Early prediction for 2012 opening day football lineup...

[maroonmania]

Thought I would give it a shot. Didn't include any incoming freshman even though Quay has at least a shot to crack the starting lineup given he is going to go through spring practice. Just think it unlikely though Mullen will have any true freshman in the initial starting lineup for the year. Also, I put in options if Tobias Smith and Nickoe Whitley are not full speed and ready to play by the opener. So here's my guess:

Offense:
QB - Tyler Russell
RB - Nick Griffin
WR - Chad Bumphis (assuming he doesn't get some suspension over his altercation at the club)
WR - Chris Smith
WR - Arceto Clark
TE - Brandon Hill
LT - Charles Siddoway
LG - Gabe Jackson
C - Dylan Holley
RG - Tobias Smith (if not ready plug in Dillon Day)
RT - Damien Robinson

Defense:
DT - Josh Boyd
DT - PJ Jones
DE - Kaleb Eulls
DE - Denico Autry
MLB - Ferlando Bohanna
OLB - Cameron Lawrence
OLB - Deontae Skinner
SS - Louis Watson
FS - Nickoe Whitley (if not ready plug in possibly Jay Hughes or Dee Arrington)
CB - Jonathan Banks
CB - Corey Broomfield

Anyway that's an initial take anyway. If Slay continues to show out and our young safeties aren't really ready to start I could see Banks being moved back to safety and Slay taking over the other starting corner. Would be interested to hear some other opinions especially of some of the younger players that some might expect to jump up and challenge for a starting role.

 

[maroonmania]

Thought I would give it a shot. Didn't include any incoming freshman even though Quay has at least a shot to crack the starting lineup given he is going to go through spring practice. Just think it unlikely though Mullen will have any true freshman in the initial starting lineup for the year. Also, I put in options if Tobias Smith and Nickoe Whitley are not full speed and ready to play by the opener. So here's my guess:

Offense:
QB - Tyler Russell
RB - Nick Griffin
WR - Chad Bumphis (assuming he doesn't get some suspension over his altercation at the club)
WR - Chris Smith
WR - Arceto Clark
TE - Brandon Hill
LT - Charles Siddoway
LG - Gabe Jackson
C - Dylan Holley
RG - Tobias Smith (if not ready plug in Dillon Day)
RT - Damien Robinson

Defense:
DT - Josh Boyd
DT - PJ Jones
DE - Kaleb Eulls
DE - Denico Autry
MLB - Ferlando Bohanna
OLB - Cameron Lawrence
OLB - Deontae Skinner
SS - Louis Watson
FS - Nickoe Whitley (if not ready plug in possibly Jay Hughes or Dee Arrington)
CB - Jonathan Banks
CB - Corey Broomfield

Anyway that's an initial take anyway. If Slay continues to show out and our young safeties aren't really ready to start I could see Banks being moved back to safety and Slay taking over the other starting corner. Would be interested to hear some other opinions especially of some of the younger players that some might expect to jump up and challenge for a starting role.

 

[Coach34]

could see Clausell moved to RT if Siddoway is legit<div>some think with Quay going thru Spring and workouts, he may be the starter come Sept</div><div>
</div><div>I'll be surprised on Quay- but that would be a good surprise</div>

 

[Buford T. Justice]

Jay Hughes over Louis Watson

 

[coachdaddy]

If we have five OL better than his *** we are gonna be good. He will start somewhere. What about the Johnson's malcolm and robert? Gotta find a way to get them on the field. Griffin wont be the starter-runs too stiff, may be left over bugs from surgery, idk. Just didnt look athletic when he ran the ball last year. I am looing forward to spring to see if he is back to 100 percent.

 

[mstatefan88]

I think Malcolm gives us a legit downfield threat, and I think he would be the more valuable TE next year. And I don't see Louis Watson starting at SS. I think Hughes will end up getting the start there. I will also agree with Coach on the RT spot. I think Clausell and probably Muniz will fight it out for that position. Other than that I like everything there. I really think that is a solid starting lineup, and we've got some very valuable backups, especially on defense. </p>

 

[coach66]

ball guy.

