With MSU football opening spring practice Tuesday, there are questions abound on both sides of the ball as the Spartans look to rebound from a disappointing 7-6 season in 2012.
Some of these areas of concern and position battles won’t be concluded until the final days of fall camp in August, but there’s potential for a lot more clarity — depending on the spring ball performances.
Here are five of the biggest questions facing MSU entering the spring:
1.Signal caller confusion
There’s no debating senior quarterback Andrew Maxwell was inconsistent last season, but despite his struggles, few saw the potential for him being unseated as the starter. Head coach Mark Dantonio created a full-blown quarterback controversy when sophomore Connor Cook was chosen to lead the game-winning drive in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl after Maxwell struggled.
From now until the Aug. 30 opener against Western Michigan, the quarterbacks will be under the spotlight. The offense must take a step forward after last season, and MSU is either hoping Maxwell, Cook or redshirt freshman Tyler O’Connor will separate from the pack.
This battle is likely to wage well into fall camp, though, when incoming freshman Damion Terry arrives and hopes to join the mix.
2. Who will start on the offensive line, and where?
With two starters going down with injuries for the Spartans midway through the year, the offensive line went through some shuffling throughout the season, especially at the guard and center spots where multiple players got experience.
Senior tackle Fou Fonoti and junior center Travis Jackson are back and participating in spring ball after recovering from their injuries and figure to return to the starting lineup.
The spring depth chart lists Fonoti switching from right tackle to left tackle, and senior Dan France, the former left tackle, sliding down to right guard.
The positive for MSU is that multiple players have starting experience at multiple positions, so the question is not about lack of talent, just about who fits in what spot.
3. Johnny Drama
One of the most critical components of MSU’s elite defense in recent years has been the ability to put its corner backs alone on the perimeter against receivers in man-to-man coverage. To play the aggressive style defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi prefers, the corners often are left on an island to lock up wide receivers individually.
Senior cornerback Darqueze Dennard could be one of the conference’s best next season, but he loses longtime wingman Johnny Adams opposite him in the defensive backfield.
Adams and Dennard formed a deadly duo that enabled the MSU defense to become a dominant defense throughout the past two seasons.
Dennard missed the start of spring ball with an injury, but MSU hopes to have him back for the final two weeks. That means more reps for young defenders looking to fill Adams’ shoes. Look for sophomore Trae Waynes to make the most of the increased experience as one of the favorites to become a starter in the fall.
4. How does MSU replace Le’Veon Bell?
Workhorse running back Le’Veon Bell was the MSU offense last season. MSU fed him carry after carry after carry, because, at times, he was the only weapon the Spartans had. Now, the next carry he gets will be in the NFL, leaving a gaping hole where Bell used to line up in the backfield.
Like the quarterback battle, this position likely won’t be solidified until the fall.
The spring will provide the current backs on the roster — juniors Nick Hill and Jeremy Langford along with redshirt freshman Nick Tompkins — an opportunity to show they should earn the carries this season.
Dantonio has mentioned that running back is a position he’s comfortable starting a true freshman at, and three potential ballcarriers arrive in the fall in the speedy R.J. Shelton and the more powerful Gerald Holmes and Delton Williams.
Whatever shakes out at tailback, MSU likely will take a committee approach to the running game during the season.
*5. How much will the offense be tweaked? *
The offensive struggles for MSU last season are well documented. Because of those struggles, comments Dantonio made in the off-season about the need to “keep up with the times” and make some changes to the offensive scheme have become one of the program’s biggest talking points.
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Dan Roushar, offensive coordinator last season and frequent scapegoat, bolted to a job with the NFL’s New Orleans Saints. Dantonio then hired longtime friend and former Ohio State offensive coordinator Jim Bollman to the be co-coordinator with running backs coach Dave Warner.
With a new playcaller and a new mind leading on the offensive staff, the development of that unit will be one of the most intriguing storylines through spring practice and beyond.
Dantonio previously mentioned potentially adding more designed quarterback runs and stressed the importance of mobility at that position going forward. MSU seems to sway more toward dual-threat quarterbacks in recruiting recently, too, as seen in mobile players such as O’Connor and Terry.
