The flashy star, with his game-breaking plays, can't-miss smile and unbounded skills, has exited.
And the unproven class has taken his place.
Not in the hearts of Spartan fans, but on the field. Running the routes, trying to hold on to every ball and making the big plays while somehow attempting to meet the unattainable standards set before them.
They are the sophomore receivers. A group that has missed games because of academics, injuries and lack of experience combined with a lack of the necessary skills. One was even a quarterback last season.
But, for now, they are all that head coach John L. Smith has to work with in his razzle-dazzle style of offense that he toted along on his wagon ride north from Louisville to Michigan State. An offense that depends on teams having a plethora of dependable, talented receivers.
In the absence of Charles Rogers, now the Detroit Lions' top offensive option, the Spartans have only one receiver with any semblance of experience. He's the father figure of the group - Ziehl Kavanaght.
"He's the experienced voice," sophomore receiver Kyle Brown said. "He tells us how it is on game day. He tells me how to do my routes and just how to play in the game."
But the rest are sophomores, with untapped talent and hunger for a chance.
That was evident on Saturday, when Agim Shabaj, who missed most of last season with a torn posterior cruciate ligament, broke away from the defense for two touchdowns on six catches and 89 yards receiving.
"It felt real good," Shabaj said. "I have no words to describe it. It just felt great to get my first college career touchdown."
The 5-foot-10, 194-pound sophomore is one of the speed receivers in the slot position, who can take any short pass and make a long touchdown out of it.
"We always thought he was a playmaker and, to be honest, we expect that from him," wide receivers coach Jim McElwain said.
Shabaj and Brown are the quickest options for MSU senior quarterback Jeff Smoker to find when teams blitz. They have a sprinting rivalry that dates back to racing each other in the 200-meter run in high school. And now, they're both just trying not to be caught by defenders.
"It's like a fast-break offense on turf," Brown said. "We'll get that dunk at the end."
After suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in high school and a sprained shoulder to end his season last year, the 6-1, 205-pounder is ready to prove his worth. And that his 4.4 40-meter dash times are not a thing of the past.
Brown showed his speed last Saturday on his 59-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter.
"That's why coach wants me to stay within the offense," Smoker said. "We have guys that can take the short-screen passes or the underneath pass, and they can take that ball and turn it into a 15- or 20-yard gain. That's what we like to do."
The other two members of the group are more raw of talent but might be more explosive.
Aaron Alexander, who was the third-string quarterback much of last season, was coerced by Smith to make the switch to receiver to help both himself and the team.
The move would not only get the team's vocal leader more involved in the offense but would also allow the former MSU basketball player to make a name for himself.
"(The position change) has been the hardest thing of all, because my heart's really at quarterback," Alexander said. "I've been a quarterback since I was five years old."
The 6-5, 205-pound sophomore has been hampered by a right-foot injury, but he won't let that get in the way of his playing time. In fact, despite being listed as a backup on the depth chart, he was on the field for the Spartans first play of the season and caught a 7-yard pass.
"This offense is great," Alexander said. "This offense is really indescribable, because we've got so many things we can do, with so many packages and formations. It is just exciting to play in. Everybody touches the ball and good things happen."
The final cog in the motor that is the Spartan offense is Matt Trannon, who missed last season after not qualifying academically.
The 6-6, 228-pounder might be the most explosive option they have, but he also is the least dependable. Coaches have raved about his talent, but in the game he dropped the ball.
But, with only one week under his belt, his ultimate talent level is still unknown.
What is certain is that the sophomore is not afraid to deliver a huge hit.
"I was just trying to do anything I can and just help my teammates with the situations we had," Trannon said. "I did all I could."
Trannon, along with the other Spartan receivers, have been asked to do more blocking in the spread offense, and most have responded favorably.
The one major knock on the unproven class is that they will drop key passes, as they did in Saturday's game and are sure to do in the future.
"Everybody drops passes," Brown said. "Everybody ain't perfect. I dropped a pass and came back and scored a touchdown."
