens all appear to be power-type backs, I'm guessing speedster Madre London is also one of the three. If Scott can add something to the mix like pass protection then he'll get into that rotation.
If Le'Veon Bell and Jeremy Langford taught me anything, it's hard to know until fall camp.
Thanks for your questions everyone!