Sean Merriman, BTN.com contributorMSU Football: Spartans’ 2014 Dream Recruiting Class (Defense)
Just this past week, The Spartan Word released a piece on MSU’s 2014 Dream Recruiting Class, highlighting the offensive side of the ball.
Now, one week later, we will be take an in-depth look at the defensive side, as we look at those recruits who MSU would love to reel in for the 2014 class.
As always, these decisions are based on realistic expectations and only those players who are considering Michigan State will be used in this article.
Defensive End: Malik McDowell
Many believe that McDowell is a U-M lean, but don’t count the Spartans out just yet.
First-year defensive line coach Ron Burton has done a nice job with his recruitment of McDowell, who is the top in-state prospect in the 2014 class. Rivals.com lists the 6-foot-6, 290 pounds defensive end as the No. 3-ranked strongside defensive end in the nation, and the No. 23-ranked overall prospect in the 2014 class.
McDowell has a long list of school choices, but from the looks of it, I would expect it to come down to MSU, Michigan, UCLA, USC, Ohio State, Florida and Florida State for his services.
At this point, MSU has just as good a chance as anyone.
Defensive Tackle: Craig Evans
The Spartans have already signed an exceptional defensive tackle prospect for the 2014 class in Enoch Smith Jr. However, they are expected to sign several DT’s in this class, and landing Craig Evans in addition to Smith Jr. would be a dream come true for Mark Dantonio and this MSU coaching staff.
As it stands right now, Evans is verbally committed to Wisconsin, but that commitment came before Brett Bielema and his staff made the move to Arkansas. Because of that, Evans has made it well known that he will continue to evaluate schools and take visits throughout the recruiting process.
In other words, his commitment to Wisconsin is about as soft as a verbal commitment can possible be at this point.
Dantonio and the MSU coaching staff have been hot on the trail of the 6-foot-3, 305 four-star prospect. Rivals.com ranks Evans as the No. 16 defensive tackle prospect in the nation, as well as the top prospect in the state of Wisconsin.
Keep an eye on Evans’ recruitment in the upcoming months. If the Spartans are able to land both Evans and Smith, they could very-well have one of the top defensive tackle tandems in the nation for years to come.
Outside Linebacker: Byron Bullough (verbally committed)
The Spartans made it a point to address the linebacker position early on in this 2014 class. With that said, Mark Dantonio and his staff have already landed two promising outside linebackers in Byron Bullough and Chris Frey.
The Bullough legacy is no secret when it comes to MSU football. Older brother Max will enter his third season as the Spartans’ starting middle linebacker and is a preseason Butkus Award nominee. Riley is a redshirt freshman and a candidate to be the Spartans’ starting tailback this fall after making the move there this past spring.
But many people have said that the younger Byron could very-well be the best of the three, which is scary to think about.
With two solid outside backers’ already in the mix, I wouldn’t be surprised if MSU stood pat on the outside linebacker position for the remainder of the 2014 recruiting cycle. Bullough was the first Spartan commitment, and when it’s all said and done, he could be the best of the group as well.
Middle Linebacker: Deon Drake (verbally committed)
As mentioned in the previous graph, MSU got off to a great start when it comes to recruiting the linebacker position in 2014.
The most coveted prospect in this group is Detroit Cass Tech standout Deon Drake.
The 6-foot-1, 215 pound Drake is a four-star prospect and the No. 17-ranked inside linebacker in the nation, according to rivals.com.
Drake gave a verbal commitment to the Spartans back in September, choosing MSU over the likes of Notre Dame, Nebraska and Pittsburgh. He joins class of 2013 teammate Dennis Finley, and could begin to sway other Cass Tech teammates away from Michigan and towards MSU.
At least that is the hope for Spartan fans….
Cornerback: Lamont Simmons
Simmons may be the best player that you’ve never heard of.
Unlike many top prospects across the nation, Simmons does not attend many recruiting camps, which in return, gives him little publicity from national recruiting sites.
However, all you have to do is take a look at this kid’s offer list to get an idea of how talented he truly is.
In addition to MSU, the 6-foot-2, 185 pound cornerback already has offers from the likes of Georgia, Tennessee, Auburn, Arkansas, Virginia and Wisconsin.
Many believe that the Florida native could stay down South, but he has made it clear that MSU is in his top-five.
My personal belief is that MSU has yet to offer in-state corners Jalen Watts-Jackson (Orchard Lake St. Marys) and Jalen Embry (Detroit King) because they are waiting to see if they can land another elite level corner in this class.
