*** NCAA Football Preview - Michigan State Spartans ***

From The My Sportsbook

By Frank Haynes, College Football Senior Editor

2003 SEASON IN REVIEW: John L. Smith's first season at the helm was a successful one, at least when you consider where the Spartans had been the last few years. Michigan State finished with an 8-5 mark, a bit disappointing after streaking out to a 7-1 start, but a return to the postseason was a welcome sight to many a MSU backer. As one might have expected, the Big Ten slate was where the Spartans ran into trouble as they lost three of their last four regular-season games en route to a 5-3 mark. The year began with a hard- fought victory over Western Michigan (26-21), but a 16-point win over Rutgers the following week had the team feeling pretty good. That was until the Spartans dropped a heartbreaking 20-19 decision to Louisiana Tech in a game they led going into the final minutes. A solid win over Notre Dame was the first in a five-game win streak for the squad, but that was before the much- anticipated meeting with hated rival Michigan. That game resulted in a 27-20 loss, sending the team into its brief but costly tailspin, but the regular season would end on a high note as the Spartans took apart the Penn State Nittany Lions, 41-10. A 17-3 loss to Nebraska in the Alamo Bowl put an end to the year, but Smith was pleased and the future looks bright in East Lansing.

2004 ANALYSIS:

OFFENSE: While former Spartan standout T.J. Duckett was in town, Michigan State could run the ball with the best teams in the country. Since his departure for the greener pastures of the NFL, the Spartans have lacked that one guy capable of carrying the team on his back. Last year, MSU averaged just 97.4 ypg on the ground to rank 111th of the 117 Division I-A teams. Going into the 2004 season it appears as if senior DeAndra Cobb, a converted defensive back, could be the answer to the team's rushing woes. Cobb averaged 4.5 ypc in limited duty last fall, but he is explosive and has good field vision. Other guys to keep an eye on include Jehuu Caulcrick and Jason Teague, the latter of which averaged better than five ypc in limited duty last season. The QB situation is a bit unsettled as either Drew Stanton or Stephen Reaves could wind up with the starting job. Stanton appears to have the inside track, but Reaves will be waiting in the wings should he falter. State has one of the top receiving corps in the Big Ten, with the return of starters Kyle Brown, Aaron Alexander and Agim Shabaj. Shabaj led the team with 57 receptions in '03 and his sprinter speed could serve him well as he looks to get downfield and make big plays. Senior Eric Knott is back at TE, giving the Spartans yet another weapon in the pass game.

DEFENSE: The Spartans were hurt all too often by the big pass play last season so it's no wonder the team ranked 97th in the country against the pass, yielding an average of 255.2 ypg. Former RBs Jaren Hayes and Tyrell Dortch were brought over to add some athleticism to the defense, but pressure up front will be the key. Senior DE Clifford Dukes is a 2003 Second Team All-Big Ten selection and his presence on the edge should help keep opposing offenses honest, while junior DT Brandon McKinney is a mountain of a man at 6-3, 330 pounds and will be asked to clog the middle. With respect to the linebacking corps, Ronald Stanley and Seth Mitchell are back as starters, with the two combining for 204 tackles last year. The team's leading tackler, senior FS Jason Harmon, is also back after collecting 108 stops in '03. Expect teams to find the alleys rather narrow with respect to the run, while an aggressive nature by the MSU secondary should help against the pass. It will be interesting to see what kind of pressure the Spartans get on the QB, as that will go a long way toward determining the team's overall success.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Senior Dave Rayner is one of the best kickers in the Big Ten, and he will look to be even more proficient than the 22-of-29 effort he put forth on FGs a year ago. He has a powerful leg and hit half of his eight attempts from beyond 50 yards last season. As for the punting chores, they will be handled by sophomore Brandon Fields. The 6-6, 233-pounder averaged better than 46 ypp in '03, and he will be counted on heavily to help in the field position game. Cobb could see considerable time returning kicks after his attempts at it last year netted an average of 27.2 ypr.

OUTLOOK: Could the Spartans win more than eight games this year? Possibly, although the guess is that with new faces in the backfield it will be difficult. The year starts out with a pair of relatively easy games against Rutgers and Central Michigan, but a meeting with Notre Dame on September 18th could certainly be tough. The Big Ten slate opens with a trip to Indiana followed by a trek to Iowa. A home game against Illinois should result in a favorable outcome, but the Minnesota Golden Gophers come calling next and it seems as if Glen Mason has his team in a position to challenge for the conference crown yet again. The Spartans will enjoy a bye on October 23rd, and they'll need it as they then hit the road to play bitter rival Michigan on the 30th. A pair of home tilts against formidable foes awaits as Ohio State and Wisconsin both pay a visit to Spartan Stadium, and the Big Ten portion of the schedule comes to an end with a trip to hostile Happy Valley for a meeting with the Penn State Nittany Lions. MSU isn't done however, as a flight to the South Pacific is on tap for an early December clash with Hawaii.