Nov 3, 2018; College Park, MD, USA; Michigan State Spartans defensive end Kenny Willekes (48) celebrates with teammates during the first quarter against the Maryland Terrapins at Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium. Photo Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
LOCATION: East Lansing, Mich.
COACH: Mark Dantonio — At Michigan State: 107-51,
12 years; overall: 125-68, 15 years
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Brad Salem
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Mike Tressel
LAST LEAGUE TITLE: 2015
LAST TIME DIDN’T GO BOWLING: 2016
RETURNING STARTERS: 18; 8 offense, 8 defense, kicker, punter
PLAYERS TO WATCH: QB Brian Lewerke, WR Cody White, WR Darrell Stewart, DT Raequan Williams, DE Kenny Willekes, NT Mike Panasiuk, LB Joe Bachie, CB Josiah Scott
PRIMARY STRENGTHS: The Spartans’ defense is loaded again, flush with experience and playmakers at all levels, inside and out, coming off a dominating back half to last season. MSU led the Big Ten in two telling defensive categories, allowing just 17.2 points per game and 77.9 yards rushing.
POTENTIAL PROBLEMS: You might have been able to win a national championship with MSU’s defense last year. You could have gone 0-12 with its offense, which scored six points three times in the Spartans’ final four games. A season of good health might change a lot of things, but there are questions throughout, beginning with an offensive line that regressed last season.
OVERVIEW
Defensively, it’s an abundance of riches, including a handful of big-timers a year away from the NFL. Yet it’s not clear that the Spartans are truly a contender for a Big Ten championship because it isn’t clear that they have the goods offensively. Michigan State shuffled its offensive coaching staff for a reason … and there’s pressure not to waste this defense again.
TOP NEWCOMER
OT Devontae Dobbs: Rated the top guard in the nation and the 51st-best overall recruit in the 247Sports Composite, Dobbs is a versatile lineman who is expected to compete for playing time as a true freshman, perhaps even earn a starting role. Either way, he should bolster an offensive line that has struggled to produce a consistent push the past three seasons.
SCHEDULE
Aug. 30 TULSA
Sept. 7 WESTERN MICHIGAN
Sept. 14 ARIZONA STATE
Sept. 21 at Northwestern
Sept. 28 INDIANA
Oct. 5 at Ohio State
Oct. 12 at Wisconsin
Oct. 26 PENN STATE
Nov. 9 ILLINOIS
Nov. 16 at Michigan
Nov. 23 at Rutgers
Nov. 30 MARYLAND