Simmons would fit that description perfectly.
Safety: Matt Morrissey
Just like Byron Bullough, adding Morrissey to the Spartans’ 2014 class would give MSU yet another legacy recruit.
His father, Jim, was a four-year football player at MSU from 1981-84, twice earning All-Big Ten honors before going on to have a nine-year NFL career. Matt’s sister, Anna, is preparing for her junior season at MSU as a member of the women’s basketball team.
Rivals.com ranks Morrissey as a three-star prospect and the No. 28 player in the state of Illinois.
In addition to MSU, the 6-foot-3, 185 pound safety also has offers from Boston College and Illinois, with Wisconsin also showing serious interest in his recruitment.
If Wisconsin does indeed pull the trigger on an offer, this one should come down to the Badgers and Spartans in what could be an extended Big Ten recruiting battle.
MSU Football: Spartans 2014 Dream Recruiting Class (Offense)
I know it’s stating the obvious, but no one loves Mondays, right?
They always seem to drag on and you know it’s the first day of a full work-week ahead. So instead of drooping your head and dreading the work week, we’ve decided to have a little bit of fun this Monday at the Spartan Word.
We’re going to go ahead and take a look ahead at MSU’s 2014 recruiting class and provide a dream-scenario at each and every position for the Spartans’ upcoming 2014 recruiting class.
Let’s start with the offensive side of the ball today, and move to defense on Tuesday.
These decisions are based on realistic expectations and only those players who are considering Michigan State will be used in this article.
With that said, let’s have some fun and get this thing going.
Quarterback: Chris Durkin (Already signed)
Durkin committed to the Spartans back in late-March and will likely be the only quarterback signed in this 2014 class.
The Youngstown, Ohio prospect has exceptional size at 6-foot-4, 234 pounds and outstanding arm strength. He adds another young, promising quarterback to the Spartans roster, joining 2013 four-star recruit Damion Terry.
Rivals.com ranks Durkin as the No. 15 pro-style quarterback prospect in the nation for the 2014 class. He is currently listed as a high three-star prospect, but that star-ranking could be elevated when the next set of updated rankings are released.
Durkin committed to the Spartans early on, despite having multiple offers from the likes of Cal, Illinois, Indiana and Northwestern.
Running Back: Chris James
I was debating whether or not to put Shai McKenzie (Washington, PA) in this spot, but the more and more I read about this kid, it seems like he is leaning towards committing to Pitt any day now.
Because of that, Chris James gets the nod for the Spartans’ dream running back in the 2014 class, and that dream could very well turn into a reality sooner than later.
James has come out and said that the Spartans’ are amongst his leaders, and that’s great news for Mark Dantonio and this 2014 class. MSU was one of the first programs to offer James and the love is clearly mutual.
The 5-foot-9, 212 pound prospect has seen his stock soar over the past couple of months. In fact, just last month, James saw his Rivals.com position ranking shoot up 20 spots, all the way up to No. 33 overall amongst running backs.
Wisconsin, Iowa and Pittsburgh are also hot on James’ trail, but I think the Spartans get the nod here when it is all said and done.
Wide Receiver: Jalen Brown
After four-star Drake Harris decommitted from MSU and choose to sign with Michigan instead, many figured that the Spartans were going to fall short when it came to signing a dominant wide receiver prospect in the 2014 class.
Not so fast.
Mark Dantonio and the MSU staff are hot on the trail of talented, four-star WR prospect Jalen Brown, and it looks like the feeling is mutual.
Brown is a mega-recruit and would be a huge score for the Spartans if they are able to land him. He is the No.4-ranked wide receiver prospect in the nation, according to rivals.com, and a top-50 prospect according the Rivals100 for the 2014 class.
The 6-foot-2, 183 pound stud has a long list of suitors, which includes the likes of Florida State, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon and UCLA, in addition to MSU.
Look for Brown to narrow his list down soon, and don’t be surprised if the Spartans make the cut of his top schools.
Tight End: Matt Sokol (Already signed)
MSU received a commitment from Sokol just this past month, and from the looks of it, the Spartans should have their tight end of the future in place.
Sokol plays quarterback at Rochester Adams High, but his 6-foot-5, 230 pound frame makes him an ideal target for the tight end position at the next level.
The three-star prospect has worked out at tight end in recent camps and has shown great hands and athleticism, which is much-needed after the departure of Dion Sims to the NFL.