 

[maroonmania]

Watson likely not ending up starting. Louis is a journeyman veteran who is probably better in a backup role but wasn't quite sure at this point who would be ready to pass him up. Also wonder if there is any chance Matthew Wells might see some time at SS instead of strictly staying at LB?

 

[RonnyAtmosphere]

1) Everytime Malcolm Johnson made a big play last season, Mullen would immediately pull him out of the game.


I hope that silly mess is over; M. Johnson should start this fall.


2) There is no way our mediocre WR corps is going to keep Morrow from starting this fall.

 

[o_GuitarDawg]

QB Tyler Russell<div>RB LaDarius Perkins</div><div>WR Chad Bumphis</div><div>WR Chris Smiff'/Joe Morrow</div><div>WR Arceto Clark</div><div>TE Malcolm Johnson</div><div>LT Charles Siddoway/Blain Clausell</div><div>LG Gabe Jackson</div><div>C Dillon Day</div><div>RG Tobias Smiff'</div><div>RT Damien Robinson</div><div>
</div><div>DE Denico Autry</div><div>DT Josh Boyd</div><div>DT PJ Jones</div><div>DE Kaleb Eulls</div><div>OLB Cam Lawrence</div><div>MLB Ferlando Bohanna</div><div>OLB Deontae Skinner</div><div>CB Johnthan Banks</div><div>SS Kendrick Market</div><div>FS Nickoe Whitley/Matt Wells if Nickoe cannot yet play (only for the spring)</div><div>CB Corey Broomfield</div><div>
</div><div>Just taking a stab. Not a coach. Just a booze-addled onlooker.</div>

 

[gasdawg]

I have Muinz at RT, M Johnson at TE, and Dee Arrington and Nickoe at S. If Nickoe is still injured Jay Hughes at safety.
Morrow will get a ton of reps, and i suspect we will rotate a lot of d linemen. I hope Thames can get back on the team in the fall, we need some help at safety if Nickoe is not 100%.

 

[Irondawg]

Only Gabe jackson is assured a starting spot on that OL. The rest are up for grabs.

Cam and Skinner will start at two LB spots and then you have Hughes, Wells. Bohanna and several others battling it out for that last spot.

Safety is wide open. Obviously NW has one spot if healthy but the other and the backup spots are wide open. I too expect Dee to be the main player there, but lots of guys in the hunt for some PT. Don't forget it's rumored that Thames is coming back as well.

 

[OMlawdog]

His skill set is so much different than Relf.

I would think that Dak's performance in the spring game will be very interesting. Also Im interested in the amount of contact they allow on Dak.

 

[RonnyAtmosphere]

..is going to depend on a workhorse RB, because MSU doesn't have the WR corps to make plays down the field for Russell.

I think Prescott will allow Mullen to run more of a Relf-style offense where the defense is forced to account for a option-threat QB, but Russell will not be pulled unless he enters Michael Henig territory.

 

[mstatefan88]

..is going to depend on a workhorse RB, because MSU doesn't have the WR corps to make plays down the field for Russell.

I think Prescott will allow Mullen to run more of a Relf-style offense where the defense is forced to account for a option-threat QB, but Russell will not be pulled unless he enters Michael Henig territory.

I think we have a very talented WR corps, andI think a legit passing threat like Russell is going to show that. Relf missed a ton of open throws over his career, and he wasnot good at checking down toa guy like Perkins, which is why our vertical passing game was so terrible. Russell is muchbetter at looking through his progressions, and I think his ability to findthe shortyardage pass plays will open us up vertically.

I think Russell with an entire offseason to gel even more with our WR's is going to pay off on the field, especially in the vertical passing game with timing. And I think we will have zero problem running the football next year. Our RB's are legit, they are just unproven.

 

[RonnyAtmosphere]

..I've already said more than once that the MSU WR corps is the most poorly coached position on the team.


