Defense wins championships. The common saying is uttered often by both sports fanatics and critics alike. For the MSU football program, they know firsthand how important it is to have a great defense.
That’s why the return of both Vayante Copeland and Ed Davis will be huge for the Spartan defense going forwardSpring practice is underway in East Lansing and the addition of the two adds a new element to the defense.
During the Spartan’s magical season in 2013, where they won a school-record 13 games, the defense stood out the most as the team leaned on it all year. To cap that season off, they won the granddaddy of them all, the Rose Bowl.
Just a few months ago on New Year’s Eve, the Spartans were painfully shutout 38-0 in the Cotton Bowl by the Alabama Crimson Tide. On the other end of the spectrum, a great defense can kill momentum and stifle the offense.
In the past, MSU has featured first round NFL talent in the secondary. Former first round picks Darqueze Dennard and Trae Waynes come to mind when thinking about those great Spartan defenses.
Copeland appears to be following the footsteps of those two players. A redshirt freshman last year before going down for the season, he earned his starting spot at cornerback.
Head coach Mark Dantonio had high praise for the next potential great corner in Spartan lore.
“Prior to the injury, (Copeland) is a quick-bodied guy, great ball skills, great tackler in space,” Dantonio said. “I thought he had a great first game against Western (Michigan).”
Before going down with a neck injury during the game against the Oregon Ducks, Copeland was playing extremely well. In that one game against Western Michigan University, he had four tackles, two for loss. He capped it all off with his first career interception in the end zone that helped seal MSU’s first victory.
While the nature of a neck injury can be extremely tricky, Copeland seems to have not missed a beat during his time out.
“He looks quicker, faster, very under-controlled, very balanced,” Dantonio said. “That’s what he’s demonstrated throughout winter conditioning.”
In the case of Davis, he’s put into an interesting position right away. During his absence, then-sophomore linebacker Jon Reschke filled in admirably. During the Spartan’s win against the Ohio State University Buckeyes, he was a key part in limiting them to a season-low 132 yards.
In terms of what to do with the two, it’s a predicament. In the past, Dantonio hasn’t had a problem with having too much talent on his team, but the linebacker situation offers Dantonio options that he hasn’t seen in his 10 years at MSU.
“I think Reschke would be a guy that would probably move out (to strongside linebacker),” Dantonio said. “(Reschke is) faster than Ed (Davis). Although Ed has the athletic ability to move out there as well. I’m not sure which.”
Dantonio then went on to mention how strong the linebacking crew is at MSU. Not just Davis and Reschke, but fifth-year senior Riley Bullough will also be back this season. Listed atop the depth chart is also sophomore Andrew Dowell.
While Davis might seem like he’s coming in and disrupting the linebacking core, there’s no denying his talent. During his junior season, he received an honorable All-Big Ten mention and was primed to capitalize to explode his senior year.
The season-ending injury to Davis was a huge bummer for last year’s team. But for the 2016-2017 squad, it looks to have a huge impact for MSU’s quest to another Big Ten championship crown.
Both Davis and Copeland will play a huge role in 2016. It remains to be seen but they both add another dimension to the team, giving the coaches tons of flexibility.