It’s possible that MSU could sign a second tight end prospect in this class, but with Dylan Chmura in 2013 and Sokol in 2014, the future of the tight end position certainly looks bright in East Lansing.
Offensive Tackle: Jamarco Jones
If there is one prospect who could push this 2014 MSU recruiting class from good to great, I think it is high four-star offensive tackle, Jamarco Jones.
It is no secret that MSU has had injury problems on the offensive line over the past couple of seasons, and if Skyler Burkland does indeed call it quits on a career, that would just add to the list.
The 6-foot-5, 285 pound Jones is a force at the offensive tackle position. He is the No. 13-ranked offensive tackle prospect in the nation, according to rivals.com, and the No. 97 overall prospect in the 2014 class.
Jones has narrowed his list down to four finalists, which includes MSU, Michigan, Ohio State and Notre Dame.
After reading that list, it should come as no surprise that MSU has some steep competition for Jones’ talents, but from what we know at this point, all schools are fair game leading up to his visits this summer.
Landing Jones would be a huge score for Mark Dantonio and this MSU coaching staff.
Offensive Guard: Nick Richardson
Some have Nick Richardson listed as an offensive guard, others as an offensive tackle, but for logistic purposes, let’s go ahead and list him as a guard prospect here on this list.
Standing at 6-foot-4, 285 pounds, Richardson has the ideal size for a guard at the Big Ten level.
Rumor has it that Richardson is high on MSU, but the Spartans will have to battle with the likes of Illinois, Ole Miss and West Virginia for the four-star prospect’s services. It is believed that if Richardson does indeed receive an offer from Ohio State, that the Buckeyes would be the likely favorite.
At this point, that Ohio State offer has not yet materialized, which puts MSU amongst the favorites for Richardson. Landing him would add to what is already an impressive offensive line class.
Center: Brian Allen (Already signed)
The Michigan State staff has made it a point to heavily recruit the state of Illinois in this 2014 class.
Mark Dantonio and his staff landed a gem this past April when three-star center Brian Allen committed to the Spartans, joining brother Jack, who is a starting guard for the Spartans.
He joins four-star DT Enoch Smith Jr. and three-star OT Chase Gianacakos as players from Illinois who have committed to the Spartans’ 2014 class thus far.
Several scouts have said that Brian is already more advanced than brother Jack was at this point in his high school career, which is great news for the future of this Michigan State offensive line.
Look for Allen, Smith and Gianacakos to continue to help in the recruitment from the state of Illinois.
MSU Football: Spartans Need to Go All-In for Jones
Anyone who followed Michigan State’s 2012 football season has a true understanding of just how important offensive line play was to this team.
The Spartans had injuries all across the offensive line last season. In fact, four of the team’s five starting offensive linemen missed at least one game last season due to injury.
With that said, adding depth to the offensive line has become a huge factor in the 2014 recruiting cycle.
Fortunately for the Spartans, some big help could soon be on the way.
Four-star offensive tackle Jamarco Jones of Chicago De La Salle has narrowed his final school choices down to four: Michigan State, Michigan, Notre Dame and Ohio State.
At an initial look, one would think that is some serious, steep competition for the Spartans.
But if you take a look at these programs’ records over the past three seasons, Mark Dantonio’s team is right there near the top. Ohio State has notched 30 wins over the past three seasons, followed by 29 for MSU, 28 for Notre Dame and 26 for Michigan.
The product that Michigan State has put out on the field under Dantonio has been phenomenal over the past couple of seasons. Perhaps even more impressive is that they have done it by developing middle-of-the-tier prospects, while the other three programs haul in top-ranked recruiting classes year-in and year-out.
But with both Michigan and Ohio State now back on the rise, MSU is in a situation where they need to capitalize on landing top-notch recruits when they show serious interest in the Spartans’ program.
This is where Jones comes into play.
The 6-foot-5, 285 offensive tackle is the No. 15-ranked tackle prospect in the nation, according to rivals.com. The popular recruiting site also lists Jones as the No. 97 player overall in the recently-updated 2014 Rivals100 list.
With Dan France, Blake Treadwell and Fou Fonoti all entering their senior seasons, and Skyler Burkland his junior campaign, adding a talent like Jones would be huge for the future of this offensive line unit.
In fact, the Spartans haven’t added an offensive lineman listed in the Rivals100 since David Barrent back in 2009. Barrent, who played his high school ball in Des Moines Iowa, had to give up the game of football just two years ago due to chronic lower-back pain.