And you don't have to be a high end football mind like coach34 to see that.


Relf did throw some bad passes, but he also had a crapload of passes dropped. If not dropped, he was forced to deal with WRs who don't know **** about running a route.


Hopefully, between now & late August, the WR corps will get coached up & learn how to run routes. That alone will help Russell tremendously.

 

[OMlawdog]

I would think that MSU will still be a run first team next year, which is one of the reasons y'all struggled this year. Not due to lack of talent at RB, but mainly due to injuries along the OL.

I actually agree with Coach34 in that the run blocking scheme is easier for OL to learn, but this year's OL still really struggled to run block at times. I think Russell is a really solid QB and am just interested in seeing how he is used next year since he didn't really thrive in this year's offense except for the UAB game.

 

[CadaverDawg]

Having Russell's arm throwing it to them should make things open up quite a bit. The key will be whether or not we can protect Russell long enough to make a check down. I feel very confident that with time in the pocket, Russell can be the best pure QB to ever come through the program. Nothing to back that up yet, but I too would like to see a Russell geared offense to see just how legit he is. I think many would be surprised how good he is....much to the dismay of one Jerry Short**

 

[engie]

lives and dies on the offensive line.... Run game, passing game, all of it. The loss of Derek Sherrod/JC Brignone were good for a 2 game swing in our past two seasons. Hopefully, we hit on the two juco's, and the 4-5 bodies that are now in their third year on campus will really start to mature into a serviceable line.

 

[57stratdawg]

We have several guys that can play C and G, but we're razor thin at OT.

If Sidoway gets hurt, or sucks, it's going to be a long, long season.

 

[hotdigitydog]

NT </p>

 

[dudehead]

He may be able to, but I would be surprised. Relf was as tough a QB as you'll find.

 

[RiverCityDawg]

Jay Hughes over Louis Watson

I think we are in trouble if either of those guys ever see significant snaps. Barring a setback Nickoe will be back at one spot and I think the other will be Arrington, Market, Will Redmond or Thames if he ever makes it back. If its not one of those four guys I think we will have to slide Banks to safety (as much as he would probably hate it) and start Slay, Calhoun or Love at CB.

 

[gravedigger]

to being as good as we were in 2010. If he gets hurt or doesnt pan out, we will still be as good as last year.

I'm thinking that this coming year will be a pleasant surprise, but 7-5 is all I'm willing to believe right now.

Give me a spring practice and seeing the team in early August andI MIGHT change that.

Russell is ready and so is Prescott.

Morrow, Carr, Johnson, Clark are big play enough to get us some down field threat.

What remains to be seen is if we can protect.

What also remains to be seen is if our DEFENSE can win us a few that they couldnt last year.

 

[Goat Grindin]

and azzurridawg is still drooling over his arms.

 

[Goat Grindin]

nm

 

[mstatefan88]

The WR's are clearly the most poorly coached unit on the field. I think we have tons of talent that in 4 years will never be realized. I still believe Bumphis has the potential to be very good, butit just seemed likewe could never teach him how to get to that Percy Harvin level. The Secret Weapon, Chris Smith, Brandon Heavens, all of those guys will be seniors that never really reached their full potential unless they can explode this year. Part of that is due to Tyson and Relf, but you are right. A lot of it ison them for dropping passes andrunning poor routes.

For me, this has the potential to be our most prolific passing season in MSU history. If Russell averages 200 yards a game and we go to a bowl game, he would hold the single season yards record. We've got tons of senior WR's, a new deep threat in Morrow, and a guy like Russell that I think has a good arm and a full offseason with those senior WR's. Might be my own wool speaking, but I think Russell and this WR corps could do it.

 

[hulkbuster]

He'll emerge quickly as THE guy @ RB. Also might see Richie @ MLB too a good bit. They guy's 230 now, I could only imagine what he'll be after Balis gets his hands on him. But I also think Dak will be a better QB than Tyler before the season's over.