Jones’ primary recruiter on the Spartans’ staff was former offensive coordinator Dan Roushar, who recently left to become the running backs coach for the New Orleans Saints. That assignment has now been passed on to MSU offensive line coach, Mark Staten.
Jones had the following to say when asked about Michigan State when interviewed by Tim Sulivan of TheWolverine.com.
“I’ve gotten to know their coaches pretty well,” Jones said. I’ve visited multiple times, going to games, practices and stuff like that. So, I’m pretty comfortable there, with Coach Staten as well.”
MSU Football: Spartans Add 2014 OLB Recruit Chris Frey
Photo from studentsports.com
Michigan State’s 2014 recruiting class is off to an exceptional start this season.
The Spartans just added another key piece to the class earlier this morning when they signed Upper Arlington, Ohio, outside linebacker Chris Frey.
The 6-foot, 208 pound Frey is a three-star prospect, according to rivals.com, which also ranks him as the No. 38 outside linebacker in the 2014 class. He dosen’t have exceptional size for the linebacker position, but he makes up for that with his physical play out on the field.
Frey, who just visited MSU on Monday, committed to the Spartans over offers from the likes of Boston College, Purdue, Syracuse, and several others. He is the eighth member of the Spartans 2013 class, which had the 23rd-ranked class in the nation before Frey’s commitment, according to rivals.com.
Frey attended the Cincinnati Rivals Camp Series this past year and was named as one of the top linebacker prospects from the group of events.
He is the fourth Spartan commit over the past month, joining OL Brian Allen (Hinsdale, Ill.), DT Enoch Smith Jr (Chicago, Il) and TE Matt Sokol (Rochester, MI).
Frey is just the second 2014 MSU commit to hail from Ohio, joining three-star quarterback prospect, Chris Durkin (Youngstown, OH).
MSU Basketball: Dawson’s Journey Could End in Triumph
Photo from mlive.com
By: Sean Merriman
I was convinced he was going to be the next Jason Richardson. And oddly enough, as strange as this may sound to Spartan basketball fans, I still am convinced of that, it may just take a while longer for him to get there.
I remember watching Branden Dawson play in the McDonald’s All-American game on that Wednesday evening in late March. Driving, slashing, scoring, the 6-foot-6 kid from Gary, IN. could do it all.
Dawson scored nine points and grabbed eight rebounds in limited time during that game. He glided to the rim, scoring almost at ease on the offensive end, while wrestling rebounds away from the likes of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Chane Behanan and James Michael MacAdoo on the defensive end.
“Now I get it,” I said to myself at the time.
Dawson looked like the perfect Tom Izzo recruit.
He would go on to enroll at MSU that summer and started the 2011-12 season off with a bang, averaging 11 points and five rebounds over his first three games in a Spartan uniform.
Those numbers stayed pretty consistent for the most part throughout the regular season. He posted three double-doubles in his freshman campaign, his last being against Purdue, a school that was in an ongoing, heated recruiting battle with Michigan State for Dawson’s services.
Then on a late Sunday afternoon, in the Spartans’ regular season finale against Ohio State, everything changed for Dawson in an instant.
Midway through the first half, Dawson went up for a rebound, his knee buckled and he fell to the ground in pain. It was later announced as a torn ACL, an injury that can often keep players out for up to 9-12 months. An injury, that can often alter a career.
However, Dawson made an astonishing recovery and was back on the court within five months of the injury, a feat that not even his fellow teammates could believe to be true.
Not only was Dawson expected to be ready in time for the Spartans 2012 opener, but he was looked at to be a focal point of a young, but talented Michigan State team.
Just like the previous year, Dawson started out his sophomore campaign on a high note. He scored in double-digits in six of his first seven games back from that unforeseen ACL tear, including a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double in the season opener against Connecticut.
The Spartans had their star forward back, and everything was all good in East Lansing for the time being.
Dawson continued to excel throughout the non-conference schedule and even into the Big Ten season, showing no ill effects of that surgically repaired knee. He put up career-highs in both points (18) and rebounds (13) against Wisconsin in a late-January game, and then topped it with a 20-point outburst two weeks later against Purdue.
However, after that, everything began to take a turn once again for Dawson.
The explosiveness that he showed early on in the season began to deteriorate each and every game after that. The ability to drive to the basket and create his own shot just simply wasn’t there anymore as the season wound down, and the pain began to take its tole.
After scoring in double-digits in 16 of the Spartans’ first 25 games last season, he failed to do so once throughout the team’s final 11 games of the season. He recorded eight-or-more rebounds in nine of the Spartans’ first 22 games of the year, and didn’t accomplish the feat again after the month of January.
Just as the Spartans’ season ended in disappointment after a Sweet 16 loss to Duke, so did Dawson’s season.
That brings us to where we are today, as Dawson faces the most important offseason of his young, basketball career.
If Dawson is able to gain back that explosiveness, develop his mid-range jump shot, and get that knee back to full strength, then this team will have a real shot at a national championship.
Along with point guard Keith Appling, shooting guard Gary Harris and power forward Adreian Payne, all of whom made the decision to come back for the 2012-13 season, as oppose to declaring early for the NBA Draft, this group could very-well be the most talented core to play in East Lansing in over a decade.
But remember, there is a difference between being a talented college basketball team, and being a great college basketball team.
How far Michigan State will go next season could very-well be up to how hard Dawson dedicates himself this offseason.
It’s up to him- his decision.
A decision that could give him a chance to define his legacy at MSU. A decision that could give his team a chance to define their legacy as well.
MSU Basketball: Payne’s Return Makes Spartans a True Title Contender
Photo from SBnation.com
By: Sean Merriman
When any talented underclassman chooses to forgo the NBA Draft and return to school, fans begin to look ahead and build expectations for the upcoming season.
With that said, let’s put Michigan State’s expectations for the 2013-14 season into proper perspective, now that Adreian Payne has announced he will be returning for his senior year.
They are huge.
ABSOLUTELY HUGE.
Most major publications have Michigan State listed as the Big Ten favorite and a consensus top-five team in the nation heading into next year.
Payne’s return gives the Spartans four returning starters and a bench that should stretch as deep as any in the nation.
But most important, Payne’s return gives this team another senior leader, along with Keith Appling. And if Michigan State fans know anything about leaders, they have been vitally important to this program’s success under head coach Tom Izzo.
Getting Payne back means Izzo will have a real shot at a second national championship. It also means that Izzo can keep the streak alive of sending every four-year player to a Final Four.
Payne and Appling came in as freshmen back in 2010, one year removed from back-to-back Final Four appearances by the Spartans. Both were ranked as consensus top-50 recruits in the nation, one a McDonald’s All-American, the other the runner-up for Mr. Basketball in the state of Ohio, losing the honor to a guy by the name of Jared Sullinger. Both were expected to lead the Spartans back to another Final Four shortly after their arrival.
Appling worked his way into the rotation during his freshman year, serving as a defensive specialist, playing along side Kalin Lucas. He earned the starting point guard gig during his sophomore campaign and has spent the past two years learning to develop and make a proper transformation into that role.
This past year was Appling’s best, averaging a team-best 13.4 points per game, to go along with 3.3 assists per contest. He hit a shooting slump late in the regular season, but rebounded with a nice Big Ten and NCAA Tournament showing.
Much the same can be said of Payne. He looked like a future first-round draft pick out there at times for MSU this season, snatching down rebounds and extending his offensive game even beyond the 3-point stripe. Payne averaged career highs in points (10.5), rebounds (7.6) and blocks (1.3). He was a staple on Sportscenter Top-10 plays with his acrobatic dunks down in the paint.
The two friends, along with freshman Gary Harris, all could have made the choice to leave early and enter the NBA, Harris and Payne as likely first round selections, Appling a mid-to-late second round pick.
But all three chose to stay.
All three wanted to keep that streak alive of sending every four-year player under Izzo to a Final Four.
In sports, there is a strong difference between an assumption and a realistic expectation.
College basketball analysts across the country can assume that Michigan State is going to make a Final Four run in 2014.
But it’s up to the players themselves to turn that assumption into a reality.
With Payne, Harris and Appling in the mix, along with Izzo on the sidelines, you have to like their chances.
MSU Football: Maxwell’s Job to Lose, or Cook’s Job to Gain?
By: Sean Merriman
In this day and age, it is a natural perception for college football fans to blame the starting quarterback when things aren’t going as planned on the offensive side of the ball.
Michigan State senior quarterback Andrew Maxwell knows a thing or two about that.
After learning and patiently waiting behind former All-Big Ten and current Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins for three years, Maxwell got his turn to start at quarterback for the Spartans last season. Coming off back-to-back double-digit win seasons, expectations were sky high for the Spartans in 2012, and Maxwell was right in the center of it all.
But as many first-year starting quarterbacks often do, Maxwell struggled when he was handed the keys to car. The 6-foot-3, 215 pound signal caller from Midland, MI passed for 2,606 yards last season, but he threw just 13 touchdown passes and was picked off nine times.
While those numbers certainly aren’t anything to write home about, where Maxwell struggled the most was when plays broke down. His lack of mobility and pocket presence became more than evident last season by the 21 times he was sacked by opponents.
Maxwell and the Spartans finished 7-6 in 2012, which concluded with a 17-16 bowl win over TCU, in which Maxwell was benched in the final minutes of the game. Backup quarterback Connor Cook relived Maxwell and led the Spartans on a game-winning drive, capped off by a Dan Conroy 47-yard field goal.
That led to immediate questions about a quarterback controversy heading into the 2013 season, and now, four days removed from the conclusion of spring football, the quarterback race is still very much alive and ongoing.
Spartan fans have been quick to point out Maxwell’s lack of production last season, and the consensus among those fans is that they are calling for a change. However, head coach Mark Dantonio has made it clear that while this still remains an open quarterback competition, Maxwell does have the upper hand at this moment.
But as fans continue to question Maxwell’s ability and make a push for Cook to take over the starting quarterback spot, here is a question to ponder: If Maxwell struggled that much last season, why can’t Cook do enough to convince coaches that he is the right guy for the job?
It seems like the majority of Spartan critics have been focused on Maxwell’s lack of production and consistency, but coaches are obviously aware of that as well. While all of the blame has fallen on Maxwell, how about taking a look at the other side of things?
Why is it that Connor Cook can’t do enough to overtake Maxwell for the starting quarterback gig?
When asked about his ability to step up in game-like situations, Cook had the following to say to spartannation.com.
“I don’t want to call myself a gamer, and I don’t want to say that I’m inconsistent in practice or that I’m not good in practice, or anything like that. But, I think the main thing is that I just tend to lose focus in practice.
“Anytime it is a game-like situation or under the lights, I feel a much different type of focus then I do in practice, and it’s not good… I shouldn’t feel like that.”
This is not as uncommon as it may sound, as several college and NFL quarterbacks have been known to perform better in game-like situations then they do in practice.
Look at Tim Tebow. It’s the same story there, although let’s not get going on that topic.
But if Connor Cook is going to win this quarterback competition and ultimately beat out Maxwell for the starting quarterback job, he is going to have to fix that. He is going to have to perform in practices and prove to the coaching staff that he is worthy of being the starting quarterback for this MSU football team.
While Maxwell’s team got the win in Saturday’s spring football scrimmage, Cook was the one who played better. His pocket presence and ability to move around when things break down is what makes him a promising option at the quarterback position.
The MSU coaching staff have made it clear that they want their quarterback to be more mobile and move around more in the pocket. In other words, Cook has the ability to give the staff what they want, it’s the other intangibles that he needs to work on now.
Remember this– Sports fans love the unknown, and outside of Cook’s limited action in last year’s Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, Cook is pretty much just that– an unknown commodity. But if he wants to win this starting quarterback job, it has to start on the practice field, and then transition to the playing field on Saturdays.
This quarterback race will likely continue throughout the summer and into the fall.
But if it’s Andrew Maxwell under center when the Spartans open up at home on Aug. 30 against Western Michigan, let’s refrain from asking what he did to deserve this job. It may be more fair to ask what Connor Cook wasn’t able to do?
Former MSU Spartan Garrick Sherman not impressed with Notre Dame/St Johns Fight
Former Michigan State Spartan Garrick Sherman was never known as a physical player who liked to mix it up, despite his 6-foot-10, 250 pound frame. Take a look at this fight that broke out last night in the Notre Dame vs. St. Johns game and how Sherman (far left) just walked away while his teammate got hit in the face. Not to mention, Sherman was the biggest player out on the court, and all other nine players out there were in the mix.
Was this a smart move by Sherman to avoid potentially being ejected from the game, or was this a poor move to leave his teammates hanging while he turned his back and walked away?
Highlight Tape of 2013 MSU Target, Gavin Schilling
When Michigan State missed out on the Jabari Parker sweepstakes, Tom Izzo and the Spartans’ coaching staff shifted their focus towards landing another skilled forward in the 2013 Class– Findlay Prep standout, Gavin Schilling.
Here is a youtube highlight tape of Schilling during his days at Chicago De La Salle.
You can tell from watching this video that this kid is still raw, but has a ton of athletic ability and great potential for the future.
Schilling is currently deciding between MSU, Minnesota, Villanova and UCLA.
